Chapter 171

PIPER

I entered Evander’s quarters, my heart racing as if a noose of tension hung in the air. My cheek was still stinging from Warrick’s outburst earlier, but the pain was nothing compared to the writhing tornado of emotions now twisting inside me.

Standing before the window, Evander was outlined against soft, gentle moonlight on a scarred visage, his back turned to me. His shoulders were hung tautly as though awaiting something, or rather, somebody.

“Evander,” I murmured before my voice could go away, as my legs and body were already shaking.

He turned toward me, his eyes piercing, narrowing the moment they landed on me. They shifted to my cheek, and I watched his expression darken.

“He did that,” Though low, his voice carried a threatening tone in it.

“It’s nothing,” I said quickly, waving a hand as if to brush it off. “I shouldn’t have come here…”

“Piper,” he cut in, closing the distance between us. Being near him was overwhelming, a mix of powerful strength and controlled anger.

“Speak to me.” His intense eyes made me nervous, and I felt my determination slipping.

“Yes, it was Warrick,” I said softly, shame firing up in my chest. “But it’s not what you think. He was just… angry. It won’t happen again.”

Evander’s jaw clenched, his fists curling at his sides. “Angry?” he echoed, his tone unnervingly calm. “And what, you think that makes it all right?”

“No, of course not,” I exclaimed, my frustration bubbling. “But it’s complicated, Evander. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me,” he replied, leaving no room for debate. I had to hesitate, my fingers intertwining in search of the words.

“I believed I could manage it,” I finally said. “I thought I could make him understand. But he’s not the man I once believed him to be.”

Evander’s expression softened a little, though traces of his anger still lingered. “You don’t have to stay with him, Piper. You deserve so much more than that."

“Do I?” I asked, my voice shaking. “Do I deserve better after all that I have done? After the choices I have made?”

Evander’s eyes gentled, and he reached his hand out, his strong palm smoothing gently over my uninjured cheek. “You do,” he said with conviction. “You always have.”

The weight of his words crashed over me, a wave that got me breathless for a moment. So soft and grounding, filled with all the things I did not know I needed. “Evander,” I whispered.

He moved closer, his hand dropping to his side, yet his gaze stayed hooked on mine. “You can stay here,” he said softly. “As long as you need. I won’t let him hurt you again.”

His words felt like a lifeline, and I held on hard, even as guilt tugged at the edges of my resolve. “Thank… you,” I replied, my voice shaking with emotion.

He nodded, his face softening even more. “Sleep,” he said. “We’ll sort this out in the morning.”

I nodded, but I was unsure if the rest would come. As I turned to leave, I could feel his eyes on me, a steady presence that wrapped around me like a blanket of security I hadn’t felt in weeks.

Yet, when I walked away, one sole question clung to my thoughts: What if it had been Evander all the time?

As I passed the corridor, I heard some voices. I stopped and, with furrowed brows, looked around, then noticed the voices were coming from the war room. I took a deep breath and walked up to the slightly opened door, and I could see them inside.

Trajan stood at the head of the table, his eyes sweeping across the gathering of warriors, these warriors being the strongest of Broken Ridge and the very spine of their defenses.

“We’ve received an intelligence report on the Nameless’s movements,” Trajan said, sounding much calmer than anyone else in the room could hope to feel. “He’s consolidating his forces. It’s only a matter of time before he turns his attention to us.”

A rumble of unease passed through the room, warriors exchanging uneasy glances.

“And what about Aurora?” one of them asked, skepticism lacing his tone. “She’s been taking dangerous risks, Trajan. How can we trust her to lead us when she’s putting herself in harm’s way?”

Trajan straightened, his gaze firm as he met the warrior’s eyes.

“Aurora is our Luna,” Trajan said firmly. “She’s fighting for all of us, and she’s earned your respect.”

“She’s fighting for Dane,” someone else muttered, loud enough for the room to hear.

A growl stifled in Trajan’s chest, and the room hushed.

“Aurora’s choices may be unconventional,” Trajan started, his voice low, deadly. “But they are hers to make. And if you think for one second that she is not willing to die for this pack, then you don’t know her at all.”

They all fell silent, with no one daring to press the issue further with Trajan.

Trajan took a deep breath and let the silence hang in the air until he spoke.

“We cannot question our leaders at this moment,” Trajan told them. “The Nameless is coming, and we must prepare ourselves for battle. That means trust both in one another and our Luna.”

They exchanged wary looks before each of the wolves nodded.

“Good,” Trajan said, his voice leaving no room for discussion.

“Now, let’s talk strategy.” Trajan’s voice broke the silence, resolute. “We reinforce the eastern perimeter first. It’s our weakest point, and the Nameless will exploit that.”

A younger warrior, Gavin, frowned. “But what about the river crossing to the south? If he splits his forces…”

“He won’t,” Trajan interrupted. “The Nameless is strategic, but he’s not omniscient. Focus on what we know.”

Evelyn nodded. “I’ll take my squad to fortify the cliffs. It’s high ground we can’t afford to lose.”

Trajan met her gaze. “Good. Move fast.”

As the meeting continued, I couldn’t shake the feeling that their unity was hanging by a thread. Aurora’s risks were necessary, but they were also polarizing. And if we weren’t careful, that division could be our downfall.

Blood & Silver: Rise of the Alpha’s Rejected…

Chapter 172