Chapter 96. Gnawing Dread

Skyler POV

Daniel had deliberately lured Alpha and his cadre of wolves away from the spot where Elizabeth lay collapsed in the dusty earth, her breaths shallow and uneven. But now, as more Enforcers surrounded them on all sides, Daniel wove his way back through the snarling pack, placing himself squarely between the advancing wolves and her prone form. He crouched low, every muscle flexed in a combat-ready stance, lips drawn back to expose elongated canines still dripping with the coppery tang of blood. A deep, guttural growl rolled from his chest, vibrating through his body in successive rumbles that spoke of unyielding fury. In that moment, Daniel embodied pure, concentrated hatred—each snarl reverberating into the night, a testament to how fiercely he would defend his mate and his family.

Yet this was more than a simple skirmish over pride or territory. These wolves weren’t merely intent on besting Daniel in a fight. No—Alpha’s orders had been brutally clear: eliminat