Draven.
Meredith’s retreating figure vanished beyond the hedges of the courtyard, her silver hair catching the morning light.
I stood there, jaw clenched, arms heavy at my sides, wondering what new brand of madness gave her the audacity to argue with me when she reeked of pheromones and had the nerve to walk into the training grounds like she wasn’t a walking trigger for chaos.
Her scent lingered like heat rising off sunbaked stone, and every step she took dragged that dangerous aroma behind her.
Pheromones.
It was too early for them to be this strong.
Too soon.
And yet, I had smelled it—heady, sweet, thick with need. No perfume in the world could mimic the biological storm she was radiating. No potion could fake that scent. It was real. And it was trouble.
If my warriors had been any less disciplined or focused, the entire ground would have turned into a frenzy.
Fortunately, they were too immersed in drills to notice. But I wasn’t. My senses were sharper.
I turned back toward the training grounds, keeping my stride long and even. My hands curled into fists at my sides.
"Rhovan."
My wolf stirred sluggishly, like someone shaking off sleep.
"What now?" he muttered.
"Her scent," I said in a low tone, "her heat is starting. But it’s not the full moon yet."
Rhovan was quiet for a beat. Then he gave a low sound that passed for a contemplative hum.
"Some heats start early. Especially if the female’s cycle aligns closely with the lunar shift. It’ll only get worse by tomorrow night."
Worse?
"You will be lucky if it doesn’t level the entire estate."
I exhaled through my nose and pressed my thumb and forefinger to my brow. Just what I needed. Meredith was already difficult. Now she would be more difficult and dangerous.
I ran a hand down my face. We had one day. Now we had none. And judging by how she looked back there—glassy-eyed, flustered, neck flushed—it had already begun creeping under her skin.
When I stepped back onto the training field, I spotted Dennis running sword drills with two younger wolves. He paused when he saw me and jogged over, sweat glistening across his collarbone.
I remembered what he said earlier this morning—about switching my evening swimming lessons with Meredith to morning so that she could keep her driving practice in the evenings.
Driving. As if she’d need that skill in this life. But I hadn’t said anything then.
Now, I couldn’t afford to let her anywhere near my brother during this period.
"Dennis," I said, approaching him.
He grabbed a towel off a bench and wiped his face. "Yeah?"
"Cancel the driving lesson with Meredith for this evening. Postpone it until next week."
He blinked. "What? Why?"
I couldn’t tell him the truth; that Meredith was going into heat and it was a miracle the estate wasn’t on fire yet.
It would be embarrassing on Meredith’s path, to find out that others knew about her heat and wild Pheromones. No woman would want that.
"Training has been tightened," I said flatly immediately I found a good excuse. "Starting tonight, all wolves will be put on a five-day double drill rotation. Morning and evening."
He frowned. "But we just added night shifts last week."
"Not nearly enough," I said to him.
Ever since the discovery of a vampire in the woods that day, I have been going to the training grounds whenever I had the time to oversee the warriors’ training myself.
Catching a vampire without losing any of my men was the goal, so I wasn’t taking the training lightly. And this now, has become the perfect excuse to train harder.
Dennis looked at me like he wanted to ask more questions but thought better of it. He exhaled and shrugged. "Alright. I will break it to her gently. She might be disappointed."
"No." I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "I will tell her myself."
Dennis gave me a crooked smile. "Good luck with that." Then he turned and jogged back to his group.
As he turned away, I stood there, hands on my hips, the weight of the estate pressing down on my spine.
She had no idea what her scent could do. No idea that every man under this roof had a limit—and hers would test all of it. One wrong move, one too-close brush with a wolf in rut, and we’d have chaos.
I needed to clear the building. Move the unmated wolves. Keep her inside.
And under no circumstances could I let her be alone with Dennis.
Especially now.
The worst part? I wasn’t worried about the men losing control.
I was now worried about myself.
Mating with Meredith wasn’t an option for me. I never intended to touch her. It wasn’t part of the reasons I married her.
She is a sacrificial lamb whom, I’m not supposed to even care about in the first place, except helping her to extend her life span for the goal I intended her for.
"Arrgh!" A groan escaped my lips.
Now, I have to think of a way to contain Meredith in the building.
"You really should be worried," Rhovan growled lazily. "You think this little plan of yours will keep you safe? Keep dreaming."
I didn’t respond to him. I wasn’t going to dignify his taunt. But it hit its mark.
Meredith Carter was a walking problem.
And tomorrow night?
She might become the kind of problem that even an Alpha couldn’t solve. And by Alpha, I meant, me.
"Ah! Are you giving me the silent treatment now because I said the truth? Since when did you turn into a hypocrite?"
"Rhovan, I think you should be worried about yourself. You claimed Meredith to be your mate, right?" I asked as I ventured back to my training spot in the field.
"Yes, and what about it?"
"Let’s see how you will cope by the time her pheromones drive you crazy. Don’t come crying in my head for a release."