Page 67 of His Mark

The lone wolf took a slow step forward, keeping the flag raised high, his movements cautious and methodical. He was tall, built like a soldier, his frame packed with lean muscle. He wore dark, reinforced clothing—practical, tactical even.

It wasn’t the standard uniform of the wolves who ruled the city. Not rogue. Not Resistance either, but a guard. A high-ranking one.

Rowan must have seen it too, because his shoulders tensed. “Military.”

I nodded, grinding my back teeth together. “Yeah, and not just any soldier.”

The way he moved, the way his pack stayed perfectly still behind him, waiting for his command—this wasn’t a random officer.

This was someone important.

The wolf stopped a few feet away, lowering the white flag just slightly.

“I need to speak to your Alpha,” he said, his voice calm and authoritative.

I crossed my arms. “You’re looking at him.”

His pale eyes locked onto mine, assessing, calculating. Then he did something no wolf from the city had ever done in my presence.

He dropped to one knee.

A ripple of shock ran through my pack.

“What the fuck is this?” Jax muttered under his breath.

The soldier bowed his head slightly. “My name is Varek Dain, High Commander of the Outer Guard.”

I froze.

The Outer Guard.

The wolves who lived on the outskirts of Denver, fighting external threats instead of internally enforcing the council’s rule over the city. Most didn’t even know they existed, but I did.

Rowan exhaled, his arms tightening across his chest. “You’re a long way from home, Commander.”

Varek lifted his head, his sharp silver eyes honing in on mine. “I surrender myself into your custody.”

The tension around us spiked. My wolves bristled, shifting on their feet, weapons securely in hand.

Jax let out a wary laugh. “Yeah, right. I’m supposed to believe you’re just giving yourself up?”

Varek didn’t so much as flinch. “I came here alone. My men will not approach without my order.”

I studied him, my instincts warring between distrust and curiosity. No wolf from the city had ever done this. No high-ranking military officer had ever knelt before me. Now here was the commander of the Outer Guard, surrendering himself to me and my pack.

“Why?” I asked plainly.

His gaze didn’t waver. “Because I need your help.”

A muscle ticked in my jaw. “You’ll have to do better than that.”

Varek exhaled slowly and his eyes darkened. “There’s something big coming, and if we don’t stop it, we all die.”

Silence fell over the camp.

A furrow appeared between Rowan’s brows. “What kind of threat?”

Varek’s expression was deadly serious. “A force stronger than the city council. A force that doesn’t care if you’re human or shifter. One that devours everything in its path.”

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