Page 52 of Fated Wolf's Destiny

Tannis’s mouth tightens, but she nods. The others follow suit, some more reluctantly than others.

Lucas claps his hands together, grinning. “Glad we’re all on the same page. Now, if you’ll excuse us, there’s work to do.”

The following day, the clinic smells of coffee and antiseptic, the remnants of yesterday’s chaos cleared away. Sheriff Barnes stands by the front desk, his hat in hand, his expression grim. A few townsfolk linger behind him—Gus, Marjorie, and a handful of others I’ve seen around but never paid much attention to.

“We’re here to help,” Barnes says simply.

“There’s no need,” Bella replies, her tone softer than usual. She’s still adjusting to the town’s sudden allegiance.

Barnes shrugs. “Maybe not, but Arthur mattered to all of us. And because of that, so do you. We’re not letting the Crimson Claw or anyone else run you out of here.”

Marjorie steps forward, her hands on her hips. “This town’s stood for a long time because we stick together. Wolves or not, we’re in this fight with you.”

I watch Bella carefully, noting the way her shoulders relax slightly, the tension around her eyes easing. She’s used to fighting alone, but she realizes she doesn’t have to anymore.

“We appreciate it,” I say, stepping in. “But you follow our lead. This isn’t just poachers you’re dealing with.”

Barnes nods, his jaw set. “Understood.”

After they leave, I turn to Bella, “I’m sorry about all the data you lost. Maybe we can figure out how to recreate it.”

Bella gives me a sly grin, drawing her hand out of her pocket and holding up a flash drive. “I found this hidden in a secret compartment in Arthur’s desk. I haven’t had much of a chance to really take a look at it, but I think he made it shortly before his death. It seems to contain all of his journal entries, plus the clinical notes and testing results I’d been looking for. Whatever they think they got, I think we have copies plus a whole lot more.”

After receiving a report that what we thought was an abandoned cabin was showing signs of life, I decide it’s something we should check out. The drive to our destination is tense, the silence between us heavy with anticipation. I would like to have left Bella behind, but that would have proven difficult at best. Lucas drives, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel, while Bella sits in the back seat, her gaze fixed on the dark trees whipping past the window.

There is tension in the air as we move through the woods, the scent of pine and damp earth mingling with the faint, acrid tang of danger. Bella walks beside me, her jaw tight, her flashlight a small but steady beam cutting through the darkness. Lucas moves ahead, his body language tells me that his senses are onhigh alert—sharp and focused. I can feel the tension radiating off Bella—she’s not used to this, not yet, but there’s a fire in her that refuses to be extinguished.

I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. Even now, with danger lurking just beyond the trees, the pull between us is undeniable. She catches me looking and arches an eyebrow, her expression daring me to say something. My lips twitch in response, but I keep quiet. There’s too much at stake to let my thoughts wander.

We crest a small ridge, and the cabin comes into view. It’s a decrepit structure, the roof sagging under years of neglect, but the faint glow of light confirms what we’d been told—the cabin is anything but abandoned.

“Stay close,” I murmur, my voice low but firm. Bella’s chin juts out defiantly, but she nods. Small victories.

Lucas motions us forward, his hand raised in a silent signal. I catch the faint scent of sweat and unwashed bodies—mutants. They’re here, and they’re waiting. My wolf stirs, restless and eager, the need to protect Bella sharpening my focus.

As we approach the door, the sound of voices filters out. Harsh, guttural tones. They’re arguing about something, but I can’t make out the words.

“Four, maybe five inside,” Lucas whispers.

I nod, my mind racing. A frontal assault risks Bella’s safety, but we can’t afford to wait for reinforcements. I glance at her, catching her wide but determined gaze.

“Do exactly as I say,” I tell her, my voice a low growl. “No hesitation.”

She hesitates—of course she does—but then she nods. “I can handle myself, Ryder.”

I bite back a retort and motion to Lucas. We move in tandem, silent and deadly, Bella following a step behind. The door creaks open. The air in the cabin is stifling, thick with the scent ofmutants—rank, wild, and pungent. My wolf bristles beneath the surface, clawing to break free. Every muscle in my body is taut, ready to spring. Lucas stands to my left, his posture relaxed, but I know him too well. That easy demeanor is a mask; his wolf is pacing, as eager to be unleashed as mine.

The mutants linger in the shadows, their eyes gleaming like predators that think they have the upper hand. They are in the form in which we’ve always seen them—a gross distortion of a massive wolf with a pronounced hump on its back like that of a grizzly. I count five of them, their stances cocky, arrogant. They think their size gives them an edge. They’re wrong.

"You should’ve stayed out of this, Alpha," the largest mutant sneers, his voice a low growl that grates on my nerves. I hide my shock. With rare exceptions, shifters cannot speak in their shifted form. His pale eyes flick to Lucas, then back to me. "Brought along your younger brother and the female too?” He sniffs the air. “I can smell you all over her. A family affair, then, how quaint. It will make it easier for us to end you."

Lucas chuckles, a sound dripping with mockery. "Funny. I was just thinking the same about you and your friends. Makes it so much easier for us to take you down all at once."

The mutant snarls, his lip curling to reveal sharp teeth. "Big talk for a wolf outnumbered, and if you think we are the only members of the Crimson Claw, you couldn’t be more wrong."

I step forward, every movement deliberate, controlled. My voice is low, calm, deadly. "You’ve made a mistake coming here. You think you’re the predators, but you’re not; you’re prey. I’ll give you one chance—leave, or we’ll end this the hard way."

The mutant’s laughter is harsh, grating, like that of a hyena. "The hard way is the only way we’ve ever known."

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