“Harper.” I nod, noting the tension in her shoulders. “I assumed you’d head back to Shadow Peak with the intel.”
“Actually,” she says, “I was hoping I could stay here. At Ash Hollow.”
I study her carefully. Her posture is steady, but there’s an undercurrent to her scent—something sharp and determined.
“For how long?”
“A few weeks? Maybe longer.” She shifts her weight. “I want to contribute. Whatever the pack needs.”
Her heart rate picks up slightly. She’s telling a partial truth.
“Why here?” I ask, although I think I know the answer. But does she? “Can’t Caleb use you as well?”
Harper hesitates, looking past me toward the barracks where Ben disappeared hours ago.
“I have skills that could be useful,” she says finally. “Shadow Peak is ... stable. Here, I could make a difference.”
The excuse is paper-thin, and we both know it.
“Ben’s not the same man you remember,” I say. “And you already know that.”
She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t deny it. Just nods once.
“I know.”
I consider her. Not just what she’s saying, but what she’s leaving out. Harper isn’t impulsive. She wouldn’t leave the security of Shadow Peak on a whim. She came prepared—bag packed, documents ready. And she’s a formidable warrior, thanks to Sasha’s rigorous training program.
Ash Hollow isn’t a refuge. Most of my wolves are here because they don’t fit anywhere else. We’re the pack built on scar tissue.
“You stay—you contribute,” I tell her. “We could use a Pack Coordinator. Ben handles internal operations, but we need someone managing supply runs to Silverwood, coordinating schedules between patrol teams, and handling logistics with Shadow Peak. But you also fight when the line breaks. You do what needs to be done. No one here gets to stand still.”
She meets my gaze steadily. “I understand.”
“The cabin next to Lyanna’s is empty. Basic amenities. You’ll need to secure it yourself.”
“Thank you.” She turns to leave.
“Harper.” She pauses. “This place doesn’t offer comfort. It offers consequences. Remember that.”
She gives me a small, almost sad smile. “I’m not looking for comfort.”
I watch her walk toward the empty cabin, her steps sure despite the darkening grounds. Something tells me Harper Callahan knew exactly what she was walking into.
I finish my circuit of the perimeter, checking sight lines and guard positions. Everything secure. The wind shifts, bringing with it Nova’s scent from the darkened cabin at the edge of the compound.
Her cabin. Not mine. She insisted on returning to her own space tonight. Logical choice. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.
I pause, listening. Her breathing is even, sleep-steady. She needs the rest.
I don’t approach. Just stand for a moment, marking her location, making sure she’s still there. If she were in my cabin, I could monitor her recovery without these perimeter checks. Keep watch while she sleeps.
Then I turn back toward the compound. Tomorrow comes early, and Silverwood waits.
Chapter 23
Nova
Wolves don’t shop. We acquire. We track. We secure.
