Page 33 of Wolf's Reckoning
Wolfe’s hand moved before I saw it coming—rough knuckles brushing a tear from my cheek. I flinched. Not from the touch. From the familiarity. From the audacity.
“You’re stronger than you know,” Wolfe murmured, like that permitted him to be soft. “And smarter than this.”
I met his gaze and let the quiet break like glass between us. “Iamstrong,” I agreed, and because I could, I lashed out. “I’m not the one who left when they didn’t like what they heard,” I said. “And I’m not the one hiding behind someone else’s crown now.”
His jaw flexed. There it was. A crack in the calm. Wolfe stepped back. “Enjoy your run.”
He turned to walk away.
This time, I didn’t stop myself. “Next time you show upuninvited,” I said coldly, “come as yourself. Not some emissary in borrowed armor.”
He didn’t turn. Didn’t speak. And I didn’t watch him go.
Because this wasn’t a reunion; it was areckoning. Wolfe had walked into the Blueridge Hollow territory as if he still belonged here.
He didn’t.
Not in my home and not in my heart.
Not anymore.
Chapter 9
Wolfe
I walked awayfrom the hall. My wolf huffed with amusement that I was walkingawayfrom her, but if I went back… Yeah, I couldn’t afford to makethatkind of mistake.
Not again.
Not with her.
Her words echoed behind me like the snap of bone. “Come as yourself. Not some emissary in borrowed armor.”
She had no idea what she was asking. Of course she didn’t. If she knew I wasn’t here on anyone’s leash or that I hadn’tbowedto anyone in years, she would choke on her spite.
Still, her words held. Because Iwaspretending to be something I wasn’t. Just likeshewas pretending she wasn’t the one who carved my heart out and walked away first.
Killian fell into step beside me, quiet at first, but Killian was shit at keeping his opinions to himself. “Is she worth it?”
I shot him a look sharp enough to cut.
Killian shrugged. “Look, I know there’s history here; youwalked in here like you have a right to. But what did you expect? A hug?”
“No,” I said flatly. “I didn’t expect this shitshow either.”
Killian scoffed. “You took us here becausethiswas exactly what you expected.” He looked around and switched to the mindlink.Seriously, man, why are we here? She doesn’t look like someone who needs help, especiallynotfrom someone she obviously doesn’t trust.
I didn’t answer him. Not because I couldn’t…I just didn’t want to. There was an ache in my body, one I hadn’t felt in a long time. Not an ache in my chest, but lower. Deeper. Right at my core. I hadn’t felt it sinceshesmothered it with logic, pride and a fucking send-off that still echoed in my skull.
And now? She was still spitting fire with my name on her tongue likeI’dbeen the one to turnheraway.
I left this pack because she told me to. Told me she would never be mine, and she never wanted me to be hers. I’d stayed gone because I believed her then. I wasn’t as sure that I believed her now.
But Iwasdifferent. I never knew I was an alpha when I left this pack. I’d been young, eighteen, and angry at the world. An alpha came into his power in his early to mid-twenties. I’d been long gone from Blueridge Hollow by then.
I hadn’t even known Iwasan alpha; it was Lars, the alpha of the Stonefang Pack, who knew what I was and guided me through my transition to alpha. We’d kept it between us, not letting the pack know at first, and then when he was failing, failing like Malric now was, he’d told his pack he wanted them to accept me as their new alpha when the time came.
They had. The transition was smooth and controlled. I’d inherited a pack like an alpha son would, and there was no resentment from anyone; no one thought I’d earned it without actuallyearningit. I’d served the Stonefang Pack faithfully; they were my pack, and Iwastheir alpha.
