25 - Ben


    My wolf has never sopletely taken over my human form before. Once the tension between ra and me finally snapped, I didn''t resist him much at all. We both knew ra wouldn''t calm down without some forceful intervention—it was either subdue her or wear her out. My wolf chose thetter. The temptation was overwhelming; there she stood, fierce and dripping wet, silently demanding to be taken care of. We both needed this release, and my wolf was growing impatient, tired of waiting for us to get our act together. Thankfully, he didn''t push me to kiss her or mate with her, which I was grateful for—and I''m sure she would be, too. We''re not at that point yet. There has to be a real conversation first. I won''t force her into mating, sealing the bond prematurely, and even kissing feels too intimate for now-another thing we''re just not ready to cross.


    I spot Jax and Dev in the hallway, grinning like fools as I quietly slip out of ra''s room. "She''s asleep," I say awkwardly, though there''s really nothing else to add. I just want them to stop staring at me like that.


    "Yeah, I''d hope so after all that," Jax chuckles, his smile growing even wider. I roll my eyes, feeling my mouth twist into my usual scowl.


    “Are the patrols out so you two can get some rest as well?” I ask. They both nod and fall into step beside me. I need to get away before ra wakes and we''re forced to talk about what just happened. "Good. I''ll send you what I''ve got from my healers. We''re probably dealing with witches working in tandem with wolves acting as mules to move through our packs. Your patrols will need to watch for signs beyond the usual scents and tracking markers. There will be magic in the air — a faint metallic taste and a smell like sulfur from a match before it''s struck. These clues will be subtle, but they''ll help us pinpoint whoever''s behind this, so we can get some answers and put a stop to it."


    “We''ve noticed a shift in the pack,” I say, stopping to look at Dev, needing him to exin. "People are scared. Afraid to leave their homes, afraid to let their pups y outside. Rumors are circting—some folks in our pack are ming everything on ra''s transition to Alpha. The Alpha knows about it and has been trying to shield her, but now that she''s fully in transition and running the pack in his stead, she can''t be kept in the dark much longer. We might be facing an uprising, maybe even a challenge, sooner rather thanter. She''s going to need you, even if she never admits it or asks for help."


    I take a deep, steadying breath, then exhale slowly. "I''m traveling with my Alpha to Dark Moon. He''s celebrating his sister''s Luna ceremony and their birthday. His Luna is heavily pregnant, and we''ll need all our warriors on alert. Stay vignt, anticipate ra''s needs. If she asks you something, don''t lie—but if her father hasn''t told her something, maybe it''s best to let him decide when to share it. Too much knowledge right now will only distract her, and she''ll burn out even faster trying to prove everyone wrong." My gaze drifts back down the hallway toward ra''s room. "I''ll be gone for more than half a day, so I''ll need a heads-up if anythinges up. Blue Moon and White Diamond should be able to assist—ra has forged the alliances we need. Don''t let her stubbornness get the better of her; she''s trying to do everything and protect everyone. She has a lot to prove, but dying for it isn''t the answer."


    “Yes, sir,” Jax replies with an unexpected seriousness. It feels strange—technically, I outrank him, but he''s never addressed me so formally before.


    I nod and continue toward the front door, where Mnie is waiting with a brown paper bag. I raise an eyebrow. "Some food for the road, sir," she says politely. What''s with the ''sir'' all of a sudden? I don''t ask; instead, I just nod and ept the bag. It''s heavier than I expected, and I can''t help but smile. She''s really good at her job.


    I drive to Junior''s pack intending to check in and ry where I''ll be, and who to contact if help is needed. Luna Sam looks just as worn down as ra did. She''s doing her best to hold it together without her mate, but it''s clear she''s struggling. My wolf makes a dry joke about not offering Luna Sam the same ''service'' we gave ra—after all, Luna Sam is on her own. I fight back a smile at the memory, the weight of the moment lightened just a little.