Chapter 21
Rowan’s senses flared the moment he picked up the disturbance at the border. The wolf coiled, teeth bared, claws itching. Danger was close, rogues pushing into pack territory.
“Rowan!” Elias’s voice cut through the morning haze.
Rowan spun toward him, jaw tight, eyes flashing. “I can’t leave. She’s right there. She—”
“She’ll be fine,” Elias interrupted, stepping closer with that unshakable calm that always infuriated Rowan. “She’s not a threat, and I’m not going to let anything happen to her. You need to respond, or your pack could be in real trouble.”
Rowan growled low in his throat, frustration and desire twisting inside him. “Elias, she just—she doesn’t understand what she’s up against. I can’t leave her!”
“You think I don’t know that?” Elias countered, hands raised in a gesture of peace. “I’m not some stranger who’ll drop the ball. You can’t do everything, Rowan.”
The Alpha’s shoulders tensed. His wolf snarled, furious. She’s ours. Don’t leave her.
Rowan snapped, “he’s mine. I can’t just—she needs me here!”
Elias shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips, calm and patient. “And that’s exactly why I’m here. You’re the Alpha, yes, but I’m the Beta. You handle the threat; I handle her safety. You leaving isn’t abandoning her—it’s letting the pack survive, letting me do my job.”
Rowan’s jaw ached from clenching. Finally, with a frustrated grunt, he gave a sharp nod. “Stay with her. Don’t let anything happen.”
Elias’s smile widened, friendly now, almost teasing. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
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Clara peeked around the counter, blinking as Elias entered the shop. He was tall, relaxed, and carried an easy confidence that immediately put her on edge.
“Clara?” he said, voice warm, calm. “Hi, I’m Elias. Rowan asked me to stay with you while he handles some…trouble.”
Her brow furrowed. “Trouble?”
He gave a casual shrug. “Nothing you need to worry about. And yes—I’ll be your watchdog for a little while.”
She raised an eyebrow, confused. “Watchdog?”
“Something like that,” he said, smiling. “Think of me as… the friendly kind. I don’t bite. Unless provoked.”
Clara let out a small laugh, tension easing from her shoulders just slightly. “Okay… I guess that’s reassuring.”
Elias leaned casually against the counter, making himself approachable. “You’ll be fine. Rowan trusts me. So… I’m good at this.”
Clara studied him for a moment. He wasn’t Rowan—none of the quiet, commanding intensity was there—but there was a sense of security in him that she could almost accept. Almost.
Meanwhile, outside, Rowan lingered at the edge of the shop, watching. His chest ached, every nerve screaming to step inside, to take her into his arms. But Elias’s easy presence reminded him that she wasn’t defenseless. Not completely.
Still, leaving her felt like ripping a part of himself away. The wolf growled in protest, coiled tightly in his chest. She’s ours. I can’t leave her.
Elias caught his glare and tilted his head slightly, almost smug. Through the mindlink he said, “go. Protect the pack. She’ll be fine. Seriously. I’ve got this.”
Rowan exhaled, jaw tight, and finally, with a reluctant nod, slipped back into the shadows, leaving Clara in Elias’s surprisingly steady care.
Inside, Clara let out a shaky breath, unsure whether to feel relief, frustration, or longing. And though Elias was friendly and calm, she couldn’t shake the ache of missing Rowan, the tension of wanting him near, and the certainty that this wasn’t over.