Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Packless Wolf

Luther’s steps slowed as he neared the clearing, his eyes narrowing on the figure standing in the middle of their usual meeting spot. Leah was waiting for him, her body poised with that same predatory confidence she always carried, her hips swaying subtly as she met his gaze. A sultry smile played across her lips, and her eyes gleamed with anticipation as she took in his approach.

“How do you want me, Alpha?” she purred, her voice dripping with false seduction. She tilted her head slightly, exposing the long line of her neck in a way she knew drove him wild in the past. But today, her usual tricks fell on deaf ears.

Luther’s eyes darkened, his wolf already simmering beneath the surface, eager to act. There would be no playful banter, no flirtation, and certainly no rough fucking today. The only thing Leah was about to experience was the consequence of crossing him and, more importantly, harming Charlie.

Without a word, Luther stormed up to her, his strides long and purposeful. Leah’s sultry expression faltered slightly, confusion flickering across her face as she realized he wasn’t reacting the way he usually did. Her uncertainty quickly turned to panic when he reached out, grabbing her by the throat with a speed she hadn’t expected.

Leah let out a choked gasp as Luther hauled her up off the ground, her feet dangling just inches above the dirt. Her hands flew to his wrist, fingers scratching at him in a desperate attempt to free herself, but her strength was nothing compared to his. She was trapped in his iron grip, held in place by a fury that she hadn’t anticipated.

“Luther—” she started, her voice rasping in fear, but he cut her off with a vicious growl.

“You’ve messed with MY MATE for the last time, Leah!” Luther’s voice was low and dangerous, a deep, animalistic growl that rumbled through the clearing. His words overlapped with Rex’s, their voices melding into one as his wolf pushed closer to the surface. His eyes blazed with fury, and his grip on her throat tightened as he spoke, his claws descending and pressing into her skin.

Leah whimpered in fear, her eyes widening as she saw just how close Rex was to taking full control. The scent of her terror filled the air, mingling with the faint tang of blood as his claws broke through her skin in small, shallow cuts. Droplets of blood dribbled down her neck, pooling in the exposed cleavage she had so brazenly displayed in hopes of seducing him.

But there would be no seduction today.

Leah’s hands clawed desperately at his wrist, her body thrashing in a futile attempt to free herself from his hold. But she had no power here. She had no control. Luther’s strength was unyielding, and her struggles only served to fuel his anger.

“You,” Luther snarled, his voice dripping with venom, “are hereby, and forever, banished from the Hidden Valley pack.”

Leah’s eyes widened in terror as his words sunk in. Banished. The word cut through the air like a death sentence, and the reality of her situation hit her like a punch to the gut. Her breath came in short, shallow gasps, her wolf whimpering inside her as she felt the bond to her pack break. Her scent, once familiar and tethered to the Hidden Valley, shifted—warped—into the unmistakable scent of a rogue.

Luther’s amber eyes, now fully Rex’s, glowed as the finality of her banishment solidified in the pack bond. Leah’s whimpering grew louder, her wolf reeling from the pain of losing the connection to her pack. It was a suffering few wolves ever experienced, and it was a fate worse than death.

But Luther had no sympathy for her. Just as Leah had shown no sympathy for Charlie.

An evil grin spread across Luther’s face as he leaned in closer, pulling her until their faces were just inches apart. His breath fanned across her skin, hot and full of the fury that burned beneath the surface.

“I suggest you run, little wolf,” he growled, his voice dark and taunting. “Run far and run fast… before Rex comes out to play.”

The instant he released her, Leah crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud, gasping for air as she fell to her knees. She pressed her hands against her throat, her body heaving as she gulped in desperate breaths of oxygen. Blood trickled down her neck, staining her skin as she fought to regain control.

Luther stood over her, his eyes blazing with fury as he watched her struggle. His patience was thin, his wolf pacing beneath the surface, ready to strike if she didn’t move, and quickly. The sight of her helpless on the ground didn’t stir pity in him—only the deep satisfaction of knowing she was no longer a threat to Charlie.

“One,” Luther said, his voice low and dangerous as he began to count.

Leah’s eyes shot up to meet his, wide with fear. She scrambled to her feet, her movements frantic as she realized what was about to happen. She had no time to plead, no time to bargain. All she had was a few fleeting seconds to escape with her life.

“Two,” Luther growled, his lips curling into a sneer as his claws flexed at his sides.

Panic overtook Leah, and she stumbled, nearly tripping over her own feet as she started to run. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as she fled toward the edge of the pack’s territory, toward the one place where Luther could no longer chase her.

“Three,” Luther’s voice followed her, rising in volume as he counted, his words carrying across the clearing.

Leah glanced over her shoulder, her eyes wide with terror as she saw the predatory gleam in his eyes. She pushed herself harder, her legs burning as she sprinted toward the ridge that marked the border of Hidden Valley’s territory.

“Four,” Luther’s voice was sharp now, rising with every step she took.

Leah’s feet hit the edge of the ridge just as Luther called out the final number, his voice echoing through the trees.

“Five.”

She disappeared over the ridge, her form vanishing from sight as she crossed the border, her scent lingering in the air for a moment longer before it was swept away by the wind.

Luther stood still, his chest rising and falling with the remnants of his anger. Rex’s hunger to chase, to hunt, simmered beneath the surface, but Luther held him back. Leah was gone now. She had fled, just as he had ordered her to. And while the temptation to let his wolf chase her down still lingered, he knew it wasn’t necessary.

Leah was packless now. She was nothing more than a rogue. And if she ever dared set foot on Hidden Valley territory again, she wouldn’t live to see another sunrise.

With a final, deep breath, Luther turned on his heel and headed back toward the packhouse. Back to Charlie. His mate.