Cody pulled her closer, hand on her belly. Thalia murmured something too quiet for me to hear, but from the relief on his face, I was sure she was reassuring him that her child was safe.
“Where is he?” I asked her. “Where’s Axel?”
“We left him to die,” Thalia told me, voice like ice. “Her knitting needle sliced him wide open.” Her voice surged with pride. “Their shelter was the first one to fall,” she added.
“He’s dead?” Killian demanded.
Thalia nodded. “Everything there is dead.”
I exchanged a look with Diesel.
“He’s not dead,” Diesel growled.
“I know. But he will be.”
Lake looked up at me, and I picked him up again, holding him tighter as he snuggled into me for comfort. I saw Jaxson’s curious glance, and I didn’t care what wrong conclusion he might draw.
“They’ll all die,” Diesel vowed, gaze sweeping over the exhausted pack. “Every one of them who thought to target our women and children.”
I looked at Jaxson, recognizing the pattern. They struck our elders and our young. One for knowledge, the other to make us act rashly.
“They used them to bait us,” I said with disgust, and Isaw his head dip in agreement and something that looked too much like relief that I’d seen it. Diesel was watching me. “They wanted one or both of us to run out.” I set Lake down quickly. “We check everything now!” I barked out, trusting Diesel and Killian to know what I meant. “Rowen, get them safe, stay together!” I yelled. “Lake, stick to Darla!”
My shift happened flawlessly, my wolf running for the southern ridge. Our most vulnerable spot. Axel knew that. Axel knew far too much.
I reached the southern ridge before anyone else. Diesel and Killian gave me updates as I ran. The land outside the territory was empty. We had taken all of Emberfell into the Hollow not long after Jaxson and I spoke. Even Dex, though Cody watched him closely.
The Pack Council wasn’t waiting for me on the southern ridge with their warriors. No. They didn’t send warriors first.
They sent a messenger.
That told me everything I needed to know—they thought they still had the upper hand. They thought we’d bow before they ever had to shed blood.
I heard the leaves rustle, and Killian and Diesel flanked me as we stepped out onto the ridge and walked toward the break in the tree line where the messenger waited.
The Hollow pulsed beneath each step like it was matching our pace. Three shifters waited in front of us—one elder, one warrior, and one lanky male with posture so stiff it looked painful.
The envoy.
I’d seen him before. Council-trained. Taught to speak like a judge, not an alpha. The moment he saw me, his lipstightened—not in fear. In offense. Like the very sight of me defied something in him.
“Alpha Wolfe,” he said, projecting his voice like we were in a fucking courtroom. “By decree of the Pack Council, you are hereby summoned to immediate compliance.”
Diesel muttered, “Delusional.”
Killian didn’t blink.
I walked to the very edge of my territory, arms loose at my sides. “Compliance with what?” I asked. “You’ve thrown a lot of words at us these last weeks. Try being specific.”
The envoy didn’t appreciate the tone. He raised a parchment. Another piece of parchment. Theatrical idiots.
“The Council submits to you the following ultimatum,” he declared, like I hadn’t already prepared to ignore every syllable. “Blueridge Hollow must relinquish its territorial boundaries by sunrise. All pack members will disperse into neighboring territories for reassignment.”
My jaw clenched. Diesel swore under his breath. Killian whispered something vicious I pretended not to hear.
The envoy continued. “The Stonefang territory must be surrendered as well. In acknowledgment of your…irregular dominion, you will return to the Pack Council chamber for trial?—”
Diesel’s growl cut him off as he took one step forward. Killian grabbed the back of his shirt.
