Kieran’s POV
My wolf, Ronan, raged inside my mind like a caged beast as I tore through my study. Failure! She slipped through our claws!
"STUPID! INCOMPETENT!" My fist connected with the wall, leaving spiderweb cracks in the drywall. The scent of my warriors’ fear soured the air as I backhanded the nearest one. "HOW COULD YOU LOSE HER?"
I kept shouting and raking my hands through my hair in fury over what had happened.
Kyra escaped, and we were unable to find them even after searching the whole night. It made so fucking angry that an invalid old wolf had managed to distract every guard I stationed around the mansion with just a re shout.
"Alpha, we—"
"WHAT?" I glared at my Beta, Felix. "SPEAK."
He imdiately bowed his head, fear plain on his face, then dropped to one knee. "The sports car... it’s registered to a shell corporation. No buyer’s na. No scent trails."
My fists trembled with uncontrollable rage.
Ronan snarled. Emily. Or that bastard Nathan.
Emily and Nathan Anderson were the only people with the guts to go against .
If it was one of them, I would make sure they suffered at my hands. Especially that bitch, Emily. I’d been hunting her since she visited Kyra in the flower shop. Everything started when she paid Kyra a visit. She must have said sothing to her that ssed with her mind. I’d never forget that woman. I would tear her to pieces and punish everyone tied to her.
And if it was Nathan Anderson... Damn! He would never live in peace again. I’d ruin him, starting with his company.
"Track them both," I growled, the command laced with Alpha compulsion. "I want every Raven Shadow and Rogue pack mber searching at their borders."
"But, Alpha, Nathan is overseas for the—"
A vicious snarl tore from my throat. "DO I LOOK LIKE I CARE ABOUT PACK POLITICS?" The windows rattled from the force of my dominance. "Bring my mate."
I needed to get Kyra back. She belonged to . Only to .
"Alpha Kieran, what should we do with Alpha Darian?"
Yes, I had almost forgotten the old wolf.
"Lock the old wolf in his room," I spat. "No visitors. No mind links. Don’t ever let see that old man’s face again."
***
Kyra’s POV
The safehouse slled like pine resin and wolfsbane—a clever mix to mask our scents from trackers. I ran a hand along the rustic log walls.
"This house is yours?" I asked Emily doubtfully.
Emily raised an eyebrow as she opened the main door. "Surprised a rogue like owns real estate?"
Sylvia, my wolf, huffed. Too clean. No scent markers.
I sank into the couch, exhaustion weighing my limbs. "It doesn’t suit your style."
She tossed her leather jacket onto a hook. "Relax, princess."
Every instinct scread that Emily was playing so long ga, but right now? She was the only ally I had. After I’d been fooled, it was hard for to trust easily again. I thought all of this would leave with trust issues.
Emily handed a glass of water. "I know you still don’t trust , but you don’t have a choice. I’m the only one who can help you. If I wanted you dead, I’d have left you for Kieran."
Suddenly feeling parched, I drank the water without even thinking if it might be harmful.
Emily straddled the armchair, radiating predatory grace. "Ground rules. No leaving. No contacting your pack. No one will recognize you here since this is a remote area. And for Moon’s sake, don’t howl in your sleep."
I nodded. "I’ll live here alone?"
Emily leaned against the doorfra, her leather pants creaking. "Kieran’s got every warrior and pack mber at the borders searching for you. staying? That’s a death warrant for us both. Don’t worry, you’re safe here."
"How long?" My fingers twisted in the fabric of my dress.
"Until Kieran stops turning over every stone between here and the border." Her smirk didn’t reach her eyes. "So... forever?"
Sylvia growled. Liar. She’s waiting for sothing.
I swallowed hard. "I... I need money. Clothes. Anything." My hands trembled against my swollen belly. Kieran had made sure I escaped with nothing but the nightgown on my back.
Emily’s smirk returned as she jerked her chin toward the kitchen. "Fridge is stocked with enough at and herbs to last a week. Not exactly five-star dining, but it’ll keep your wolf strong."
"A week?" My voice cracked. "You said three days."
"Three days until your new identity’s ready. You’ll stay here for three days while I process everything you need to leave the country." She tossed a new phone onto the couch. "After that, you’re catching the first cargo ship to another country. No airports—too many pack mbers monitor passenger lists."
Sylvia growled. Cargo ship? She wants to hide us like contraband!
"Huh?" I was shocked by what she said.
I’d leave the country? I could accept her help last night, but helping leave the country was too much. That was... too good to be true.
"The only way to escape Kieran’s claws is to leave the country, Kyra. It’s up to you if you ever co back, but I’ll help you leave in three days."
I stared at her, my doubt plain on my face. "Why are you doing this? Why are you helping , Emily?"
"Soone paid a substantial amount to help you. That’s all."
I gripped the edge of the couch. "Who paid you to do this? My father? Nathan?"
She smirked and shook her head. "You don’t need to know. The important thing is freeing yourself from your obsessive stepbrother. He won’t let you go easily, Kyra. You know him and his bloodline—he has vast connections and can track you down in less than a week, so you only have three days to prepare yourself to leave."
I bit my bottom lip and nodded. I didn’t have a choice. Just as she said, I could only trust her for now because no one else was with .
"Follow ."
I rose and followed Emily upstairs. She led to a room and opened the door.
"This is your room. There are clothes inside the cabinet."
She threw open the closet, revealing a rack of thrift-store flannels that reeked of human scent—perfect camouflage.
"You’ll pose as a human logger’s widow," Emily said, tossing a hideous sunhat into my hands. "Grieving and pregnant. Perfect cover—no self-respecting wolf would sniff a human that closely."
My fingers curled around the scratchy fabric. This was madness. As far as I knew, the Raven Shadow Pack maintained strong ties with the Arctic Moon Pack in the Northern Territories—the very pack Kieran falsely claid my father was visiting—and through his connections there, he controlled all northern shipping routes.
As if reading my thoughts, Emily snorted. "It’s not a problem, Kyra. You don’t need to worry about things that won’t happen. I’ve already thought this through. You won’t get caught. The ship’s captain owes favors. You’ll be in international waters before Kieran realizes you’re gone."
She pressed a thick envelope of cash into my palm.
"Emily, you’ve already helped enough."
"This is from your true savior, Kyra. You’ll need it. How can you live in another country without money?"
My real savior... I bit my bottom lip and sighed deeply before accepting the money.
"What if Kieran finds out you’re helping ?" I couldn’t help but ask, rembering Kieran’s words when I once heard him on the phone. I knew he didn’t joke about threats, which was why I risked my life to escape him.
"He can’t harm , Kyra. He still needs ."
I didn’t know what she ant, but I didn’t ask again.
Emily smiled again after that. I followed her downstairs as she slipped her jacket on.
"You’re leaving already?"
She turned to and I was surprised when she gently caressed my bump. Her palms were warm and gentle.
"Rember everything I said," she growled over her shoulder. "Especially the part about not leaving the house; Kieran has too many wolves hunting you."
I nodded. "Yes. Thank you so much, Emily. For helping and for telling about my father’s condition."
When she looked in the eyes again, she smiled. "Take care of yourself and your pup. I didn’t risk my life just to see you die or fall into Kieran’s trap again. Do what’s best for you. That’s what matters most."
I stared at the cash in my hands. Soone powerful wanted gone—and alive.
My wolf Sylvia let out a soft whine in my mind. She slls like sorrow and old wounds.
I didn’t know what to say, so I just watched as Emily left the house and got into her car again. I stood there quietly, thinking about everything that had happened and everything she had said.
Exhaustion hit like a tidal wave. I barely made it to the bedroom before collapsing onto scentless linens—another security precaution. When I woke, the digital clock read 2:37 PM.
The fridge wasn’t just stocked—it was carefully curated. Raw venison wrapped in butcher paper, prenatal vitamins, and enough chocolate to drown my sorrows.
I started cooking, and while I ate alone, I found myself thinking of my dad. I hoped he was okay. I hoped Kieran wasn’t really hurting him.
Sighing deeply, I forced myself to eat for my pup’s sake, even though it was dismal eating alone.
Exploring the house revealed more secrets than comforts. The guest room slled of disinfectant. Emily’s room?
A photograph hit like a bullet.
Emily, younger but no less fierce, her arm wrapped around a man who could have been Kieran’s twin—if Kieran were capable of smiling like that.
Their foreheads touched in an intimate pack gesture, her fingers tangled in his brown hair—a shade lighter than Kieran’s.
My hands tingled as I touched the photo fra. "Who the hell are you?" I whispered to the smiling stranger.
Who was this man? Why did he look so happy with Emily in the picture? And more importantly... why did he resemble Kieran so much?
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