CHAPTER 14

After Darius went, the room was filled with silence. His absence was like a deep aching in my chest that I didn't want to admit. I could not remain motionless when I found the note hidden in his drawer. In my mind, the words swam, and each sentence was a puzzle piece that would not fit.

"Don't trust anyone, not even your loved ones. They are watching.”

The handwriting seemed strange but tidy. The elaborate crescent moon stamp on the paper appeared older than anything I had ever seen in the pack archives. Who wrote this? And why is it hidden here?

I needed answers.

The air outside was crisp and chilly, with stars strewn over the night sky. With only the gentle rustle of leaves accompanying me, I strolled into the gardens. This area of the estate was a haven, and I could think or at least make an effort in it.

"Maya."

The voice was familiar, and I froze. Darius. His voice was deep and tinged with an unidentified substance. He was standing a few feet away, his silhouette lit by the moonlight, when I gently turned around.

I said in a sharper-than-intended voice, "You should be at the border."

With an unreadable look, he took a step closer. "I handled it." Now, why are you by yourselves out here?

I gripped the letter tightly and retorted, "I could ask you the same thing."

He squinted as his gaze shifted to the paper. "What is that?"

I was hesitant. Do I approach him now? Or should I take my time playing this?

I held it out and said, "I found something. In your drawer."

As Darius accepted the letter from me, his eyes skimming the contents, his jaw tensed. He didn't say anything for a second, but the strain in his body language was evident.

With a dangerously low voice, he questioned, "Where did you get this?"

"In your room," I said. What does this signify, Darius? Who wrote it?

He took a while to respond. Instead, he carefully folded the note and placed it in his pocket.

He eventually said, "It's nothing you need to worry about."

"Don't do that," I murmured, taking a step forward. “Don't shut me out."

The intensity in his eyes made my breath catch as we locked eyes. "This has nothing to do with shutting you out. It's about keeping you safe.”

"Safe from what?" I demanded. “It would help if you stopped brushing me off, Darius. I have a right to know the truth.”

He ran a hand through his dark hair and groaned; his lips parted as to argue. "The council. The rouges. All of it. I don't have all the pieces yet, but they are all connected.”

With a gentle touch on his chest, I murmured, "Then allow me to help you to find them. You don't need to work alone on this."

For a long time, he looked at me with a conflicted expression. Then his hand moved to cover mine, almost silently leaning into my touch.

With a hint of irritation and something more profound in his voice, he whispered, "You're going to be the death of me."

"Good," I replied, a tiny smile twitching my lips. "Because I am not going anywhere."

Low and almost sour, his laugh grew softer as he drew me in. "You realize that you're impossible?"

"I've been told," I said, raising my head to look him in the eye.

We remained there for a while, our tension igniting like a live wire. Then his lips were on mine before I could gather my thoughts.

He seemed to put all his frustrations and anxieties into that one kiss—ferocious and frantic. I pressed closer, tangled in his hair, and replied kindly.

We breathed deeply when we eventually separated, the moment's weight weighing on us.

With a tiny tremble, I said, "Darius. Together, we will confront whatever lies ahead."

He cupped both palms over my face as his gaze softened. "Maya, you're not sure what you're getting into."

“Then show me," I said firmly.

He paused a second longer, then nodded. "Come with me."

There was a noticeable tension between us as we strolled quietly through the estate. He showed me the way to a secret door in the rear of the library I had previously overlooked.

"What's this?" I asked as he took a key from around his neck to unlock it.

"The truth," he stated plainly.

A tiny, darkened room contained maps, papers, and weapons. The chamber was a war room, and Darius had been preparing for something significant.

"They don't want you to see this," he continued, pointing to the maps. "The council is concealing the actual cause of the rogue attacks. They're not arbitrary. They have a plan.”

"By who?" Moving closer to the maps, I inquired.

He stated, "That's what I'm trying to figure out." But, whoever it is, they are operating from within the pack.”

The implication made me sick to my stomach. "Do you think it's one of the council member?"

"Or somebody they're working with," he stated. This is the reason the letter is significant. It is both a warning and a clue.”

I looked at the maps to try to make sense of the confusion. "What can I do to help?"

He said softer, "You've done enough for tonight."

"But—"

With his hands around my waist, he drew me in and kissed me to stillness. He whispered, "No more arguing," against my lips. "Just stay with me, please."

This time, I didn't protest.

As daylight drew near, a knock on the door broke the tenuous silence created by the night's flurry of stolen moments and muttered confessions.

A voice screamed out, "Alpha," from the other end. "There has been another attack."

Darius's face instantly became stern. He walked towards the entrance and said, "Stay here."

I grabbed his arm and said, "No. I'm coming with you you."

"Maya—"

"No argument," I said firmly. “You said we are all in this together, so allow me to help you.”

He looked at me for a long time, then nodded. “Fine. But stay close.”

The thought that this was the beginning lingered in my mind as we ventured into the chilly morning air. We were standing in the way of the impending storm.

A figure with a message that can alter everything, for better or worse, rises out of the shadows close to the border.