Chapter 10: The Alpha's Public Betrayal

By midday, everyone in Blackthorn Pack had heard about Lady Seraphina's arrival.

By the afternoon, everyone had heard that the Lycan King knew about the fire.

And by evening, rumors had spread so far that even the servants who usually avoided pack gossip were whispering about royal bloodlines, old symbols, and the possibility that something had gone terribly wrong.

Nobody mentioned my name directly.

Not when I passed through the kitchen.

Not when I carried fresh linens into the guest wing.

Not even when two guards stopped talking the moment I approached.

But I could feel their eyes following me.

For years, I had been the girl nobody cared enough to notice.

Now, every glance felt like a question.

I hated it.

I hated knowing that people were discussing my life while I was still struggling to understand it myself.

Most of all, I hated Blake.

Not because he had ordered me out of the guest room. Not even because he'd tried to make me remove my pendant.

I hated him because, when Seraphina called it an old royal symbol, he hadn't looked surprised.

He had looked afraid.

And I was beginning to understand that his fear had very little to do with protecting me.

I found him in his office shortly before sunset.

The door was open, and Councilman Darius stood beside his desk with a stack of documents in his hands.

They stopped talking when I entered.

Again.

I was becoming tired of that particular silence.

"What's happening?" I asked.

Blake rubbed his forehead.

"Not now, Nyla."

"You said that yesterday. You said it this morning. Every time I ask you a question, you tell me it's not the right time."

"Because there are things you don't understand."

"Then explain them!"

My voice echoed through the office.

Darius looked toward the corridor.

"Perhaps we should discuss this privately."

I laughed bitterly.

"Of course. Another private discussion. Another secret I apparently don't deserve to hear."

Blake rose from his chair.

"Lower your voice."

"No."

His expression hardened.

I could see the Alpha in him now—the man accustomed to having an entire pack obey him without question.

But I wasn't interested in making his life easier anymore.

"Someone stood outside my window last night," I continued. "The ceremonial hall was set on fire. My wounds keep healing by themselves. Lady Seraphina recognized my pendant and said it was connected to the royal family. And now the Lycan King knows about everything."

I stepped closer to his desk.

"So tell me, Blake. What are you afraid of?"

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then Darius placed the documents on the desk.

"Alpha, perhaps—"

"I said enough, Darius."

The councilman fell silent.

Blake looked at me, and something in his expression almost made me believe he was about to tell me the truth.

Almost.

"Your mother's history is complicated," he said.

"Then start there."

"She was connected to people who had considerable influence."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

The lie came too quickly.

I stared at him.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I expect you to understand that some things are dangerous."

"And you expect me to remain ignorant because you think you know what's best for me?"

His mouth tightened.

"I've done everything I can to keep you safe."

I thought of the years I'd spent being mocked by pack members while Blake stood nearby, sometimes looking uncomfortable but never doing enough to stop it.

I thought of the promise he'd made to my mother.

I thought of how easily he'd told me not to trust anyone with the truth while keeping that truth from me himself.

"Did you ever love me?" I asked.

The question escaped before I could stop it.

Blake went still.

For a moment, the office seemed to shrink around us.

His eyes softened.

"Nyla—"

"Just answer me."

He looked away.

That was when I understood.

Whatever feelings he might once have had for me, they weren't strong enough to stand against his ambition.

"I care about you," he said finally.

I swallowed.

"That's not what I asked."

He didn't answer.

A quiet knock sounded at the door.

Sienna entered without waiting for permission.

She wore a dark red dress, elegant and expensive, with a necklace that glittered against her throat. Her hair was arranged perfectly, and her expression was composed.

She looked from Blake to me.

Then she smiled.

"Am I interrupting?"

"Yes," I said.

Sienna ignored me.

"The preparations are nearly complete. The pack members are gathering in the main hall."

Blake nodded.

"I'll be there shortly."

She approached him and placed a hand on his arm.

The gesture was familiar.

Too familiar.

My stomach tightened.

Sienna glanced at me.

"Are you still here?"

"I haven't finished speaking with Blake."

"Whatever private matter you have can wait. The Alpha has responsibilities."

"And I have questions."

Her smile widened.

"Questions are not the same as importance, Nyla."

Blake said nothing.

Sienna turned toward him.

"Shall we?"

He hesitated.

It was brief, barely noticeable.

But I saw it.

For one foolish second, I thought he might tell her to leave.

Instead, he gently removed her hand from his arm and faced me.

"Nyla, I need you to attend the gathering tonight."

"Why?"

"Because there are matters the pack needs to hear."

"About the fire?"

"Among other things."

He took a breath.

"And I need you to understand something before we go out there."

My heart began to beat faster.

"What?"

His gaze moved to Sienna.

Then back to me.

"Whatever happens tonight, don't make a scene."

I stared at him.

A strange coldness spread through my chest.

"Why would I make a scene?"

He didn't answer.

I looked at Sienna again.

She was watching us with a quiet, satisfied expression.

And suddenly, I understood that I wasn't being invited to a gathering.

I was being positioned for something.

Something Blake had already decided.

"Fine," I said.

I turned and walked out before either of them could see how badly my hands were shaking.

Mara found me in the servants' corridor twenty minutes later.

One look at my face was enough.

"What happened?"

"Blake wants me at the gathering."

She frowned.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Nyla."

I leaned against the wall.

"I think he's going to hurt me."

Mara's expression changed.

"Did he threaten you?"

"No. That's the problem. He's acting as though he wants me to cooperate with something he hasn't explained."

She took my hands.

"Listen to me. Whatever happens tonight, you don't have to face it alone."

I wanted to believe her.

I wanted to believe that, after everything, there was still someone in Blackthorn who would stand beside me when the pack turned against me.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that the ground beneath my life was already cracking.

As evening approached, the packhouse filled with activity.

Torches were lit along the courtyard walls. Tables were arranged beneath the open arches, and the servants carried trays of food into the main hall.

The ceremonial hall remained damaged, so Blake had ordered the gathering moved to the largest section of the packhouse.

Nobody mentioned the fire.

Instead, they spoke about the ceremony, the Alpha's future, and the importance of maintaining order.

I remained in my room until the last possible moment.

Then I opened the old wooden chest beneath my bed.

Inside were the few things my mother had left me: a folded shawl, a small bundle of letters I couldn't read because the ink had faded, and the cloth bearing the embroidered initials A.B.K.

I touched the initials.

My mother had known something.

She had known enough to hide pieces of her past.

And Blake had known enough to promise her that he would protect me.

I folded the cloth carefully and returned it to the chest.

Then I chose a simple dark blue dress.

I didn't own anything suitable for a grand ceremony. I had no expensive jewelry, no elaborate shoes, and no servants to help me prepare.

But I had my pendant.

I tucked it beneath my dress and lifted my chin.

If Blake intended to humiliate me, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me beg.

When I reached the gathering, the main hall was already crowded.

Pack members stood in small groups beneath the chandeliers. Elders occupied the raised platform, while visiting guests gathered near the front.

Lady Seraphina stood beside a tall window, her silver dress catching the light.

Her eyes found mine almost immediately.

She gave me the smallest nod.

I couldn't tell whether it was encouragement or warning.

At the front of the hall, Blake stood beside Sienna.

They looked perfect together.

He wore a black suit with the silver insignia of Blackthorn Pack pinned to his chest. Sienna stood at his side in a deep red gown, one hand resting lightly on his arm.

She looked like she belonged there.

I looked like someone who had wandered into the wrong room.

Whispers followed me as I moved toward the back.

"That's Nyla."

"The wolfless Omega?"

"Why did the Alpha ask her to come?"

"Perhaps he's finally going to announce something."

I kept walking.

Then Blake raised his hand.

The conversations stopped.

"Thank you all for gathering tonight," he began. "The past few days have brought unexpected challenges to Blackthorn. The fire has damaged our ceremonial hall, and questions have been raised about the security of our territory."

He paused.

"We will investigate the cause of the fire and ensure those responsible are held accountable."

A few people murmured their approval.

Blake continued.

"But tonight is also about the future of our pack."

My fingers curled around the fabric of my dress.

Sienna lowered her gaze modestly.

I understood then.

This was the moment he had been preparing for.

Blake looked across the hall.

His eyes found mine.

For one heartbeat, I saw the boy I'd once known—the boy who had sat beside me near the river when we were younger, who had listened to me talk about my mother, who had once told me that being different didn't make me worthless.

Then the expression vanished.

"My responsibilities as Alpha require difficult decisions," he said. "Decisions that cannot be based on personal sentiment alone."

The hall was silent.

"I have spent considerable time considering the future of this pack. I have considered our traditions, our strength, and the responsibilities that come with leadership."

Sienna lifted her head.

Blake took her hand.

"And I have decided that the woman who will stand beside me as my chosen partner is Sienna Vale."

The hall erupted in applause.

For a moment, I couldn't hear anything.

I saw Sienna smile.

I saw the elders nod approvingly.

I saw Blake lift her hand to his lips and kiss her knuckles.

And I understood that whatever promise he'd made to me, whatever bond I thought existed between us, none of it mattered enough to make him choose me.

My heart didn't break all at once.

It seemed to crack slowly, each piece falling into a place I would never be able to reach again.

I had known Sienna was a possibility.

I'd heard the rumors.

I'd watched her move through the packhouse with the confidence of someone who already possessed everything I wanted.

But knowing something might happen was not the same as standing in a room full of people while the man you loved announced that another woman was the future he had chosen.

Blake hadn't simply chosen Sienna.

He had made sure everyone saw it.

And I was standing there, forced to witness the end of something I'd never been brave enough to admit I wanted.

Then Blake looked directly at me.

"Nyla Graves," he said.

Every head in the hall turned.

My blood ran cold.

"Please step forward."

I didn't move.

Mara, standing near the side entrance, looked horrified.

Lady Seraphina's expression became unreadable.

Blake's voice hardened.

"Nyla. Come forward."

I walked toward the platform.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

When I reached him, I saw something in his eyes that made me stop.

Regret.

Not enough regret to stop what he was about to do.

But enough to tell me that he knew exactly how much it would hurt.

"Alpha," I whispered.

He looked away.

And in that moment, I knew that his public announcement had been only the beginning.

The betrayal was not finished.

It was only waiting for the next words to fall from his mouth.