A quiet chuckle escapes him, barely audible. "There are just too many moments to pick from. Every time I interact with you, it feels different, interesting in its own way. I have my own perspective, but I also see things through Ryker''s eyes."


    "That''s a pretty vague answer," she teases, a knowing smile curling on her lips-the same smile my mother wears when she''s plotting something mischievous. "So, what''s been Ryker''s favorite moment with me?"


    Before he can respond, Alpha abruptly halts, colliding with Kennedy. The sudden stop is sharp, and I can tell his mood shifts instantly. Kennedy''s fingers tighten in our fur, a silent signal that she senses something too. Our eyes scan the surroundings, alert and focused.


    "What''s the situation?" I ask, opening the link to my team, hoping they''ve already been alerted.


    "Three rogues crossed into our territory about three minutes ago," Alpha reports quietly but urgently. "We''ve been tracking them along the border all day. Looks like they were waiting for a signal. They''re heading straight for your location, boss. Your mom is safe for now."


    "I''m two minutes out," Be''s voicees through them. Josh confirms the


    same.


    We inhale sharply, tasting the tension in the air. "Two minutes won''t be enough. Get here fast and secure Kennedy."


    No sooner do I finish speaking than the faint rustling grows louder, carried on the breeze. Two wolves emerge, their approach anything but stealthy. It''s clear they''re on a suicide run-here to deliver information and die trying.


    Kennedy clutches our fur tightly, her gaze fixed on the left nk—the direction the wind ising from. Yet, no one visible there yet. I wonder if she''s sensing


    something we haven''t detected.


    "Ken, stay close to me. Don''t let go unless absolutely necessary. Be and Josh areing. Don''t engage them—it''ll only put us all at risk. Understand?"


    "Mm hmm,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. "They''re here."


    Just then, a dingy gray wolf steps out from the shadows between the trees, followed closely by a brown and white wolf who looks better cared for. They lunge at us immediately. Kennedy''s quick to adapt, moving fluidly with my wolf''s body to shield her. Our presence keeps the rogues at bay, even as they snap fruitlessly over my back, trying to reach her.


    One manages to mp down on my wolf''s shoulder, drawing a snarl from me, but we hold our ground. It lunges again, only to be met with a fierce counterattack as Josh crashes into it, biting and wing with savage intensity.


    "Boss, get her out of here! We''ve got this. Backup is right behind us," Bemands, diving into the fray.


    Without hesitation, I lower myself, signaling Kennedy to climb on. She protests softly about my injury, but thankfully she doesn''t dy. Her hands grip handfuls of our fur tightly, her body pressed flush against my spine. If there weren''t danger all around, I might have teased her about holding on so tightly.


    The moment we cross into the safety of the packhouse, Kennedy jumps down and immediately presses her small hands to the wound on my shoulder. Seeing her fingers stained with my blood twists something deep inside me. Logically, I know it''s just my blood, but the sight is haunting and raw.


    "You''re hurt,” she murmurs weakly. "I''m sorry. We would''ve been back sooner if we''d driven."


    The pain in her voice is unbearable. I shift slightly, still feeling her hands on me. She gasps softly, and I pull her into my arms, holding her close.


    “You knew,” I say quietly. “How did you know there would be roguesing through the pack?"


    "Huh?"


    "You said you had to see him right away. You had some kind of gut feeling. If we hadn''t been here, who knows how far those rogues would have gotten, or what they nned to do. How did you know?"