Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Alpha’s Bane : Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 60

Aria hadn’t slept. Not really. Not after last night with Kael. Her eyes had closed for a while, but her mind didn’t stop racing. Every time she turned, she saw Kael’s face again. The way he’d looked at her. That tension. That near moment.She sat up and exhaled sharply. “Stupid,” she muttered.She wasn’t even sure who she was calling stupid; him, herself, or whatever was building between them. It wasn’t supposed to happen. She wasn’t here for that. She was here to survive. To train. And to avenge Silvermane. But then he’d called her “Lyra” like it meant something.Aria stood up, ignoring everything from last night. She dressed quickly, tied her boots too tight, then loosened them and retied them. “Focus,” she hissed.She stepped out of the room. Maybe training would help. Maybe getting hit a few times would snap her back to her purpose. She headed to dining, not because she was hungry but because she had to mark attendance. She left her food untouched and walked out of the hall. S

Aria sat quietly, her expression unreadable. Her damp hair was tucked behind her ears, and she kept her gaze forward, ignoring the weight of Selene’s stare from across the table.Kael stood up slowly.“We haven’t had a proper meeting since the last ambush,” he began. “And the rogues… they keep coming.”The room went silent. Kael’s voice was steady, but something in it pressed deeper. “Each wave hits harder than the last. They strike cleaner. Smarter. Almost like they’re watching us.”No one disagreed.General Thorne shifted, his arms crossed. “We’ve tightened our patrols. Our scouts are stretched thin. Still, they find the gaps. Like they see things we don’t. A pause. Lucan nodded slightly. “It’s like they know when and where to hit.”“They’re not just lucky,” Kael said. “They’re learning.”Silence settled again. “Why?” Kael asked. “Why do they keep coming back stronger?”The room tensed. All eyes went to him.Then Kael turned, eyes on Aria. “You’ve seen them. Trained like them. T

The Elites' hall was already buzzing when Aria stepped in.Voices were already rising subtly. Accusations layered with suspicion and ego. No one noticed her at first, she walked in quietly. Kael sat at the far end. Silent. Watching them argue. Aria took her place against the wall. No one told her to sit. No one acknowledged her presence.She didn’t mind.“You’re telling me we just sit back and talk?” General Thorne asked. “When our patrols are thinning, and the rogues are circling like vultures?”“I didn’t say that,” Beta Darian replied firmly. “I said maybe we consider other angles. That girl may have a point…” “She’s not one of us,” Selene said, her fingers drumming against the table. “Not really. Just happened to win a trial. Doesn’t mean she should sit in our war councils.”Aria didn’t blink.“She’s done more than some of us have,” Lucan said quietly.Selene turned her head, surprised. “Are you speaking for her now, Lucan?”“I’m speaking facts.”Laura rolled her eyes. “Facts do

The corridor was quiet, dimly lit by the torches on the walls. The air was thick with tension and unspoken words. Aria kept her pace steady beside Kael, her eyes forward, though she felt his eyes on her now and then.When they turned the corner leading to his chamber, she slowed down—almost paused. The last time she was here, she was brought in involuntarily. But now the case was different. She stood healthy, and yet she was walking into that same room. Kael stopped too and turned slightly. His voice was soft, lower than usual.“You’re free to leave anytime, Lyra. But I promise I won’t keep you longer than necessary.”Her eyes met his. Those same stormy, dark and calm eyes. His voice was laced with deep concern. She gave a small nod. “Let’s get this over with.”He opened the door and stepped aside for her to enter. She walked in quietly. It was tidy. Typical Kael. The desk was clean and cleared, only parchment and ink remained. Kael joined her, closing the door behind him. No guard

The other members of the Elites turned and walked back into the pack walls. Kael walked fast through the hallways, his cape sweeping the dust as he went. Beta Darian tried to catch up. “Alpha,” he called. “Not now,” Kael replied, his voice sharp. Beta Darian retreated without a word. Kael rushed to his chamber. He walked in swiftly and shut the door behind him. He removed his cloak and flinched it on his bed. He ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tightened as he turned and began to pace the room, his boots echoing against the stone floor.“What did I just do?” He had let her walk out and into the camp of the enemy with nothing but a scroll. No defense. No backup. No guarantee. Just... trust.He hated it.Not because he didn’t believe in her, or because he didn’t trust her. But…“What if she doesn’t return?” He sucked his teeth and kicked the base of the table. The wood creaked slightly. Kael rested his palms against the edge of the desk and leaned in, his head bowed. “If sh