Or maybe the trials were just weighing on her, and once everything had calmed down, she could relax. Yeah, that could be it.
He slowed as they reached the fourth and final post, shoulder-checking it until it toppled into the snow. The sound echoed briefly before the forest swallowed it. As challenges went, this one had been straightforward. Run the lake circuit within a set time, gain the four talismans, and carry them forward. He’d done it easily, even holding back, the restraint chafing more than the effort. He shifted slowly back into human form, the cold biting harder against his skin.
Taryn did the same, breathless and laughing, her cheeks flushed from exertion. “That was fun,” she said.
“I agree,” he said, and meant it.
The final task remained. He lifted the four totems he’d carried in his teeth, their carved surfaces slick with frost. They had to be taken beneath the ice and secured to hooks sunk into the lakebed, proof of endurance and control. “Why don’t you stay up here?” he asked. “I’ll be back.”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m supposed to do all of this with you.”
The clouds parted then, revealing a full moon that spilled light across the frozen surface. Snow sparkled like scattered glass. He extended the claws of one hand and slashed into the shoreline, carving a rough opening through the ice, water sloshing dark and cold beneath. He could shift just part of his body at a time, if needed, although it took energy. His claws were the easiest to extend. “It’s going to be cold,” he said. “Taryn, wait on the ice. I can handle it.”
She straightened, shoulders squared. “Being Alpha means strength and agility. I need to prove I have both.”
He swallowed, the words he hadn’t planned forcing their way up. “You need to know Nadia’s my choice.” Saying it out loud felt like drawing a line in the snow. And still, doubt lingered. Was this pack really hers? Had he ever truly asked her what she wanted, without the weight of expectation hanging over them?
Taryn cocked her head. “Are you sure she belongs here? I saw how much she lit up talking about her farming friends the other day. We were at the lodge while you all were off doing trials.”
The truth of it hit hard. If he didn’t have Nadia, what was he going to do? The pack needed him. He could become Alpha and remain unmated. He could serve, protect, endure. Maybe in a hundred years someone else would take over. Maybe he’d walk away and farm, trade blood for soil. It was a thought. But could he stay away from her for that long, knowing how easily she filled empty space?
What did she need?
Protection.
The answer growled through him, instinctive and fierce. He stomped out to the middle of the frozen lake, bent, and smashed his fist down. The ice shattered in one brutal punch, and cracks spidered outward into the moonlit dark. The entire lake groaned beneath the sudden violence.
Sucking in frigid air, he pummeled the surface, striking again and again until the ice finally gave way. Water surged up around the opening, steam curling faintly where cold met colder. He kept hitting until a clean, round hole remained. It was big enough. More than big enough.
Taryn murmured and placed her hand on his shoulder.
He looked up at her. “I want you to stay here.” He let the Alpha edge settle fully into his voice, calm and immovable.
She dropped her hand, eyes wide. She had lovely eyes. Sharp and expressive. Still, they weren’t Nadia’s. Nobody had eyes like Nadia.
“I’d like to prove I can do this,” Taryn said.
“I already know you can,” he said. “That’s not the point. The point is you don’t need to. It’s freezing down there, and you’re staying up here.”
She blinked, then nodded. “All right.”
Good. The last thing he wanted was another female nearly frozen in his vicinity.
He gathered the four totems and dove, the shock of the water stealing his breath as it closed over him. Cold slammed into him instantly, brutal and unforgiving. God, he was tired of water and cold.
He reached the bottom quickly, his vision clear despite the darkness. Wolves saw well. Always had. He found the metal ties embedded in the lakebed and secured the totems one by one. As challenges went, this wasn’t terrible. It tested speed, strength, and tolerance for cold. It made sense. Still, he’d rather be anywhere else. Preferably with Nadia.
He needed to talk to her. Really talk. About what she wanted. About whether she was staying because she chose to or because she thought she should. He wasn’t going to let her sacrifice herself for anyone, not even him.
Something slammed into his side.
What the fuck?
He twisted as another object struck him, small and hard, propelled by something mechanical. Then another. And another.
What in the world?
He swatted one away, holding his breath as more came at him. They buzzed and collided, sharp impacts rattling his ribs and legs. Machines. Underwater drones. The audacity of it almost made him laugh, but there was no room for humor. He fought back, punching and kicking, sending pieces spinning into the dark.
