"You were not selfish, Ellie. I promise you, Nn doesn''t me you for hiding the boys."


    "How could you possibly know that?" I asked, feeling my throat grow tight with emotion.


    "Because he''s told me."


    "What?" I asked in disbelief.


    "You two really need to work on yourmunication skills" Cassian sighed. "Nn and I have talked about what happenedst year. He told me that the whole situation is painful for him, but given the situation and how he was behaving, he thinks you did the right thing."


    "He really said that?" I asked softly.


    "He did. But you should ask him about it. I''m sure that hearing the words from his own mouth would do you both good."


    "I''ll think about it," I said softly.


    The conversation continued for a short time after that. I asked about ric and Rae, and Cassian asked about the boys. After that, the routine of the day resumed.


    By noon, the boys were settled down for their nap, and I had a moment of quiet to reflect.


    I stood by the nursery window, watching thete afternoon sun paint the grounds in gold. The boys slept soundly behind me, worn out from attention and new faces and too many hands trying to hold them at once.


    Nn had been called away briefly-elder business, he''d said, though his jaw had tightened when he mentioned


    1.


    I rested a hand over my stomach, an old habit she hadn''t quite broken yet.


    Something felt... off.


    Not wrong, exactly. Just unsettled. Like the air before a storm when the sky still looks clear.


    My phone chimed softly.


    Rae.


    I answered immediately. "Hey."


    “Ellie,” Rae said, voice tight. "I need to ask you something


    I straightened. The strain in her voice immediately put me on edge. "What''s wrong?"


    "Have you ever gotten a weird feeling from ire? Or noticed anything off about her?"


    I frowned. "No. Why?"


    There was a pause. "She kind of freaked me out today. Maybe it''s nothing, but.....”


    My unease sharpened. “Rae, what happened?"


    "She made it sound like Nn made a mistake by protecting Cassian," she said softly. "Said he was selfish to put himself in danger. That as alpha, he has a greater responsibility to you and his pack."


    My pulse quickened. "If Nn hadn''t stepped in, Cassian-


    "I know,” Rae said quietly. "And when I pressed her, she backtracked."


    Chache247


    +25 Bonus


    I moved further from the crib, lowering my voice instinctively. "Why would she say something like that?” “I don''t know,” Rae admitted. “But something''s wrong. I can feel it."


    "It might be nothing," I said softly. "Just her opinion on something she doesn''t really understand."


    "That wasn''t the only thing," Rae said tensely. “She madement about Kieran." My heart skipped at her words. My grip on the phone tightened. “Kieran?” "Yeah," Rae continued. “She made it sound like you made a mistake by going back to Nn. Like you should have chosen Kieran instead."


    I closed my eyes briefly. I wanted to rationalize that away. I had told ire so many things about Nn and the problems we had. Of course she had a poor opinion of him.


    And Kieran had always been charming and kind when he was around, especially when my friends were there.


    There was no reason for ire to feel anything negative about Kieran. I could see how my choice did seem foolish from an outsider''s perspective. This was probably nothing.


    ire. The woman Cassian had trusted enough to leave me with while I was vulnerable. The woman I hadughed with, confided in, and allowed near my children.


    I was being paranoid. This was an innocent conversation, and Rae and I were just


    on high alert because of everything else going on.


    "It''s probably nothing. Still, better to be cautious. But Rae, I said softly. "Don''t confront her."


    "I wasn''t nning to," Rae replied. "I just wanted you to know."


    "I''m d you told me.


    >>


    We ended the call, but the tension remained.


    I turned back to the window just as Nn returned, his expression stormy.


    "The elders are restless," he said. “Rowan especially."


    I nodded, distracted. “Nn... I think someone''s still watching us.''


    His gaze sharpened instantly. "Who?"


    "I''m not sure. Maybe it''s nothing, but I have this feeling...


    >>


    Nn exhaled slowly. "Then we assume the worst and prepare for it."


    He crossed the room, resting his forehead briefly against mine. "I won''t let anyone hurt you. Or the boys."


    I believed him.


    That didn''t stop the fear from curling in my chest.


    Because somewhere, far beyond Silver Fang''s walls, someone was paying very


    close attention.


    And the game wasn''t over yet.