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Chapter 39

Author: Aurora Archer
last update Last Updated: 2023-11-19 17:29:32
That night, I snuck out in my hidden pants, my hair braided and coiled in a tight bun. I wrapped a scarf around the lower half of my mouth and dawned a hooded cape.

I walked a wide circle starting behind the packhouse and snaked through the forest so I wouldn’t be seen by anyone. It took longer wearing clunky men's shoes I had swiped on the way out, but I didn’t want to bring anything besides the clothes on my back.

There was part of the maze that sprawled into the edge of the forest. The onlookers were sitting above the maze dug partially into the ground. I hated how impressed I was; this was a huge feat for only a week of preparation. But I had to give credit to the Omegas, warriors, and whomever else they tasked with this. It wasn’t like The Alpha and Luna were the ones out here digging.

I memorized the map Ezra drew and came to one of the three points he marked that were the most hidden from the audience. This part of the maze was short and something you would accidentally stumbl
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    I slept well that night. I focused on the lingering adrenaline as it left my body, and my exhaustion took over. Thankfully, it kept my nerves and thoughts of Ezra at bay. I felt stiff when I woke, surprised that it was well past dawn. I hurried to get ready, but even rushing, Alice was already waiting for me when I left the bathroom.I stifled a yawn and looked at her sheepishly. “I couldn’t sleep last night,” I explained.She nodded in understanding and waited for me to sit and start on my hair. I had a thousand questions that bubbled up, but I suppressed them. Alice didn’t seem any different than normal, but she rarely did. I admired her steady composition and her slightly aloof behavior; it was grounding, it was something I could count on in a world of uncertainty, and for the first time, I realized I was grateful to her. “What?” she asked. I realized I was smiling at her in the mirror, but I didn’t immediately erase it, I just let it fall slowly. I blinked a few times and decide

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    After Ezra left the library last night, I tried to push the thoughts of us away and focus. He left all the details I needed in our book, and I scribbled the outcome of my own meeting. My heart was thudding the entire time, and I was unsure if it was because of Ezra or how close I was; we were of taking a public stand against Black River. After a quiet breakfast, Tia almost knocked me over in the hallway, handing me a note. I was expecting it to be from Sam, but it was in Ezra’s neat handwriting. How did he know about Tia? Did I tell him? But I kept forgetting that he was a hired assassin; his job was to know things.Our Place That was all it said, and I nodded at Tia gratefully. She was bouncing up and down, and her eyes sparkled. She nodded back vigorously and almost skipped away.I walked into the library and up next to him. He nodded slowly in acknowledgment before looking back vacantly into the fire. He was tenser than normal, and I knew I was too.“No talk of his death?” Ezra a

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    He tensed only for a second, but I heard the sharp inhale of his breath and smiled. “Where did you get that?” he crooned and wrapped a hand around my wrist that held the dagger. I let him think that he could stop me with only that. “Do you want to play?” His face was closer to mine.I twisted the dagger a small bit. “That’s why I’m here.” My smile widened. “Wait..” His grip loosened, and the blindfold was ripped off. The now evening light seemed almost blinding compared to the pitch black. I blinked as my eyes quickly adjusted, and I made out his startled expression, which quickly turned into a wicked smile. “Simone.” He looked me over in disbelief as I ripped off the scarf covering my hair, whipping some strands loose from my braid. “This is a nice surprise,” he said but seemed utterly puzzled.“I was hoping it would be you,” I purred. “How far away is Nolan?” I asked.“Even if he were close, he couldn’t save you. Not from me.” He tilted his head, studying his prey. “Neither will t

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    I jumped awake to something touching my cheek, brushing what felt like my hair away. I swatted it off. It took me too long a moment to realize it was Ezra, and I was still sitting on the floor. Opened my eyes, but they felt heavy. Too heavy. It took me another long minute to groggily pull myself to stand. I stretched against my sore muscles for something to do, stifling a yawn. Sleeping sitting up on the floor was a bad idea. I needed to stay limber. But I knew I would have gotten no sleep without Ezra’s warm, steady presence. “Hi,” I grumbled.“Hi,” he said. I forced my eyes open to see him still sitting motionless on the long windowsill. “You look well rested,” I noted and couldn’t hide my disdain. He was perfect; he always was. I envied him; he was what I wished I could be. Half of his lips quirked up. “I rarely sleep deeply. I can get some sleep while still keeping watch,” he admitted.“Warlock,” I muttered, and my sleepy smile echoed his as I made myself go to the bathroom.

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  • The Alpha Assassin   Chapter 78

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