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Home / Werewolf / Bound to the Rogue Alpha / Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

All Chapters of Bound to the Rogue Alpha: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

92 Chapters

81

I spotted Logan easily in the shifting shadows of the Great Hall. Even after three winters in the Northern Wastes, the mere scent of his musk and cedarwood made my inner wolf whimper. My pulse thundered against my ribs at the sight of him. I had arrived back at the Lawson Estate late last night, my bones still aching from the long trek across the border, and the fatigue of the journey clung to my fur like frost.But the raw electricity of seeing Logan again surged through me, burning away the exhaustion. I had spent hours grooming my pelt and choosing a gown of deep crimson that complimented the silver in my hair, desperate to mark my return with grace. I felt the weight of every gaze in the room. The Pack Elders and high-ranking Sentinels all converged on me, eager to scent the warrior who had expanded our hunting grounds.I navigated through their praise with polite dips of my head, my eyes never leaving Logan. I finally reached his side.“It has been a long hunt, Logan.” I let a sm

82

Lucas Grant fastened the heavy buckles of his leather vest, turned his back on me, and strode out of the Great Hall.I stood there, staring into the dying embers of the hearth for a long time until the frantic thrumming of my heart finally settled. My thoughts were a tangled mess of thorns. I simply could not wrap my mind around the reality that Logan—the Alpha I had mapped my entire future around—was mated to another.I clawed at the edges of my sanity, trying to convince myself that this was a temporary hurdle. I knew Logan better than anyone in the Shifter Citadel. We had run together since we were pups, our paws hitting the forest floor in perfect rhythm long before the weight of leadership fell upon his shoulders.The fact that he had taken Brooke Lawson as his mate while hiding behind the mask of Gaston Yaton told me everything I needed to know. It proved he hadn't truly accepted her as the Luna of the Pierce Compound. To him, she was a secret, a weakness he kept in the shadows.

83

I soon put the strange encounter with Kent Perkins out of my mind, dismissing it as a brief tremor in the forest, and focused on my duties at the artisan spire. However, my blood ran cold that evening when I stepped out of the Pierce Holdings gates and saw that same silver transport idling by the stone entrance.My fellow pack members began huddling together, their ears twitching with curiosity as Kent stepped out of the vehicle."Look at him! Which pack does he lead? He’s stunning!" one of the younger omegas whispered. "Is he waiting for a mate? That has to be Kent Perkins!""You mean the heir to the Perkins Treasury? The one who controls the southern silver mines?" I remained frozen, wishing I could simply shift and vanish into the undergrowth. But Kent’s predatory eyes had already locked onto mine, and he began his approach."Brooke, you were preoccupied this morning. Surely the moon has risen high enough for you to share a meal with me now?" He closed the distance, wearing a coat

84

I felt a wave of despondency wash over me at the sight of Kent, but I masked it behind a rigid, polite smile."What are the specific requirements for your treasury guard regalia, Mr. Perkins? Usually, ceremonial armor follows a strict traditional template. Unless you have unique requests, I will begin the forge-sketches based on our standard patterns." Kent took a slow pull of his dark brew, leaning back against the furs with practiced ease."I have full confidence in your instincts, Brooke. Perhaps I should give you a personal tour of the Perkins Treasury first? It would help you grasp the true spirit of our lineage." I frowned, checking the position of the sun."Just provide the coordinates, Mr. Perkins. I will make the trek myself." Kent stood up and moved toward the heavy oak door."The territory is treacherous for a lone wolf. It would be far more efficient if I escorted you personally," he said, his eyes scanning my face with bold intensity."Brooke, you should come with me now.

85

I had no desire to reveal my internal storms to a predator like Kent. My opinion of him was buried under layers of mistrust, so I retreated into a stony silence, keeping my anxieties locked behind my teeth.Kent drummed his fingers against the wooden table, the rhythm matching the frantic pace of my heart. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the communication stone in my bag began to glow and vibrate."Pardon me, I need to take this." I tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear and pulled the device from my satchel."Why is Logan tracking my signal now?" I felt a scowl deepening on my face.The embers of my fury toward him were still hot. Speaking to Logan was the last thing my wolf wanted to do. I pressed the rune and spoke into the stone with a voice of pure ice. "I’m sharing a meal with a patron. I’ll return your call when the moon is lower."I severed the connection before he could utter a single syllable.The hollow silence that followed my words made Logan’s expression darken

86

I had spent many moons observing Charis, and I knew she had meticulously scripted her defense long before I confronted her. Her strategy was transparent: paint herself as the innocent bystander while framing my mate’s perceived shallowness as the catalyst for our rift. She aimed to heap the entire burden of blame onto Brooke. Yet, my summons clearly unsettled her; it proved that I truly held Brooke in high regard, enough to wake the shadows of the night just to demand the truth.I wanted to believe Charis was incapable of such a petty deception. After all, a lie like that would be easily shredded if I brought the two females face-to-face. I had known her for many seasons; she was bold, predatory in her directness, and usually far too proud to waste her energy sowing discord in another’s den.But a prickle at the base of my neck told me the trail wasn't that clean. My Alpha intuition whispered that the truth was buried deeper. Brooke was not a wolf to howl over nothing. If Charis had m

87

I scanned the chamber, my vision finally clearing.Bayview Medical Center was a pinnacle of the Shifter Citadel—a place where the scent of medicinal herbs mingled with the sterile chill of high-grade silver equipment. Every ward was a private sanctuary, isolated for those with sensitive senses. I didn't need a healer to tell me the cost of this sanctuary would be astronomical. Fear, sharper than the fever, spiked in my chest; I was a wolf with a hollow treasury. Despite my daily toil at the spire, my coins were few."No, I cannot remain here. How will I settle this debt? Logan isn't a high-caste provider, so how can he manage this? Besides, my wolf is resilient. This isn't a silver-wound. I’ll recover with basic mountain herbs and rest."Driven by panic, I reached out and snagged my mate’s leather sleeve, pulling him close to whisper, "Logan, why have you brought me to an elite healer’s den? This sanctuary will cost a king’s ransom in blood-gold. I have no financial weight to throw, a

88

The change in project leadership was swift and absolute.Logan hadn't been overly concerned with the idea of Brooke collaborating with Kent at first. But the moment his scent-tracing revealed that Kent’s invitation carried the stench of an ulterior motive, he moved in the shadows. With a few quiet commands to the Pierce Holdings enforcers, Kent suddenly found himself buried in a mountain of internal audits and border disputes. He was far too busy fighting for his own rank to continue prowling around Brooke."Kent has been stripped of his authority over the treasury uniforms. You can breathe easily now." Lucas Grant had arrived at the Pierce Compound to deliver the status report. He leaned against a stone pillar, watching Logan. "Why not just torch the entire contract? It would solve the headache permanently, wouldn't it?""That won't be necessary. My goal was to sever her contact with that scavenger, not destroy her life’s work," Logan replied, his focus fixed on the parchment before

89

I had every intention of weaving myself into Charis’s inner circle, and she seemed more than happy to let me inside. Following our encounter at the tavern, the high-caste female made a habit of summoning me for mid-day feasts and excursions through the Citadel’s most exclusive markets."There is no need to hoard your coins for my father's sake," Charis told me, her voice smooth as silk. "He is a wolf of immense standing and wealth. You are in the spring of your life, Madison. This is the season to indulge in the world's luxuries."Charis tightened her grip on my hand, leading me into a boutique filled with rare dragon-silk garments and enchanted accessories. She didn't hesitate to purchase several high-end leather satchels for me—items that would cost a lower-ranking wolf years of labor.I was no stranger to squandering resources; my life before the downfall had been a testament to decadence. While I tried to maintain a facade of humble sweetness before Charis, her words were like mus

90

I was in the middle of a peaceful midday feast with my fellow artisans at the Citadel spire."Brooke, your communication stone has been pulsing for a while now. Someone is desperate to track your scent." Megan Wright spoke through a mouthful of venison broth. She was exceptionally observant, a trait that served her well in the high-stakes gossip of the design department, and she could hear the stone's vibration even over the clatter of the hall.It was a fortunate interruption, as I hadn't been paying the device any mind. I picked it up, swiping the surface to reveal a message from Richard Lawson. He was requesting a meeting, claiming he wished to offer a formal apology in person. I paused, the air in my lungs turning heavy with hesitation.Richard had never truly bared his claws at me. If anything, he had spent years looking the other way, occasionally offering a weak word of defense whenever Madison would corner me. He certainly didn't possess the sharp, calculated malice of Evelyn

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