Chapter 35: Unfinished Business

Dax barely spoke as we left the healer’s wing. His shoulders were rigid, his steps precise, like he was barely keeping himself together. I could feel the storm brewing inside him, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on him like a physical force.

We walked in silence back to our wing. As soon as the door shut behind us, Dax ran a hand through his hair and exhaled sharply.

“I should’ve killed him,” he muttered, his voice raw.

I hesitated, stepping closer. “Dax—”

He turned, eyes flashing. “No, Alina. He’s playing a game, and we both know it. He wants me to hesitate. He wants me to let my guard down so he can strike when we least expect it.” His jaw clenched. “I should’ve ended it when I had the chance.”

I swallowed hard. “But you didn’t because he’s your brother Dax.”

He let out a humorless laugh. “And that might be the biggest mistake of my life.”

I took his hands in mine, squeezing them. “We don’t know that yet. He hasn’t made a move.”

Dax exhaled, his grip on me tightening. “Not yet. But he will.”

A knock at the door broke the tension.

Dax growled in frustration and pulled away, striding over to yank it open. Jack stood on the other side, his face as unreadable as ever.

“Get dressed and meet me in the war room,” he said. “Now.”

Dax narrowed his eyes. “What’s going on?”

Jack’s gaze flickered to me before returning to his son. “We have visitors.”

Minutes later, we entered the war room. Several high-ranking warriors stood around the table, their expressions grim. But it was the two unfamiliar figures standing near the window that made my stomach clench.

They were wolves, that much was clear. Their posture was too controlled, too poised to be anything else. One was an older man with silver-streaked hair and sharp, calculating eyes. The other was a woman—tall, lean, her dark eyes scanning the room with quiet intensity.

Jack stepped forward, his tone clipped. “Dax, Alina. Meet Alpha Gideon and Beta Sienna of the Ironfang Pack.”

Dax stiffened beside me. “Ironfang?”

The name wasn’t familiar to me, but I felt the shift in the room—the tension that thickened at the mention of it.

Gideon smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “We’ve come on behalf of Kael.”

Every muscle in Dax’s body went taut. “He’s in no position to send messages.”

The woman—Sienna—tilted her head. “Perhaps. But we still received one.”

Jack’s expression remained impassive. “What does he want?”

Gideon stepped forward. “He wants to negotiate.”

Dax barked out a laugh. “Negotiate what? He challenged me and lost. There’s nothing left to discuss.”

Gideon’s expression didn’t waver. “That depends. On whether you value peace.”

The air in the room shifted.

Jack’s voice was low and dangerous. “Are you threatening us?”

Sienna finally spoke, her voice smooth as silk. “Not at all. We’re merely giving you an opportunity to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.”

Dax crossed his arms. “You mean his blood.”

Gideon’s lips twitched. “If Kael wanted war, he wouldn’t have sent us first. He’s offering a deal.”

Jack arched a brow. “Let’s hear it, then.”

Gideon’s eyes gleamed. “Kael will leave this pack alone—on one condition.”

A cold weight settled in my gut.

Dax’s voice was razor-sharp. “What condition?”

Gideon turned his gaze on me. “Alina goes with him.”

The room went deathly silent.

Dax’s growl was immediate, low and menacing. “Over my dead body.”

Gideon shrugged. “Then we have a problem.”

Jack’s expression darkened. “Kael has no claim to her.”

Sienna’s lips curled slightly. “That’s not what he believes.”

My skin crawled. I could still hear Kael’s voice in my head from the night of the challenge. She was never yours to begin with.

He hadn’t just come back for power. He had come back for me.

Dax took a step forward, his entire body coiled with fury. “Listen to me very carefully. Alina is my mate. My wife. If Kael thinks I’m just going to hand her over, then he’s even more delusional than I thought.”

Gideon sighed, as if disappointed. “That’s a shame. We were hoping this wouldn’t have to get messy.”

Jack narrowed his eyes. “What exactly are you saying?”

Sienna met his gaze evenly. “Kael isn’t acting alone. If you reject his offer, the Ironfang Pack will stand with him. And trust me, Alpha—we are prepared for war.”

The tension in the room snapped taut.

Jack’s voice was pure steel. “If you think we’ll bow to a demand like this, then you don’t know us at all.”

Gideon gave a slow, knowing smile. “We were hoping you’d say that.”

Dax was breathing heavily, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles were white. “If Kael wants Alina, he can try and take her himself. But he won’t leave with his life.”

Gideon’s eyes gleamed. “Then we’ll be seeing you soon.”

With that, he turned, Sienna following silently as they strode toward the door. But just before they exited, Gideon paused, glancing over his shoulder.

“Kael told us something interesting,” he mused. “Said you hesitated before finishing him off. Said there was doubt in your eyes.” He tilted his head. “I wonder, Dax—when the time comes, will you hesitate again?”

Dax didn’t answer.

He didn’t have to.

The door shut behind them, and the silence in the war room was deafening.

Jack was the first to speak. “We prepare for war.”

Dax exhaled slowly, his hands shaking at his sides. “I should have killed him.”

I reached for his arm, but he pulled away, his eyes burning with something dark.

“This is my fault,” he muttered. “I let him live, and now he’s coming for you.”

My chest tightened. “Dax—”

His hands suddenly framed my face, his touch gentle but desperate. “I won’t let him take you.” His voice was raw, his eyes filled with an intensity that made my breath catch. “I swear it, Alina. I’ll kill him.” His grip tightened. “He’ll never touch you.”

I nodded. “I know.”