All Chapters of Fated in the Dark : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

I didn’t need to see them to know. The bond told me everything. It thrummed under my skin in a quiet, steady rhythm, carrying whispers of their closeness, the intimacy they were beginning to allow themselves, even if I didn’t know the details. Whatever had shifted between Rhett and Jace last night, it was different, but right. I’d been waiting for this. Hoping for it, because for us to survive, against the Council, against the monsters, against every ancient law threatening to tear us apart, we needed to be united. For that to happen, Rhett and Jace needed to stop fighting what was inevitable. I noticed it the moment I saw Rhett in the training yard. He was lighter, more certain. There was a confidence in his stance I hadn’t seen in weeks, not the commanding dominance of an Alpha used to being obeyed, but a quiet, grounded strength born of acceptance. When his gaze landed on Jace, the shift was unmistakable. A touch on the shoulder as he passed him water. A brief brush of fingers

The bond burned. I didn’t know the details. Didn’t need to. The moment the thread between us flared hours ago, I’d felt it, the deep shift that told me Jace and Mira had crossed a line we couldn’t come back from. Now, pacing my office, I couldn’t stop the restless energy crawling beneath my skin. Jealousy coiled low in my gut, sharp and unyielding. It wasn’t just about Mira. It was about Jace, too. My Beta. My mate. Damn it. This wasn’t supposed to happen like this. The thought struck me like a blade: the pack would smell it. Jace’s scent,, already tangled with Mira’s before the Summit, would be stronger now, unmistakable. The moment they walked back into the pack, everyone would know. Questions would spread like wildfire. And the Council? They were already watching us too closely. Drayce was circling like a predator, just waiting for the smallest misstep to bring us down. I raked a hand through my hair and swore under my breath. I needed a plan, fast. Somehow, I had to protec

The moment the small glass vial was placed in Mira’s palm, my wolf snapped inside me, claws raking against my control. Neutralizing oils. My wolf hated it.The thought of Mira smelling like nothing—like no one—ignited a deep, primal rage inside me. My mate should smell like me. Like us. I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms as I fought the growl threatening to rip free. Rhett stood across the room, broad shoulders taut, arms crossed like he was carved from stone. His wolf was just as restless as mine; I could feel it humming through the bond. Mira, though, she was steady. She turned the vial in her hands, expression calm, accepting even as she looked between us. “It’s a necessity,” she said softly, her voice carrying quiet strength. “This isn’t just about us. If we draw too much attention, the Council won’t ask questions, they’ll act.” Rhett’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t speak. I wasn’t so restrained. “It’s wrong,” I bit out, stepping forward before I could stop myself.

The quiet before dawn felt heavy, as if the air carried whispers I couldn’t yet hear. We were gathered in the Alpha house, the surviving members of the pack, the remnants of what we’d just fought to protect, but there was no peace in the aftermath. Not for me. Not for any of us. I could feel the energy between my mates. Rhett and Jace carried something warm between them now, something subtle but electric. The edges of our bond hummed with their tangled emotions: want, fear, and longing, all swirling beneath the surface. Threaded through it all was a darker undercurrent, one I couldn’t place at first, until the unease settled deep into my chest. Someone was moving against us. I could feel it. Over the past few days, their dynamic had shifted in ways the pack hadn’t missed. Rhett didn’t shy from his closeness to Jace anymore. Small things gave it away. I noticed, and the pack definitely noticed. Jace… gods, Jace tried to hide it, but his energy gave him away—his quiet smiles, his

For the first time since I’d sworn loyalty to the Council, unease burned hotter than obedience. I’d seen the way Rhett fought for his pack, the way Mira stood unyielding, the way Jace’s quiet strength anchored them both. Whatever power tied them together—it wasn’t chaos. It was order. And the Council would tear it apart. I couldn’t let them. By the time I slipped from the chamber, I knew what I had to do. But I couldn’t do it alone. Which is how I ended up in the dim alcove beneath the Alpha wing, standing across from Kellan. He leaned against the stone wall, arms folded, his amber eyes wary. “You shouldn’t be here.” “I don’t have a choice.” I said with conviction. His jaw ticked, but he didn’t move. “You’re the Council’s lapdog, Lena. You’ve spent months feeding them information about Rhett’s pack. And now you’re here asking for what? Forgiveness?” I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “Not forgiveness. Help.” Kellan’s laugh was sharp, humorless. “You expect me to believe you