The last of her pack

#6. Hunt

Eryx POV

I stormed into my office, my boots hitting the wooden floor hard enough to echo off the walls. My wolf was still pacing inside me, restless, angry, confused. I shoved the office door shut with my shoulder, the anger in me too intense to handle gently.

Eran was already there. He was pacing the length of the room like a restless beast that he is. The moment I entered, he stopped, his eyes snapping to me, waiting for my reaction, waiting for an explanation, waiting for something. But I wasn’t ready to give him anything.

I walked straight to my desk and sat down heavily. My jaw was tight. My body felt rigid. I grabbed the nearest file and flipped it open, reading it even though the words were all a blur.

Eran let out a frustrated breath.

“Are you not going to say anything?” he asked sharply.

I didn’t look at him. “What more do you want to know?”

He took a step closer, his voice low but firm. “There’s a female in our pack. In your room. Don’t you think there could be more females out there?”

I paused. My fingers stopped flipping through the papers. Slowly, I lifted my eyes to him. His question made sense. It also made my stomach twist.

I thought long and hard for a moment.

“Possibly,” I finally said.

“Then give the order to your guards and find them,” Eran insisted.

A growl ripped through my chest before I could stop it. The sound filled the room.

“You do not tell me what to do,” I warned. “I am your Alpha. You are my beta. Remember your place.”

Eran stiffened. His jaw locked and he swallowed but his eyes burned with annoyance and something close to desperation.

“I was only pointing out the obvious,” he said stubbornly.

I leaned back in my seat, forcing myself to relax. My shoulders were tight, my body strung like a bow ready to snap.

“Firstly, I will ask the female if she has seen any other females in the bush.”

Eran snorted. “And you think she’s going to tell you the truth? She doesn’t even want you.”

I shot up from my chair so fast the file slid off the table. A dangerous growl tore from my throat.

“She is my female,” I snarled. “She is my mate and she will learn to accept me.”

I forced myself to sit back before I lost control completely. The tension between us hung in the air like danger.

Eran huffed and looked away. “Fine. But I’m eager to find a female for myself too. So please give the order soon.” He turned sharply and marched toward the door.

I watched him leave, my eyes narrowing.

“Bastard,” I muttered under my breath.

I stood up again, pacing behind my desk, running a hand through my hair. For a few seconds, I tried to regain control but the frustration only grew. I grabbed the fallen file, flipped it open again, shut it, then finally pushed everything aside.

Enough.

I stormed out of the office.

Lincoln, my gamma, my childhood friend, the only person allowed to call me by my name spotted me immediately. He fell into step beside me without being asked.

“You look tense, Eryx,” Lincoln said.

“There’s something going on,” I answered, my voice low. “Something I like and also don’t like.”

Lincoln nodded. He had always been the one who understood me without needing too many words.

“I heard about the female,” he began.

I stopped walking. My eyes locked with his. “You know?”

“Yes, Alpha,” he said. “I know.”

A curse pushed past my teeth. “Then the pack will know soon, and I’ll be damned.”

Lincoln frowned. “We must not utter a word about it. Not yet. And I hope Eran wouldn’t go against you and spread rumors.”

“Oh, he would,” I said with certainty. “He’s desperate. And if he dares open his mouth, he will receive his punishment.”

We resumed walking, heading down the long hallway toward the opening where the sunlight poured in. From there, the entire pack could be seen going about their day, training, carrying supplies, preparing meals, patrolling the grounds. It should have brought me peace. It didn’t.

“I’m going to give the orders soon,” I told Lincoln. “There should be more females out there. But first, I’ll ask the one in my room.”

Lincoln nodded. “Hopefully there are more. The pack needs them.”

I grunted. “Any update on the border?”

“No one has trespassed yet,” he replied.

“Good,” I said. “But in case another trespass happens, do not hurt any rogue. It might be a female. They’re good at hiding their scent. I noticed that with her. She could’ve fooled us all.”

Lincoln nodded again. “I’ll do exactly that.”

“And,” I added, lowering my voice, “keep your eyes on Eran. He’s too desperate right now. If he makes any suspicious move, mind link me immediately.”

“I will,” he promised.

As we walked, I scanned the area. My guards came into view. I signaled one of them over.

“Get me an arrow,” I commanded.

The guard nodded and rushed off. A minute later, he returned, handing me the arrow.

Without a word, I headed straight for the nearest patch of woods bordering the pack grounds. My senses sharpened the moment I stepped near it. The forest always had a way of clearing my head, giving me direction when everything else was chaos.

I spotted an animal in the distance, small but enough to keep my mind busy. I drew back the arrow and released it without hesitation. The shot was clean. The arrow hit the animal perfectly.

“Fetch it,” I said.

Lincoln didn’t hesitate. He jogged forward, grabbed the animal, and brought it back to me.

“Take it to the cook,” I instructed. “Tell her to make a perfect steak out of it. I’ll come for it later.”

Lincoln nodded. “Understood.” Then he headed off toward the pack kitchen.

I remained there for a moment, standing at the edge of the forest, breathing in the scent of pine and distant rain. My wolf rumbled inside me. My mind was racing with thoughts about the female, about my damn brother Eran, about the rumors that could break out, about the pack’s future, about the strange tension spreading through the land.

Everything felt wrong. Uneasy. Unsettled.

A chill swept through the trees and the leaves trembled. The air shifted.

My instincts didn’t lie.

Something was coming.

I narrowed my eyes at the darkening forest, my chest tightening as a familiar dread crawled up my spine.

“I can smell war soon.” I muttered under my breath.