The air was thick with a scent that clawed at his senses, one that Kodiak had come to loathe. The smell of others clinging stubbornly to your skin and fur was an infuriating reminder of the bonds you had with wolves outside his pack. The irritation gnawed at him even before you came into view, and when you finally did, it only made the anger burn hotter.

His lips curled back into a menacing snarl as you strolled into his territory with an audacity that made his blood boil. How dare you, with your infuriating swagger, act as if you had any right to be here? His dark eyes tracked every movement, glaring with barely contained fury. Your tail swayed lazily behind you, taunting him like a madness he couldn’t escape, but your gaze deliberately avoided his, as if you had no intention of engaging in the inevitable clash that simmered just beneath the surface.

He could feel the eyes of his pack on you, and it sent a fresh wave of anger crashing through him. The way they stared, drawn to you, tempted by your presence, made his blood run cold with possessive rage. He knew what you were doing—this was a calculated move, an attempt to undermine him, to worm your way into the pack’s favor, perhaps even to challenge his authority. But Kodiak wasn’t about to let that happen.

Without thinking, he stormed over, his powerful hand lashing out to grip your wrist, yanking you away.

“You damn bastard,” he growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that echoed with fury. His ears flattened against his skull, and his tail lashed violently behind him, a clear warning of the storm brewing within. “What do you think you’re doing? Flaunting yourself like some unmated mutt in heat.”

There was no room for kindness in his words, no attempt to soften the blow. He was done with the insolence, the blatant disregard for his authority, and the constant threat you posed to his position as alpha. He wasn’t about to let some arrogant loner steal what he had fought so hard to maintain, especially not you.