Kane POV
The rogues stood frozen in disarray, leaderless and uncertain. The absence of a commanding voice left them scattered, their indecision playing out in the tense silence. I watched, my wolf pacing within , claws itching for blood, as they wavered between retreating and launching a full-scale attack.
So of them began to back away, their fear evident in the way they avoided eting my gaze. They knew better. They knew that taking on an Alpha—especially —was a death sentence. But a stubborn few lingered, growling low, their resolve hardening with every second.
One rogue stepped forward, baring his teeth. "Wolf or vampire, it doesn’t matter," he spat, his tone defiant. "You’re a monster either way."
My eyes darkened, and a low growl rumbled in my chest.
"Big mistake," I muttered, the words barely audible before my wolf surged forward, taking over.
In the blink of an eye, I shifted back into my wolf form, the transformation fluid and seamless. My black fur bristled, and I let out a ferocious snarl that echoed across the battlefield. The hesitation in their eyes told they finally understood the gravity of their miscalculation.
The first rogue charged, a desperate move that sealed his fate. I t him head-on, my teeth sinking into his neck before he even had a chance to swipe at . I tossed his limp body aside and turned to the others, who hesitated only briefly before attacking.
The fight was brutal, but it didn’t last long. They ca at , one after the other, and each t the sa fate. My pack joined in, quickly dispatching those who dared to continue the assault. Blood stained the ground, the air thick with the tallic tang of it.
For those who had retreated earlier, their instincts had been right. The ones who stayed behind paid the ultimate price for their defiance.
When the dust settled, the battlefield was eerily quiet. My fur was matted with blood, so mine, but mostly theirs. I shifted back into my human form, breathing heavily as I surveyed the carnage.
"They should’ve taken the deal," I said to no one in particular, my voice cold.
My Beta approached, his expression grim. "What now, Alpha?"
"Burn the bodies," I ordered. "And double the patrols at the northern border. This won’t be the last ti they co looking for him."
Dean’s actions had brought them here, but it was my pack that paid the price. I clenched my fists, fury simring beneath the surface.
As much as I hated to admit it, this wasn’t over. Dean’s chaos would keep coming until I found a way to end it—for good.
Standing amidst the aftermath of the battle, the question burned in my mind like a searing fla: What in the hell had Dean done to piss off so many rogues that they’d band together just to co after him?
It wasn’t just unusual; it was unheard of. Rogues, by nature, didn’t work together. They were solitary, chaotic, and unruly. The sheer number that had united against a common target ant one thing—Dean had done sothing monuntal to draw their ire.
I stared at the blood-soaked ground, my wolf still restless, my hands clenching and unclenching as I tried to piece it together. It wasn’t enough that he’d already caused havoc in my life and my pack. No, Dean always had to go a step further, dragging his darkness into every corner of existence.
"Alpha?" My Beta, interrupted my spiraling thoughts. His face was hard-set, but there was curiosity there, too. "Do you have any idea what they were talking about? Why they were so focused on finding him?"
I t his gaze, the weight of the situation pressing down on . "Knowing Dean? He probably slaughtered soone important to them or made them an enemy just for the fun of it." My voice was bitter, each word laced with frustration.
"But why now?" Liam pressed. "Why co here? They’ve never ntioned him before. He’s been gone for years."
I shook my head, trying to make sense of it. "Dean’s return must’ve stirred sothing up. Maybe he crossed a line, even by rogue standards."
That thought chilled . Rogues weren’t exactly known for their morals, so for Dean to do sothing so egregious that even they couldn’t tolerate it... It had to be bad.
And yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t just about Dean’s usual trail of destruction. This was different. Coordinated. Personal.
"Send scouts," I ordered, my voice firm. "I want to know where these rogues ca from, who they were following, and why they thought they could find him here."
He nodded and left to carry out my command, leaving alone with my thoughts.
Dean had always been a loose cannon, but this was sothing else. He hadn’t just pissed off a pack or a family—he’d enraged an entire group of outcasts to the point where they were willing to die for the chance to kill him.
And now, his enemies were becoming my problem.
I let out a frustrated growl, my claws itching to sink into sothing—preferably Dean’s throat. Whatever he’d done, I was sure it was selfish, reckless, and born out of his insatiable hunger for chaos.
If he thought he could keep dragging his sses into my territory without consequences, he was dead wrong.
I would find out what he did. And when I did, he’d wish he’d stayed gone.
It had taken half the day to deal with the aftermath of the rogue attack. I barked out the last of the orders, ensuring every gap in our security was sealed, every weakness fortified. But no matter how thorough I was, there was an itch at the back of my mind, sothing I couldn’t shake. My instincts scread at that sothing wasn’t right.
And then it hit .
"Fuck!" I growled out loud, the realization like a dagger to my chest.
This wasn’t just a random attack. The rogues were here for the pack. They were the distraction—bait. The real target had been her all along.
Elena.
Dean knew exactly what he was doing, keeping occupied while he went for my mate. Rage bubbled under my skin, threatening to consu . My wolf, Ash, snarled furiously in my head.
"You let them pull you away. You left her unprotected!"
I shoved the guilt aside. There was no ti for it. She was alive—at least I thought so. The bond humd faintly, a tenuous thread that told she was still out there. But I couldn’t feel her emotions, couldn’t sense if she was scared or hurt. That damned bond wouldn’t open fully until I marked her, and now it was like a cruel joke mocking my failure.
I sprinted to where I had parked my car, ignoring the questioning stares of my warriors. Slamming the door shut, I punched the ignition, the engine roaring to life as if it sensed my desperation.
"Ash, focus," I growled at my wolf as he howled angrily within . "We’ll find her. But I need you to think clearly."
"She’s ours," Ash growled back. "And you let her out of our sight. If he’s touched her—"
"I’ll kill him," I snarled, gripping the steering wheel so tightly it groaned in protest.
The roads blurred as I pushed the car to its limits, the scenery flashing by in a mix of muted greens and grays. My mind raced, piecing together everything I knew about Dean, the slimy bastard. He was cunning, always working in shadows, pulling strings where no one could see them. He’d used the rogues as pawns, risking lives like they were nothing to him.
Ash was restless, pacing in my mind, his fury a burning inferno that matched my own.
"We should’ve marked her," I muttered under my breath. "I should’ve—"
"You didn’t," Ash snapped. "So now we can’t find her, can’t protect her. Fix this, Kane. Fix it now."
The guilt clawed at , but I shoved it aside. Regret wouldn’t bring her back. I couldn’t afford to waste ti berating myself when she was out there, possibly in danger.
As I neared the edge of the pack’s estate, my phone buzzed. I snatched it up without looking, my voice a sharp bark of, "What?"
"Alpha," one of my warriors stamred, the hesitation in his voice putting on edge. "We found traces of rogue movent heading south. But... there’s sothing else. A scent trail, faint, but it matches the you."
"Dean’s" i murmured, "keep looking," I told him.
"Yes, Alpha."
I ended the call without another word, slamming my foot on the accelerator. My pulse pounded in my ears as I tore through the narrow roads.
My wolf howled again, his rage like a storm threatening to break free.
"She’s strong," I told myself, gripping the wheel tighter. "She can hold on."
But the truth was, I didn’t know what I’d find when I got there. And the not knowing was tearing apart.
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