"Why is he here?" Rhea hissed, her vision instantly sharpening as River surged to the surface, her inner wolf bearing her phantom fangs.

"There’s no time for questions. We need to move. Now," Adam commanded, his hand moving to the small of her back to guide her.

Rhea’s gaze ripped away from the treeline and locked onto Eli’s tiny grave. The thought of abandoning him again tore her soul in half. "No," she growled, her fingers curling into tight fists as she planted her feet into the mud. "I will stay and fight. I am not leaving my son’s side again."

Adam gripped her upper arm, spinning her around so fast her breath hitched. She snapped her head up, meeting a gaze that brooked absolutely no argument.

"You can barely stand. You are nowhere near strong enough to take on a scouting party," he rumbled, his touch burning hot through her sleeve, an intense current of protective alpha energy wrapping around her. "There will be a time to bleed them dry. I promise you that. But it is not right now."

Rhea stared up at him, her chest heaving rapidly as she fought against his grip, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs.

"It’s just over this ridge, Alpha," a voice echoed through the thick trees, distant but rapidly approaching. Beta Daniel.

Rhea’s chest heaved, her heart slamming against her ribs like a caged beast as the heavy crunch of approaching footsteps grew louder. The air grew thick with the unmistakable, suffocating scent of the pack that had butchered her.

"There is no time for second-guesses," River’s voice vibrated sharply in her mind, her phantom claws digging into Rhea’s consciousness. "Hide, Rhea. Now."

Forcing a sharp breath past her trembling lips, Rhea ripped her eyes away from the small mound of dirt and turned to Adam. She gave him a single, tight nod. Without another word, they moved backward into the dense undergrowth, slipping into the heavy shadows cast by the ancient, towering oaks.

"I want a good view," Rhea whispered, her voice barely a breath against the damp air as they moved deeper into the dark cover.

Adam’s massive frame hovered just over her shoulder, his proximity radiating a fierce, protective heat that cut through her panic. "You need your head attached to your shoulders first before you can think of a good view," he rumbled back, the low vibration of his voice brushing against her ear.

Rhea didn’t reply. She simply pressed her back against the rough, mossy bark of a tree, holding her breath. Inside her chest, River paced restlessly, a caged predator snarling at the intrusion.

Through the tangled branches, a figure broke into the small clearing, and Beta Daniel stepped into view, his brows furrowed as his yellow scout eyes scanned the ground.

"She was buried here," Daniel said, though his tone was laced with a sudden, uneasy uncertainty.

"You don’t sound sure. I need certainty." The voice sliced through the forest like a blade.

Rhea’s fists clenched so hard her short nails bit drew blood from her palms.

Kaleb stepped into the gray light. He looked exactly the same, royal black leather, broad shoulders, the posture of a man who believed he owned the world. Seeing him made the wound in Rhea’s stomach flare with a sudden, agonizing heat.

"The betrayer," River growled low in her chest, the sound vibrating in Rhea’s throat. "Let me tear out his throat. Let me drink his blood."

Instantly, a heavy, warm hand clamped down on Rhea’s shoulder. Adam’s fingers squeezed, anchoring her to the spot, his touch burning through her clothes.

"Keep your calm," he murmured, his dark gaze fixed ahead but his attention entirely tuned to her racing pulse. "This is not the way you want to announce your survival."

"Over here, Alpha," Daniel called out, pointing toward the disturbed earth. "Here it is."

Kaleb walked over, his brows creasing into a deep, heavy scowl as he looked down at the hollowed-out heap of dirt. For a fleeting, agonizing second, Rhea searched his face. She couldn’t tell if the shadow in his eyes was regret or if he was simply terrified that she might still be alive.

"What happened here?" Kaleb asked, his voice tight.

Daniel shrugged, casting a wary glance around the dark treeline, entirely unaware of the two apex predators watching him from the dark. "It could have been a wild animal. A rogue bear, maybe."

Kaleb shook his head. He knelt down in the mud, his expensive leather trousers soaking in the damp earth. Dropping his head, he touched the displaced sand and pulled his fingers to his nose, inhaling deeply. His eyes snapped open, flashing a dangerous, golden hue.

"It wasn’t a wild animal," Kaleb said, rising to his feet with sudden, rigid tension. He wiped his muddy hands on his vest. "Dig up the grave. Now."

Daniel blinked, stepping back. "Are you sure, Alpha?"

"I need to be absolutely sure she is in there," Kaleb barked, his calm facade fracturing to reveal a desperate, paranoid edge. "I want to see her rotting body with my own eyes."

"But what about the Luna’s curse?" Daniel pressed, his voice dropping to a fearful whisper. "The elders said the binding ritual has to be completed before we disturb her resting place, or her spirit will—"

Kaleb whirled around with blinding, supernatural speed. His eyes blazed a furious, terrifying gold as he lunged forward, grabbing his Beta by the collar and slamming him against the nearest tree trunk.

"Can you swear to me that you saw her put in the ground?!" Kaleb roared, his wolf’s authority shaking the very leaves on the branches. His face was inches from Daniel’s, twisted in pure panic. "Can you look me in the eye and swear it to me?"

Daniel swallowed hard, his throat bobbing against the crushing grip on his collar. "I—" He paused, terror flickering across his features. "I didn’t see the dirt thrown over her with my own eyes, Alpha, but the execution squad—"

"Then dig the damn ground!" Kaleb snapped, shoving his Beta back with enough force to make the man stumble. "I want to see her corpse with my own two eyes!"

For the first time since her execution, Rhea saw fear in Kaleb’s eyes.