"Audio can be faked," Giana said dismissively. "Digital technology makes it so easy to manipulate recordings these days."Before I could explain the technical impossibility of faking such detailed conversations, Giana was already moving to her next strategy."Raymond," she said with perfect timing,
I didn't sleep that night. The weight of what we'd discovered pressed down on me like a physical burden, making rest impossible. Giana was planning our deaths while systematically destroying my relationship with Raymond and isolating me from any potential allies.By dawn, I'd made my decision. Evide
"The Alpha King trusts them completely," Giana continued. "Which makes them perfect targets. When they're found dead during their diplomatic mission, it will look like rival packs were responsible."The cold calculation in her voice made my blood run cold. She wasn't just planning our deaths—she was
I returned to the forest meeting site the next night, my determination overriding any concern for personal safety. Kane would follow—I knew him well enough to predict that much—but I couldn't let his emotional withdrawal stop me from gathering the evidence we desperately needed.The night was darker
"How?" I asked, the word escaping before I could stop it.Giana's smile turned sharp and victorious. "Fear is such a useful emotion. All it takes is the right pressure, the right reminders of past trauma. Kane's parents died because they got too emotionally involved in their cause. Now he's terrifie
I couldn't wait any longer. The evidence we'd gathered was too important to sit on while Kane wrestled with his demons and Raymond sank deeper into magical conditioning. People were going to die if I didn't act.I confronted Giana the next morning in the pack library, a location I chose deliberately