Silence followed.
Not the comfortable kind, but the kind that stretched too long, heavy with thought and unspoken judgment.
Talon said nothing. His expression remained neutral, unreadable, but his mind was already turning the details over with precision. Two casualties only. Both pack members. Both ignoring a direct pack-wide mind link. Both found in the forest instead of shelter.
Too clean.
Too convenient.
Every pack member-every single one knew the rules. When a command came from their Alpha or Luna during an attack, it was not optional. Instinct alone drove them to obey. Disobedience in moments like that was almost unheard of.
And mates?
Mates did not separate. They did not wander blindly into danger when ordered to take shelter.
“All pack members know to follow instructions issued by their leaders,” Talon finally straightened in his chair, and he said evenly. “Especially during an active threat.”
His eyes locked onto Asher’s, sharp and unyielding.
“This is not something I will overlook.” The words were calm, but beneath them was a warning.
Talon had heard the report, and he was not convinced.
“I understand, Alpha King,” Asher said carefully, choosing his words with precision. “But we conducted a full investigation. We had to.”
Talon’s gaze remained steady, unblinking.
“Their daughter demanded answers,” Asher continued. “She deserved at least that much. We questioned the sentries, reviewed the patrol logs, and retraced the timeline of the attack. Every single pack member confirmed the same thing-Luna Hazel’s pack-wide mind link was heard clearly. The order was unmistakable. Everyone was instructed to go to the bunker immediately.”
Asher exhaled slowly. “And they did.”
“All of them?” Talon asked.
“Yes,” Asher said. “Every member accounted for-except the two who died.”
The silence that followed was thick, pressing.
“We searched for any sign of coercion,” Asher went on. “A struggle. Rogue scent. Unusual energy. Anything that could explain why they were in the forest instead of sheltering. But there was nothing. No suspicious traces. No evidence of outside influence.” His jaw tightened. “The only conclusion we could come to was that they chose to disobey orders.”
Talon’s eyes darkened-not with anger, but with calculation.
“Their daughter wanted answers?” he asked quietly. “Explain.”
Asher nodded once. “Diana. She was a warrior. When she learned her parents were among the dead, she demanded to know why they weren’t in the bunker.”
“Was?” Talon repeated, his tone sharpening just slightly.
“Yes,” Asher said. “She resigned from her position as a warrior shortly after.”
That earned Talon’s full attention.
Resignation was rare, especially from warriors forged by discipline, loyalty, and duty. Rarer still were those who had lost family in an attack. Most sought vengeance. Purpose. Not withdrawal.
Enzo’s voice slipped into Talon’s mind, quiet but alert. ‘Did the daughter know something the Alpha doesn’t? Or is she simply suspicious-searching for meaning where there is none?’
Talon did not answer immediately. His gaze drifted briefly toward the window again, toward the forest where the bodies had been found. Moonlight brushed against his sharp features, highlighting the stillness of a predator deep in thought.
Finally, his voice returned-this time through the link.
‘We wouldn’t know,’ Talon replied. ‘And Asher is correct in one regard. We cannot question the dead.’
He shifted slightly in his chair, power rolling outward-not aggressively, but with quiet authority.
‘If every pack member heard the mind link, and every other member obeyed it,’ Talon continued, ‘then logic dictates only one conclusion.’
His eyes returned to Asher.
“The only reason they would be in the forest,” Talon said aloud, “is because they disobeyed a direct order from their Luna.”
The words landed heavily.
Disobedience during an attack was not just reckless. It was unthinkable.
And yet…
Talon’s instincts remained unsettled.
Too many things aligned too neatly. Too many explanations ended with we don’t know. Too many answers relied on the silence of the dead.
He did not accuse.
Not yet.
But deep within him, the Alpha King marked the name Diana and the circumstances surrounding her parents’ deaths as something that warranted remembering. Because in Talon’s experience, the truth rarely revealed itself all at once.
And when something felt too simple…
It never was.
“Alpha,” Enzo said carefully, his tone measured as his sharp eyes swept the chamber before settling back on Talon, “I believe we can set aside the matter of the attack that happened months ago-for now. We are not here to reopen old wounds.” He paused, letting the silence stretch just long enough to emphasize his next words. “We are here to help you find your mate.”
The word mate struck like a thunderclap.
Talon’s breath hitched-barely perceptible, but inside him, everything exploded.
Fenrir surged to life, awakening with feral intensity, his presence crashing against Talon’s mind like a tidal wave.
Mate.
The instinct was immediate. Violent. All-consuming.
‘Yes,’ Fenrir growled, rising to his full, massive presence. ‘Rogues are nothing. Old attacks are nothing. None of it matters.’
Talon kept his face carefully neutral, though his pulse thundered in his ears.
‘What matters is mate,’ Fenrir continued, pacing restlessly within his mind, senses flaring outward. ‘She had not been inside the pack house. As soon as we entered, her scent faded. I cannot smell her.’
His agitation sharpened, turning to irritation-then disgust.
‘All I smell is that pretentious Luna,’ Fenrir snarled. ‘Perfumed lies. Hunger masked as grace. Her scent is wrong-sour beneath the sweetness.’
Talon clenched his jaw.
‘We need to go,’ Fenrir insisted. ‘Now. Leave this pack. Search. Find her. Protect her.’
‘We cannot simply walk through another pack’s territory like predators,’ Talon responded instantly, his voice firm within their shared consciousness. ‘This is not our land.’
Fenrir bristled. ‘We are the Alpha King.’
‘And still bound by law,’ Talon countered. ‘Hierarchy exists for a reason. Even kings must respect borders. If we destabilize this pack-‘
‘I do not care,’ Fenrir snapped viciously. ‘I care about mate. She is unclaimed. Vulnerable. Every second we waste puts her at risk.’
Talon exhaled slowly, forcing patience into his thoughts.
‘And that is exactly why we must be cautious,’ he replied. ‘Power used recklessly creates chaos. Chaos creates enemies.’
Fenrir’s growl rumbled deep and low, vibrating through Talon’s bones.
‘Then we will take her away from here,’ Fenrir pressed. ‘Bring her to our lands. We just need to search until we find her-then mate. Then protect.’
Talon closed his eyes for a fleeting heartbeat.
‘We will find her,’ he said, his tone steady, commanding. ‘But not like this.’
Fenrir stilled, listening.
‘The ball will gather wolves from every corner of this territory,’ Talon continued. ‘Unmated. I am sure she will be one of them. She is within this pack. We smelled her earlier, although it was faint. But I am sure that is just, she has not been near the pack house.’
There was a long, tense pause. Fenrir’s frustration simmered, but slowly-reluctantly-it settled.
‘Be patient,’ Talon added. ‘Just a little longer.’
The silence between them tightened, coiled with restrained instinct and anticipation.
Talon lifted his gaze, fully present once more. He looked first at Enzo, who watched him closely, perceptive enough to sense the storm Talon kept locked behind calm eyes. Then his attention shifted to Asher, standing tall and composed, though his shoulders were tense-as if he could feel the weight of Talon’s authority pressing against the room.
“Very well,” Talon said aloud, his voice smooth, regal, unquestionable. “We will set all other matters aside for now.”
He straightened slightly before speaking again. “Can someone lead us to a room we may use?” Talon asked Asher. “We will require privacy. And need to prepare for the party later.”
“Of course, Alpha,” Asher responded immediately. His eyes blurred for a brief second-a clear sign of a mind link reaching outward, summoning someone within the pack. When his focus returned, his expression remained respectful, controlled.
“Someone will escort you shortly,” he added.
Talon inclined his head once in acknowledgment. Inside him, Fenrir stirred again-not with rage this time, but with a low, restless anticipation.
‘She is close,’ Fenrir murmured. ‘I can feel the pull beginning.’
Talon said nothing, but his chest tightened.
The ball was no longer a formality or a false pretense.
It was destiny waiting to reveal itself.
After a few hours, Talon and Enzo stood within the grand hall of the Crimson Fang pack, surrounded by glittering lights, echoing music, and the thick press of wolves gathered for the mating ball the Luna herself had organized.
The space was lavish-almost aggressively so. Crystal chandeliers hung from high stone ceilings, reflecting firelight and moonlight in fractured patterns across polished floors. Long banners bearing the Crimson Fang crest lined the walls, and the air was heavy with mingling scents: excitement, desire, ambition, desperation.
Talon felt none of it.
His posture was rigid, shoulders squared, presence cold and immovable amid the swirl of movement around him. Wolves instinctively gave him space-an unconscious reaction to the Alpha King’s restrained power. Conversations faltered as he passed. Laughter dimmed. Eyes followed him with awe, fear, and calculated interest.
And through it all, Luna Hazel hovered. She had been trying to draw his attention from the moment they entered the hall-laughing too loudly near him, positioning herself just within his line of sight, wearing a gown that seemed designed less for dignity and more for provocation.
The fabric clung to her curves, cut dangerously low, slit high along her thigh, shimmering like it was begging to be noticed.
Fenrir snarled at the sight of her.
Enzo leaned slightly closer to Talon, not speaking aloud.
‘Alpha,’ Enzo mind-linked, his tone dry and edged with clear irritation. ‘With the look on your face right now, no one would dare approach you. You look like you’re deciding who to kill first.’
‘And that Luna,’ Enzo added, disgust bleeding through the bond, is doing herself no favors. ‘She’s practically naked. I can’t tell if she’s trying to seduce you or challenge your patience. How can her Alpha tolerate her is beyond me.’
Talon didn’t look at Hazel again.
‘My mate is not in this ball,’ he replied quietly through the link.
Enzo stiffened. ‘Not here? You were sure-‘
‘I was,’ Talon cut in. ‘I smelled her earlier when we arrived. Faint. Elusive. But it was her. I’m certain.’ His jaw tightened. ‘But now… nothing. I can’t smell her at all.’
Inside him, Fenrir stirred violently.
‘Mate not here,’ Fenrir growled, his voice sharp with frustration. ‘You said she would be here. She is not.’
The wolf’s agitation surged, pounding against Talon’s skull.
‘Let me out,’ Fenrir demanded. ‘We need to find mate. Need to protect mate.’
Talon’s fingers curled slowly at his side as Fenrir’s presence expanded, claws scraping, instincts screaming.
‘Mate!’ Fenrir howled inside him. ‘Where are you?!’
The sound echoed through Talon’s mind, raw and desperate. Pain flared behind his eyes. Talon lifted a hand and pressed his fingers to his forehead, massaging his reminding temples, forcing control through sheer will.
‘Enough,’ Talon commanded silently. ‘You will not lose control here.’
Fenrir paced like a caged beast, his rage coiling tighter with every passing second.
‘She is in danger,’ Fenrir insisted. ‘You feel it. I feel it. Every second we waste-‘
Talon exhaled slowly through his nose, grounding himself as the music swelled around them, as laughter rang out too loudly, as Hazel moved closer once more, her scent thick with manufactured allure.
Enzo watched Talon carefully, reading the tension etched into his Alpha’s stillness.
‘Maybe,’ Enzo offered cautiously through the link, ‘we can check with the Luna. See if all available females are present. If someone is missing-‘
He never finished the thought.
The first alarm horn shattered the music.
A deep, blaring sound ripped through the hall, vibrating through stone and bone alike.
For a heartbeat, no one moved.
Then chaos erupted.
Wolves gasped. Glass shattered. The music died mid-note as panic surged like a living thing through the crowd. Guards rushed toward exits, voices overlapping, commands shouted.
“Rogues!” a pack member screamed, bursting into the hall, eyes wide with terror. “Rogues are coming!”
Fear slammed into the room.
Fenrir went deathly still.
Then-
‘Rogues,’ he snarled, fury igniting instantly. ‘And mate is missing.’
Talon’s hand dropped from his forehead as his eyes hardened, Alpha instincts snapping into place.
‘Mate!’ Fenrir roared the instant the alarm horn split the air, its sound echoing through the pack grounds like a warning from the gods themselves. ‘We need to look for our mate now!’
The cry of wolves followed, panicked and sharp, rising from the southern end of the territory. The scent of blood, fear, and unfamiliar wolves bled into the wind, curling around Talon’s senses. He is stiffened.
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply