Page 21 of Bronx

As they rounded the corner to their suite, Cora was surprised to see Ellie already there, pacing nervously in the hallway.

“Ellie!” Cora exclaimed, rushing over and pulling her into a hug with her free arm. “You made it here so fast.”

“Hi,” Ellie replied shakily, her eyes darting around the corridor as if expecting danger to leap out at any moment.

“Let’s go inside and talk,” Cora suggested, her tone belying the fear that roiled her insides. She needed to hear what Ellie had to say—and then figure out how to protect everyone she loved from whatever ominous threat loomed over them all.

Ellie stepped into Cora’s suite, her eyes widening as she took in the elegant furnishings and soft lighting. Cora knew all too well that the plush couches and rich wood accents seemed a world away from the sparse women’s bunkhouse on the Idaho Pack’s land. Ellie ran her fingers along the back of one of the chairs, her gaze still darting around the room as if searching for something amiss.

“Wow, this is so much nicer than what we had back home,” Ellie remarked, hesitating before sitting down.

Cora offered a small smile. “It’s only temporary,” she assured Ellie. “But it’s nice to be comfortable while we figure things out.”

Ellie nodded, but her nervousness didn’t subside. In fact, it seemed to intensify as she began wringing her hands in her lap, her lower lip caught between her teeth.

“Come on, Samuel,” Cora said. “Let’s get you to bed.”

But when she returned to the living-room area, Ellie seemed even more anxious than before, pacing back and forth.

“Ellie, what’s wrong?” Cora asked gently, settling on the sofa and gesturing for Ellie to join her. The younger woman had been through enough with the former alphas of the Idaho Pack—whatever was troubling her now must be serious.

“Th-There’s something you need to know,” Ellie stammered. “There’s a group within the Idaho Pack… They’re planning to rise up against Jake—against any new alpha the Moonstones install. And then…they’re coming for the Moonstone Pack.”

“What?” Fear tightened its grip around Cora, leaving her breathless. “Are you sure? How do you know?” Her mind raced as she tried to process the terrifying information.

“I overheard them talking,” Ellie whispered, her pale face even more drained of color than usual. “They think Jake is weak for aligning with the Moonstone Pack, and they want to take control.”

Cora’s stomach twisted into knots, the room suddenly feeling too small and suffocating. “Are you absolutely sure about this, Ellie?”

“Y-Yes,” Ellie stuttered, her dark eyes filled with terror. “I couldn’t mistake their voices or their intentions.”

Cora clenched her fists, recalling how the Idaho Pack had already been crushed once by the Moonstone Pack. “But why would they attempt something so reckless again? They lost so much in the last battle…”

“Because this time, they won’t make a show of it,” Ellie revealed. “They’re planning to assassinate the leaders of both packs instead.”

Ellie’s words sent a chill through Cora. The realization that violence was once again looming over their lives filled her with a primal fear. She wanted to pull Samuel out of bed and hold him to her, shielding him from the unseen threat.

As her mind raced through the options, Cora found herself thinking of Bronx. It surprised her that he was her first thought in this moment of crisis.

The fact that she trusted Bronx so much was surprising, even to herself.

Why was that?

Suddenly, her stomach twisted.

Was it possible that they shared a mate bond?

And if so, what did that mean for their future?

That doesn’t matter now, Cora.Her hands shook as she reached for Ellie’s, offering her friend what comfort she could. She knew she had to act, to protect her son and her newfound friends in the Moonstone Pack. The thought of losing anyone else to violence and treachery was unbearable.

“Ellie, I need you to stay here with Samuel while I talk to Bronx—he’s the head guardian of the pack,” Cora said, her voice wavering only slightly. “He’ll know what to do. We can’t keep this information from the alphas any longer.”

“Okay.” Ellie’s voice trembled with fear. But she didn’t pull away from Cora’s grasp. That had to be a good sign, right?

“I’ll be back soon.”

Ellie nodded, glancing around the suite as if expecting danger to burst through the door at any moment.

---