“Well, well,” he drawled, settling against a tree trunk like he owned it. “If it isn't our fearless future leader, hiding in the woods and playing with his art supplies.”
“What do you want, Alaric?” I didn't bother putting my shirt back on. Let him see the scars that proved I could fight when I had to, let him remember that size and reach mattered as much as attitude in a real confrontation.
“Just checking up on you, cousin.” The word dripped with sarcasm. We weren't related by blood, but pack bonds made everyone family whether you wanted them or not. “Heard about lunch today.”
Heat crawled up my neck, and I forced myself to stay relaxed, casual. “Jonah talks too much.”
“Jonah talks exactly the right amount.” Alaric pushed off from the tree and started circling the clearing, predator instincts on full display. “Camera got to you, huh?”
“I'm fine.”
“Sure you are.” He snorted. “That's why you're out here drawing pictures instead of dealing with your problems.”
I glanced down at my sketchbook, at Nate's half-finished face staring back at me. “It's not a problem.”
“Right. Human boy with a camera isn't a problem at all.” Alaric's voice carried that particular tone that meant he was enjoying himself. “What's next? Gonna invite him to pack meetings? Show him the sacred sites? Maybe explain why his new neighbor howls at the moon?”
“Shut up.”
“Dad's starting to wonder, you know.” Alaric paused directly in front of me. “About your priorities.”
The casual way he said it made my stomach clench. “My priorities are fine.”
“Are they?” He tilted his head. “Because from where I'm standing, looks like you're getting distracted. And distracted Alphas make mistakes.”
“I'm not Alpha yet.”
“No,” he agreed, grin widening. “You're not.”
The implication hung in the air between us like smoke. Alaric didn't want to be Alpha—he was too smart for that kind of responsibility—but he wasn't above reminding me that leadership wasn't guaranteed just because of my last name.
“Thanks for the concern,” I said. “Really touching.”
“Just looking out for family.” His voice was all fake sweetness. “Wouldn't want you to do anything stupid.”
“Like what?”
“Like getting attached to something that breaks easy.”
He melted back into the trees without waiting for a response, leaving me alone with the scent of his smugness and the uncomfortable knowledge that some of his points had merit. I was getting attached to Nate, despite every logical reason not to. I was letting my fascination with a human boy cloud my judgment about pack responsibilities and future obligations.
I was being exactly the kind of weak leader that Alaric accused me of being.
But as I gathered my things and started the walk back toward town, I couldn't make myself regret it. For the first time in years, I'd met someone who looked at me like I was worth knowing instead of just managing. Someone who asked questions and took pictures and seemed genuinely interested in understanding the world around him.
Someone who made me want to find my voice again, even if using it meant risking everything I'd spent my life trying to protect.
3
FIRST PUSH
NATE
Dad found me in the kitchen over breakfast, steam rising from his coffee mug as he scrolled through emails on his laptop. Mom had already left for her early morning prep—something about reorganizing the supply closet before classes started—leaving the two of us to navigate the careful dance of morning conversation.
“How are you settling in?” he asked, closing the laptop and giving me his full attention in that deliberate way that meant this wasn't just casual small talk. “I know this move hasn't been easy.”
I pushed cereal around in my bowl, watching the milk turn gray with dissolved sugar. “It's fine.”
