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Marcus guides us outside, where several cars are parked haphazardly in the driveway. I recognize some of them as belonging to pack members.
"The others are securing the perimeter," Marcus explains, noticing my questioning look. "Making sure there are no other threats."
As if on cue, Ryan appears from around the side of the house. His face is grim, but it softens with relief when he sees us.
"Thank the Moon," he says, striding over. "Are you both alright?"
Before we can answer, Theo, as a wolf, emerges from the house. He slowly pads over, his gaze fixed on Chloe. To my surprise, she steps forward, her hand outstretched.
"Thank you," she whispers, her fingers sinking into Theo's thick fur. The massive wolf leans into her touch, a low rumble that sounds almost like a purr emanating from his chest.
In a fluid motion, Theo shifts back to his human form. One of the Whispering Pines pack members quickly tosses him a pair of sweats, which he catches and swiftly pulls on. His eyes never leave Chloe as he dresses.
"Are you hurt?" Theo asks, his voice gruff but laced with concern.
Chloe shakes her head, her eyes wide as she stares at Theo. "No, I... I'm okay. You saved us."
Theo nods, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "Mark won't be a problem anymore," he says.
An uncomfortable silence falls over the group as the weight of Theo's words sinks in. I shiver, remembering the final yelp we heard in the basement. The air feels heavy with unspoken questions and barely contained emotions.
After a moment, Ryan clears his throat, his face grim. "Theo, we need to talk about what happened here."
Theo straightens, his expression becoming serious. "I didn't know someone was targeting women until your pack infiltrated us last night," he explains. "Once I heard about the threats, I had my security company look into Mark's activities, just in case."
Ryan's eyebrows rise. "You've been investigating this?"
Theo nods. "We found out he had rented this cabin. I came to confront him about not leaving the area and to see if he was behind the threats." His gaze flicks to Chloe and me before returning to Ryan. "When I got here, I could smell the women. That's when I knew things were worse than we thought."
"So you didn't know about his plans before tonight?" Ryan asks, his tone cautious but less hostile than before.
"No," Theo says firmly. "I may have issues with your pack, Ryan, but I'd never stand by while innocent women were being targeted. As soon as I knew there was a real threat, I acted."
The tension between the two alphas is palpable, and I find myself holding my breath. Then, to my surprise, Ryan extends his hand. "Thank you," he says simply.
Theo hesitates for a moment before clasping Ryan's hand. "Don't mention it," he says gruffly.
My attention is drawn away by a small sound from Chloe. She's staring at Theo, her eyes wide. Theo turns, catching her gaze, and for a moment, the world seems to narrow to just the two of them.
I feel like I'm intruding on something private, so I look away, only to find Marcus watching me intently. The intensity in his eyes makes my breath catch in my throat.
"We should get you home," he says, his voice low and rough. "You've been through enough tonight."
I nod, suddenly feeling the weight of everything that's happened. Exhaustion crashes over me like a wave, and I sway slightly on my feet.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Marcus asks, his voice cutting through my thoughts.
I nod, then realize he can't see me in the darkness. "Yeah," I say, my voice sounding small and far away. "I'm just... processing, I guess."
He tightens his arm around me, and I feel a rush of warmth that has nothing to do with his body heat. "That's understandable. You've been through a lot."
Marcus guides me towards his truck, his hand a steady presence on the small of my back. The night air is cool against my skin, and I shiver involuntarily. Marcus notices immediately.
"Hold on," he says, opening the passenger door for me before moving to the back of the truck. He returns with a thick, soft blanket, which he wraps around my shoulders with gentle care. The warmth of the blanket and the lingering scent of pine and Marcus on it brings a small measure of comfort.
As we drive through the quiet streets of Whispering Pines, my mind races, replaying the events of the night. The terror of being kidnapped, the confrontation with Mark, Theo's dramatic rescue—it all swirls in my head like a chaotic whirlpool.
But as the adrenaline begins to fade, another memory surfaces. What feels like a lifetime ago, I was leaving Marcus' house in an Uber, my heart heavy and confused. He and Liam had been fighting. I remember the hurt and anger in Liam's eyes, the frustration etched on Marcus' face.
