bra’s /bbPOV /b

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm the storm that was building inside me

“You’re doing it again,” I muttered, tilting my head away. The edge of usation crept into my voice, whether I wanted it there or not

“Doing what?” His voice was deceptively calm, like he wasn’t i

tore what I mean

I pulled away from his hold, stepping back as if his touch was a searing reminder of everything I was trying to forget. “You’re acting like I’m some nan little girl. Like you can sweet talk me into believing your nensente”

He raised an eyebrow, confusion flickering in his eyes, but he didn’t let me leave. “What nonsense?”

I threw my hands up in exasperation. “You!

u taking a bullet for me? My ve “That’s a joke, right?“:

voice cracked on thest word, and I regretted it the second it left my mouth,

His beyes /bdarkened, but he stepped into my path, blocking my escape. “You don’t think could do it

I stared at him for a moment, stunned by his unwavering certainty. The words caught in my throat, and for a second, I wondered if he could really It Could he?

“Well, of course, you could. You’re the Alpha,” I said, my voice firming as squared my shoulders. “But it doesn’t make sense for you to throw your te away for me a Gamma from another pack

Thorne’s face softened, and something flickered in his beyes/b. “Who bsays /bban /bAlpha can’t protect his loved one?”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. “Loved one”

I froze, my mind scrambling to process his meaning. Was he saying that I was his loved one? No. That wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. My mind was a storm of confusion and panic.

“ra,” Thorne’s voice was softer now, almost like a bplea/b, bbut /bI couldn’t listen to him. Not anymore.

I had to leave.

I turned away without another word, my feet moving before my brain could catch up. I sprinted toward my car, the sound of Thome calling my name fading behind me.

mming the door shut, I cranked the engine, heart racing as I sped down the dark, empty road. The tension h my chest started to loosen, but my grip on the steering wheel was iron tight.

What was wrong with me? Why did his words affect me so much? I hated it. I hated that he could still make me feel this way, twisting my emotions, dragging me back into the past when I was so vulnerable, so desperate for him..

bBut /bthat was then.

Right now, I had soldiers to train, ba /bwar to prepare bfor/b, and Thorne… Well, Thome could chase after whoever he liked Just me. Not again.

The week that followed brought a storm of whispers that rattled the Direstone Pack.

Gamma Garron, the man everyone had trusted, was now facing usations so severe they shook the very foundations of the pack. Corruption, false imprisonment, torture–his name was now synonymous with every vile crime in the book.

The news hit like a bombshell. Thorne had presented the evidence to the elders an ount book detailing Garron’s embezzlement of the military budget, along with witness statements from the Cedar Camp bwhere /bGarron had held people captiveb. /b

Garon’s fall from grace was hard to beleve

shattered sopletely.

stop to him – respected his father, and by extension, him to have those foundations

mare some of themunemy

snews spread, Lomuldn’t help but notice the tension growing among the soldiers. It was more than just the shock of Gam of what this meant for the pack Who would lead the troops now? if Garon was out of the picture, who would take his ra as Gam questions. Theyneeded answers. And in the midst of this chaos, the with the rogues loomedrger than ever

Temild see it on the faces off i seddiers during training Distracted Ansious

mes it was the fear

The soldiers had

Even as the news dominated every conversation, I found myself lost in thought. Thome had done this–exposed Garron–but even that wasn’t enough convince the soldiers. To many of them, Thorne’s disdain for Garron clouded their judgment. They suspected the whole thing was a contoracy.

Fabricated.

“Why are they still defending him?” Lasked Triss during a break

Triss gave a sharpugh, though there was no humor in it. “Because father was a here to many. To those soldiers, Garron’t just a reflection of

fuse to believe that one of their own could do something like this, Garron’s

They can’t ept the truth.”

1shook my head, frustrated. “But the evidence is there. How can they ignore 17

“it’s not that simple,” she said quietly. “Some soldiers think Thome’s just ying a game. They don’t trust him. They think this is all part of some power gab

I clenched my fists, the weight of it all sinking into my chest. The soldiers had to trust Thome–had to believe in him, if they didn’t, the army would fall apart. And we needed every soldier we could get for the war that wasing.

Triss shitted ufortably, then handed me her phone. “You need to see this.”

I nced at the screen, Texts from Garron. Threats Panic. Desperation.

The first one made my blood run cold.

You bitch… You gave the ount book to Thome, didn’t you?b” /b

Then, as if he was trying to salvage what little control he had left, the tone shifted.

How did byou /bget your family out? Did you ask ra for help?!!

does he want to meet with you!”

I scoffed, handing the phone back to Triss. “You’ve got him right where you want him. But why doe

Triss bit her lip, hesitation clouding her expression. “He thinks I’ll take bthe /bfall for him. He’s done it before. He’s balways /bwanted me to cover for him.”

“That bastard,” I muttered. “You don’t have to meet him, Triss. He’s hot worth it”

b“/bI know,” she said, but there was a lingering doubt in her voice. “But… Some people still don’t believe he’s guilty, ra. Especially in the army. They’re

holding out hope that it’s all a setup.”

1 frowned. “But why? The evidence is inelutable.”

“Because they trust Garron’s father more than they frust Thome. The soldiers think Thorne’s ba /btyrant, using this as an excuse to get rid of him, it’s a dangerous situation.”

was moreplicated than I thought.

bI /bsighed. This was more

“Do you think we could do something?” Triss asked, her voice full of determination

b1 /bthought for a moment, weighing my options. “I do have an idea. But it might require you to meet with Garron again. And understand if you don’t

want to do it.”

10:51 Wed, 30 Jul G

Triss didn’t hesitate “I do it. My family’s safe now, Garron has no hold over me. I want to help Thorne take him down?

I smiled at her resolve. “Good. Let’s go see Thorne. We might need his help to make this happen.”