Chapter 0033

My paws hit the forest floor as I shift into my wolf form. The wind carries scents of charcoal and grilled meat from Evelyn's house. Theron surges forward, eager to reach her, but I force him to halt at the tree line.

Voices drift on the breeze - Alpha Alistair and Mr. Sinclair are outside. I duck behind the training equipment as they move indoors, masking my presence. If Evelyn's upset about today's incident, I need to fix this.

Theron's growling in my mind, demanding we claim her now. I tighten my mental grip on him. Not yet.

Through the open window, I catch my father mentioning the mysterious gift. Damn it. If he's heard rumors about her secret admirer, he'll question why I haven't mentioned it. Another problem to handle.

My ears twitch as Dad asks to see the card. "Have you figured out who sent it?" he asks Evelyn. She mentions the betting pool but rules out Nathaniel and Sebastian. Smart girl - Nathaniel's just a friend, and Sebastian disqualified himself today.

Then she brings up the confrontation. My fur bristles when Dad demands, "Did Adrian challenge Sebastian over you?" I open the mindlink immediately. "No issues with Sebastian." I hope that's true - I'm relying on Donovan's report.

The next words hit like a punch. Sebastian's coming tomorrow for private training. The highest honor. Exactly what I'd sacrifice anything for. No wonder he didn't follow me outside - Evelyn had perfectly defused the situation.

Because of Theron's outburst and my failure to control him, Sebastian gets alone time with my mate. Not just any time - sacred training hours. Dad's wanted Mr. Sinclair to train our warriors for decades. Now Sebastian gets personal lessons... because of me.

Theron snarls in my head. "Silence!" I snap mentally. "This is your fault. If you hadn't lost control—"

"Wrong!" he interrupts. "He needs to know she's ours." I clench my jaw, forcing him down to keep listening.

Mr. Sinclair's next words freeze my blood. His quiet threat is unmistakable. Sacrificing one training session means nothing compared to...

Theron whimpers at the thought. "We need strategy," I tell him. "To prove we're the better choice. Sebastian has history with her - we can't afford mistakes." Theron quiets, neither agreeing nor protesting. The idea of losing Evelyn and Selene terrifies us both.

Then Mr. Sinclair shocks me. He'll consider training our warriors. Major progress - Dad's practically radiating satisfaction.

I stay hidden as Dad discusses increased rogue activity in neighboring packs. I hadn't heard about today's particularly vicious attack.

When Dad mentions needing damage control with Sebastian, I know our talk's coming. I slip back into the trees.

His eyes darken as Magnus surfaces. "Adrian. Shift back. We need to talk."