*BRIANNE'S POV*Jordyn hesitated for a moment before nodding, allowing me to guide him. We sank into the couch, and I leaned into his side, relishing the rare moment of calm.“You know,” I began, tracing circles on the back of his hand, “I talked to Mary earlier. She’s feeling the weight of this too. She and Josh are both on edge.”Jordyn tilted his head to look at me. “Josh told me he’s worried about her. He thinks she’s getting too involved.”I shrugged. “Mary’s strong. She won’t let anyone tell her what to do. Sound familiar?” I grinned up at him.He chuckled softly. “Yeah, I guess stubbornness runs in your circle.”We sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The warm orange light bathed the room, and for a brief moment, everything felt normal.But normal never lasted long.A knock on the door broke the quiet. Jordyn stiffened immediately, his protective instincts kicking in. “Stay here,” he said, his voice low and commanding as he stood.I ro
*JORDYN'S POV*“I need to make some calls,” I said softly, stepping away.She gave me a small, understanding smile. “I’ll be here when you’re done.”I watched her retreat to the couch before heading to my desk. Picking up my phone, I hesitated for a moment, then dialed.The line clicked after a few rings.“Jordyn,” my mother’s voice greeted me, cautious yet warm.“We need to talk,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.There was a pause on the other end, then a sigh. “I was wondering when you’d call. I take it this isn’t a social visit?”“No. It’s about Vincent.”Her sharp intake of breath was audible. “What about him?”I leaned forward, my elbows resting on the desk. "You know he's a spy. He’s feeding information to the rival pack. We’re gathering evidence, but I need to know if you’ve noticed anything unusual. Any behavior that stands out.”Silence. Then, finally, she spoke, her voice laced with disbelief. “No, I haven't, Jordyn, if I’d known…”I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my emotio
*JORDYN'S POV*Josh rose from his seat, his expression determined. “I’ll make sure of it. We’ll set up checkpoints, but keep them subtle. Only trusted wolves will be in on this.”“Good,” I said, my voice firm. “I need you to lead this personally, Josh. If Vincent realizes what’s happening before we have enough to fully expose him, he could spin this against us. We have to move carefully.”Josh nodded. “Understood. I’ll coordinate with the border teams and the patrol leads. We’ll keep a low profile, but we’ll be watching.”I watched him for a moment, his confidence reassuring, but there was still a gnawing uncertainty in the back of my mind. “Josh, be careful. Vincent’s clever. If he suspects you, he won’t hesitate to make a move.”Josh’s lips twitched into a smirk. “I can handle myself, Jordyn. You don’t need to worry about me.”I sighed, knowing he was right but still feeling the weight of leadership pressing down. “Just make sure this doesn’t blow up in our faces. One wrong move, an
*JORDYN'S POV*I stood outside Vincent’s quarters, my knuckles tingling with anticipation. The crescent moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the pack house. Despite the calm exterior of the night, the air felt charged, every instinct in me screaming danger.Josh had done his part—providing enough evidence to justify keeping Vincent under watch. But there was still something that gnawed at me, something that didn’t add up. Vincent had been a loyal member of the noble court for years. He was sharp, calculated, and meticulous. If he was involved with the rival pack, I needed to hear it from his mouth.Without knocking, I pushed open the door and stepped inside.Vincent was seated in a leather armchair, casually sipping from a glass of red wine, as though he had all the time in the world. He didn’t look surprised to see me. In fact, he barely acknowledged my presence, his eyes cold and calculating.“Alpha Jordyn,” he greeted, his voice smooth but laced with a hint of mocker
*JORDYN'S POV*The air in my office felt suffocating, thick with the weight of impending conflict. I stood by the window, my eyes locked on the distant horizon. Beyond the rolling hills lay the rival pack’s territory, a land that had always been a source of tension. Tonight, that tension snapped.Josh stood behind me, silent but present, his energy buzzing with the same frustration I felt. We had been pushed too far.I clenched my jaw, the muscles twitching with barely contained fury. “They’ve crossed the line.”Josh didn’t respond immediately, waiting for me to elaborate. I appreciated that about him—he never pressured me to speak until I was ready.I turned to face him, my voice cold and deliberate. “For years, I’ve tried to maintain peace. I’ve ignored their provocations, their schemes. I’ve looked the other way when they pushed boundaries. But blackmailing me with my brother’s secret? Kidnapping Brianne?” I slammed my fist against the desk, the wood groaning under the force. “They
*JOSH'S POV*“Come in,” I said, my voice steady.Josh entered again, his expression serious but composed. “I’ve already started preparations. The warriors are being briefed, and our border patrols have been doubled.”“Good.” I nodded. “What about Vincent? Any signs of unusual movement?”Josh’s jaw tightened. “Nothing yet. He’s been laying low, but I have my men watching him closely. If he so much as twitches the wrong way, we’ll know.”I clenched my fists at my sides, the memory of Vincent’s smug face from our last encounter flashing in my mind. He knew more than he let on, and I was certain he was feeding information to the rival pack.“We’ll get our proof,” Josh added, his voice firm. “And when we do, he won’t see it coming.”I met his gaze, a flicker of respect passing between us. “We need to be careful. Vincent’s a high-ranking official, and any false move could backfire. But once we have him, we need to move fast. No hesitation.”Josh nodded. “Understood.”A knock at the door int
*JORDYN'S POV*I stood by the window for what felt like hours, the moonlight casting long shadows across the room. The weight of my father’s legacy pressed down on me, heavier now than it had ever been. Alpha. The title wasn’t just a name—it was a burden, a responsibility to protect this land and its people at all costs.My fingers traced the edge of the window frame, my mind racing through every scenario. Tomorrow, everything would change. Vincent’s betrayal had pushed us to the brink, and I couldn’t allow it to go unanswered.The door to my office opened, and Brianne stepped inside, her presence instantly easing the tension in my shoulders. She didn’t say anything at first, just walked over and wrapped her arms around me from behind, resting her cheek against my back.“You’re still here,” she murmured, her voice soft but steady.I turned to face her, my hands resting on her waist. “There’s too much to do. Too much to think about.”She tilted her head, studying me with those sharp, k
*JORDYN'S POV*The sun hung low over the horizon, casting a warm, amber glow across the pack grounds as I finally left my office. The weight of the day clung to me like a second skin. Every hour had been consumed by meetings, planning sessions, and endless rounds of strategy discussions. The scent of pine and earth drifted through the open windows, but it did little to calm my restless mind.I moved down the corridor, my footsteps steady against the stone floor, each one echoing with purpose. Tonight would be critical. Janette and I still had to finalize our battle strategy. She would be back soon, and we needed to make every second count. The clock was ticking, and Vincent’s betrayal had pushed us dangerously close to the edge.As I rounded the corner, I spotted Josh standing by one of the large windows overlooking the training grounds. His posture was rigid, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze fixed on the warriors below. Their synchronized movements were sharp, precise, and fierc
*JORDYN'S POV*The sun hung low over the horizon, casting a warm, amber glow across the pack grounds as I finally left my office. The weight of the day clung to me like a second skin. Every hour had been consumed by meetings, planning sessions, and endless rounds of strategy discussions. The scent of pine and earth drifted through the open windows, but it did little to calm my restless mind.I moved down the corridor, my footsteps steady against the stone floor, each one echoing with purpose. Tonight would be critical. Janette and I still had to finalize our battle strategy. She would be back soon, and we needed to make every second count. The clock was ticking, and Vincent’s betrayal had pushed us dangerously close to the edge.As I rounded the corner, I spotted Josh standing by one of the large windows overlooking the training grounds. His posture was rigid, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze fixed on the warriors below. Their synchronized movements were sharp, precise, and fierc
*JORDYN'S POV*I stood by the window for what felt like hours, the moonlight casting long shadows across the room. The weight of my father’s legacy pressed down on me, heavier now than it had ever been. Alpha. The title wasn’t just a name—it was a burden, a responsibility to protect this land and its people at all costs.My fingers traced the edge of the window frame, my mind racing through every scenario. Tomorrow, everything would change. Vincent’s betrayal had pushed us to the brink, and I couldn’t allow it to go unanswered.The door to my office opened, and Brianne stepped inside, her presence instantly easing the tension in my shoulders. She didn’t say anything at first, just walked over and wrapped her arms around me from behind, resting her cheek against my back.“You’re still here,” she murmured, her voice soft but steady.I turned to face her, my hands resting on her waist. “There’s too much to do. Too much to think about.”She tilted her head, studying me with those sharp, k
*JOSH'S POV*“Come in,” I said, my voice steady.Josh entered again, his expression serious but composed. “I’ve already started preparations. The warriors are being briefed, and our border patrols have been doubled.”“Good.” I nodded. “What about Vincent? Any signs of unusual movement?”Josh’s jaw tightened. “Nothing yet. He’s been laying low, but I have my men watching him closely. If he so much as twitches the wrong way, we’ll know.”I clenched my fists at my sides, the memory of Vincent’s smug face from our last encounter flashing in my mind. He knew more than he let on, and I was certain he was feeding information to the rival pack.“We’ll get our proof,” Josh added, his voice firm. “And when we do, he won’t see it coming.”I met his gaze, a flicker of respect passing between us. “We need to be careful. Vincent’s a high-ranking official, and any false move could backfire. But once we have him, we need to move fast. No hesitation.”Josh nodded. “Understood.”A knock at the door int
*JORDYN'S POV*The air in my office felt suffocating, thick with the weight of impending conflict. I stood by the window, my eyes locked on the distant horizon. Beyond the rolling hills lay the rival pack’s territory, a land that had always been a source of tension. Tonight, that tension snapped.Josh stood behind me, silent but present, his energy buzzing with the same frustration I felt. We had been pushed too far.I clenched my jaw, the muscles twitching with barely contained fury. “They’ve crossed the line.”Josh didn’t respond immediately, waiting for me to elaborate. I appreciated that about him—he never pressured me to speak until I was ready.I turned to face him, my voice cold and deliberate. “For years, I’ve tried to maintain peace. I’ve ignored their provocations, their schemes. I’ve looked the other way when they pushed boundaries. But blackmailing me with my brother’s secret? Kidnapping Brianne?” I slammed my fist against the desk, the wood groaning under the force. “They
*JORDYN'S POV*I stood outside Vincent’s quarters, my knuckles tingling with anticipation. The crescent moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the pack house. Despite the calm exterior of the night, the air felt charged, every instinct in me screaming danger.Josh had done his part—providing enough evidence to justify keeping Vincent under watch. But there was still something that gnawed at me, something that didn’t add up. Vincent had been a loyal member of the noble court for years. He was sharp, calculated, and meticulous. If he was involved with the rival pack, I needed to hear it from his mouth.Without knocking, I pushed open the door and stepped inside.Vincent was seated in a leather armchair, casually sipping from a glass of red wine, as though he had all the time in the world. He didn’t look surprised to see me. In fact, he barely acknowledged my presence, his eyes cold and calculating.“Alpha Jordyn,” he greeted, his voice smooth but laced with a hint of mocker
*JORDYN'S POV*Josh rose from his seat, his expression determined. “I’ll make sure of it. We’ll set up checkpoints, but keep them subtle. Only trusted wolves will be in on this.”“Good,” I said, my voice firm. “I need you to lead this personally, Josh. If Vincent realizes what’s happening before we have enough to fully expose him, he could spin this against us. We have to move carefully.”Josh nodded. “Understood. I’ll coordinate with the border teams and the patrol leads. We’ll keep a low profile, but we’ll be watching.”I watched him for a moment, his confidence reassuring, but there was still a gnawing uncertainty in the back of my mind. “Josh, be careful. Vincent’s clever. If he suspects you, he won’t hesitate to make a move.”Josh’s lips twitched into a smirk. “I can handle myself, Jordyn. You don’t need to worry about me.”I sighed, knowing he was right but still feeling the weight of leadership pressing down. “Just make sure this doesn’t blow up in our faces. One wrong move, an
*JORDYN'S POV*“I need to make some calls,” I said softly, stepping away.She gave me a small, understanding smile. “I’ll be here when you’re done.”I watched her retreat to the couch before heading to my desk. Picking up my phone, I hesitated for a moment, then dialed.The line clicked after a few rings.“Jordyn,” my mother’s voice greeted me, cautious yet warm.“We need to talk,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.There was a pause on the other end, then a sigh. “I was wondering when you’d call. I take it this isn’t a social visit?”“No. It’s about Vincent.”Her sharp intake of breath was audible. “What about him?”I leaned forward, my elbows resting on the desk. "You know he's a spy. He’s feeding information to the rival pack. We’re gathering evidence, but I need to know if you’ve noticed anything unusual. Any behavior that stands out.”Silence. Then, finally, she spoke, her voice laced with disbelief. “No, I haven't, Jordyn, if I’d known…”I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my emotio
*BRIANNE'S POV*Jordyn hesitated for a moment before nodding, allowing me to guide him. We sank into the couch, and I leaned into his side, relishing the rare moment of calm.“You know,” I began, tracing circles on the back of his hand, “I talked to Mary earlier. She’s feeling the weight of this too. She and Josh are both on edge.”Jordyn tilted his head to look at me. “Josh told me he’s worried about her. He thinks she’s getting too involved.”I shrugged. “Mary’s strong. She won’t let anyone tell her what to do. Sound familiar?” I grinned up at him.He chuckled softly. “Yeah, I guess stubbornness runs in your circle.”We sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The warm orange light bathed the room, and for a brief moment, everything felt normal.But normal never lasted long.A knock on the door broke the quiet. Jordyn stiffened immediately, his protective instincts kicking in. “Stay here,” he said, his voice low and commanding as he stood.I ro
*BRIANNE'S POV*Our footsteps were quiet, but he must have sensed something because he suddenly veered off the path. We stopped, trying to catch our breath.“We lost him,” I said, frustration bubbling up.Mary frowned. “Maybe. But now we know there’s something going on. We need to tell Jordyn and Josh.”I nodded reluctantly. “You’re right. They need to know.”As we made our way back to the village, my mind raced. We were getting closer to the truth, but the danger was growing. And now, more than ever, we needed to stand together.Tomorrow, we’d confront Jordyn and Josh with what we’d seen. And no matter what happened next, we wouldn’t back down. This was our pack too, and we were ready to fight for it.*** The next morning, I stood in front of Jordyn’s office door, my heart thudding in my chest. Mary was beside me, her jaw set in determination. We had spent the night going over every detail of the previous day, and now it was time to bring Jordyn and Josh into the loop.I knocked twi