Chapter 234
Lynette's POV
I sat on the couch. Stared at the wall.
Victoria's words kept looping in my head. Don't let fear make you miss something real.
My wolf stirred. Restless. She'd been like this since Kael found out the truth.
I closed my eyes. Tried to shut her out.
We don't need a mate. We've been fine on our own.
She answered with an image. Sharp. Clear. Kael pinning me against that tree in the forest. His amber eyes burning into mine.
My breath hitched.
Fuck.
I opened my eyes. Stood up fast. Went back to packing.
The duffel bag sat on the coffee table. Half-full. I grabbed a jacket. Shoved it in.
My hands were shaking.
I told myself it was just adrenaline. Just exhaustion.
Not fear.
Footsteps on the stairs. Light. Hesitant.
Elara appeared in the doorway. Her eyes were red.
"Sister."
I didn't turn around. "You should be sleeping."
"So should you." She walked into the living room. Stopped a few feet away. "You're really leaving? Tomorrow morning?"
"Yes."
Silence.
Then her voice came quieter. "Victoria said something before she left. Did you think about it?"
I zipped the bag. Hard. "She told me about her experience. Not mine."
"But—"
"It's different, Elara." I finally looked at her. "What happened to her doesn't mean it'll happen to me."
She bit her lip. Looked down at her hands.
"Sister... do you really not like Kael? Or are you just scared?"
My chest tightened.
I turned back to the bag. Pretended to rearrange things inside.
Didn't answer.
Couldn't answer.
Because I didn't know which one was true anymore.
Two sharp knocks on the door cut through the silence.
My wolf perked up immediately. Alert.
Not Kael. The scent was wrong.
I walked to the door. Opened it.
Drake stood on the porch. His face was tight. Serious.
"Lynette." He nodded once. "Emergency situation."
My body shifted. Combat mode. "What happened?"
"Border patrol spotted suspicious movement. Looks like Wild Hunt scouts. Those aren't normal scouts. They're elites, and the guard unit is pinned down. At least five of them." He paused. "Alpha's already headed to the border with the guard unit. "
I pushed it down. Forced my voice flat. "How many confirmed?"
"Five minimum. All experienced fighters."
I grabbed my jacket from the back of the couch. "Let's go."
Elara's hand caught my arm. "Lynette, are you okay?"
"I'm fine." I pulled free gently. Looked at Drake. "Give me thirty seconds."
I ran upstairs. Changed into combat clothes. Strapped a knife to my thigh.
My wolf was pacing now. Agitated.
Not about the fight.
About Kael.
I shoved the feeling down. Headed back downstairs.
Drake was already at the car. Engine running.
I slid into the passenger seat. He pulled out fast.
The town blurred past. Dark houses. Empty streets. The sky was still black.
I ran through tactical scenarios in my head.
Five Wild Hunt scouts. Experienced. That meant they'd have backup nearby.
This wasn't just a random probe. This was preparation for something bigger.
Drake glanced at me. "Lynette... Alpha's been patrolling the border."
I kept my eyes on the road. "That's his job."
"He knows you're leaving."
My jaw clenched.
Drake's voice went quieter. "He's been securing the routes. Making sure your path out is clear. Protecting the territory so you can leave safely."
My heart kicked.
No.
I wasn't going to think about that. Wasn't going to feel anything about it.
"That doesn't change anything," I said.
Drake didn't respond.
The car ate up the miles. Trees thickened on both sides of the road. We were getting close to the border.
I could smell it before we arrived.
Blood. Sweat. Adrenaline.
Drake pulled off the road. Killed the engine.
I was out of the car before it fully stopped.
The scene came into focus fast.
Kael stood in the center of a loose formation.Facing off against five Wild Hunt wolves in semi-shifted form.
His head turned when I stepped out of the car.
Our eyes met.
Something flashed in his gaze. Relief maybe. Or something else I didn't want to name.
He turned back to the enemy. Voice cold and commanding. "Right flank is weak. Need you there."
Professional. Tactical.
Like we hadn't spent the last two days tearing each other apart emotionally.
Fine.
I could do professional.
I moved into position. Right flank. Opposite side from Kael.
The Wild Hunt scouts shifted their formation. Trying to compensate.
Then everything went to hell.
Three more wolves burst from the treeline. Reinforcements.
The guards engaged immediately. Steel clashed. Snarls filled the air.
Kael cursed. "Drake—get the guards back. Fall back to defensive positions."
But the Wild Hunt had planned this. They split our forces. Three of the new arrivals focused entirely on the guards. Driving them back. Away from Kael.
Now it was just me and Kael against five of the original scouts.
Kael attacked first. Fast. Brutal.
I moved with him.
Didn't even think about it.
My body just knew where he'd be. Knew what he'd do next.
I took out the scout on my side. Clean strike to the throat. He went down choking.
Kael's wolf tore into another. Ripped out his spine.
The remaining three tried to flank us.
I pivoted. Blocked one. Kael came in from the side. Finished him.
We moved like we'd trained together for years.
Attack. Defend. Counter.
My wolf hummed with satisfaction.
This. This was what a true mate bond felt like in combat.
Perfect synchronization.
I shoved the thought away. Focused on the fight.
One scout broke formation. Tried to run.
I caught him. Snapped his neck.
Four down.
One left.
The last scout hung back. Watching. Waiting.
Behind us, the guards were still locked in combat with the reinforcements. Too far to help.
The scout's eyes locked on Kael's exposed side.
Kael was checking the bodies. Making sure they were dead. Didn't see the threat.
My body moved before my brain caught up.
I lunged. Put myself between them.
The scout's claws raked across my shoulder. Deep. Burning pain shot down my arm.
Worth it.
Kael roared.
The sound was inhuman. Rage and something else.
He shifted fully. His massive black wolf form exploded forward. Grabbed the scout by the throat. Shook once.
The crack echoed through the forest.
The body hit the ground.
Silence.
The fight was over.
Kael shifted back. Naked. Covered in blood. His eyes wild.
He ran to me.
"Why—" His hands hovered over my shoulder. Not touching. Like he was afraid to hurt me. "You could have dodged that."
I pressed my hand against the wound. Blood seeped through my fingers. "Tactical necessity."
"Bullshit." His voice was rough. Raw. "You had an opening. You chose to take the hit."
I didn't answer.
Couldn't.
Because he was right.
I could have dodged. Could have let him take the hit and heal faster with his Alpha constitution.
But my body had moved on instinct.
Mate protection instinct.
Fuck.