Ignite | ✔

32

32 - The Smoke Settling

HADEN

     The aftermath of the battle left a mark on the Redwood territory, the red dust settling beneath the pile of dead rogues, death cloaking the air. With the strength of victory on our backs, I led my pack warriors to Bryon's pack house, the gravity of the situation still weighing heavily on our shoulders. The Rogue King might not have been here, but it didn't lessen the fact that he was still out there. We needed to come together so our packs could be aligned once again. The crescent moon hung low in the night sky, casting a silvery glow on the pack house as it came into view.

Wounded men sat on the steps on the patio and when they saw us, they stood and guarded the pack house.

"Stand down," a voice sounded from behind them and I watched as Hunter, the Gamma stepped forward. The bearded man stepped forward and shuffled down the steps to greet me.

"We appreciate you coming," he said outstretching his hand. I shook it and nodded as he continued, "Bryon's downstairs questioning the rogues we did manage to capture."

"Actually Bryon's right here," I heard him from the threshold. Bryon emerged, a figure marked by the aftermath of the battle. My eyes caught his, noticing him wiping the blood from his hands with a cloth as he stepped down the stairs and came to meet me.

Our eyes locked, the air cracking with the residue of tension between us, an invisible forcefield that mirrored the recent clash of wolves on the battlefield. His gaze bore the weight of the recent events, both today and from our fight last week. The silence stretched between us, a canvas painted with unspoken words and shared experiences.

In that charged moment, we stood as equals, leaders who had weathered the storm. The tension remained palpable, a lingering reminder of the struggles faced and the unspoken challenges that lay ahead.

"Coming for a thank you, Pierce?" he asked bluntly.

"That is the typical response for saving your ass," I pushed back.

"We were doing just fine on our own," he insisted.

"Oh yeah? Which side of the battlefield were you on? You weren't exactly walking in a field of rainbows and sunshine when we got here, Chambers,"

"Oh, you think you're funny, do you?"

"No, but they seem to," I smirked, nudging my head to the men trying not to laugh. He glanced behind him and the men shuffled on their feet and avoided his gaze. Looking back at me, he stared me down and when he realized the smirk wasn't going away, he rolled his eyes.

"You're an asshole," he said but a smile came on his face and he outstretched his hand. I chuckled and grabbed his hand, embracing him in a hug before pulling back.

"Water under the bridge?" I asked him and his brow raised.

"After all that bullshit? No chance am I letting you off that easy," he shoved my shoulders. "I'm guessing you found her then?"

I met his eyes for a second then looked towards the empty field. "Yes, she's back in my territory now. When I find the bastard who took her, I'll rip him apart limb from limb."

"You'll have to tell me about it another time but for now, I'm about to..." he started but he trailed off when he saw a figure crossing the threshold. I glanced towards the front door and the shock that came over me left me speechless.

"Natalia?"

She glanced at me nervously before looking towards Bryon, and my brows furrowed in confusion at the look they shared with each other.