Page 30 of Alpha Unchained
"Tell me what happened," she says softly.
"The pack gathered at the standing stones at moon rise. Some were in their wolf form, and some as humans. We started out as humans, but when Waylon shifted I had no choice but to shift as well." I shake my head. "It's weird the things I remember—the moonlight on the stones, the pale light glinting off fur and teeth. I could feel the heat of Waylon’s breath, the sour scent of his fear and rage."
Her hand rests on my chest, but she says nothing.
"We circled each other, wolves prowling through ancient grass. Waylon lunged, faster than I expected, teeth snapping for my throat. I rolled, twisting under him, claws raking his belly. Pain flashed through me—his jaws closed on my shoulder, tearing flesh, hot blood spilling across my fur. I roared, broke free, and slammed him into the stones hard enough to make the ground tremble. The taste of blood was coppery, thick in my mouth. I heard a growl—my own, wild and low—echo off the standing stones, answered by the chorus of the pack."
I pause. "Go on," she urges.
"He came at me again, desperate, claws scrabbling. For a moment I thought I’d lose—he was heavier, years of resentment fueling every strike. My vision blurred. I drove forward anyway, slamming him back. We tumbled in a tangle of fur and snapping jaws, my wolf howling with the need to end it. At one point, he slammed me into the base of a stone hard enough to rattle my teeth, stars bursting behind my eyes. I staggered, nearly lost my footing. He was on me again before I could fully recover, claws tearing into my flank, hot pain ripping through me. But I shoved through it, sheer instinct and fury carrying me forward. He bit my ear, nearly tore it clean off, but I twisted, found his throat, pressed down until he went limp beneath me, shuddering."
The memory is so vivid. Sure it's fresh, but it's almost like in telling her I'm reliving it. "I stood over him, chest heaving, my wolf wild with triumph. But I didn’t kill him. I couldn’t. When he rolled onto his back, I loosened my jaws and released him. I shifted back, bloodied and shaking, but alive. Waylon lay sprawled at my feet, beaten but breathing. For a moment, I thought of finishing it. The taste of death hung between us. Instead, I banished him. I hope that's a decision I don't live to regret."
“The others didn’t speak. It’s like they were waiting for me to change my mind, to finish it. I felt their eyes on me—somein awe, some in disbelief. I had shown mercy, but it had carved something sharp into me. I don’t know yet whether it was weakness or strength.”
I blink, pulse still racing. Elena’s watching me, her expression softer now, full of questions. “You could have killed him. But you didn’t.”
I nod, throat thick. “Maybe I should have. He’s family. Even after everything, he’s still blood. But I know he won’t stop until one of us has destroyed the other.”
She kisses my jaw, soft and sure. “You made the right call. The McKinleys saw it—they know you’re alpha now. You can tell Kate and Hudson, but the rest of Wild Hollow doesn't need to be in our business. This is about our family, not theirs."
I let her words settle, the truth heavy but right. “I made it clear to the pack that no one touches you or the baby. I laid it out clearly for everyone to hear.”
“Some lowered their eyes. A few bristled, jaws tight, but no one spoke against me. The message landed. I wasn’t just back—I was in charge, and they knew it.”
Elena’s eyes shine, fierce and proud. “That’s what they needed.”
But I see doubt in her, too. “What about you? Can you trust me to protect you now?”
She hesitates, her hand stilling over my heart. “I won't lie to you. I think I'd sleep better if you'd killed Waylon. He frightens me, but I trust you. But there’s a part of me that’s terrified you’ll slip back into that darkness—that you’ll fight so hard to protect us, you’ll forget how to come home.”
I cup her cheek, thumb stroking her skin. “I won’t leave you again, and I won't let him hurt you. Not ever.”
A long silence stretches between us, full of everything neither of us dares to speak aloud. She’s the bravest person I know, but she’s also lost so much. I want to fill every empty place she’scarried, to give her and this baby more than I ever thought I could offer. My wolf paces, protective and fierce.
She slides her hand over my chest, then down to my stomach, curling into me as if she’s making a vow. “I believe you, Luke. But you need to stop shutting me out.”
I pull her close, burying my face in her hair. “I’m trying. I swear I am.”
We lie there in the hush, the house quiet around us. But even as her breathing slows, and she starts to drift, I stay awake, mind spinning. Every bruise on my body aches, every scar burning with fresh memory. The fight with Waylon wasn’t the end—if anything, it was the beginning. There are threats circling, old ghosts with new teeth.
A soft tap on the door jolts me from my thoughts. I slide out of bed, careful not to wake Elena, and pad across the cool floor, every muscle still taut from the night’s violence. I crack the door and find Hudson standing there, phone in hand, his face tight with worry.
“News?” I ask, voice low.
He nods. “Waylon’s gone to ground. But that’s not all. My contacts say the syndicate’s back. They’ve been seen talking to outsiders, sniffing around the edge of the Hollow. Could be a scouting party,” Hudson adds grimly. “If they’re back, it’s not just about us anymore. It’s bigger. And it’s just beginning.”
I mutter a curse, running a hand through my hair. “It never ends, does it?”
Hudson claps me on the shoulder, his grip firm. “You made the right call tonight. But you’re going to have to be ruthless. They’ll test you every chance they get.”
I nod, watching the moon’s reflection in the window. “I’m ready. Whatever comes, I’m done running.”
When Hudson leaves, I slip back to bed. Elena stirs, half-awake. I stroke her hair until she settles, whispering promises Imean to keep. As she drifts off, I rise again, restless, pacing to the window.
The woods outside are thick with shadows. Somewhere out there, Waylon is licking his wounds, plotting his next move. The syndicate is tightening its net. I think about the blood I spilled tonight, the risks I’ve taken, the people I’ve lost. I think about redemption—not as some prize I’ll win, but a fight I’ll have to show up for, again and again.
I promise myself—no more secrets, no more hiding. If anyone or anything threatens what’s mine, they’ll have to come through me.
