Chapter 299

Trajan stepped closer, his voice low and deliberate. “The rival pack’s wolves have breached our borders. Scouts spotted them less than a mile from here.”

My stomach turned. “How many?”

“Too many for comfort,” Trajan replied. “They’re testing our defenses, Aurora. This isn’t a full-blown attack yet. But they’re waiting for something.”

“Waiting for me to break,” I muttered under my breath, to nobody in particular.

Dane’s voice, though low and strained, managed to override the tension. “Don’t let them. You… you can’t give them that satisfaction.”

I turned to him, still straddling a painful line between despair and determination. “Dane, I just can’t lose you,” I whispered through a cracked voice.

“You won’t,” he managed, his effort draining the color from him.

Trajan cleared his throat, the urgency in his voice slicing through the moment. “Aurora, we need to act now. If they’re this close, we don’t have much time to decide our next move.”

I nodded, hardening my jaw. “We won’t let them win,” I said firmly, turning to Trajan. “Rally the council. We need to prepare for whatever’s coming.”

As Trajan left, Dane’s eyes found and latched onto mine. “Aurora… promise me something.”

“What?” I whispered.

“Promise me you won’t lose yourself in this fight,” he whispered back.

Tears spilled over as I leaned down, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“I promise,” I whispered, really not buying that one bit.

Chapter 300

Aurora’s voice was smooth as she addressed us in her quarters; her eyes turned between Piper and me.

“This mission is of utmost importance. I need both of you to put aside your personal differences and focus. The pack depends on it.” Piper crossed her arms over her chest.

Her jaw was tight. “I’ve never let my personal feelings get in the way of my duties.”

Aurora’s lips turned into a knowing smile. “Good. Because this requires your sharp instincts, Piper, and Warrick’s adaptability. Orion’s army has crossed our borders. I want to know why and how far they have gotten.”

Orion… he was the man that had met me in the woods that day. I am sure he was trying to use my weakness against me. It would have worked. But not anymore… I have changed.

I looked at Piper, her face unreadable. “We will do our best,” I said with certainty.

Aurora walked forward, softening.

“I trust you both, but remember, this isn’t about gathering intelligence; this is about showing the pack that in unity lies our strength. No slip-ups, no risks.”

Piper nodded sharply. “Understood.”

We moved silently through the dense forest, the only sounds the occasional rustle of leaves and our measured breaths. The tension between us was palpable, but the mission kept us focused.

“You think they’re going to attack soon?” Piper asked, barely above a whisper.

“From the way they’re moving, they’re looking for a weak point in our defense,” I said, my eyes circling.

Piper stopped dead, bending low. She moved a thumb toward a small clearing up ahead; the light from a fire danced within it. “There,” she whispered.

We moved closer, behind the trees, for cover. The two wolves sat by the fire, and their voices, though low, were clear enough.

“They are scattered,” one said. “Their focus is torn between defending the borders and attending to their ailing leader.” The other snorted. “The timing couldn’t get any better. Divide them further, and they fall.”

Pivoting at her hips, Piper’s fists were clenched at her sides, and I laid a hand on her arm.

“Distant,” I whispered.

“They’re planning on using us,” she spat the word barely contained. “We can’t just stand here.”

“We’re here for information, not to fight,” I reminded her. “Let’s do our job.”

She nodded, but her gaze stayed fierce on the wolves.

As we drew back from the clearing, Piper finally spoke, her voice tight. “They think we’re weak. They’re wrong.”

I turned to her, a small smile pulling at my lips. “You always did have a way of turning anger into determination.”

She shot me a look. “Don’t start.”

“I mean it,” I said, softer. “Your instincts are sharp. And I know I haven’t always appreciated that. But I do now.”

Piper’s steps faltered for a moment. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’ve made mistakes. Big ones. I’ve let my ego get in the way, and it’s hurt you. I’m sorry for that.”

For a moment, she was silent, her expression unreadable. Then, her shoulders relaxed slightly.

“Apologies are easy. Change is harder.”

“I know,” I said, turning to her. “And I’m trying. You deserve better.”

We walked further away from camp, then Piper suddenly froze, staring at something half-buried in the dirt. “What’s that?”

I knelt next to her and brushed the loose dirt away. Whatever it was, it gleamed in the moonlight—a dagger, the handle carved all over with signs and symbols.

Piper gasped. “I’ve seen this before.”

I frowned, turning the weapon over in my hands. “Where?”

“It’s from Calla’s network,” she said, her tone laced with unease. “These symbols were in the archives Rowan and Lila mentioned.”

A chill ran down my spine. “Then this isn’t just about Orion’s pack. Calla’s influence might be deeper than we thought.”

Piper straightened, her face hardening. “We need to tell Aurora. Now.”

Piper and I were standing in Aurora’s quarters, the dagger lying on the table between us. Aurora’s fingers hovered over the intricate symbols on the handle as her face twitched in confusion.

“This dagger…” she started, her voice trailing off as she turned it over in her hands. “These markings… are you absolutely certain they’re linked to Calla?”

Piper nodded, her tone level. “Rowan and Lila found similar symbols in the archives. They’re linked to Calla’s network. This isn’t a coincidence.”

Aurora’s jaw clamped tight as she studied the weapon. “If this is Calla’s network, then this is more than the Orion’s pack. They are working in concert to take us apart from within.”

I swallowed as my discomfort floated to the top of the cauldron of my anxiety. “If these are aligned, then this was a plan concocted well in advance. This explains why Orion is confident.”

Piper crossed her arms over her chest, a stance unmistakable for defense. “We have to strike first, Aurora. They’re relying on us being uncertain and divisive.”

Aurora shook her head, pacing around the room. “Strike impulsively, it is exactly what they’re expecting, thus giving them their excuse to attack.”

Her voice sharpened. “And so we’re just going to sit around and let them pick away?”

“No,” Aurora said firmly, wheeling on us. “We prepare. Every patrol will be doubled, every scout will have strict orders to report even the smallest movement. I will not let them catch us off guard.”

The air was thick with tension between Piper and me as our eyes met. Finally, my voice came low. “What about this dagger? Shouldn’t we show it to the council? They need to know what we’re up against.”

Aurora looked caught off guard; the weight of her leadership shone in her eyes. “Not yet. If we show this now, it may cause panic. We need more information before we act.”

Piper stepped forward, undaunted. “Aurora, every minute we waste gives them an edge. The pack should know what’s going on.”

The ice in Aurora’s voice began to melt, though her firm stance did not waver. “I understand your frustration, Piper, but trust me on this. The truth will come out, but only when we’re ready to act on it.”

Piper let out a sharp sigh; she was unhappy, yet said nothing more.

In the dead silence, Aurora looked at the dagger for the last time, the skin on her fingers barely touching the cold metal. “It’s different now,” she whispered low.

The gleam was soft as her eyes raised to ours, in which determination fluttered to life.

“We’re no longer protecting only our pack. We’ve unraveled all their webs now. And we cannot afford to lose this one.”