CHAPTER 15

A sense of tension permeated the room as Darius walked back and forth, an unsaid weight in the air. The lanterns' gentle illumination highlighted the sharp planes of his face, and his jaw tightened in relentless frustration. Just moments before, he had had a heated discussion with the patrol guards, which had revealed additional disturbing information regarding the most recent rogue attack.

Sitting on the edge of the war table, I was tinkering with a map, following the lines of a nearby pack's domain. However, the heat from Darius's kiss the previous evening distracted me. I kept thinking about it because every moment of his hand brushing against mine and every fleeting gaze was so enticing.

There was no time to savor those moments, as I was reminded by the strain in his eyes. I was still waiting.

The silence broke when I said, "You're going to wear a hole in the floor."

Mid-step, Darius halted, his eyes darting to me. "I can't help it. This attack doesn't make sense.”

With my arms crossed, I responded, "Then let's add it up. We’ve faced worse, haven’t we?”

With a sour chuckle, he moved closer. "Maya, this isn't just about us. This is about the council.”

My brow went down. "What are you saying?"

Darius leaned on the table and met my intense gaze. "I am asserting that they are involved. Someone at the top is planning these assaults.”

I felt the weight of what he had said. "Do you have proof?”

"Not yet," he said. But I have a gut feeling. And I will find out who it is.”

The door creaked open before I could reply, and a tall, broad-shouldered, sharp-featured man entered. His dark hair was brushed back carefully, and his emerald eyes shone with subdued power.

Darius stood up straight and said, "Lucien."

"Alpha,"Lucien said in a forceful but silky voice. "I came as soon as I heard.”

Darius's second-in-command was Beta Lucien Greaves, a man whose presence alone inspired reverence. He was calm, calculating, and fiercely devoted.

"Maya." For a moment, Lucien's impenetrable stare turned to me.

"Lucien," I said, in a reserved tone.

"We have a problem." Lucien said turning back to Darius. “Elder Alistair had called the council to an emergency meeting to find out what caused the rogue attacks.”

Darius clenched his jaw. “Of course he does. He’s probably hoping to shift the blame onto someone else.”

"Do you think he is involved?" I asked, my voice unable to contain its edge.

Lucien and Darius looked at each other, and then Lucien responded. “It's possible. Elder Alistair has always had his agenda. He has also spoken out exceptionally loudly about the need for "change" inside the pack.”

“Change?" Again, I said.

"Power," Darius explained, his tone icy. " He want more of it."

The thought made me shiver. Elder Alistair was a crafty person whose silver tongue could influence even the most unyielding wolfIf he was behind the rogue attacks, we were dealing with a far more dangerous enemy than I’d realized.

Lucien moved toward the table, staring at Darius. "What's the plan?"

A storm rising inside Darius's eyes caused them to darken. "We will attend the meeting. But, we will be observing his every action.”

"What if he is guilty?" My voice was hardly more than a whisper when I asked.

Darius's eyes grew softer as they locked with mine. "We'll deal with him after that. Together.”

The force of his words made my spine tingle. Despite the mayhem all around us, a glimmer of optimism appeared in my mind. It was the first time in a long time I had company in dealing with this.

While Lucien was talking to Darius about the logistics, I was preoccupied by the gestures Darius made with his hands. He seemed so capable, strong, and self-assured. I instantly averted my gaze as my cheeks flushed from the thought of their hands on my skin the previous evening.

"Maya?"

When I blinked, I saw that both men looking at me.

"Are you with us?" A slight smirk tugged at Darius's lips as he asked.

I quickly straightened and responded, "Yes. I'm sorry, I was just thinking."

“Of what?" he inquired in a playful tone.

I avoided looking at him and lied. "Nothing important."

I felt Darius's palm graze under the table as he laughed gently. The mere touch gave me an electric shock, and I had to fight the impulse to lean in closer.

I jerked my hand back as Lucien cleared his throat.

"I'll make the necessary arrangements," Lucien stated formally. "We will arrive at the meeting prepared."

Darius took a nod. “Excellent. Meanwhile, watch Alistair closely. I want to be aware of all his movements.”

Lucien bowed and left the room, leaving Darius and me alone again.

The tension between us was evident, and the quiet was thick.

"Are you alright?" Darius said softly as he asked.

My head was still racing, but I nodded. "I just have a lot to take in."

His hands were on my arms as he took a step closer. “We'll overcome this, Maya. I swear."

I gazed up at him, and the honesty in his eyes made my heart hurt. "You have my trust, Darius. But it’s not just the council or the rogues I’m worried about. It’s us.”

"Us?"

He repeated, his brows furrowing.

I drew in my breath. “Everything we're doing is risky, including this. What if things become more complicated?”

There was a tiny, sly smirk on his lips. "“Since when do you play it safe?”

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Touché."

A sad countenance replaced Darius's smile. "Maya, I don't know where this is heading to. One thing I know is, I won't let you go. Not now. Not ever.”

The ferocity of his words took my breath away, and before I could react, he reached out and planted a scorching kiss on my lips.

As the world vanished and we were left alone, time appeared to stop.

I pressed my forehead to him as we eventually parted ways, my heart pounding.

"You are impossible," I said.

"And you love it," he said with a smug smile.

The moment was cut short before I could argue by a knock at the door.

From the other end, Lucien's voice called "Alpha." "The council will meet in two hours."

Darius's forehead wrinkled as he moaned. "Duty calls."

"Go. I'll be alright." I said, taking a step back.

He paused for a while before nodding.“Stay close to Lucien. And don’t do anything reckless.”

"Me? Reckless? Never," I uttered in a light voice.

Darius laughed and left the room, the door gently shutting behind him.

My thoughts were racing as I leaned on the table, alone once more. The stakes had never been higher, and the threat we faced was real.

I tried to concentrate on the here and now, but memories of my past started to nag at me—my family, my pack, and the decisions that had brought me to this point.

I closed my eyes and allowed the memories to envelop me. My father's voice would roar as he narrated old pack legends, the sound of laughing around the bonfire, the smell of pine trees.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

When I opened my eyes, I realized it was time to confront my past. Because if I don't, they would devour me.