Adres was beginning to wonder if living in the Volkov territory was good for his sanity. Anger roared through him, and rage poisoned his veins. He had his shields up, and the vampires standing behind him should’ve been thankful he had, because otherwise, the putrid odor of the hatred he felt for the female wolf would have had them choking on it.

He’d only managed a couple of hours of rest after his unexpected orgasm. He was up again before the sun had fully set, anxious to return to the woods. He knew how to protect his young wolf… his beloved. With Macauley occupying his thoughts, he’d dressed quickly and left at the first hint of dusk. The legion was already there in formation, waiting for him in two perfect rows of six. Adres nodded to them, and they bowed before the Lord Protector began to tell him about their assigned posts for the day.

However, he had not heard a word after he’d caught Macauley’s scent coming from a direction that was not his home. He began moving towards it without a second thought or to what he would do when he found him. He thought perhaps Macauley was at one of the pack officers’ houses, or one of his betas’, but Ramon informed him—as he doubled his speed to keep up—that mostly unmated women lived on this particular side of the compound.

“We go to the breakfast hall in the morning before we are assigned to our post,” Ramon said, oblivious to Adres’s situation. “We wanted to escort you over. We are all honored to be under your command now, my Lord.”

Still ignoring Ramon’s compliments, Adres followed Macauley’s scent to a small cottage, and the scent of pheromones and lust permeated the air.

Ramon let out a dirty chuckle. “Seems as if a few of the shifters are taking advantage of the curfew and starting their nights a little early.”

Vicious jealousy yanked hard on him, overriding his senses as he stormed towards the female beta’s door. He could smell her syrupy lust from yards away, heard the whispered promises she made to Macauley to take good care of his needs.

Hatred threatened to choke him. He was about to kill again. And he had no doubt he would have if the legion twins he’d assigned as Macauley’s guards had not stopped him.

The frigid northern air rolling off the snowcapped mountains was nothing compared to the icy daggers piercing his stomach. Seeing Macauley next to the six-foot, scantily dressed woman who was a picture-perfect model of what an alpha’s mate should be made his fears of inadequacy grow to exponential heights.

Macauley appeared confused for a moment, but when he noticed Adres standing off to the right, he looked like he might have been happy to see him… until he noticed Adres’s displeased glare, and his smile fell. Good. Know that I am serious, young wolf. It wouldn’t be wise for Macauley to taunt him.

Adres watched as Macauley leaned towards the woman and attempted to whisper something in her ear, but he was not fucking having it. Adres shot a burst of his intimidating power at Macauley, hard enough to jolt him. It made Adres hot in more ways than one when Macauley took the blow and absorbed it before he turned and smirked at him, as if he wanted to feel more of that.

“Do not tempt me, wolf. Leave her side. Acum!” Adres sent his voice on the breeze so the other vampires couldn’t hear him. Macauley tilted his head as if he wasn’t sure how he was hearing him, but he quickly left the woman gaping on her porch and walked towards him with that sexy, innocent smile on his full lips. But what Adres heard going on between him and the she-wolf was anything but innocent.

Macauley didn’t stop walking until he was standing so close that Adres had to tilt his head back to maintain his irritated glare.

Macauley lowered his head, his rough jaw scraping against his temple as if he was marking his scent on him, and Adres fought over whether to shove him away or to keep bathing in it. “You are the only one that can glower at me like that and not have their throat ripped out.”

Adres’s breath sawed in and out, and an irrational urge to do something lethal to that beta made his vision cloud around the edges. “If you care for her at all, you will stay away from her.” He turned away, unable to remain there another moment so he didn’t act on his threat. He’d only taken a couple of steps before he was grabbed from behind and wrapped in a hold so strong, he couldn’t shake himself free.

“Send your men away. Now,” Macauley demanded against the shell of his ear, his rough voice low and threatening. “So they don’t witness what I do to you.”

Adres blinked as his cock began to harden, and emotions that were neither anger nor despair fought in his chest and kept him in place.

“I will meet you in the war room, my Lord, after the men are posted,” Ramon said from somewhere to his right. Adres was not used to having anyone waiting for his orders and following his commands, but he gave the Lord Protector a jerky nod before he flashed away with the legion behind him.

Macauley spun him around when they were alone, his insistent fist forcing Adres’s chin upwards so all he could see was the intensity reflected in Macauley’s blue eyes. “First of all, do not turn your back on me… ever. Second, do not threaten a member of my pack.”

“You threatened her life,” he admonished, “not me. Stay away from her.”

“Wow,” Macauley murmured, stroking one side of Adres’s cheek and gazing down on him as if he were something beautiful. When the pad of his calloused fingertip grazed over the scar above his ear, Adres pulled away.

“You know who I am, don’t you?” Macauley said, his gaze roaming over Adres’s face.

It appeared the young wolf had gained some clarity also after they’d parted ways last night. Yet, Adres knew it didn’t change anything. “I know who I want you to be… but I am afraid that is not possible, young wolf.” Even as Adres said the words, a bittersweet knot of pain formed inside him. If only he’d never come here… he never would’ve found him. And he would not have to endure the agony of a thousand deaths when he was forced to walk away.

Adres made a sharp whistle, and a moment later, the air charged around them, and Război appeared at his side. His good friend shoved his muzzle in his chest, looking happy, strong, and well-rested—at least one of them had had a good night. Even his saddle had been treated and conditioned. Justice’s stable hands must’ve been as capable as he had claimed.

“He’s a beautiful creature,” Macauley noted, running his hand down Război’s flank. “How do you get him to move so fast?”

“He has been given a steady dose of my blood from the day he was born up until his abilities were fully formed.” Adres wasn’t sure why he’d answered the question. He was not used to being interrogated, but of course, he didn’t seem to mind Macauley’s curiosity.

Adres swallowed roughly. He’d relinquish every ounce of magic he harbored if it meant he could have Macauley as his own. Why had fate played such a horrible trick on him? All he’d ever done was champion for his people with his life. Yet he was rewarded with years of loneliness for his good deeds.

He kept his shoulders back and his head up as he led Război deeper into the woods, though he felt as if he could’ve crumbled at any moment. Waking up with Macauley on his mind and his dick as stiff as a javelin after dreaming of him for the few hours he’d been unconscious had solidified his presumption. Which meant there was only one thing he could do—ensure Macauley was safe and any threats to his life were eliminated, and then he’d leave and hope it didn’t take more than six months for him to die of starvation.

Război trotted ahead after noticing a bush of blueberries a few yards away, and Adres followed. Now was as good a time as any to get started on securing the entire perimeter of Justice’s territory. The Volkov pack lands ranged for miles over the White Mountain Forest; it would take several nights to secure it all. But he wouldn’t stop until he was done. He could never give his cherished his soul, but he could give him this. It was all he was good for.

“Where are you going, Adres? We’re not done talking.”

“Yes we are.”

A low growl rumbled in Macauley’s chest. “No. We are not.”

“I have to get to work, young wolf. The sun falls and rises quickly in the mountains.”

Macauley came closer, his mind and core completely open, and Adres almost choked on all the righteous goodness standing there just waiting for him to taste. Futu-i. He was tired, starving, distraught, and overwhelmed all at once. He couldn’t continue to stand there and gaze upon heaven, only to have the pearly gates slammed in his face.

“You have time. Your men are in the breakfast hall. Don’t you need to wait for them?” Macauley’s words, his height, his bulk, his sexy superiority all moved Adres backwards until his spine connected with the smooth surface of a large boulder. “Have you… did you get to…”

Adres’s breath left his lungs in a rush as Macauley placed his palms flat against the surface on either side of his head and leaned into him, his thick biceps preventing him from getting away. But little did he know, Adres was not going to put up a fight. “Did I…”

“Feed… or eat,” Macauley asked roughly, a hint of genuine concern resonating in his voice.

“No.” There was no use lying.

“Did you eat last night, then?” Macauley whispered, as if he’d asked a question he didn’t want the answer to.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Macauley.” Adres sighed, exhaustion seeping through the cracks of his shield that he could never fully keep enforced around his beloved. My beloved. Adres felt a blunt object jab at his chest, causing him to almost choke on his words. “I am not hungry.”

“Adres.” Macauley lowered his voice, but Adres could tell it took a tremendous amount of effort for him not to yell as he commanded, “Do. Not. Lie to me.”

Adres flinched at the hurt in Macauley’s tone, feeling terrified that he was already in too deep. “When I feed… or do not is of no consequence. Just know I have enough energy to protect you and everything you cherish.”

Though one of those things will never be me. Adres attempted to flash away, but Macauley jerked his arm out and caught him around his midsection. His back was returned to the cool stone in a fierce second, and Macauley used his bulk to pin him down. “Then you must not know how this is going to work. And until you do… you are not going anywhere.”

Please, my beloved, let me go now. Adres didn’t know how much more of this he could take. The cruelty of it all was crippling him. It had only been one week and already his body was fatigued. If word traveled of his dilemma, his name, his life, everything he’d worked for would be discounted. He would not have his cherished, and he would no longer be the victor of his people.

There was nothing left for him but death.