Riley Hayes POV
The scout arrives bleeding.
Riley is in the training grounds with Maya when the wolf shifts to human form and collapses. There's a gash down his side. His arm hangs wrong. His eyes are wild with panic and something else. Rage maybe. Or fear.
Garrett appears instantly like he can sense distress through the entire compound. He kneels beside the scout and his entire body goes rigid.
"Report," he says coldly.
"Silvermoon hunting party," the scout gasps. "Crossed the border. We had three wolves on patrol. They didn't stand a chance. The Silvermoon pack came with numbers and training and intention. They killed all three. Left their bodies on our territory like a message."
The words hit Riley like ice water.
Silvermoon. Her pack. They've crossed into Blackthorn territory. They've killed Garrett's wolves. They've declared war.
Garrett stands up and his entire demeanor shifts. The man who was holding Riley last night becomes the alpha. Cold. Merciless. Absolutely lethal.
"Get him to the healers," he orders. Then he turns to the other warriors gathered around. "Sound the alarm. I want every fighter ready in one hour. Full combat gear. We're moving to the borders."
He's going to war.
Riley's heart stops.
She watches him move through the compound giving orders. His voice is different now. Sharp like broken glass. His movements are fluid and dangerous. This is Garrett Cole the Alpha. The one who built his reputation on being ruthless. The one who crushes his enemies without hesitation.
And he's going because of her.
Riley runs after him before she can think about it. She catches up to him near the weapons storage where warriors are gathering armor and swords.
"Garrett," she says.
He turns and sees her and his expression softens for just a second. Then the alpha returns and he's cold again.
"You need to stay inside," he says. "Find Maya. Stay with her. Don't leave the pack house."
"Don't go," Riley says desperately. "Please don't go."
Garrett grabs her wrist gently and pulls her away from the crowd of warriors. He leads her to a corner where they can talk without everyone listening.
"I have to," he says. "They killed three of my wolves. That's a direct challenge. If I don't respond, my entire pack falls apart. Everyone sees that I'm weak."
"You're not weak," Riley says. "You're the strongest person I know."
"Then I have to prove it now. I have to show them that no one crosses Blackthorn and lives."
Riley feels panic rising in her chest like floodwater. She suddenly understands what her presence has done. She's made him weak. She's distracted him from his responsibilities. She's made him a liability to his own pack.
"This is because of me," she says. "If I wasn't here, they wouldn't have done this. They wouldn't be testing your borders."
"Probably," Garrett says simply. "But you are here. And I'm keeping you. So now we deal with the consequences."
"The consequences could get you killed," Riley's voice breaks. "They could get your people killed. And it's my fault."
Garrett grabs her face and forces her to look at him. His grey eyes are fierce and determined and absolutely certain.
"Listen to me," he says. "This is not your fault. This is Erik Blackwell testing my strength. This is your pack challenging me. And I'm going to win because that's what I do. I win. But I need you to trust me."
Riley's hands shake. She wants to tell him to forget about her. She wants to tell him to give her back to Silvermoon and save his pack. She wants to sacrifice herself to protect him but she knows he won't let her.
So instead she says the thing that terrifies her most.
"What if you have to choose?" she whispers. "What if you have to choose between saving me and saving your pack?"
Garrett's jaw tightens. For a moment he doesn't answer. For a moment Riley thinks maybe he'll be smart about this. Maybe he'll choose his people over a woman he's known for less than two weeks.
"My pack comes second now," he says finally. "You come first."
The words are casual like he's discussing the weather. Like he's not just told her that he would burn his entire world down to keep her safe.
Riley feels something break inside her chest. It's the moment she realizes he's telling the truth. He would sacrifice everything for her. His position. His power. His people. Everything. And knowing that he would do that, knowing that she matters that much to him, breaks something fundamental inside her.
She's not just falling anymore. She's fallen completely. She's crashed landed and there's no climbing back up. There's no pretending this was temporary. There's no going back to being safe and separate.
She's his now in every way that matters.
"Don't die," she says.
"I won't," Garrett promises. He kisses her forehead. "I can't. Because you're waiting for me."
Then he's gone. Armor is being strapped to his body. Warriors are gathering around him. He's transforming into the alpha that everyone fears and Riley is left standing alone watching him prepare for war.
Maya finds her minutes later.
"Come on," Maya says gently. "He needs to focus. We need to let him do this."
Riley lets herself be led away but her eyes stay on Garrett. She watches him until he's out of sight. Watches him become a weapon instead of a man. Watches him leave to fight her pack.
That night, Riley can't sleep.
She stands at the window looking out at the forest wondering if Garrett is alive. Wondering if her pack is winning. Wondering if this is the moment everything falls apart.
And in Silvermoon territory, she doesn't know that Erik Blackwell is receiving reports.
She doesn't know that scouts have confirmed she's alive. That she's living in Blackthorn territory. That she's under Garrett Cole's protection. That she's choosing another alpha over her mate.
She doesn't know that Erik's face has gone white with rage. That he's clenching his fists so hard his nails draw blood. That he's making a decision that will change everything.
She doesn't know that her original mate is about to come for her with everything he has.
And she doesn't know that when he finds her, she won't be the same woman he lost. Because the woman looking out at the forest waiting for Garrett to return isn't his Luna anymore.
She's someone else's entirely.