LOGINI stood with Silvercrest, and I would not bow again. The words were still settling over the council chamber when the doors opened, drawing everyone’s attention toward the entrance, Lyra walked in.
She wore a deep blue gown, her hair pulled neatly behind her shoulders, and a carefully arranged expression of concern rested on her face. She did not look like someone who had just walked into a chamber where Rowan’s authority had been suspended. She looked prepared, almost too prepaI watched him disappear around the corner and the moment he was gone, the softness vanished from Lyra’s face. “You think you’ve won,” she said.I turned toward her, keeping my expression calm despite the anger building inside me. “There was no contest.”Lyra studied me for a moment before giving me a faint smile. She stepped closer, lowering her voice as though she were sharing a warning rather than provoking me. “You should be more careful.”I held her gaze without backing away. “If you have something to say, then say it plainly.”Her smile barely moved as she looked me over. “You have no idea what people are beginning to question about you.”I refused to let her see that her words had unsettled me. “I know exactly who I am, and I have nothing to hide.”Something unreadable flickered across her face before that faint smile returned. “Do you?”She let the question hang between us, then turned and walked away without wait
My heart tightened and Gabriel’s expression hardened, but he remained silent. Lyra continued carefully, as though she were choosing each word. “I’m not saying I know exactly what she’s hiding. I’m saying there are things about her that don’t add up.”Damon stared at me and I held his gaze. There was something unsettling in his eyes, but I couldn’t tell whether it was suspicion, confusion, or the old resentment that had never completely disappeared between us. “I am not hiding anything,” I said.Lyra gave a small, sad smile. “That is what you always say.” Before the tension could grow any further, Elder Tomas struck his hand against the table. “Enough.”Everyone fell silent and he looked at Lyra with clear disapproval. “This council is investigating Rowan’s administration. We will not allow personal accusations to turn this hearing into a spectacle.” He gestured toward the document. “Your evidence will be examined, until then your accusation against Samanth
I stood with Silvercrest, and I would not bow again. The words were still settling over the council chamber when the doors opened, drawing everyone’s attention toward the entrance, Lyra walked in. She wore a deep blue gown, her hair pulled neatly behind her shoulders, and a carefully arranged expression of concern rested on her face. She did not look like someone who had just walked into a chamber where Rowan’s authority had been suspended. She looked prepared, almost too prepared, as though she had been waiting for the right moment to step forward. My eyes narrowed as she slowly surveyed the room. Then her gaze settled on Damon. Alpha Damon was seated among the council members, his expression unreadable. He had arrived before the hearing ended, and although he had remained mostly silent, his presence had been impossible to ignore. Lyra’s eyes stayed on him for a moment longer than necessary before she finally turned toward Elder Tomas. “I apo
The following morning, the council chamber was more crowded than it had been the day before. News of Vivianne’s admission had spread through the pack overnight. People had gathered outside before sunrise, and by the time I entered the chamber with Amara, there was barely enough room for everyone. Whispers followed us as we walked inside. Some people watched me with curiosity, others with uncertainty, while a few lowered their eyes as I passed and I understood why.For years, Rowan had been the authority in Silvercrest. Even those who disagreed with him had learned to keep their objections private because challenging him had never felt safe. That was about to change, Gabriel stood near the far wall, watching the room. When he saw me approach, he gave me a brief nod.“Anything from the archives?” I asked.He shook his head. “Not yet. The older ledgers are still being searched, but nothing has been released.”I nodded, hiding my disappointment, I wan
Vivianne lowered her head. “I was not there when she died but i knew something had happened.”Her answer came so quietly that it almost disappeared beneath the silence of the corridor. I watched her carefully. “When did you learn that she was dead?”Her lips trembled. “When I was told.” Vivianne slowly lifted her eyes toward Rowan and he didn’t answer.I followed her gaze, my stomach tightening as I looked at him. “Rowan.”His silence told me there was another secret between them, but I still didn’t know what it was. Before I could press him further, Elder Tomas’s voice came from behind us. “What exactly is happening here?”We all turned and several council members stood behind him, apparently drawn back by the raised voices. Vivianne’s face went white, while Rowan immediately stepped forward as though he could shield her from the council simply by placing himself between them. “This is a private family matter,” he said.Elder To
I recognized Vivianne immediately, her voice was low, tense, and unmistakably angry. I stopped and glanced at Amara and she understood without needing an explanation, and together we moved quietly toward the doorway. We remained just inside the chamber, hidden from view as Rowan and Vivianne spoke farther down the corridor. “I told you that you should not have mentioned the archives,” Vivianne said.Rowan answered in a low, irritated voice. “They were going to investigate me anyway.”“You don’t understand what Samantha is looking for.” Said Vivianne.My fingers tightened around the folder and Amara moved closer to me and silently shook her head, warning me not to interfere.Rowan sighed. “Then tell me what you think she will find.”There was a brief silence before Vivianne answered. “I don’t know.” Her voice had changed. The confidence she usually carried was gone, replaced by something much more uneasy.“You know more than you’r







