Chapter 170

Layla's POV

The night wrapped around us like a cloak as Kael drove through winding forest roads. I watched the trees blur outside my window, occasionally catching glimpses of the moon between gaps in the thick canopy. We'd been driving for hours, putting distance between us and Thor's packhouse. My back ached from sitting too long, and I shifted in my seat, trying to find a comfortable position.

My eyelids grew heavy, but I fought to stay awake. The digital clock on the dashboard read 2:17 AM. Kael had been driving non-stop since we left, his profile illuminated by the soft glow of the dashboard lights. His jaw was set in that determined way that made the little muscle near his temple twitch.

"You should sleep," Kael said, his eyes still fixed on the road. "We have a long journey ahead."

I straightened in my seat, blinking rapidly. "I'm fine. You're the one who's been driving for hours. Want me to take over?"

"I've gone longer without rest." His hand found mine across the center console, his skin warm against my cold fingers. "Your eyes keep closing. I've watched you jerk awake at least five times in the last twenty minutes."

"No, they don't," I insisted, even as I stifled a yawn that made my jaw crack. "And I have not."

Kael chuckled, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. "Stubborn as always. You're practically falling over."

"I want to keep you company." I turned to face him, pulling one leg up under me. My knee bumped against the gearshift, and Kael steadied the wheel. "It's not safe to drive alone at night. What if you fall asleep?"

His expression softened, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Sleep, Layla. I'll protect you."

I crossed my arms over my chest, ignoring the flutter his words caused. "That's not fair. What if I'm the one who should be protecting you now?" I gestured to myself, accidentally hitting the dashboard. "Oops. But seriously, for all we know, my weird blood makes me stronger than you. Maybe I'm your bodyguard now."

Kael's lips curved into that half-smile that always made my stomach flip. "Is that so?" His eyes darted to me, lingering longer than was safe while driving. "Then I definitely need you." His voice dropped lower, sending a shiver down my spine. "I'll always need you. But right now, I need you rested."

"Stop looking at me like that while you're driving," I mumbled, heat rising to my cheeks.

"Like what?" he asked innocently, but his eyes darkened.

"Like you're thinking about pulling over and doing something other than driving."

His eyebrow quirked up. "Is that what I'm thinking?"

"Kael!" I swatted his arm, feeling the hard muscle beneath his sleeve.

He laughed, a full, rich sound that filled the car. "Fine, fine. Sleep now, seduction later."

"Who said anything about seduction?" I grumbled, but couldn't help smiling.

I wanted to argue more, but exhaustion tugged at me. My head felt heavy, and my thoughts were starting to blur. "Wake me in two hours. I'll take over driving."

"Whatever you say, honey."

The term of endearment sent warmth blooming through my chest and down to my toes. I leaned my head against the window, letting the gentle rumble of the car lull me toward sleep.

"Wait," I said, fighting to keep my eyes open. "Where exactly are we going? You just said 'somewhere safe' which is super vague and not at all reassuring."

"A cabin near the border," Kael replied, his thumb tracing small circles on my palm that made my skin tingle. "Few people know about it. It's isolated, defensible, and has running water and electricity, so you won't have to rough it completely."

"Your secret hideout?" I teased, my words slurring slightly. "Where you take all your women?"

His fingers tightened around mine. "You're the only woman I've ever taken there," he said, his voice suddenly serious. "The only one I ever will."

Something in his tone made my heart skip. "Really?"

"Really." He lifted our joined hands and pressed a kiss to my knuckles, his lips warm against my skin. "Sleep now. I've got you."

This time, I didn't resist. I closed my eyes, letting darkness claim me, the ghost of his kiss lingering on my hand.

I woke to sunlight streaming through the windshield and the smell of coffee tickling my nose. We were parked at a small roadside diner I didn't recognize. My mouth felt dry and tacky, and I was pretty sure my hair looked like a rat's nest.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," Kael said, handing me a steaming cup. The sleeve around it read "Pattie's Pit Stop." "Thought you might need this. Black with two sugars, right?"

I blinked sleepily, accepting the coffee. The warmth seeping through the paper cup felt heavenly against my cold fingers. "You remembered how I take my coffee." I took a sip, the bitter liquid burning a delicious path down my throat.

"You needed the rest." He shrugged and took a sip from his own cup. His hair was slightly damp, like he'd splashed water on his face recently. "Besides, you looked peaceful. I didn't want to disturb you."

"You watched me sleep? That's creepy," I teased, but secretly felt pleased.

"Only at stoplights," he defended with a grin. "And maybe once or twice while parked."

I glanced around, noticing the mountains in the distance. "Where are we?"

"About thirty minutes from the cabin." He took another sip from his cup, his throat working as he swallowed. "Hungry? You were making little stomach growling noises in your sleep."

"I was not!" My face heated as my stomach chose that exact moment to let out a loud gurgle.

Kael laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Come on. They make decent pancakes here. Nothing fancy, but it'll fill you up."

Inside, the diner was nearly empty except for an elderly couple sharing a newspaper and a trucker hunched over his plate at the counter. Country music played softly from speakers in the ceiling. We slid into a booth by the window, the vinyl seats squeaking beneath us. A waitress with tired eyes and a name tag that read "Doris" took our order - pancakes for me, eggs and bacon for Kael.

When she left, I leaned forward, lowering my voice. "We need to talk about what we know so far. I couldn't stop thinking about it before I fell asleep."

Kael nodded, his playful demeanor shifting to something more serious. The transition always amazed me - how he could go from teasing to Alpha mode in seconds. "Go ahead."

"From what we've seen, Conrad, Olivia, and my father Damian are working together," I said, keeping my voice low. I tore open a sugar packet and poured it into my coffee, more for something to do with my hands than anything else. "But I can't shake the feeling there's someone else pulling the strings. Someone we haven't seen yet."

"I've been thinking the same thing." Kael's jaw tightened, the muscle there jumping. "Someone with enough power to unite them. They all have different motivations, different goals. Someone's keeping them in line."

"Who could have that kind of influence?" I stirred my coffee, watching the tiny whirlpool form in the middle. "Olivia's ambitious enough to want to be in charge, not following orders."

Kael's eyes darkened, and he glanced around before leaning closer. I caught the scent of his soap - something woodsy and clean. "Based on what we're seeing – the coordination, the resources, the ability to command wolves from different packs – it has to be someone from the Wolf Alliance."

I nearly choked on my coffee, the hot liquid burning the back of my throat. "The Alliance? Don't they only show up for Alpha transitions and emergencies? Why would they be involved in this mess?"

"Exactly." Kael glanced around again, his posture tense. He lowered his voice to a near whisper. "But there's more to this. The zombie wolves, the dark magic... it points to something specific. Something I've been afraid of since we first encountered those rotting abominations."

The waitress returned with our food, forcing us to pause. The pancakes in front of me were golden and fluffy, topped with melting butter and syrup, but my appetite had suddenly diminished. Once Doris left, I pushed my food around my plate, the sweet smell now making me slightly nauseated.

"What aren't you telling me, Kael?" I stabbed a piece of pancake but didn't bring it to my mouth. "You've got that look."

"What look?" He frowned, setting down his fork.

"The 'I-know-something-terrible-but-don't-want-to-freak-you-out' look." I put my fork down too. "Just tell me."

He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "There was once a general in the Wolf Alliance – one of the most powerful wolves in history. He could win any battle, commanded respect everywhere he went. Wolves would follow him into fire if he asked."

"What was his name?" I asked, though something in me already knew the answer would be bad.

"That comes later," Kael said, his eyes meeting mine. "First, you need to understand what he became. His ambition grew larger than his considerable abilities." Kael's voice hardened, his fingers tightening around his coffee mug. "He craved more power, more territory. The Alliance stands for peace and protection, but he wanted conquest. He was obsessed with fighting, with proving his dominance."

"Sounds like a typical Alpha male with an ego problem," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Kael didn't smile. "This was different. He enjoyed the violence, Layla. The bloodshed. He'd provoke conflicts just to have an excuse to fight."

I felt a chill creep up my spine despite the diner's warmth. "And the Alliance just let him keep doing this?"

"For a while, yes. His results were impressive. Territories secured, enemies defeated." Kael leaned forward, his voice dropping even lower. "During what should have been a simple protection mission, his recklessness and hunger for glory led to an entire unit being slaughtered. Forty-two wolves, Layla. Some of the Alliance's best fighters."

My stomach clenched. "That's awful."

"It gets worse," Kael's knuckles turned white around his coffee mug. "When confronted with his failure, he showed no remorse. Instead, he blamed the dead for being weak. That's when the Alliance finally acted. He became a pariah, cast out by his peers."

"After being abandoned by his people, he swore revenge," I guessed, the story feeling uncomfortably familiar. "But what does this have to do with us? With what's happening now?"

"Many thought he died in exile. Others believed he went into hiding, studying dark magic, plotting his return." Kael paused, his eyes locking with mine. "His name was Alex."