Chapter 11 Eleven
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sara’s POV**
The moment Asher was rushed away by the healers, the pack house shifted into a state I had never seen before. Wolves moved with urgency. Warriors lined every hall. The air thickened with the scent of tension and sharpened instincts.
But Xenon was the one who terrified me most.
He stood still in the center of the corridor, shoulders squared, eyes dark enough to swallow the light around him. His wolf simmered beneath the surface, radiating a deadly energy that made even the highest-ranked warriors avoid making eye contact.
Ryker returned from the healer wing. His expression was grim. “He is alive, Alpha. Barely. They cut deep. Too deep.”
Xenon’s jaw clenched. “Did he say anything else.”
Ryker shook his head. “Nothing. He passed out right after speaking to Sara.”
My stomach twisted painfully.
They are coming for you.
Those words wouldn’t leave my mind. They clung to me, echoing with every heartbeat.
Xenon turned to Adrian. “Double the guards on every entrance. Increase the border patrol by two shifts. No one moves alone.”
Adrian nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”
“Ryker,” Xenon said. “Bring the council. Now.”
Ryker took off without another word.
Xenon finally looked at me.
The intensity of his gaze almost made me step back. Almost. But he caught my arm gently and kept me still.
“Sara,” he said quietly. “I need you to breathe.”
I didn’t realize I wasn’t breathing until he said it.
My chest felt tight. My hands cold.
His thumb brushed once against my wrist before he pulled back. “Asher will live. Do not blame yourself.”
“They hurt him,” I whispered. “Because of me.”
“They hurt him because they are cowards,” Xenon corrected. “Not because of you.”
“That note said I am running out of time,” I said. “Xenon, what does that mean.”
His eyes flickered with something I didn’t understand. Something he didn’t want to say.
“We will find out,” he said. “But you are not dying. You are not being taken. You are not going anywhere.”
His voice deepened at the end, almost a growl.
Before I could answer, Ryker returned with the elders following behind him.
Xenon straightened his spine. His aura filled the corridor instantly, commanding silence.
Ren spoke first. “Alpha, we heard the news. The attack escalates.”
“It is not an attack,” Xenon said. “It is a message.”
Kael’s eyes softened as he looked at me. “A message delivered through blood.”
“And now we respond,” Xenon said.
Sorin frowned. “How.”
“We hunt them,” Xenon replied.
Ren shook his head. “We cannot attack blindly. The Creed is spread across the region. They hide. They strike from shadows. They expect rage.”
“They expect fear,” Xenon said. “But fear does not rule this pack.”
Kael exhaled slowly. “Alpha. Sara’s safety is our priority, but we must be smart. If they believe her time is limited, it means she is a part of something larger.”
My heart pounded. “I do not know anything about this bloodline. I do not have any power.”
Ren studied me. “Are you sure.”
I nodded. “Yes.”
Xenon spoke before anyone else could. “She is innocent. She knows nothing.”
Sorin raised his brow. “You cannot know that.”
Xenon’s eyes hardened. “I do.”
The room quieted. The elders looked between us, something unspoken passing in their expressions.
Ren stepped forward. “Then we must assume the Creed believes she will awaken something.”
“Awaken what,” I whispered.
Kael hesitated. “Some bloodlines carry dormant abilities. They only manifest under threat or emotional triggers. If the Creed believes yours is one of those lines, they will push until something cracks.”
My hands trembled slightly.
“You think they want me to break,” I said.
“Yes,” Kael answered softly. “Because a broken mind can reveal what a guarded one hides.”
Xenon stiffened. “That will not happen.”
Ren sighed. “Alpha. You are strong, but so are they. The Creed has waited decades for this moment. They do not bluff.”
“They can wait centuries,” Xenon said. “Sara stays alive.”
Sorin stepped closer. “Then you must choose.”
Xenon narrowed his eyes. “Choose what.”
“How far you are willing to go for her.”
Silence dropped like stone.
Xenon did not flinch. “As far as I need.”
Ren exchanged glances with the other elders. “Then you must bind her to you.”
My stomach dropped. “What.”
Ren continued. “A claim of protection is not enough. The Creed does not respect it. They will not stop. If you bind her to your pack through the Alpha’s vow, she becomes untouchable.”
Xenon’s jaw tightened. “No.”
“It is the only way,” Ren insisted.
“It is not,” Xenon growled.
Kael stepped in gently. “Alpha. This is not about love or fate. It is about survival. A vow binds her life to your protection. It is the highest form of shield this pack can offer.”
My chest tightened. “What would that mean for me.”
Sorin answered. “You would belong to BloodRidge. Fully. Permanently.”
His eyes flicked to Xenon. “And the Alpha would be tied to you.”
My breath caught.
Tied.
Bound.
Xenon stepped in front of me like a barrier. “She is not being bound to anything.”
Ren frowned. “You would rather risk her life.”
Xenon’s eyes flashed. “I would rather protect her without forcing her into something she does not choose.”
The room went still.
Kael studied Xenon quietly. “Or something you are afraid to choose.”
Xenon froze.
So did I.
Kael’s voice stayed calm. “Alpha. You rejected the bond. But you cannot reject what your instincts show.”
Xenon’s eyes darkened. “This is not about the bond.”
“Then what is it,” Sorin asked. “Your pride. Or your fear.”
Xenon’s fists clenched. Hard. “Neither. This is about control. I cannot protect her if I am bound to her.”
Ren nodded slowly. “And if the day comes when she dies because she was not bound, will you say the same.”
Xenon moved before anyone could blink.
He did not shift. He did not roar. He did not hit.
He stepped forward and grabbed Ren by the front of his cloak, pulling him close enough to look into his eyes with cold fury.
“She is not dying,” he said quietly. “Not while I breathe.”
Ryker caught Xenon’s shoulder gently. “Alpha. Enough.”
Xenon released Ren slowly and stepped back. His chest rose and fell hard, his wolf too close to the surface.
Ren straightened his clothes. “We are not your enemy, Alpha. But the Creed is near. They are clever. They are patient. If she has a bloodline they want, they will keep coming.”
Xenon turned to me.
His eyes softened. Barely.
“You stay with me,” he repeated quietly. “Always.”
My breath shook. “Xenon…”
Before I could say more, a loud howl echoed across the grounds.
Not a pack howl.
A warning howl.
Ryker tensed. “Alpha. That is the northern watch tower.”
Xenon’s body snapped into action. “What is it.”
A guard sprinted into the hall, panting.
“Alpha. They are here.”
“Who.”
The guard swallowed. His eyes darted to me.
“The Creed.”
My blood ran cold.
Xenon stepped in front of me instantly.
“How many,” he demanded.
“At least thirty,” the guard said. “Maybe more. They are surrounding the northern entrance.”
Adrian joined us. “Alpha, this is not a scouting group. This is an assault.”
Xenon’s eyes turned darker than night.
“Ryker,” he said. “Get the warriors ready.”
Ryker nodded and ran.
“Adrian, secure the healers.”
Adrian left immediately.
The elders stepped back.
Xenon looked at me one last time before shifting his stance.
His voice dropped to something deep, commanding, terrifying.
“They want you,” he said. “They will not touch you.”
I swallowed hard. “What do I do.”
“Stay at my side.”
“And if they reach us.”
He stepped closer. His hand brushed mine. Not softly. Possessively.
“Then they die.”
The pack house exploded into movement. Wolves shifted. Warriors sprinted to positions. The sound of roaring and howling shook the walls.
And I followed Xenon into the night, toward the first battle of a war I never asked for.
But one the Creed refused to delay.
