Page 23 of Wolf's Providence

He looked me over coldly, his sniff both derisive and dismissive. “Knew you wouldn’t stay away for good.”

“Disappointed?” I asked as I came to a stop a few feet from him.

“Disappointed I didn’t have to travel to your packlands? Nah.”

“Why would you be coming to Shadowridge Peak?” I decided to be casual, countering his barely restrained aggression.

“Because you need a good ass-kicking for what you’ve done to her.” He pushed the sleeves of his sweater up. “I don’t mind taking this one for the pack.”

“You’re seriously waiting at the bottom of Blackridge to kick my ass?” I asked, barely believing the words leaving my mouth.

“Damn right I am,” he growled. And before I could respond, he lunged, his fist cutting through the air in a blur, aimed straight at me.

I barely ducked in time, his fist grazing the air an inch from my jaw. The momentum threw him off balance, but he recovered fast, circling me with the kind of ease that said he’d been waiting for this moment.

“What the hell, Ned?” I shouted, raising my hands defensively, my instincts kicking in.

“You’re reckless, Caleb!” he barked, advancing again. “Do you even think about what you left behind?”

This time, I caught his next punch, the impact vibrating through my arm as I shoved him back. “I was doing what was best,” I snarled, furious I had to explain myself tohim.

“You don’t get it, do you?” He shook his head, his lips curling in frustration. “She’s not some passenger in your life, Caleb. She’s part of it. You’re dragging her into this mess and then expecting her to survive it alone!”

I stared at him, his words striking deeper than his fists could. For a second, the tension hung between us, charged and volatile.

“You think I don’t know that?” I growled, stepping closer. “You think I don’t wake up every damn day knowing I’m the reason she’s in this position?”

“Then do something about it!” he roared, shoving me hard in the chest, knocking me back a step.

I stood there, chest heaving, as the truth in his words settled like a weight on my shoulders.

Ned dropped his fists, his voice quieter but no less cutting. “She’s stronger than you think, but she’s human, Caleb. She has limits.”

I nodded once, swallowing hard. “You done now?”

“No.”

The punch landed squarely on my jaw, snapping my head to the side. Pain flared instantly, a sharp realization of just how much strength Ned could pack into a single blow. Before I could recover, his follow-up—a short jab to my cheekbone—connected with brutal precision.

The crunch of bone echoed through the night, and I stumbled back a step, tasting blood as it filled my mouth. My wolf growled, pacing beneath my skin, but I forced it back, refusing to let instinct take over.

“Feel that, Caleb?” Ned demanded, his voice a low growl. He was circling me now, his fists still raised. “That’s reality, punching you in the face. Wake the hell up!”

I spat blood onto the frozen ground, straightening with a grimace. “You done playing hero, or are you just getting started?” I muttered, rolling my shoulders.

Ned shook his head, his expression dark. “Not even close.” He lunged again, and I barely had time to dodge his next punch, the air hissing as his fist whizzed past my ear.

“Dammit, Ned!” I snarled, swinging back on reflex. My fist connected with his side, the impact enough to make him grunt, but he barely flinched. “I don’t want to hurt you!”

“You think this is about me?” he snapped, stepping in close and slamming his shoulder into mine, sending me sprawling backward into the snow.

I scrambled to my feet, wiping the blood from my lip with the back of my hand. “You think I don’t know what I’m doing?”

“That’s the problem, Caleb. You don’t!” His voice was raw, shaking with fury. “You’re about one bad decision away from losing it completely.”

I exhaled sharply, the fire in my chest simmering down as the weight of his words sank in. “Fine,” I muttered, my voice rough as I straightened. “Point made.”

Ned smirked faintly, though his eyes were still hard. “Good. Next time, maybe I’ll let you get the first hit.”

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