Third Person’s POV
As soon as Digby left the Hornbeams, he sent a coded message to the ckthorns, “The medicine has been delivered.”
Unlike Adide, who was a nervous wreck, Lance was surprisingly chill.
He sat by the firece, idly swirling a ss of red wine, watching the dark liquid coat the crystal.
“Take it easy, sweetheart,” Lance said, his voice smooth and steady.
He looked up at Adide, who was pacing the floor like a caged wolf.
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“Alfred is ambitious, sure, but he’s not a natural–born snake. He’s a decent enough wolf at his core. He’s probably struggling with his own conscience right now. Once Alpha Theodore gets in his ear, there’s a damn good chance he’ll keep his mouth shut.”
He took a sip of the wine, his eyes glinting with a sharp, tactical intelligence. “Besides, if he’s smart, he’ll realize that snitching to a paranoid Lycan King like Lycan Erasmus is a short–term win with a long–term cost. It’s much better to sit on a secret like this–or use it as leverage for something bigger.”
Adide stopped pacing. “What do you mean?”
“Think about it. If he reports it, Lycan Erasmus will reward him, maybe even promote him. But Lycan Erasmus is a skeptic. He’ll always see Alfred as a guy who sells out his own kind for a paycheck. He’ll use him, but he’ll never trust him.”
Lance set his ss down and walked over to Adide, cing his hands on her shoulders to ground her.
“On the <i>other </i>hand, if Alfred stays quiet–or ys it smart and talks to Magnus privately–he builds a bridge. Magnus is part of the Styxwarden pack, and Alger’s mate is a literal Princess. That’s awork that offers way more long–term power than a one–time reward for being a rat.”
He leaned down, whispering in her ear. “Rx. If Alpha Zanderes back and sees you this wound up, he’s just going to worry. We aren’t doing this alone. Listen to the chatter outside. Ever since Ampelio started venting, every tavern, underground gym, and market square in the city has been talking. Everyone is backing Alpha Zander.”
Public opinion was bing their shield. As long as Alfred didn’t light the fuse, the fire wouldn’t reach them.
The lower–tier wolves weren’t nearly as cautious as the nobles. After a few rounds of cheap ale, they were more than happy to speak their minds.
To them, Alpha Zander was a living legend–the symbol of the kingdom’s grit.
From stories of his solo charges in his <i>youth </i>to his current white–haired stand in the frozen wastes, themoners were obsessed with his tragic, heroic life.
Over the next few days, the talk got louder.
It was actually getting hard to control. Some wolves were even banging on tables in the pubs, shouting things like-
“Ulrik was the one leading the mission <i>to </i>burn the supplies! If Velda went rogue, that’s on him!”
“Exactly! Alpha Zander was poisoned and in aa. He couldn’t even stand up, let alone order a massacre! If the Pce needs a
fall guy, they should grab the actualmanders who were on the ground!”
“Damned right! Ulrik has to pay. And Russell too–he was running things while Alpha Zander was out.”
But then the mood shifted again as people started talking about Russell’s history.
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“You heard about Russell? He lost his arm saving Ulrik’s life! The man has lived in a frozen tent for years while we sit here in luxury. He’s back on the training grounds with one arm, still ready to fight. How can anyone me a guy like that?”
The conversation naturally drifted to the Frostfangs and the seven heroes who died for the country. The more the public praised the Doyles and the Bentleys, the more they loathed Ulrik and Velda.
The two “rising stars” were now drowning in a sea of public hate, while Alpha Zander was being painted as the ultimate tragic hero.
Adide had only started the fire by letting Ampelio loose, and the ckthorns hadn’t touched it since.
Lance knew how gossip worked: you just need a spark, and the crowd will bring the gasoline.
But the way the narrative was evolving–so fast and so organized–suggested someone much higher up was fanning the mes from the shadows<i>. </i>
At first, Lycan Erasmus suspected the ckthorns. It made sense; Zander was Adide’s grandfather.
But after a secret investigation, he turned up a name that seemed toe out of left field: Cyrus.
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<strong>Olivia Harris</strong> is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.