River shook her head quickly, desperation leaking into her voice.
“I’m not hiding anything. I swear. I was traveling with… my companions… and we were attacked. I ran. I didn’t know where I was going. I just… kept running.”
The Alpha stared at her. Long. Hard. Silent.
River could feel his power pressing against her skin, searching her scent for deceit. It was unbearable—being read like prey, evaluated.
But she kept her ground. Her knees buckled slightly, but she didn’t fall. She would not fall.
“You’re soaked,” the Alpha said flatly.
River nodded. “I crossed a river to throw them off my trail.”
“Smart. But reckless.”
He circled her once, slow, methodical.
“Almira's omega, wandering into foreign lands… with no escort… in the middle of the night. That’s either very brave, or very foo
