But there was something else, too. A certainty I''d only seen in Ellie once a vision snapped into ce for her.


    He''d seen something.


    "My family-" I started.


    "Is not served by you panicking," he cut in sharply. "You want to save them? Then think."


    Shame red hot and bitter in my chest-but it worked.


    I forced myself to look again. Really look.


    The rogue formation. The pressure points. The way they were ovemitting here


    to keep us pinned. The slight thinning on the southern edge where they assumed we wouldn''t risk breaking away.


    They''d ounted for everything. Every drive and consideration we would make. Every powerhouse we had on our side. All except for one.


    ric.


    "You hold them," I said immediately, rity snapping back into ce. "Can you?"


    His mouth curved into something sharp and dangerous. "I wouldn''t be here if I couldn''t."


    Something passed between us as our eyes met. An understanding beyond words. This was where he was meant to be in this moment. And my ce was with her.


    I turned, voice rising, Alpha power surging back where it belonged.


    "Listen up!" I roared. "Strike unit only-fastest, cleanest fighters with me. Everyone else holds the line under ric''smand!"


    Understanding rippled through my warriors instantly. This time, the movement was


    pre


    controlled. No panic.


    ric stepped forward, power ring outward like a wall mming into ce. The ground beneath him cracked as ancient magic poured into thend, as if reinforcing the territory itself.


    The rogues snarled, pressing forward again-but now they were pushing against something immovable.


    ric raised one hand.


    The storm bent.


    Wind howled violently, mming into the rogues'' line with concussive force. Several were thrown back outright, skidding across mud and stone as if struck by a physical blow.


    "Go," ric said without looking at me. "Now."


    I didn''t hesitate.


    I pivoted and ran, the selected warriors already forming up around me as we tore through the thinnest point in the rogue line. This time, we didn''t pull punches.


    We broke through.


    ws tore. Teeth snapped. Blood spilled freely now as we forced a path open, driving hard and fast toward the heart of Silver Fang.


    Behind us, ric held the line.


    I felt his power like a weight at my back, steady and relentless, anchoring the


    battlefield even as the rogues howled in fury and confusion.


    They hadn''t expected him.


    They hadn''t expected this.


    Felicity had ordered them to keep me there, to keep me far away from her so that I couldn''t stop whatever it was she nned to do.


    Which was exactly why it was essential that I break away.


    I had created this monster by refusing to face the reality of what she''d be. I''d allowed my affection for my oldest friend and one-time lover to override every instinct and truth that I knew. And now, the consequences of my foolishness hade home to haunt me.


    ouldn''t let Ellie or anyone else be taken because of my mistakes. I wouldn''t let Silver Fang fall because I had een blinded by misced loyalty.


    We didn''t slow until the packhouse came into view through the rain-its wards zing like a beacon against the storm-dark sky.


    Smoke curled from the front doors.


    My heart stuttered violently.


    "Move!" I shouted, breaking into a full sprint.


    Every step felt like it took too long. Every breath burned. Fear wed at my throat, threatening to choke me as the packhouse loomed closer, the sounds of battle growing louder,


    I could feel Ellie now-her power ring bright and defiant, pressed tight against the war ike hands braced against a door.


    She was still standing.


    Good.


    She just had to hold a little longer.


    We surged up the steps, mming into the rogues flooding the entrance with ferocious force.


    Surprise worked in our favor-several went down immediately, crushed between us and the defenders inside.


    I shifted mid-stride, wolf bursting free with a roar that shook the stone walls.


    My ws hit the packhouse floor, slick with rain and blood, and I tore forward without hesitation.


    “Ellie!” I howled-not just sound, butmand and promise wrapped together.


    I would reach her.


    No matter what it cost.


    Behind us, thunder rolled like the sky itself was breaking apart.


    But this time, I wasn''t running blind.


    This time, I wasn''t alone.


    And this storm-no matter how violent-was not taking my family.


    Cede is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a ir for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cede''s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.