CHAPTER 16

Chapter 16

Kian's POV

I stared at Jesse's investigation report again, the papers scattered across my desk. We'd been planning Damian's downfall for weeks now—Vivian and I, scheming late into the night about how to destroy his perfect little world. But something about these bank records wouldn't stop bothering me.

Large withdrawals. Encrypted messages. Contacts I didn't recognize.

My wolf stirred uneasily in my chest.

I picked up my phone and called her.

"Miss me already?" Vivian's voice was playful when she answered.

"We need to talk. Now."

The playfulness vanished. "What's wrong?"

"Come to my office."

She arrived within minutes, closing the door behind her. "Kian, what is it? You're scaring me."

I held up the folder. "Jesse found something during his investigation. Withdrawal records from pack accounts. Your name is all over them."

Her face paled. "You had Jesse investigate me?"

"I had Jesse investigate everything related to Damian's pack. Your name came up." I stood, moving around the desk. "Vivian, we've been planning this together. Why are there transactions I don't know about?"

"Baby, I can explain…"

"Then explain." My voice came out harsher than I intended. "Because right now it looks like you're making moves without telling me."

She flinched, and I immediately felt guilty. Her eyes filled with tears.

"You think I'd betray you?" Her voice cracked. "After everything we've been through together?"

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to." She turned away from me, her shoulders shaking. "I've been doing everything for us, Kian. Everything. And this is what I get? Suspicion? Interrogation?"

I moved closer, my anger wavering. "Vivian…"

"Do you know how much I've sacrificed for you?" She spun to face me, tears streaming down her face. "How many nights I've stayed awake planning? How hard I've worked to give you what you want?"

"I know you have, but…"

"But nothing!" She grabbed the folder from my hand and threw it on the desk. "Yes, I made those withdrawals. Yes, I've been in contact with people you don't know about. Do you want to know why?"

I waited.

"Because you hate Damian." Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. "You've hated him your entire life. And when he took Violet—when he gave her everything you should have given her—it destroyed you. I couldn't just sit back and watch you suffer."

My chest tightened. "What did you do?"

She took my hands in hers. "I made arrangements with wolves outside our pack. Rogues who owe me favors. Other packs who hate Damian as much as we do." She squeezed my fingers. "I've been building an army for you, Kian. For us."

"Rogues?" I pulled back slightly. "Vivian, that's dangerous."

"I know." She stepped closer, her eyes intense. "That's why I didn't tell you. You're an Alpha—you have a reputation to protect. You can't be seen making deals with rogues. But I can." Her voice softened. "I did it because I love you. Because I knew you were too scared to do what needed to be done."

"I'm not scared…"

"Aren't you?" She cupped my face. "Kian, be honest with me. With yourself. You wanted to destroy Damian, but you didn't know how. You threatened Violet at the Council, but you had no real plan after that. Did you?"

I looked away. She was right. I'd been running on rage and wounded pride, not strategy.

"I did what you couldn't," she continued gently. "I made the hard choices. I got my hands dirty so yours could stay clean."

I wanted to believe her. God, I wanted to believe her so badly.

"His pack is too well-guarded," I said finally. "Even with rogues, breaking through Damian's defenses…"

"I know." Vivian smiled. "Why do you think I've been planning for weeks? Every detail is accounted for, baby. Every weakness mapped out."

"What kind of details?"

She kissed my cheek. "The kind that work. Trust me."

Something cold settled in my stomach. "Violet survived an attack at her ceremony."

Vivian's expression didn't change, but I felt her tense. "I heard about that."

"Did you have something to do with it?"

"Kian…"

"Answer me." I grabbed her arms, not hard, but firm. "I threatened her at the Council, yes. I wanted to humiliate Damian. But I never—I didn't want her dead, Vivian."

She looked up at me with those wide, innocent eyes. "Of course you didn't. You still care about her. I understand that."

"Don't twist this."

"I'm not." She pulled me closer, her voice soothing. "Baby, listen to me. Whatever happened at that ceremony wasn't my doing. But even if it was—would it be so terrible? She chose him over you. She walked away from everything you offered."

"That doesn't mean…"

"She humiliated you in front of the entire Council." Vivian's voice hardened slightly. "She got up there and told everyone how terrible you were. How you abused her. She destroyed your reputation, Kian. Our reputation."

My wolf growled, but I couldn't tell if it was in agreement or warning.

"What are you planning, Vivian?" I asked quietly.

She smiled and kissed me softly. "Nothing you need to worry about. I told you—I have everything under control."

"That's not good enough."

"It has to be." She moved toward the door. "Trust me, baby. Just a little while longer."

"Vivian…"

She paused at the door, glancing back with a smile that made my blood run cold.

"Oh, and Kian? I have someone very close to Violet. Someone she trusts with her life."

My stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"

"I mean we have eyes exactly where we need them." Her smile widened. "Violet won't even see it coming."

She left before I could respond.

I stood there staring at the closed door, Jesse's investigation report still scattered on my desk. My wolf was pacing now, agitated and restless.

Vivian's words echoed in my mind. Someone close to Violet. Someone she trusts.

I'd gotten exactly what I wanted—Vivian was handling everything. So why did I feel like I'd just made a terrible mistake?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The warehouse sat at the edge of neutral territory, abandoned and forgotten.

Elena checked over her shoulder twice before slipping through the broken door. Inside, the darkness was thick and heavy.

She wasn't alone.

Figures moved in the shadows—six of them, maybe more. Their eyes gleamed in the dim light filtering through cracked windows. Rogues. The air smelled like wet fur and danger.

They spoke in low voices, too quiet for anyone outside to hear. Elena pulled something from her jacket. The rogue leader examined them with interest.

Outside, Elena paused at the tree line and pulled out her phone. One message waited for her.

She read it, deleted it, and walked back toward Silver Moon territory.

Toward Violet.