"You won't be." I spoke up, my hand finding hers where it rested between us, squeezing gently, my voice soft but certain. "This isn't about limiting you. It's about making sure you're never alone when you're vulnerable. There's a difference."
"Is there?" She looked at me, and I could see the conflict in her eyes — the fierce independence warring with the understanding that she was in danger, her jaw tightening with frustration.
"Yes." I held her gaze, willing her to trust me, my green eyes steady on hers. "You can still go to town, still see Marley, still do everything you've been doing. You'll just have company. One of us, or someone we trust." I glanced at Reid, who nodded in confirmation, his expression softening slightly. "Think of it as... pack bonding time. Mandatory adventures with your favorite Alphas."
A reluctant smile tugged at her lips, some of the tension easing from her shoulders, her gray eyes warming with reluctant amusement.
"When you put it that way..." She squeezed my hand back, her gray eyes softening, her voice lightening. "Okay. I can live with that."
"There's more." Reid's voice drew our attention back to him, his expression grave, his dark eyes heavy with the weight of what he was about to share. "I've been talking to some of the other ranchers. Quietly. It turns out we're not the only ones Easton has been... bothering."
Sawyer turned from the window, his pale eyes sharp with interest, his whole body orienting toward Reid like a predator scenting prey.
"The Hensons had equipment go missing last month." Reid continued, his voice low and serious, his fingers tapping against the papers in his lap. "The Patels found their fences cut. Old man Morrison swears someone's been poisoning his cattle, but he can't prove it." His jaw tightened, a muscle ticking in his cheek. "Easton's been busy. And he's been careful. Never anything that can be traced back to him directly."
"So we're not alone." I said slowly, my mind already turning over the implications, my green eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "There might be strength in numbers."
"That's what I'm thinking." Reid nodded, some of the tension easing from his shoulders, his dark eyes meeting mine withapproval. "If we can coordinate with the other ranchers, share information, maybe catch him in something concrete?—"
"We can build a real case." I finished, understanding dawning, my voice gaining strength. "Multiple witnesses, multiple incidents. Even if each one is circumstantial on its own, together they paint a pattern."
"Exactly." Reid's dark eyes met mine with approval, his mouth curving into something that was almost a smile. "It's a long game. But it might be our best chance of stopping him legally."
"And if the legal route fails?" Sawyer's voice was quiet, dangerous, his pale eyes fixed on Reid with unsettling intensity, his massive frame perfectly still in a way that was somehow more threatening than movement. The silence that followed was heavy, loaded with things none of us wanted to say out loud.
"Then we protect what's ours." Reid's voice was calm, certain, his dark eyes blazing with quiet conviction, his jaw set with determination. "Whatever it takes."
Sawyer nodded once, something satisfied settling into his expression, his gaze returning to the window, his reflection showing the ghost of a fierce smile. The meeting continued for another hour — discussing schedules, contingencies, communication protocols. By the time we finished, the moon was high and Aster was struggling to keep her eyes open, her head drooping against Kol's shoulder, her breathing gone slow and deep.
"Bed." Reid's voice was soft but firm, his dark eyes warm as he looked at her, something tender softening the hard lines of his face. "You're exhausted."
"M'fine." She mumbled, her voice slurred with sleep, her eyes barely fluttering open before closing again, her body heavy against Kol's side. Kol didn't wait for permission — he just scooped her up, cradling her against his chest like she weighednothing, his amber eyes soft as he looked down at her face, his arms careful and gentle around her.
"I've got her." Kol's voice was tender, his amber eyes soft as he looked down at her sleeping face, his scent warm with protective devotion. "I'll take first watch."
"First watch?" Aster stirred slightly, her gray eyes blinking open with confusion, her voice thick with sleep, her brow furrowing.
"We're taking turns." Reid explained gently, rising from his chair to brush hair back from her face, his touch impossibly tender, his dark eyes soft. "Just for a little while. Until we're sure Easton isn't going to try anything."
I expected her to protest — she'd never liked being fussed over, never liked feeling dependent. But instead she just nodded, her eyes already closing again, her voice coming out sleepy and soft, her head nestling against Kol's chest.
"Okay." She murmured, nuzzling into Kol's chest, her fingers curling into his shirt. "But only because I'm too tired to argue." Kol carried her toward the pack room, his footsteps careful and quiet, his whole body curved protectively around her, and I watched them go with something aching in my chest.
"You should sleep too." Reid's voice was quiet beside me, his hand landing on my shoulder, his dark eyes studying my face with concern. "You've been running on fumes for days."
"I know." I ran a hand through my hair, exhaustion settling into my bones now that the adrenaline of the meeting had faded, my shoulders slumping. "I just... I keep thinking about what could have happened. If Marley hadn't been there. If Easton had?—"
"Don't." Reid's hand tightened on my shoulder, firm and grounding, his voice quiet but fierce. "Don't torture yourself with what-ifs. She's safe. She's here. That's what matters."
"For now." I couldn't keep the worry from my voice, the fear that had been gnawing at me for days, my green eyes meeting his with haunted intensity. "But he's not going to stop, Reid. Men like Easton... they don't give up. They escalate."
"I know." Reid's voice was grim, his dark eyes hard with determination. "That's why we're preparing. That's why we're being careful." His grip on my shoulder tightened, his gaze holding mine. "We're going to protect her, Nolan. All of us. Together."
I nodded, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat, letting his certainty settle some of the fear.
"Go get some sleep." Reid's voice softened, his hand dropping from my shoulder. "I'll take second watch. And tomorrow, we start implementing the security upgrades."
I made my way to the pack room, pausing in the doorway to take in the scene before me. Aster was curled in the center of the nest, surrounded by blankets and pillows, her dark hair spread across the fabric like spilled ink. Kol was beside her, one arm draped protectively over her waist, his amber eyes tracking my entrance with a softness that belied the fierce protectiveness I knew lurked beneath, his body curved around hers like a shield.
