Conall and Quinton approached next, their synchronized movements as uncanny as ever.“Coalphas,” Conall said with a grin.“Guess we’re not the only duo in charge anymore, brother.”
Quinton nodded, his expression more serious.“We’ve got your backs,” he assured Malcolm.“Whatever you need.”
A lump formed in Malcolm’s throat at their easy acceptance and support.“Thank you,” he managed.“Both of you.We couldn’t ask for better friends.”
As the excitement began to settle, Malcolm sought out Larissa.He found her deep in conversation with Sarah, both women’s faces animated as they discussed something.Feeling his approach through their bond, Larissa turned to him with a smile.
“Ready to address our pack, coalpha?”she asked, a teasing lilt to her voice.
Malcolm grinned, taking her hand in his.“Lead the way, coalpha,” he replied.
But before they could move, a strong scent hit Malcolm—a bitter combination of rage and desperation that made his hackles rise.Beside him, Larissa tensed, her hand finding his arm in warning.They’d been expecting this confrontation, but not here, not now, with the pack gathered for their first run as coalphas.
“Touching ceremony.”Gregory’s voice rang out across the mesa.He emerged from the shadows like a ghost, Hannah at his side.“Very progressive.Vincent would be rolling in his grave.”
Malcolm sensed more than heard the pack’s collective intake of breath.
“What are they doing here?”Larissa whispered.“I thought they were in custody.”
“They were supposed to be,” Malcolm said.
As the new coalphas spoke, the pack acted.Cubs were quickly shuffled behind parents, fighters moving to defensive positions with practiced ease.The formation happened smoothly, naturally.
“You’re not welcome here,” Malcolm said, his voice a low rumble, stepping forward.Larissa moved with him, their shoulders brushing—united, as they’d promised to be.
Hannah’s laugh was sharp as broken glass.“Not welcome?This was our home before you and yourmate”—her tone turned sneering—“decided to play revolutionaries.”
“Your home?”Larissa’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.“The same home you betrayed?The same pack you helped Vincent terrorize?”
Gregory took a step forward, his face twisted with contempt.“We maintained order.Structure.Everything you’re planning to toss away for this…this experiment in democracy.”
Malcolm noticed Gregory’s slight hand movement—a signal to someone in the shadows.Movement in the scrub brush surrounding the mesa caught his attention.They weren’t alone.
Malcolm gave his own gestures, pointing out those people with Hannah and Gregory.
At least six, he thought, willing Larissa to see them too.Hired muscle, not pack.No wolf scent.
Malcolm kept his gaze on Gregory, not betraying that he’d spotted the mercenaries, and Larissa gave a nearly imperceptible nod.
That was almost certainly how they’d escaped confinement, Malcolm realized.The humans must have set them free.
“If you’ve come to challenge us,” Malcolm said loudly, buying time as their pack members slid into defensive positions, “there are protocols.Or have you forgotten everything about pack law?”
“Pack law?”Hannah spat.“You mean the laws you changed?The traditions you’ve corrupted with your coalpha nonsense?”
“The only corruption here,” Larissa replied evenly, “is what you and Gregory brought with your lies and manipulation.How many packs did you contact, trying to build support against us?How many rejected you?”
Gregory’s expression flickered—a tell that confirmed Larissa’s guess had been good.“It doesn’t matter,” Vincent’s former enforcer snarled.“We don’t need other packs.We have other…resources.”
On cue, the mercenaries emerged from hiding.Human fighters, armed with silver-tipped weapons—a direct violation of pack law.
As the mercenaries emerged from the shadows, Malcolm caught sight of movement near the edge of the mesa.His heart clenched as he recognized Zane and Patrick—the wolves who had been guarding Hannah and Gregory—being half carried toward the gathering by other pack members.Both guards were alive but clearly injured, silver burns marking their exposed skin where the mercenaries had subdued them.The acrid scent of silver poisoning made Malcolm’s nostrils flare with rage.
“They ambushed us,” Theo managed to gasp out as Anders rushed to help them.“Six of them.They had silver chains and knew exactly how to use them.”His voice was rough with pain and shame.“We never had a chance to sound the alarm.”
Gasps and growls erupted from the gathered wolves.
Malcolm exchanged a dark look with Larissa.Using silver weapons against wolves was bad enough, but the calculated way the mercenaries had taken down their guards showed this had been carefully planned.Hannah and Gregory hadn’t just broken pack law—they’d brought humans who knew exactly how to hurt wolves into the heart of pack territory.
