Page 35 of Sold to the Alphas

Her words had soothed the rage boiling under my skin and reminded me of what was important, but it wasn’t just her words. It was her.

She was burrowing under my defenses faster than I could stop her, weaving herself into spaces I’d long since closed off. I hadn’t meant for it to happen, hadn’t wanted it to happen, but there she was—soft, stubborn, and entirely too brave for her own good.

And I wanted her.

More than I should. More than was safe.

I glanced back, my eyes drawn to her like a moth to flame. She walked between Finn and Marshall, her steps measuredbut unsteady, as if the fight had drained her. Shifting was already tiring for the normal wolf—but for an omega who hadn’t shifted in years? She must feel exhausted. Her hair fell in loose waves around her face, her expression guarded but still fiercely determined.

I tore my gaze away, cursing myself for the thousandth time since this began. Wanting her was dangerous, not just for me but for her. She deserved more than this—more than being dragged into a war she didn’t start, more than being tied to alphas who couldn’t even keep their alliance intact.

But it didn’t matter what I wanted. Our people came first. The packs needed us united if we were going to stand a chance against the council.

The council.

The mere thought of them sent a fresh wave of anger surging through me. They had taken everything from us, twisting the natural order into something cruel and self-serving. We’d done their bidding for far too long, turning a blind eye to their corruption because it was easier than fighting back.

The council pact was created for the benefit of all wolves, not just power-hungry alphas, but that was no longer true.

No more. No more omega auctions, no more forced marriages, no more physical abuse to anyone considered a “lower rank.”

When the fortress settlement came into view, its stone walls rising against the fading light, a small sense of peace settled over me and replaced my anger. This was home—or as close to home as I’d had in years. Once Marshall, Finn, and I had realized wehad a common goal, long before we formed our own bonds of camaraderie, we knew this would be the necessary first step. We took inspiration from the founding member of the council. They had to pool their resources together to end the violence of their time. It didn’t matter how complicated and tenuous those first few years of our alliance were, we pushed through because we knew we had to do the same.

The stronghold was a shared territory, an entire town hidden deep within the mountain valleys. It had taken months of negotiations to bring our three packs together, and even then, the alliances were tenuous at best.

But it was ours. A place where we could plan, regroup, and prepare for what was to come.

“We’re close,” I said, my voice cutting through the silence. “Let’s keep moving.”

Elisabed glanced up, her eyes meeting mine briefly before she nodded.

This was only the beginning. The council wouldn’t give up their power easily, and the road ahead was fraught with danger and uncertainty.

But as I thought of Elisabed—her strength, her fire, the way she had looked at me with something achingly close to trust—I felt a flicker of hope.

Perhaps, just perhaps, we might stand a chance after all.

18

Elisabed

The fortress was an overwhelming, imposing structure, towering over the smaller buildings that made up the rest of the stronghold. It was so much bigger than anything I’d ever seen, but I barely had a chance to process my surroundings before the alphas ushered me forward.

“Straight to the healer,” August said, his voice tight with barely contained urgency, as if he hadn’t checked me over himself. I didn’t miss the way his hand grazed my back, his touch grounding but also far too possessive, like he was worried I’d slip away if he didn’t keep hold of me. We passed a few small buildings, some with their lights still on, as well as open-air stalls—but I was too tired to process the details in the dark.

Finn walked at my other side, his posture casual, but the look in his eyes was sharp, more focused than it had been in the lastseveral hours. “You look fine to me,” he muttered, though an edge to his tone didn’t match his usual smirk.

Marshall, who was always the most grounded of the three, frowned deeply. “Shejustcame out of a heat. She’s been through hell. I don’t care if she looks fine to us; I want the healer to take a look, too.”

I could feel the tension building between them, but I wasn’t in the mood to indulge it. My body was still aching from everything that had happened—the heat, the fight, the shift. Honestly, I was exhausted. But all I could do was keep moving as they half-guided, half-dragged me through the town, straight toward the healer’s house.

When we arrived at her quarters, the air inside smelled of herbs, some familiar, some foreign, and the sharp bite of something medicinal. The healer was an older woman with sharp eyes that seemed to see everything at once, as though nothing could escape her.

“She needs to be checked over. Now.” August’s tone brooked no argument, and he stepped aside to let her examine me.

She didn’t seem fazed by the demand. “Nice to see you again after so long, Alpha.”

None of them responded to her sarcastic remark, and she sighed. “Are you three going to hover the whole time, or should I do my job?”

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