Kane’s POV
Alpha Rico’s eyes held a spark of respect and something deeper history, honor, a bond forged long before any of us had even been born.
But I still kept a slim wall up.
Still knew not to trust anyone entirely until they proved themselves…
He flicked the ash from his cigar, as he began to speak, his voice steady, laced with the weight of years and unspoken promises.
“My father knew yours,” Rico said, his gaze never wavering. “Back in the days before each of our councils tightened their grips on things, before the borders became fortified with suspicion and steel, our fathers were allies- brothers in blood and trust.” He paused, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Your pack saved mine from ruin once, my father always spoke of yours. It was no small thing either.”
I nodded, the memory of the old tales filtered down from my own father stirring up in my mind. The past was a tangled web of alliances and debts owed often paid with loyalty, sometimes with lives.
“My father used to say,” Rico continued, voice softer now as the entire crowd around us listened to him talk, “that if ever your pack found itself in need, we owed a debt to yours. That whatever it is, would have to be repaid. And now…” He gestured toward the darkening horizon beyond the runway. “Now you are here – history repeats itself.”
His words settled over me like a shield, a reassurance that even here, far from our home, we were not alone against the councils threats.
The Mexican packs often kept to themselves, which meant this was a rare occurrence.
An unexpected one.
“Your councils still down online. They most likely won’t have any clue you’ve come. We kept track of it whilst you travelled to also cover our own backs of course.” Rico shrugged, his tan skin representing his years spent here in the sun.
What he had offered us was more than a courtesy – it was a lifeline. Not for me, but for getting the girls back in to the country as safely as possible.
That was what mattered most!
Rico gestured toward a convoy of black SUVS waiting nearby, their windows tinted, engines idling quietly. “We will take you to our pack’s headquarters. It is safe, and secure. A place where you can rest and regroup before we move for the borders.”
“And tomorrow?” I asked, the question hanging heavy between us.
“Tomorrow, when the skies are clear and the council’s eyes are scrambling to find you elsewhere, we will move you across the border. Get you all home. Our best guides and tech specialists have planned the route meticulously undetected, untraceable – we shall discuss the details in my office.” He rants, already turning to head for the cars as our men move swiftly to gather our stuff from the air crafts.
It was clear Rico wasted zero time, talking at a quick pace as though he had somewhere else to be in the next hour…
But I couldn’t grumble, with the thought of slipping past the council’s ever–watchful gaze, invisible to their satellites and signal trackers, felt like a joke.
Yet Rico’s calm certainty made it feel wholly possible.
He motioned to the guards, who stepped forward to escort Tessa and me toward the waiting vehicles as Kion, Seth and Erin followed at ours backs silently.
Rico’s eyes glanced towards us, understanding the unspoken bond between us. “Your human mate is strong,” he said quietly as we got close. “I can sense it, perhaps it comes from mating with an Alpha, bur it’s there. You should both rest well tonight. Tomorrow is the true test. He offers us both a nod as.I thank him for his hospitality, climbing in.
The weight of his words sank in as we climbed into the SUV, the doors shutting us away from the hot warm air.
It was a vast change to the temperature in Russia, taking me a second to adjust…
Music spilled in to the car as each vehicle pulled away from the sandy store landing space, tricking us in tn feeling as though we had just strived at a honeymoon destination as opposed to a war zone…
The drive thankfully wasn’t far, as our car swiftly followed Rico’s up front, with the shift of energy letting us know we had entered his own packs territory
The tropical pack quarters felt foreign yet oddly grounding, surrounded by greenery as opposed to Kion’s stones and frost coated buildings.
What a culture shock for him, I thought, as we climbed out of the cars and approached the front doors.
Heavy wooden beams framed the ceiling, the scent of leather and tobacco filling the rooms.
An array of men and women, all smartly dressed, stood to welcome us in to the spacious home, as one by one they guided us to our guest room for the night
with Rico calling out that he would meet us back downstairs in fifteen.
As we clambered in with our bags, I closed the door behind us and took a deep breath, feeling grateful for making it this far with Tessa without fault.
Tessa sank onto the edge of the bed, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her sleeve. “Do you think it’s really safe here?” she asked quietly, eyes searching mine.
I stepped closer and sat beside her, brushing my thumb along the back of her hand. “Rico’s pack has history with my father. Their word means something. But… it’s never completely safe anywhere, I’m always on guard incase something goes wrong, you don’t have to worry.”
Her brow furrowed, and I knew what she was thinking
–
the Council, the hunters, the endless threats that had stalked us from shadow to shadow.
She exhaled slowly, leaning her head against my shoulder. “We made it here at least.”
I tightened my hold around her, feeling the steady beat of her heart. “Exactly, we are already half way there…”
The moment was fragile, precious –
–
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