The cold bit into my bones as consciousness slipped away. Darkness crept in from all sides, welcoming me into its embrace. I had nothing left to fight for—no pup, no mate, no future. The snow felt almost warm against my cheek, a strange comfort as I prepared to let go.
A massive weight pressed against my side, followed by a gentle nudge. Through half-lidded eyes, I glimpsed a wolf—enormous, with fur as black as midnight and eyes that glowed like amber fire. Not the cruel, hungry eyes of a rogue, but something else entirely.
"Please," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the howling wind. "Just let me die in peace."
The wolf lowered its great head, and I felt a warm muzzle press against my neck. Checking for a pulse. I didn't have the strength to pull away.
Suddenly, a jolt of electricity surged through me—starting where the wolf touched my skin and racing through every nerve ending. My back arched involuntarily, a cry tearing from my throat.
The wolf jerked back, a low whine escaping him. Through the haze of pain and approaching darkness, I saw something impossible—shock, recognition, and something deeper flickering in those amber eyes.
"Mine," a deep voice growled, though the wolf hadn't opened his mouth.
Darkness claimed me completely.
---
I awoke to unfamiliar surroundings—soft sheets beneath me, the crackle of a fire nearby. Panic surged through me as I tried to sit up, only to find my body still weak and uncooperative.
"Easy," a deep voice said from across the room. "You're safe now."
I forced my eyes to focus on the figure seated in a chair by the fireplace. A man—tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair and those same amber eyes I'd glimpsed in the snow. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, watching me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.
"Where am I?" My voice came out as a rasp.
"Northern Frost Pack territory," he answered simply. "I'm Jaxson Myers."
The name registered dimly—Alpha Jaxson Myers. The Lycan King of the north. I'd heard whispers of him, stories that painted him as a monster who ate rogues for breakfast.
"I found you collapsed on my border," he continued, his voice surprisingly gentle. "You were half-dead."
I glanced around the room—luxurious despite the northern location. Furs draped across the bed, warm tapestries on stone walls, a fire that burned without smoke.
"Why am I here?" I asked, fear creeping into my voice. "What do you want with me?"
To my surprise, Jaxson stood and moved toward me—then did something no Alpha would ever do. He knelt beside the bed, his head level with mine.
"I want you to feel safe," he said quietly. "You're under my protection now."
I flinched away from him, expecting the cruel words, the demands, the punishment that had become my norm.
"I'm broken," I whispered. "Defective. My mate—"
"Is not worthy of you," Jaxson finished firmly. Something flashed in his eyes—anger? Protectiveness? "You're not broken, Emily. You're healing."
He knew my name. Of course he did—he'd probably searched my belongings while I was unconscious.
"I'll leave as soon as I can walk," I said, trying to sound stronger than I felt.
Jaxson's expression softened. "There's nowhere for you to go. And even if there was... you're safer here."
Something in his tone made me pause. There was no threat in his words, only a quiet conviction that confused me.
"Why would you protect me?" I asked. "You don't even know me."
For a moment, something flickered in his eyes—a secret he wasn't ready to share. Then it was gone, replaced by careful neutrality.
"Because no one deserves what happened to you," he said simply.
---
Miles away, in the territory I'd fled, chaos reigned.
"Where is she?" Garrett's voice thundered through the Alpha's office, his fist slamming into the wall hard enough to crack the plaster.
Beta Ryan Carr stood at attention, his face carefully blank. "We've sent search parties in all directions, Alpha. The rain washed away most of her scent trail."
"She can't have gone far!" Garrett paced like a caged animal, his movements erratic. "She's weak, injured—"
"And desperate," Ryan finished quietly.
Garrett whirled on him, eyes flashing dangerously. "What did you say?"
"Nothing, Alpha." Ryan lowered his gaze quickly.
Inside Garrett, a war raged. His wolf, Titan, had gone completely silent since the day of the miscarriage. Where once there had been a steady presence, now there was only emptiness.
*Titan?* he called mentally. *Titan, please...*
Nothing. Not even an echo.
"She's my property," Garrett growled, running his hands through his disheveled hair. "My mate. My responsibility."
But even as he said the words, he knew they were hollow. He'd failed her. Failed their pup. Failed everything.
"Double the guards on the northern border," he ordered, his voice hoarse. "She'll try to reach the Frost Pack."
Ryan's eyes widened slightly. "The Northern Frost? Alpha Myers would never—"
"Find her!" Garrett roared, his Alpha aura flaring erratically, causing Ryan to stumble back. "Bring her back to me!"
As Ryan hurried to obey, Garrett sank into his chair, clutching his head. The silence from his wolf was driving him mad.
*Emily*, he thought desperately. *Where are you?*
But the only answer was the howling wind outside his window, carrying away his prayers like autumn leaves.
