Page 16 of Finding Forever with the Alpha Pack

Nicolai and Ethan’s wolves appear moments later, closing in from behind, sealing off any hope of escape. The rogues are trapped, and they know it.

“Look! I’m freeing him!” Jared shouts, desperation in his voice as he makes a grand gesture of unshackling me, his handsshaking as he fumbles with the chains and ropes. But it’s too late for theatrics.

‘TRAITOR!’The word roars through the bond, a primal snarl that isn’t Grace’s voice—it’s her wolf’s, echoing in my skull like thunder.

The moment I’m free, my legs buckle, sending me crashing to the ground. I can’t hold myself up. Weak. Useless. But that sight—me falling—it’s all it takes to snap the last thread holding Grace back. A blur of white fur shoots over me, fast as lightning, and Jared is on the ground before he even knows what hit him. His screams pierce the cavern, but they don’t last long. A gurgling sound replaces them as Grace’s wolf rips his throat out.

Blood splatters the stone floor, and it’s chaos from there. The rogues shift, desperately trying to defend themselves, but it’s futile. Grace is everywhere at once, a savage force tearing through them like paper. Nicolai jumps in, his wolf fully unleashed, joining the carnage. They’re a deadly machine, a whirlwind of claws and fangs, impossible to stop.

Through the madness, Ethan moves toward me. His large form steps over me protectively, eyes scanning for any rogue foolish enough to take advantage of my weakened state.

“I never thought I’d live to see the day you sat on the sidelines of a fight,” I rasp, trying to force a laugh, but it feels like my ribs are on fire. Everything hurts.

‘Grace made me promise to protect you,’Ethan replies, his wolf’s head turning down to meet my gaze for a moment, before snapping back to the scene unfolding before us. His voice is calm, but I can see the tension coiling in his muscles.

Together, we watch as Grace and Nicolai dismantle the rogues, their wolves a living nightmare no one can escape. The air is thick with blood, fear, and the unmistakable certainty of death.

The last wolf falls, and I collapse onto my side, feeling the cold stone beneath me. Nicolai shifts back, his form stretching and contorting until he stands on two legs once more. His bare feet pad across the cavern floor, quick and efficient, as he rifles through several packs along the wall. His fingers work deftly, searching for clothing, while my gaze drifts, unfocused, to Grace’s wolf prowling the shadows, her movements restless, almost desperate.

“You okay, Griff?” Nicolai’s voice pulls me back to the moment. He and Ethan crouch beside me, lifting me to a sitting position. The sudden movement sends a dizzying wave through my skull, and I wince. Nicolai presses a sealed bottle of water into my hand, the cool plastic an odd comfort against my trembling fingers.

“Very out of it,” I mutter, shaking my head to clear the fog. “But for the most part, I’m alright.” My voice sounds distant, like it’s not even mine, but I force myself to focus. Ethan hands me a pair of sweatpants, and I tug them on with slow, shaky hands.

“Grace?” Ethan calls, his tone gentle but firm. Her head snaps toward him, and a low snarl rumbles from her throat, the sound reverberating through the cavern like a warning. Her ember wolf's eyes burn with an intensity that sends a chill down my spine. She prowls the edges of the cavern one more time, searching for something I can’t see, before her gaze finally lands on me. Slowly, deliberately, she pads toward me.

I meet her eyes—those burning orbs filled with something wild, something primal. My heart pounds in my chest as she closes thedistance. “Thank you for finding me,” I whisper, my voice hoarse as I search her blood-covered face. Her eyes remain fixed on mine, and for a brief moment, I see a flicker of something—gold, maybe? Her tongue darts out, licking my forearm, the warmth of the gesture offering a fragile thread of hope.

“May I have my human mate back for a little while?” My voice trembles as I ask, my words directed to the ember wolf inside her. “I need to see she’s okay … to have her in my arms.” I hold my breath, watching her eyes, searching for any sign of Grace. For a moment, the gold flickers, a fleeting flash that makes my heart skip a beat. Then, it deepens, solidifying into the rich, molten gold I know so well. The shift is slow but sure, her form shrinking, contorting, until Grace stands before me.

“Griff...” Her voice breaks, and before I can say anything, she dives into my arms, her body trembling as she clings to me. Her sobs are muffled against my neck, each one a dagger twisting in my chest. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close, as relief floods through me so fast it nearly knocks me over. I was so afraid we’d lost her to the ember wolf forever.

Her fingers clutch at my back like I might disappear, and I bury my face in her hair, breathing in her scent, reassuring myself she’s here. That she’s mine. That we’ve survived. But the weight of everything lingers in the air, heavy and suffocating. The ember wolf is still there, just beneath the surface, but for now, I have my Grace back. And I’m not letting her go.

“We should think about heading back as soon as you can shift, Griff,” Nicolai suggests, his gaze shifting to Grace with a warm smile. “I’m proud of you. You did so good today.” He offers her a bottle of water, and though she takes it, she refuses to let go of me yet, clinging tightly as if the weight of the moment hasn’t quite lifted.

“I was so scared,” she whispers, her voice trembling slightly as she looks down. For a brief second, I catch the faint glow of that red-orange flare in her azure eyes before it fades. She bites her bottom lip, almost as if she’s trying to suppress something deep within. “I’ve felt like I’ve been in the wrong skin this entire time—until today.” Without waiting for a reply, she snuggles closer, climbing onto my lap, her arms wrapping around me with a desperate need for comfort.

Ethan gestures, urging me to ask. “Baby girl?” I murmur, resting my curled index finger beneath her chin, tilting her head gently so her eyes meet mine. “What do you mean, wrong skin?” I can feel the uncertainty in her gaze, so I press my lips softly against hers, encouraging her to open up.

“I was reborn of carnage, at the brink of death,” she begins, her voice distant. There’s a brief glance toward Ethan, an unspoken connection passing between them, before she returns her focus to me. “When I was reborn, the lunar wolf rose first because of when I was born. But with her came the ember. The ember wolf was dormant because, mostly, everything was peaceful... until the shit started hitting the fan.” Her eyes flash, shifting from gold to red-orange before settling back to blue, the energy crackling between us like a storm barely contained.

“That explains the temperament,” Ethan muses, his voice low, almost reverent. “A war machine restrained by a peaceful dove.” He glances toward Nicolai, his brow furrowed. “She feels calmer now, not as volatile.”

“Yeah, I feel it too,” Nicolai agrees, though there’s a weight to his words, a cautiousness that hangs in the air.

“I feel better now. I’m not as confused as I was before with the mixed signals. One side craving war, the other yearning forpeace.” Grace lets out a small laugh, the sound fragile, but the tension in her body eases. “Don’t let the gold eyes fool you—I am the ember wolf. We decided to keep the appearance of the lunar wolf for my safety.”

I tilt my head, studying her, the truth settling into my bones. “I’ve never heard of an ember wolf allowing itself to exist in another wolf’s pelt,” I muse, running my fingers gently along her arm, my mind racing to process what she’s revealing.

“Tactically, it’s a sound judgment, isn’t it?” Grace’s voice steadies, her logic sharp, cutting through the fog. “Everyone knows lunar wolves usher in peace. Why not hide a weapon in plain sight?” Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I glance at Ethan and Nicolai, both nodding in agreement, the weight of her revelation sinking in.

Stretching, I coax Grace to her feet, feeling the tension slowly release from her body as I prepare to shift. My wolf emerges, muscles rippling under my fur as I stretch, shaking off the last remnants of human form. The cool air of the cavern brushes against my pelt, and I start toward the entrance, each step deliberate, each thought laced with the image of Grace giving up a part of herself to find me.

I will never forget her sacrifice. And I will never forgive those responsible for forcing her to make it.

Chapter 12

Grace

---