Kael shouldn't have been here. Crestwood's neon-lit streets mocked him as he leaned against a lamppost, the glow barely touching the shadows where he hid. Moonlit Brew's sign flickered across the road, its warmth a lie compared to the storm raging inside him. Lena was in there, he could feel her, like a pull on his soul, stronger than last night's howl still echoing in his head. His wolf clawed at his chest, demanding he move, claim her, damn the consequences. But Silverfang law wasn't just words, it was blood, and he was Alpha. He didn't get to want what he couldn't have.
Yet here he was, drawn like a moth to her flame.
He'd tried to stay away. After Rhea's warning, he'd buried himself in patrols, tracking that strange howl deep in Blackwood Forest. It wasn't Thornclaw—he'd know their stench anywhere. Something older, wilder, like the one from Lena's scent that wasn't quite human. His wolf had snarled at the thought, protective, possessive. He'd come up empty, the trail vanishing near the river, but every step had brought him back to her. Her hazel eyes. Her stubborn mouth. The way she'd faced him in the park, fearless despite the mugger's blood on his hands.
"Idiot," he muttered, shoving his hands into his jacket. One look. That's all he'd allow himself.
Then he'd leave, lock his wolf down, and figure out how to keep her safe without losing everything.
The café's bell jingled as a customer left, and her scent hit him—honey, cedar, a kick that made his blood sing. Kael crossed the street before he could stop himself, boots silent on the pavement. The window showed her behind the counter, tying her chestnut hair into a messy bun, her apron smudged with coffe She laughed at something, a coworker,
maybe, and the sound twisted through him, sharp and sweet.
He pushed the door open, the bell's chime louder than his heartbeat. The cafe was half-empty, a couple in the corner, an old guy with a newspaper. Lena looked up, and their eyes locked. His wolf surged, gold bleeding into his vision. She froze, her rag slipping from her hand, and he saw it, a flicker in her gaze, like she felt it too. The bond. Impossible, but there.
"Kael," she said, her voice soft but steady. Not a question. Like she'd been waiting.
He nodded, throat tight, and stepped to the counter. Up close, her scent was dizzying, wrapping around him like a leash. "Lena."
She tilted her head, studying him. No fear, just curiosity, with that spark he'd seen in the park.
"You're not here for coffee, are you?"
His lips twitched, almost a smile. "Not exactly." She raised an eyebrow, leaning forward, her hands braced on the counter. "Then why are you here? Twice in two days, lurking like a bad spy movie."
He should've lied, walked away. But her defiance, the way she called him out, made his wolf howl with approval. "You're trouble," he said instead, voice low, rougher than he meant.
"Says the guy who tackled a mugger and vanished." She crossed her arms, but her cheeks flushed, betraying her. "What's your deal, Kael?"
He didn't answer. Couldn't. His eyes dropped to her hands, inches from his, and his wolf pushed harder, urging him to touch her, test the bond. He gripped the counter to keep still, wood creaking under his strength. "You're okay? After last night?"
Her gaze softened, just a fraction. "Yeah. Thanks to you." She paused, then added, "But you didn't need to run off. I don't bite."
His wolf growled, picturing her bite in ways that made his blood heat. "Maybe I do," he said, half-teasing, half-warning.
Her laugh was quick, bright, and it hit him like a punch. "Bold for a guy who doesn't even order coffee."
"Fine." He leaned closer, their faces too close now, the air charged. "Make me something.
Your call."
She smirked, turning to the espresso machine, but her movements were jittery, like she felt the pull too. He watched her work, every motion drawing him in, the curve of her neck, the way her fingers danced over the cups. His wolf was a storm, clawing at his control, and he let himself imagine, just for a second, what it'd be like to give in. To claim her here, now, pack be damned.
She slid a cup toward him, steam curling from the dark liquid. "Black, like your vibe. Try it."
He reached for it, and their hands brushed.
Lightning cracked through him—hot, raw, binding. The mate bond flared, undeniable, a pulse that said mine. Lena gasped, yanking her hand back, her eyes wide. Coffee spilled, soaking the counter, but neither moved. Her scent spiked, fear and something else, something that matched his own hunger.
"What was that?" she whispered, clutching her hand like it burned.
Kael's heart pounded, his wolf roaring to close the distance. He saw it in her eyes, she'd felt it, even without knowing what it was. "Lena-"
The bell jingled, sharp and sudden. Kael tensed, his senses snapping to the door. A woman entered, her silver braid glinting, Rhea. Her green eyes flicked from him to Lena, narrowing. She didn't speak, just grabbed a table near the window, but Kael knew that look. She'd seen enough.
He stepped back, forcing his voice steady.
"Keep the coffee. I'll be back."
Lena frowned, confused, but he was already moving out the door before she could argue.
The night air hit him, cold and sharp, but it couldn't douse the fire in his veins. That touch, her skin on his—had sealed it. She was his mate, human or not, and no law could change that.
He slipped into the alley, needing distance, needing air. Rhea's warning from yesterday echoed, the pack won't stand for it, but it was drowned by Lena's scent still clinging to him.
He'd been a fool to think he could walk away.
Not now. Not after that.
***
Across town, Torin crouched in the shadows of Crestwood's outskirts, his enforcer's badge glinting under his jacket. He'd followed Kael on a hunch, trailing his Alpha's scent to the café.
He'd seen it all—the way Kael looked at the human girl, the way their hands touched, the air crackling like a storm. Torin's lips curled, not quite a smile.
A human. A mate. The pack would lose their minds.
He pulled out his phone, fingers hovering over the screen. Rhea needed to know—hell, the elders did too. Kael was strong, but this? This was a crack in the Silverfang's armor, and Torin wasn't the only one who'd exploit it. His thumb hit send, the message short and damning:
Alpha's with a human. Café. Now.
In the distance, a howl rose, sharp and hungry.
Not Silverfang. Not alone.