Hudson’s expression turned to stone as the communication crystal in his palm pulsed with Scarlett’s persistent frequency. Beside him, Bria Nixon watched with the predatory curiosity of a scavenger, her eyes tracing the tension in his jaw.

"Your she-wolf seems quite desperate for your attention, Alpha," Bria remarked, her voice a silken purr that didn't match the coldness of her heart.

Hudson didn't answer. Instead, he deactivated the crystal with a sharp snap of his wrist. The silence that followed was heavy with the scent of pine and impending snow. He looked at Bria—really looked at her—and saw not a fragile high-born female, but a useful shield. If Bria was...