All Chapters of THE ALPHA'S FORSAKEN SECRET : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Ava’s POVInside the packhouse, the air seemed thick, as though it were smothering me from all directions. Ever since Jackson and I finished reading the Raven's message, I had not been able to get rid of the uneasy sensation that hung about. This is just the start. Her comments had buried themselves deep into my psyche, a continual reminder that we were nowhere near the end of this struggle.At last Lily and Caleb were sleeping soundly in their chambers, but the weight of all that had happened kept me from finding any kind of solace. They had already gone through so much; every time I felt we were headed toward some sort of closure, the Raven found a way to trip us off course. Her games were moving toward more personal and dangerous.Waiting for her next action, I could not keep living in continual anxiety of her striking once more. We had to launch an attack, and that meant determining the one thing—who was assisting her—that had escaped us all this year.Lost in contemplation, I was

Jackson's POVMoving across the packhouse, the wind felt colder than usual while my mind ran through all that had come to light during the past several days. It was wearing on all of us the Raven's insults, the defection among our ranks, and the continuous sense of surveillance. Though Ava and I had a strategy, the Raven seemed to know exactly what we were doing with each move.Alone in the war room, I discovered myself standing in front of shadows across the map on the table from the one lamp. With my hands down on its margins, my mind was assembling our next action. But since the last note was discovered pinned to the tree, I had a persistent sense that kept invading me.The traitor was not merely near. Right here in the thick of everything, observing, listening. I was barely controlling the tempest that realization was building within me.I was startled out of my reverie by a gentle rap at the entrance, then looked up as Leo entered, his face marked with concern."Alpha," he whispe

Ava's POVAs I saw the Raven vanish, sliding back into the shadows with a practiced ease that further stoked my wrath, the night air remained keen in my lungs. She had fled once more, disappearing as though she were nothing more than a ghost tormenting us. I gritted my teeth, fury boiling as I went back to the clearing our pack members were gathering following the fight.Warriors were reorganizing, tending to their injuries, compiling damage reports. Faces I had seen powerful and relentless now showed tiredness, doubt written on every line. With his eyes ablaze with the same fire I sensed inside, Jackson was in the middle guiding the patrols and tending to the injured.He caught my eye as I got closer, his own face reflecting my irritation. He replied, a sour tinge to his voice, "She got away."Tight in my chest, I nodded. "She has been guiding us into traps and bassing us all along. She wants us to pursue her, to squander our resources while she schemes her next action.Jackson rele

Jackson's POVBefore the day really started, the packhouse was still, a rare quiet time. As I went over the remaining loose ends we had to tie off, the weight of the recent evenings pressed down on me. Though the Raven might be gone, the seeds of mistrust and revolt she had sown still entwine themselves through the pack. And Lyra's treachery cut more than most of the pack was ready to acknowledge.My thoughts were cut off by a gentle knock, then Leo came in with a solemn look."Alpha," he started, stopping as though looking for the proper words. "More disturbance has resulted from this. Another one of our scouts discovered Raven's insignia etched into a southern boundary tree.I tightened my mouth to help me control my annoyance. "We've removed her, but her presence still shadows us."Leo nodded with a wrinkled brow. She seemed to have scheduled this. Her last weapon of choice was doubt.I ran a hand over my face, the exhaustion starting to show. "Any directions on Lyra's whereabouts?

Ava's POVThough the evening was still, I couldn't get rid of the impression that something was developing—something buried in the quiet. The pack had discovered an unusual calm in the days following our encounter with the remnants of the Raven, but I felt uncomfortable, as though waiting for the other shoe to fall.Jackson had sensed it too, but none of us had discussed it very much. An underlying tension persisted even as we were trying to soothe the pack and lead them through this phase of rebuilding.But tonight that quiet was disturbed.While patrolling close to the packhouse, I came upon Lyra slinking through the woods, her visage darkened by the low light. She hadn't spotted me, but her motions were deliberate, slow, as though she wanted no one to follow her. I decided to follow when a sting of mistrust passed through me.Keeping small feet, I followed her over the deep woodland, anxiety and curiosity twisting in my gut. Every so often she stopped, peering over her shoulder, t