“Get the alpha.Now.”
The two dark-haired men exchanged a look before disappearing from the tent. Evelyne’s heart began to pound. What had he seen?
The blond began pacing around Reuben, circling like a predator. His hand drifted toward his belt. In one fluid motion, he unsheathed his bone-handled dagger and leveled the blade at Reuben’s throat.
“You make any sort of move on me, and I’ll slit your throat in one swipe.”
Evelyne gasped, twisting against her bindings. “Stop!”
Reuben smiled. It was not a look of delight or reassurance. No, it was the same eerie smile she had seen in the carriage.
“Reuben?” she whispered.
He turned his head toward her slowly. When their eyes met, his were black.
“Eyes on me, fucker.” The man’s voice was cold. Without taking his gaze off Reuben, he raised a hand toward Evelyne and commanded, “Don’t speak to it.”
“It?” Evelyne snapped. “He is not furniture to be pointed at. He is a man. Address him accordingly.”
The blond shot her a furious look, but before he could speak, a heavy presence pressed into the tent. The two dark-haired men had returned, yet all focus fell on the figure looming behind them, stepping into the flickering light.
Built like a fortress, he was broader than the others, his short-cropped dark brown hair lending him a look of deliberate severity. His gaze moved with ruthless intent, cataloging the space with the cold skill of a creature used to being at the top of the food chain.
Even in the dim light, Evelyne could see the power in his stance. The steady rise and fall of his chest, the precision of every movement, and the quiet restraint in each breath all spoke of a threat held tightly in check. This was a man who never hesitated, never doubted. He didn’t ask for obedience; he expected it.
Then she remembered the blond man’s words.Get the alpha.There was no doubt now. He wasn’t just one of them; he was their alpha.
He seemed young for a leader, though she had no actual frame of reference. Until now, she hadn’t even known that men like this existed, whatever they truly were. Yet his mere appearance sent a shiver down her spine, and she instinctively knew that he was the most dangerous person in this tent.
Her eyes drifted lower, taking in the clothing and armor of a warrior who commanded respect and fear. He wore a sleeveless tunic reinforced with stitched leather panels across his chest and shoulders. But unlikethe others, his armor wasn’t just practical; it was marked with intricate, battle-worn etchings, as if symbols had been burned into the leather.
A heavy jet-black wolf pelt draped over his shoulders, fastened by a metal clasp shaped like a snarling wolf’s head. A clear symbol of power. Leather bracers wrapped his forearms, and a thick, worn belt secured a large bone-hilted dagger. It was similar to the blond’s, but looked far more deadly on him.
Her gaze floated to his dark, fitted trousers, reinforced with stitched padding along the knees and thighs. They looked made for running. A fleeting thought passed through her mind: how effortless it must feel to move in something like that. She’d have chosen them in a heartbeat over the weight of her usual gowns, or even her brother’s stiff riding trousers.
Ridiculous,she scolded herself.Now is not the time.
It wasn’t just his clothing that set him apart. Evelyne noticed the matching ink etched along one side of his neck, which she now assumed was a mark of their kind. But unlike the rest, his markings didn’t stop there. A second tattoo wound down the opposite side of his neck, its ritualistic patterns snaking over his shoulder, along his arm, and down to his wrist. Even with the leather bracer concealing most of his forearm, she could still make out the ancient design.
“Which one?” the alpha commanded.
“Him,” the blond replied, pointing directly at Reuben.
The alpha’s stare shifted, assessing Reuben, then turned to Evelyne and Alaric. “And these two?”
Evelyne lifted her chin, refusing to let her fear show, even as terror twisted in her gut and sent tremors through her core.
“Haven’t seen anything yet.”
The alpha ran his hand along his jaw, coarse stubble rasping beneath his fingers. The silence that followed was unbearable. Evelyne’s nerves frayed until tremors shivered through her.
At last, his hand dropped to his dagger, his posture straightening with resolve. “Slit his throat and burn him outside.” The alpha turned toward the tent’s exit.
“Pardon me?” The words ripped out of her before she could stop them. Her breath came in panicked bursts.No, no, no—this wasn’t happening. “You… you can’t kill him!” Her voice shook. “He did nothing wrong!”
The alpha turned to her slowly, his head tilting, as if he were entertained by her boldness. But no words came. Instead, he simply lifted a hand and the others sprang into motion.
“What did he do?” Alaric demanded. “He’s innocent!”
