Chapter 282

Piper was observant, always had been, with bright eyes that caught every little detail, every inconsistency. And she wasn’t just asking questions; she was relentless. Nothing seemed to stop her. Most of the time, she appeared to poke her nose into other people's affairs, and today was no exception.

I had sensed problems between her and Lila today during training—nothing overt, but there was a flicker of unease in Piper’s sharp comments and Lila’s evasive responses that belied their composure.

“Are you going to just keep staring?” Piper snapped, irritation lacing her tone as she caught me watching.

“Maybe I’m just wondering how you always find the energy to keep tabs on everyone,” I shot back, trying to lighten the mood.

“Someone has to,” she said, turning away and refocusing on Lila, who was pointedly avoiding our conversation.

Neither of them had fallen because of me. Now, my most important task was justifying myself. If only I could execute a successful hunt, maybe then I could silence the lingering whispers in my mind. It wasn’t easy to convince wolves to join me. The first few I approached refused outright.

“Why would we trust you to lead anything?” one said, crossing his arms.

“Look, I know I’ve messed up,” I said, trying to maintain an even tone while frustration simmered within me. “It’s not about me. It’s about the pack. We need this hunt.”

Another wolf snorted. “And if something goes wrong, who takes the blame? Not you, I bet.”

“I’ll take full responsibility,” I replied firmly. “But I’m asking you to give me a chance. Let me show you I can contribute.”

There were some murmurs, but finally, a few relented. “One chance, Rowan,” said one. “Don’t screw it up.”

The hunt itself went better than I’d expected. We returned with enough game to fill the packhouse, and for the first time, I saw approval in their eyes.

“Not bad,” one of them said grudgingly as we unloaded the haul.

“Thanks,” I said, keeping my relief hidden.

Later, while putting some supplies away in the archives, my hand came into contact with something strange: a piece of paper sticking out from beneath a pile of old ledgers. Curious, I tugged it out and unfolded it. It was a map, old and faded, with strange symbols scattered across it. None of them made any sense to me, but something about it felt important.

I took it into Aurora’s study, where she was currently working on paperwork. “Found this while rummaging through supplies,” I said, handing her the map.

She took one look, and her composure vanished. The warmth in her demeanor was replaced with something far from concern—fear, perhaps?

“Where did you find this?” Her voice was steady, but tense.

“In the archives,” I said. “What do the symbols mean?”

She folded the map carefully and laid it aside. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with.”

My dismissal only fueled my curiosity. “Aurora, it pertains to the pack, which means I should know.”

She hesitated a moment, but her eyes locked onto mine. “Sometimes, Rowan, some things should be left alone. Focus on the present.”

Her words stung my pride, but I nodded. “If that’s what you say.”

But it was the unease that lingered long after I’d left. What wasn’t she saying?

That evening, I waited for Lila to be alone. She was just steps from the packhouse when I intercepted her: “We have to talk.”

She froze; then her eyes met mine, guarded. “About what?”

“Your disappearing during the night,” I said flatly, “What are you doing?”

Lila’s eyes darted sideways, as if trying to escape. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Well,” I said. My voice came out harsher than intended. “I’ve noticed, and Piper has too. What are you hiding?”

Her lips tightened, and for a moment, I didn’t think she’d answer. Finally, she said, “I’m not hiding anything,” but the fear in her voice betrayed her.

“Lila, I want to trust you,” I said, stepping closer. “But I won’t be able to if you keep shutting me out.”

Her defenses began to crumble. “Rowan, it’s complicated.”

“Then uncomplicate it,” I pressed. “Tell me the truth.”

She sighed, a shaky exhalation; the movement of her shoulders showed she was weary. “It’s Calla,” she breathed, softly. “She’s blackmailing me.”

My gut twisted. “Why? What does she want?”

Lila faltered as tears welled in her eyes. “To destroy the pack,” she said finally. “And she’s using me to do it.”

The weight and judgment in her words hung heavy in the air between us, and I didn’t know whether to show anger or pity.

Her words sent a chill down my spine. “You’re telling me Calla is out there pulling strings, and you’ve been helping her?” My voice was low, but the accusation burned with every word.

Lila flinched. “It’s not like that, Rowan. She has something on me, something from my past.”

“What could be so bad that you’d betray the pack?” I exploded.

“It’s not betrayal!” she spat, her voice cracking. “I didn’t have a choice! She threatened to tell everyone what I did before I joined the pack. If you knew… if they all knew, I’d lose everything.”

I stepped back, my head reeling. “And what of that now? You surely don’t believe this secret of yours is worth the safety of every human and wolf who walks within this compound?”

“I tried to fix it,” she said, desperation creeping into her tone. “I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. But Calla… she doesn’t care about that. She only wants chaos.”

I shook my head. “You should have come to me. To Aurora. Anyone. We could have helped you.”

Lila gave a harsh, mirthless laugh. “Help me? How? I’ve seen what happens to people who mess up here. Do you think Aurora or Dane would ever forgive me?”

“You don’t know that,” I said, softening. “But if you keep this up, there won’t be anything left to forgive.”

She looked down, shaking. “I don’t know what to do, Rowan.”

“You start by being honest,” I said, firmly. “No more hiding. No more excuses. You have to tell Aurora everything.”

Her eyes widened with panic. “I can’t. She’ll…”

“She’ll listen,” I said, cutting her off. “She’s fair. But if you don’t come clean, this is only going to get worse.”

She said nothing for a long moment, her eyes darting around, the struggle playing across her face as she searched for an escape. Then finally, she nodded; her voice was barely a whisper. “Okay. But not yet. Please, Rowan. Give me a bit more time to try and make sense of all this.”

I hesitated. “Time’s running out, Lila. And if you don’t tell her soon, then I will.”

Her tone was a soft whisper as I turned to leave. “Rowan… thank you.”