Scarred Wolf Queen Chapter 48

**Briony's POV**

The shock of Benjamin's lips against mine jolted me back to reality. I jerked away, gasping for air, my vision clearing as oxygen flooded my lungs. The room gradually came into focus, sounds filtering back in.

Low growls rumbled from somewhere nearby. My skin felt feverish, heart hammering against my ribs. Benjamin still cradled my face, his green-gold eyes wide with fear, tear tracks visible on his cheeks. I released my grip on his wrists and gently wiped the moisture away.

His hands dropped to my waist, and I realized I was sitting in his lap. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and buried my face against his neck. The growling around us intensified, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

Benjamin had pulled me back from the edge, his presence anchoring me when I was drowning. I could feel tension radiating through him, his heartbeat thundering where my ear pressed against his chest. We stayed like that, holding each other, both recovering from the terrifying moment.

"Never seen anything like that, Lightning," he murmured against my hair, voice unsteady. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"How did you find me?" I asked, not moving from his neck.

"You were gone too long. Everyone got worried." His arms loosened slightly. "Then I felt this pain right here." He pressed a hand to his chest. "My wolf went crazy, like it was screaming your name. I couldn't stop myself from running to you."

He took a deep breath, his nose brushing my hair. "When I found you, your lips were turning blue. I panicked. I'm sorry."

"For what?" I pulled back to look at him. "You saved me."

"I shouldn't have kissed you without permission."

A deep growl interrupted us. Maxwell stood nearby, looking almost feral.

"What happened?" he demanded, eyes darting between us. "You disappeared, then Ben bolted out the door like something was chasing him."

I slid off Benjamin's lap, but he instantly grabbed my wrist. The growl from Maxwell intensified. I gently freed myself from Ben's grip and walked toward Maxwell.

"Luna told me about the threat," I said, my voice still a bit unsteady. "The silver powder thing... brought back some bad memories."

Maxwell's face immediately softened. He stepped forward and cupped my cheeks. "Are you okay now?"

"I'm fine. Thanks to Ben," I said, glancing back gratefully. "He got here just in time."

Christopher, Noah, and Ethan burst into the room with Layla right behind them, all wearing identical worried expressions.

"We realized you were gone," Noah explained, scanning me for injuries. "Then Benjamin just took off without a word."

"We all felt something was wrong," Christopher added, "but Ben reacted strongest. You okay, Little Star?"

The nickname made me smile despite everything. Luna Isabella moved between us, her expression gentle but concerned.

"I shouldn't have told you that way," she said softly. "But with those marks being so similar to your scars..."

"You did the right thing," I assured her. "I'd rather know the truth than be kept in the dark. Especially if others might be in danger."

"So about that kiss..." Ethan piped up, wiggling his eyebrows. "Did Benjamin really kiss you?"

My face burned instantly. Benjamin cleared his throat awkwardly. "She couldn't breathe. I was trying to shock her system. Just emergency measures."

"Wow," Ethan smirked. "I need to learn that emergency technique. Might come in handy."

Layla elbowed him hard. "Not funny! She nearly suffocated!"

The mood in the room sobered quickly.

"I need to sit," I mumbled as a wave of exhaustion hit me. My knees wobbled slightly.

Maxwell guided me to a chair while Christopher fetched water. I sipped slowly, the cool liquid soothing my throat.

"What exactly happened?" Noah asked carefully. "How serious is this threat?"

Luna explained everything in detail. As she described the silver powder again, Benjamin moved behind me, resting his hand on my shoulder. That simple touch anchored me, keeping the panic at bay.

"So what now?" I asked when she finished. "If someone's targeting female warriors and Lunas, what's the plan?"

"We've strengthened defenses," Luna said. "Adam and Nathan are leading search teams. For now, no one moves alone, and we keep this quiet to prevent panic."

We talked until Omegas brought food, each portion carefully checked for safety. For the first time, I truly understood what being a Sentinel meant - not just fighting skills but preparing mentally for invisible threats.

Later, exhaustion hit hard. We gathered in Luna's suite, supposedly watching TV but each lost in thought. Guards patrolled constantly, making me restless despite trying to hide it.

I couldn't get comfortable, shifting positions constantly until I finally crawled between Christopher and Maxwell. Their warmth enveloped me, chasing away the lingering anxiety from Luna's terrible news, and I drifted into deep sleep.

Sometime later, I woke up overheated, like someone had cranked a furnace under me. I carefully untangled myself from their limbs and slid to the foot of the bed where Layla and Ethan were watching an action movie. I laid down near them, resting my head by their legs. Ethan casually draped his arm over me while Layla stroked my hair, and I fell back asleep.

Again, I woke up burning hot, this time in Noah's arms with my back against his chest and my face pressed to Layla's leg. I breathed in their mixed scents but couldn't take the heat anymore.

I gently moved Noah's arm and noticed Benjamin lying flat on his back on the floor, arm draped over his eyes. I crawled over and settled beside him, resting my head at the edge of his pillow, my face against his bicep, hands clutching his arm like a security blanket. Sleep claimed me again almost instantly.

I don't know how much time passed, but voices gradually filtered through my dreams.

"Wait until she wakes up," Benjamin insisted, sounding tired but determined.

"Then wake her," Maxwell countered. "I'm not leaving her alone. And she must be hungry by now."

Right on cue, my stomach growled loudly, confirming his guess.

"See? She's starving."

"Doesn't matter," Benjamin's voice was warm but stubborn. "I'm not leaving before she wakes. She's probably never slept this long before. She needs the rest."

I smiled without opening my eyes, comforted by their bickering and constant presence.