Mara's POV
The boardroom explodes inward.
Glass shatters across the conference table as a man ran through the door, sending two security guards flying. I'm on my feet instantly, my chair clattering backward. The ten executives around the table scatter like startled prey.
Declan doesn't move. He sits at the head of the table, fingers pressed together, watching the intruder with cold eyes.
The man tries to stand straight, brushing glass off his shoulders. He is tall, built like a fighter, with shoulder-length blond hair and a scar running down his jaw. His eyes are pure gold, wolf eyes, not even trying to hide it.
"Declan Cross." His voice fills the room. "We need to talk."
"Kieran." Declan's tone could freeze blood. "You are interrupting."
So this is Kieran Vale. The rival Alpha I have heard whispers about. The one who has been trying to take Declan's territory for years.
Kieran's eyes sweep the room and land on me. He goes completely still. Then he smiles, slow and dangerous.
"Well, well. The Thorne girl." He takes a step closer. "I heard rumors you were dead."
My wolf bristles. "You heard wrong."
"Everyone out," Declan says quietly. The executives rush for the door. Declan's hand shoots out and grabs my wrist when I try to follow. "Not you."
The door closes. It is just the three of us now.
Kieran circles the table like a shark. "Interesting choice of mate, Cross. The daughter of the pack you destroyed. Does she know what you did to her father? How you personally signed off on every foreclosure notice?"
"Get to the point," Declan says.
"Here is my offer." Kieran stops across from us, palms flat on the table. "Give me the girl. Merge your northern territories with mine. Or I will declare pack war and take everything."
Declan laughs. Actually laughs. "You think you can take my territory?"
"I think you are weakened. That mate bond is making you soft." Kieran's eyes lock on me again. "She is a pretty thing. I can see why you want to keep her. But she is not worth dying over."
"Try me."
The temperature in the room drops. Both Alphas are staring each other down, and I can feel their power pressing against my skin like a physical force.
"You have forty-eight hours," Kieran says. "Hand her over, or my pack moves in."
Declan stands slowly. "Get out of my building."
"Gladly." Kieran heads for the destroyed door, then pauses. "Oh, and Mara? When this is over and Cross is dead, I'll make sure your family is taken care of. You have my word."
He is gone before I can respond.
Declan's hand is still around my wrist. His grip tightens. "You are not leaving my sight."
"I can protect myself."
"Not from him." He pulls me toward the private elevator. "Kieran does not make empty threats. If he says war, he means it."
We ride down to the parking garage in silence. My mind is racing. This is exactly what I need, chaos between the two Alphas. If they destroy each other, my pack goes free.
The elevator doors open. Declan steps out first, scanning the garage.
That is when I smell them. Three wolves, hiding behind the concrete pillars.
"Declan…"
They attack.
The first one comes from the left, already shifted, a massive gray wolf launching at Declan's throat. Declan shifts mid-step, his clothes tearing, and catches the wolf by the neck. They crash into a parked car, setting off alarms.
The second wolf comes for me.
I drop and roll, letting him sail over my head. My shift ripples through me, painful and fast. My wolf form is smaller than the male's, but faster.
I rush between his legs and bite his back leg. He howls and twists, trying to shake me off.
The third wolf tackles me from the side. We go down hard, my head cracking against concrete. His jaws snap inches from my throat. I kick up with my back legs, claws raking his belly.
A roar shakes the entire garage.
Declan's wolf is massive, black as midnight with those ice-blue eyes. He has the first wolf pinned, jaws around its throat. One bite and it's over.
The wolf on top of me hesitates. Fatal mistake.
Declan drops the dead wolf and launches himself at my attacker. They collide with a sickening crunch. Blood sprays across the concrete. The third wolf tries to run.
Declan is faster. He catches it by the spine and shakes once. The crack echoes through the garage.
I shift back to human, naked and bleeding from a gash on my shoulder. Declan shifts too, covered in blood that isn't his. Three dead wolves lie scattered around us.
"Kieran's men," he says, breathing hard.
I nod, pressing my hand to my shoulder. Blood seeps between my fingers.
His eyes lock on the wound. Something feral crosses his face. He crosses to me in two strides, scoops me up like I weigh nothing, and carries me toward his car.
"I can walk."
"Shut up." He sets me in the passenger seat, then climbs in and speeds out of the garage.
We're back at his penthouse in minutes. He carries me straight to the bathroom and sets me on the counter. The shower is already running, steam filling the room.
"This is going to scar," I say, looking at my shoulder in the mirror.
"Good." He strips off his bloody clothes. "Everyone will know you survived."
He pulls me into the shower. The hot water stings my wound, but his hands are gentle as he washes the blood away. Then they are not gentle anymore.
His mouth finds mine, desperate and claiming. My back hits the tile wall. His hands grip my thighs and lift.
"You almost died," he growls against my neck.
"So did you."
He bites down where my shoulder meets my neck, his mark, his claim. I cry out and dig my nails into his back, drawing blood.
The water runs red around our feet.