Then his mate became the one person he couldn't protect.
Dominic Thorne knows his place.
He is Shadow Ridge's loyal Beta—the man behind the Alpha, the one who holds the pack together while his brother, Killian, takes the glory. Dominic has never needed the spotlight.
Until Isla Marchetti crosses the border.
Bruised, terrified, and running from a powerful Alpha who believes she belongs to him, Isla has one reason to fear every wolf she meets: trusting the wrong man could mean being dragged back to the monster she escaped.
Then Dominic touches her.
The mate bond ignites.
For the first time in his life, Dominic wants something for himself. But Isla isn't free. She's being hunted. And the Alpha hunting her will stop at nothing to reclaim what he believes is his.
Because Isla is carrying a secret.
A secret powerful enough to expose a horrifying network of forced mate bonds—and ignite a war that could tear Shadow Ridge apart.
Now Dominic must choose between his duty and his mate.
Protect the pack…
or burn everything down to keep her safe.
Because sometimes the most dangerous thing an Alpha can do isn't start a war.
It's fall in love.