My heart's hammering as I crouch in the underbrush, the Blackfang patrol's growls fading into the distance. Those wolves were no joke—five of them, all teeth and claws, and the way their leader's gold eyes locked on me sent a chill down my spine. My wrist burns where the crescent mark sits, like it's screaming that I'm in way over my head. Kael's beside me, his breath steady despite the fight we just dodged. His gray eyes scan the forest, and I can't help but notice the way his scarred jaw clenches, like he's carrying the weight of the world. The mate bond tugs at me, a pull I'm fighting with everything I've got, but it's like trying to ignore a wildfire. I grip my dagger, the familiar weight grounding me. We're deep in neutral territory, but Kael's pushing us toward the Blackfang border, and I'm not sure if I'm more scared or pissed off about it.
"We need to keep moving," Kael whispers, his voice low and rough, like he's used to giving orders. "They'll circle back with more."
I glare at him, wiping sweat from my forehead. "You think? Those wolves weren't just patrolling—they knew I was with you. How the hell do they know about my mark?"
Kael's eyes flicker with something—guilt, maybe—but he doesn't answer right away. "Isolde," he says finally. "Her magic's tied to the curse. She probably sensed the bond the second it woke up."
"Great," I mutter, standing up and brushing dirt off my leather jacket. "So your creepy witch girlfriend's got a tracker on me. Anything else you're not telling me?"
He shoots me a look, half-annoyed, half-amused. "She's not my girlfriend. And you're the one who insisted on coming. You want out, say the word."
I scoff, stepping closer, my chin up. "Not a chance, Draven. I'm not running back to Torin to get locked up. We find Isolde, we end this curse. So quit stalling and tell me how we get into that stronghold."
Kael's gaze lingers on me, and for a second, I think he's gonna argue. Then he nods, pointing north. "Blackfang territory's a day's trek. Their stronghold's a fortress—stone walls, guarded gates, and Isolde's magic woven into everything. We'll need to slip in at night, through a weak point I know from my Alpha days. But it's not gonna be easy."
"Easy's boring," I say, flashing a grin to hide the knot in my stomach. I'm a tracker, not a soldier. I've slipped past rogue camps, sure, but the Blackfang stronghold? That's a whole different beast. Still, I'm not about to let Kael see me sweat. "Lead the way."
We move fast, the forest thinning as we near the Blackfang border. The air changes, heavier, laced with a metallic tang that makes my nose wrinkle. My mark tingles, like it knows we're stepping into the lion's den. Kael's quiet, but I catch him glancing at me, his eyes unreadable. The mate bond's doing its thing, making my skin prickle when he gets too close. I hate it—hate how it makes me want to trust him, to lean into him. He's a banished Alpha, for God's sake, and I'm Lila Thorn, the girl who doesn't need anyone. But every time he looks at me, my resolve wobbles.
"Lila," he says suddenly, stopping near a rocky outcrop. "You need to know what you're walking into. The Blackfangs aren't just wolves—they're fanatics. Isolde's got them wrapped around her finger, and they'll kill you without blinking if they think you're a threat."
I roll my eyes, leaning against a tree. "Thanks for the pep talk. I've dealt with worse than fanatics. Remember that rogue pack last winter? I tracked them through a blizzard and took down their leader. I can handle this."
Kael steps closer, and the bond hums, making my breath catch. "This isn't a rogue pack. It's a war machine. And you're not just fighting for yourself anymore. That mark ties us. If you go down, I feel it."
His words hit hard, and I look away, my throat tight. I don't want to think about that—about how this curse might hurt him if I screw up. "Then we don't screw up," I say, my voice steadier than I feel. "What's the weak point you mentioned?"
He hesitates, then points to a ridge in the distance, where the trees give way to jagged cliffs. "There's a hidden pass, an old smuggling route from the last war. It's narrow, barely guarded, but it's a risk. If we're spotted, we're dead."
"Sounds like my kind of fun," I say, forcing a smirk. But inside, my mind's racing. The Silverclaws are probably losing it right now. Jace is gonna kill me for sneaking off, and Mara's probably worried sick. I push the guilt down. I'll deal with them later—after I fix this mess.
We reach the Blackfang border by dusk, the cliffs looming like a bad omen. The air's thick with their scent—musk and iron, like blood's been spilled here too many times. My mark burns, and I grit my teeth, pulling my sleeve down. Kael leads me to the pass, a narrow crack in the rock barely wide enough for one of us. "Stay close," he whispers, his voice sending a shiver through me.
I nod, slipping in behind him. The pass is dark, the walls cold and slick under my fingers. My tracker senses are screaming—every echo, every pebble feels like a threat. Kael moves like he's done this a hundred times, his steps silent, his claws ready. I'm impressed, but I'll never tell him that.
Halfway through, my mark flares, and I freeze. A sound—low, guttural—comes from ahead. Kael stops, his hand signaling me to stay put. But I'm not that girl. I edge forward, peering around him, and see them: two Blackfang scouts, half-shifted, their gold eyes glinting in the dark. They're blocking the pass, sniffing the air like they know we're here.
"Stay back," Kael hisses, but I'm already moving, my dagger out. "Lila, don't—"
Too late. I lunge, my blade slicing the first scout's arm. He roars, claws swiping, but I'm fast, ducking under his swing and kicking his knee. Kael's on the second, his strength brutal as he slams the wolf against the rock. The first scout comes at me again, but I spin, driving my dagger into his shoulder. He howls, staggering back.
Kael grabs the second scout's throat, his Alpha growl making the air shake. "Run," he snarls, and the scouts bolt, blood trailing behind them. I'm panting, my mark burning like a brand. Kael turns to me, his eyes blazing. "What the hell was that? I said stay back."
"And I said I don't follow orders," I snap, wiping my dagger on my jeans. "They were gonna spot us. I saved our asses."
"You almost got us killed," he growls, stepping so close I can feel his heat. The mate bond flares, and I hate how it makes my heart race. "You're reckless, Lila."
"And you're slow," I shoot back, holding his gaze. "We're in this together, Kael. Deal with it."
He stares at me, his chest heaving, and for a second, I think he's gonna grab me. Instead, he turns away, muttering, "You're gonna be the death of me."
"Funny," I say, my voice sharp. "That's supposed to be my line."
We move deeper into the pass, the Blackfang stronghold looming closer. My mark's still burning, and I know this is just the beginning. But I'm Lila Thorn, and I don't back down—not from wolves, not from witches, and definitely not from a cursed Alpha who's got my heart doing things it shouldn't.