Chapter 108

Chapter 108
Ivonne's POV

The ride back to the pack house was strained, if quiet, between Tobias and me. His fists gripped the steering wheel, jaw locked as he piloted the car smoothly through city streets at night. I could feel the anger that seethed beneath his skin still, after that night's dinner with Caldwell.

I reached out and put my hand on his thigh, squeezing gently. "Tobias," I said to him, softly, quietly.

His grip relaxed a little, but he didn't respond immediately. He breathed in through his nostrils instead, as if attempting to steady himself.

"He called you names," he snarled finally, voice low but anger evident. "Right in front of me."

"And you did," I told him. "You kept your cool, and that's the secret. You understand he was trying to get to you." 

Tobias laughed so hard his head recoiled. "If I'd been concerned with keeping our company's reputation, I would have torn his throat out at that moment."

I smiled half-against-my-will at his defensiveness, but recognizing that Caldwell didn't have the right to get Tobias' ire. "That would have made one heck of a headline," I quipped. "'CEO of Blackwood Enterprises Arrested for Murder at Elite Restaurant.'"

Tobias gave me a look from the corner of his eye, the left side of his lip twisting into a crooked smile against his will. "You find this amusing, don't you?"

I sat back in my seat, feigning naivety. "Who, me? Never."

He took a deep breath, his head moving back and forth. "You're lucky I love you."

"I know," I teased again, squeezing his thigh once more.

The latter part of the ride was sedate, and by the time we reached the pack house Tobias had nearly regained all his equilibrium. He navigated the Range Rover to the door but instead of opening up right away faced me with a set expression once again.

"I don't ever want you within reach of him again," he instructed brusquely. "Not single-handed. Not for a single second."

I nodded. "I wasn't prepared."

His eyes eased a bit, but I knew that the rest of the fury still simmered within him. "Go on in," he released, stepping aside and to the other side of me and opening the door for me.

The night air stung with chill as I emerged into it, and Tobias had no hesitation in slipping a possessive arm around the bottom of my waist, pushing me toward the door.

It was quiet within, most of the pack already asleep for the night. A few of the warriors at the entrance, saluting us as we passed through.

We went up the curving stairs to our rooms, and the second Tobias shut the door behind us, I knew what was to come.

He turned to me, his eyes dark and full of pent-up emotion. I never did get a chance to make a noise before he was on me, holding me against the door, his arms cinched tight around my waist as his mouth consumed mine.

The kiss was savage, uncontrollable, full of ugly feeling and rage. I was submitting to him, my hands molding in his hair as he yanked me tightly against him.

"You're mine," he growled against my lips, his voice trembling with emotion.

"I know," I panted, my flesh already burning for him.

He lifted me up with ease, my legs wrapped around his waist, as he came to set me on the bed. But just as he was setting me down, someone frantically pounded on the door, halting us.

Tobias growled a rage-filled, outraged grunt, his forehead against my face. "If whoever they are have a goddamned right to break and enter, I'll be a happy man," he growled.

I burst out laughing, my hand tracing the path of his jaw. "Go check. I'll stay here."

Slowly, he put me down on the ground and walked towards the door, pushing it open.

Leo simply stood there, his expression un readable. "Sorry to interrupt so late, Alpha," he spoke to me, glancing at me for a moment before turning his attention back to Tobias. "But you need to see. It's an emergency."

Tobias's rage evaporated in an instant, his face flashing bright alpha. "What is it?"

Leo moved aside and two soldiers pushed a young burglar into the hall. The youth was battered, his clothes in shreds, and his face smudged with dirt and dried congealed blood.

Tobias's brow furrowed. "Who are you?"

The intruder swallowed hard, squirming uncomfortably under Tobias's intense stare. "My name is Aaron," he croaked. "I—I must speak with you, Alpha. Regarding your territory."

Tobias stepped back from Leo's line of sight and retreated a pace. "Bring him in."

The warriors relaxed their grip somewhat, and Aaron stepped inside. His gaze leapt to me before he was hastily looked away, his tension clear.

"What do you know of my land?" Tobias growled, his voice cold.

Aaron swallowed before speaking. "There's an attack coming."

I had air trapped in my lungs, and Tobias's entire body tensed. "What are you saying?"

"I'm telling you," Aaron rushed the words out with a nervous tone in his voice, "there's a pack—outlaw and outlander—who are going to intrude on your pack. They've been accumulating for weeks, biding their time until the time when they'll be ready."

The room was heavy with tension.

There was no concession in Tobias's face, but I could feel the surge of power emanating off of him. "And why would I do that?" he replied, voice a cold sheet of ice.

Aaron's fists were still clenched. "Because I was one of them once."

Leo's muscles coiled and Tobias's eyes flashed with tightly leashed fury. "Tell me," he growled.

Aaron drew a breath. "I was with them a few days ago. They made me promises of power, land—but I saw what they really were. They don't desire your land, Alpha. They desire to reduce it to ashes. Your pack, your people. They desire to reduce them to ashes."

Tobias regarded him with cold eyes. "Who is their leader?"

Aaron winced before at last speaking. "A man named Darius."

The words sent a wave of tension across the room.

Tobias's fists clenched. "Darius is dead,"

Aaron shook his head. "He's alive. And he's coming for you."

A chill ran down into my chest for the first time that evening. I'd heard whispers about Darius—a violent rogue pack leader who was supposed to have died years before a packs war. If he even lived.

Tobias's eyes locked onto Leo. "Wake the council. I have to be in thirty minutes."

Leo nodded and left.

Tobias's eyes came back to me, his face relaxing a little. "Ivonne, I want you to stay with me. No going outside pack house without me or the warriors."

I nodded.

His hand on my cheek. "This is not another attack. If Darius makes it, this is war."

I swallowed hard, resolve settling in my chest. "Then we'll be ready."

Tobias gazed at me for a moment before embracing me and holding me close to him.

War drew close.

And we would battle it as a unit.