Chapter 5

DORIAN

My head was filled with thoughts as I sat behind the desk in my office, turning a glass of whiskey slowly in my hand while staring into the empty space in front of me.

Across from me, Colton sat back in his chair with his arms crossed, looking at me like he already knew what I was thinking. And maybe he did. He was my Beta for a reason, after all.

“You don’t believe her, do you?” Colton finally asked.

I kept my eyes on the glass for a moment before setting it down on the table. “No,” I said simply. “I don’t.”

Colton raised an eyebrow. “Because her story doesn’t add up? Or because you just don’t trust anyone, Dorian?”

His words should probably sting, and maybe with anyone else they would have, but not with me. Never with me. Because he was absolutely right. I didn't trust anyone, and I didn't intend to.

“Because nothing about her makes sense, Colton,” I told him. “She says rogues destroyed her pack, but there’s no sign of it. Nothing to prove or back up her story in any way. I've done a bit of research myself since she arrived here last night, Colton. Nothing was adding up. No smoke, no blood trail, nothing. Just her, walking right into our land with all sorts of stories. That's a little too suspicious, don’t you think?”

Colton nodded slowly, tapping his fingers against the armrest of his chair. “She looked scared, though. Almost broken, in fact. She was a horrible sight when they first found her, Dorian. Covered in blood and dirt. She also had wounds and her clothes were in a really terrible state. You really think she could fake all of that, Dorian?”

“She looked scared,” I repeated, my voice dropping low, “doesn’t mean she was actually scared, Colton. There's a huge difference. She didn't smell scared either. Anyone could look scared if they want to, even me. Showing something doesn't mean someone is actually feeling it, Colton, which is why I prefer to work with scent most of the time, because the eyes can be easily decieved. This female, she smelled nothing like fear. Instead, she smelled like someone who knows what fear is supposed to look like.”

Colton watched me silently for a moment before he spoke. “And still, you let her stay. Why, Dorian? You could have easily sent her away. Why did you let her stay if you already distrust her this much?”

I leaned back, folding my arms, the leather chair creaking under me. “It’s better to keep her where I can see her than have her vanish into the woods to do goddess knows what, Colton. And maybe…” I stopped, my thoughts drifting for a moment.

“Maybe what?” Colton asked, frowning.

“Maybe she’s running from something worse than whatever lie she’s telling,” I finished.

We sat there quietly for a moment.

“You always do this,” Colton finally said in a much softer voice, filled with concern. “Push everyone away the moment you sense something off. You trust your gut more than people, Dorian.”

“And that gut kept this pack alive,” I said, my tone turning sharp as I fixed him with a glare. “That gut was the only thing I was left with after everything that happened, Colton, and if it weren't for that gut, we wouldn't be where we are today.”

“I know,” he said, nodding. “But sometimes people hide things because they’re scared, Dorian, not because they want to hurt anyone.”

“And sometimes,” I said, my voice turning cold, “they hide knives behind soft words and sad eyes. I need you to remember that as well, Colton.”

He let out a slow breath. “You really think that’s what she is? A knife?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. My voice dropped lower. “But there’s something there. Something she’s not telling us. And until I know what it is, I can’t trust her. I've trusted blindly before, Colton. I'm not doing it again. You of all people should know why I can't afford to take this lightly.”

“I do,” Colton nodded, his gaze softening. “You’ve been decieved before, Dorian. And now you think every new face will decieve you the same way. But that's not actually true. Not everyone is bad, Dorian.”

“And you’d have me lower my guard?” I asked coldly. “You know why that isn’t an option, Colton. You know why that will never be an option, not for me.”

“I know,” he said. “I understand perfectly, Dorian, I get where you're coming from. But if you're right, if it turns out that she really is hiding something, then I just hope… whatever she’s hiding doesn’t cost us more than we can afford.”

I turned to look out the window, watching the trees outside. “We’ll see,” I murmured. “One way or another, Colton… we’ll see.”

Inside, I could feel it, that mix of warning and curiosity. The old wounds that taught me to keep everyone at arm’s length… and the part of me that still wanted to know what she was really hiding. And deep down, I couldn’t decide which part of me to follow.

There was one thing I knew for sure, though. That female was trouble. I could just feel it.