“Where are they now?” he demands.
“The healers have them both. Elena says Lithia’s injuries are significant but not life-threatening. The male is in better condition. She’s conscious and asking for you both.” Elias clears his throat. “Levi is already there.”
This last detail brings Ryker’s head up sharply. “Levi? I didn’t summon him.”
“No, Alpha,” Elias confirms with a slight twitch of his lips. “He was... already in the healing chambers when they arrived. He hasn’t left Lithia’s side since.”
Ryker’s brow furrows at this unexpected information. But I’m unsurprised. Levi’s determination to track Lithia down since her disappearance went well beyond the normal dedication of a pack mate for another.
“Thank you, Elias,” I say, already moving toward the door. “We’ll go immediately.”
As we hurry through the winding corridors of the den, wolves step aside respectfully, their expressions revealing they’ve already heard the news. Lithia’s kidnapping had left a wound in the pack that couldn’t fully heal until her return.The timing seems almost prophetic—one chapter closing as another begins.
“She survived,” I murmur, partially to myself. “All this time... and with help.”
Ryker’s face is tight with controlled emotion. “Lithia is one of the strongest wolf I know,” he says, voice rough. “If anyone could survive what they planned for her, it would be her. But a rogue...” He shakes his head, clearly concerned about this unknown variable.
We reach the healing chambers, where the scent of medicinal herbs hangs heavy in the air. Elena, our lead healer, meets us at the entrance, her expression somber but not grave.
“She’s stable,” she informs us quietly. “Dehydrated, malnourished, with evidence of silver restraints used long-term. Several poorly healed fractures that we’ll need to re-break and set properly. But her mind is clear, and her wolf intact.”
“And the male with her?” Ryker asks, his voice tight.
“Calls himself Kier. No pack markings, but strong. He has silver burns too, though not as severe. Says he was held in the cell next to hers.” Elena’s professional demeanor slips slightly. “I warn you, there’s... an unusual dynamic between them and Levi. You’ll see.”
Curious now, we follow Elena into the healing chambers. The room is warm and dimly lit, the air filled with the scent of healing salves and the unmistakable metallic tang of silver residue. Lithia lies on a pallet near the hearth, her once-powerful frame diminished by captivity. Her silver-blonde hair has been shorn close to her scalp, and new scars mark her already scarred face.
But her eyes—those striking silver eyes—are clear and focused as we enter. On one side of her sits Levi, his posture protective, fingers intertwined with hers in a gesture ofintimacy. On her other side stands a wolf I don’t recognize. He’s tall and lean, with unusual dark-copper hair and eyes the color of burnished gold. His stance is alert but not threatening, and there’s something in the way he positions himself, equally protective of Lithia, yet with an awareness of Levi that speaks of concerns far more complex than simple rivalry.
Lithia attempts to rise, a gesture of respect ingrained through years of pack hierarchy.
“Don’t,” I say quickly, moving to her side and gently pressing her back down. “You need to rest.”
Lithia’s gaze meets mine, surprise flickering across her features before she nods slightly. “Alpha Female,” she acknowledges, her voice hoarse but steady. Then her eyes shift to Ryker. “Alpha. It’s good to see you survived.”
A muscle ticks in Ryker’s jaw as he kneels beside her, his gaze flicking briefly to Levi’s hand holding hers, then to the rogue wolf standing vigil on her other side. “What happened?” he asks, the question encompassing everything—her capture, her treatment, her escape, and clearly, these unexpected connections.
Lithia closes her eyes briefly, gathering strength or perhaps ordering her thoughts. “They separated us immediately after the ambush,” she begins. “I was taken southeast to Moonclaw territory, then north. They kept me in silver to prevent shifting—and to ensure I couldn’t be tracked through pack bonds.”
Her fingers tighten around Levi’s, a gesture I’m certain Ryker doesn’t miss. “They wanted information. About our defenses, our allies, your plans.” A grim smile touches her lips. “I wasn’t particularly cooperative.”
I can read between those simple words to the torture they must imply. My wolf snarls within me, protective of the wolf who protected us despite her initial reservations.
“But Yuren has been alpha since the fight,” I say, glancing at Ryker.
“Rogues of the Moonclaw,” the male wolf speaks for the first time, his voice carrying the slight accent of the western territories. “I suspect they’ll be back with more numbers in the future.”
“Kier was in the cell beside mine,” Lithia says, glancing at the copper-haired wolf. “Another of Thaddeus’s prisoners. We kept each other sane. Talked through the walls when the guards weren’t around. Then Thaddeus fell,” Lithia continues. “I felt it—we all did. The power shift resonated through all territories. The guards were distracted, arguing about what it meant for them. Zella came for a bit, stirring up leadership trouble. It was then that Kier managed to break free. He could have run...” Her voice softens. “Instead, he came back for me.”
The look that passes between them speaks of a bond forged in darkness—not quite like what Ryker and I share, but significant nonetheless. Levi’s jaw tightens almost imperceptibly, but he doesn’t release her hand.
“You escaped while wounded and in silver?” I ask, unable to hide my admiration.
Her silver eyes meet mine. “I made a promise to my Alpha and his mate. Death wouldn’t release me from that oath.” She shifts slightly, wincing. “But that’s not what’s important. What matters is what I learned while in captivity.”
Ryker leans forward, though I notice his gaze keeps returning to the unusual triangle formed by Lithia, Levi, and the rogue wolf. “What did you learn?”
“The betrayal goes deeper than Zella. There’s a faction—wolves from multiple territories who believed in Thaddeus’s vision of control and hierarchy. They’re organizing, planning to disrupt the council system before it can fully establish.”
