Page 58 of The Reluctant Alpha

“Stefan,” he sighed, and I nodded. Although I'd liked Damon better. Bad boys did it for me every time. I ignored Phoenix's and Bayer's confused looks.

“Not exactly,” Esther cut in. "The barrier works in part because of intent. If someone with access—like a pack member—knowingly or unknowingly brings something harmful across the threshold, it can create a weakness the revenant might exploit."

"So, someone in the pack could have accidentally let it in?" I asked, horrified by the implication.

"Not necessarily," Phoenix said. "There are other possibilities. Blood magic can create exceptions, or the revenant might have found an old entrance that wasn't properly sealed."

Kaylan winced as he stood. "Whatever the case, it's inside now, and that wasn’t all,” Kaylan said quietly and looked right at Bayer.

I felt Bayer still beside me. “What else did it say?”

“To tell the bear to expect to lose.”

The room fell silent as everyone processed what Kaylan told us, and I reached for Bayer needing the contact, comforted when he took my hand.

“Kaylan,” Phoenix started quietly, looking uncomfortable, but Kaylan shook his head. “I know you forced my shift, Phoenix, and I know what that means.”

“I—”

But Kaylan put his hand up. “We have more urgent matters. If we don’t end this threat, me suddenly being rejected by my pack will be the least of my problems."

"Tonight’s the meeting with the silver-skins," Bayer said. "If they know something about this revenant's weaknesses, we need that information now."

As the group dispersed, Bayer drew me into his arms and I went willingly. "Right now, I need to check the perimeter with Phoenix and make sure my bears are all accounted for."

I nodded. "I promise to stay here. I'll help Emery with Tia."

As Bayer released me and turned to leave, I caught his arm. "Hey."

He looked back, eyebrow raised.

"Be careful," I said softly. "I just found you. I'm not ready to lose you yet."

His expression softened, and he pulled me in again into a quick, fierce hug. "You won't lose me," he murmured against my hair. "I promise."

I watched him stride away, conflicting emotions churning in my chest. I knew what he was doing, but the fact was it might not be a promise he could keep. None of us could.

Chapter seventeen

Bayer

The forest was quiet as we approached the meeting point—a small clearing just over our territory line. Phoenix walked beside me, his posture relaxed, but I could smell the tension coming off him in waves. Behind us, Draven and Matthew provided backup, their steps silent on the forest floor.

"Remember," Phoenix said quietly, "we're here for information only. No commitments until we've verified what they tell us."

I nodded, my bear restless beneath my skin. The memory of Kaylan's wounds was still fresh, and knowing the revenant had breached our territory left me on edge. Every instinct screamed to return to Danny, to make sure he was safe, but I knew this meeting was necessary.

The silver-skins were already waiting when we arrived, three pale figures standing unnaturally still in the moonlight. Dimitri was in the center, flanked by Axel and Ivan. They didn't move as we approached, didn't breathe or fidget the way humans—or shifters—would. The stillness was unnerving, a reminder of their fundamental otherness.

"Alpha Phoenix," Dimitri greeted with a slight incline of his head. "Alpha Bayer. Thank you for agreeing to meet."

"Circumstances have changed," Phoenix replied evenly. "The revenant attacked one of our people inside our barrier today without the alarms sounding."

A flicker of surprise crossed Dimitri's face—so briefly I would have missed it if I hadn't been watching closely. "Inside your territory? That shouldn't be possible."

"And yet it happened," I said, unable to keep the growl from my voice. "Your revenant nearly killed a mountain lion shifter and left him with a message for me."

"Kaylan?" Ivan asked, his pale eyes narrowing. "He was the victim?"