Chapter 8

LEAH

My heart drummed in my ear as I stared at Dante. The blade pressed against my throat, the cold steel sending a shiver down my spine. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, each pulse a countdown to my possible death. The rogue behind me knew what he was playing at holding on to be like this, but he smelt of sweat and blood, his grip tight as he used my body as a shield against Dante.

Dante stood rigid, his stormy eyes locked on me, his body coiled like a predator ready to strike. But he didn’t move. He couldn’t, not yet.

The dozen rogues surrounding him were waiting, their cruel sneers hinting at the bloodshed they craved. They wanted him to act recklessly. They wanted him to lose control and for the first time.I knew too well that my life was in his hand and I couldn't make a mistake, or I might just die.

I swallowed, wincing as the blade bit into my skin knowing how truly fragile I was

“Dante…” My voice was a whisper, laced with both fear and trust, as I tried to speak, but he glared at me for doing that. He would save me. I knew it. But at what cost?

The rogue holding me tightened his grip, his breath hot and disgusting against my ear.

“One wrong move, King, and I’ll slit her throat.”

Dante’s growl rumbled through the clearing, a sound so deep it vibrated in my chest, letting a chill go down my spine and I could feel the fear from the rogue that held me, but he shook it off. His eyes flickered dangerously between gold and black.

“Let. Her. Go.” To my shock, the rogue laughed, actually laughed at Dante.

“Or what? You’ll kill us all?” He pressed the knife harder against my neck. I sucked in a sharp breath, my body stiff with terror. “You can’t risk her, King. You’re powerless right now.”

He was mistaken. Dante was never powerless, I knew that much about him.

With a sudden explosion of movement, Dante lunged. He was a blur, raw power and deadly precision that made everything freeze in place, it seemed impossible to do that.

The rogue barely had time to react before Dante’s claws tore into his throat, spraying warm blood across my cheek. The knife clattered to the ground as the rogue collapsed, lifeless, at my feet.

Droplets of blood poured from my hair as my body remained shaken by what has just happened, but Chaos suddenly erupt, and I was pushed to the side with full force

The remaining rogues charged. Dante met them head-on, his body twisting and slashing through the enemy like a force of nature. He was ruthless, his every strike fueled by unrelenting rage. Bones cracked. Screams filled the night air. Blood soaked the ground.

I stumbled back, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I wanted to run, but I knew better. I was in the middle of a battlefield, unarmed and vulnerable. If I ran, I would be an easy target and that might just put him in grave danger which I couldn't do.

I moved quietly out of the battlefield but a growl beside told me I was seen, I turned, and he immediately lunged at me so fast

Instinct took over. I ducked just in time, the rogue’s claws slicing through the air where my head had been. My heart pounded as I scrambled for the fallen knife. My fingers wrapped around the hilt, and without thinking, I drove it upward, burying it into the rogue’s side. I had been never provided the opportunity to fight, but I hope I was summoning my blade skills from wherever it was.

He let out a strangled cry and stumbled back, giving me just enough time to retreat toward a tree. My breaths came in sharp pants. I had just… I had just stabbed someone. The realization sent a tremor through me, my body shook, but the clash of claws brought me to reality and I knew I had no time to dwell on it.

Dante was still fighting.

Three rogues remained, circling him like wolves stalking their prey. But they weren’t hunting him, he was hunting them and it was bad.

With deadly precision, Dante leaped forward. He tore through the first rogue’s chest with his claws, then spun and snapped the second one’s neck in one fluid motion. The final rogue, seeing his pack mates slaughtered, tried to flee, but Dante didn’t let him.

With a wicked snarl, he launched himself forward, tackling the rogue to the ground. The rogue screamed, but it was short-lived. Dante silenced him with a single, brutal strike.

Then… silence. I had watched fights happen but in battles I was always locked in a safe house, everything in me screamed for me to hug him, but I couldn't, I couldn't move, my feet remained frozen in place.

My breath came out in a shaky exhalation. It was over.

Dante stood amidst the bodies, his chest heaving, his hands dripping with blood. His eyes lifted to mine, wild and untamed, but as they locked onto me, the rage slowly faded. He was back.

He rushed to me, his hands immediately cupping my face, his touch gentle despite the violence he had just unleashed.

“Leah…” His voice was hoarse, raw with emotion. He gently observed my body, “Are you hurt?”

I shook my head, still trembling.

“No. Just…" I took a deep breath, “just shaken.” His jaw clenched.

“I should’ve gotten to you faster.” I shook my head and reached for his face, reluctantly.

“You saved me.”

His thumb brushed over the faint cut on my neck where the knife had pressed. His eyes darkened, filled with something I couldn’t quite place. Guilt? Anger? Fear? Maybe all three.

I placed my hand over his. “I’m okay, Dante.”

He exhaled heavily and pulled me into his arms. I melted into his embrace, the adrenaline slowly draining from my body. For the first time since the attack began, I allowed myself to breathe.

The aftermath was grim. Dante’s warriors arrived moments later, disposing of the bodies and securing the area. The attack had been planned. The rogues had been waiting for us. But why?

The question pondered in my head as we walked home and as we returned to the pack house, I couldn’t shake the unease settling in my stomach. Something wasn’t right. And Dante felt it too.

******

Turns out the pack had been under attack when we were away, but there was no damage, but it was morning and I had made a decision that might kill me, but I really didn't care

I walked to Dante's office to see him working on some papers and I smiled

“I want to train as a pack doctor.”

Dante looked up from his desk, his brow furrowing. “Leah, are you sure?”

I nodded. “I need to do something meaningful. I would rather not be helpless anymore. And… I need to focus on my future.”

His expression softened. “You’ve never been helpless, Leah.”

I swallowed hard. “I feel like I have.”

He studied me for a long moment before nodding. “Then I’ll support you. Whatever you need.”

A small smile tugged at my lips. “Thank you.”

Dante hesitated. “But… there’s something I need to ask you.”

I tilted my head. “What is it?”

His jaw tightened. “You’ve never shifted. I know we established that you don't have a wolf, but I can perceive a wolf from you”.

The words hit me like a punch. My stomach twisted. “No. I haven’t and how is that even possible”

He looked down, his fingers tapping against the desk. “How have you survived all these years without shifting? Most wolves wouldn’t make it past childhood without their wolf.”

I opened my mouth, but no answer came. I didn’t know. I had always assumed I was different that my wolf was simply dormant. But now, with the attack fresh in my mind, doubts crept in.

Why hadn’t I shifted if I did have a wolf?

Before I could dwell on it further, the pack doctor entered the room. He nodded at Dante before turning to me. “Leah, I need to run some tests.”

I frowned. “Tests?”

He exchanged a look with Dante before answering, “I believe you were poisoned.”

My stomach dropped. “What?”

He sighed. “The symptoms you’ve described, the lack of shifting… It’s consistent with Blood of Wolfsbane.”

We already knew Darren's mother had poisoned me with that, but what was he up to?

“Are you saying someone did this to me? Take my wolf away?” My voice was barely above a whisper.