26 - Finn


    It felt like we couldn''t catch a single break. Every time I managed to get Greta to open up about this whole mate situation, something would inevitably interrupt us. Neither of us was foolish enough to defy our heavily pregnant Luna, though. That was a line we weren''t willing to cross.


    "What''s going on, Bossdy?" Greta asked, clearly winded as she tried to catch her breath. Even she wasn''t immune to the brutal climb up these damn stairs.


    "Samuel and Seth found some abandoned pups near the border," Kennedy''s voice cracked as she blurted out the news, her tone urgent and sharp.


    I took a cautious step forward but stayed just behind Greta''s shoulder. I hadn''t spent much time around pregnant she-wolves, but I''d heard enough to know their moods could flip from sweet to violent in an instant. Kennedy was still adjusting to the emotional rollercoaster her wolf was putting her through, and in this moment, I figured she was less likely tosh out at Greta.


    "They need your help! What part of that don''t you get?!" Kennedy ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. I was at a loss for words, ncing sideways at my mate. Greta''s eyes were ssy, as if she was trying to draw some insight from the alpha''s presence through Kennedy. “Luna... LUNA!” Greta finally snapped, locking eyes with me. "Can you give me more details? Are the pups being chased? Hurt? Are they a threat?" I caught a sharp nce from Kennedy at thatst question, but at least Greta had my attention now. "What kind of help do they actually need? Give me something concrete to work with, Luna."


    “There are four of them,” Kennedy said, her voice trembling. “They seem to be alone. Three of the pups havee out of hiding in a small grove of trees, but the youngest one refuses toe out. None of us can fit into the space to get her." She moved over and grabbed my arm tightly. “Finn, you have to help them. They''re just pups."


    Right then, Kennedy''s aura red, and I felt my wolf start to lose control. She was trying to push us into action, but I couldn''t just leave her here alone. "Luna, hold on. Just for a second. What did the Alpha say? We can''t leave you by yourself."


    "I can handle myself," she insisted, her voice sharp. "They''re just babies. They need you more. Go. Now."


    Without thinking, my body moved on its own. I took a step forward and felt a sharp tingle shoot up my arm. "Hold on, hero boy," Greta said, grabbing my arm firmly. “The Alpha said no moving until backup arrives.” She released me and turned to Kennedy, who was ring daggers at her. “Luna, stop. You know he''s right. You and your pup are important too. This could be a trap. No one knows if anyone''s aware of your pregnancy. You''ve done a good job hiding it, but this might be a way to get to you without your guards." She raised her hand in Kennedy''s face. "Only Dark Moon warriors can keep Ryker calm. Don''t even suggest anyone else."


    Kennedy''s desperate need to save those pups was so intense my entire body started trembling from the sheer force of it. I couldn''t understand how Greta was standing so calmly beside her. "Can... I... go?” I managed to whisper. “Just me. If it''s a trap, you''ll be able to alert the Alpha." I exhaled slowly, the anxiety in the room almost suffocating me. “His backup is on the way, right?" I sank to my knees, feeling like a mountain of weight was pressing down on my shoulders.


    "Finn!" I felt the tingling in my shoulder again, but I was trapped in a tunnel of panic and couldn''t focus. “Luna... Kennedy! You need to stop or rx or something. You''re hurting him!"


    Suddenly, the pressure in my chest snapped like a stretched rubber band. Falling onto my hands, I took several deep breaths to regain control before looking up at Kennedy. "I''ll go if it means that much to you. Let the Alpha know. If I were in his shoes, I''d be pissed, but he''s not here right now—and you''re literally trying to kill me."


    "Ryker said no. You have to stay here. Protect the Luna at all costs. That''s a direct quote," Greta added firmly, still standing beside me.


    A surge of anger ignited every muscle in my body. I was so damn tired of this emotional whish. Tired of feeling trapped in a cage with no choices. Someone else always got to decide if I stayed or went, if I kept my mate safe or risked everything. I wasn''t going to let anyone tell me whether I could help those pups— pups that could be just like me, waiting for someone to find them, save them, want them.


    "How far out is the Alpha?" I asked, standing up and locking eyes with Greta. I didn''t trust Kennedy to be honest right now. Her hormones were clouding her judgment. "Don''t try to negotiate. How. Far. Out?”


    Greta took two deep breaths, both of us ignoring Kennedy now, before rolling her eyes. "He''s already halfway here."


    "And how far away are the pups?"


    "About twenty minutes southeast, on the edge of Oak Lake. The border is with a pack outside Ryker''s territory-we don''t have much info on them." I nodded and nced at Kennedy.


    "You have to be my point of contact with Samuel and Seth. Can you handle that? I need you focused because your mate is going to beat my ass when I get back. This has to be quick. The less time I''m away from you, the better for all of us." Without waiting for a response, I turned and started the long trek down the thousand stairs before anyone could stop me again.


    "Can you check in with Kennedy''s wolf?" Greta asked quietly.


    "They''re already giving directions, and I''ve been told to tell you to hurry," came a chuckle in response.


    At the bottom of the stairs, I stripped off my shirt and shorts, then shifted into my wolf form. My wolf grabbed our shorts, and we took off, following the secondhand directions from Kennedy. Keeping her calm and focused was all my wolf could concentrate on.


    The forest thinned as we neared the outskirts of Oak Lake territory, and finally, I caught the scent of a few warriors. I assumed it was Samuel and Seth, but I wasn''t about to take any chances. We slipped into some thick brush, and my wolf reached out mentally to Kennedy. It might sound ridiculous, but I needed them to follow a very simple instruction that only I could send through Kennedy to the others.


    "Are you serious?!" I heard a voice shout about ten feet to my left. I couldn''t see them yet, but their scent was unmistakable. I stayed upwind on purpose. “I''m not doing a damn ballet dance to prove we''re legit to your rogue kiss-ass!" the voice yelled into the air. "There''s no one else here. Get your ass out here, boy!"


    “That''s good enough for me," my wolfughed. I shifted back to human form, pulled on my shorts, and stepped out.


    "I''m here. Can''t be too careful. How can I help you?" I called out, ready for whatever wasing next.