Chapter 71

[ 1,044 words ]

Their dominance

71: 71.

Their dominance Aria

There has been so much change lately, I know that if I stop to think about it, I’ll be overwhelmed

Right now, all I need is to make it to the safe house so I can see Theo and know my pack is safe and as far away from the assembly as possible.

We travel quickly but controlled, cutting through the outskirts of the territory before slipping fully into the forest.

The shift is immediate.

The sounds change.

Leaves rustle with more of an edge, branches creak and slap against each other guided by the wind, distant wildlife moves cautiously through the underbrush, aware of the group of predators passing by.

Quinley drifts closer to my side as we move.

“So,” she says quietly, “how are you holding up? Really.”

I glance at her.

“Better now,” I admit.

“Thanks to you.”

She smiles.

“Anytime.” A beat passes, and her voice turns teasing, “Welcome to the world of overprotective males.

I hope you know that just because Kade is my cousin, it doesn’t mean I’ll take his side; we girls have to stick together.

I snort.

“I like the sound of that.

I’m still getting used to their dominance.”

“Honestly, you get used to it.

Or at least you learn who you can and can’t handle,” she says.

“It’s just the way of dominant male wolves; they need to protect us just as naturally as they need to eat or breathe.”

“My favorite is when they try to make decisions for you,” I say dryly.

She groans.

“Don’t even get me started.”

My wolf huffs in agreement.

She is not a fan of being treated like she’s fragile, and neither am I.

Quinley nudges my arm lightly.

“Do you ever just want to shake them?”

“All the time.”

We both laugh quietly, the tension easing just a little.

“You know,” she says, glancing at me, “once this is over, you’re coming over to my cabin.”

“For what?”

“A little girl time. And food,” she says immediately.

“I love cooking. And I need to get to know you better since you’re basically stuck with me now.”

Something warm flickers in my chest.

“I’d like that.

Honestly, I could do with some space from the males.”

“God, same,” she says.

“I swear, if I have to listen to one more testosterone-fueled argument—”

“Hey,” Dez calls from ahead without turning around, “we can hear you.”

“Good,” Quinley shoots back.

“Maybe you’ll learn something.”

A few quiet chuckles ripple through the group.

It almost feels normal.

As I’m laughing, a scent tickles my nose.

One that stands out amongst the dry soil and subtle sweetness of the pines.

I inhale.

My wolf goes rigid.

Wolf.

I stop mid-step.

The strange scent of an unknown male set off the panic buttons in my chest.

“Ronan—” I try.

Too late.

They hit us from the side, breaching through our ranks.

Assembly wolves burst into the center of our convoy.

“Ambush!” Ronan roars.

The formation shatters as bodies collide, screams and yells of determination cutting through the air.

“Stay together!” Kade shouts.

I reach for Quinley and miss.

A wolf slams into my knees, knocking me off balance.

I twist, shoving it away just enough to break free

“Quin!” I shout.

“I’m here!” she yells from somewhere to my right.

Another wolf lunges.

I duck, heart pounding, adrenaline flooding my system.

A second joins the first wolf, standing between our pack and Quin and me.

Quin takes a quick survey of our surroundings before saying, “Run! This way!”

We race through the trees, away from the main group.

The two wolves are on our heels, their snarls echoing behind us.

“We need to ditch them,” Quin says.

“I’m going to confuse them.

Stay with me.”

“I’m right behind you,” I say, glad she knows these parts of the forest so well.

Quinley veers sharply, leading us toward a rocky outcrop ahead.

I move with her, keeping as close as a shadow.

“Keep moving!” she calls as she stops and turns to face them.

It doesn’t look like she’s doing anything, but the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Suddenly, one of the wolves runs into the other.

They fall over in a tangle of limbs, and Quin takes off until she’s by my side.

My lungs burn, legs straining as we push harder.

“We don’t have much time.” Quinley darts between two jagged rocks, pulling me with her.

It looks like an ivy-covered rock wall.

For a moment, I’m confused as to where she thinks we’re going, but then I see it.

A narrow opening parallel to the rock.

Something that would be so easy to miss if you didn’t know it was here.

She slips into the narrow opening.

I’m right behind her.

Inside is a small, narrow cave.

So small I would be surprised if two of the males could fit inside.

“The moss should hide our scent for a while,” she whispers as she grabs handfuls of moss from the cave walls, crushing it between her fingers and rubbing it over my skin.

The scent is strong.

Earthy.

Damp.

When she puts it on, it blankets her own, blending in with the scents of the forest.

“What now? Do we wait them out? I mean, they can’t search for us forever.”

The sound of heavy footsteps stops our conversation.

We listen as the snapping branches and location howls rush around and then, finally, past us.

I sag slightly, pressing a hand to my chest.

“That was—”

“Too close,” Quinley finishes quietly.

“There’s something you need to know,” I say.

I hesitate for a moment, then figure what the hell.

Quin is pack and our safety means we have to rely on each other.

“I can’t control my fire. When we escaped the citadel, I spent the entire time battling my wolf and trying to rein in my fire so they wouldn’t find out.”

Quinley studies me for a long moment, then nods.

“Okay.”

I blink.

“Okay?”

“Yes. I didn’t plan on hand-to-hand combat unless absolutely necessary anyway,” she says simply.

“What we need to focus on is getting to the meeting point. Hopefully without engaging with them.”

I stare at her.

“What meeting point?”

“Ronan had contingency plans for separation,” Quinley adds.

“We have several, depending on where we are.

The one were closest to is the river.

The group will know that, and they will go to meet us there.”

“What if they don’t come?” I mutter.

“We give them three days. If no one comes, we go to the safe house on our own,” she says.

“I think we should be safe to head out now. We go west, follow the river downstream to the meeting point.”

I nod slowly.

Quin tilts her head against the opening, listening.

I do the same.

Silence.

No movement.

“They’re gone,” she whispers.

Then she looks at me, eyes sharp.

“Get ready to run.”

My wolf rises, ready.

“Let’s go.”

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