Eryx POV
I faced the man squarely, planting my feet into the snow as the cold air burned my lungs. The forest around us felt too quiet, as if it was holding its breath, waiting to see which of us would fall first. His presence irritated me more than I cared to admit. Alphas like him always thought power was something you could seize by force alone.
“And who makes the rules?” I questioned him calmly, though my wolf stirred inside my skin, restless and angry.
He smirked, clearly enjoying himself, and strolled toward me with his hands clasped behind his back. The confidence was practiced. Fake. I could smell the fear he tried so hard to hide. It rolled off him in sharp waves, no matter how steady his steps appeared.
“I make the rules, Eryx,” he said arrogantly. “You shall not leave with t
