Chapter 13: Tension Rising (Owen's POV)

As soon as Sabine left, the air in the cabin felt too still, too quiet. Fraser growled in the back of my mind, his unease mirroring my own.

You should have kept her here, he rumbled. She's still in danger.

"She doesn't trust us yet," I muttered under my breath, rubbing the back of my neck. "Pushing her won't help."

And if she doesn't come back? Fraser snapped. You saw her eyes-she's running scared, Owen. We need to fix this, and fast.

I didn't respond, heading out into the night. The patrol I'd dismissed earlier was waiting a short distance from the cabin, his posture rigid as he spotted me.

"Beta," he greeted, lowering his head slightly.

"Any issues while I was inside?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral.

"No, sir. She didn't seem hostile," he replied, then hesitated. "But, if you don't mind me saying, she looked... uneasy. Like she didn't trust us."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Noted. Head back to your post. I'll handle the rest."

He nodded and disappeared into the trees, leaving me alone again. I didn't waste time, heading straight for the pack house. The weight of what Sabine had overheard hung heavy in my mind. If my patrols were spreading dangerous rumors-or worse, acting on them-I needed to know.

Alpha Cole was in his office when I arrived, sitting behind his large oak desk with a pile of papers spread out in front of him. He looked up as I entered, his sharp green eyes narrowing slightly.

"Owen," he greeted, leaning back in his chair. "I was wondering where you'd disappeared to."

I shut the door behind me and crossed the room, standing just short of his desk. "We need to talk."

Cole raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "About?"

"Sabine," I said bluntly. "She heard something... concerning."

His eyes flickered with recognition at her name, but he stayed silent, waiting for me to continue.

"She overheard members of the pack talking about rogues. Specifically, that patrols are under orders to kill them on sight," I explained, my tone clipped. "Is that true?"

Cole's jaw tightened, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "No, it's not true," he said firmly. "But I can't control every idiot who decides to run their mouth."

Fraser growled. We need more than words, Owen.

"Then why is it being said?" I pressed. "Because if my mate hadn't been smart enough to stay hidden, this could have ended very differently."

Cole's eyes darkened, and the room seemed to grow heavier. "Your mate?"

"Yes," I said without hesitation. "Sabine is my mate. And if she's not safe here, I'll make sure she's safe somewhere else."

The tension between us was palpable, but Cole was the first to break it. He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I'm not going to fight you on this, Owen. You know that. But the situation with rogues is complicated. We've had too many close calls lately-small groups skirting the borders, testing our defenses. People are on edge."

"Being on edge doesn't give them the right to ignore orders," I shot back. "If someone's spreading lies, they need to be dealt with."

Cole nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "I'll address it. But you need to understand something, Owen. The safety of this pack comes first. If she's going to stay here-or even near here-she'll need to prove she's not a threat."

Fraser snarled in my mind, and I barely kept my own growl contained. "She's not a threat."

"That's not for you to decide alone," Cole said, his voice calm but firm. "The pack needs to see it too."

I clenched my fists at my sides, forcing myself to take a deep breath. "I'll handle it. Just make sure no one else gets any ideas about taking matters into their own hands."

"Done," Cole said, leaning back in his chair again. "Anything else?"

I hesitated, then shook my head. "Not right now."

As I left the office, Fraser's voice cut through my thoughts. Cole's not wrong, you know. The pack won't just accept her because you do.

"I know," I muttered under my breath.

Then what's the plan? Fraser pressed.

I stopped in the hallway, leaning against the wall as the weight of everything threatened to crush me. "First, we make sure she's safe. After that... we'll figure it out."

And if she doesn't come back?

"She will," I said, more to myself than to him. "She has to."

Fraser didn't respond, but his silence spoke volumes. He didn't believe me.

And, deep down, I wasn't sure I believed myself either.

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