Even after the walk Vaelor had taken me on after dinner, I still couldn't relax completely. He'd left for a meeting with the other Alphas. I knew it had something to do with the attack. No matter how many times I pushed, he wouldn't tell me anything about his plans.

So I sat alone on the porch steps, staring out into the dark.

The pack grounds were quiet tonight. Crickets. Wind through the trees. The distant sound of water somewhere in the forest.

I loved this place.

The smell of cedar and smoke. The open sky. The wildness of it all.

I could stay here forever.

But could Vaelor?

Could he really have both?

Me... and the pack?

Liliana had warned me what kind of Alpha he was. Everything he did revolved around protecting his people. His wolves weren't just followers. They were part of him.

"Maybe I should leave," I whispered, staring up at the stars.

"Looks like you still don't understand wolves."

Kaelen stepped out of the shadows.

I jumped.

He dropped onto the step beside me like he owned the night itself, elbows on his knees, gaze fixed somewhere above the trees.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"If you think leaving would fix anything for Vaelor"—his eyes cut toward me—"you're wrong."

I looked away.

"The pack matters to him."

"And what does that have to do with you?"

"Everything."

My temple throbbed. Too many thoughts. Too many fears.

"He can't lose everything because of me."

Kaelen frowned harder.

"You really think Vaelor Thorne would lose his Alpha title over a human female?"

"Maybe not." I exhaled sharply. "But there'll always be problems."

"Yeah," he said quietly. "There will."

I froze.

Then he looked at me again.

"But wolves love once. For life."

The words landed hard.

"If he lost you, he'd never recover from it." Kaelen's voice lowered. "And you'd be miserable too."

Silence stretched between us.

"That male would burn the world down for you." His mouth twitched slightly. "Anybody with eyes can see how much you love him."

Heat rushed into my face.

I stared down at my hands.

"Is it really that obvious?"

Kaelen snorted.

"You look at him like the rest of us stopped existing."

I laughed under my breath. Embarrassed. Caught.

But there was no point denying it anymore.

"I do love him."

The words hung there.

No taking them back now.

"Then stop trying to run from it," Kaelen said firmly. "Mates like this are rare. Don't throw it away because you're scared."

Emotion climbed into my throat so fast it hurt.

Before I could stop myself, I threw my arms around him.

"Thank you."

His hand patted my shoulder awkwardly.

"Good," a deep voice growled behind us. "Because otherwise I'd have to kill my best friend for touching you."

I gasped.

Vaelor stood at the bottom of the porch steps, arms crossed over his chest, golden eyes glowing in the dark.

Those eyes landed on Kaelen's arm around me.

Bad mistake.

Happiness hit me so hard I barely felt my feet leave the ground as I ran straight at him.

He caught me easily.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, and his mouth crashed into mine before I could speak.

Hot. Hungry. Claiming.

Mine.

His hands tightened against my thighs as he carried me toward the house without breaking the kiss once.

Toward our room.

Toward our bed.

The mark at my throat burned hot.

Vaelor smiled against my mouth.

"That's right," he growled.