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?”

I had her

shrugged, looking offhandedly toward the sparring

overheard him mentioning how he admires, strong willed wolves. He seemed awfully impressed with Freya the

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clenched. “Warrick

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he wouldn’t,” I said smoothly. “But you

talk. And sometimes. admiration

glared at me, her features hardening. “Why

that you should know,” I replied, trying to sound as concerned as

to be prepared, Piper. Strong wolves like you don’t have to let

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

quarters of Rowan in search of whatever

behind.

empty, his effects having been gathered together in haste following his arrest, but one thing caught my eye:

near nonsensical at first glance, but one phrase leapt out, “the truth hidden within the

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chest,

“What are you doing?”

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turned sharply to face Piper standing at the door with her arms

casually, hiding the letter behind my back.

eyes. “You shouldn’t

neither should you,” I said, advancing on the door. “But if anyone asks, we’ll just say you were checking in on me. After all, we’re just trying

an answer, brushing past her into the hallway as the letter seemed to burn

the silence of my own quarters,

cryptic words. “The truth

the truth? And how could it undo

the papers on my desk, my fingers trembling in the mixture

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might be a fool, but his desperation had unearthed something

at the letter as if it might reveal more if I just looked hard

had defined this pack, molded its. leaders, and now could unravel

have this? And why

the training grounds, pretending

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space as

stood off to the side, his easy grin back in place as he offered some kind of joke that made the