Heiko stood between them now, jaw clenched, eyes burning. “You could have told us. You could have warned us before attacking her back.”
Jon raised a hand, regret flickering across his features. “I didn’t attack her. I defended instinctively. Her aura triggered mine. I thought it was a threat.”
River finally stood, brushing dust from her palms, her voice hoarse but steady.
“Dark Alphas are myths. There are no records of more than one alive at a time… And now we stand here. Two of us. In the same forest.”
Jon looked at her, his expression strangely gentle. “That is why I’ve hidden it all my life. My father trained me to mask it. Said the world wasn’t ready. That if others found out, they'd try to use me... or destroy me.”
River’s thoughts raced. The wildfire. The hidden routes. The mani
