Page 18 of Stargazer

She turned to look at Zander, assessing him for any injuries. But he was fine. And no one else seemed like they were hurt. She looked at me then, eyes pleading. “Can you give us a minute, Riv?”

“Of course.” I forced my voice to sound sure and calm and then turned to the others. “This is one of Vee’s friends. No one touches him. He’s our guest.”

The words were hard to say. But they were true. There was going to be a lot more Knights around here soon and we had to learn not to kill each other if we were going to put down our mutual threat—no matter how much I didn’t want this guy around.

He seemed pleased by the statement, but more so by the begrudging that he must have read on my face and between my words.

Then he smiled at me. A mocking, haughty smile that I wanted to punch right off his smug face. But I was the Alpha, I needed to remain collected and not let this dick get to me. Especially for Vee’s sake.

Zander growled and pelted the daggers at the floor, piercing the dirt with the force of his animosity. Axel looked at me with unblinking eyes as he registered what I was saying. He was often my emissary, used to playing the diplomat between packs, so he immediately mastered his expression and nodded at me in understanding. He’d be my biggest aid in this treaty, and I’d make sure to utilise his talents for peacekeeping.

I knew this would be hard for my pack, letting the enemy in. But as much as this guy would piss us off, he wasn’t the enemy. Not right now anyway. Even if he was the main obstacle standing between me and Vee.

So I ushered my wolves that had gathered to watch the spectacle inside.

The gapping stares and raised brows did not surprise me.

It was unusual for them to see a Knight. But also to see Zander bested by someone. He wouldn’t take the hit to his pride well, that was for sure.

I hoped I could take the hit to mine.

CHAPTER 8

GRIFFIN

Ialready felt on edge being in such proximity to these mutts without having the go-ahead to put them down. But I followed Venus into the thick of the trees where the beasts would be less likely to hear us. I knew we were technically on the same side, working on a truce or whatever, and I’d need to get used to their presence. Plus, I’d stumbled into their territory. Wolves were territorial by nature—something we apparently had in common, as well as eyesight, strength, speed and possessiveness.

Fuck. I was more like them then I cared to admit.

But I’d never really been around them without needing to attack before.

It was entirely unnatural to me. So it made sense that I was a bit volatile right now.

That bulky giant one especially pissed me off. And no, I didn’t have to attack him. But he was asking for it.

When I pulled up to that hippy commune and was met with that hulking brute, I demanded to know where Venus was. The dickhead called me a ‘glorified pig’ and then told me that she was off with their Alpha before proceeding to tell me to get off their property.

Hearing that she was out with him already put my possessive nature into overdrive. What the fuck did that even mean and where were they? But then when I asked as such, the asshat told me that he didn’t answer to me and that it was none of my business where his Alpha took his girl. That sent me off the fucking edge. So I lunged at him, barrelling at the barbarian and knocking him clean off his feet.

I had to admit, it was fun. The most fun I’d had in a while, especially after the slump I’d been in. And I couldn’t stop the wicked grin that spread across my face at the challenge when he snapped his canines at me.

We tousled. Throwing punches with superhuman strength and speed.

I sensed a few other wolves arrive to see what the commotion was, but none of them got involved after the oversized German Shepherd growled that I was his, which egged me on more. He only managed to get me down once.

I would have been shocked, but he was a big guy. Bigger than most wolves I’d delt with. So I had to admit, I was impressed. But I couldn’t let him get away with shit like that.

Throwing a wolf his size across the clearing was utterly satisfying and the thrill of the interaction brought me a sense of joy I hadn’t felt in a while.

Hopefully, I’d get a chance to fight with the wolves again soon, maybe we could make it part of our sparring if I was going to stay for a while. It could help all the Knights if we could somehow convince the wolves of its benefits—and all manage to get along well enough to not kill each other.

It would be a struggle not to give into the urge to do some real damage, but I’m sure the wolves would be able to take a mean punch, as well as a dagger or two … as long as they weren’t silver. Benefits of supernatural healing and all that.

I’d have to learn to control my urges and blatant dislike towards them if I was to lead a task force and set some sort of example of what working together would look like. If I couldn't do it, how could I expect my team to? Although, I probably had a slighter larger ego than the rest of them. As well as an extra variable that fuelled my bitterness—my Supernova being entangled with them, in more ways than one.

Maybe I was slightly jealous … slightly.

Pausing my train of thought before I got too violent, I focused my attention on the beautiful distraction before me. Fuck I missed her. Just being in her presence again made me immediately calmer, her proximity soothing my restlessness.

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