Kai POV
The silence that falls over the training yard is absolute. The rhythmic clack of practice blades and the playful yips of the pups cease entirely, replaced by the heavy, suffocating scent of overripe lavender that clings to Elvira like a shroud. It fights a losing battle against Liora’s fresh, wild scent, but the sour undertone of Elvira’s jealousy is enough to make Atlas bare his teeth in the back of my mind.
I step smoothly between them, acting as a physical barrier shielding Liora. My wolf doesn't view Elvira as a mate; he views her as a threat to the one woman who actually holds our soul.
“Elvira,” I say, my voice dropping into the low, resonant timber of an Alpha’s warning. The air around us seems to cool. “Watch your tone. Liora is training by my direct command.”
Elvira’s
