Her voice was gentle, full of concern, but it only seemed to deepen the scowl on Rydan’s face.
“You’re too soft,” he growled. “Marian needs to understand the consequences of her actions. The last time, you pleaded for her. And what did she do? She nearly killed you—pushed you off a cliff.”
Amara bit her lower lip, seeming to struggle to hold back emotion. “I just don’t want her pain to be because of me…”
Rydan reached out and cradled her face, his touch unexpectedly tender. “She made her own choices,” he told her in a low voice. Then he turned his steely gaze back to the beta warrior.
“You are not to return to her. Leave her where she is. Let her feel the weight of her mistakes.”
The beta hesitated, unease creeping through him, but he gave a stiff nod, unable to go against a direct command.
Pleased, Rydan returned his attention to Amara. He slipped an arm around her waist and gently steered her away from the others. “Come. You need to rest.”
That night, Rydan remained at Amara’s side. They were intimate, though he was careful with her—mindful of the unborn life she carried. Afterward, he pulled her close beneath the sheets, his hand running along her side.
“Don’t think about Marian anymore,” he whispered, brushing a kiss over her shoulder. “You need peace. Focus on yourself and our child.”
Amara gave a bashful nod. “Yes, Alpha. Your wisdom is unmatched. I’ll do as you say.”
The night melted into soft sighs and warm embraces. Rydan held her possessively, pressing her closer, his need to protect her deepening with every breath she took beside him.
But something was off.
He couldn’t place it, but a chill crept over him, spreading like frost beneath his skin. His eyes shifted toward the open window, and he noticed the absence of moonlight.
A moonless night.
He gave a quiet breath, shook off the feeling, and tightened his arms around Amara before surrendering to sleep.
Sleep came swiftly. Too easily.
Until it didn’t.
A sharp, agonized howl cut through the still dawn, followed by urgent voices shouting in the distance. Rydan’s eyes flew open, instincts firing all at once. That eerie sensation from earlier slammed back into him, dragging his thoughts into clarity.
His gaze shot toward the window again—his mind instinctively turning to the place where Marian had been left.
Something was terribly wrong.
It was the beta who stumbled upon the scene first.