Tanner's hands grip the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turn white. He isn't thinking. He's unable to.
Every part of him is desperate to escape the suffocating thoughts clawing at him, urging him to stop, and yet, the wheel keeps turning, pulling him closer to the Wolfclaw pack's territory.
His mind spins, a chaotic mix of images and emotions are gnawing beast in the back of his mind.
And now, he needs to make it stop. Make it all go away. His mind screams at him to focus on something, anything else, but it always returns to the same place: the man he has made love to. And he hates it. He hates himself.
With each mile, his desperation grows, but also an eerie sense of powerlessness. What is he doing? What is he even trying to prove? Could a woman fill the empty space in his mind? Is she the answer to erasing the image of Jess beneath him? He doesn't know. All he knows is that he has to erase everything.
The moment he reaches the Wolfclaw pack's border, the guards step aside, recognizing him immediately.
No questions.
Just the deep bows, their respect clear.
Tanner barely acknowledges them. The car comes to a stop, and he sits there, staring at the pack house in front of him, unsure of what he expects or why he has come.
Before he even opens the door, a knock on the window startles him.
"Tanner?!"
It's Charlotte. Of course it is. The last person he needs to see right now. But she stands there, her eyes wide with anticipation, her presence somehow soothing yet infuriating all at once.
He opens the door and gets out, and before he can say a word, her brother Eryx approaches.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Eryx's voice drips with disdain. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with my sister? Didn't you say she was forcing herself on you? That you wouldn't marry anyone unless it was your fated mate? Funny, I heard you've already tied the knot with someone, so what's this?"
Tanner's jaw tightens, his body bristling with irritation. But he knows better than to engage with Eryx's baiting. Instead, he looks at Charlotte, silently pleading with her.
"Great Alpha Hale, what do you want here?" Eryx continues, not letting up.
Tanner steps closer to Charlotte, deliberately brushing past Eryx. "Our relationship, as friends or whatever you think it is, doesn't concern you, Eryx."
"She's my sister!"
Tanner ignores it, as if He's done with this. He doesn't have time for this conversation. The desperation clawing at him is louder than the brother's anger, louder than the confusion tangled in his chest.
Before the argument can escalate further, Alpha Phen, Charlotte and Eryx's father, steps outside. His presence is commanding, and Tanner immediately shifts his attention, grateful for the interruption.
"Aah... Alpha Hale, what a pleasure," Alpha Phen greets, his voice warm as they exchange pleasantries.
Tanner forces a tight smile, despite the tension that still weighs on his shoulders. "I apologize for my sudden visit," he says, his voice not matching the turmoil inside him.
"No, no, it's no trouble at all. You're always welcome here," Alpha Phen says, his tone polite but laced with a touch of warmth. "And my lovely princess here... has been in tears ever since she heard the news of your marriage. I'm glad you two can talk things out."
Tanner's gaze shifts to Eryx, who mutters something under his breath as he walks away in frustration. It's barely audible, but Tanner hears it clearly: "Trading Your own daughter just fo…" it fades.
Tanner turns back to Charlotte, his eyes locking onto hers. "You want to come?" he asks.
Charlotte doesn't answer with words. Instead, she simply opens the door of the car and slides inside, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Tanner watches her, a flicker of something he can't quite place stirring inside him. It's not relief, not sure what it is...
Her father smiles, his pride for his daughter evident. "Go on. I'll leave you two to talk." With that, he nods and walks back into the house, leaving Tanner and Charlotte alone.
As the car starts moving, the silence between them stretches. Tanner focuses on the road ahead, the weight of everything pressing on him.
His mind is still a mess, but now it's laced with something else that feels both like a solution and a trap.
"I never thought you'd come at my home," Charlotte finally breaks the silence. Her voice is light, but there's a definite edge. "And I certainly didn't expect you to bring this... baggage with you." She gestures vaguely between them. "You don't look okay. What happened? Did you catch two more guys in your pack kissing again?"
She laughs, but Tanner turns sharply toward her, his stare cold, as if she just slapped him.
"Jeez! What's with the scary look? I said that because last time it happened, you looked exactly like this... disgusted, furious, ready to kill someone. So? What's going on?"
Tanner's hands tighten on the wheel, jaw tense. "Nothing. Just tired of endless duties. I needed a break... I thought maybe spending time with a friend would help. But clearly not if she's going to talk nonsense." His voice falters near the end, not even sure what he's trying to say.
Her eyes soften. "Sorry. I forgot how much you hate that. I shouldn't have brought it up. I mean, it's not something anyone talks about openly in the packs."
Her words only add to the weight pressing on Tanner's chest.
"But... why would you want to spend time with me now? You just got married. Shouldn't you be with your..." A hint of jealous blend in her voice.
"Do you wanna go back?" Tanner cuts her off, voice low and unreadable.
She's quiet for a moment. Then simply, "No."
Tanner doesn't say anything after that. He just speeds up, heading straight for the hidden house where he left Jess.
He refuses to think about what he's doing.