The pauldron strap dug into my collarbone. I tightened it until the leather creaked, ignoring the low growl churning in my throat. The wolf inside was raging, sensing her approach even before the guards' claws touched the oak door.
— Bring her in.
The door cracked open, letting in a draft and the scent of rain mixed with the aroma of wild herbs. Alina froze on the threshold. Her gray dress hung on her like a sack; her pale face looked translucent in the dim morning light. She didn't look at me.
— Are you ready, Alpha? — the guard's voice wavered.
— Out. Wait in the corridor.
I stepped close to her. She barely reached my chin, and that fragility sparked nothing but fury right now. The bond pulsed beneath my ribs, demanding I seize her, cover her, hide her from what I myself had prepared.
— Do you know what to do in the hall? — I gripped her chin, forcing her to look up.
— To stand... and be silent.
— And don't you dare tremble. The pack must not see your fear. You are nothing, Alina. Merely a shadow behind my back. Remember that.
— I... I remember.
— Let's go. Step back.
The citadel corridors met us with the coldness of stone. My boots struck a rhythmic pace; her soft shoes barely rustled behind. We entered the Small Council chamber just as the roar of voices reached its peak. The heavy doors swung open, and silence draped over the room like a shroud.
Edric sat at the head, his gaze, heavy and cold, immediately locking onto Alina. Damian, lounging in the chair to the right, gave a faint smirk.
— Cale, — my father nodded toward the empty seat. — We've been waiting. Is your... entourage necessary?
I pulled back a heavy chair.
— She stays here. In the corner.
I gestured toward the edge of the torchlight. Alina obediently retreated into the shadows, becoming a motionless blur.
— Let's discuss the south, — I threw a map onto the table. — The Silverclaws have grown bold. Three attacks on patrols in a week.
— They are looking for a weak spot, — one of the elders, old Horn, spoke up. — Looking for where the Alpha will falter.
He glanced toward the corner where Alina stood. Thick tension hung in the air; the scent of old leather and male sweat became unbearable.
— I don't show weakness, Horn. I create opportunities.
— How so? — Damian drummed his fingers on the table. — Sending another dozen warriors to the slaughter?
— No. I'm sending a merchant caravan. A large one. With provisions and valuable cargo.
— It's bait, — Edric narrowed his eyes. — They aren't fools. They won't attack a caravan unless they are sure there is something... or someone truly important inside.
I felt Alina catch her breath behind me. Her fear brushed against my mark, searing the skin beneath my clothes.
— Alina will be in the caravan.
It grew so quiet in the hall that the crackling of torch wax could be heard.
— Your mate? — Horn leaned forward. — You're handing her to the Silverclaws like a piece of meat?
— She is not a mate. She is an escort. A formal gesture of goodwill for the southern settlements.
— And if they intercept her? — Damian raised an eyebrow.
— Then we will know exactly where their lair is. I will follow with the main unit three hours after the caravan departs.
— It's a risk, — Edric rose slowly. — Will your wolf allow you to do this, Cale? The pack expects an heir, not an omega's corpse in a roadside ditch.
I clenched my fists so hard my claws nearly tore through the leather of my gloves.
— My wolf obeys me. She goes. This is not up for debate.
— She looks as if she can barely stand, — Damian remarked, eyeing Alina. — Are you sure she'll make it to the border alive?
I ignored his words, feeling everything inside me churn from her silent despair.
— Alina, bring some water.
She flinched. Slowly, as if in a dream, she approached the table and took the heavy pitcher. Her hands were shaking violently.
— Look at her, — Horn spat. — What kind of bait is she? She'll die of fright before she even sees the first enemy.
— Her fear is her business, — I snapped.
When Alina leaned in to fill my goblet, her fingers brushed mine. Cold as ice. Abruptly, under the cover of the wide oak tabletop, I seized her wrist. My fingers clamped around her bones like shackles.
She froze. The pitcher tilted dangerously, but I didn't let go.
— You leave immediately, — I whispered, staring straight ahead at the map.
— Cale... — her voice was a barely audible moan.
I slid my palm higher, toward her thigh, hidden by the folds of the tablecloth and the shadows. The crude, possessive touch made her body shudder. I felt her muscles tense, her pulse quicken. A dark, painful satisfaction filled me—she still reacts. Even in terror, even in hatred.
— Silent, — my command lashed her.
She straightened up; her gaze met mine for a moment. Horror. Pure, unadulterated horror and total submission. Exactly what I needed. And exactly what made my wolf whine with bloodlust.
— Is the caravan ready? — I shifted my gaze to Edric.
— In the courtyard. Waiting only for your word.
— Then we are finished. Horn, Damian—follow me to the troop movement maps. The rest of you are dismissed.
I released her hand. Alina nearly stumbled as she backed away.
— Guards! — I shouted without turning around. — Escort the companion to the gates. Hand her over to the caravan commander. Depart immediately.
— Cale, wait... — Alina took half a step toward me.
— Go.
I didn't watch as they led her away. I only listened to the footsteps. One, two, three... The heavy thud of the doors.
The hall emptied, leaving only my father, Damian, and me.
— You're playing with fire, son, — Edric walked to the window, looking down at the courtyard. — If the Silverclaws kill her, you'll lose the bond. You know what that means for an Alpha.
— It means I'll become more vicious.
— Or you'll go mad.
I approached the table and slammed my palm down so hard the map flew into the air.
— Enough talk. Damian, how many men in the first ambush?
— Fifty. We'll block the gorge as soon as they cross the bridge.
I nodded, but my thoughts were elsewhere. Through the open window came the creak of wheels and the shouts of drivers. The bond stretched tight like a string, vibrating with the increasing distance. The wolf inside clawed at my ribs, trying to break free, to run after her, to tackle her to the ground and never let go.
I gripped the edge of the table so hard the wood cracked.
— Begin the troop deployment.
— Cale, are you alright? — Damian narrowed his eyes, peering into my face. — Your eyes... they're changing color.
— I said—begin.
I was left alone in the hall. The gray morning light seemed loathsome. Alina's scent still hung in the air—bitter, seasoned with her fear and my betrayal.
She was gone. The bait was taken. Now all that remained was to wait for the predator to emerge from the shadows and hope that when I arrived, there would be at least something left of her that could be called a mate.
The wolf howled in my head, and I answered it with a silent snarl. We were both on a leash. Only mine was a chain I had forged myself.