Elle and Bryce exchanged a glance. Bryce's resolve wavered first. He shrugged. "Well, snacks do sound good."
Elle huffed, but I didn't miss how the corner of her mouth twitched, fighting a smile. "Fine. But I'm not playing board games."
I stepped forward and gripped Ashton's hand in a firm shake. "Appreciate you keeping an eye on them." More than he probably knew.
Ashton's nod was solemn, understanding. "You'd do the same for ours."
As the kids stepped inside, Erin rested a gentle hand on Elle's shoulder. "You're always welcome here."
Elle glanced up at her, then over at Ashton. I watched as some of the tension eased from her frame. "Thanks, I guess."
Krystal crouched down and pulled Bryce into a hug. "Be good, okay?"
He made a face as she released him. "I'm always good."
Krystal and I both snorted at that. I met Ashton's gaze again as I stepped back, trusting him to keep them safe.
It didn't make walking away any easier. My wolf prowled beneath my skin, uneasy at the distance growing between me and my daughter. But this was how it had to be, for now until the threat was eliminated.
Krystal and I stepped off the porch into the night. She rolled her eyes, huffing out a breath. "Sure, kid."
I glanced back one last time, finding Elle through the window. Searching for any hint of fear or unease. But she just met my eyes steadily and nodded, a silent understanding passing between us. She got it, even if she didn't like it.
I exhaled heavily as we started down the path, gravel crunching beneath our feet. "All right. That's done."
Krystal side-eyed me, her lips pursed. "They're not happy."
I just shrugged, shoving my hands in my pockets. "They don't have to be happy. They just have to be safe."
She shot me a look but didn't argue. We walked in silence for a moment, the weight of what was coming pressing down on us. The pack house came into view a few minutes later, warm light spilling from the windows. I could hear the low murmur of voices inside, the restless energy of my wolves before a hunt. The responsibility settled like a physical weight on my shoulders as we approached the door.
My wolf snarled, ready for blood. Ready for vengeance. But I pushed it down, forced myself to breathe. We couldn't go off half-cocked. Couldn't let fury and fear drive us. We needed to be smart. Calculated.
I reached for the door handle, my grip white-knuckled. No backing out now. "Let's get inside," I muttered.
The hinges creaked as I pushed it open, a dozen pairs of eyes snapping to me. My pack. My responsibility. My family.
I strode into the pack house, tension coiling in every muscle. My wolf prowled just beneath my skin, a hair's breadth from surfacing. This was more than a strategy meeting. More than lines on a map or theories to untangle. This was about protecting the very heart of our pack.
The main room was already full; my betas and enforcers gathered around the large wooden table. Gavin leaned against the far wall, arms crossed and jaw clenched. His eyes met mine, frustration and determination warring in their depths.
Kendrick, Caleb, and Marcus sat along one side, their expressions carefully blank. The enforcers were trained to be unreadable, but I could sense their unease. Their readiness.
Ula stood apart from the others, her focus on the map spread across the table. Her delicate finger traced a line, brow furrowed in concentration. As our tracker, she saw patterns the rest of us missed. Connected dots we couldn't yet see.
And then there was Rissa. She sat, arms folded and fingers tapping against her bicep. To anyone else, she might've seemed the picture of composure. But I knew her tells. The tension in her shoulders. The stubborn set of her mouth. She'd already made up her mind about something, and I had a sinking feeling I knew what it was.
I lowered myself into the chair at the head of the table, the weight in my chest threatening to crush me. I hated everything about this. The uncertainty. The danger stalking my pack. But more than anything, I hated seeing Rissa in the middle of it. She should've been safe. Should've been as far from this as possible.
I inhaled slowly, schooling my features. I couldn't let them see how much this gutted me. How terrified I was of losing even one of them. I was their alpha. Their rock and their strength. I didn't have the luxury of breaking.
"All right," I said, my voice far steadier than I felt. "Let's get this over with."
Gavin wasted no time. "We know the rogue is targeting Krystal, her kid, Elle, and now Rissa. The message onthe door makes that clear. Not to mention the Gallagher name carved in the victim’s flesh." His fists clenched against the table, the muscles in his forearms bunching. "Whoever they are, they're getting bolder."
Krystal's fingers tightened around her water bottle, the plastic crinkling under the pressure. "But why? Why us specifically?"
Rissa leaned forward, her gaze sharp and unwavering. "We need to think about the connection. It has to be deeper than just random attacks."
