Chapter 7 Bargaining Chip

Gabriel POV

The midday sun beat down on our territory as I paced the length of my office.

"Alpha," Alistair's voice pulled me from my thoughts as he entered without knocking, a privilege earned through years of loyalty. "We've received word from our contacts in the central cities. Crimson Pine warriors are searching for a female—a runaway."

I stopped pacing, interest immediately piqued. "One of their own?"

"Apparently." Alistair handed me a hastily scrawled note. "They're being discreet, but urgent. Moving in groups of two, checking bus stations, motels. Whatever she is to Dominic, she's valuable."

Valuable to him, potentially valuable to us.

The animosity between our packs had festered for years, but it had become personal after the Blood Moon Games four years ago. After Isabella.

"Send our warriors south," I ordered, my voice betraying none of the rage that simmered beneath the surface. "Find this female before Dominic's men do."

Alistair nodded sharply. "Yes, Alpha."

"And Alistair—" I fixed him with a hard stare. "Be discreet. I don't want Dominic knowing we're interfering until it's too late."

The hours passed with maddening slowness. I kept myself busy with pack affairs, approving construction plans for a new training facility and mediating a territory dispute between two families. But my mind continually drifted south, wondering what—or who—had managed to escape Dominic's iron grip.

Night had fallen when my phone vibrated with a call from Sheriff Brooks, a human who maintained law enforcement in the town bordering our territory. The arrangement benefited us both—he kept humans from wandering into our lands, and we ensured supernatural issues didn't spill into his jurisdiction.

"Alpha Thorne," his voice crackled through the line. "A lone female wolf is asking questions about Silver Moon Pack at the diner off Route 9. Thought you should know."

My heart rate accelerated inexplicably. "I'm on my way."

The drive into town took fifteen minutes—fifteen minutes too long. By the time I pulled into the parking lot, Alistair was already positioned outside, his tall frame leaning casually against the wall as if he were simply enjoying a cigarette. Only I could see the tension in his shoulders, the careful way his eyes scanned the surroundings.

"She's still inside," he reported as I approached. "Alone at the back booth."

I nodded, wondering what twist of fate had brought this runaway to my territory—to a diner partially owned by my pack.

The bell chimed softly as I pushed open the door. The scent of coffee and grease hit me first, followed by something else—something wilder. Wolf. Female. And something beneath that, a hint of... pine? The scent signature of Crimson Pine Pack.

She sat with her back to the door, shoulders tense, brown hair falling in waves down her back. I approached deliberately, letting my shadow fall across her table, using my height and presence to establish dominance before we'd even spoken.

"You've been asking about my pack?" I kept my voice low, authoritative—the voice of an Alpha.

She turned, and the world tilted beneath my feet.

Green eyes—with distinctive blue rings around the pupils—stared up at me from a face I knew as intimately as my own heartbeat, though I'd only seen it for mere moments years ago. Isabella's face. But the connection, that electric storm of recognition that had surged between us back then, was absent.

"How is this possible?" My wolf prowled anxiously beneath my skin. "She looks exactly like her, but she's not our mate."

My mind raced through possibilities. Two women with identical faces? Impossible. Had Dominic somehow found a doppelgänger to replace Isabella? Created a stand-in to serve some twisted purpose? Whatever the truth, if Dominic wanted her back badly enough to mobilize his warriors, she was leverage I couldn't ignore.

I composed my features, hiding the shock beneath a mask of calm authority.

"I'm Gabriel Thorne, Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack," I introduced myself, watching for any flicker of recognition. None came. "And you are...?"

She hesitated, fingers tightening around her coffee mug. "Lyra," she finally said, her voice guarded.

"Where are you from, Lyra? What brings here?" I slid into the booth across from her, noting the dark circles beneath her eyes, the wary way she held herself—like prey expecting a predator's strike at any moment.

"My pack was destroyed," she said, the words coming too easily, rehearsed. "I've been wandering for some time, looking for somewhere to belong." Her gaze dropped to the tabletop. "I was hoping... I could join your pack?"

"Lie." My wolf identified it immediately. Not about wanting to join, perhaps, but certainly about her origins. The scent of Crimson Pine clung to her like a second skin—she hadn't been wandering long at all.

I didn't call her out. Not yet. Better to let her believe I accepted her story while I uncovered the truth.

"Joining Silver Moon isn't simple," I said instead, my tone neutral. "We have tests of strength, intelligence, hunting skills. Our standards are high."

Through our pack bond, I called Alistair inside. He appeared at my side moments later, his presence solid and reassuring.

"This is Alistair, my Beta," I introduced. "He oversees all testing for potential members."

Alistair nodded formally. "The trials determine if you're worthy of the Blood Rite of Initiation. Only then can you truly join our ranks."

I watched Lyra's reaction carefully, noting how she paled at the mention of trials, her hand unconsciously moving to rest protectively over her abdomen.

Interesting.

"I have other skills," she said quickly. "I studied literature at community college. I'm good with organization, planning..." Her voice trailed off as she realized how weak these offerings sounded to warrior wolves. "Perhaps the tests could be postponed?"

"She's hiding something physical," my wolf concluded. "Something that prevents shifting or combat."

Whatever her secret, it was clear she was desperate to escape Dominic. That alone was enough for me.

"The tests aren't mandatory," I said, softening my tone slightly. "We frequently host lone wolves while they recover and acclimate. You're welcome to stay with us, observe our pack dynamics, and decide if Silver Moon is where you belong."

Relief flooded her features, her shoulders relaxing fractionally. "That would be great," she breathed. "Thank you, Alpha."

Poor girl, I thought, maintaining my pleasant expression. She thinks she has a choice.

Until I understood who she really was and why she mattered so much to Dominic, she wouldn't be going anywhere. Sometimes leverage appears when you least expect it—and I had waited four long years for something to use against Dominic.