Page 28 of Alpha's Promise

A clap of thunder punctuated her words, and Dakota knew that change was indeed on the horizon. Whatever lay ahead, she was no longer alone; she had allies in Etta, Briar, and the Savagebrothers. Perhaps in time, the rest of the pack would accept her as well. For now, that would have to be enough.

Raindrops spattered against the leaves, ground, and fountain of the garden, the sound a soft staccato accompanying Dakota's uneven breath. The storm had broken loose from its celestial chains, and with it, the atmosphere in Briar's garden thickened with a heady mix of petrichor and unease.

"Rejection stings," Briar murmured, her voice a soothing balm to Dakota's fraying nerves. "They judged me once, as they do you now. Wolves trust their noses and instincts before they trust words." She brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, her fingers leaving a trail of shimmering air, a reminder of her unique heritage.

"Instincts," Dakota repeated, the term resonating within her like a struck chord. "Landon seems to... understand me on a level I can't explain."

"Ah, Landon," Briar said, a knowing smile lighting up her features. "He's always been perceptive, even for one of us. He sees the heart of things—and he sees you."

Dakota wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the chill of the rain seep through her clothing. "And what about being claimed? What does it mean to belong to a pack... to be a wolf?"

"Being claimed," Briar began, pausing thoughtfully, "it's more than a bond. It's a merging of souls, an innate understanding that runs deeper than blood." Her eyes gleamed with a fierce inner light, reflecting a truth born from experience.

"Can humans..." Dakota hesitated, unsure how to phrase her curiosity without revealing too much of the turmoil within.

"Be claimed?" Briar finished for her. "Yes, but it's rare and precious. A gift not given lightly."

"Gift," Dakota whispered, tasting the word. A flicker of memory sparked within her—the tales her grandfather used to tell, full of creatures and worlds beyond human ken. "I think mygrandfather knew about wolf-shifters. I never had a clue until now."

"Interesting." Interest piqued, Briar leaned closer, the scent of moss and earth emanating from her skin. "He must have had reasons for his cryptic message. If he knew of our kind or had some connection, or perhaps knew someone who did."

"Connection," Dakota echoed, feeling the pieces of her life shifting, seeking alignment. Her grandfather's cryptic messages, his insistence on her strength—could it all have been leading her here?

"Your lineage might hold answers," Briar suggested, her gaze piercing through the veil of rain, reaching into Dakota's very soul. "There are secrets in every family, some more frightening or shameful than others."

Secrets... Dakota felt them weighing on her spirit, the unknown variables of her existence suddenly cast in sharp relief by the tempest raging around them. Briar had touched on a truth that Dakota could no longer ignore.

"Maybe so," Dakota conceded, her voice barely above the thrumming of the rain. The storm had soaked them both, but in its wake, there was a cleansing clarity.

"Come," Briar said as she stood, offering a hand to help Dakota rise from the wet bench. "Let's find shelter and warmth. Storms are good for revelation, but they're also reminders to seek refuge together."

Accepting the hand, Dakota allowed herself to be led back towards the ranch house.

That night after her shift at the diner, Dakota returned to the ranch house and headed up to her room. Moonlight spilledthrough the window, casting a silver glow over the wooden floorboards. The world outside was hushed, the nocturnal chorus of crickets and the distant howl of a coyote the only sounds that pierced the silence.

"Maybe I should go back home," Dakota murmured to herself, her voice barely louder than a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the night's tranquility. She brushed a lock of hair from her face. "Could the answers really lie in my past?"

Her eyes, vibrant even in the dim light, reflected a turmoil that matched the storm they'd weathered. She considered tracing her lineage, her DNA, anything that might unravel the labyrinth of her heritage. The possibility that her grandfather had concealed such an integral part of their family history gnawed at her with a relentless persistence.

"Would it change anything?" she pondered aloud, the question hanging in the air, unanswered.

Dakota wrapped her arms around herself, the chill of the room seeping into her bones. She felt drawn to the warmth of the fireplace downstairs, to the company of those who might offer insight—or at least distraction. With a determined exhale, she slipped out of her room and descended the staircase, each step creaking softly underfoot.

The dining room was empty, but the common sitting room across the foyer held Landon and his brothers gathered around the fire, their conversations a low hum that enveloped the space with a sense of camaraderie. Briar sat among them, her presence a soothing balm despite the underlying tension that Dakota could sense even here.

"Discussing the latest cattle shipment?" Dakota asked, approaching them with feigned casualness.

"Among other things," Landon replied, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat.

"Actually," Briar interjected, her voice cutting through the din with ease, "we were just getting to something you might find interesting, Dakota."

All eyes turned toward her, a mix of curiosity and caution reflected in their stares. Dakota took a seat, feeling their attention settle on her like a tangible force.

"Go on," Dakota said, nodding at Briar, encouraging her to continue.

Briar's fingers traced the rim of her glass, the motion deliberate. "Dakota's considering delving into her past, seeking connection to our kind through her lineage. Perhaps her grandfather's secrets hold more than we know."

Landon's expression shifted, the playful glint in his eyes replaced by a solemnity that made Dakota's pulse race. His brothers leaned in, interest piqued.

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