Chapter 33

Adam.

'Are you with Cassius right now?' Adam texted Ella.

'Hello to you too…' Ella answered. 'What does it matter?'

'Please, just answer the question. This is urgent.'

'No. I’m not with him.'

'Good. Stay away from him. Please, Ella.'

'What’s going on, Adam?'

'I’ll tell you when I can. For now, please just stay with your father. And keep the twins with you.'

Adam pocketed his phone as Ella agreed. He had just gotten home. Flipping through his keys for the one to the front door, Adam thought back to the day he had attacked Cassius. He should have killed him when he had the chance. He opened the door with a shove as the deadbolt clicked out of its holster and back into the door.

Adam placed his keys on the entryway table, locking the front door behind him. His footsteps echoed across the hardwood floors as he stomped to the back of his house. He flopped his shirt onto the couch and left his pants pooled on the ground on top of his shoes as he reached the back door. He shifted seamlessly, immediately putting his nose in the air.

The air was hot and heavy, filled with a thousand scents Adam could detect. But he only needed one. As he moved closer to the woods behind his house, he could smell the lone wolf — the one who was attacking his pack, seducing his mate, and lying to everybody.

He followed the trail, the pads of his paws keeping him from making any noise. Adam expertly wove through the woods. They were his home - nobody knew them better than him. He followed the scent deeper into the woods, coming to the edge of the border.

Adam would have to be careful as he steered away from his own territory. His Alpha status could only protect him so much out here, outside the security of his pack lands. As he topped a ridge, he could make out voices. A man and a woman were talking together. Adam crouched down as he listened.

“They don’t suspect a thing!” the man exclaimed with a laugh. “Who knew a bit of old werewolf magic would be the only thing needed to take down the Moon Rising Pack?”

A feminine laugh rang out. “That little she-wolf has been so blinded by her past that she fell right for you,” the female voice replied.

Adam strained his ears, trying to place the voice. He was certain he’d heard it before, but he couldn’t quite remember who it was.

“Well, I’ve got to get going. Plans don’t finish themselves,” she continued.

Adam sensed the woman shift into her wolf form as her scent changed slightly. He watched her peek out from the alcove underneath the ridge Adam sat on. Determining the coast to be clear, she trotted away. Adam made a note to investigate the woman further once he had finished with Cassius.

When she had disappeared, Adam made his way down the side of the ridge as quietly as he could. He snuck around, making sure Cassius wouldn’t be able to detect him until he was close enough to pounce. As he neared, he saw a man lying leisurely in a hammock within the alcove. He bared his teeth and growled, ready to take down the killer.

But as the man’s head shot up, it wasn’t Cassius’s face that stared back at him - it was Orion’s. Adam was caught off-guard at the sight of the Alpha of the Moon Blood Pack. His scent was Cassius’s - Adam knew for sure it was him, but why was Orion staring back at him instead of Cassius? He could have sworn he had killed Orion five years ago during their battle.

He heard Orion curse. Before he could react, Orion shifted, bolting out of the alcove and swiping at Adam before running away. Adam barely dodged the hasty attack and turned around with an enormous growl. Most wolves would have shrunk at his roar, but Orion bolted, knowing he wasn’t strong enough to take Adam down one-on-one. Adam barked, calling the coward back, but Orion kept on running. Adam knew he would be out all night trying to chase him down if he went after Orion. Instead, he headed straight for Everett’s house. He couldn’t chance Orion getting to Ella or the twins.

***

Ella.

Ella packed up her car, despite Adam’s warning. She was taking the twins and leaving. Nothing could change her mind. She grabbed the last suitcase, ready to lift it into the trunk of her car, when Adam’s large black wolf charged into the driveway.

Surprised, Ella dropped the suitcase, the corner of it landing directly on her foot. Ella cursed as pain shot through her foot and up her leg. The suitcase toppled over with a dull thud. Instinctively, she lifted her injured foot, hopping on the other. She hopped in a circle, lining up her body to sit on the edge of the trunk.

Adam shifted, pulling the blanket laying in the passenger seat around himself. His eyebrows drew together. “What are you doing? I thought I told you to stay inside.” His voice was full of confusion and frustration.

“Well, right now, I’m nursing a broken foot, thanks to you,” Ella said through gritted teeth.

“Why are there suitcases in your car?” Adam asked, ignoring Ella’s statement.

“I’m leaving,” Ella said frankly, lowering her foot gently back to the ground.

As if to reinforce her comment, she stood back up and hefted the suitcase into the trunk, gritting through the pain. Ella moved to close the trunk, but Adam blocked her way, placing a hand on it.

“You can’t leave,” Adam said, his voice strained, his eyes filled with hurt.

“You can’t make me stay,” Ella answered indignantly, trying to shut the trunk again.

“What about yesterday?” Adam’s voice held a vulnerable tone Ella hadn’t heard in a while.

“What about yesterday?” Ella asked. “As I remember, you accused me of being a traitor and ran off into the night.”

She yanked hard on the trunk, closing it and nearly shutting Adam’s hand with it.

“I didn’t call you a traitor,” Adam answered, not moving from his position by the car, blocking Ella’s path back to the house.

“You might as well have,” Ella said, trying to get around Adam.

“Will you move?” she asked, exasperated.

Adam’s lips pursed, and he shook his head. “Not until you promise you won’t leave. At least not yet.”

Ella scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Why?” she demanded. “You can’t just dictate everything I do!”

Adam sighed. “I’m trying to protect you… And the kids.”

“Protect us from who? Cassius? Who has only ever been nice to both me and the twins?” Ella’s tone was elevating, and Adam turned his head slightly, hearing shuffling coming from inside the house.

He gestured with his hand for Ella to tone it down. Ella sighed in exasperation. She moved to shove past Adam, forgetting about her injured foot. Adam caught her as she fell forward, the pain from her foot causing her leg to buckle.

“Cassius is not who you think he is. He’s Orion in disguise. Something about old werewolf magic…”

Ella lifted an eyebrow. “That’s pretty farfetched, Adam, even for you.”

“It’s true. I overheard him talking to someone else after following his scent. And when I confronted him, it wasn’t Cassius who stared back at me - it was Orion. Even though it was Cassius’s scent.”

“But what would Orion want with me?” Ella asked. “Wouldn’t he have killed me when he met me instead of courting me?”

Adam shrugged. “I don’t know what he’s up to, but he’s already injured four of my patrolmen and killed another. That’s why I need you to stay here, where it’s safe.”

He brought both of his hands to Ella’s shoulders, forgetting they were the only thing keeping the blanket around him. It fell to the ground, but neither of them noticed. Ella’s heart pulled her closer to Adam. He really was trying to protect them all. How could she be so foolish to chase after Cassius when the man she needed was right in front of her this whole time?

“Now please, go back inside,” Adam urged, cutting through her thoughts.

Ella nodded absently. Adam helped her back inside, supporting her on her injured side.

“What will you do?” Ella asked before letting him leave.

“I don’t know yet, but I will think of a plan… soon.”

Ella nodded and shut the door, leaving Adam alone in the warm evening air.