“That’s enough,” Cora cut in. She stepped between them with her arms outstretched. “Both of you, stop.”
Elena exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry, Cora. I didn’t mean to—”
“I know.” She turned to Grayson and added, “And you need to stop treating me like I’m some fragile thing that needs to be handled with kid gloves. If this bond is going to mean anything, then we both need to figure out what that looks like. Together.”
Grayson’s shoulders sagged, and for a moment, the anger in his eyes gave way to something softer. “I’m trying.”
“Try harder,” Cora told him.
Elena stepped back, giving Cora a small nod. “I’ll leave you two to talk.”
She paused as she moved toward the door, glancing back at Grayson. “For what it’s worth, I do think you care about her. But caring isn’t enough. You have to prove it.”
With that, she left Cora and Grayson alone in the quiet apartment.
Chapter 18 - Grayson
Grayson stood in the woods behind the community building, his fists braced against a low tree branch and tension coiling in his body. He couldn’t stop replaying Elena’s parting words.
You have to prove it.
The words echoed with more weight than he’d expected, settling into a space already crowded with doubt. Elena’s accusations had cut deep because they weren’t baseless. She’d exposed the very thing he was trying to bury—the raging fear that he wasn’t enough to keep Cora safe.
He stared down at his hands, the same hands that had failed Emily when she’d needed him most. No amount of strength, no perfectly executed mission, had been enough to bring her back.
The parallels with Cora were impossible to ignore, and it terrified him. He’d thought severing his emotions from his responsibilities would make it easier to protect people. With Cora, though, the bond didn’t let him stay detached. Every moment they were together felt like a countdown to when he’d lose her, too.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, dragging him back to the present. He glanced at the screen. Zane’s name flashed across it.
“Yeah?” Grayson answered.
“Back at base,” Zane replied. “Got something you’re gonna want to hear. You outside?”
Grayson didn’t answer before he hung up, blew out a breath, and pushed away from the tree. He walked brisklytoward the building, dreading what Zane had uncovered but needing to know.
Inside, Zane sat at the table with Ryder and Zach. Grayson pulled out a chair and asked, “What did you find?”
“They’re ramping up,” Zane said without preamble. “Theodore’s crew has started snatching witches and female shifters. Nearby towns have already been hit, and it’s only a matter of time before they come for Bellefleur.”
Ryder frowned. “Why witches and shifters specifically? What’s the play here?”
“Leverage,” Zane explained. “They’re taking witches to sell in the auctions—high demand, high payoff. But the shifters? That’s different. They’re trying to weaken the packs around here. Break alliances, stir chaos. Bellefleur’s shifters are some of the strongest in the region. Taking their women weakens them in every way that matters.”
Grayson’s stomach twisted. He knew this strategy. It was straight out of Theodore’s playbook and was devastatingly effective.
“How many have they taken so far?” he asked.
“At least a dozen between the neighboring towns,” Zane explained. “The locals are trying to keep it quiet, hoping they can handle it on their own, but it’s only making things worse. Theodore’s feeding on their fear, using it to stay one step ahead.”
“And we’re next,” Ryder added grimly.
Zane nodded. “Yeah. Bellefleur’s the prize. They want to make an example of this place—show everyone that even the strongest packs and covens can fall.”
Grayson’s hands clenched on the table. The thought of Cora being dragged into this was enough to make his blood run cold. He’d seen the
“Why now?” Zach asked. “What’s changed?”
Zane hesitated, glancing at Grayson before answering. “It’s not just about the money. Theodore’s got a personal grudge against Kane here. Hitting Bellefleur is about sending a message—to him and anyone who stands with him.”
