Challenged by my Beta

I swing the ax, the blade biting into the wood with a satisfying thud. The rhythm of the task is soothing, a welcome distraction from the turmoil in my mind. The sun is high, the light filtering through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The scent of pine fills the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of the forest floor.

I lift the ax again, my muscles straining, and then I bring it down, splitting the log in two. I set another piece of wood on the chopping block, repeating the process, losing myself in the physicality of the task.

And then I hear it. The soft crunch of footsteps on the forest floor. I look up, my heart skipping a beat, and I see her.

Lyla.

She's standing in the doorway of the cabin, her eyes wide, her hair catching the sunlight and turning it black as night. She's wearing my clothes, the shirt and pants hanging loose on her frame, but she makes them look like they were made for her. The fabric clings to her curves, the sleeves too long, the hem of the shirt brushing her thighs.

She's beautiful. Even more so than when she was in wolf form. My breath catches in my throat, my heart pounding in my chest. I can't look away.

But then I catch her scent, and my blood runs cold. It's faint, masked by the pine and the herbs I've been using, but it's there. And if I can smell it, so can they.

My pack.

I glance around, my senses on high alert. I can hear them, the distant sounds of their movements, their voices carried on the wind. They're close, too close. If they see her, if they catch her scent...

"Lyla," I say, my voice low, urgent. "You need to go back inside."

She frowns, her eyes narrowing. "Why? I'm feeling better. I need to move, to stretch my legs."

I take a step toward her, my heart racing. "It's not safe. If someone sees you..."

She crosses her arms over her chest, her chin jutting out. "I'm not a prisoner, Kalen. You can't keep me locked up in there."

I reach her, my hand closing around her arm. "Please, Lyla. You don't understand. If they find out you're here..." If the elders find out I lied . . .

She jerks her arm away, her eyes flashing. "What? What will they do?"

I open my mouth to answer, but then I hear it. The rustle of leaves, the snap of a twig. I turn, my heart in my throat, and I see them. Two of my pack members, walking through the trees, their heads down, their voices low.

Lyla follows my gaze, and I see the realization dawn in her eyes. Her expression softens, her shoulders relaxing. 

I turn back to her, my hand on her arm again. "Please," I say, my voice urgent. "Go back inside. I'll explain everything later. But right now, you need to hide."

She nods, her eyes meeting mine. "Okay," she says. "Okay, I'll go."

I watch her turn and walk back into the cabin, my heart pounding in my chest. I wait until the door closes behind her, and then I turn back to the wood, lifting the ax again.

I need to protect her. I need to keep her safe. And that means keeping her hidden, keeping her scent masked. I can't let anyone find out she's here.

What am I going to do with her? Her own pack rejected her. But she can’t stay here.

I bring the ax down. I have to be careful. I have to be vigilant. Because if they find out...

I don't want to think about what will happen if they find out.

But I can't stop thinking about her. About Lyla. About the way she looked at me, the way her eyes softened, the way she trusted me.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I see the pack moving through the forest, their movements casual and unhurried. They're not on high alert, not searching for anything. Just enjoying the day, the sun filtering through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor.

But my relief is short-lived. Because while they're relaxed, I'm not. I can't be. Not with Lyla so close, her scent still lingering in the air. I glance back at the cabin, my heart pounding in my chest. She's hidden, but for how long? How long before someone catches her scent, before someone sees her?

I have to keep them away from here. I have to keep them distracted.

I focus on the pack, on their movements. Most of them don't notice me, their heads down, their voices low. But a few glance my way, nodding in greeting as they pass. I nod back, my hands tightening on the handle of the ax. I count them, noting their positions, their proximity to the cabin. I'm hyper aware of them all, but my gaze keeps returning to one in particular.

Liam.

My Beta. My second in command. 

And once my friend.