Page 5 of Alpha's Promise

Dakota steeled herself for the journey that awaited. She would continue on—so far she’d heard wolves, but hadn’t seen one. The miles stretching before her, each one a step away from the past that clung to her heels like a persistent shadow. The comfort of the four-wheeler beneath her was a temporary respite, sparing her weary feet a bit of distance, across the fields of the Savage ranch, yet it was a kindness she accepted gratefully.

Landon's voice, deep and slightly amused, broke through her reverie. "You know where you’re headed?” he called back over his shoulder.

"Sometimes," Dakota laughed, but her voice was tinged with a weariness she couldn't disguise. “Maybe you can point me in the direction of the nearest town."

“That would be Redstone. When we get to the gate, follow the path up the road and then head west. It’s about thirty miles. You can’t miss it. You need a ride?”

“No, I’m good.”

"Whatever brought you out here," Landon ventured, "I hope it leads you to good things."

She smiled at him. “I keep reminding myself that often good things find us when we least expect them."

The air seemed to thicken, heavy with possibilities and the bittersweet promise of more. But the ever-present undercurrent of danger of her current journey reminded Dakota that some paths were riddled with peril—and that some encounters were destined to leave people forever changed.

As they neared the main road, the hum of the engine grew louder, a reminder of the world beyond the mountains. Dakota's gaze fixed on the horizon, the crests and troughs of the land painting a picture of endless possibilities. She allowed herself to entertain the thought of what might lie ahead—a life unfetteredby fear, perhaps even alongside someone who stirred her soul as this stranger did.

The wind spoke of secrets around them as the ATV surged forward, its engine a deep thrum that matched the erratic rhythm of Dakota's heart. She leaned into Landon's back, the scent of worn leather and earthy pine from his jacket teasing her senses in waves of untamed wilderness. Clutching at the solidity of him, she felt an inexplicable pull, a connection tethered not by logic but by an instinct as old as the land they traversed.

There was a raw charisma to Landon Savage, one that eclipsed the memory of any man who had ever held her close, even her former fiancé. Just being around Landon made her feel a restless energy coiling within her—sparks catching on dry kindling. The air between them seemed to hum with promise, the flame of something untamed flickering in her chest, casting shadows that hinted at everything they might become.

Landon slowed the ATV as they approached the metal gate, the engine rumbling low before cutting off with a final sputter. He swung a leg off and moved to unlatch the gate with a fluid ease that belied his rugged exterior. Dakota climbed down, taking a step back, she brushed off the fine layer of dust that clung to her jeans. She didn’t need to be close to him to feel the kind of primal magnetism he carried—an undeniable pull that eclipsed the memory of every man who had ever tried to hold her close, even her former fiancé.

With a silent nod from Landon, Dakota started forward, her feet dragging slightly through the dusty, barren landscape. The scorching Texas sun bore down on her, its oppressive heat her only real companion in this desolate stretch. She trudged toward Redstone, a town that might offer the solitude she desperately sought and a fleeting chance to escape her fears. But deep down, she knew true peace would remain just out of reach, no matter how far she walked.

CHAPTER 4

LANDON

Landon leaned against the sturdy oak that marked the edge of Copper Canyon Ranch, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of a weathered hand. The sun had begun its descent, throwing long shadows across the rugged landscape and bathing the world in hues of amber and crimson. Despite the day’s labor, the weariness that should have weighed on his muscles was absent, replaced by an electric current of anticipation that thrummed through his veins.

He pushed off from the fence post, his boots moving along the dry earth beneath him. As he surveyed the work he’d finished—the fences mended, the tools gathered—he realized that the dizziness which had plagued him earlier had vanished. So too had the inexplicable buzzing in his head, a sensation he'd dismissed as fatigue or the aftereffect of last night's whiskey. But it was gone now, as if it had never been there at all, leaving him strangely attuned to his surroundings.

The air was ripe with the scent of sage and pine, mingling with the more primal odors of leather and sweat. Each breath he took seemed to clear his mind, heighten his senses, draw him closer to an implicit truth he couldn't quite grasp. He stared out into the distance, to the road that wound its way towardRedstone, and felt a pull in his chest—a yearning for something just out of reach.

‘Thinking about her?’the voice inside his head teased.

"Maybe," Landon replied, his tone laced with that irreverent humor he was known for.

‘Can't say I blame you,’the voice continued.‘She's got that look about her. Like she's running from something... or someone.’

"Or maybe running towards something. Or someone," Landon mused aloud, though he kept his gaze fixed on the horizon. His thoughts were a jumble of images: Dakota's fierce eyes, the set of her shoulders, the curve of her lips when they hinted at a smile.

‘Careful,’the voice warned softly.‘That kind of fire can burn a man alive.’

"Then let it burn," Landon breathed, feeling a grin tug at his lips. He didn't fear the flames; he embraced them. And he knew, with a certainty that settled deep in his bones, that whatever connection pulsed between him and Dakota was no mere flicker—it was a blaze waiting to be stoked.

As the sky darkened, Landon gathered his things with deliberate slowness, each movement precise and unhurried. There was power in patience, in the slow building of arousal that wrapped around him like the night's embrace.

"Goodnight," he said to the emptying fields, to the ranch that had borne witness to countless sunsets and would see countless more. But tonight was different; tonight held promise.

Landon headed toward the road and Redstone, spurred on by instincts honed under the Texas skies and the whisper of an allure that beckoned him forward. Something incredible had found its way to Copper Canyon, and Landon Savage was not one to turn his back on destiny.

The last glimmers of sunset painted a fiery silhouette around the edges of Copper Canyon, but its beauty was lost on him. His mind was wrapped tight around the image of Dakota's retreating figure, the way her hair had caught the dying light, the subtle sway of her hips that whispered secrets to his senses.

"Dammit," he muttered under his breath, his heart a curious mix of frustration and adrenaline.

Letting her go, watching her disappear—it clawed at him, an itch he couldn't scratch. Landon knew better than anyone the follies of acting on impulse, the reckless decisions he'd made that still echoed in the cool evening air. But this? This wasn't just impulsive; it felt necessary. Essential, like drawing breath.

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