The Alpha's Shadow
every movement deliberate and predatory. Kael stood to the side, holding his injured side
Elias said, his voice a mockery of warmth.
fused to look away from the man who had taken so much from her. "I'm not
menacing. "You always were stubbor
rgency. He straightened, stepping closer despite the blood
crossing his face. "Ah, the wolf," he said. "You thin
, his eyes glowing faintly in the dim
how she ran from me? How she left behind a trail of destruction and d
st was a wound she had tried to bury, but Elias had
ing in front of Lena. "You don't
ng in his eyes. "You're protective. I'
him head-on, their collision a blur of claws and fists.
were precise; his strikes aimed to wound rather tha
never felt so powerless, so utterly useless. But then her eyes lande
d catch up. She dove for the blade,
nd the wolf's throat. "You thought you could chall
digging into Elias's arm,
ed high. He turned at the last second, his eyes wideni
Lena to the ground with a powerful backhand. The blade slipped from
an, but his words were
ss Elias's chest. Blood splattered the ground as Eli
d. He turned and fled into the shadows, disappear
oment, his chest heaving
rself up. Her voice was shaky, but h
ments were stiff. He crouched beside her, his e
hough her body ached fr
s head. "You were brave," he said
ling to the surface. "If I had sta
tened. "Maybe. But I
a momentarily speechless. Before she could respond,
ck emerged from the trees, their
"Maren asked, h
working with the hunters. He's
ghtened. "Did
t he's wounded. He'll think
f the group, his tone laced with skepticism
gaze on her and braced herself
ising. "She brought him here. She's a liabi
d Dren, his posture commanding. "Elias isn't just her problem.
t respond. Instead, he turned and sta
alone again. The fire from the hunters' camp had burne
t," Lena said softly, her
his expression unr
me. Risk every
're part of this now, Lena. Part of the pack, whet
y he offered. But her past loomed over her like a dark cloud, and she co
this," she admitted, her v
look at him. "You can," he said firmly. "You're stron
a long time, Lena fe
e knew the battle