LOGINRowan had made his move, and although he had failed to secure the immediate response he wanted, he had revealed how far he was willing to go to hold on to power. By the time Gabriel and I returned to the council hall, word of the confrontation had already spread through Silvercrest. Warriors who had witnessed Rowan’s speech were discussing it among themselves, and several citizens had gathered outside the council building, demanding to know whether the rumors about the pack’s missing resource
By midday, the elders had reached a conclusion and Elder Thomas stood and addressed the room. “The council has determined that Rowan Walker’s continued authority presents a risk to the stability of Silvercrest and to the integrity of the ongoing investigation. His suspension will therefore become permanent, and his position as Alpha will be formally revoked under the laws of this pack.”The words settled over the chamber, and I felt the weight of them more deeply than I had expected. Rowan had ruled Silvercrest for years, and his decisions had shaped nearly every part of the life I had known after my mother’s death. Hearing that his authority was finally being taken away did not erase what he had done, but it marked the end of his ability to make decisions in the pack’s name.“When will the ruling be announced?” I asked.“This afternoon,” Elder Thomas replied. “Rowan has been summoned to appear before the council. The warriors and citizens will be permitte
A low murmur spread through the crowd. It was not a declaration of guilt, but it was a clear break in the unquestioning loyalty Rowan had expected.A young warrior near the back spoke next, saying that his family’s settlement had also suffered shortages. An elderly citizen described how the pack had collected contributions for repairs that were never completed. Others began sharing similar experiences, each account adding another reason for the people to question the administration that had governed them.Rowan attempted to interrupt, insisting that difficult circumstances had forced him to make decisions that others could not understand. Yet the explanations he offered were no longer enough to quiet the gathering. The citizens wanted to know where their resources had gone, and the warriors wanted to know why official records could not be trusted.Elder Thomas finally raised his hand for silence. “The council has not completed its investigation, and we wil
Rowan had made his move, and although he had failed to secure the immediate response he wanted, he had revealed how far he was willing to go to hold on to power. By the time Gabriel and I returned to the council hall, word of the confrontation had already spread through Silvercrest. Warriors who had witnessed Rowan’s speech were discussing it among themselves, and several citizens had gathered outside the council building, demanding to know whether the rumors about the pack’s missing resources were true.I had expected resistance from Rowan, but I had not anticipated how quickly his attempt to regain control would force everyone to confront the questions they had avoided for years. His supporters were no longer the only ones speaking openly, and for the first time since the investigation began, people who had remained silent were asking to see the evidence.Elder Thomas met us at the entrance, carrying a thick bundle of documents. “The council has agreed to make th
A few warriors shifted uneasily, but no one answered him and I stepped forward until I stood several feet away from him. “If you have something to say about my decisions, say it to me directly. There is no need to gather the warriors and make accusations behind my back.” Rowan gave a humorless laugh. “You speak as though you have earned the right to command them. Your mother built this pack, but you have spent most of your life away from its responsibilities. Now you return and expect everyone to accept you as their leader.” “I have never claimed that my mother’s name alone makes me worthy of leadership,” I replied. “I have asked for the opportunity to repair what was damaged under your rule, and I have supported an investigation into the records that explain how Silvercrest reached this point.” “You have encouraged the council to turn against me,” he countered. “You have allowed old accusations to be dragged into public view, and you hav
For the first time in a long while, I did not feel the need to look over my shoulder to see whether he was following me. His offer had not freed me, because the decision had always belonged to me. What it had done was remind me that I no longer wanted to spend my life waiting for him to become the husband I had once hoped he would be.Later that night, Lyra stood alone in her chambers, turning a small bracelet around her wrist as she considered what Damon had told her. He had not accepted every suggestion she made, and his questions about Samantha had become more cautious, but he had not dismissed her concerns either. That uncertainty was enough to keep her moving forward.She knew she could not force Damon to abandon Samantha through suspicion alone. She would need something more convincing, something that would make him believe Samantha had not merely kept secrets from him but had deliberately allowed him to live beside a lie.Lyra lowered her hand, her
Once doubt entered his mind, every truth about me could be made to look like a lie, and as I walked away from Damon, I realized I was tired of fighting battles I had never chosen.I returned to my room and closed the door behind me, hoping the quiet would help me settle the anger twisting inside my chest. For years, I had endured Damon’s affairs, his humiliating indifference, and the way he treated our marriage as though it were an obligation he could escape whenever he pleased. I had survived it because I believed there was something worth preserving, even when I was no longer certain he felt the same.Now, after everything I had endured, he was questioning whether I had been honest about being wolfless. I sat on the edge of the bed and pressed my hands together, trying to steady myself. There was nothing I could tell him that he did not already know. I had never awakened a wolf, never felt one inside me, and never pretended otherwise. Yet Lyra had managed to turn







