The Trap

Rose's POV

The next day crawled by. Every minute felt like an hour. Every hour felt like a day. I couldn't eat. Couldn't focus. The hum was too loud. Too restless.

Gunnar noticed. Of course he did.

"You're useless today," he said flatly. "Go. Rest. You'll need your strength tonight."

"How do you know about tonight?"

"I know everything." He shrugged. "Go. I'll see you tomorrow."

I left the courtyard. Walked the corridors. Tried to calm my racing heart.

Tonight, I'd face the spy. Tonight, I'd find out who was betraying us.

The thought made my stomach churn.

I found Lyra in the great hall. She was eating lunch with some other young wolves. She waved me over.

"Hey. You look terrible."

"Thanks."

"Seriously. What's wrong?"

I lowered my voice. "Tonight. There's something happening. I can't tell you more."

Her eyes widened. "Is it about the spy?"

"How do you know about that?"

"Everyone knows. The rumors are everywhere." She leaned closer. "Is it true you're going to be bait?"

"Yes."

"That's insane."

"I know."

She was quiet for a moment. Then: "I'll be nearby. In case you need help."

"You don't have to—"

"I know I don't have to. But I want to." She met my eyes. "That's what friends do."

I felt something loosen in my chest. "Thanks, Lyra."

"Don't thank me. Just stay alive."

I almost laughed. Almost.

---

Rose's POV

Night fell. The fortress was quiet. The corridors were empty.

I walked to the archive. My heart pounded. The hum screamed in my veins.

Aiden was already there. Hidden in the shadows. Waiting.

"Ready?" he asked.

"No."

"Good. Honesty is important." He squeezed my hand. "I'll be close. If anything goes wrong, I'll be there."

"I know."

I walked into the archive. Sat at the table. Pretended to read a scroll.

The minutes ticked by. Nothing.

Maybe the spy wasn't coming. Maybe they'd changed their mind. Maybe—

The door creaked.

I froze. Footsteps. Soft. Careful.

Someone was coming.

I kept my eyes on the scroll. Pretended I hadn't heard.

The footsteps stopped. A shadow fell over me.

"Hello, Rose."

I looked up.

My blood ran cold.

It was Helen.

---

Rose's POV

"Helen?" My voice was barely a whisper. "You're the spy?"

"I'm sorry, Rose." Her face was pained. Truly pained. "I never wanted this."

"Why? Why would you betray us?"

"Because I made a promise. A long time ago." She sat across from me. Her hands were shaking. "To your mother."

"My mother?"

"Before she died. She made me promise to protect you. No matter what." Helen's eyes glistened. "And the Shadow Wolves threatened to kill you if I didn't help them."

"So you helped them."

"I had no choice. They said they'd spare you if I gave them information." Her voice cracked. "I thought I was protecting you."

"You were protecting yourself."

"No. I was protecting you. I would never—" She stopped. "I know it doesn't excuse what I did. But I want you to understand."

I didn't know what to say. The woman who'd held my mother's hand. The woman who'd promised to watch over me. The woman I'd started to trust.

She was the spy.

Aiden stepped out of the shadows. His face was hard.

"Helen. Step away from her."

Helen looked at him. Her expression crumpled. "Aiden. Son. I'm sorry."

"Don't call me that." His voice was ice. "You betrayed the pack. You betrayed me."

"I did it to save her. To save Rose."

"That doesn't excuse it."

I stood up. "Wait."

They both looked at me.

"She did it to protect me," I said. "She thought she was saving my life."

"She still betrayed us," Aiden said.

"Yes. But she did it for the right reasons." I met his eyes. "We can't punish her for wanting to save a life."

Aiden was quiet for a long moment. Then he nodded slowly.

"Fine. She'll be confined to her quarters. Under guard." He looked at Helen. "If you try anything, I'll kill you myself."

Helen nodded. "I understand. I deserve that."

She walked out of the archive with her head held high.

And I was left alone with Aiden and the hum and the weight of everything.

---

Rose's POV

Later that night, I sat in my room. The hum was quiet. Exhausted.

A knock at the door.

"Come in."

Aiden entered. He looked tired. The shadows under his eyes were darker than ever.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I don't know. I trusted her. I thought she cared about me."

"She does care about you. That's why she did it."

"Then why does it hurt so much?"

"Because betrayal always hurts. Even when it comes from love." He sat beside me. "I know how you feel. I've been there."

"What happened?"

"When I was young. Someone I trusted. Someone I loved. They betrayed me." His voice was flat. "It took me a long time to trust anyone again."

"Did you ever?"

He looked at me. His eyes were soft. "Yes. I did."

I didn't ask who. But I knew.

The hum pulsed between us. Steady. Present.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

"We keep going. We find the Shadow Wolves. We stop them." He took my hand. "Together."

I nodded slowly. "Okay."

We sat there in silence. Holding hands. Letting the quiet heal us.

It wasn't much. But it was enough.

---

Rose's POV

The next morning, I visited Helen. She was in her quarters, sitting by the window. Her face was lined with grief.

"Rose." She looked up. "I didn't expect you to come."

"I needed to understand. Why you did it."

"I told you. To protect you."

"But you also gave them information. Information that got wolves hurt. Killed."

Helen's face crumpled. "I know. I'll never forgive myself."

I sat across from her. "I don't forgive you either. Not yet. But I want to understand."

She was quiet for a long moment. "Your mother. She was my sister. My best friend. When she died, I promised to keep you safe. I've spent my whole life trying to keep that promise."

"And you thought betraying the pack was the way to do that?"

"I thought it was the only way. The Shadow Wolves are powerful, Rose. More powerful than you know. I was scared."

"Fear makes us do terrible things."

"Yes." She met my eyes. "But it also makes us do brave things. I was brave enough to confess. Brave enough to face the consequences."

I didn't know what to say to that.

"I'll try to forgive you," I said finally. "But it will take time."

"Take all the time you need. I'll be here. Waiting."

I left her quarters feeling strange. Heavy and light at the same time.

I wasn't ready to forgive Helen. But I understood her.

And sometimes, understanding was enough.

---

Rose's POV

That evening, I walked the walls. The sun was setting. The sky was orange and pink.

Edwin found me there. "Are you okay? I heard about Helen."

"I'm fine. Just processing."

"Betrayal is hard. Even when it's done for the right reasons."

"Is that your wisdom for the day?"

He smiled. "Maybe."

I looked at him. At his steady presence. His kind eyes.

"Thanks for checking on me."

"Always."

We stood in silence, watching the sunset.

"I've been thinking," I said. "About the prophecy. About what I'm supposed to do."

"And?"

"I don't know if I'm ready. But I don't have a choice." I looked at him. "The Shadow Wolves are coming. I need to be ready."

"Then you will be." He took my hand. "I have faith in you, Rose."

I squeezed his hand. "Thanks, Edwin."

"Always."

The sun sank below the horizon.

And I held onto his hand, letting myself believe.