Blood And Silver:Rise of the Alpha’s Rejected Mate

Chapter 249

ALINA

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Firelight in the gathered hall danced upon the walls in long shadows while I sat toward the rear.

I chose my place for a specific reason: I could let my eyes trail across them, from the babbling wolves to those nervous looks at neighbors and the more who whispered stories of Rowan’s rise and fall into destruction.

“Did you hear how he argued with Aurora before he was arrested?” I whispered to Lyra, a younger wolf sitting to my side.

Lyra’s ears twitched. “I heard him say something about her playing favorites. Is that true?”

I sighed, faking reluctance. “I wouldn’t say that outright, but. There’s truth to every rumor, isn’t there? Rowan wouldn’t have acted out for no reason.”

Lyra frowned, her gaze wandering to the front of the room, where Aurora stood beside Dane. “But Aurora’s always been fair.”

“Fair?” I let the word hang in the air, laced with doubt.

“Fairness is not the same thing as a good leader, Lyra. Fair doesn’t mean it listens to everyone. Rowan wanted to be heard,

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and look where it got him.

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And in that, the seed was sown. Lyra’s doubt would grow like a fire taking to burn slowly, and I would be the one fanning the flames.

Later that day, I made my way to the training grounds, where a group of wolves sparred beneath the sharp commands of Piper.

Her voice rang out with authority, but with a jagged edge a hairline crack that I was more than happy to widen.

“Piper,” I called, taunting her with a sweet smile.

She turned, wiping the sweat off her forehead. “What do you want, Alina?”

“Just a moment of your time,” I said innocently. “You work so hard. I thought you could use a little break.”

Piper crossed her arms. “I’m busy.”

“Too busy to hear what Warrick’s been saying?”

had her attention. “What are you

looking offhandedly toward the

willed wolves. He seemed awfully impressed with Freya the other day. You know, after

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clenched.

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said smoothly. “But

sometimes. admiration can turn into something

hardening. “Why are you telling me

know,” I replied, trying to sound as concerned

Strong wolves like you don’t have to

satisfying… I walked away, glad that I was getting all of

of Rowan in search

behind.

but one thing caught my

uneven handwriting. The words were cryptic, near nonsensical at first glance, but one phrase leapt out, “the truth hidden within the grove

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was pounding in my chest, yet I kept my breathing

“What are you doing?”

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face Piper standing at the door with her arms

I replied casually, hiding the letter behind my back. “Rowan’s mess, you

narrowed her eyes. “You shouldn’t be

asks, we’ll just say you were checking in on me. After all, we’re just trying

into the hallway as the letter seemed to burn like a secret

into the silence of my own quarters, closing

mind was racing, piecing together the implications of the cryptic words. “The truth buried in the grove will be their

truth? And how could it undo Aurora

my desk, my fingers trembling in the mixture of excitement

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desperation had unearthed something significant. This could

back in my chair, staring at the letter as if

this pack, molded its. leaders,

why would Rowan have this? And why

I sat on the training grounds,

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through the space as she corrected some young wolf’s

place