Page 38 of Fated Wolf's Destiny

The chamber falls silent, all eyes on me.

“This debate is over. I am alpha. Unless you have someone to challenge me, I’m through discussing this matter. I’ve let this go on long enough, hoping you’d see reason, but your hate, prejudice and fear of change have kept you from seeing thetruth. Bella isn’t going anywhere and pushing her away will only make things worse. I’ll handle her.”

“How?” asks Marlow.

“I will take her to mate and bring her into the pack.”

“Not exactly the most romantic way to propose to her, but can I be there when you tell her?” asks Lucas, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

I growl at him, and he settles down. Right now, the Crimson Claw and Bella’s safety are what matter. I turn on my heel and stalk from the room.

Later, I meet Lucas down by the river, the cool night air a welcome change from that in the council chamber. He’s leaning against a tree, arms crossed, his expression thoughtful as I approach.

“You didn’t exactly back me up in there,” he says, his tone neutral.

I stop a few feet away, running a hand through my hair. “It didn’t seem to me you needed my support. The Elders don’t trust anyone who isn’t pack, and Bella is... complicated.”

Lucas snorts. “Complicated is one way to put it. But you don’t think she’s a threat, do you?”

“No,” I admit, my voice quieter now. “But that doesn’t mean she isn’t dangerous—to herself or to us.”

He studies me, his gaze sharp. “You’re not just worried about the pack, are you?”

I stiffen, but Lucas doesn’t back down.

“You were serious. You mean to take her to mate,” he says, a knowing grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “And you know she’s going to give you hell.”

“It’s not that simple,” I snap, my voice sharper than I intended.

“Isn’t it?” Lucas pushes off the tree, stepping closer. “You’re the alpha, Ryder. You’re supposed to protect the pack. Butthe best alphas have always had the strongest mates. And sometimes protecting the pack means making allies, even if it goes against tradition. Bella isn’t just some nosy outsider—she’s one of us, whether the Elders want to admit it or not.”

I glare at him, but his words hit too close to the truth for me to argue.

Later when I arrive at the clinic, I can see Bella inside, her head bent over a notebook, her expression intense as she jots something down. I should leave. Watching her like this feels wrong, invasive, but I can’t seem to make myself turn away.

She looks up suddenly, her gaze turning toward the window like she senses me. Perhaps she does. They say fated mates can sense one another even before they are bonded. My breath catches, and I step back into the shadows before she can see me. As I retreat into the woods, her image stays with me.

CHAPTER 14

ISABELLA

The old logging camp is eerie in the moonlight, the rusted remnants of equipment scattered like forgotten skeletons among the trees. The night is cold, crisp, and far too quiet. My breath puffs out in small clouds as I crouch near a rotting wooden beam, my flashlight tucked away to keep us hidden. The air feels heavy, almost suffocating, and I know it’s not just the surroundings.

Ryder is not happy with me. He tried ordering me to stand down, and I told him to go fuck himself. He could either let me tag along, or I’d come by myself. Ryder Stone does not like being forced into a corner. He stands a few feet away from me now, his broad shoulders tense as he scans the tree line. The moonlight catches the sharp angles of his face, making him look even more untouchable than usual. I can’t tell if it’s the silence or the way he keeps glancing my way, but my skin prickles with awareness, and I feel the simmering frustration between us building again.

“Keep in mind Bella, our job tonight is just to observe. That’s it. There will be no heroics and no confrontations. Just watch and report back.”

“To who? The sheriff? He couldn’t even be bothered to come out here…”

“He is responsible for the safety of the town, not your personal vendetta about Arthur or even dealing with the Crimson Claw.”

“Why isn’t the Crimson Claw his job? And can you tell me what the difference is between the mutants and shifters like you?”

“They are an abomination,” he growls. “Wolf-shifters—all shifters—evolved thousands of years ago. Purebred humans, wolves, and shifters—all three species advanced on different but parallel evolutionary paths. The mutants did not. From what we’ve been able to gather, they were created in a way that isn’t natural. They share the worst traits of both wolves and humans. They are nothing like wolf-shifters.”

“What about my grandmother?”

“She was an outcast or exile. She was nothing at all like a mutant.”

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