The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on. The firelight cast flickering shadows across the gathered faces in the village square. Everyone's attention was on the stranger at the gate—a towering man with piercing red eyes and an arrogant smirk, standing as if he already owned everything in sight.
"Tobi," the man drawled, his voice slow and taunting. "Did you really think you could hide forever?"
Tobi stood frozen, his usually soft features now pale, his honey-sweet scent spiking with fear. He swallowed hard but didn't answer.
Dante moved before I could blink, stepping between Tobi and the stranger. His golden eyes darkened with warning, his Alpha presence rolling off him in waves. "Who the hell are you?"
The man smirked. "Oh, forgive me. Elias Blackthorne, Alpha of the Crimson Fang Pack." His gaze flickered to me, then back to Dante, amusement flashing across his features. "And I see you've got your hands full already."
Dante's body tensed, his fingers flexing at his sides. I recognized that look—he was seconds away from violence.
I stepped forward before blood could be spilled. "What do you want with Tobi?"
Elias's smirk deepened. "What do you think, little Omega?" His eyes gleamed with something dangerous. "He belongs to me."
A collective gasp rippled through the gathered villagers. Tobi flinched, but then—surprisingly—his expression twisted into anger. "I don't belong to anyone."
Elias raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "That's not what your past says."
Dante growled low in his throat. "He's under my protection now."
Elias's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before he scoffed. "Protection? Is that what we're calling this?" He swept his gaze across the gathered crowd. "You all must be desperate to think you can shelter a runaway Omega from his rightful pack."
Tobi shook his head, stepping closer to me, as if seeking comfort. "I was never safe there."
Elias's expression darkened. "You had everything, Tobi." His voice was no longer mocking—it was laced with something bitter, something personal. "And you threw it away."
The conversation was unraveling quickly, but I couldn't focus on just Elias anymore. There was another scent in the air. Something off.
I turned, scanning the crowd, my instincts screaming. Something wasn't right. The way some of the villagers refused to meet my gaze—the way one of them slipped toward the back of the crowd, avoiding the light.
And then it clicked.
I grabbed Dante's arm, my voice urgent. "There's a traitor."
Dante's head snapped toward me, then followed my gaze. The figure was already moving, attempting to disappear into the darkness. Without a second thought, Dante lunged, grabbing the person by the collar and yanking them into the firelight.
Gasps filled the air.
It was Marcus, one of the village guards.
Dante's grip tightened. "You." His voice was cold, deadly. "You've been working with Elias."
Marcus struggled, eyes darting around wildly. "I—I had no choice! They knew about Tobi—about everything. If I didn't give them information, they would have burned the village to the ground."
Elias sighed dramatically. "You wound me, Marcus. Betrayal makes it sound so dirty. Let's call it… a business arrangement."
Dante's fist connected with Marcus's jaw before the words had fully left Elias's mouth. The Beta crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain.
Elias chuckled. "Ah, there it is. That famous temper."
Dante turned his attention back to him, eyes ablaze. "Leave. Now."
Elias tilted his head. "Or what?"
I saw it then—the way Dante's muscles coiled, the way his breathing slowed. He wasn't just angry; he was on the verge of something dangerous. The kind of rage that would leave bodies in its wake.
So I did the only thing I could think of.
I grabbed Dante's wrist, pressing my body against his side, my voice a whisper just for him. "Fuck being rational. Give them what they ask for."
His breath hitched, his body vibrating with restrained fury.
And then, just like that, he let go.
The next few seconds were a blur—Dante moved too fast for anyone to react. One second, Elias was standing there, smug and arrogant. The next, he was on the ground, Dante's boot pressing into his throat.
The air in the square crackled with tension. No one dared to breathe.
Elias, to his credit, only chuckled hoarsely. "That's more like it."
Dante leaned down, his voice a growl. "Tobi is not yours. If I see you in my territory again, I won't stop at a warning."
Elias's lips curled into a slow, knowing grin. "We'll see about that."
Dante lifted his foot, stepping back, and Elias rolled onto his side, coughing. Then, with a casual stretch, he stood and dusted himself off. Like he hadn't just been seconds away from death.
"Enjoy your temporary victory," Elias murmured, his gaze flicking to me before settling on Dante again. "I'll be back."
Then, with a slow turn, he walked out of the village, disappearing into the night.
Silence stretched between us all.
Tobi exhaled sharply, his whole body trembling. "I—I don't know what to do."
Dante turned to him, his voice softer now. "You don't have to decide anything tonight."
Tobi nodded slowly, but I could see the war raging in his eyes. His past had come crashing into his present, and the choices ahead of him weren't simple ones.
And me?
I knew this wasn't over.
Because as much as Dante had won this battle… Elias Blackthorne wasn't the kind of man who accepted defeat.