Ethan's POV

The memory of Isabella’s arrival lingered. Her face, her words – everything about her felt like a ghost coming back to haunt me. I couldn’t deny she had once been a part of my life, but everything had changed.

Even knowing that, her presence stirred a strange unease within me, one I hadn’t felt in years. I looked out over the Pack lands, thoughts heavy as I tried to shake off the feeling.

Marlus, ever observant, approached, his expression wary. “Alpha, you’ve been a bit... off lately. Want to talk about it?”

I shifted, avoiding his gaze. Alpha, not Ethan. This wasn’t just a friendly chat. This was my Beta come to give me a warning.

“It’s nothing. Just... Isabella being here. It’s complicated.”

He tilted his head, studying me. “Complicated how? She’s your past. Luna Olivia’s your present. And if I know you, you want her to be your future too.”

My wolf stirred at that, a possessive growl rumbling within. “Exactly. I have no interest in reopening that door. With anyone. But Isabella being here... it just brings up things I thought I’d left behind.”

Marlus let out a low chuckle. “Old bonds are like scars: they fade, but they don’t vanish. Look, if there’s still some unresolved attachment, you’d better deal with it now before it interferes with what you’re building here with our Luna.”

I clenched my fists, frustration mounting. “There’s nothing to resolve. Isabella and I... it was a bond, but it’s over.” I could hear the bitterness in my own voice. “Olivia doesn’t know the whole story. Seeing Isabella, I… I can’t help but worry what Olivia might think.”

“Then tell her,” Marlus said, voice firm. “Lay it all out. Don’t let Isabella’s shadow hang over you, or worse, over Olivia.”

A beat of silence passed as I weighed his words. It sounded simple, but emotions were rarely simple, especially when it came to Olivia.

Still, Marlus’s advice rang true. I owed Olivia honesty, and more than that, I owed her a reason to trust me.

Just as I opened my mouth to respond, his expression shifted, a shadow darkening his face. “While we’re on the subject of threats, there’s something else you need to know.”

I narrowed my eyes, already on edge. “What?”

He hesitated, and that was unlike him. “It’s Aiden. He’s been seen near Thorne Ridge Pack, stirring things up. Rumors, alliances... it seems he’s trying to rally support there behind Olivia’s back.”

A dangerous heat simmered within me. My brother couldn’t go a day without sabotaging someone. But this? It crossed a line. “If he thinks he can meddle with her Pack, he’s got another thing coming.”

Marlus gave a grim nod. “He’s playing with fire. And it’s putting you, Olivia, and her Pack at risk. Which is why I’ve been thinking…”

He hesitated again, and I glared at him. “Out with it, Beta.”

“Gideon. He’s one of Aiden’s key allies. If you give him what he wants, we could sway him. He’d have no choice but to side with you over Aiden.”

I gritted my teeth, immediately knowing what Marlus meant. “Olivia’s formula.”

“I know it’s not ideal, but we’re running out of time. If Aiden stirs enough doubt, it could screw everything, including her Pack’s independence. She’s worked hard for that and wouldn’t want it taken away, least of all because of us.”

The weight of his words settled heavily on me. He was right. Asking Olivia to sacrifice her ambition went against everything I valued about her. And yet, protecting her meant solidifying my own position, even if it involved bending.

I looked back at Marlus, my resolve hardening. “We’ll keep that as a last resort. But for now... we keep Aiden away from Thorne Ridge.”

My wolf pressed towards the surface, snapping his jaws at the threat to his new Mate.

“And Isabella—she’s not coming between Olivia and me, or what we’re working towards.”

---

The sky had darkened by the time Marlus and I made it to the Thorne Ridge Pack grounds. The sounds of nightfall – the rustle of leaves, the occasional chirp of crickets – were underscored by the steady footsteps of Thorne Ridge’s warriors as we joined them in patrol.

A warrior named Kerrick, one of Olivia’s most trusted guards, fell into step beside me. His sharp gaze swept the tree line, and though his expression was neutral, there was a subtle tension in his posture.

“We’ve noticed unfamiliar scents at the edges of our territory,” he said, voice low. “They come and go. Never crossing the boundary, but close enough to make a point.”

I glanced at Marlus, whose jaw tightened in response. “Aiden,” he muttered, his voice thick with frustration. “And likely his followers.”

Kerrick nodded. “We thought as much. Luna Olivia’s issued instructions to keep the perimeters guarded. She doesn’t want anyone caught off guard.”

I clenched my fists, feeling a protective surge rising within me. “Thank you, Kerrick. We’ll continue patrols with your warriors tonight.”

As we moved through the dense woods, I could feel the determination of the Thorne Ridge warriors around me, each one loyal to Olivia, as steadfast as my own Pack members.

Their loyalty reassured me, but also reminded me of the lengths Aiden might go to challenge us. He was a threat I could not afford to ignore.

“She’s strong,” Marlus murmured as we reached the eastern edge of the grounds. “Your Luna. She’s doing everything to protect them.”

Hearing Olivia called my Luna made my chest tighten. The threat of Aiden prowling near her Pack was an insult I would not let stand.

The moment the scent hit me, sharp and unmistakably Aiden, my wolf surged to the surface, filling me with a primal urge to hunt him down.

Aiden’s scent was laced with something acidic, almost taunting, as though he’d deliberately lingered close enough to be detected, knowing it would trigger a response.

I shot a glance at Marlus and Kerrick, who nodded, and we fell into a swift pace following the trail.

The Thorne Ridge warriors scattered to surround the area, their own instincts firing to protect their Luna and their territory. We moved silently, weaving through the dense trees, catching traces of Aiden’s scent on the wind as he darted ahead of us.

For a moment, it felt like we might be closing in on him. His trail grew stronger, each whiff carrying the promise of cornering him.

My wolf snarled within me, pushing me forward, teeth bared at the thought of finally catching him.

But Aiden was faster than I’d remembered, his movements swift and precise. He knew these woods better than I did, slipping between shadows and using the thick cover of trees to his advantage.

Just as I felt we were closing the distance, his scent wavered, splitting in two directions as he pivoted, throwing us off course.

We pushed on, my heart pounding as we chased both trails, unwilling to give up. But Aiden’s scent faded into nothing, leaving only frustration in its place.

My wolf snarled at the loss, my instincts urging me to press on, to hunt, to protect.

Finally, I slowed to a stop, my fists clenched, my breath coming hard and fast. We’d been so close.

But this was far from over.