He said something else, his voice climbing, and pointed past me at Ellie with an insistence that made my jaw clench. His mate added something, her tone clipped and dismissive, and I caught the way Ellie flinched at the sound of it. Even feverish, even barely conscious, whatever they were saying cut through to her.
The mate said something in their language and the alpha replied, and they went back and forth in a way that made my shoulders tense. Finally, the alpha turned back to me.
He said something that included Ellie's name, then gestured ahead, then made a pushing motion.
They want us to leave her behind.
The realization hit with cold clarity. Not openly, probably. Not in a way that would make them look cruel. Probably suggesting we move her somewhere "safe" and come back for her later.
"No." I made the word as clear and unmistakable as possible. "She stays. We protect."
His jaw tightened. He tried again, more insistent.
"No."
This time Rivik moved to stand beside me, blocking Ellie from the alpha’s view. He didn’t say a word, just stood there glaring down at the man who clearly had no compassion even for his own packmate.
The message was clear.This is our territory. Our rules. You don't get to make choices about who we protect.
The strange alpha held Rivik's gaze for a long, taut moment. I watched him weigh the odds in his mind, the assessment of power, the slow and bitter recognition that he was outmatched in every way that mattered here. His wolf spirit flickered, restless and resentful, but it didn't rise. Couldn't rise. Not against Rivik's dominance and my bear combined.
His mate said something low and sharp, tugging at his arm. He shook her off again, but the fight was draining out of his posture, his shoulders dropping by degrees. One final burst of bitter, clipped words directed more at Ellie than at us, and then he turned and stalked away to the far side of camp, his mate falling into step beside him without a backward glance.
I watched them retreat, tension still coiled tight in my chest.
"They'll try again," I said to Rivik quietly.
"I know." His eyes tracked the humans with the same wariness I felt. "But she's under pack protection now. They touch her, they deal with me."
Something fierce and grateful surged through me. "Thank you."
He glanced at me, something complicated moving through his expression. "You care about her."
It wasn't a question.
"She's my charge," I said carefully. "It's my job to care."
"Daska."
I crouched back down beside her, pressing my palm to her forehead again. The heat hadn't broken. If anything, it was climbing.
"How much time does she have?" he asked, his voice pitched low enough that only I could hear.
"If the curse keeps spreading at this rate? Two days. Maybe three. After that..." I didn't finish. I didn't need to.
Rivik let out a breath. "We're two days out at normal pace. If we push, maybe one. We could carry her. You and I could take turns."
Jealousy sparked in me at the thought of her being in anyone’s arms except my own, especially his. Despite ignoring Jarak’s observations, I’d had to admit after the day’s travel and he’d been right. He’d been careful, subtle, but Rivik had positionedhimself the entire journey so he could watch her. He wanted her too.
I shoved the feeling down. This wasn't about me. This wasn't about whatever impossible claim my bear spirit wanted to stake on a strange human woman who might not even know what a mate bond was. This was about keeping her alive, and Rivik was right. I couldn’t carry her the whole way on my own. I needed his help.
"Fine," I said, my voice rougher than I intended. I knelt behind her, shifting her body so she was half sitting half lying with her back against my chest and reached for the waterskin. As I trickled water slowly into her mouth, I told myself this was the best way to make sure she swallowed it safely, and not at all a demonstration to my brother of who she was meant to belong to. He watched for a moment, his jaw clenched, then turned away to help with setting up camp.
I set the waterskin down and gently dried her mouth. She’d managed to take some, and that was a good sign. I meant to lay her back down, but instead I wrapped my arms around her and held her burning body close to me. She didn't stir, just hung limp and burning with fever. Too light. Too fragile. Too close to slipping away.
Not going to happen. I'll keep you safe. Whatever it takes. You're not alone anymore.
Behind me, I felt Rivik's gaze searing into me. Watching. Assessing. Understanding exactly what this meant. But I couldn't think about that now. Couldn't think about pack hierarchy or impossible attractions or the way my heart raced whenever she was near.
