Chapter 314
AURORA
The soft knock on the door drew my attention from the spread maps over the table.
“Come in,” I said, my voice even, though unease churned in my chest.
The door creaked open, and Piper stepped inside, her face pale, her shoulders tight. Immediately, I knew that something was off.
“Piper,” I began, rising. “What is it?”
She hesitated, holding a folded paper tightly in her hands.
“I found this,” she whispered. “It was hidden in that cache we dug up. I think… I think it’s some sort of code.”
I felt my heart quicken with excitement as I took the paper from her, the symbols etched within both strange, yet somehow all too familiar. My fingers shook slightly with a mixture of fear and something else as I turned it over.
“What’s it say?” I asked, my tone sharper than I meant.
“I’m not entirely sure,” Piper admitted. “But it mentions something about someone inside the pack. Someone close.”
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The weight of her words landed like a boulder in my chest. “A spy… I know, but who?” I murmured. “That could unravel everything.” I paced the room, my mind racing. “We have to move fast. If there is a traitor among us, then Orion’s forces could already know what we’re planning next.”
Piper nodded, her jaw set. “What do we do?”
“Rowan,” I said finally. “He’s worked with Calla’s network before. He’ll know these codes faster than anyone.”
I nodded at Piper and she rushed out and came in with Rowan soon after, then Warrick burst in, looking stormy. “Luna,” he said, casting a dark look at Piper. “We need to talk.”
I think he has seen Piper and Rowan and he is agitated, but I can’t really entertain this right now. “Warrick, not now,” I said, my patience snapping, as I took my seat.
“It’s about them,” he insisted, nodding toward Piper and
Rowan.”
I blew out a sigh, rubbing my temples. If I don’t listen, he won’t let me work in peace. I looked up to Rowan who glared back at Warrick. Rowan can’t be here when he talks.
“Very well. Rowan, attend to something else for the moment. Piper and Warrick, stay.”
Rowan hesitated, his eyes flicking to Piper, but he nodded and
went out.
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As soon as they left, Warrick walked up to me, “I am sorry Luna.. but I just can’t stand seeing them both together.”
Piper grunted from behind, “I don’t know your problem, we were just working. We need Rowan’s help in…”
“I would help you out,” Warrick said as he turned to her.
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I spread the coded paper across the table, pulling out old cipher books from the shelves. “Fine then, figure this out first,” I said to him firmly.
Piper took a seat on my desk as she crossed her brow in a frown of concentration. Warrick sat beside her, his eyes sometimes straying over to her.
As our attempt to work ceased for a moment, suddenly I heard Piper whisper to herself,
“What if we can’t stop this? What if it all falls down?”
Warrick leaned in, his voice low. “It won’t. You’re stronger than you think, Piper. The pack is stronger than you think.”
Their eyes met, and for an instant, some of the tightness between them loosened. Warrick moved as if to kiss her
forehead, but she turned her face away, her voice abruptly brisk. “We should get back to work.”
I watched in silence, a pang of disappointment tugging at me, but said nothing.
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Finally, Warrick gasped, his finger hovering over a series of symbols. “Wait… this matches!”
“What?” I leaned in, my heart pounding.
He flipped through one of the cipher books, aligning the symbols. “Here. It’s a name. It’s…” He trailed off, his face draining of color.
“Who is it?” I pressed, dread curling in my stomach. Piper looked up at me with fear in her eyes.
I shook my head as I snatched the papers from Warrick’s hand, I just couldn’t bear the suspense.
“What?” I whispered as the papers slipped from my hand and landed on the desk. Warrick arranged them back swiftly.
“No… this can’t be… he is my own blood… It can’t be him,” I got up and stormed out, heading towards my room.
“Aurora?” Piper called out, but I ignored her. I didn’t stop until I reached my room and slammed the door shut.
“Baby,” I heard Dane’s voice from behind me, and I quickly wiped off my tears with my elbow and sniffed before I turned to him to reply.
“Yes?” I said, feigning a smile.
He narrowed his gaze at me as he shifted and tried to get up and
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sit on the bed. I rushed to him and helped him sit, putting a pillow behind his back.
“Are you… crying?” he asked.
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I looked down and shook my head, “No… why would I cry? I am okay,” I lied.
He sighed and his shoulders dropped, “It is my body that is weak, not my heart… I can tell when you are not okay from at while away.”
He cupped my face and made me face him, “Aurora… tell me the problem now.”
“A spy… there’s an insider that’s feeding Orion’s men with all they need to defeat us, Dane.”
Dane breathed out, “I thought as much… Is there someone you suspect?”
I kept silent and looked away. Dane took my hand and made me face him.
“I think you know this person already… Am I right?” Dane asked.
I nodded my head and he continued, “And he is not someone you thought it would be? It happened to be whom you trusted.”
I nodded again, as tears formed in my eyes. Dane lifted his hand slowly and wiped off my tears with his thumb.
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“Rowan? Warrick? Evelyn? Piper? Trajan? Joclyn? Me?” Dane listed, and I stayed mute as I pressed my eyes shut.
“There’s still one you haven’t mentioned,” I said.
“Who?” Dane asked, raising a brow.
I locked eyes with him as I replied, “Evander.”
