Chapter Three!
The frost in Black Hollow deepened as the moon climbed higher, its silvery light slicing through the dense canopy. Inside the cabin, the fire crackled, but the warmth it offered didn’t touch me. I leaned against the wooden counter, watching Rowan hunched over a scroll, his quill flying across the parchment. His brow furrowed, his amber eyes sharp with focus as he worked, his movements tense and deliberate.R
“You used to leave pack matters in the council chambers,” I said, keeping my tone calm, though my wolf stirred uneasily beneath the surface.
Rowan froze for a fraction of a second, his hand hovering over the parchment. When he looked up, guilt flickered in his eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly. “Things have been… hectic,” he murmured. “It’s nothing to worry about. Go rest, Sera. I’ll join you soon.“>
He didn’t wait for a reply, his attention already back on the scroll. As I passed behind him, the edge of the parchment caught my eye. A bold red mark was pressed into the corner–a rogue’s seal.
My stomach twisted, but I kept moving. I walked to the bedroom, the creak of the wooden floor beneath my feet grounding me. Once inside, I pulled out a scrap of enchanted vellum I used to track the pack’s affairs in secret. My fingers trembled as I activated the spell, murmuring a low incantation. The magic wove through the pack’s records like a web, revealing what I feared.}
Her name burned on the vellum: Mina Everett.”
Mina wasn’t just a rogue. She was the exiled daughter of Beta Everett, her family cast out years ago for a betrayal that nearly destroyed the pack. But Mina had clawed her way back, building alliances with the rogue factions at the borders. She was cunning, bold, and dangerous.!
And her latest stunt struck deep.
The whispers of the pack spread through the spell, revealing her bold claim: Rowan is mine. The bond is broken, and the Alpha will choose me.[
The details poured in like venom. Mina had approached Rowan under the guise of forging an alliance to secure the borders. But her intentions were clear. She flaunted a pendant bearing her family crest in her latest appearance at the edge of the packlands–a challenge, a provocation.
The murmurs of the pack spiraled:
“She’s lying. The Alpha would never betray Seraphine.“}
“Why hasn’t he denied it? Where is Seraphine in all of this?”
“The bond weakens if trust is broken.”
As I pieced together the growing storm, I heard Rowan’s voice from the adjoining room, low and sharp.
“What do you mean the warriors aren’t ready? I gave clear orders!” His tone cut like a blade. “If the border isn’t secure by the next full moon, I’ll deal with you myself.“}
The voice on the other end stammered, but Rowan’s growl silenced it. “Do I have to do everything myself?“}
I pressed myself against the wall, my breath catching. My wolf paced restlessly, urging me to confront him, to demand answers. But I stayed still, gathering my thoughts as the man I trusted unraveled before me.
- us.
When I stepped out, Rowan noticed the tremble in my hands. Concern flashed across his face, and he closed the distance between
“Sera, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?” His voice was soft, but his hands were steady as they cupped my face.”
I forced a brittle smile. “It’s nothing,” I lied. “Just a tale from the elders. It struck a chord.“}
His shoulders relaxed slightly, and he pulled me close, his lips brushing my hair. “Stop listening to those old tales, wildling. They’re just stories. What we have is real.“}
But as his arms wrapped around me, his scent carried something faint and foreign–her scent.
The realization hit like a blade to the chest.
When the front door clicked shut at midnight, I peered through the window. Rowan disappeared into the woods, his figure swallowed by the shadows.
I threw on my fur–lined cloak and followed, my bare feet silent against the frozen earth. His scent was strong, guiding me through the trees, past the river, and to the edge of the packlands.
There, in a secluded glade, he stopped. My chest tightened as the door of an old cabin swung open, and Mina stepped into the moonlight.2
Her black dress clung to her like a second skin, her silver pendant gleaming with her family’s crest–a bold provocation. She smiled, her lips curling in triumph as she closed the distance between them.”
“Rowan,” she purred, running her hands up his chest. “You’ve done so much for me already. But since you have…” She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. “Why not take what’s yours?”
Rowan didn’t pull away.
My fists clenched, my wolf clawing at my skin, begging for release. But I stayed rooted, my breath steadying as cold fury replaced the ache in my chest.
The moon above cast everything into sharp relief, mocking me with its pale light. In that moment, something inside me shifted.
