Chapter 5
chapter Five: The Pack Strikes First
The cabin was quiet. Too quiet.
Riley sat on the floor beside the couch, watching the fire flicker in the stone hearth. The only sounds were the occasional crackle of the flames and Kieran's slow, unsteady breathing.
Nova had passed out in one of the armchairs an hour ago, exhausted from the night's insanity. But Riley couldn't sleep. Not after everything that had happened.
Not with him lying just a few feet away, barely holding on.
She glanced at Kieran. His face was pale under the bruises, his shirtless torso covered in bandages. Despite the wounds, he looked peaceful, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths.
The moment felt too fragile, like if she let herself look for too long, he'd disappear.
Her fingers tightened around her knees.
"What now?" she murmured.
She hadn't meant to say it out loud, but Kieran shifted slightly, his eyes half-opening. "You should sleep."
Riley scoffed. "So should you."
He exhaled a weak laugh. "Touché."
Silence stretched between them.
Then Kieran spoke again, quieter this time. "You regret it?"
She frowned. "Regret what?"
"Not running when you had the chance."
Riley swallowed hard. "No."
Kieran studied her, something unreadable flickering in his golden gaze. "You should."
The words stung more than they should have.
Before she could respond, a distant howl echoed through the trees.
Riley stiffened.
Kieran's body went rigid. His hand clenched into a fist against the couch.
A second howl followed. Closer.
Too close.
Riley's pulse spiked. "That's them, isn't it?"
Kieran didn't move, but his voice was sharper now. "Wake Nova. Now."
Riley didn't waste time asking questions. She scrambled to her feet, rushing over to Nova's chair.
"Nova, wake up." She shook her. "We need to"
CRASH.
The cabin's front window shattered.
Riley barely had time to register the explosion of glass before a figure lunged through the broken window, landing in a crouch.
A man.
Noa wolf.
Half-shifted, muscles bulging, claws extended.
And red eyes locked directly on her.
Time slowed.
Riley took a shaky step back, her mind struggling to process what was happening.
The wolf-man one of Callum's pack rose to his full height, easily over six feet of pure muscle and predatory instinct. His lips curled back, exposing long, gleaming fangs.
Then, he moved.
Too fast.
Riley barely had time to duck.
A clawed hand swiped inches from her head, slamming into the wooden beam behind her. Splinters rained down, but she didn't stop moving she ran.
"Nova, MOVE!" she screamed.
Nova jolted awake just as another figure crashed through the door.
Two of them.
Riley's stomach dropped.
This wasn't an ambush.
It was a hunt.
Kieran let out a low, guttural snarl.
The moment he tried to move, though, his body gave out, his injuries keeping him pinned.
The first wolf lunged for Riley again.
This time, she had nowhere to go.
She braced for impact
CRACK.
The wolf staggered.
Nova stood behind him, gripping a broken chair leg like a baseball bat. "Yeah, that's right, you furry bastard," she panted. "I play softball."
Riley didn't wait for him to recover. She grabbed Nova's hand and ran.
They sprinted toward the back door, but the second wolf was already there, blocking their escape.
Riley skidded to a stop.
Trapped.
The first wolf snarled, shaking off Nova's hit, his red eyes burning with fury.
Kieran moved.
One second, he collapsed on the couch. The next, he was on his feet, eyes blazing gold.
The first wolf barely had time to react before Kieran was on him.
A blur of motion. A sickening crunch.
The wolf collapsed.
Riley's breath hitched.
Kieran stood over the fallen wolf, his body shaking, his wounds reopening. Blood dripped from his hands, but his golden eyes locked onto the second intruder.
"Try me," he growled
The second wolf hesitated.
He wasn't afraid not yet. But he was calculating.
Kieran was injured, barely standing, but he had already taken down one of them. And if there was one thing wolves understood, it was power.
For a moment, no one moved.
The air was thick with tension, the only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the shallow, uneven breathing of the man on the floor.
Then the second wolf smirked.
"You're weaker than I expected, Wolfe." His voice was smooth, taunting.
Kieran's lip curled. "Come find out."
The wolf chuckled but didn't take the bait. Instead, his red eyes flickered to Riley and Nova.
Kieran moved instantly, stepping in front of them, his body tense like a drawn bowstring.
The wolf sighed. "Relax. If I wanted to rip them apart, I would've done it already."
Riley's stomach turned, but she forced herself to stand tall. Don't show fear.
Kieran's voice was ice. "Get out."
The wolf ignored him, eyes flicking back to Riley. "Callum wanted me to deliver a message."
She clenched her fists. "Yeah? Next time tell him to text me like a normal person instead of breaking into my house."
Nova snorted. "For real. Ever heard of knocking?"
The wolf smiled, amused. "Callum says you don't belong in this world, Riley Hayes." His gaze sharpened. "But if you insist on sticking your nose where it doesn't belong he's more than happy to rip it off your face."
Riley's pulse hammered, but she didn't flinch. "Tell Callum he can go to hell."
The wolf chuckled. "I'll be sure to pass that along."
Then he turned and walked out.
Just like that.
Riley didn't move until she heard his footsteps fade into the night.
Then, finally, she breathed.
Nova collapsed into a chair, running a hand through her hair. "I hate this town."
Kieran didn't relax. His body was still wired, golden eyes locked on the broken window like he expected them to come back.
They wouldn't. Not tonight.
But the warning was clear.
They weren't safe.
Not anymore.
Riley turned to Kieran. "You okay?"
He exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand down his face. "Not even close."
She bit her lip. "We need to do something."
Kieran sat heavily on the couch, wincing. "We will."
Nova crossed her arms. "Oh yeah? And what's the plan, wolf boy? Because right now, we're losing."
Kieran met her gaze, his expression grim. "Not for long."
Something in his voice sent a chill down Riley's spine.
Because he meant it.
Whatever was coming next Kieran was ready to end it.
Riley swallowed hard, watching as he ran a hand through his blood-matted hair. He looked exhausted and wrecked but beneath all the pain, there was something dangerous lurking in his golden eyes.
Determination.
Vengeance.
"We need to leave," he said finally.
Nova frowned. "Leave? As in, run?"
Kieran shook his head. "No. As in, regroup. Find somewhere safer. This cabin won't hold if they come back."
Riley's stomach twisted. This place was supposed to be safe. The last piece of her father she had left. And now the pack had tainted it, just like they had tainted everything else.
But Kieran was right.
They had to move.
She took a shaky breath. "Where do we go?"
Kieran hesitated.
Then he said, "There's someone I know. Someone who might help us."
Riley narrowed her eyes. "Who?"
Kieran's jaw tensed. "An old friend."
Riley didn't like the way he said it. "Can we trust them?"
Kieran met her gaze. "We don't have a choice."
Nova groaned. "Oh, great. Love that for us."
Kieran pushed himself up, swaying slightly. Riley stepped forward on instinct, catching his arm before he could fall.
He stiffened, golden eyes flicking to hers.
"I'm fine," he muttered.
Riley rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. You look fantastic. Very alive and not dying."
He smirked. "I appreciate the concern."
She scowled. "I'm not concerned. I just don't want you bleeding out in my dad's cabin."
Kieran chuckled low, rough. "Liar."
Riley's face heated, but before she could snap back, Nova groaned. "Ugh. Can you two not flirt while we're being hunted?"
Riley and Kieran both stiffened.
"We're not"
Nova rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Save it for after we survive."
Riley huffed but didn't argue.
Because surviving was the only thing that mattered right now.
Kieran straightened, his expression hardening again. "We leave at dawn."
Riley nodded.
Because after tonight, one thing was clear.
The pack wasn't going to stop.
And if they wanted to make it out of this alive
They had to be ready to fight back.