Relief slammed into Kira the moment she lifted her eyes and saw exactly who was holding her.

"Derek," she sobbed, her voice breaking as she collapsed against his chest.

His strong arms wrapped around her, warm and solid, pulling her close against his chest. For a few seconds she let herself melt into him, face pressed into his blood-stained shirt, tears soaking the fabric. The fear that had been choking her finally loosened its grip.

"I’ve got you," he murmured again, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. He smoothed a hand over her tangled hair, his touch uncharacteristically gentle. "You are safe now, Kira. It is alright. I am here."

Kira kept weeping quietly into his chest, the sobs shaking her whole body. The adrenaline that had kept her running finally began to drain away, leaving her trembling and weak. For one beautiful moment, everything felt okay.

But as her heart began to slow, common sense began to pushed through the fog. She could not let herself melt into him completely. Not yet. Not when the woods were still full of monsters that could wear anyone’s face. Kira pulled back sharply, her hands coming up between them. She snatched up a thin branch from the ground, holding it out like a pathetic little weapon, the end pointed straight at his chest.

"Stay back!" she barked, her voice shaking. "Prove it. Prove you’re really you and not one of them."

Derek looked down at the pathetic branch in her hand and then up at her face. A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. "Even after a brush with death, you are still being silly," he said, his tone carrying that familiar, arrogant edge that no monster could truly replicate.

Kira wiped her eyes with the back of her free hand, never lowering her "weapon." Deep inside, a sense of calmness was spreading; a quiet instinct telling her that this was indeed her husband. But she had seen an Umbra wear the face of a harmless maid tonight. She couldn’t afford to be wrong.

"I mean it," she threatened, pointing the stick at his chest. "You walk in front of me. If you try anything funny, I will bite you to death. I’m serious! And just so you know, my bite is lethal. I’ll rip your throat out before you can blink."

He raised both arms in the air in mock surrender, an amused chuckle escaping him again. "Aye, madam. Your wish is my command."

He started to turn, but then paused and narrowed his eyes at her. "How am I supposed to trust that you are not one of them either?"

Kira’s brows shot up. "I am an honest person. If I die, I will not let any fucking monster wear my skin."

Derek snorted, not looking entirely convinced. "I do not believe you. The only way I am leading you out of this forest is if you walk beside me where I can see those ’lethal’ teeth of yours." He stepped closer, leaning down until his face was inches from hers, amusement written all over his face. "And just so you know, my reflexes are very sharp. If you try anything funny, I will rip your heart out."

He straightened and pointed to his torn shirt, soaked dark with blood. "See this? It’s not mine. It belongs to the Umbras I just killed."

Kira squinted at him, tilting her head. "Are you showing off right now?"

"For your information, I have killed about..." He looked thoughtful for a moment, actually tilting his head as if he were counting. "One, two, three, four..." He looked back at her with a smug glint. "Four. I have killed four of those monsters alone tonight."

Kira let out a dramatic, shaky breath and started trembling in mock fear. "Oh, I’m so scared of you right now. Look at me, I’m shaking."

The corner of Derek’s mouth lifted into a real smile. Despite the blood on his clothes and the darkness of the woods, Kira’s heart gave a sudden, traitorous flutter. She hated how much she liked seeing him look human for once.

"We’d better leave," Derek said, his gaze shifting back to the shadows. "Before the real monsters catch up." He held out his hand. "So, are you coming? Or are you waiting here for the ’real’ Derek to find you?"

Kira made a face at him but slipped her hand into his palm anyway. His fingers closed around hers, the warmth of his palm chasing away some of the cold that had settled in her bones. Without warning, he pulled her closer and lifted her off the floor, carrying her bridal style.

When she stared at him, his gaze shifted to her bare feet. "Those must hurt," he muttered, and started to walk away from the woods.

As they moved, Kira glanced up at him. "Derek?"

"What?"

"What did you eat earlier today?"

Derek glanced down at her, confusion clear on his face. "Why do you want to know what I ate?"

"Because," she said softly, "if it means you will keep smiling like that, I want to feed you the same thing every single day."

Derek snorted, but the corners of his mouth lifted again. "It’s really you Kira. No monster would have such a sense of humour."

By the time they reached the packhouse, the violence had settled into a grim silence. The fight was over. Bodies of Umbras lay scattered across the grounds, dark and still. The surviving alphas sat on chairs, all now wrapped in long robes to cover their nakedness after shifting. The Lunas and other women who had hidden earlier were slowly coming out, faces pale but relieved.

Alpha Lucas stepped forward, covered in blood. He looked like he had aged ten years in an hour. "Your Grace," he said, bowing deeply. "I... I can’t apologize enough. I knew nothing about this. I swear on my pack. My security—"

"You’ll have the High Council to answer to for that," Derek interrupted, his voice like ice as he kept walking, never letting go of Kira’s hand. "Get ready to explain to every alpha and the Council how those creatures managed to penetrate your stronghold so easily."

Alpha Lucas nodded quickly, following him. "I will investigate thoroughly and present myself when called."

Derek gave a single nod. "Good."

He headed straight for the banquet table to grab his suit jacket. As they reached their seats, Luna Cassie rushed over. She looked frantic, her eyes filled with tears, and she immediately pulled Kira into a tight hug.

"Oh, thank the goddess!" Cassie cried. "I was so worried. I thought... when the lights went out..."

Kira smiled at the woman as they pulled apart, feeling a strange new confidence in her chest. "Don’t worry, Luna. I’m not that easy to kill."