Chapter 236

AURORA

He spun around, his eyes catching on mine before slipping off again. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t seem fine,” I insisted.

“I said I’m fine,” he growled; the whip in his voice had me back-stepping in one step.

A silence hung in the air until he blew out a heavy sigh and passed a hand over his hair. “Sorry. Didn’t mean it. I’m just tired, that’s all.”

I nodded back at him while knowing in my heart that the words didn’t ring quite true. “If ever you feel the need to talk, my door’s always open.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled and dived back into his work.

I sat outside later that evening with Dane when the sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving tangerine orange and pink painted across the sky. It had been one very long day, but most definitely the snail-like progress this pack was making toward unity was going to keep my hopes high.

“Piper and Warrick seem better,” Dane said as his arm flopped over my shoulders.

“They are,” I said, smiling. “Though I think Piper might kill him if he teases her too much.”

Dane chuckled. “That’s how you know it’s love.”

I laughed, leaning into him. “What about Trajan? He has been hanging with Joclyn a lot lately.”

Dane grinned. “I think he’s finally letting himself be happy. It’s about time.”

We sat in silence for a while, and then as the stars began to appear, my eye finally caught a flicker of movement.

“Dane,” I said slowly, my gaze fixed on the training arena.

He followed my line of vision, the tension flowing into his body. “What is he doing?”

In the middle of the field, Rowan was doing combat drills, his movements aggressive. He came to a sharp halt because a group of younger wolves were watching a bit too closely among whispers.

“Trying to impress someone?” The jocular voice sailed across the field.

Stiff, his fists clenched to his sides, he turned, glaring in that direction.

They all took off in a dead run and were gone into the darkness, still chuckling.

Dane and I exchanged a glance; a shroud of unease fell between us. “Something’s not right,” I whispered, and with that, the chapter ended.

Alone in that arena, his shoulders heaving as he clutched his tight-gripped training staff, the words of Alina still echoing in his head: “You deserve to be seen.”

The laughter and the music of joyful noises filled the air with that unity so long belated, and I was standing close to Dane, practically in the very center, the grip of his hand clasped in mine rather tightly.

The great bonfire that burned behind us lit his features soft, and as I watched, he drank all the joy in, his face spreading wide into a smile.

“This is what it’s all about,” Dane muttered low in his throat, pride evident in his voice.

I nodded, giving his hand a squeeze. “It’s moments like these that make everything worth it.”

We stood for a while, just observing. Piper and Warrick were in their element, commandeering the makeshift dance floor with grossly exaggerated moves which had the pack in stitches.

“Piper!” Warrick exclaimed, spinning her so hard she almost lost her footing. “Careful! I might be too good at this.”

“Too good?” Piper replied, her grin wide. “I think you’re just trying to hide that you’ve got two left feet.”

The pack erupted in cheers and laughter, and I caught Trajan shaking his head from his seat by the fire.

“Is it possible to hurt yourself dancing?” he asked Joclyn, dry, but his eyes were amused.

Joclyn laughed, and the sound was warm, real. “With those two? Definitely.”

Their conversation was quieter now, but the way Joclyn’s hand remained on Trajan’s arm didn’t slip past my notice. Dane leaned into me, a little nudge of his elbow against mine.

“They’re good for each other,” he said.

“They are,” I agreed. “It’s good to see him smiling more.”

Yet, not everyone shared the joy. I saw Rowan seated on the outskirts of the party. He sat hunched over, watching the fire without emotion. The light danced in his eyes, yet his expression didn’t show warmth.

I didn’t even have the chance to wonder if I was seriously reaching for him before Alina stepped beside him. She spoke something in a low voice, but that did little to conceal the acidic bite of her words.

“You will never have what they have with you continuing to sit here,” she said.

His head snapped towards her, the expression on his face stormy. “Enough, Alina,” he growled. “I am sick of your games.”

Alina squared her shoulders, her eyes flashing defiance. “Games? I’ve done nothing but try to help you.”

“Help me?” Rowan launched to his feet, voice escalating. “All you’ve done is twist everything, feeding into every doubt I’ve ever had.”

By this time, several wolves had faced them and were murmuring, the rumble of their voices growing louder. I stepped forward, raising a hand for silence.

“Rowan,” I said quietly, meeting his gaze. “Let’s talk.”

His shoulders had stiffened, but after a moment, he nodded reluctantly. I nodded and led him away from the staring crowd to a quiet part of the clearing.

“What’s wrong?” I asked softly.

For a while, he said nothing; his jaw was stiff. Then, taking a deep breath, it all spilled out. “I wanted to be noticed by you… but now I just want to belong.”

It was the vulnerability in his voice that struck me like a ton of bricks. I reached out, setting a hand to his arm. “Rowan, you are noticed. You are valued. And I promise we’ll find your place together.”

He nodded, the relief and residual uncertainty warring for dominance on his face.

As the festivities slowly wound to an end, the whole dynamic of the evening shifted. Music became quieter, wolves found places near the fire and chatted and chuckled over a shared silence.

But Piper’s only attitude towards distraction, it seemed. Once or twice I catch her peering outwards into the darkness, frowning at the village’s edge.

“What is it?” I ask softly, joining her side.

“Alina,” she returns quietly. “She just ducked away; nobody but me saw.”

Curiosity fluttered in my chest, but a smidge of doubt still lingered. “It’s late. She probably just wanted some air.”

Piper shook her head. “No. Something feels… off.”

She was running before I could get a word out, her footsteps light as she followed the direction Alina had gone in. “Piper, wait!” I called out, but she was out of earshot. I watched her disappear into the shadows, and for a moment, something in the night just felt colder.

Piper moved through the trees, her eyes sharp as she tracked Alina’s path. She came to a stop when she spotted a faint light ahead. Her breath caught in her throat. What was Alina doing out here? Stepping closer, a low growl echoed through the forest, freezing her in place.