Chapter 69
Elara's POV
I needed Vivian out of this room. Now.
Her eyes kept drifting to Cole. That soft, dazed look. Like a puppy staring at the person who'd just pulled it from a burning building.
I recognized that look. I'd seen it before in the Northern Territories. After battles. After someone nearly died and their brain latched onto whoever made them feel safe.
It wasn't love. It was survival instinct looking for an anchor.
But it was still dangerous.
"Vivian." I kept my voice gentle but firm. "Go wait in the hallway for me. Cole and I need to talk."
She blinked. Looked at me. Then back at Cole.
Her lip trembled slightly. "But—"
"Just for a few minutes," I said. "We have some private things to discuss."
Cole stood perfectly still. His face was carefully blank. But I caught the slight tension in his shoulders. He knew what I was doing.
Vivian bit her lip. Her gaze lingered on Cole for another long moment.
"If... if you need anything," she said quietly. Her voice was directed at him. Not me. "Just call me."
I watched her walk to the door. She glanced back once. Twice.
The door clicked shut behind her.
I waited three seconds. Made sure her footsteps had moved down the hall.
Then I turned to Cole.
His amber eyes were fixed on me. Waiting.
"So," I said. My voice was flat. Direct. "What's your plan now?"
Cole's expression didn't change. "I keep tracking Wild Hunt. They took a contract on your family. That means someone hired them."
"And you want to know who."
"Yes." His voice was cold. Controlled. "Someone paid them to wipe out my family. I need to find out who. And why."
I felt a small flicker of relief in my chest.
His investigation aligned perfectly with what I needed. He'd dig into the attack. Find out who was behind it. And I could focus on keeping my family safe.
"Good," I said. "Keep me updated."
Cole reached into his tactical vest. Pulled out a phone. Small. Black. Encrypted.
"My contact," he said. He handed it to me.
I took it. Pulled out my own phone. Started setting up the encrypted channel.
My fingers moved quickly over the screen. Typing in the security codes. Linking our devices.
Cole watched in silence.
"Protocol seven?" I asked.
"Protocol seven," he confirmed.
We'd used this system before. In the Northern Territories. Completely untraceable. Military-grade encryption.
I finished the setup. Tested the connection.
A small green light blinked on both screens.
"Done," I said.
Cole nodded. He was about to say something when—
"Elara!" Vivian's voice came from the hallway. Tight. Excited. Nervous. "Someone's coming!"
Then a deeper voice. Male. Low. Familiar.
My stomach dropped.
No.
Cole's head snapped toward the door. His hand moved instinctively toward the knife at his belt.
I grabbed his wrist. "Don't."
He looked at me. Confusion flickered in his eyes.
I let go. Moved toward the door.
Pushed it open.
The hallway was dim. Yellow industrial lights flickered overhead.
At the far end, blocking the exit, stood a tall figure.
Kael.
His broad shoulders filled the narrow corridor. His ice-blue eyes swept over Vivian first. Then locked onto Cole.
I felt the air shift. The temperature seemed to drop.
Kael's gaze moved to me.
And I saw it.
Just for a second. A flash of something in those cold blue eyes.
Hurt.
"I found your note," Kael said. His voice was low. Controlled. But there was an edge to it. "Followed your trail here. Took me twenty minutes to track the scent markers you left."
He took a step forward. His eyes never left Cole.
"But I didn't expect to find you with... him." The word came out sharp. "When something this serious happened, why did you call a stranger instead of coming to me?"
Cole's jaw tightened. I saw his hand twitch. He was about to speak.
I stepped forward. Fast. "He's not a stranger. He's my friend."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "Friend." He repeated the word like it tasted wrong. "Funny. I don't remember you mentioning any friends who look like they just walked out of a war zone."
His gaze raked over Cole. Taking in the tactical gear. The blood. The scars.
"And you still haven't answered my question," Kael continued. His voice dropped lower. "Why didn't you come to me?"
I took a breath. "I did. I left you a note. At your house."
That stopped him.
His expression shifted. Surprise. Then something else.
"Tonight?" he asked.
"Yes. I shoved it under your door before I left."
Kael's jaw worked. I could see him processing this. Recalculating.
"But he—" Kael gestured at Cole. "He's been helping you for days?"
I nodded. "Yes."
It was a lie. But I needed to defuse this. Fast.
Kael's eyes hardened. "You could have come to me directly. I live right next door."
I opened my mouth to respond.
Then I caught it.
The slight tension in his shoulders. The way his hands were clenched at his sides. The rigid set of his jaw.
And suddenly it clicked.
I felt my lips curve. Just slightly.
"Kael," I said slowly. "Are you... jealous?"
He froze.
Completely froze.
For three full seconds, he didn't move. Didn't breathe.
Then his face changed.
The cold mask cracked. His eyes went wide. His mouth opened slightly.
"Jealous?" His voice pitched higher. "What are you talking about?"
He took a step back. Actually stepped back.
And his ears.
His ears turned red.
I'd never seen Kael flustered before. Never.
"I'm not—" He stopped. Swallowed. "I'm not jealous. That's ridiculous."
"Then why do you care who I called for help?" I kept my voice light. Teasing.
"Because—" He stopped again. His hands flexed. "Because as the Alpha of Pinehollow Pack, I have a responsibility to protect all wolves in my territory."
The words came out fast. Too fast.
Like he'd rehearsed them.
I heard a soft sound to my left.
Cole.
He was leaning against the doorframe now. Arms crossed. One eyebrow raised.
His expression was carefully neutral.
But his eyes were laughing.
He'd seen right through Kael's excuse.
I glanced at Vivian.
Her eyes were huge. Round as saucers.
She was staring at Kael like she'd never seen him before.
The cold, untouchable Alpha. Flustered. Defensive. Ears burning red.
"Right," I said. I kept my tone even. "Your responsibility."
Kael's jaw tightened. "Exactly."
"To all wolves in your territory."
"Yes."
"Not just me specifically."
"That's—" He stopped. His eyes flashed. "Stop twisting my words."
I smiled. Just a little.
Kael's face flushed darker.
He looked away. Ran a hand through his hair. The gesture was sharp. Agitated.