Celeste had never run from a fight in her life.
But this? This was different. This wasn't a battle with claws and teeth. This wasn't a rogue invasion or a political dispute between Alphas.
No, this was a full-on mate bond disaster that had just played out in front of every single important werewolf leader in America. And she? She had been part of it.
So yes, for Celeste, this was her only option. Her boots pounded against the grand marble floors of the Summit hall as she shoved past a very confused waiter carrying a tray of champagne.
"Excuse me—"
"Move!" Celeste barked, dodging the drinks just in time.
Behind her, she heard footsteps. Big, fast, and very determined, Alpha footsteps.
"Oh, come on, Rivers! You can't run forever!" Hunter's voice rang out, too amused for her liking.
"Watch me!" she shouted over her shoulder.
She didn't stop. Not when she passed a group of snickering beta wolves. Not when she heard someone call out, "Five bucks says he catches her before she reaches the parking lot!" And definitely not when Hunter growled low and deep, like the damn predator he was.
Her wolf, Luna, was no help. "He's fast. Strong. Go back. Let him catch us." she rumbled in her head.
"Shut up, Luna!" she said in her head to her wolf, who was now frustrating her.
Celeste reached the grand staircase of the Alpha Summit venue—a ridiculously lavish mansion that someone, somewhere, had decided was the perfect place for a gathering of wolves
She took the stairs two at a time, her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest, her mind racing as if she were on a race track, and her instincts screaming.
"What's your plan?" Luna irritated with her.
"To get to the car and get out of here. Pretend this night never happened."
It seemed like a solid plan. A good plan. But then, a strong arm grabbed her waist, and just like that, her escape was over.
Hunter had caught her, and quite honestly, he didn't even feel bad about it.
Celeste squirmed in his grip, cursing and threatening bodily harm, but Hunter had years of dealing with stubborn wolves under his belt.
"I swear to the Moon Goddess, if you don't let me go, I will—"
"Will what?" Hunter asked, hoisting her over his shoulder.
Celeste screeched. "You did not just—PUT ME DOWN, BLACKWOOD!"
He grinned, fully enjoying himself. "Nah, I think I like you up here."
Celeste flailed. "You are a dead man, HUNTER BLACKWOOD."
He let out a chuckle. "I'll take my chances."
The Summit hall had erupted into chaos at this point, with betas, warriors, even a few Elders watching in absolute delight as one of the most powerful Alphas in the country was currently slung over another Alpha's shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
Someone whistled. "That's Alpha strength for you!"
Hunter smirked. "You hear that, Rivers? Alpha strength."
Celeste kicked his stomach hard.
Hunter grunted. "Okay, maybe I deserved that." But did he put her down? No.
Why? Because Hunter Blackwood was nothing if not a man of petty revenge.
And Celeste? She was sputtering with rage.
"This is humiliating!"she screamed low-key.
"Yup."
"Unacceptable!"
"Probably."
"LET. ME. GO!"
Hunter sighed dramatically. "Fine."
Then,"because he was feeling especially mischievous, and because he was Hunter Blackwood, he spun her around, right before dropping her, landing directly into his arms, bridal style.
The crowd went absolutely wild.
"Celeste?" his grin more mischievous than ever.
Celeste lost it. "BLACKWOOD, I SWEAR TO—"
"Careful, sweetheart," Hunter said, grinning down at her. "People might think you like this."
Celeste's face turned beet-red, and without hesitation, she headbutted him.
Hunter stumbled back, cursing.
"Are you insane?" he growled, rubbing his forehead.
Celeste finally freed herself, stepping back and glaring daggers. "Oh, I'm sorry, did that hurt? Here, let me do it again."
Hunter exhaled sharply.
And then, just because the universe was feeling especially cruel, the mate bond flared again. The crowd sensed it immediately, and the air thickened as the tension shifted.
Hunter noticed it the second Celeste's breathing changed, the way her pupils dilated, the way her body tensed like she was fighting herself.
He knew it because he was feeling the same damn thing. That undeniable, uncontrollable pull.
His wolf, Rogue, growled. "She's ours," and for the first time that night, Hunter didn't fight it, didn't fight his wolf.
Interestingly enough, neither did Celeste.
They stared at each other. The entire room held its breath.
Then, just as something could of, or may have happened, BOOM - The lights flickered, and the walls shook.
An alarm blared through the hall, and the crowd scattered instantly.
Hunter snapped out of it. "What the hell—"
"Rogues," Celeste muttered, all humour gone.
Hunter's instincts sharpened. "Where?"
Celeste closed her eyes, listening. As she opened her eyes, she said, "the north gate. There's a lot of them."
Hunter didn't hesitate. "Let's go."
Celeste was already shifting into action. Whatever mate bond drama was happening between them, would have to wait
Right now, there was a fight to win, and Alphas like them never backed down.
"Stay close," Hunter guarded, a protectiveness covering over like a blanket.
"Just do what you need to Hunter. I'm quite capable," she commanded.
In truth, Celeste was more than capable. She'd been fighting off Rogues for a while now, but She'd also had combat training.
Celeste took a deep breath, shaking off the last remnants of the mate bond haze. The alarm continued to wail, a sharp, urgent sound that sent wolves into motion. Warriors shouted orders. Beta wolves corralled the more inexperienced pack members toward safety.
Hunter was already scanning the room, his entire posture shifting from smug Alpha to battle-ready leader.
Celeste rolled her shoulders, forcing herself to focus. The adrenaline pumping through her veins had nothing to do with Hunter anymor, this was the kind of fight she knew. This was what she was built for.
She locked eyes with her Beta, Lisa, who had appeared out of the crowd, his expression tight with concern. "The northern gate?" he asked, already anticipating her answer.
She nodded. "Yep, Rogues."
Marcus, a warrior, swore. "Security caught anything on the perimeter cams?"
Hunter answered before Celeste could. "No. If they had, the Elders would have been alerted sooner. Either they snuck past the patrols, or—"
"They had inside help," Celeste finished grimly.
The weight of that realization settled over them like a cold shadow. A rogue attack on a normal pack was bad enough, but an ambush at the Alpha Summit? That meant someone had orchestrated this. Someone who wanted chaos.