Chapter : The Scent of Cedar

The night settled in thick and restless, the firelight casting flickering shadows against the rocky walls of the cave.

Rain sat at the edge, his silver eyes locked on the glow of the flames, yet his mind was far from the crackling embers. The tension in his body refused to ease, wound tight with the weight of Nathaniel's words.

You don't have a choice.

The Alpha King's arrogance had always been insufferable, but this time, the worst part was knowing he was right. If Althea had been sent to eliminate him, then he was the key to drawing her out. But what gnawed at him wasn't the risk of being used as bait—it was the way Nathaniel had said, Me.

Like he had any right to stand between me and my own damn fate.

A sharp breath left his lips, his claws digging into the cold stone beneath him. Soren sat nearby, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. The Beta had been unusually quiet since Nathaniel's declaration, though Rain knew he was stewing in his own frustration.

Nathaniel, on the other hand, was entirely at ease, stretched out against the opposite side of the cave, his amber gaze steady. There was a dangerous calm in the way he watched Rain, like a predator studying its prey—not with hunger, but with a deep, unwavering possession.

That look set fire to Rain's nerves.

"You're staring." Rain's voice was low, a warning edged with irritation.

Nathaniel smirked, entirely unbothered. "You're interesting to watch."

Rain scoffed, looking away. "I'd rather you didn't."

"You say that," Nathaniel murmured, "but your heartbeat tells a different story."

A hot flush rose to Rain's face, anger sparking in his chest. "You—"

"Enough," Soren cut in, his voice sharp. "We should focus on what comes next, not whatever this is."

Rain exhaled harshly, grateful for the interruption. "Fine. What's the plan?"

Nathaniel leaned forward, the firelight casting sharp lines against his face. "We let word slip that you're alone."

Soren's brow furrowed. "And how exactly do we do that without it being obvious bait?"

Nathaniel smirked. "We make it believable."

The plan required speed, precision, and deception. Nathaniel had contacts within the underbelly of the supernatural world, whispers that could spread a single rumor like wildfire.

The news had to be simple: The Blood Moon Omega is alone. Vulnerable. The Alpha King has abandoned him.

It was a risk. A dangerous one. But it would work.

The hardest part was making it convincing.

And that meant Nathaniel had to leave.

Rain hated the way his chest tightened at the thought. He hated the way his wolf stirred with something close to discomfort when Nathaniel finally stood, the flickering firelight catching the sharp edges of his smirk.

"Try not to get yourself killed while I'm gone," Nathaniel drawled.

Rain rolled his eyes. "Try not to be too smug when you come crawling back."

Nathaniel chuckled, stepping close enough that the heat of his body sent a shiver up Rain's spine. His amber eyes gleamed with something unreadable, something dangerous.

"Careful, little wolf," he murmured, voice barely above a whisper. "Keep talking like that, and I might think you're waiting for me."

Before Rain could snap back, Nathaniel turned and disappeared into the night, leaving behind the faint scent of cedar and something entirely infuriating.

The cave felt colder in his absence.

Three days passed in a blur of tense anticipation. Rain stayed close to the clearing, his body wound tight with the awareness that eyes were watching.

He could feel the weight of unseen presences lurking just beyond the trees, the whispers of something dark slithering through the night.

Althea wouldn't be able to resist.

And then—on the fourth night—it happened.

The air shifted.

A shadow moved.

Rain barely had time to react before a sharp, slicing wind lashed toward him. He twisted out of the way, his instincts flaring to life. Claws met steel as he blocked the strike, his breath coming in sharp bursts.

Althea stood before him, dark eyes glowing like liquid night. Her presence was suffocating, her power thick in the air.

"I have to say," she murmured, tilting her head, "I almost believed it."

Rain's heart pounded. "Believed what?"

Her lips curled. "That he actually left you."

A slow smirk spread across her lips as she took a step closer. "But you and I both know…" Her fingers brushed the mark on his wrist, sending a jolt of ice down his spine. "…that's impossible."

Rain gritted his teeth, refusing to react. But before he could move—before he could even think—a sudden, suffocating presence filled the air.

A growl.

Dark. Low. Deadly.

The scent of cedar and storm hit Rain like a wave before a voice, deep and commanding, rumbled through the night.

"You shouldn't have touched him."

Althea's smirk faltered.

Rain's breath caught.

Nathaniel had returned.

And this time, he wasn't holding back.

To Be Continued...