Kaelan stood frozen, the cryptic words echoing in his mind. “Sold to your enemy.” The veiled woman’s trembling voice haunted him as he replayed her words. His wolf snarled in his chest, restless and enraged, demanding action.
Kaelan turned back toward the StoneWare Pack’s central hall, his fists clenched. The world around him felt distant as the pieces began to fit together. Mira—his Mira—had been sold. The betrayal cut deep, and his fury surged, threatening to break free.
Storming back inside, Kaelan’s booming voice shattered the uneasy quiet. “Aiden!” he roared, his tone filled with unrestrained anger.
Alpha Aiden, who had been leaning over a table covered in ceremonial plans, stood upright, his expression hardening as Kaelan approached. “What now, Kaelan?” Aiden asked, his voice steady but cold.
Kaelan’s eyes burned with intensity as he stopped inches from Aiden. “You sold her,” he growled. “To my enemy. Is that true?”
Aiden’s eyes flickered with something—guilt, perhaps, but it was gone in an instant. He squared his shoulders. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Kaelan’s jaw tightened, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “Don’t lie to me, Aiden. I know Mira is gone. And I know she didn’t just walk away. Someone here knows where she is, and you’re going to tell me.”
The room grew tense as pack members exchanged uneasy glances. Aiden exhaled slowly, the weight of Kaelan’s accusation pressing down on him. “You have no proof of such claims,” he said calmly. “You’re grasping at straws.”
Kaelan’s wolf surged forward, and for a moment, his eyes flashed with feral energy. He slammed his hands onto the table, cracking the wood beneath his palms. “You let her go,” he growled. “You sold her like she was nothing. Tell me where she is, or I will tear this pack apart piece by piece to find her.”
Aiden stepped back, his calm demeanor faltering under the weight of Kaelan’s fury. “Enough!” he barked, his own Alpha aura flaring in defense. “I didn’t sell her. She left because of you! She was confused, torn between loyalty and freedom. You’re the one who brought this chaos into her life.”
Kaelan’s eyes narrowed, his voice cold and unwavering. “Then explain what I was told. A witness claims Mira was sold to my enemies. You expect me to believe that’s a coincidence?”
Aiden hesitated, and Kaelan pounced on the crack in his resolve. “If you didn’t sell her, then someone under your watch did,” Kaelan pressed. “You owe me the truth.”
The hall fell silent, the tension so thick it was suffocating. Aiden glanced at his advisors, their discomfort evident. Finally, his shoulders slumped slightly, a sign of reluctant admission.
“I didn’t sell her,” Aiden said quietly. “But someone may have taken advantage of the situation. I won’t deny that I’ve heard whispers of offers made behind closed doors. Mira’s presence here caused a stir among outsiders.”
Kaelan’s breath hitched. The weight of Aiden’s words settled heavily on his chest. Outsiders. His enemies. His fists clenched tighter as his wolf growled within him, its fury mirroring his own.
“Who?” Kaelan demanded. “Who took her?”
Before Aiden could respond, the doors to the hall burst open, and a young pack member rushed inside, panting heavily. “Alpha,” the boy said, bowing quickly. “There’s someone at the gate.”
“Who?” Aiden asked sharply, turning to the boy.
The pack member hesitated before answering. “A cloaked figure. She insists on speaking to Alpha Kaelan.”
Kaelan didn’t wait for Aiden’s permission. He brushed past the boy, his strides long and purposeful as he exited the hall. His heart pounded with anticipation and dread, his wolf on high alert.
At the gate stood the same veiled woman who had whispered the damning words to him earlier. She raised her head slightly as Kaelan approached, her voice trembling with urgency. “I came to tell you more,” she said. “But we must be quick.”
Kaelan’s eyes bored into hers. “Speak.”
The woman glanced around nervously, lowering her voice. “Mira was sold to one of your strongest adversaries. I overheard the transaction myself.”
Kaelan’s chest tightened. “Who?” he demanded.
The woman hesitated, as if the name itself was a curse. “Alpha Gareth,” she finally said, her voice barely audible.
The name hit Kaelan like a blow to the chest. His wolf howled in rage, his mind racing with memories of Gareth’s treachery. The thought of Mira in Gareth’s hands was unbearable.
“Where is she?” Kaelan asked, his voice raw with desperation.
“I don’t know,” the woman admitted. “But I heard they planned to move her tonight. If you hurry, you might still catch them.”
Kaelan didn’t hesitate. He turned to his guards, his voice sharp and commanding. “Ready the horses. We ride now.”
The veiled woman reached out, gripping his arm. “Be careful, Alpha,” she said, her tone laced with fear. “This is a trap.”