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 knew I had her

shrugged, looking offhandedly

nothing. I just overheard him mentioning how he admires, strong willed wolves. He

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jaw clenched. “Warrick wouldn’t

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

talk. And sometimes. admiration can turn into something

features hardening. “Why are you telling me

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

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

glad that I

into the now vacant quarters of Rowan in search of whatever secrets

behind.

in haste following his arrest, but one thing caught

carefully, scanning my eyes over the spidery, uneven handwriting. The words were cryptic, near nonsensical at first glance, but one phrase leapt out, “the truth hidden within

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in my chest, yet I

“What are you doing?”

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Piper standing

I replied casually, hiding the letter behind my

narrowed her eyes. “You

we’ll just say you were checking in

past her into the hallway as the letter

the silence of my own quarters, closing the door behind

together the implications of the cryptic words.

And how could it undo Aurora

fingers trembling

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but his desperation had unearthed something significant. This could be

my chair, staring at the letter as if it might reveal

grove held secrets that had defined this pack, molded

this? And why hadn’t

the training grounds, pretending to watch

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cut through the space as she corrected some young

grin back in place