Chapter 243

I rushed to the training centre. Dane stormed past me, and I furrowed my brows as I saw Aurora standing inside; she looked sad.

“Aurora,” I said. “You need to come quickly. It’s Rowan, he’s with Alina, and they’re planning something big.”

Aurora didn’t waste time. They followed me to the edge of the woods, where I’d seen Rowan disappear with Alina earlier. The night was quiet; the only sound was our footsteps against the fallen leaves. My heart was pounding, a mix of anger and worry driving me forward.

As we reached the clearing, Aurora laid a hand on my arm and stopped me.

“Let me handle this,” she said. “Stay back and watch the edges. If they’re planning something, I can’t let them know we’re onto them yet.”

I nodded reluctantly and stepped back into the darkness, letting Aurora move forward. I sneaked and approached the clearing; Rowan’s voice carried through the trees.

“… never back down unless we force them to.”

I clenched my fists; my anger boiled to the surface. No longer was Rowan questioning our leadership’s outright betrayal.

Alina’s laughter followed his words, low and filled with satisfaction. “Patience, Rowan,” she said. “We’ll get there. But we need the pack to see the cracks first. If we push too soon, they’ll cling to Aurora out of fear.”

I was standing in the shadows, my chest tight with tension. I really couldn’t stand here and listen to Alina manipulate Rowan any longer. But before I could step forward, Warrick appeared at my side, his hand on my arm.

“Easy,” he whispered. “We can’t blow this now.”

I turned to him, feeling my frustration get the better of me. “They are tearing the pack apart, and here we are doing nothing.”

Warrick’s grip had tightened somewhat as his voice settled into a low, steady tone. “I know, but we need to be smart here. Rushing in isn’t going to accomplish anything.”

It was the calmness of him that irritated me, but deep inside, I puffed out a frustrated breath. I leaned against the tree to steady myself. Warrick didn’t let my arm go; somehow, his presence anchored me.

“You always want to handle everything yourself,” he said in a soft tone.

“Someone has to,” I replied, my voice just a whisper.

Warrick moved in closer, his hand sliding from my arm to my cheek. “You don’t have to do it alone,” he said.

His words ran a ripple down my system, and when I looked up at him, the intensity in his eyes took away my breath. Without allowing myself a single moment to second-guess, I leaned in, closing the space between us and pressing my lips to his.

The kiss was desperate, filled with all of the emotion I’d stored deep inside of me—fear, anger, longing. Warrick answered immediately, wrapping his arms around me, pulling me in tightly. His lips devoured mine, a hunger that had my heart racing. And there was no helping that small moan escaping from between my lips.

“Piper,” he growled, moving his lips against mine, with a growing ocean of heat.

“You’re incredible,” he said, his voice low and filled with awe.

I didn’t have time to respond before his lips moved to my neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. My fingers tangled in his hair as he kissed his way down, leaving a trail of fire in his wake.

“Warrick,” I gasped, my hands finding their way onto his shoulders to hold me up.

Warrick stood, his lips capturing mine once more as he pressed me back against the tree. I could feel his cock hard against me, but now wasn’t the time.

As we were catching our breath, the sound of Rowan’s voice snapped us back into reality.

“They’re blind to what’s coming,” he said sharply.

Warrick and I exchanged a look, and I nodded toward the clearing. “We need to stop this,” I whispered.

But as we drew closer, Alina’s gaze flicked in our direction, and the smile twisting her lips told me she knew we were there.