Page 36 of Alpha Wolf's Nanny
“She’s clearly here by mistake.” Felix’s blood was singing, hot red and hungry for the fight.
Rick bared his teeth. “You would change our most ancient laws for some stupid chit of a girl?”
“If the borders of the Grove haven’t been adequately marked, then that isourfault. Not hers. You will not touch her!”
Rick’s eyes blazed, his claws scraping against the dirt, his body fighting against the instinct to obey his alpha. Felix felt the pull, the call to attack, toprotect.
But Rick was part of the pack. Cassie wasn’t. She was just a human. Nothing more. And yet he wanted to rip Rick to shreds for so much as touching her. The two truths battled inside of him, swirling his mind into a muddied mess, thrashing in his chest like an untamed beast.
“If we don’t punish humans who break our laws, then others will see us asweak.”
“Forgiveness is not weakness,” Felix roared. “Actingreasonablyis not weakness. We are not mindless beasts.”
“We have very few rules for the humans, Alpha,” Rick snarled, low and dangerous. “You have been more than reasonable with them already. What if more take advantage of your temperance?”
“Then I’ll cut them down.” Felix leapt towards Rick, forcing the other wolf to bow low in submission, in recognition of his alpha’s strength. “Any who take advantage will be ripped apart. But Cassie isnottaking advantage. It is a mistake. Nothing more.”
“Are you so sure about that?” Rick asked, stubborn till the end. “Are you sure she doesn’t mistake your kindness to her as permission to do as she likes?”
“Cassie knows her place,” Felix snarled. “Do you really think ahumantruly has the power to sway me?”
Rick didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. He was wise enough to know that speaking now would only invite further violence.
“Listen up,” Felix roared to the surrounding wolves, “I know things with the humans are tense. I know the Accords are stalling, that our freedoms are being limited, and our power is being questioned. I know that in our own community, humans are pushing the boundaries we have put in place for them. I want to remind you all that these issues arenotgoing unaddressed. When I took power, I vowed not only to keep Silvermist safe for the Iron Walkers but to maintain the community of the pack. One human trespassing does not negate the years of hard work building relationships with the humans, but perhaps it is time for a reminder.”
Rick glanced up, the shock in his eyes visible.
“We will increase our presence in town,” Felix announced, “as the wolves we truly are. We will reestablish our territory lines and patrol the borders of our sacred lands. Any morehumanswho try and push through will be met with swift resistance. Understood?”
“Yes, Alpha,” the wolves around him murmured, bowing their heads low.
The growls quietened. The forest, which moments before had been vibrating with tension, gradually settled. One by one, the wolves lowered their heads in submission, acknowledging their alpha’s command.
Felix held himself tall, his flank still heaving from the fight. The pain of Rick’s bite simmered in his shoulder, but he barely felt it. His adrenaline had yet to ebb. His eyes scanned the gathered wolves, daring anyone to challenge him further.
No one did.
Satisfied, he gave a low grunt and turned away, his limbs tense as he padded through the trees, the forest swallowing him in shadow. He needed space. Air. Time to let the fire in his blood cool before it scorched him from the inside out.
Cassie.
It always came back to her.
The thought of Rick pinning her like prey made his stomach twist, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. She must’ve been terrified. Hell, she was probably still shaking. If he’d arrived even seconds later—
He picked up speed, his paws pounding the earth in a relentless rhythm. Trees blurred past, their trunks familiar sentinels in the dark. The rush of air in his ears couldn’t drown out the sound of her voice as she screamed.
He shouldn’t have this reaction.
She was human. Nothing more.
And yet...
The forest opened ahead, a flicker of movement catching his eye.
A dark wolf was weaving through the trees towards him. Nicolas.
Felix slowed, coming to a cautious stop a few strides away. His hackles were still high, his blood still buzzing.
