Chapter 18

The Traitor’s Trail

The healer’s quarters, once a fragile sanctuary, now felt like a cage as Aria stood beside Rollan’s crib, her fingers grazing the soft curve of his cheek. The faint glow of his mark pulsed in the dim candlelight, a silent reminder of the prophecy that tethered their fates. Kael’s lifeless form lay covered on the bed, the healer’s efforts too late to save him. His final words—“I’d die for you”, echoed in Aria’s mind, a weight heavier than the blood still staining her hands from trying to save him. Caden stood at the door, his broad frame rigid, his icy blue eyes burning with a fury that seemed to consume the air itself. Marcus’s escape had ignited a fire in him, and the keep buzzed with the chaos of a hunt.

Aria’s shoulder throbbed from the rogue’s claw, but the pain was nothing compared to the ache in her chest. Kael’s sacrifice had bought them time, but Marcus’s betrayal threatened to unravel everything. The traitor knew too much—about Rollan, the prophecy, her curse—and with Victor gone, he was a rogue spark in a powder keg. She glanced at Caden, his silence a wall she couldn’t breach. His promise to protect Rollan was her only anchor, but his distrust lingered, a chasm she wasn’t sure she could cross.

“Caden,” she said, her voice soft but firm, cutting through the hum of the keep’s activity. “We can’t wait. Marcus is out there, and he’s not alone. If he’s after Rollan’s mark, we need to find him before he does.”

Caden’s gaze snapped to her, his jaw tight. “You think I don’t know that?” His voice was low, edged with barely contained rage. “My Beta is dead because of your secrets, Aria. My pack is fractured because of your brother. And now Marcus is free, carrying Victor’s plans. What else are you hiding?”

The accusation stung, but Aria held his stare, her heart pounding. “Nothing,” she said, her voice steady despite the tears threatening to spill. “I’ve told you everything—my curse, Rollan, Victor, the prophecy. I know I broke your trust, but I’m here now, fighting for our son. For you.”

Caden’s eyes flickered, a storm of emotions raging behind them—anger, betrayal, but also a glimmer of the man who’d held her at the Gala three years ago, the man who’d looked at her like she was more than a mistake. He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You love me, you say. But love doesn’t hide a child. It doesn’t strip a man of his wolf.”

Aria’s throat tightened, but she didn’t look away. “I didn’t know about the curse then. And I hid Rollan to protect him from Victor, from the packs who’d see him as a threat. I was wrong to keep it from you, but I’d do anything to keep him safe. Even if it means losing you.”

Caden’s gaze softened, just for a moment, as he looked at Rollan, sleeping soundly despite the chaos. “He’s my blood,” he said, almost to himself. “I won’t let anyone take him. Not Marcus, not the prophecy.”

Before Aria could respond, a guard burst into the room, his armor clinking, his face pale with urgency. “Alpha, we’ve got a lead on Marcus. Scouts spotted him near the Silver River, heading toward the ancient ruins. He’s got a small group of rogues with him, carrying what looks like ritual supplies.”

Aria’s heart sank. The ancient ruins—a crumbling temple deep in the woods, sacred to the old wolves, where blood rites were once performed. Marcus was planning to use Rollan’s mark, just as Victor had intended. “A blood rite,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “He’s going to try to activate the prophecy.”

Caden’s eyes blazed with fury. “Then we stop him. Now.” He turned to the guard. “Gather the warriors. We move at once.”

Aria stepped forward, Rollan’s crib behind her. “I’m coming with you.”

Caden’s gaze snapped to her, sharp and unyielding. “No. You stay with Rollan. The keep is secure, and I won’t risk him—or you.”

“He’s my son too,” Aria said, her voice fierce. “I know Marcus, how he thinks. He was Victor’s puppet, and now he’s desperate. I can help you end this.”

Caden’s jaw clenched, but he saw the resolve in her eyes. “Fine,” he said finally. “But you stay behind me, and Rollan stays with the healer. No arguments.”

Aria nodded, relief mixing with dread. She turned to the healer, who was wrapping Kael’s body for burial. “Please, keep him safe,” she said, her voice breaking as she kissed Rollan’s forehead, his mark glowing faintly.

The healer nodded, her eyes kind but grave. “I’ll guard him with my life, Luna.”

As Aria followed Caden out of the quarters, the keep’s corridors were alive with purpose—warriors arming themselves, guards shouting orders, the air thick with the scent of steel and resolve. Caden led a small, elite group, their faces grim as they prepared to hunt Marcus. Aria’s heart raced, Kael’s sacrifice a heavy weight on her conscience. He’d died for her, for Rollan, and now she had to honor that by stopping Marcus.

The woods were dark as they moved toward the Silver River, the mist curling around their boots like ghostly fingers. Caden’s presence was a steady force, his blade gleaming in the faint moonlight. Aria stayed close, her senses heightened, every rustle in the trees a potential threat. The ruins were a half-hour’s march, and with each step, the prophecy’s shadow grew heavier.

“Do you trust me?” Aria asked quietly, her voice barely carrying over the crunch of leaves.

Caden didn’t look at her, his focus on the path ahead. “I trust you to fight for Rollan,” he said, his voice low. “Beyond that… I don’t know yet.”

The honesty hurt, but it was a start. Aria nodded, gripping the dagger she’d taken from the rogue at the old oak. “That’s enough for now.”

As the ruins came into view—crumbling stone pillars draped in moss, their carvings worn but pulsing with faint magic—Aria’s heart pounded. Marcus was close, and with him, the final piece of Victor’s plan. The prophecy’s power hung in the balance, and Aria knew this fight would determine not just Rollan’s fate, but her chance to rebuild the trust she’d shattered with Caden.