Chapter 170

Kassak's POV

I lay in bed, savoring the lingering satisfaction of Riley's body against mine. My muscles felt pleasantly loose, my mind unusually calm. Even Havoc, my wolf, was quiet for once—content and satiated in a way I'd rarely experienced before finding my mate. The memory of Riley's soft moans still echoed in my ears, her scent clinging to my skin.

That peaceful moment shattered like glass when I heard it—Riley's scream piercing through the air, followed by a wave of fear and panic flooding through our mate bond. The sensation hit me like a physical blow, sending me bolt upright.

"Protect mate! Danger!" Havoc roared inside my head, clawing to take control. Silver light flooded my vision as my wolf surged forward, desperate to defend what was ours.

I fought to maintain control, though my canines lengthened involuntarily. With one fluid motion, I leapt from the bed, yanking on a pair of pants without bothering to fasten them properly. Alpha power coursed through my veins, making my skin burn hot as I tore open the bedroom door, following Riley's scent.

The scene before me froze my blood. Riley was sprawled on the floor, her naked body barely covered by the red silk robe that had fallen open. Her hair was a wild tangle around her face, her eyes wide and wet with unshed tears. The vulnerability in her posture sent a fresh wave of rage through me.

Rovak stood before her, his clothes torn and bloody. Two of my guards stood nearby, their expressions tense as they waited for my command. But I couldn't focus on anything except the distance between this male and my mate—my Riley—who lay exposed and frightened on the cold floor.

"What. Is. Happening. Here?" I asked, my voice dangerously quiet. The air grew heavy with my Alpha influence, pressing down on everyone in the hallway. I could feel my eyes glowing silver as Havoc pushed against the boundaries of my control.

Rovak turned to me, his face pale beneath the streaks of dried blood. "Alpha, I had to report. It was a trap. Silver nets and—"

All I could see was Riley on the ground, the tremor in her lower lip, the way her shoulders hunched inward protectively. Through our bond, I felt her fear, her relief at my presence, and something else—a strange reluctance that I couldn't quite place.

"Kassak," Riley's voice was small, trembling. "He burst in..."

My inner beast roared, demanding retribution for any threat to our mate.

"He didn't mean to scare me," Riley continued, her voice stronger now. "The guards told him you weren't to be disturbed, but—"

I held up my hand, silencing her. Something about this didn't feel right, but I couldn't focus on that nagging intuition. Not when Havoc was howling for blood, not when Riley's fear pulsed through our bond, overwhelming my ability to think critically.

My mate was defending Rovak out of kindness, I decided. Out of loyalty to the pack. That was the sort of Luna she was—compassionate even when wronged. But I knew better. Rovak had taken advantage of my absence to corner my mate, to frighten her, to see her body that belonged only to me.

"Why," I asked, my voice dripping with cold fury, "are you disturbing my mate and me?"

Rovak swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously. "Alpha, the mission... it was a complete disaster. We lost everyone. It was an ambush—they were waiting for us." His voice grew stronger as he continued, desperate to make me understand. "The elders and women were Pine Shadow fighters in disguise. There were silver nets waiting in the trees. We never stood a chance."

I noticed his eyes darting to Riley and back to me. My jaw clenched.

"What are you implying, Beta?" I asked, deliberately using his rank rather than his name.

"Nothing, Alpha," Rovak said quickly, too quickly. "Just that... the information... it wasn't accurate. We walked straight into a trap. All fourteen warriors—dead or captured. I barely escaped."

For a split second, the loss of fourteen warriors sent a chill down my spine, but the sight of his eyes on my mate burned it away with white-hot rage. The thought of him lusting after my mate, taking advantage of my absence to feast his eyes on her body, made my blood boil with a rage so deep it threatened to consume me.

With a growl that rattled the walls, I lunged forward, grabbing Rovak by the throat and slamming him against the stone wall hard enough to crack the mortar. His feet dangled above the ground as I held him there, my claws extending to pierce the skin of his neck.

"Kill him! He threatened our mate!" Havoc snarled in my mind, and I was tempted to give in, to let my wolf take control and tear out Rovak's throat.

"You dare to come here, to frighten my mate, to burst into our private quarters, and then you have the audacity to blame your failure on faulty intelligence?" I snarled, my face inches from his. "Perhaps you're simply an incompetent leader, unable to adapt to changing circumstances."

"Kassak," Riley's soft voice came from behind me. "He's injured. Maybe we should hear his full report before—"

I growled low in my throat, the sound cutting off her words. Through our bond, I could feel her concern, but all it did was fuel my rage. Why would she defend him after he'd frightened her? My mate was too kind, too forgiving—another quality that made her mine to protect.

"Alpha, please," Rovak gasped, blood trickling from where my claws dug into his neck. "I only meant to report—"

"Enough!" I roared, throwing him to the floor with enough force to knock the wind from his lungs. He landed in a crumpled heap, gasping for breath. "Guards!"

The two sentries snapped to attention.

"Take this failure to the cells," I ordered coldly. "I'll deal with him later."

"But Alpha," one guard began hesitantly, "his injuries—"

"Did I stutter?" I asked, my voice deadly quiet. The guard immediately lowered his gaze, submitting.

"No, Alpha. Right away."

I watched dispassionately as they dragged Rovak away, his leg trailing awkwardly behind him. I felt nothing for his pain, no concern for the silver burns that stained his calf black. All I cared about was that he was away from Riley, that the threat to my mate was removed.

As soon as he was gone, the rage drained from me like water from a broken dam. I turned back to Riley, my expression softening instantly as I knelt beside her.

"Are you hurt?" I asked gently, helping her back into her robe, careful not to let my claws catch on the delicate silk.

"No," she whispered, leaning into my touch. "Just startled. Thank you for protecting me."

I gathered her into my arms, cradling her against my chest. She felt so small, so fragile compared to my bulk. Through our bond, I sent waves of comfort and protection, silently promising that nothing would ever harm her.

"I should have been there," I murmured against her hair. "I should have protected you."

"You're here now," Riley said, pressing her face against my bare chest. "That's all that matters."