Elara Thorne POV:
Tonight was the full moon, the night of the Pack Run. It was a time for the pack to come together, to let their wolves out and reaffirm their bonds. I intended to use it to cement my return. Kael, of course, would be by my side.
As the pack gathered at the edge of the forest, the air thick with anticipation, Kael excused himself. “I’m going to scout the perimeter,” he said, his eyes scanning the crowd. “I’ll be right back.”
I watched him go, a knot of unease tightening in my stomach. Left alone, I felt the familiar weight of the pack’s stares. I wandered away from the main group, seeking a moment of peace near a grove of ancient oaks.
That’s when I saw him. Kael wasn't alone. He was standing in the shadows of a large tree, speaking with a woman. She was tall, regal, and radiated a power that made the air around her shimmer. She was a high-level Lycan, and she was breathtaking.
I was too far away to hear their words, but I could read their body language. The woman’s posture was dominant, authoritative. At one point, she reached out and cupped Kael’s cheek, a gesture that was both intimate and commanding. And Kael… Kael inclined his head, a subtle act of deference. Of submission.
A hot, possessive jealousy clawed its way up my throat. My wolf snarled in my head. *That female thinks she can claim what is ours!*
The thought struck me like lightning. She was his Alpha. The woman he belonged to before he came here. He was bound to her, and our blood oath, our deal, meant nothing. The realization was a bitter pill to swallow. I had claimed him, but he had never truly been free.
The woman handed Kael a small, intricate object—it looked like a family crest—before turning to leave.
I didn't think. I acted.
I strode across the clearing, my boots crunching on the fallen leaves, and planted myself directly between them. I ignored the sheer force of the woman's aura and fixed my gaze on her, my chin held high.
“Get away from my mate,” I said, my voice low and dangerous.
Kael’s eyes widened in genuine shock. The woman, however, simply raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, a flicker of amusement in her gaze.
“Your mate?” she asked, her voice like honey and steel.
I ignored her, turning to Kael. I reached into the inner pocket of my jacket and pulled out a folded document. It was the deed to the eastern section of the Blackwood Forest, a piece of land I now controlled. I slapped it against his chest.
“This is yours now,” I told him, my voice ringing with an authority I didn't know I possessed. Then I turned back to the woman, my eyes blazing. “Whatever hold you have on him, whatever he owes you, I’ll pay it. Double. He’s free of you. He belongs to me now.”
I was trying to buy his freedom, to purchase his loyalty with the only currency I understood: assets.
The woman stared at me for a beat, then at Kael’s stunned face. And then she laughed. It was a rich, melodious sound that held no malice, only pure, unadulterated amusement.
Kael looked mortified, but underneath the embarrassment, I saw something else flicker in his eyes. A warmth. A deep, profound pleasure. He realized what was happening. I was jealous. I was fighting for him.
The woman, clearly enjoying the show, gave a theatrical shrug. “Well, if you put it like that… he’s all yours.” She gave Kael a look that plainly said, *You’re on your own, nephew,* and then vanished into the trees.
I stood there, feeling like a victorious warrior, and turned my triumphant gaze on Kael.
He looked down at the deed in his hand, then back up at me, the laughter finally breaking through his composure. A slow, breathtaking smile spread across his face, transforming his harsh features into something devastatingly handsome.
“So,” he said, his voice a low, teasing rumble. “I’m yours now?”
My cheeks burned. “It’s part of the deal,” I said, trying to sound businesslike. “As my mate, you can’t have divided loyalties.”
He took a step forward, backing me against the trunk of the oak tree. He leaned in close, his presence overwhelming my senses. His deep voice vibrated through me as he whispered in my ear.
“As you command, my Alpha.”
