《Second chance for the barren Luna》 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 1 CHAPTER ONE Talia¡¯s POV For three years of marriage, I have been hiding the truth from my alpha husband¨CI am the daughter of the Alpha King, rather than the omega he knows me to be. The drums thundered through the clearing as torches lit the night sky. I stood at the center of it all, cloaked in silver and pride, watching the gates with a heart full of hope. Jason was finally home after a brutal war. As Luna, I¡¯d spent days making sure every detail was perfect tonight, from the linens to the floral centerpieces. I even assisted the omegas with the cooking just to make sure everything was just right. A month ago, the almighty Alpha King sent Jason to eliminate the rogue wolves at the border of our pack grounds. Some people might think it¡¯s a bad thing, but I know what it really was. It was good, my dad is slowlying to ept him. He is giving him more responsibilities to see if he can handle the truth that he married his daughter. The pride I feel for Jason is indescribable. Finally, everything is falling into ce and my dad will recognize that there is no better mate for me than him. I waited patiently, smiling as I imagined the surprise on his face when I finally had the opportunity to confess everything to him. ¡°The Shadoww Pack wees home its future heir!¡± Jason¡¯s voice rang out,manding. The cheers rose instantly. I blinked, confused, until I saw her. Viki Mayers. Clinging to his arm like she¡¯d always belonged there. Her dress hugged a gently swollen belly, and Jason¡¯s hand¡­ settled there, proudly. ¡°This is Viki, our top warrior¡¯s daughter,¡± he said, turning to face me. ¡°And she¡¯s carrying my pup.¡± Gasps rippled. My vision blurred. My mate. My Alpha. The man I had waited for¡­ had returned to me with another woman carrying his pup. And Jason didn¡¯t even have the decency to tell me beforehand. Instead, he humiliated me at the celebration I had organized for him. It felt like my heart was tearing in two. Every inhale was a struggle to maintain myposure. I could hear every whisper that slithered through the crowd: ¡°Luna Talia never conceived in three years¡­¡± ¡°Viki should have been Luna in the first ce¡­¡± ¡°Luna Talia should step down now¡­¡± CHAPTER ONE +25 Bonus Jason¡¯s gaze swept over the room and he held no regret. He looked at me with cool indifference, as if I should¡¯ve expected him to make aughingstock of me. ¡°To a prosperous future for Shadoww!¡± Jason raised his goblet. Everyone raised their wine sses, cheering and pping. The pack¡¯s elders smiled and nodded, satisfied with the young Alpha¡¯s aplishments. And I wanted to scream. I slipped away during the congrattions and returned to our chamber. No one came looking for me. No one cared. I allowed myself to fall apart without prying eyes there to mock me. My heartbreak soon became rage. I was not going to stand for this. Jason would answer for what he had done. When Jason finally returned to our chamber, I was already there, waiting. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have left. You should be happy for me,¡± Jason said. ¡°Happy about you betraying me and having a bastard?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Enough of the tantrum. I just made it home and I would like a nice evening with my mate,¡± Jason sighed. ¡°So, now you see me as your mate,¡± Iughed bitterly. ¡°How could you do this to me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable,¡± he growled. ¡°Unreasonable?¡± My voice rose. ¡°You humiliated me in front of the entire pack, and you expect me to just ept it?¡± Jason removed his armor, piece by piece, not even bothering to look at me. ¡°It¡¯s done. She¡¯s pregnant. The pack has an heir. You need to ept this.¡± ¡°How do you expect me to ept this?¡± I took a step forward, snarling. ¡°You caused me pain for AN ENTIRE MONTH because you were betraying the mate bond by sleeping with that slut!¡± ¡°I advised the pack doctor to give you pain killers. I will make sure he is punished for not properly taking care of you while I was away,¡± Jason said nonchntly. I balked at his audacity. ¡°And that is supposed to make it right?¡± I demanded. ¡°You¡¯ve been Luna for three years and haven¡¯t given me an heir,¡± he said simply, as if that justified everything. Did you expect me to wait forever?¡± ¡°I expected you to treat me as your Luna. I expected you to discuss with me if you wanted a breeder, not¡­¡± ¡°Do you even hear yourself, Talia? Did you forget who you are?¡± Jason snarled, interrupting me. ¡°I am your Luna,¡± I responded, not backing down. ¡°And a Luna provides heirs, and you can¡¯t even do that. If you can¡¯t provide me with an heir, you¡¯re a Luna in name only. I need more than a worthless barren omega cosying as a Luna!¡± ¡°How dare you speak to me like that!¡± 11 Jason¡¯s expression was unreadable. It was as if I was looking at a stranger. His voice was firm and cold as he said, ¡° You have two options. You can leave, lose your status as Luna, and go back to being an omega. Or you can stay and support.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 2 +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO Talia¡¯s POV ¡°I..I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re doing this to me,¡± I stammered, backing away from him. ¡°I was chosen by the Moon Goddess to be your mate. I am your fated Luna. What you¡¯ve done¡­ it¡¯s sphemy.¡± Jason didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°The Moon Goddess would never allow the pack to go without an heir. You think she cares about titles more than survival?¡± I stared at him, stunned. ¡°She gave me to you,¡± I said. ¡°And you spit on that gift.¡± ¡°She gave me a pack to protect,¡± he replied coldly. ¡°And for three years, you haven¡¯t given me an heir. That¡¯s not the Goddess failing us, Talia. That¡¯s you.¡± My breath caught in my throat. I could feel my wolf bristling at the usation and insult. He meant every word. He was using the divine bond as a weapon, as proof that I had failed. ¡°You think this is all I am?¡± I asked. ¡°Just a womb to fill? That¡¯s what being your Luna means to you?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re emotional and looking for someone to me.¡± I let out a bitterugh. I stood in the same room where we used to share whispered ns and tender touches, now looking at a man who saw me as nothing more than a failed investment. I turned away from him, wiping the tears from my face. He didn¡¯t deserve me, and I wish I had realized this three years ago. Three years ago, I walked away from everything, my birthright, my name, my title as the Alpha King¡¯s daughter. I severed ties with my father, concealed my true rank, and entered the Shadoww Pack under the guise of an omega. I humbled myself. I lowered myself. All for him. I remembered the way I once looked at Jason like he was the future, like he was worth the sacrifice because he was my fated mate. Every sleepless night, every hushed whisper, every Elder who doubted me-none of it mattered because I believed in him. I believed in us. I bore the title of Luna with pride. I ran this pack when he was away, I protected the weak, ensuring order, and earned the respect of wolves who spat at me for being an omega. I made this ce a home. And now none of that mattered because Viki was carrying his pup, something I couldn¡¯t do. Jason stepped toward me, pulling me into a hug, his voice softening in that maddening way he used when he wanted to pacify me. ¡°You¡¯ve done well, Talia. You¡¯ve run this pack better than most Lunas ever could. But this,¡± he paused, ¡°this child changes things.¡± I pushed him away from me. He was trying tofort me while simultaneously telling me I had been reced. CHAPTER TWO +25 Bonus ¡°Do you think your half asspliment is going to make me feel better, make me want to help you raise your bastard with your whore?¡± I asked tly, not bothering to hide the contempt in my tone. Jason¡¯s expression hardened again. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so selfish.¡± Myugh was sharp, humorless. ¡°Selfish? Selfish?! You have no idea what I have given up for you and this pack!¡± ¡°I expect you to do what¡¯s best for the pack. Viki will stay here until she gives birth. She needs proper care and your support,¡± Jason said dismissively. ¡°So let me get this straight.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°You sleep with this whore behind my back. You humiliate me in front of the entire pack. And now you want me to serve her food while she rubs her swollen belly and lounges in my bed?¡± Jason¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°You¡¯re twisting this.¡± ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m hearing you quite fine. You¡¯re asking me to y nursemaid to your whore.¡± ¡°Watch your tone! I¡¯m your Alpha!¡± ¡°Why?¡± I snapped. ¡°She already has your favor. What¡¯s next? Do you want me to hand her the Luna title, too? Since she likes to take things that aren¡¯t hers, maybe I should give her my clothes next.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable again,¡± Jason snapped. ¡°This isn¡¯t about you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about me? You destroyed everything we built. You desecrated the bond the Moon Goddess gave us. You-¡± The door creaked open. I turned toward the sound, already knowing who I¡¯d find standing there. Viki. She stepped in without knocking, her hand resting dramatically over her belly, a satisfied little smirk curling her lips. ¡°Oh,¡± she said innocently, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you two were still¡­ talking.¡± Viki looked around with feigned curiosity, eyes shining with mock concern. ¡°Good evening, Luna Talia,¡± she said sweetly, her voice dripping with insincerity. ¡°I just wanted to let the Alpha know that the healer thinks the pup is strong and already kicking so much. It must be a boy.¡± She rubbed her stomach for emphasis. ¡°He¡¯ll make a wonderful heir.¡± I clenched my jaw so tightly it ached. ¡®Don¡¯t react. She wants you to react,¡¯ my wolf whispered in my mind, trying to calm me down, but I was finding it hard not to p that stupid smirk off Viki¡¯s face. Viki turned her gaze on me. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always admired how organized you are, You keep the pack running like clockwork. I hope I can learn that from you,¡± ¡°Is that why you were sleeping with my mate?¡± I asked coolly. ¡°To study my habits more closely?¡± Jason growled low under his breath, but I didn¡¯t look at him. Viki¡¯s eyes twitched. I had hit a nerve. She quicklyposed herself and began fake pouting. ¡°You¡¯re being so hostile, Luna Talia. It¡¯s not my fault the Moon Goddess chose me to give Alpha a pup.¡± CHAPTER TWO +25 Bonus ¡°Nonsense! Get out,¡± I said. Neither Jason nor Viki moved a bit. ¡°I said get out,¡± I growled. ¡°You don¡¯t get a say in this, Talia. I¡¯ve tried to be reasonable, but¡¯if you¡¯re not listening, I¡¯ll make the decision for you,¡± Jason said. He snapped his fingers, and two warriors entered the room. They quickly restrained me. ¡°What are you doing? I am your Luna! Get your hands off me!¡± I eximed. ¡°You¡¯ll be staying in the guest suite until you¡¯ve learned to behave yourself. Get her out of here,¡± Jason stated as he picked up Viki to carry her to our bed. I was not about to let him humiliate me further. I yanked myself from the warriors¡¯ grip. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯ll go willingly. But understand this, Jason, you¡¯ll regret this.¡± P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 3 CHAPTER THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER THREE Talia¡¯s POV I had no choice but to ept Viki moving into Alpha¡¯s packhouse like she belonged here, like she hadn¡¯t stolen what wasn¡¯t hers like the thief she was. From that day, I chose to walk to the guest suite on my own, I became invisible. Jason, no, the Alpha, no longer addressed me with any affection. He was attentive to Viki in ways he hadn¡¯t been to me in years. He escorted her to meals, checked in with the healers constantly, and praised her for even the smallest effort. And me? I was ordered to be considerate. I was ordered to be supportive. 1 I was ordered to give Viki whatever she wanted no matter how small. He told me I was just a barren omega and that Viki, being the daughter of our top warrior, held noble status and should be treated with respect. His words destroyed what little pride I had left. Not because he was wrong about her rank, but because he had no idea who I truly was. I was the daughter of the Werewolf King. I was the princess of the Silverfang Pack. I held more power in my bloodline than Viki could ever dream of. And still, I said nothing. What would be the point? He wouldn¡¯t believe me. No one would. I swallowed the truth and just went along with whatever they wanted. Pride would not protect me here. I just needed to survive. Even ra, my mousy little maid, who usually averted her eyes and submitted with the skittishness of a wolf two ranks below me, had finally cracked. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Luna,¡± ra said one night as she brushed my hair. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. ¡°She¡¯s not Luna, but everyone is treating her like she is. She¡¯s overstepping. The way she struts around¡­ it¡¯s shameful,¡± ra replied, I met ra¡¯s eyes in the mirror. She was young and easily intimidated. I could see the anger in her brown eyes and even she had her limits. ¡°I know,¡± I murmured. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. Let her keep thinking she¡¯s Luna.¡± ra frowned. She looked as if she wanted to argue but she just sighed and said, ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± For a time, I endured all of Viki¡¯s taunts. I kept my head down. I performed my duties. I pretended not to hear the whispers in the halls or see the smirks exchanged behind my back as the pack slowly turned its back on me. I focused on what mattered: my routines, my responsibilities, and my rose garden. CHAPTER THREE Especially my rose garden. +25 Bonus It was the only space that was still mine, untouched by Viki¡¯s vicious hands. It was a small courtyard nestled behind the west wing, overflowing with roses I had personally nted. Every bloom had a memory: the pale peach ones from our first festival, the white ones Jason once said matched my purity, and the dark crimson that reminded me of strength. It was my sanctuary until she found it. Viki came stomping into the garden one morning. Her face twisted with distaste as she eyed the roses in full bloom. ¡°Ugh, I hate roses. They are such old-fashioned flowers,¡± she said loudly, waving at the beds as if she was waving away a bad smell. ¡°We should rece them withvender, or maybe orchids. Something elegant.¡± ra, tending to the edges, froze. She looked between Viki and I before standing up straight. Her face looked serious as she carefully said, ¡°Miss Viki, this is Luna¡¯s garden. She grew all these bushes herself, so we can¡¯t-¡± ¡°Luna?¡± Viki gave a dramatic sigh and rubbed her belly. ¡°Oh, you mean Talia,¡± Sheughed. ¡°Come on. You knew that she holds the title in name only. I¡¯m the Alpha¡¯s choice now. And I want this garden torn apart. You heard me?¡± ra looked at me, wide-eyed and uncertain. I stood stiffly beside the fountain, my hands clenched at my sides. I stepped forward, my aura flexing-not fully, but enough to make her servant flinch and lower her head. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°These stay.¡± Viki¡¯s smile faded just a little. Her wolf pushed back, defiant but weaker than mine. ¡°You¡¯re being territorial over a bunch of nts.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being territorial over mine,¡± I replied, tone cold. Viki narrowed her eyes, her voice rising just enough to carry. ¡°You¡¯re refusing to amodate the mother of the future Alpha?¡± Of course, Jason arrived at that moment. He always came running when he heard her voice like a moth to the me. It made me sick. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jason asked, stepping between us. ¡°I was just asking to rece some of the flowers,¡± Viki said sweetly, her hands resting on her stomach. ¡°The scent¡¯s been making me nauseous in the mornings. I don¡¯t want to cause any stress to the pup.¡± Jason didn¡¯t look at me as he lovingly caressed Viki¡¯s belly. ¡°I get you don¡¯t understand what it is like to be pregnant, but you need to be more amodating, Talia. They¡¯re just flowers.¡± I flinched at the remark. It was like he was twisting a dagger in my heart. I scoffed which caused him to look up at me frowning. ¡°They are not just flowers. This is my space. This is the only space left that is mine. She has taken everything,¡± I argued. Jason turned to ra and said, ¡°Do as Viki said.¡± ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Jason, this garden-¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the garden, Talia! Don¡¯t you understand?¡± Jason interrupted. ¡°It¡¯s about unity. It¡¯s about doing GALLE +25 Bonus what¡¯s best for the pack. Viki is carrying the next Alpha. She needs peace.¡± Iughed bitterly. ¡°So, you¡¯ll rip out the only ce that¡¯s still mine? You think that¡¯s peace? That¡¯s supposed to be unity?¡± ¡°If you truly care about this pack, you¡¯ll stop fighting me on a small thing,¡± he snapped. My wolf howled in my chest, furious. ¡®Don¡¯t submit. Don¡¯t you dare submit to this,¡¯ ¡°There¡¯s no point in fighting,¡¯ I responded, earning a snarl from my wolf. Whether I agreed or not my garden was going to be destroyed. I swallowed hard, forcing down the ache in my throat. ¡°Of course, Alpha,¡± I said, voice cold and hollow, ¡°ra, do as you¡¯re told.¡± She obeyed. The scent of roses was soon reced with the scent of ripped roots and overturned soil. I stood motionless as ra and Viki¡¯s maid tore the bushes from the ground. With each one, a memory was uprooted and destroyed. Jason said nothing. He didn¡¯t even stay to watch. As thest rose bush was tossed aside like trash, I felt it in my bones. My ce in his heart had been destroyed along with them too. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 4 CHAPTER FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER FOUR Talia¡¯s POV I stood by the window, staring down at the garden that used to be mine. Now it reeked ofvender and other flowers that Viki thought was more elegant. Her scent coated every stone path and flower bed: an invasive putrid scent of jasmine and smugness. My wolf growled low in the back of my mind. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t have allowed this. She defiled our territory.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s just a garden,¡¯ I sighed and swallowed the bitterness. (2) Even though I wanted to ignore the situation, my wolf was right. I should have challenged her on the spot and made her submit to me, but deep down I knew there was no point. Viki would have her way no matter what I did. If she told Jason to help, I would have no chance to win. Viki had taken my mate, my bed, and my garden. What was going to be next? Ever since Viki had moved into the Alpha¡¯s residence, Jason hadn¡¯t spent a single night with me. He went to be with her instead. He betrayed the mate bond night after night not caring about the pain, he was putting me through. Still, some deluded part of me clung to the hope that I still had a ce in his heart. Maybe once the pup was born, he woulde to his senses. Maybe he would treat Viki like a breeder, and he woulde back to me. After all, I was still Luna. Viki couldn¡¯t take that from me. I went to the kitchen mid-morning, needing tea. I needed something to soothe my sore body after another sleepless night. Viki was there, draped over a stool like a lounging cat in heat. I groaned in frustration as she was not who I wanted to see first in the morning. Viki¡¯s robe hung open enough to make any unmated wolf turn his head and stare. Her bare legs were crossed, revealing skin she had no shame showing like the whore she was. My nose twitched before I even saw it. The scent of her blood, from a fresh bite. I froze. There, on the curve of her neck, was a mate mark. The flesh was still raw, slightly raised. My stomach dropped. My wolf bristled. ¡®He didn¡¯t, did he? Tell me he didn¡¯t,¡¯ she growled. ¡°Did¡­ did Alpha mark you?¡± I asked, voice tight. Viki smiled, baring her teeth in triumph. ¡°Oh, this?¡± She tilted her head, so I could see the mark better. ¡°Yes,st night, he was like a wild animal. He just couldn¡¯t help himself.¡± My gut twisted and my blood chilled. This wasn¡¯t just lust. Their rtionship wasn¡¯t something that had just happened to produce an heir like Jason wanted me to believe. A mark meant iming. 175 Bonus A bond ¡°He said I smelled inestetilde,¡± Vilst added, strolling the edge of the wound ¡°Said he couldn¡¯t stand the thought of andleg inale even foolding at me. You know how possessive Alpha can be,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let it go to your head. You¡¯re nothing but an incubator,¡± I paid through gritted teeth, Vild leaned forward. Her voice wasced with cruelty, ¡°Alpha told me i am on a level with Luma. It makes sense after all, I¡¯m the one carrying his pup.¡± My wolf paced inside me, snarling, ¡°Tear her face off. Do it now!¡¯ I took a calming breath and stepped backward from her. Vild smirked seeing my distress. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re surprised Ta,¡± Viki said while ying with a lock of her hair, ¡°I am surprised that you¡¯re utterly shameless,¡± I snapped. ¡°You knew this day wasing, Ta. I was raised by my father to be Lama, and now you should just bow out with grace,¡± Viki whispered with a bright smile, ¡°Don¡¯t fool yourself, Viki. That mark means nothing but that you¡¯re a thieving, whore, There is only one Luna in this pack and that¡¯s me,¡± I said through gritted teeth. Viki flinched but thenughed, ¡°For now, but let¡¯s wait and see,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your little games, Viki,¡± 1 turned to leave, afraid of what I might do if I stayed in the same room with her. Then I heard it. A sharp, theatrical ery followed by a heavy thud. 1 turned just in time to see Viki throw herself to the ground; her hand clutched around her swollen stomach, She smirked at me as she began to cry, Vild screamed again, louder this time, ¡°Walia, why did you push me? Why are you trying to hurt the heir?¡± ¡°What?! I didn¡¯t touch you! You¡­¡± I snapped, Jason burst through the door, eyes glowing, his wolf close to the surface, His scent burned with fury as he red at me with hatred, ¡°What the hell did you do to her?!¡± he barked, ? Shore Support +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 5 CHAPTER FIVE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Oh¡­Jason, help our pup,¡± Viki said before passing out. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. What the hell did you do?¡± Jason snarled. The full weight of his Alpha aura crashed into me like a wave. My knees buckled, but I forced myself to stand tall. Submission wed at me, demanding I bow, but I refused. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch her!¡± I said quickly. ¡°She just dropped to the ground. I don¡¯t know what happened!¡± He didn¡¯t look at me. His entire focus locked on Viki lying there on the ground, still gripping her belly. ¡°Viki!¡± Jason cooed, dropping to his knees beside her. ¡°Viki, wake up.¡± I felt a pang in my heart. I could still feel his anger pressing against me, but the moment she didn¡¯t respond, fear reced anger. ¡°Get the healer,¡± Jason ordered one of the warriors that had rushed in behind him. ¡°Now.¡± I stood there, frozen in ce, every instinct in my body screamed that I should defend myself. It wouldn¡¯t matter right now, not when the mother of his unborn pup was unconscious on the floor and I was the only one standing. ¡®She nned this,¡¯ my wolf snarled. ¡®She baited us. We should have left as soon as we saw her.¡¯ Jason snarled, ¡°If something happens to this pup, I swear to the Goddess, Talia, I will end you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± I said, my voice quieter now. ¡°You know I wouldn¡¯t hurt a pup.¡± Jason turned his head, eyes burning with anger. ¡°You expect me to believe she would risk her own pup just to make you look bad?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I snapped. ¡°Use your nose, Jason. My scent isn¡¯t on her!¡± Jason stood slowly. ¡°When she wakes, you will apologize.¡± He turned to a warrior and said, ¡°Take her back to her room. She will remain there until Viki awakes.¡± He turned a deaf ear to whatever I said. When Viki finally awoke in the infirmaryter that night, I was brought before her. My wrists were still sore from the warrior¡¯s grip. I stood silently at the edge of the room, nked by warriors, as she blinked dramatically at the ceiling and moaned like she was waking from aa. ¡°Oh¡­ Luna Talia¡­¡± she yelped, her voice trembling. ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t hurt my pup¡­¡¯ My jaw clenched as I resisted the urge to call her a liar. ¡°She lunged at me. Said she¡¯d never let a bastard take her ce. I¡­ I was terrified¡­¡± Jason stood beside her bed, his arms crossed. I prayed, just once, that he would question her. That he would stop pretending this made sense when everything told him that she was lying. ¡°Is there any proof?¡± he asked. ¡°Anyone who saw it?¡± 1 I exhaled in relief until Viki turned her head and gave a wounded little sigh. ¡°ra saw it.¡± +75 Bonus My breath caught ¡°No,¡± I said immediately. ¡°No, ra wasn¡¯t even in the kitchen with us,¡± The door opened, and my mousy little maid stepped inside, her scent reeking of fear. Her hands were wringing het apron, her head bowed low. ¡°¡­I did,¡± ra whispered. ¡°I saw it. Luna Talia was upset, and she¡­ she lunged. She didn¡¯t touch her on purpose, but it was¡­ It was threatening and¡­¡± My stomach dropped. How could she lie like that? After all that we had been through, she was turning back on me
¡°ra,¡± I said, barely recognizing my own voice, ¡°Look at me in the eyes and speak the truth.¡± ra couldn¡¯t. Her gaze stayed glued to the floor. I flexed my Luna aura and growled, ¡°Speak the damned truth now!¡± Jason sheered, ¡°You¡¯re shameless, Talia. How could you bully your own maid into lying for you?¡± ¡°She 18 lying. Someone threatened her to do this. She wasn¡¯t even-¡± ¡°Enough! Take her to the dungeon,¡± Jason snapped. ¡°No!¡± I growled, my wolf rising to the surface, ¡°You can¡¯t¡­¡± Two warriors grabbed me. I thrashed, snapping my fangs, my ws slicing them, surprising them with my strength. My wolf snarled, ready to take control to defend me. ¡°Jam your Luna!¡± I shouted, ¡°You would drag your Luna over the lies of a shameless slut??¡± Jason growled, ¡°You stopped being Luna the moment you endangered my heir!¡± Then Viki sat up slightly, her hand raised daintily like she was some benevolent queen. ¡°Wait,¡± she said, ¡°I don¡¯t want her punished. Not if she¡¯s willing to apologize and serve me until the pup is born.¡± I choked on my breath. Of course this is what she wanted. She wanted to break me, destroy me, and this was thest step. Viki¡¯s eyes gleamed with triumph. ¡°I understand this is difficult for you, Talia, and I know you lost control of your wolf, but I have to set an example for the pack as Luna that things like this can¡¯t be allowed.¡± Jason then looked at me. ¡°It¡¯s a generous offer. You should take it.¡± He didn¡¯t correct her for calling herself Luna. I didn¡¯t know if I wanted tough or cry. ¡°A generous offer,¡± I repeated, my voice low, ¡°That is what you think, Jason?¡± ¡°Yes, it is more than you deserve.¡± My wolf whimpered in shame. ¡®We are nothing to him now. Nothing.¡¯ I stood tall, forcing back the tears. ¡°I would rather be exiled than grovel at the feet of a liar.¡¯ Jason¡¯s gaze was ice. ¡°Just stop it. I¡¯m giving you one final chance, Talia. Apologize or I¡¯m throwing you into the dungeon.¡± +25 Bonus I bowed my head and he smirked, ¡°Good girl.¡± I looked up, my gaze bore into his as I said, ¡°1, Talia Carson, reject you, Jason Dalton as my mate and as my Alpha.¡± a Viki gasped and Jason stiffened, but I turned around and walked out. I didn¡¯t want to see his reaction. I didn¡¯t care. My legs trembled, but I didn¡¯t fall until I reached the guest suite. I closed and locked the door. I dropped to my knees and finally allowed the tears to fall. ¡®He doesn¡¯t deserve us. This pack doesn¡¯t deserve us. Let us leave this ce to the unworthy,¡¯ my wolf urged. I opened the mind link that I hadn¡¯t used for years. ¡®Solon¡­¡¯ There was a pause, only a few seconds before his voice came steady and calm. ¡°Talia, where are you?¡¯ ¡®Brother, I want to go home¡­¡¯ I whimpered. ? Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 6 CHAPTER SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIX Jason¡¯s POV ¡°I, Talia Carson, reject you, Jason Dalton as my mate and as my Alpha.¡± The words rang in my head even as the door mmed behind her. My mate, who had once followed me without question, who spent three years serving this pack beside me turned her back on our pack, on me. And she meant every word. Her voice didn¡¯t tremble. Her eyes that were once filled with adoration for me showed anger and defiance. As her Alpha, I should havemanded her to stay where she was, to apologize to Viki, but all I could do was stare at her stunned. This wasn¡¯t the Talia I knew. The quiet omega who took her role withoutint. Who epted being sidelined for the good of the pack. Who kept her head down even when she was hurting. This version of her, fierce and furious, terrified me. ¡®Follow her,¡¯ my wolf growled within me. I didn¡¯t need to be told twice. I quickly followed her, knowing she probably went back to her room. I walked past the pack members whispering about what happened. Before I reached her room, I saw her walking towards the exit with nothing but the clothes on her back. ¡°You¡¯re acting out after you hurt Viki? I know you¡¯re angry because I got Viki pregnant,¡± I said sharply. ¡°But I did that for the pack¡¯s future, not to rece you. Stop taking this so personally.¡± Talia spun around, rage shing in her gaze. ¡°It is personal for me. Don¡¯t attempt to belittle what you have done to ease your guilt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Talia. I-¡± ¡°I could have been okay if you just slept with her for breeding purposes, but, no, you didn¡¯t just sleep with her,¡± she said. ¡°You paraded her in front of the entire pack. You marked her and let her strut around like she was Luna. You gave her everything I earned. Don¡¯t think you can lie your way out of this with your fake sincerity.¡±1 I stepped forward, trying to keep control. ¡°You should be ashamed of yourself, Talia. Since I announced her pregnancy, you¡¯ve been throwing tantrums. It is not my fault or Viki¡¯s that you are barren. Don¡¯t throw everything away just to get my attention.¡± Hurt shed in her eyes for a split second before it was reced with anger and disgust. ¡°You really think this is about attention? You really think I¡¯m acting out because you think I am jealous of her?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not the truth, then what is it?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s about trust,¡± Talia snapped. ¡°And you stopped trusting me the moment she said I hurt her.¡± Her words hit harder than I expected. I wanted to refute them but couldn¡¯t. It was true. I didn¡¯t trust her. How could Viki hurt herself on purpose? Talia looked past me, toward the crowd of wolves still watching, silent and tense. Then she turned back to me. ¡°As yran thate, Jasem, you were exposed to be on my side Vent Instead, you didn¡¯t pr me You Alred by t everything that made me happy. You allowed your park disrespect me?s 1 med to dock her path, daring to touch her. My wolf was already party, der mysan, made, wanting to force her to submit and take back her rejection. ¡°I think you need to calm down and think this through before you do something you regret,¡± 1 warned. Her expression darkened, ¡°So, you can just throw me in the dungeon for something, I didn¡¯t do? i don¡¯t think so. 1 meant what I said, Jason. I am done with beding, your and this pack¡¯s punching, bay, just ept my reption, and we¡¯re done¡± ¡°Talia, please, this is going too far. All you have to do is apologize,¡± Viki said wealdy, I turned to see her limping towards us. ¡°Viki, go back to your room. You shouldn¡¯t be moving around,¡± I told Viki 1 looked at Talia and then I looked at Viki, hands gently cupped around her belly. She was quiet, weak, and docile, Everything a mother-to-be should be. She didn¡¯t challenge me. She didn¡¯t question my judgment. She let me lead, But Talia was my mate, My wolf growled, ¡°Talia is ours, Viki is not. You need to make it clear before we lose our mate! Then Talia asked the question that gave me a headache, well me right now, who do you trust? Me or her?¡± Silence, Thesitated. That was all she needed, Talia let out a bitterugh before saying, ¡°You¡¯ve made your choice, and I¡¯ve made mine.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t risk the pack¡¯s future,¡± I argued, ¡°You tell yourself whatever delusion you want. It¡¯s not my problem anymore,¡± she said with a shrug and turned to leave, I stepped forward, grabbing her wrist, ¡°Talia, you¡¯re being irrational. You¡¯re an omega. If you walk out of this pack, you¡¯ll be rogue. It¡¯s dangerous!¡± Talia yanked her wrist free as if my touch burned her, ¡°I¡¯d rather face rogues than stay here another minute,¡± I said nothing as she turned from me for thest time and walked away, ? Support Share 272 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 7 CHAPTER SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV I walked until I was out of Shadoww pack¡¯s territory, and I saw a familiar ck SUV waiting for me. The driver got out and opened the door for me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said as I got in. ¡°but who sent you?¡± ¡°Lord Solon, of course. Princess, it is good to have you back. We missed you so much,¡± the driver said before closing the door. I didn¡¯t say anything as I watched the buildings and trees pass by. I couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. What would my father say? What would Solon say? I let them down. ¡°There is nothing to worry about,¡¯ my wolf reassured me. They will wee us back with open arms. They are our family.¡¯ ¡°Princess, we¡¯re here,¡± the driver¡¯s voice said, tearing me from my thoughts. I finally returned to my true home: Silverfang Pack. The gates opened before I could even announce myself. Guards stepped aside instinctively, their posture shifting as they caught my scent. I was still wearing Shadoww colors, still smelled like a pack that had never truly epted me. But all that would end with a nice hot shower. The moment I stepped into the courtyard, I saw him. My father. The Werewolf King. The most feared wolf in the kingdom. Rudolf Carson. His eyes found mine and for the first time in years, I let my walls down I ran to him, and when I threw myself into his arms, the unshakable Werewolf King dropped his stern mask and caught me with warm hands. ¡°My little wolf,¡± he murmured, his voice thick with emotion as he cradled my head. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± I closed my eyes and held on to him like I was five again. The tears came fast, soaking into his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dad,¡± I choked out. ¡°I made a mistake.¡± He pulled back just enough to cup my face, wiping my tears. His expression was torn, pain flickering behind his fierce eyes. ¡°That bastard,¡± he growled. ¡°How dare he hurt my daughter. I warned you. I told you it was foolish to hide your rank, to live like an omega and give him everything.¡± ¡°I know.¡± My voice barely made it past the knot in my throat. ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad at me.¡± He exhaled roughly. ¡°I saw through Jason from the beginning. He was always too arrogant, too proud. But you insisted because of that damned mate bond. I thought that fool would respect you for your efforts, but I was wrong. I¡¯ll never understand why the Moon Goddess tied you to him.¡± I looked away, shame burning in my throat. ¡°I rejected him¡­¡± CHAPTER SEVEN +25 Bonus He tensed. ¡°Did he ept the rejection?¡± I stayed silent. My father¡¯s growl rolled through the night air like thunder. ¡°He dares to cling to you still?¡± His eyes shed gold. ¡°I should send warriors. Make him bleed for making you cry. For failing to protect you¡­¡± ¡°Father.¡± Solon¡¯s voice interrupted our father¡¯s rant. My brother rushed to the courtyard, his arms crossed over his chest. ¡°We¡¯ll protect her now. She¡¯s home.¡± My father looked between us and then he relented. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°But there will be a banquet. The realm will know the princess has returned.¡± I smiled through the tears, ¡°Of course.¡± Later, Solon walked me down the familiar corridor to my old room. The door creaked open, and I felt as if I walked back in time. Nothing had changed. The blue curtains, the carved oak bed frame, my bookcase ¨C all was still there. The subtle scent of roses drifting through the open windows from my personal garden. Everything exactly how I¡¯d left it like Solon and my father expected me toe back. ¡°I made sure it stayed the same,¡± Solon said. ¡°Even when everyone thought you weren¡¯ting home.¡± My throat tightened and I fought to hold back the tears. ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered. Solon smiled slightly and said, ¡°The roses are still alive.¡± ¡°I noticed.¡± ¡°I told the groundskeeper if even one bush died, I¡¯d rip his tail off.¡± That made meugh. I hadn¡¯tughed that hard in a long time. I turned and hugged him tightly. Solon¡¯s arms wrapped around me without hesitation. ¡°Wee home, little sister.¡± When he pulled back, his expression turned serious. ¡°Do you mind if invitations go out to all Alphas? Including Jason?¡± ¡°Send it,¡± I said simply. ¡°I don¡¯t care about him anymore.¡± Solon grinned. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± He left me to rest, I immediately went to shower to scrub off the scent of past and regret. I dressed in my warm pajamas and stared at myself in the mirror. I had worn ck contacts for three years to hide the truth. But here, there would be no more hiding. I took the contacts out, throwing them in the trash. I looked back in the mirror and saw my real eyes: violet, the mark of the Werewolf King¡¯s blood. As Iy back against the pillows, the warmth of the room wrapped around me like a warm embrace. I realized that Shadoww never felt like home. This was my home and I should have never left. I closed my eyes and was drifting asleep when my phone buzzed nonstop, I finally turned it over to see twenty missed calls and fifteen unread messages. All from one name. Jason. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free tou you Support Shore 125 Bonus (got it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 8 CHAPTER EIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV I finally picked up my phone from the nightstand. The screen still glowed with Jason¡¯s name as more messages came flooding in. I scrolled through the unhinged messages as he flip flopped between concern and anger: ¡°Stop throwing a tantrum. Where are you?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t humble yourself for one moment and apologize?¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry. Let¡¯s talk it out.¡± ¡°Stop ying games and pick up.¡± ¡°How dare you defy me! Return home immediately.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still Luna and you need to start acting like it.¡± I scoffed, tossing the phone onto the bed with a bitterugh. After everything, after I walked away from him in front of the entire pack, he was still trying to give me orders, still pretending like he had control of me. If he thought I wasing back, Jason was a bigger fool than I originally believed. I was done with him, and I was done with his ungrateful pack. The phone vibrated again with another message, but I ignored it. I closed my eyes trying to fall back asleep when my phone started ringing again. My wolf growled in annoyance, ¡®He¡¯s going to keep calling you until you answer or turn the phone off.¡¯ I let it ring twice, before deciding to answer. ¡°What do you want, Jason?¡± I asked, tly. ¡°I¡¯m trying to sleep.¡± ¡°Talia,¡± he growled, ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°That is no longer your concern,¡± I replied. ¡°Stop with this nonsense. You¡¯re putting your life in danger,¡± Jason scolded. ¡°Again, that is no longer your concern,¡± I repeated. He ignored my response and continued scolding, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have left like that. The pack is in chaos after what you did. I¡¯ve sent warriors to look for you, but they lost your scent. Where are you?¡± ¡°Oh? Now, you care about me. Don¡¯t waste their time,¡± I said calmly. ¡°I am noting back.¡± ¡°Stop being childish, Talia. Shadoww needs you. Viki¡¯s nearing her due date. Luna is supposed to conduct the blessing ceremony when the heir is born. That¡¯s the tradition. You need to return to prepare for it.¡± There it was again. He was using my work ethic, my loyalty against me, but it didn¡¯t matter anymore. My duty as Luna for Shadoww pack was over. ¡°I already told you,¡± I said coldly. ¡°I rejected you as my Alpha and my mate. I¡¯m not your Luna anymore. If you¡¯re so worried about that ceremony, then have Viki do it. You seem to think she¡¯s Luna already.¡± CHAPTER BGHT +25 Bonus There was a long pause. I thought at first, he may have hung up until I heard his snarl. ¡°Who do you think you are? You¡¯re just a worthless barren omega. You don¡¯t have the right to reject the bond,¡± Jason snapped. ¡°Only an Alpha decides when a Luna steps down!¡± Those words would¡¯ve hurt me before, but I knew who I was. I was a Princess not an omega and he couldn¡¯t push me around anymore. But hearing the frustration in his voice, hearing him lose his control, strangely made me feel satisfied. At least now he cared even though it was for selfish reasons. I embarrassed him, defied him in front of the whole pack. Jason was angry because he no longer had control over me. I¡¯d finally stopped being the obedient little Luna he could order around, and he couldn¡¯t handle it. ¡°You¡¯re forgetting something, Jason. You never made me Luna because of rank. You made me Luna because of our bond. The same bond you betrayed,¡± I reminded him. I heard a sharp inhale, and something crashed in the background. I kept going. ¡°You slept with another woman. You allowed her to humiliate me. You wanted to throw me in a dungeon over the word of a slut and a backstabbing maid. And now you want me toe back, so I can stand beside you while she bears your child and mocks me? No. The answer is no, Jason.¡± ¡°Talia,¡± he growled, ¡°you¡¯re being dramatic.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± I bit back. ¡°How would you feel if you had a sister and her mate did this to her? Had her forced to serve the mistress like a maid and then expected her to smile through it?¡± ¡°It is not the same. Viki is of higher rank and carries the heir.¡± I closed my eyes. ¡°And I carried the burden of the pack for three years while you let others spit on me. You¡¯re the one who couldn¡¯t even give me time to get pregnant!!¡± After a brief pause, Jason asked, ¡°Are youing back or not, Talia?¡± ¡°Once again, Jason, no.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he snarled. ¡°Then I reject you, Talia, as my Luna, as my mate, as anything!¡± Thest bit of the mate bond holding on finally severed. My heart didn¡¯t clench. My eyes didn¡¯t water. I felt no pain. I exhaled slowly and replied with perfect calm, ¡°I ept it.¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 9 CHAPTER NINI +25 Bonus CHAPTER NINE Jason¡¯s POV ¡°I ept it. That was it. No hesitation. No argument. No begging. Just those two words and then she hung up. I sat there, stunned. My hand still gripped the phone. For a moment, I thought I¡¯d imagined it. Maybe I misheard her, but I knew I heard her correctly. My wolf was snarling inside me, and the tearing sensation ripping through my chest told me this was real. The mate bond was gone. A clean, cold cut like Talia sliced it with a knife. I didn¡¯t think she had it in her. I thought she was trying a new tactic to get me to pay attention, to bend to her demands. I nned to call her bluff, and she¡¯d cry, maybe scream, and tell me she was wrong. I even prepared myself to hear her beg for forgiveness. Talia needed to just humble herself and I would offer her a way back if she¡¯d just admitted she was wrong. I didn¡¯t expect to be wrong. She did nothing that I had assumed she¡¯d do. It was as if I was talking to apletely different person. Talia epted my rejection like it meant nothing, like I meant nothing to her. She was an omega. How did she even have the courage to defy me? What had gotten into her? I leaned forward, bracing my elbows on the desk as the pain struck again. It was worse than I¡¯d expected. It felt like something had been ripped out of me. It infuriated me that Talia rejected me and felt nothing. My wolf growled, furious and unsettled. ¡®What did you do?! Call her back now and take back the rejection!¡¯ I had to suppress him. He didn¡¯t understand. We didn¡¯t have a mate anymore because she was too stubborn to ept her ce in the pack. I had so many questions. Where was she now? Had she gone rogue? Had she joined another pack? My gut twisted. I didn¡¯t like not knowing. I didn¡¯t like that she defied me. This was not how everything was supposed to go. The door mmed open without warning. My head snapped up to see Viki. She was wearing a thin silk robe, barely covering her body. Her blond hair was damp and pulled up in a ponytail. CHAPTER NINE +25 Bonus Seeing her like this intensified my anger. ¡°What are you doing walking around like that?¡± I growled as I ced my phone down on my desk. ¡°Jason!¡± she said brightly, ignoring my anger. ¡°I have news.¡± ¡°Did you hear what I asked you?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t think about that right now. I have to tell you something important!¡± Viki eximed. I pulled my shirt off and gave it to her. She quickly put it on and I said, ¡°Don¡¯t ever walk around like that again.¡± ¡°Fine. Fine. Okay, someone from the Silverfang Pack called the main office. They¡¯re holding a banquet and said they¡¯d be sending a formal invitation to you and your Luna.¡± I blinked. Her words didn¡¯t register at first. ¡°Wait, what did you say?¡± Viki nodded, twirling a strand of her hair. ¡°They called about an hour ago. I was already in the office, so I answered it for you.¡± ¡°You answered my calls?¡± I asked sharply. Viki¡¯s smile faltered. ¡°I just wanted to help. You weren¡¯t around. I didn¡¯t think it mattered.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t think it mattered?¡± I repeated slowly, the words sounding even more idiotic. ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to tell me immediately?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you now,¡± Viki said with a shrug. ¡°They just asked if the Alpha and his Luna would be attending. I said we¡¯d be delighted.¡± I stared at her. ¡°Who told you to speak for me?¡± I demanded. The color drained from Viki¡¯s face, and she bowed her head. ¡°I was only trying to help. You¡¯re stressed. I thought I could take some pressure off your shoulders. And besides,¡± she added, cing her hand over her stomach, ¡°the entire pack already sees me as Luna. I just¡­ filled in.¡± I stood, walking to the window to clear my head. Viki was only trying to help. I shouldn¡¯t take my frustration out on her. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I sighed. ¡°Did they say why they were having a banquet?¡± ¡°Yes, it is to celebrate the return of the Werewolf King¡¯s princess,¡± Viki responded. ¡°They¡¯ll be sending a formal invite?¡± I asked. Viki lit up again. ¡°Yes! I thought it was so thoughtful of them. I¡¯ll need to pick a dress. Something elegant. You¡¯ll escort me, of course?¡± For a moment, I didn¡¯t answer. Her perfume hit me again: sweet and overwhelming. It filled the room, clinging to everything, But it wasn¡¯t right. It was nauseating. CHAPTER NINE +25 Bonus Talia¡¯s scent had always been soft, clean, natural like the roses she loved so much. It was soothing and you didn¡¯t notice it until you were already under the effects of it. Viki¡¯s scent wasn¡¯t like that. It was loud, abrupt, demanding to be acknowledged. I missed Talia¡¯s scent. (1) ¡°Yeah,¡± I said finally. ¡°Pick any dress. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 10 CHAPTER TEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER TEN Talia¡¯s POV There was a knock at the door just after sunrise. I sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I assumed it was a maid bringing in breakfast or the gown I¡¯d be wearing to the banquet tonight. With a groggy yawn, I shuffled across the room and opened the door. ¡°Finally,¡± a familiar voice snapped, and an armful of fabric was thrust into my face. ¡°I thought I was going to have to drag you out of this room myself. You slept the whole day away.¡± ¡°De?¡± I blinked, stunned. She breezed past me, dropping half a dozen designer dresses onto my bed and tossing a makeup case onto the nearby table. De, my closest childhood friend, looked the same as I remembered: petite but fiery, with tanned skin, red hair soft as silk cut in a bomb to frame her face, and olive green eyes that sparkled with mischief. ¡°You barely messaged me for three years and you thought I wouldn¡¯t crash this party prep? Please.¡± I shut the door behind. I stared at her, still surprised that she was here. ¡°I..I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d want to see me,¡± I stammered. She froze, mid-unpacking a bottle of foundation, and turned to me sharply. ¡°And why the hell would you think like that?¡± ¡°I was ashamed,¡± I said softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d forgive me after I left with him, even after you tried to stop me.¡± I sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be disappointed in me.¡¯ De scoffed, tossing a curling wand on the dresser like it offended her. ¡°Talia, nothing he could ever do would make me disappointed in you. He¡¯s the one in the wrong, not you.¡± ¡°But you never said-¡± ¡°You never asked.¡± She came to sit beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. ¡°He wasn¡¯t worthy of you. Yes, I was angry when you left, but I¡¯m overjoyed you¡¯re back now. Don¡¯t ever think I wasn¡¯t on your side.¡± My throat tightened. ¡°Thank you.¡± She nodded. ¡°Now, enough emotional stuff. You have a party tonight and you¡¯re going to remind the kingdom exactly who the hell you are.¡± De stood and yanked open one of the garment bags. The gown inside shimmered like moonlight: It was silver with a high slit, a flowing train, and embroidery at the bust that sparkled in the light. ¡°We don¡¯t need to look at any of the other dresses. This is the one,¡± De dered. ¡°It screams ¡®Luna Royalty.¡±¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a Luna anymore,¡± I murmured, tracing a finger over the embroidery. ¡°No,¡± she said with a knowing smile, ¡°But you¡¯re still a princess. And you¡¯ve always been our Luna, no matter what.¡± I let her push me into a chair by the vanity, where she pulled my hair into soft, elegant waves, applying light silver and rose-toned makeup, and lining my lips with a shimmering gloss that brought out the sharpness of my cheekbones and the violet hue of my eyes. CHAPTER TEN +25 Bonus When she was done, she stepped back and nodded in approval. ¡°Damn. You¡¯re going to outshine every she-wolf in attendance tonight.¡± I looked in the mirror and for the first time in years, I recognized the woman staring back at me. I wasn¡¯t the burnout Luna who barely had time tob her hair anymore. I was the Werewolf King¡¯s princess: strong and regal. Just as I stood to change into the gown, De gasped. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot.¡± She darted over to her bag and pulled out a small ck box. ¡°Solon said this was important. He told me to make sure you wear this tonight.¡± She handed it to me carefully. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked as I opened the lid. Insidey a ruby ne. It was deep red, cut into the shape of a blooming rose, the stone set into a delicate tinum chain. My breath caught in my throat. ¡°Rosecrest,¡± I whispered. De blinked. ¡°That¡¯s what it¡¯s called?¡± I nodded slowly, still staring at it. ¡°It belonged to my mother. It was specially crafted by my father when they mated. The ruby was infused with his blood and bound to the Luna spirit line. It was lost during thest war. Everyone assumed it was destroyed.¡± (1 De looked impressed. ¡°Well, apparently someone found it and auctioned it off in the human world. Solon tracked it down and bought it yesterday. Said it was time it came back to you!¡± I touched it, still in disbelief that it was there. The moment my skin brushed the ruby, it warmed gently at first and then pulsed once like a heartbeat. ¡°No one else can wear it,¡± I added. ¡°Only the true Luna. Anyone else would be burned.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡±De gasped. She took the ne from me carefully and gently sped the chain around my neck. As the ruby settled against my skin, it lit up, glowing a soft, warm crimson that sent a wave of energy down my spine. My wolf stirred, calm and proud for the first time in days. De stepped back with a smile and gave me a mock curtsy. ¡°Wee home, Princess Talia.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Support +2 Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 11 CHAPTER FLEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ELEVEN Talia¡¯s POV The ballroom was already full when De and I stepped through the arched doors of the Silverfang pce. Moonlight shimmered through the tall ss windows, casting a soft silver glow over everything. Werewolves, both visiting and of our own pack, mingled in clusters beneath cascading chandeliers. Music yed softly in the background. De tightened her grip on my arm, her green eyes sweeping across the room like a sentinel on patrol. ¡°If Jason so much as breathes near you,¡± she muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll rip his damn throat out.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Rx. He hates formal Alpha events. He probably won¡¯t evene.¡¯ Her shoulders rxed, but barely. ¡°Good. The selfish prick wouldn¡¯t be able to stomach the sight of you glowing anyway. Probably burst a blood vessel.¡± We passed a group of Beta-ranked guests bowing politely in our direction. I offered them a courteous nod before leaning toward De. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how he feels or thinks. The mate bond is broken. He can¡¯t hurt me anymore. I¡¯m free.¡± A proud smile curled her lips. ¡°Then it¡¯s time for you to have some fun, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯m throwing you a pool party next week. I¡¯ve got a list of eligible Alphas that I know are dying to meet you. You can thank meter.¡± Iughed. ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m your best friend,¡± she said with a wink. ¡°And I n to enjoy watching every one of them treat you like the princess that you are.¡± Before I could respond, a server passed by with a tray of crystal sses filled with rose wine. De grabbed one for herself and handed me another. ¡°To new beginnings,¡± she said, clinking our sses. ¡°To new beginnings,¡± I echoed, sipping the chilled wine. The party was still warming up, and my father and Solon hadn¡¯t arrived yet. They were likely handlingst- minute formalities with the Elders. De led me toward the lounge area to rx until the official announcements began. We barely made it ten steps before we heard raised voices. De stopped mid-step. ¡°What is going on at the entrance?¡± My wolf stirred, tense and irritated. ¡®Who would dare make a scene on our night?¡¯ she growled. De and I turned to look at the growing crowd at the entrance. People were murmuring about poor etiquette and shameful behavior. ¡°I said I¡¯m going in!¡± a shrill voice snapped so loud it could be heard over the music. ¡°Stay here,¡± De said. But I followed her anyway because I knew that voice. CHAPTER LEVEN +25 Bonus De and I walked to the front foyer. A cluster of guards stood in a tight formation at the doors, facing off with a woman in a gaudy crimson gown so tight it looked painted on. Her makeup was thick, her heels too high for this kind of event, her blonde curls were being sweated out due to her frantically trying to push forward, and her perfume brought a wave of nausea. Viki. ¡°I¡¯m Alpha Jason¡¯s fianc¨¦e!¡± she barked. ¡°He¡¯ll be here any minute! Let me in!¡± So, it was true. He really intended to make her his Luna. Realizing I had been right the entire time about his intentions made me feel vindicated, but it still hurt. It didn¡¯t hurt because I regretted my decision. It hurt because it was another reminder that I wasted years on someone who was unworthy. Viki tried to walk forward again, but one of the guards pushed her back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss,¡± one said evenly, ¡°but only officially invited Alphas and Lunas are allowed to enter. And we haven¡¯t received any formal recognition of a new Luna for the Shadoww pack.¡± ¡°I am the Luna!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no official Luna of Shadoww on record at this time.¡± Viki¡¯s eyes red with disbelief. ¡°How dare you speak to me like that? I¡¯ll have Jason¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not here,¡± the older guard cut in. ¡°And even if he was, this territory belongs to Silverfang. Unless your status is recognized here, you have no right to enter.¡± A dozen emotions twisted through me while I watched Viki have aplete meltdown like a toddler. Disgust. Pity. But mostly disbelief that she was out there screaming like a child in front of the royals. It was poor behavior of someone calling themselves a Luna. The irony of it all. I turned to walk away, but De gripped my wrist. I could see the mischief in her eyes and before I could stop her, she was already talking. ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re causing a scene?¡± she asked sweetly, though her tone was pure ice. Viki whirled on her. ¡°Who the hell are you? Mind your business.¡± ¡°Someone who is an adult and acts like one. Someone who belongs here,¡± De replied coolly. ¡°Unlike you.¡± ¡°How dare you talk to me like that! When my Alpha gets here, he¡¯ll-¡± Viki stopped midsentence. She had finally noticed me watching her while I sipped wine. She looked shocked at first but then unhinged rage took over. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± she spat. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 12 CHAPTER TWELVE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Why are you even here?¡± Viki hissed, her voice dripping with venom. Before I could respond, De stepped forward, her eyes shing with fury. ¡°Shut your mouth before I shut it for you!¡± she snapped. ¡°Guards, throw her out. Now!¡± The guards moved toward Viki, but she clutched her swollen belly dramatically. ¡°If anything happens to me or the baby, Alpha Jason won¡¯t let you off! You¡¯re threatening the heir of Shadoww! You¡¯ll be starting a war!¡± The guards hesitated. One even nced at me for confirmation. De looked like she was two seconds away from ripping her throat out, so I stepped between them and raised my hand calmly. ¡°Viki, just calm down. No one is trying to harm you or the baby,¡± I said, keeping my voice even. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question. What is an omega like you doing here?¡± Viki growled. ¡°Who do you think you are talking to like that?¡± De snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you bitch!¡± Viki snapped back. De attempted to approach Viki again, but I grabbed her wrist. She was barely keeping her wolf in check. I didn¡¯t want her to get in trouble for wing Viki¡¯s face off. I needed to get this situation under control. ¡°If you must know, I was invited as a guest by the Alpha King,¡± I rified. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to get in if I didn¡¯t have an invitation, you know that.¡± Viki¡¯s eyes narrowed. I could tell she didn¡¯t believe me, but just like she was stopped, if I was truly not supposed to be here, the guards would have kicked me out. Viki didn¡¯t say anything and continued to re at me. ¡°You just need to be patient. You need to wait until Alpha Jason gets here to vouch for you. Yelling and throwing a tantrum will not work here,¡± I added. I didn¡¯t miss the flicker of doubt that crossed her face. Viki seemed to rx as sheposed herself, but then her gaze slid down to my neck. Her eyes widened and her lips curled in a sneer. ¡°That ne,¡± Viki spat. ¡°How do you have the Rosecrest? You must have stolen it.¡± My hand instinctively rose to the pendant resting on my corbone. ¡°There¡¯s no way an omega could wear that,¡± Viki snapped. ¡°It would have burned you.¡± The more Viki talked, the more I started to realize that Viki was an idiot. How could she not figure out who I am? If I wore the Rosecrest, that would mean I was of royal blood. ¡°Ma¡¯am, if you keep causing a scene, we will have you escorted off the premises. Please return to your vehicle and wait for Alpha Jason,¡± one of the guards exined. Viki ignored the guard. Her eyes were focused on me and me alone. ¡°You may have fooled them, but you don¡¯t fool me, Talia. You¡¯re nothing but a disgusting omega that doesn¡¯t know your ce. You¡¯re a thief. You think putting on a fancy dress and some stolen jewels makes you a princess?¡± The older guard bristled. ¡°Shut your mouth! How dare you speak to Lady Talia like this! She is the¡­¡± I stopped the guard before he could finish his sentence by clearing my throat. He looked at me and I shook my head. This was not how I wanted my identity to be revealed. It wasn¡¯t time yet. CHAPTER TWELVE +25 Bonus ¡°Wait, did you whore yourself to get the invitation?¡± Viki taunted. De¡¯s wolf surged to the surface. Her ws extended slightly as she stepped forward. ¡°Guards,¡± she barked. ¡°Get her out of here before I forget this is a formal event.¡± The guards approached Viki again. ¡°Get away from me! I¡¯m warning you!¡± Viki yelled as she backed away. The guards grabbed her by her arms and began walking her back to the parking lot. ¡°Let her go or you¡¯ll regret it,¡± a voice boomed and Alpha aura quickly followed, making the air around us oppressive. The guards immediately released Viki, who looked at them triumphantly. Jason strode in, his aura rippling with fury. Of course he would arrive now. He always arrived toote to see the chaos Viki started. Like the drama queen she is, Viki immediately burst into tears and stumbled into his arms. ¡°Jason,¡± she sobbed. ¡°They were so cruel. Talia is here. She¡¯s the one that told them to bully me. She snuck into the party and stole a ne. She even kicked me out.¡± Jason didn¡¯t even look at me at first. He ran a hand down her back, murmuring something too soft to hear. Then, he turned his cold gaze to me. ¡°Talia,¡± his voice cracked until his gazended on my ne. ¡°Take off the ne,¡± Jason ordered. ¡°It belongs to the royal family. I¡¯ll help exin everything to the Alpha King for you.¡± Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 13 CHAPTER THIRTEEN Jason¡¯s POV The Alpha King¡¯s pce was a fortress of gleaming ck stone and silver trim, far more imposing than I¡¯d ever imagined. Viki clung to my arm as we walked up the marble steps. Her voice high-pitched with excitement as she chattered about party ns for our baby¡¯s ceremony. I wasn¡¯t listening. My thoughts were stuck on my severed mate bond, on Talia. I still couldn¡¯t get over how easily Talia let everything go. How could an omega not want to be a Luna even if it was in name only? Talia truly sounded like she didn¡¯t care at all, like thest three years meant nothing to her. It made no sense. Viki bumped my shoulder yfully. ¡°Jason, are you even paying attention?¡± I forced a smile. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Okay. So, I was thinking about blue theme, because of course we¡¯re having a boy,¡± Viki continued. We were escorted through the pce¡¯s great hall, and I barely took in the beauty of the pce when the heavy scent of roses drifted through the air. ¡°Ugh,¡± Viki groaned, fanning her face as if she smelled something foul, ¡°I hate the way roses smell.¡± I ignored Viki as I inhaled deeply. My wolf stirred restlessly inside me. ¡®It¡¯s her. Our mate is here,¡¯ he howled. Halfway down the corridor, I caught sight of a figure ahead. She was slender and graceful. Her long hair spilled down her back like ck silk over her silver gown. The woman moved toward the garden path. It couldn¡¯t be. I stopped walking. My heart pounded. ¡°I need to make a call,¡± I said quickly. Viki blinked. ¡°What? Now? Right now?¡± ¡°Yes, I forgot to inform my Beta of something important. I¡¯ll catch up,¡± I said, already stepping away. ¡°Go ahead and find the banquet room.¡± Viki looked confused but shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t take too long.¡± I trailed after the woman, careful not to draw attention. My shoes echoed faintly on the stone. I was certain it was her. I could almost smell her. That calming rose scent had to be Talia. But just as I neared the entrance to the garden, two guards stepped into my path. ¡°Excuse me, I need to speak to her,¡± I said, gesturing beyond them. ¡°The Rose Garden is off-limits,¡± one replied. I narrowed my eyes. ¡°By whose order?¡± ¡°This is the Princess¡¯ Garden. No one is allowed to enter without her permission,¡± the other said without hesitation. I looked past the guards and watched the woman disappear behind a tall rose bush. My wolf growled. We could have sworn it was Talia, but it couldn¡¯t be. It was illogical. That was the Princess. The Princess was not a rogue omega. CHAPTER THIRTEEN +25 Bonus I walked away, flustered, because it still felt like Talia was nearby. Nothing was making sense. My mate-no, my former mate-wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. Then I heard shouting down the corridor. ¡°Get away from me! I¡¯m warning you!¡± I turned the corner just in time to see two pce guards holding her firmly by the arms, guiding her away from the main entry hall. ¡°Let her go or you¡¯ll regret it,¡± I ordered. They immediately released her. She ran to me in tears. ¡°Jason,¡± she sobbed. ¡°They were so cruel. Talia is here. She¡¯s the one that told them to bully me. She snuck into the party and stole a ne. She kicked me out!¡± My chest tightened. ¡°It¡¯s okay now, I¡¯m here,¡± I cooed before turning around. I wasn¡¯t wrong. She was here. Talia stood near one of the guards in a silver gown that shimmered like moonlight. She looked like a goddess, but something was different about her. Her eyes were different. They weren¡¯t the dark brown I remembered. They were violet. Viki¡¯s sobs made me focus on the issue at hand. The ne on Talia¡¯s neck. My eyes widened slightly when I realized it was the Rosecrest. My mind reeled. I had only seen the Rosecrest in books. It was an artifact passed down to Luna queens, imbued with the magic and blood of the royal line. No ordinary wolf could wear it. Touching it would burn anyone who wasn¡¯t chosen. But there it was against her skin and she wasn¡¯t screaming. I didn¡¯t know how Talia was able to wear it, but I knew it didn¡¯t belong to her. She was an omega. ¡°Talia,¡±my voice cracked. ¡°Take off the ne,¡± I ordered. ¡°It belongs to the royal family. I¡¯ll help exin everything to the Alpha King for you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Talia said firmly. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± I asked, walking forward. ¡°Talia, that¡¯s the Rosecrest. That¡¯s a Luna¡¯s token, a royal heirloom. You could get killed wearing it.¡± She didn¡¯t flinch at my warning, her expression remained neutral. ¡°I know what it is, and it is none of your business how I got it,¡± she responded. I reached to pull the ne from her neck. ¡°You don¡¯t know what that ne is. Give it to me, I can exin it to the King before it¡¯s toote.¡± She stepped back. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to exin anything for me.¡± And before I could argue, a crushing force mmed into me, dropping me to my knees. It kept me there in a submission position. My wolf snarled in protest, but we both knew we couldn¡¯t rise against it. 4) A tall broad shoulder man stepped past me, cing himself between Talia and me. His hair was jet ck, cut short on the sides but swept back at the crown. He wore a silver suit with the Silverfang crest over his heart. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 14 CHAPTER FOURTEEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER FOURTEEN Talia¡¯s POV I was grateful Solon had arrived when he did. De was seconds away from lunging at Jason. Her ws were already drawn, her wolf bristling with fury. I reached over and ced a hand on her arm. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it,¡± I murmured. Jason looked stunned, still locked on Solon like he couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. Viki¡¯s eyes were wide with panic, clearly realizing she had walked straight into a disaster of her own making. She opened her mouth to speak, but Jason raised a hand, silencing her. ¡°Prince Solon, I think there¡¯s been a misunderstanding,¡± Jason ¡®said, trying to sound diplomatic. ¡°Really? I think I understand quite well what is going on,¡± Solon stated. ¡°Your pack member insulted Talia, called her a thief.¡± ¡°Viki didn¡¯t mean to offend Talia. Apologize to Talia,¡± Jason said. ¡°What? No, she¡­¡± ¡°Apologize, now!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry Talia,¡± Viki spat. I covered my face to keep fromughing at the pitiful expression that Viki had. She really was behaving like a spoiled toddler. ¡°Don¡¯t let this happen again,¡± Solon warned. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside Talia.¡± Solon pulled back his Alpha aura and Jason was finally able to stand up. ¡°Wait. I¡¯d like a moment with Talia alone.¡± Solon¡¯s eye twitched and he said, ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± I stepped from behind Solon and gripped his arm reassuringly. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Solon,¡± I said calmly. ¡°Let him speak.¡± Solon hesitated but stepped back with a warning nce at Jason. ¡°You only get two minutes.¡± I walked with Jason a few paces toward the courtyard edge, making sure De and Solon were still within view. Jason looked at me like he didn¡¯t recognize who I was. His body was tense with restrained fury. Jason looked at me as if he didn¡¯t know who I was. His body was tense with barely contained rage. ¡°You knew the Prince?¡± he snapped. ¡°How long has that been going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± I replied. Through gritted teeth, he growled, ¡°Don¡¯t y games with me, Talia. Who is he to you? Is that who you ran to?¡± I balked at Jason¡¯s usation. Was he serious? From the anger in his eyes, I realized that Jason really believed I was in a rtionship with Solon. He was acting like he didn¡¯t know me. Not once did I ever cheat on him and if he did, he would have felt it. His failure to see the truth was disgusting and disappointing, ¡°You have Viki. Go be with her,¡± I snapped and turned around. His eyes shed as he stopped me again. ¡°You humiliated me, rejected me in front of the entire pack and then, you showed up here with him. It hasn¡¯t been even a full day yet and you already have my recement, Were you CHAPTER FOURTEEN +25 Bonus cheating while I was away?¡± ¡°Do you even hear yourself Jason? You sound insane,¡± I said. ¡°The only person cheating in our failed rtionship was you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t twist this again¡­¡± ¡°You marked her, Jason. You don¡¯t have to mark a woman for her to have your pup!¡± I snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you can¡¯t get this through your head. I did this for the pack,¡± Jason snapped. ¡°NO! You can lie to yourself, but you know, you did it for yourself,¡± I yelled back. His voice dropped down to a snarl. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even give me an heir. What did you expect me to do?¡± ¡°Alright, this conversation is over,¡± I said and began walking away from Jason. I wasn¡¯t going to continue to let him belittle me. Jason grabbed my wrist and snatched me toward him. ¡°You don¡¯t walk away when I am talking to you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Solon said tly, grabbing Jason¡¯s hand and prying it off my wrist. He walked Jason a few feet away from me before releasing him. ¡°If youe near Talia again, I¡¯ll have you thrown out.¡± Jason stiffened. ¡°Do you understand, Alpha Jason?¡± Solon growled. His Alpha aura mmed back into Jason, forcing him to bare his neck to Solon in submission. ¡°Yes sir,¡± Jason said through gritted teeth. S¨®lon turned his back on him and walked to my side. I followed Solon without another word. Jason remained frozen for a moment, then let out a frustrated breath and turned to Viki. She was already ying the wounded damsel again, muttering about how humiliated she felt. He escorted her away, but not before ncing back at me once. Solon waited until they were out of sight before turning to me. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, exhaling. ¡°De was about to dismember him. That was the real danger.¡± Solon cracked a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she stays out of trouble. Let¡¯s get back to the party.¡± Inside the ballroom, music had begun to y. The atmosphere here was lighter than what I had just experienced. Wolves gathered and chatted over wine and appetizers. My father stepped onto the stage. Immediately, everyone quieted and focused on him. ¡°Tonight,¡± he said, voice echoing through the great hall, ¡°we celebrate the return of my daughter: Princess Talia.¡± 1 The ballroom erupted in cheers and ps. Solon led me onto the stage to stand next to our father. ¡°Now 23, from this day forward, she will join the governance of the realm beside her brother, Prince Solon. Join me in weing back our Princess,¡± my father concluded. The crowd erupted in cheers. The spotlight shone on Solon and me. Even though I was happy to be acknowledged in this way, I felt uneasy. I wasn¡¯t used to this kind of attention anymore. Sensing my unease, Solon leaned over to whisper, ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it again, sister. No pressure,¡± CHAPTER FOURTEEN +25 Bonus I nced toward the exit. Jason was gone. I felt a little sad that I didn¡¯t get to see the look of confusion on his face after finding out that he betrayed the princess. I stepped off the stage and mingled. Some Alpha heirs congratted me while others attempted to get me to agree to dinner dates. Before I could get overwhelmed by the attention, De reappeared at my side, pulling me away. ¡°Talia, you need to check this.¡± De stiffened, shoving her phone into my hand. P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 15 CHAPTER FIFTEEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER FIFTEEN Talia¡¯s POV On the screen was a trending post from a gossip forum popr among the wolf packs. The headline was: ¡°Royal Ne Thief Exposed: The Barren Luna Who Faked Her Status.¡± Underneath the headline was a doctored photo of me angry at the banquet with Rosecrest clearly visible and it was paired with a cropped image of Jason and Viki looking like some fairytale couple. ¡®Why does she always have to cause problems?¡¯ my wolf snarled. ¡®She already got what she wanted!¡¯ The post twisted everything. It used me of stealing Rosecrest, betraying the Moon Goddess¡¯s mate bond by rejecting Jason, and of endangering Viki¡¯s unborn child because I was ¡°a bitter hateful barren omega that only cared about power¡±. The post turned my heartbreak into a weapon and made me out to be a viin. ¡°It¡¯s Viki,¡± De snarled. ¡°How dare she attempt to ruin your reputation! You should have let me w her face.¡± ¡°That would have only made the situation worse, and you know it,¡± I said. I wasn¡¯t even upset that Viki made this terrible post about me. I was more upset that Jason allowed her to do it. I didn¡¯t understand why I was surprised. I just expected more from him. Then Solon¡¯s voice filled my head through the pack link. ¡®Talia, Father wants to see you now.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± I told De, standing up. ¡°Father needs to speak with me.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll try to do damage control and let everyone know that the post is all lies,¡± De said. I left the ballroom and made my way upstairs to my father¡¯s office. The moment I stepped into his office, I felt his anger. It made the hair on the back of my neck rise. My father stood behind his desk, eyes glowing gold. His eyes were fixed on hisptop screen. ¡°Father,¡± I said. He looked at me and I could tell that it was going to be hard to talk him out of setting Shadoww aze. ¡°Who dares,¡± he growled, ¡°spread this filth?¡± I bowed my head slightly in respect. ¡°Viki Mayer,¡± I answered calmly. ¡°She would be the only one that would have the audacity to like that.¡± He mmed his hand on the desk, making the wood crack. ¡°I will send warriors tonight. I will wipe Shadoww off the face of this earth for this insult!¡± ¡°Father,¡± I said gently, stepping closer. ¡°Let me handle it.¡± His nostrils red. ¡°They called you a thief. They called you barren.¡¯ I held his gaze. ¡°Their words do not matter. If you send warriors to Shadoww, we would be proving their words true.¡± I had spent enough time dealing with Viki to know her schemes. I would not allow her to twist the narrative by manipting my father. She needed to learn her ce in the world, and I was prepared to show her. Solon knocked on the office door to alert us to his presence as he entered. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n, little sister?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the Shadoww Pack tomorrow to have a chat with them about etiquette.¡± 20 CHAPTER FIFTEEN +25 Bonus ¡°No,¡± my father barked. ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°This is my mess, father, and I¡¯ll clean it up,¡± I said, firmly. I wanted to see their faces in person when they found out my true identity. I wanted to see Jason¡¯s regret. My father looked at Solon, hoping he would be against my n, but Solon just shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s not a child anymore,¡± Solon said. ¡°She will be ruling by my side now. It is better for her to handle this on her own.¡± Father exhaled slowly. ¡°You¡¯ll take a guard. This is non-negotiable.¡± I nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± I left his office and Solon followed me out. I looked at thements on the post. Newments wereing in by the second. Some didn¡¯t believe the post. Some sided with Viki¡¯s narrative, but not onement from Jason. ¡°Almost fifty thousandments,¡± I murmured, ncing again at the post. ¡°And not a single one from Jason correcting it.¡± ¡°Maybe he agrees,¡± Solon said. ¡°Or maybe he¡¯s too much of a coward to go against his own whore.¡± 1 ¡°He wants to punish me for defying him,¡± I exined. ¡°He just thinks I¡¯m an omega that slept her way to the top.¡± Solon looked at me sideways. ¡°You could end this in a second, you know. One post showing who you are would shut the whole Kingdom up.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°But I want to see how low they will go first.¡± He studied me for a moment before smirking. ¡°Tomorrow will be entertaining.¡± Or so I thought. An hourter, just as I was settling into my bed, there was a knock at my door. I opened it to find Solon. ¡°They arrested her,¡± he said. ¡°Viki¡¯s in the dungeon.¡± My eyes narrowed. ¡°What?¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 16 CHAPTER SIXTEEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIXTEEN Talia¡¯s POV This was not how I wanted to spend my night. I thought I would be able to get a good night¡¯s rest, but it seemed that I could not escape Viki¡¯s foolishness. ¡®We should just leave her in the dungeon to rot,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®It is what she deserves.¡¯ ¡°I thought Viki left with Jason after you told him to back off,¡± I said, breaking the silence. ¡°She spread lies about you, so I decided to take action,¡± Solon shrugged. ¡°Solon!¡± I snapped. ¡°I told you I¡¯d handle it. You can¡¯t always make decisions for me.¡± ¡°Yes, I can! I¡¯m your brother, and she ndered you,¡± he replied coolly. ¡°She deserved to be punished.¡± I rubbed my temples in frustration. ¡°Ok. I will meet her myself now.¡± I made my way down the dark, damn corridor that led to the holding cells. The scent of mildew and blood clung to the air. It didn¡¯t matter how many times I came down here. It always made me uneasy. I stopped outside Viki¡¯s cell, where she sat on the small cot. Viki sat hunched on the small cot, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she rocked back and forth. Her once-styled hair was a tangled mess, and her makeup had long since smudged into streaks of ck beneath her red, swollen eyes. The moment she looked up and saw me, her face twisted with rage. ¡°You!¡± she shrieked, scrambling off the cot and throwing herself at the bars. Her fingers wed desperately through the gaps, trying to reach me. ¡°You nned this! You told them to lock me up!¡± I rolled my eyes and shook my head in disbelief. She still was delusional. ¡°Stop ying the victim, Viki. Jason¡¯s not around to fall for the act this time.¡± Her eyes shed. ¡°You¡¯re trying to turn him against me! You think if you y innocent long enough, he¡¯ll forget everything we¡¯ve been through¨Cbut he won¡¯t! He knows what you are!¡± And just like that, her voice cracked as sheunched into sobs, wiping at her face with trembling hands. It would¡¯ve looked convincing-if I hadn¡¯t seen her pull this routine too many times before. ¡°Viki,¡± I said calmly, ¡°you¡¯re not in here because of me. You¡¯re here because of you. You ran your mouth, mocked my broken bond, called me a thief, and dragged my name through the mud. If not, you¡¯d be at home.¡± Viki gripped the bars so tightly her knuckles turned white. ¡°They weren¡¯t lies, and you know it! Everyone saw you throw yourself at the prince like a little harlot. You seduced him to get the Rosecrest!¡± ¡°I did nothing of the sort,¡± I interrupted coolly. ¡°And whether you believe it or not doesn¡¯t matter. The fact is, you¡¯re here. And if you don¡¯t stop your lies and repent, you¡¯ll stay here.¡± ¡°You think this is over?¡± Viki hissed. ¡°You think they¡¯ll believe you forever? You¡¯re just an omega! Once the Prince is done with you, he¡¯ll leave you just like Jason left you because you¡¯re useless!¡± I clenched my fists but didn¡¯t rise to her bait. ¡°And that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Viki. Jason didn¡¯t leave me. I left him,¡± I said simply. Viki sneered, thinking she hit a nerve. ¡°You¡¯ll always be useless. No matter how many men you seduce. At the end of the day, no one will ever really want you.¡± CHAPTER SIXTEEN +25 Bonus I turned to leave. ¡°It seems like there¡¯s no point in talking to you tonight. We¡¯ll try again, maybe in a few days. Enjoy your cell, Viki.¡± ¡°Jason will never forgive you!¡± Viki screamed behind me. ¡°He¡¯s going to make you pay for this! I carry his heir! I¡¯m the real Luna! You¡¯re nothing but a washed up, broken bitch!¡± Just as I reached the end of the corridor, a familiar scent wrapped around me-cool pine and smoke,manding and unmistakably royal. I froze. My eyes widened, heart skipping a beat before I dropped into a respectful bow. ¡°Good evening, Prince Solon.¡± His footsteps slowed as he approached, the air growing heavier with his presence. ¡°Rise, Lady Talia,¡± he said, his voice smooth but firm. Relief flooded my chest. He was ying along. Not a flicker of recognition crossed his face beyond what was expected. He was protecting my identity-at least for now. Thank the Goddess. Then his tone shifted-colder, clipped. ¡°Alpha Jason, step forward.¡± I turned toward him, confusion prickling at the edge of my thoughts. ¡°Prince Solon, there¡¯s¡­¡± My voice trailed off as Jason emerged from the shadows of a nearby cell. He¡¯d been there the whole time. His gaze locked onto mine, unreadable, intense, and utterly still. Not once did he nce at Viki-not even as she jolted upright on her cot and threw herself dramatically against the bars. ¡°Jason!¡± she cried, her voice cracking as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°Please, save me! Save me and our pup!¡± The shift in her was instant-calcted. One second she was raging, the next she was a broken, trembling shell of innocence. Her hands clutched the iron bars as if they were the only things keeping her upright. But Jason didn¡¯t move. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 17 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Talia¡¯s POV Viki clutched her swollen belly like a shield. ¡°Jason, please,¡± she whimpered. ¡°You have to save me. They¡¯re treating me like a rogue. This is not healthy for our pup!¡± Jason looked torn, his gaze flicking from Viki¡¯s tear-streaked face to Solon, who stood stone-faced beside me. Just as Jason opened his mouth to speak, Solon spoke. ¡°Is this how you allow her to nder others at will, Alpha Jason?¡± ¡°No, Prince Solon,¡± Jason muttered. ¡°Jason, I didn¡¯t do anything. You have to believe me!¡± Viki sobbed. ¡°We heard everything, Viki. You¡¯re not here because of Lady Talia. You¡¯re here because you lied and ndered a royal guest,¡± Prince Solon stated. Viki looked hopeless for a split second before she whirled on me. Her eyes were filled with hatred as she hissed, You nned this! You set me up!¡± Solon sneered at Viki¡¯s audacity. ¡°And it seems that you still don¡¯t understand the severity of the situation.¡± (( I rolled my eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself, Viki. You made that post all on your own. I didn¡¯t tell you to nder me.¡± ¡°You knew I would be arrested, that¡¯s why you taunted me at the banquet!¡± Viki argued. ¡°I did not taunt you. In fact, I told you to wait for Alpha Jason and you would be let into the banquet, but you didn¡¯t want to hear the reason,¡± I rified. ¡°No! No! This was your n all along. You knew we woulde and¡­¡± ¡°Just stop it, Viki,¡± I snapped, cutting her off. ¡°When are you going to ept that this is the consequence of your actions? For the record, I had no idea you were arrested until Prince Solon notified me. Nor did I know Alpha Jason would be here tonight.¡± Then Jason inhaled, his jaw clenched, as he dropped down onto one knee to kneel in front of me. ¡°Please release her,¡± he said stiffly. ¡°Viki just¡­ acted out because she was provoked.¡± I blinked, stunned. ¡°Provoked?¡± I repeated. ¡°When did I provoke her?¡± His voice was low, almost ashamed. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have worn that ne in front of her. You knew it would upset her. The hormones got the best of her.¡± I frowned as I looked at him in disappointment. Again, against all logic, Jason was choosing her over me. It was shameful. ¡°Am I supposed to believe that having a baby makes you a terrible person?¡± I asked, Jason couldn¡¯t even meet my eyes. The sight of him kneeling in front of me made something in me snap. Whatever was left of my feelings that I had for Jason had disappeared the moment he chose to excuse her cruelty. This was no longer the man I fell in love with. ¡®He is not worthy of us. He is not worthy of the Alpha title,¡¯ my wolf growled in disgust. ¡°She will delete the post,¡± Jason finally offered. I raised an eyebrow. ¡°The damage is already done Jason. What is deleting the post going to do for me?¡± CHAPTER SEVENTEEN +25 Bonus Jason didn¡¯t say anything, and I scoffed, stepping away from him. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Solon¡¯s gaze narrowed. ¡°Alpha Jason, I am being merciful by having her here instead of jail. However, if Lady Talia says so, I can change that.¡± Jason finally looked up at me, pleading, ¡°Talia, please. Just¡­¡± I cut him off. ¡°She ndered me, Jason. She called me barren. She mocked my rank and my name. She tried to destroy what little dignity I had left. And you¡¯re defending her?¡± Jason looked down. His voice was barely a whisper now. ¡°What do you expect me to do? She¡¯s carrying my pup.¡¯ Solon scoffed beside me. ¡°And that gives her the right to act disgracefully? With a mother like that, your pup will turn out to be just as deceitful as her.¡± Jason¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°Then what do you want from me? Should I cast her out? Let her rot in this cell?¡± Solon¡¯s eyes flicked to me. ¡°That¡¯s not my decision to make. It is up to Lady Talia.¡± Jason didn¡¯t look powerful now. He looked small and desperate. I looked at Viki, who was now cowering in front of me. She made my life a living hell after Jason came back. I remembered all the hurtful words she said and all the hurtful things she did to me with glee in her eyes when she thought she had the upper hand. ¡®She doesn¡¯t deserve mercy,¡¯ my wolf growled. Viki whimpered and dropped to her knees dramatically. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it¡­ I was just scared. You came back so suddenly, and I thought I was going to lose everything. I panicked.¡± ¡°See, she apologized. Let her out,¡± Jason said. ¡°That¡¯s not enough, Jason,¡± I sighed. Jason looked up at me, eyes filled with panic. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not enough? She apologized! What more do you want? Viki¡¯s been under pressure. The pack expects-¡® ¡°I was the Luna of Shadoww for three years, Jason! I know exactly what the pack expects. And unlike her, I didn¡¯t attempt to ruin someone¡¯s life and reputation,¡± I snapped. ¡°Talia, just, please, she won¡¯t be able to handle a royal punishment,¡± Jason pleaded again. 1 ¡°I¡¯m not cruel Jason. I would never harm a pregnant woman,¡± I said, ¡°Viki doesn¡¯t have to be punished if she is willing to tell the truth and publicly apologize. Or she rots here until the baby is born and longer if I feel like it.¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you u Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 18 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Jason¡¯s POV I never thought Talia could be so cold. +25 Bonus She used to be so agreeable and soft-spoken. Now, she stared at Viki like she was nothing. Her voice had no tremor. It was just cold as she gave her terms: a public confession or let Viki rot in that cell. ¡°Talia, you can¡¯t be serious. Our reputation will be ruined. The other packs will no longer take us seriously,¡± I said. ¡°Sorry. What happens to your pack has nothing to do with me,¡± Talia countered. Viki curled against the cell wall as she began to cry again. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt her,¡± she sobbed, snot and tears running down her face. ¡°I thought she was gone. I didn¡¯t know she was¡­ that she was someone so important. I was scared, Jason. Please, tell her. I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m standing right here, Viki. Your apology doesn¡¯t mean anything unless it is public,¡± Talia reiterated. Viki clutched her stomach and pleaded again, ¡°Please, please Talia. I¡¯m carrying the heir.¡± My gaze went to Talia. She had a stern expression. Talia meant what she said. It was either apologize publicly or rot in the cell. I couldn¡¯t leave Viki here. I turned back to Viki and sighed. ¡°You¡¯ll apologize publicly, Viki. That¡¯s the only way.¡± Viki¡¯s head jerked up. ¡°Jason-¡± ¡°No.¡± I hardened my voice. ¡°As your Alpha, you will do what I say. You will publicly apologize for spreading rumors about Talia. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Viki sniffed. I looked at Talia again. ¡°That¡¯s what you want, right?¡± She gave a single nod. ¡°Let her out.¡± The guards opened the door without hesitation. I stepped into the cell and bent to lift Viki in my arms. She whimpered and clung to me, but my focus wasn¡¯t on her. It was on Talia. She stood next to Solon, poised like a princess. That damned ne still glowed at her throat. Her violet eyes didn¡¯t hold any warmth for me when I met them. My wolf paced within me. He was angry, desperate even to get Talia back. ¡®She¡¯s our mate. She¡¯s ours. You need to bring her back home,¡¯ he growled. As the guards were escorting us to the exit that led out into the parking lot, I paused. ¡°Talia, you don¡¯t have to do this. You don¡¯t have to stay here. If youe home with me, I¡¯ll forget everything. We can start over. You¡¯re my fated mate. You can¡¯t stay here with him.¡± ¡°No.¡± The word hit me as if Talia rejected me all over again. ¡°No?¡± I repeated, giving her the option to change her mind. ¡°What do you mean no?¡± ¡°I mean no, Jason. I won¡¯t go back,¡± Talia replied. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN +25 Bonus ¡°Why? You were Luna there. Without the title, you¡¯re just an omega. Why wouldn¡¯t you want to go back?¡± I asked. ¡°I won¡¯t return to a pack that humiliated me. I won¡¯t return to a pack that doesn¡¯t respect me,¡± she said. ¡°I won¡¯t be Luna in a ce where I have no dignity. You chose her over me, Jason. Now, you have to live with that decision.¡± ¡°I chose the pack!¡± I snapped, louder than I intended. ¡°We had to have an heir.¡± Talia tilted her head slightly. ¡°And that was your choice to make and it is my choice to not ept it and not toe back.¡± Solon stepped slightly in front of her, just enough to block my view of her. His eyes stayed cool and unreadable.¡± Alpha Jason, you don¡¯t need to worry about Lady Talia. I¡¯ll take care of her,¡± he said. I hated how easily he said it. How she allowed him to defend her. My fists clenched. ¡°You¡¯re really going to throw everything away? For him? I gave you everything you could have ever wanted!¡± ¡°No,¡± Talia said as she stepped from behind Solon. ¡°You gave what you thought I was worth.¡± ¡°Talia, please¡­¡± I said walking forward. Solon stepped back in front of Talia again. ¡°She has made her decision, Alpha Jason.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not yours,¡± I growled. ¡°And neither is she yours,¡± he replied. ¡°Please leave, Alpha Jason, it is getting veryte.¡± I bit back a snarl. How dare he dismiss me like that! Talia was my mate, not his. I wanted to hit something. My wolf was howling inside me, pushing against my resolve to take control. ¡®Fix this! Bring her home! She¡¯s slipping away,¡¯ my wolf howled. ¡®Don¡¯t you see I¡¯m trying! She won¡¯t listen to reason!¡¯ I snapped. Talia used to be so gentle and understanding. But now she was cold. She was apletely different person. ¡®It¡¯s the Prince. He made her like this. We have to get her away from him,¡¯ my wolf snarled. It would be easy to grab her by the wrist and drag her home, but she was now under the protection of Prince Solon. There was nothing I could do. Challenging him was a death sentence for myself and the entire pack. Viki stirred in my arms, her voice pitiful. ¡°Jason¡­ let¡¯s go home.¡± I gritted my teeth. I wanted to yell at Viki for being so impulsive, but there was no point. I took a steadying breath before saying, ¡°Sure, Viki,¡± I turned onest time to Talia. ¡°Mark my words, Talia. You¡¯ll regret this. You¡¯ll miss me and beg me toe back.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 19 CHAPTER NINETEEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER NINETEEN Talia¡¯s POV The moment Jason left with Viki, I finally allowed the tears to fall. I held them in through the usations, the betrayal, the cold indifference, but now, with no one left to see me break, I copsed. Solon caught me before I hit the ground. I sobbed into his chest as I clung to him. He wrapped his arms around me without hesitation. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hold it in anymore,¡± Solon cooed. ¡°Let it out. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand,¡± I said through choked breaths. ¡°He used to treat me so well, and I¡¯m his fated mate, but now¡­.¡± Solon held me tighter, but he didn¡¯t interrupt me. ¡°He loved surprising me with little gifts,¡± I continued. ¡°It could be a new rose or a ne. Or even a cup of chamomile tea before bed when I had a stressful day. He used to listen and pay attention to my preferences.¡± My voice broke. ¡°I thought that was what love was.¡± Solon let out a quiet sigh, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°Only through difficult times will you know who someone truly is.¡± I shook my head. ¡°No. We didn¡¯t have any problems. Everything changed when he came back with Viki pregnant,¡± I exined. ¡°He moved me to the guest room and moved her into our bedroom. He started saying I wasn¡¯t supportive enough and that I was being selfish, but I tried. I let it go for the sake of the heir. I let Viki do whatever she wanted.¡± ¡°And she repaid that kindness with lies and nder,¡± Solon growled. ¡°I sensed her hostility from the beginning,¡± I admitted. ¡°But I still believed in the bond. We were fated mates. I believed that no matter what, Jason would choose me. I believed he wouldn¡¯t allow Viki to hurt me. He would protect me, but he didn¡¯t. He allowed everyone to disrespect me. I was so na?ve.¡± ¡°No,¡± Solon said firmly. ¡°You were not na?ve. You were hopeful and loyal. That¡¯s not a weakness, Talia. Those are good traits to have.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only saying that because I¡¯m your sister,¡± I muttered. Solon grabbed my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s the truth, Talia. You are a wonderful person, and it is a shame that he didn¡¯t cherish you.¡± I began to cry all over again and let out a bitterugh. ¡°You know the cruelest part about all of this is that there¡¯s nothing wrong with me,¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Solon asked. ¡°I went to the pack healer and had multiple fertility tests done. The test results showed that I didn¡¯t have any fertility issues. Jason didn¡¯t even try. He gave up on me so easily.¡± ¡°Jason is a fool. He lost his true Luna and one day he will realize and regret his decision, but, Talia, you cannot keep living in the past. You need to let go and embrace and live the life meant for you,¡± Solon said. I wiped my face and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Thanks, Solon.¡± CHAPTER NINETEEN +25 Bonus ¡°Of course I¡¯m right,¡± Solon said with a wink which made me smile. ¡°Now,e on. It¡¯ste and you need your rest.¡± The next morning, I walked into the pce dining room and found De already seated at the long marble table, stuffing her face with French toast and eggs. ¡°You¡¯re up!¡± she said, her face lighting up as she waved a fork at me. ¡°I was starting to think I would have to drag you out of bed. I don¡¯t know how you could ever miss all of this good food!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep much,¡± I muttered, taking a seat beside her. ¡°Hangover or bad dreams?¡± De asked gently. ¡°No, just a long night,¡± I said. ¡°Well, lucky for you, I have something better than coffee.¡± She grinned and slid her phone across the table.¡± Behold!¡± On the screen were photos of ridiculously attractive Alphas of varying heights and ages. Some were shirtless. Some were in suits. All of them made Jason look like a troll. ¡°De¡­¡± ¡°Nope. I am not letting you get out of this,¡± She shoved a roll into my mouth, to keep me from talking. Fangvale¡¯s annual gathering is in a week. Alphas, Betas, and royals from all over will be there to vacation and look for their mates. Solon already told me to make sure you go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ready for that kind of rtionship¡­¡± Before I could finish my sentence, my phone buzzed and then De¡¯s phone buzzed. ¡°Who would be texting me right now?¡± De asked. She nced at her phone and snorted. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s going to ruin your morning, but fine, see for yourself,¡± De replied as she handed me her phone. On the screen was a link to a video. The caption read: Shadoww Pack¡¯s Luna Publicly Apologizes for nder. Without a word, I tapped the link. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support/ Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 20 CHAPTER TWENTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWENTY Jason¡¯s POV The video loaded slowly, and for a moment, I hoped it had been taken down. Viki¡¯s face appeared on the screen. Her eyes were still red and puffy. Her makeup was caked on and deliberately smudged in the right ces. Her hands trembled as she stared into the camera. ¡°Goddess, she¡¯s trying to look as pathetic as possible for sympathy,¡± De snorted. ¡°I want to apologize,¡± she began, her voice cracking. ¡°to Luna Talia for everything I¡¯ve said and done.¡± De rolled her eyes beside me. ¡°Good start. Let¡¯s see if she can keep it up.¡± Viki sniffled delicately. ¡°I was jealous,¡± Viki continued. ¡°Talia was just an omega, and yet Alpha Jason still made her Luna. I¡¯ve known him my whole life, but I was forced to live in the shadows, pretending to be nothing when I was the one who truly loved him. I¡¯m the daughter of our Beta, and I¡¯m carrying his child. It wasn¡¯t fair.¡± My jaw tightened. Viki was making it seem like I bullied her out of being Luna. The Moon Goddess chose me to be Jason¡¯s mate. De let out a low growl. ¡°Why is she acting like you stole him from her? He was your mate not hers!¡± Viki swallowed hard. ¡°I let that jealousy poison me. I said and did things I shouldn¡¯t have. ¨ª damaged Jason¡¯s reputation. I embarrassed our pack. I hurt Talia.¡± She grabbed a tissue handed to her from offscreen as she began to cry. ¡°I just care so much about Jason. It was never my intention to cause harm or ruin anything. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± The video ended with her bowing her head in silence. I sat still, staring at the nk screen. I leaned back in my chair as I processed what I had just seen. My father and Solon were not going to be pleased with this. ¡°That maniptive bitch. That was a load of crap,¡± De snapped, bringing me out of my thoughts. ¡°She never even admitted she lied,¡± I added. ¡°She didn¡¯t address the worst parts in her post.¡± ¡°Exactly. That wasn¡¯t an apology. She talked as if she¡¯s doing you a favor by admitting to jealousy. I can¡¯t believe Jason let her post that.¡± ¡°Neither can I,¡± I responded. Once again, I had been na?ve. I don¡¯t know why I expected a real apology. Viki was incapable of feeling remorseful. I should¡¯ve known better. ¡°She¡¯s still trying to control the narrative,¡± I continued. ¡°Still trying to make it out like she¡¯s the victim in this situation.¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s scared. She finally stole what she wanted and she¡¯s afraid you¡¯re going to take everything back,¡± De exined. ¡°It¡¯s good she¡¯s scared. Maybe she¡¯ll keep her damn mouth shut from now on.¡± I sighed, picking up her phone. ¡°Let me see what thements are saying,¡± De snatched the phone before I could look. ¡°No. Don¡¯t torture yourself like that.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know I have a phone too,¡± I said, picking up my phone. ¡°I need to know what everyone is saying about this.¡± CHAPTER TWENTY +25 Bonus ¡°No, you don¡¯t. You already know what they¡¯re saying,¡± De said, softening her tone. ¡°But suit yourself.¡± I frowned as I scrolled through thements. ¡°Thements are divided,¡± I muttered, and De leaned over to read with me. @SilverHowl: So, Viki¡¯s a homewrecker? Yikes. Talk about embarrassing. @RoseFur: The ex-Luna got what she deserved. The weak cannot rule a pack. @RoyalPaw: Beta¡¯s daughter or not, she disrespected Luna and Alpha, she needs to be punished. @GoddessMark: Can you me her? An omega should never be Luna. What was Alpha thinking? De finally snatched the phone from me. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Goddess, she¡¯s so infuriating,¡± I groaned. ¡°She didn¡¯t even say my name properly. She called me ¡®Luna Talia¡¯ like I wasn¡¯t part of the pack, like I didn¡¯t used to be her Luna.¡± ¡°Because she knows that is the only way she can justify what she did,¡± De said. ¡°You¡¯re the true Luna, but Jason is allowing her to talk like this, just emboldens her disrespect for you and proves he doesn¡¯t respect you either.¡± I nodded slowly. ¡°That¡¯s the worst part.¡± Jason let this be said about me, broadcast to the packs, and he hadn¡¯t stopped it. It hurt. Not because I wanted him back, but because our entire rtionship had been a lie. I took a deep breath and smiled. ¡°You know what we need?¡± ¡°What?¡± De asked as she angrily ate her thest of her eggs. ¡°Something fun that would provide photos for the pack gossip pages.¡¯ ¡°Wait, are you talking about what I think you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said, already heading for the door. ¡°Shopping. I need to get dresses for Fangvale right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Talia I know,¡± De whooped and grabbed my arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Shopping awaits!¡± +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 21 CHAPTER TWENTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV Fangvale was perched high on a mountain that is right at the edge of the Silverfang territory. Its sleek towers shimmered in the sunlight, and it stuck out amongst the rugged forest. The structure looked more like a luxury resort than a traditional packhouse. The moment De and I crossed the checkpoint, I felt a strange mix of freedom and excitement as my heart beat faster. De threw her arms wide as we cleared the checkpoint and spun once. ¡°We have to have fun today,¡± De dered, loud enough for two nearby Betas to turn and look at her. I smiled and nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I mean it. No pouting, no politics, and absolutely no brooding. You get one drink, then we scout the dance floor.¡± ¡°I will try,¡± I said. ¡°Not try. You¡¯re doing this today. You¡¯re getting at least one phone number before the day is over.¡± She linked her arm with mine and tugged me forward. De wore a ck two-piece with a wrap that made her legs look impossibly long. She carried herself like a Beta who knew her value. As we stepped through the front entrance, the sound of pulsing music and sshing water thundered through the open courtyard. The pool party was already in full swing. Dozens of wolves were in the waterughing, flirting, and tossing beach balls across the pool. Others lounged on white daybeds under shaded cabanas or danced barefoot on the smooth stone near the water¡¯s edge, drinks in hand and sunsses perched high. ¡°You know, you should get in,¡± De said, nudging me. ¡°Look at them. Half of these guys are single Betas or Alpha heirs.¡± ¡°Yeah, I am really not trying to jump back into a rtionship,¡± I said. ¡°And why not?¡± ¡°I mean they¡¯re not my type.¡± De gave me a look. ¡°Which part? The powerful part, or the half-naked part?¡± ¡°The yboy part.¡± She groaned and bumped me with her hip. ¡°You have not even spoken to anyone yet. Do not pre-reject what could be a very interesting hour. We are not shopping for mates. We are just looking for a good time.¡± De nudged me and pointed toward the end of the pool.¡± De pointed toward the far end of the pool where a group had just climbed out of the pool. Water ran in clean lines down his shoulders and onto the abs of the one with chestnut hair. He caught me looking and smiled in a way that made my heart flutter. My wolf hummed, amused by my sudden attention. ¡®He¡¯s handsome.¡¯ ¡°See,¡± De said under her breath, pleased, ¡°not every male is a jerk. You should go over there and talk to him.¡± ¡°yboys do not interest me,¡± I said, turning to look at De. ¡°You say that, but you¡¯re blushing,¡± De teased. CHARTER EVENTY ONE +25 Bonus Iughed and pushed her gently. ¡°Go dance.¡± ¡°When you die single, don¡¯t me me,¡± De warned with a smirk. Then, she disappeared into the growing crowd by the DJ booth. Left alone, I made my way to the refreshment table and grabbed a drink. I nced toward the horizon while swirling the ice. The sun warmed my skin, and for the first time in ages, I rxed and let myself just exist. Then I heard a voice that immediately made me tense back up. ¡°Well, well, look who¡¯s here.¡± I didn¡¯t even have to turn around. That smug tone belonged to only one person: Viki. 61 Why couldn¡¯t I escape this woman? ¡®I told you we should never have been lenient with her,¡¯ my wolf growled. I turned slowly, the ice in my drink clinking as I swirled it. Viki stood a few feet away in typical attire that made her look cheap: heavy makeup caked on, and a tight emerald dress stretched over her small belly. She looked me up and down with contempt. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked, forcing my tone to remain neutral. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be at home in your condition?¡± ¡°Jason¡¯sworking,¡± she replied, flipping her hair. ¡°He brought me here to support him like a proper Luna.¡± ¡°How cute.¡± I turned away, uninterested in whatever drama she was trying to start. This was supposed to be a happy day for me. I didn¡¯t want to spend another second with her. But Viki stepped into my path. ¡°Don¡¯t act so smug,¡± Viki snapped. ¡°You think just because Solon¡¯s protecting you, you¡¯re safe? That won¡¯tst. Once he dumps you, you¡¯ll be nothing but a worn-out rogue with nowhere to run. Then, I¡¯ll make sure you disappear.¡± My wolf bristled at the threat even though I knew there was nothing she could really do to me now that I was no longer part of Shadoww. Viki liked the sound of her own threats. She rarely thought about the consequences of her actions. Iughed. ¡°You already tried that. It didn¡¯t work, but by all means keep on trying. You¡¯ll end up in jail where you belong.¡± Viki narrowed her eyes. ¡°I am Jason¡¯s fianc¨¦e. I¡¯m the future Luna, not you.¡± ¡°Okay? And? Do you want a prize?¡± I taunted. ¡°Enjoy your title and get out of my way.¡± Viki leaned closer and dropped her voice. ¡°Fate might have tied him to you once, but I am the one carrying his heir. I am the one he chose. He chose me.¡± My hand tightened on the ss, and I set it on the table instead of shattering it in my fingers, ¡°You are mistaken about several things,¡± I said. ¡°First, I rejected him. Second is that I don¡¯t care topete for trash I already put out.¡± I could feel my wolf pacing within me. I needed to get away from Viki before my wolf took control. This was not the time or the ce for this. I turned again because the simple act of walking away would bruise Viki¡¯s ego more efficiently than continuing to argue with her. Her fingers snapped around my wrist. ¡°I¡¯m not done talking to you,¡± Viki growled. ¤Ç +25 Bonus I looked at her hand around my wrist before I met her gaze, ¡°You want to y this game?¡± I asked, my voice low.¡± At a neutral gathering with dozens of witnesses everywhere?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare cause a scene,¡± Viki sald with a smirk, attempting to call my bluff as if she had forced me into 4 Corner I raised my free hand and pped her. The sound cracked over the music like an extra beat that did not belong. Heads turned. Viki staggered back and pped a hand to her cheek with manufactured shock that failed to disguise the fury under it. ¡°You bitch! You hit me!¡± Viki screamed, her eyes wide in shock, ¡°You actually hit mel¡± ¡°You were overdue for that p. Have you learned your lesson, or do I need to p you again?¡± I growled. Several wolves backed up and gave us space. All eyes were on us with interest. Fangvale security hadn¡¯t moved to intervene yet. ¡°Talia, what are you doing?!¡± Jason¡¯s voice roared behind me. The weight of his aura mmed into the space like a thunderp, Wolves stopped out of Jason¡¯s way, giving him a clear path to me. He stormed across the stone patio. His face twisted with fury. Before I could react, he grabbed me by the shoulders, his fingers digging in. ¡°You assaulted her? What the hell is wrong with you?¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 22 CHAPTER TWENTY TWO CHAPTER TWENTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Viki dropped to her knees, sobbing like she was the victim. ¡°She pped me!¡± she cried, still clutching her face. ¡°I was only trying to talk to her. I was urging her toe back to Shadoww. I didn¡¯t mean any harm!¡± I scoffed. Of course, she was using her same old tactic: twist the truth, y the pitiful card, and rely on crocodile tears to blur the facts. And just like every other time, Jason fell for it. ¡°Is that true? Did you hit her for no reason?¡± Jason demanded as he stared me down, shaking me. I shoved him off me, insulted that he had to ask. ¡°No, it¡¯s not true, but it is not like you¡¯re going to believe me.¡¯ Jason waved me off, refusing to hear it. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant, Talia! Are you out of your mind? How can you be so cruel?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this,¡± I said sharply, stepping back. Jason reached out like he was going to grab me again, but De rushed to my side. She pped his hand away and nted herself protectively at my side. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her again unless you want to fight, Alpha. Prince Solon won¡¯t take kindly to this,¡± De growled. Jason looked down at her hand where she blocked him. His nostrils red, and his chest rose with a growl, ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± De met his re. ¡°She¡¯s under the protection of Silverfang,¡± De shot back. ¡°Everything concerning her is my business.¡± Jason hesitated, clearly not expecting anyone to stand up to him. He looked between us. His brow furrowed. ¡°She threatened me again,¡± I finally said. ¡°She said I¡¯d disappear once Solon abandons me.¡± Jason rolled his eyes and said, ¡°You took that seriously? I told you she¡¯s pregnant and the hormones get to her. Viki apologized to you publicly. That was supposed to end this.¡± ¡°Are you dumb? Pregnancy hormones are not an excuse for threatening someone!¡± De said. ¡°And clearly, her apology was insincere. It¡¯s been barely a week, and she¡¯s already threatening me again. That wasn¡¯t an apology, it was just another opportunity for her to humiliate me and you allowed it. Maybe she needs to go back to the dungeon.¡± Jason¡¯s face hardened. ¡°You can¡¯t do that unless I give permission. You¡¯re still my Luna. The Shadoww elders haven¡¯t approved your release.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need their approval, Jason.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°I rejected you. The bond is severed. You made your choice when you stood by and let her lie about me,¡± Jason flinched at that, but he masked it quickly with anger. ¡°My father¡­¡± ¡°Is a tyrant,¡± I interrupted, and Jason looked shock as if I had pped him. I could tell that Jason expected me to shrink back at the mention of his father. Before Jason¡¯s betrayal, I would have. I feared his father and wanted his approval, but now, I couldn¡¯t care less what he thought. I continued. ¡°Before you became an Alpha, he used to beat you within an inch of your life and still expected you to kneel and thank him for it. And now you¡¯re letting him dictate your future?¡± I could hear a low growl from Jason. I didn¡¯t care. Let him be angry. But I was tired of him and Viki humiliating CHAPTER TWENTY TWO +25 Bonus
  1. He needed a taste of his own medicine.
Jason recovered quickly, stepping forward and blocking my path. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying. You¡¯re upset-¡± My wolf surged forward, furious at the challenge. My nails lengthened, and my muscles tightened with the first twitch of a shift. Then, a bone-deep roar split through the courtyard like a thunderp. It was so loud I could feel it. Everyone froze. A man in a tailored ck suit strode forward. His thick ck hairbed neatly back and sharp eyes that scanned the courtyard like a hawk. A silver armband on his left bicep bore the Blood Moon insignia. ¡°Who the hell¡­¡± Jason started. The man cut him off coldly. ¡°I¡¯m Marco, the Beta of the Blood Moon Pack.¡± Gasps broke out across the gathered wolves. Even the DJs dropped the music volume in stunned reaction. De stiffened beside me, which was confusing. Why was she worried? Blood Moon Pack, second only to SilverFang in power, but was deathly loyal to the royal family. No one should be this shocked by Marco. What was I missing? ¡°Silence,¡± Marco ordered. ¡°Alpha Nn is resting. Anyone who causes further noise will answer to him.¡± No one argued. Even Jason took a step back away from Marco. Viki¡¯s eyes darted around in panic, and she slowly stood, brushing her hands down her dress. She looked at Jason, as if to silently plead for him to fix this. ¡°Beta Marco, I¡­¡± Marco¡¯s attention turned to Jason and he held his hand up, silencing Jason. ¡°If you can¡¯t control your future Luna, you need to leave.¡± Jason opened his mouth to argue but quickly closed it. He walked past Marco and grabbed her by the wrist. As he was leaving, Jason leaned close to me to say in a low growl, ¡°This is not over.¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 23 CHAPTER TWENTY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWENTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV The moment Jason and Viki disappeared, Marco gave the crowd a polite nod and said, ¡°You may continue enjoying yourselves.¡± But no one did. Guests shuffled away quickly, leaving half-finished drinks and awkward nces in their wake. The music had gone quiet, and even the warm sunlight now felt oppressive. I couldn¡¯t help but feel awful because all of this happened because of my argument with Jason and Viki. De and I stood in silence near a cabana, watching thest few guests leave. I exhaled. ¡°What just happened?¡± De didn¡¯t answer. Her eyes were locked on the path where Marco hade from. Her body was still tense like she was bracing for a fight. ¡°Why are people so scared?¡± I asked. ¡± Fangvale isn¡¯t even his territory.¡± De whipped her head toward me, eyes wide. She pped her hand over my mouth before I could say another word. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about him here,¡± she hissed under her breath. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. I¡¯ll exin to you.¡± Confused but trusting her, I followed her quietly out of Fangvale. We arrived back at the Silverfang estate just as the sun began to sink behind the hills. De was silent until we closed the door behind us. Then she dropped her purse on the table and let out a long, tight breath. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Alpha Nn actually came to Fangvale.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t get it,¡± I said, settling onto the couch. ¡°Why did everyone leave? Why was everyone so scared?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s a bad omen,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s such a big deal he was there. Nn never goes to public events. People call him the recluse Alpha. When hees around, bad things are bound to happen. To know that he was at Fangvale, that¡¯s big news.¡± ¡°But, I am not understanding.¡± De nodded. ¡°Blood Moon is second only to your father¡¯s Silverfang Pack in strength. He became Alpha when he was just twenty-one and turned his whole pack into a military force. No one crosses him.¡± I knew of Alpha Nn. He was infamous for being ruthless. Any wolf that stood against him was cut down without mercy. He never attended the annual rituals led by my father. Alpha Nn was the only Alpha of the ten to skip them; however, my father was never offended. He always said, ¡°He¡¯s there when I need him, that¡¯s what counts.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand all of this, but he shouldn¡¯t frighten the other packs,¡± I argued. De sat beside me and folded her hands tightly. ¡°There used to be eleven.¡± I blinked. ¡°I know that. It was absorbed into another pack.¡± ¡°No. My father told me that small pack was invaded by Blood Moon without warning. Alpha Nn wiped them out and killed the Alpha himself. And your father did nothing. He didn¡¯t even publicly reprimand Nn,¡± De exined. CHAPTER TWENTY THREE +25 Bonus I felt my stomach drop. ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°Of course, when you were with Jason.¡± ¡°Why¡­why didn¡¯t my father do anything?¡± De shook her head. ¡°Nobody knows. But some think your father tolerates Nn because he¡¯s too dangerous to provoke. Others think they share a secret. It has to be something big to keep them from turning on each other.¡± I sat in stunned silence. My father? The same man I¡¯d always seen as the ultimate authority, the unchallenged Wolf King? Why hadn¡¯t he acted? Had Nn be too strong, too dangerous? For the past three years, while I was trapped under Shadoww¡¯s roof, I hadn¡¯t thought much about Silverfang. I hadn¡¯t needed to. It was another world I no longer belonged to. But now that I was back, I saw how little I really knew and how wrong I had been. I felt ashamed that I didn¡¯t keep up with what was going on. I was still lost in thought when I heard the front door open. A momentter, Solon stepped inside, surprised to see us. ¡°Back already?¡± he asked. ¡°How was Fangvale?¡± ¡°Chaotic,¡± De muttered, already heading to the kitchen for water. He nced at me. ¡°Anyone interesting show up?¡± I hesitated for a beat too long. ¡°Alpha Nn.¡± He froze mid-step. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t really see him. We heard him,¡± I added quickly. ¡°His Beta made an appearance and basically told everyone to be quiet. De dragged me off right away.¡± Solon shoulders rxed only slightly. ¡°Good. That was a very smart move from De. Talia, you need to stay away from anyone associated with the Blood Moon pack, especially Alpha Nn.¡± I frowned. ¡°Why? Does he threaten Father¡¯s rule?¡± He looked me over carefully before replying. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Our father won¡¯t let Alpha Nn just do what he wants. Just stay out of his orbit, Talia. You¡¯ve been through enough.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I mean it.¡± Solon¡¯s tone was firm. He never spoke to me like that unless it was serious. I nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay away.¡± Solon left the room without another word, My mind was spinning. Nn even had Solon on edge, But that only made me more curious. Who exactly was Alpha Nn? Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 24 CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR Nn¡¯s POV Fangvale wasn¡¯t normally my kind of ce. It was too loud, too many wolves. But Marco insisted. He said I needed a break from being the Alpha, that I had been cooped up too long, He wasn¡¯t wrong. I had be short-tempered. Even the smallest irritation sent me into a rage. My wolf seemed to be restless and always pacing, further annoying me. My pack was nervous around me, and I was one step away from tearing someone¡¯s throat out just for breathing wrong. So, I came to Fangvale. I sat in the VIP room above the main courtyard, letting the noise drift up to me. Music pounded, water sshed, andughter echoed off the stone walls. I hated to admit that it was calming me down a bit until a sudden breeze carried a scent through the open archway. Roses. A floral scent of sweet, wild roses. My wolf finally stopped pacing after months. Then he surged forward, howling in excitement: MATE! I stood and went to the window. I scanned the pool below and found her instantly. She was, arguing with a man, an Alpha from the looks of his posture, and she was seconds away from shifting. Her power was curling at the edges of her skin, and that man was too stupid to back down. ¡®How dare he anger our mate!¡¯ my wolf snarled within me, and I growled unconsciously. The sound cracked through the air like a thunderp. Everything stopped. Wolves stopped moving. The music was turned off. Before I could mind link him, Marco reached out first. ¡®I¡¯ll handle it, Alpha.¡¯ Marco was already on the lower level, intercepting the fight as the idiot Alpha seemed like he wanted to continue the argument. I watched the she-wolf carefully. She held herself with authority and didn¡¯t back down from the Alpha which meant she was someone important. Later, Marco returned to the VIP lounge as I watched my mate be led away by another she-wolf. My chest tightened as my wolf whined within me. He wanted me to bring her back. ¡°The woman with the violet eyes. Who is she?¡± I asked Marco without turning to look at him. ¡°I did some digging,¡± Marco replied. ¡°She¡¯s Princess Talia. The other is-¡± ¡°Not interested,¡± I remarked, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be such low ssed drama here.¡± ¡°Normally, there isn¡¯t,¡± Marco said with a shrug. ¡°There is bad blood between the two she-wolves I think. If things continue the way they are going, blood will be spilt.¡± ¡°Which pack does this Talia belong to?¡± I asked. ¡°Silverfang.¡± That got my attention. I turned to look at Marco and before I could ask for herst name, Marco continued. ¡°Talia Carson, the daughter of the Alpha King,¡± Marco continued. ¡°She returned not too long ago to rule with her brother, Prince Solon.¡± I stared at him for a long second. CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR Talia Carson. +25 Bonus That exined the power I¡¯d felt from her. The calm authority in her voice. The fire in her eyes. I¡¯d heard of the Alpha King¡¯s daughter, of course¨Cwho hadn¡¯t? The missing princess who¡¯de back from the shadows. And now, she was my mate. I turned away from Marco, walking to the table to pour myself another ss of wine. My wolf stirred restlessly under my skin, snarling at me for not going after her. I let out a bitterugh. ¡°Of all the wolves the Moon Goddess chose, why her?¡± Marco gave me a questioning look. I downed the ss of wine before mming it down onto the table. ¡°That woman, Talia, she¡¯s my mate,¡± I admitted. Marco¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re kidding!¡± ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m kidding, Marco?¡± I growled. Marco quicklyposed himself and then suggested, ¡°You should reject her, Alpha.¡± The mention of rejecting her made my wolf push forward in rage. I held him back and red at Marco. ¡°Be careful of your words, Marco,¡± I warned. ¡°My apologies, Alpha. All that I mean is that she wouldplicate your n,¡± Marco rified. ¡°I¡¯m not rejecting her,¡± I responded. ¡°This bond could work in our favor.¡± I had waited years for the moment I could challenge the Alpha King. That man took everything from me. I trained, fought, and killed to w back to power so I could one day return the favor. Then, the Moon Goddess binds me to her. It was the perfect opportunity to get close to the Alpha King and destroy Silverfang from the inside out. ¡®We have a mate now. We need to im her,¡¯ my wolf snarled in protest. He didn¡¯t care about politics, legacy, or vengeance now that he knew we had a mate, but I wasn¡¯t a fool. ¡°I¡¯m not iming her,¡± I said. ¡°Alpha, then, what¡­¡± ¡°Have the witches make a pendant,¡± I said. ¡°Something strong enough to suppress the bond. I need to think clearly.¡± Marco¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°But, you just said you weren¡¯t going to im her.¡± ¡°I know what I said,¡± I snapped. ¡°I will not be manipted by fate or blood, not when I¡¯ve waited this long for my revenge.¡± Marco nodded. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll get it done tonight.¡± I poured myself more wine and drank down the bitter liquid. ¡®You¡¯re a coward for doing this,¡¯ my wolf scolded me, ¡®You should know better to y games with the Moon Goddess¡¯ blessing.¡¯ It was not cowardice to not acknowledge the bond. It was a strategy. I wouldn¡¯t let some joke blind me to the truth: she was the Alpha King¡¯s daughter. My enemy¡¯s blood. ¡°Tomorrow,¡± I said coldly. ¡°We will go to Silverfang.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 25 CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE +25 Bonus CHA PTER TWENTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV The day started quietly. I trained with the warriors in the early morning, pushing my body hard until the ache in my limbs drowned out the heaviness in my heart. De observed, stopping me here and there to correct my form. ¡°You did great today,¡± Deplimented me as she picked up the extra shears and began trimming the rose bush next to me. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like it,¡± I muttered. ¡°My arms feel like stone.¡¯ ¡°It is ridiculous that Jason wouldn¡¯t let you train,¡± De said. ¡°All pack members should be able to de fend themselves. I don¡¯t know how you put up with his stupid rules for so long.¡± ¡°I was doing what I thought was best,¡± I said. ¡°Now, I¡¯m out of shape. I am sure the warriors are probablyughing at me right now.¡± ¡°Oh, stop it! You¡¯re just a little rusty. You¡¯ll be back to peak fitness in no time,¡± De reassured me. ¡°And I promise you; no one isughing at you.¡± I nodded. I neglected so much while worrying about being the perfect Luna for Jason. All my sacrifices for him now felt like a waste of time. ¡°Even though we didn¡¯t really get to enjoy Fangvale, you look better,¡± De added. I didn¡¯t respond. I knew what she meant, and I was happy that she couldn¡¯t see through my fa?ade. It was easier to pretend I was healing than exin that there was now an ache in my heart. Once the anger had faded, all I felt was sadness and regret. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why the Moon Goddess would bond me with someone like Jason. What was the reason for this? ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± De asked, noticing that I had gone quiet. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I replied. De frowned and said, ¡°I know you better than most, Talia. I know when you¡¯re lying to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth talking about, De.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking about him again, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No. Let¡¯s go and trim the roses by my window. They¡¯re getting out of control,¡± I said and walked over to the climbing roses. ¡°If you say so, but just know I¡¯m here for you Talia,¡± De stated. ¡°I know,¡± I muttered. ¡°It¡¯s just I¡­¡± A voice cut me off, ¡°Princess Talia!¡± I turned around to see a young guard rushing up the path towards us. His eyes scanned the area, and he looked relieved when nothing seemed out of order. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking all over for you, Princess,¡± he said, out of breath. ¡°Do you have a block up? We¡¯ve been trying to reach you.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry,¡± I answered. I had forgotten to reopen the pack link since I had been back. As soon as I did, I could hear the frantic voices of the pack before I closed it. I looked at De, who I could tell was probably trying to mindlink her father. ¡°Why is everyone panicking?¡± I asked, setting the shears down in the grass. ¡°Prince Solon ordered all staff and family members to return to the main wing immediately,¡± the guard exined. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± I asked again. Was the pack under attack? That couldn¡¯t be it as the emergency siren didn¡¯t go off. The guard hesitated and said, ¡°A guest has arrived.¡± ¡°Who?¡± I asked. The guard only shook his head. ¡°Prince Solon¡¯s orders were clear. You¡¯re to return to your room until further notice.¡± That was odd. Solon didn¡¯t keep secrets from me. I nodded and De and I followed the guard back toward the house. I mindlinked her and asked, ¡°Do you know who is here?¡± ¡°No, my father is not telling me anything either,¡± De responded. ¡°He only told me to stay with you.¡± De¡¯s father was our Beta. If he was withholding information, this was a very serious situation. I was beginning to doubt that this was actually a guest visiting. My unease only deepened when we reached the steps of the central pce and found guards stationed at the entrance. I needed answers and stepped forward. ¡°Sorry, Princess,¡± one said, stepping in front of the door. ¡°We¡¯ve been instructed not to allow anyone inside without Solon¡¯s approval.¡± ¡°Not even me?¡± I asked. The guard looked pained. ¡°Especially not you. I¡¯m sorry, Princess. I will take any punishment you order for me, but I cannot allow you to enter.¡± I shook my head and backed off. ¡°No, that is okay. I will go to my room as instructed,¡± I said simply and began speed walking back to my room. I reached out through our family bond. ¡®Solon, what¡¯s going on? Why am I being sent to my room like a pup?¡¯ There was a pause. Then his voice came through. ¡®A guest has arrived. Stay in your room for now.¡¯ ¡®Who is it? Why can¡¯t I greet this guest?¡¯ I asked. ¡®Stop worrying about this Talia. Father and I have this under control,¡¯ Solon responded. Before I could respond, the link was cut. He had blocked me. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 26 CHAPTER TWENTY SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWENTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV I barely sleptst night, tossing and turning as my mind was filled with questions. Who was the guest important enough to spook my brother and summon warriors suddenly? As soon as sunlight entered my room, I slipped out of bed, got dressed, and quickly exited my room without waking De, who had crashed on the couch. Outside, I wasted no time to mindlink Solon. ¡°Solon, what happened yesterday?¡± I blurbed it out as the link went through. My stomach twisted in knots as I was trying not to blurt out all the questions running through my mind at once. ¡°Alpha Nn is here. He¡¯s the guest,¡± Solon said in frustration. My heart sank and I asked, ¡°What did he want?¡± I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ask the crucial question: are we going to war? ¡°He didn¡¯t say,¡± Solon replied. ¡°Anyways, we¡¯re holding a banquet tonight. You will be attending too.¡± ¡°A banquet?¡± I asked in confusion. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was danger ahead and that¡¯s what scared me. Alpha Nn wasn¡¯t acting like his usual self from what De said. This felt like we were walking into a trap. Solon sighed. ¡°Nn is dangerous and short-tempered. Just be cautious with him.¡± That night, I dressed in a simplevender gown that matched my eyes. De curled my hair into soft waves and dusted my cheeks with a faint blush. She made light conversation, but I could see the slight tremble in her hand. Eyen she couldn¡¯t hide her worry. ¡°Are you ready?¡± De asked as she handed me a pair of silver heels. I took a breath. ¡°I wish you were handing me a dagger instead, but yes, as ready as I¡¯ll ever be.¡± De looped arms with me and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± The banquet hall was already bustling when we arrived. The long tables were adorned with embroidered runners in our pack colors and tters of roasted meats and fruits. Omegas moved between guests, topping off drinks and taking orders. I could easily tell the Blood Moon pack members apart. It wasn¡¯t the fact that they were dressed in ck with blood-red ents but they had a serious aura about them as if they were on guard. ¡°They¡¯re so serious,¡± De muttered. ¡°This could be the beginning of the war. They don¡¯t know what to expect just like we don¡¯t,¡± I responded. Then the doors to the banquet hall opened. Alpha Nn strode in with Beta Marco just a step behind him. They were both dressed in ck tailored suits, red silk details at the cuffs and cor. Nn¡¯s long ck hair was pulled back in a low tie, emphasizing his sharp jaw and piercing eyes. He was tall and imposing. His eyes swept over the gathered guests until theynded on me. For a heartbeat, our gazes locked. I was stiffened by his dominant and familiar aura. There was a sh of curiosity and something else in his eyes, but it was gone in an instant. CHAPTER TWENTY SIX +25 Bonus I walked over to stand by my father¡¯s side with Solon on his right. My father stood up from his seat at the head of the table to greet him and Alpha Nn stopped only a few feet away. ¡°Wee Alpha Nn, Beta Marco,¡± my father said smoothly. ¡°Alpha King,¡± Nn replied with a slight bow. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality.¡± ¡°Silverfang is open to all visitors. But don¡¯t mistake our courtesy for trust or weakness.¡± Father said. Nn¡¯s lips twitched into what could almost be called a smile as he sat down. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°To what do we owe this visit?¡± Solon asked, getting straight to the point as we sat back down. Nn picked up the wine ss at his seat, taking a sip before saying, ¡°I¡¯m here on business. Two of my warriors were killed in a rogue attack. One of them fled into Silverfang territory.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± Solon said quickly. ¡°Our borders are secure. No rogue would be able to make it past our warriors.¡± Nn raised his eyebrows at Solon¡¯s quick response before chuckling. ¡°Are you sure about that? I made it through just fine without your warriors noticing.¡± I kept a neutral expression, but I was panicking. What did Nn mean he entered our territory without our warriors noticing? How was that even possible? ¡°Did youe here to gloat Alpha Nn? If not, get to the point or leave,¡± my father stated. ¡°Very well. I intend to conduct my own investigation and find the killer hiding in Silverfang territory,¡± Nn exined as if he was discussing dessert options. Solon bristled, his voice rising. ¡°You don¡¯t get to walk into Silverfang and start throwing usations. This is ournd, not some rogue¡¯s den for you tob through at will.¡± Nn slowly turned his attention to Solon. ¡°And yet,¡± Nn said, his tone almost bored, ¡°the Alpha King failed to deliver results when I submitted a simrint years ago. Perhaps this time, if I walk the territory myself, I¡¯ll get results.¡± Solon¡¯s wolf surged forward. His canines elongated slightly and his Alpha aura pulsed. His chair scraped against the floor as it was thrown back as he stood. ¡°You dare to nder my father?¡± Solon demanded. ¡°I would do no such thing,¡± Nn responded. ¡°The Alpha King knows better than all of us what I am referring to.¡± ¡®Solon, calm down. He¡¯s trying to bait you!¡¯ I warned through our mindlink, panic tightening in my chest. But Solon wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°This isn¡¯t Blood Moon, Alpha Nn. Watch your tone. Show some respect, or I swear A thunderous roar cut him off. The chandeliers above shook from the force. ¡°Enough!¡± my father¡¯s voice boomed across the hall with his Alphamand as he mmed his hands down on the table. ¡°Solon.¡± All anger that Solon had been feeling vanished as he turned to my father, dropping his head respectfully. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± ¡°Escort your sister out. Now,¡± fathermanded. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 27 CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN Rudolf¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Nn had changed. Age looked good on him. He was taller, looking like the spitting image of his father now. It was like staring into the past. He had his father¡¯s face but in a younger and taller build. The only thing that hadn¡¯t changed about him was the fury in his eyes. It was the same as thest time I¡¯d seen him. ¡°We should speak privately,¡± I said and motioned toward the guards. The banquet hall cleared out quickly. Solon gave me a wary nce, but he obeyed with a short nod. It was only Nn and I now. I sat back down and folded my hands in front of me. ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us now. You can be honest with me,¡± I said quietly. ¡°If you¡¯re in trouble, I¡¯m willing to help.¡± ¡°You have misunderstood me, Alpha King,¡± Nn said, taking a bite out of steak on his te. ¡°I¡¯m not here asking for assistance.¡± ¡°If this is a personal matter, I can lend warriors to¡­ ¡°I am not here to ask for a handout,¡± Nn interrupted. ¡°I am here to find the rogue and take revenge. It is as simple as that.¡± ¡°Watch your tone, Alpha Nn. Are you asking or telling me what you want?¡± I asked, eyes narrowing. Nn set down his fork deliberately, spine straightening as he locked eyes with me. A faint, sardonic sneer tugged at his lips, barely hidden beneath a polite facade. ¡°Alpha King,¡± he said smoothly, voice low but edged with challenge, ¡°I care for every warrior in my pack. So I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t refuse my humble request to search for the rogue who killed one of my men. After all, I¡¯m certain you understand the weight of responsibility.¡± I stared at him in silence. Ever since the night of the incident, when I woke with my memories fractured and the news of his father¡¯s death, I¡¯d always suspected I¡¯d failed Nn in some way. Nn never looked at me the same way after that. Still, I couldn¡¯t let guilt or old debtspromise my duty-not when the safety of my pack and territory hung in the bnce. ¡°I¡¯ll allow it,¡± I said finally. ¡°But remember, this is mynd. You follow my rules-or you¡¯ll face the consequences. I won¡¯t tolerate you stirring trouble here.¡± Nn nodded, a cold smile curling on his lips-one that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Of course. I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Talia¡¯s POV As soon as the banquet hall doors closed behind us, I whispered, ¡°Solon, You can¡¯t lose control like that again.¡± ¡°I just hate the way he was talking. He acted politely but he didn¡¯t respect father at all, you saw it too,¡± Solon huffed. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s telling the truth about the rogue?¡± I asked. ¡°No, I think it¡¯s just ame excuse he used to hide his bad intention, anyways, I won¡¯t let him,¡± Solon responded. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Here¡¯s Silverfang, Nn wouldn¡¯t hurt the Alpha King,¡¯ my wolf reassured me. CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN +25 Bonus I nodded and headed back to my residence. Iy in bed staring at the ceiling trying to calm my mind but more and more questions kept popping up. Why was Alpha Nn here, really? Was he telling the truth about the report? ¡°Ugh!¡± I groaned, leaning up and throwing my pillow across the room. ¡°I give up!¡± I grabbed my phone and decided to g****e something about Alpha Nn, and suddenly my phone rang with a call. Jason. I stared at the name on the screen and groaned. I wanted to ignore it, but I knew he would just keep calling. I picked up and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d still be alive,¡± Jason said, his voice smug. ¡°With Alpha Nn on Silverfang territory, I am sure Prince Solon is too busy to worry about a weak little omega like you.¡± ¡°You know, for someone who imed to be done with me, you seem to enjoy checking in on me. What¡¯s wrong with you? Is Viki not panning out to be the perfect Luna like you wanted?¡± I taunted him. ¡°You still have a smart mouth,¡± Jason retorted. ¡°Leaving you has done wonders for me,¡± I said. There was a pause but then he chuckled. ¡°Is that supposed to be funny? I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re acting like this with me. We had so many good years together and you threw them away to be a ytoy for the Prince.¡± I sighed. ¡°Jason, I¡¯m not going to have this conversation with you again. Get to the point or hang up.¡± 1 ¡°You¡¯re upset. Already trouble in paradise?¡± Jason mocked. ¡°Don¡¯t test me, Jason,¡± I warned. ¡°Tell me what you want or I¡¯m hanging up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance,¡± he said smoothly. ¡°You don¡¯t belong there. Come back to Shadoww. I¡¯ll keep you safe. Once things go sideways, and they will, you¡¯ll be the first one to die in the chaos. Nobody there is going to risk themselves for some discarded omega, especially not Prince Solon.¡± Iughed, sharp and cold. ¡°You know what? I¡¯d rather die a discarded omega than waste another second on you. And Prince Solon? He¡¯s a man you¡¯ll nevere close to matching.¡± ¡°You bitch-¡± I mmed the phone down before he could finish. Seeing his furious face in my mind gave me a small, satisfying thrill. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 28 CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT Jason¡¯s POV +25 Bonus The phone cracked under my grip with a crunch. Pieces of stic scattered across the floor. I stared at the broken screen, seething. ¡°That arrogant bitch,¡± I growled. She had the nerve tough at me, ME, and thenpare me to Prince Solon. That bastard didn¡¯t even want her. He was just using her to pass the time. ¡°She¡¯s still refusing toe back?¡± Viki asked, lounging across the silk sheets of my bed. One arm was folded under the head while the other was draped over her belly. I nodded as I began to pace. ¡°She hung up on me. Told me she would rather be Prince Solon¡¯s discarded omega.¡± Viki scoffed and sat up, tossing her legs over the side of the bed. ¡°Wow. Didn¡¯t expect her to grow a spine. I always thought she¡¯d slither back eventually, begging for scraps. But I see now¡­ she thinks she can climb.¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Is she really trying to be Silverfang¡¯s Luna?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± I sneered, turning to face her. ¡°If Prince Solon made an omega his Luna, the entire kingdom wouldugh at him. No Alpha in his right mind would crown a used, broken omega like her.¡± ¡°And yet here you are, furious, and pacing like a caged wolf, my Alpha¡± Viki smiled. ¡°She¡¯s not your problem anymore. You rejected her. Why are you even responding to her taunts? Doesn¡¯t really scream indifference, Jason.¡± ¡°Whether I reject her or not, she¡¯s still mine.¡± The words hissed out before I could stop them. The mate bond between Talia and I still scratched under my skin like a wound that wouldn¡¯t heal. I expected Viki tosh out, maybe throw something, but she didn¡¯t. Instead, she tilted her head, brows raised, looking more intrigued than offended. ¡°But you said she was weak.¡± ¡°she is,¡± I snapped. ¡°But I refuse to allow an omega to think that she can reject me and get away with it. If she¡¯s not with me, she can¡¯t be with anyone else.¡± Viki rose from the bed, her silk robe slipping open at the hem. She walked over slowly, hips swaying. She ced her hand on my chest, nails dragging faint lines across my skin. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n then?¡± she purred. ¡°I¡¯m going to align myself with Nn,¡± I responded. Viki¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Nn? Alpha Nn Watkins?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s powerful, brutal, and rumor has it he doesn¡¯t respect the Alpha King. Once I rise through the ranks with him, no one, not even Solon, will be able to stop me,¡± I exined. ¡°And when you be Alpha King?¡± Viki asked, excitement shing in her eyes. ¡°Solon will be the first to die,¡± I said coldly. ¡°He stole what was mine, disrespected me, and made me look like a fool in front of the packs, I¡¯ll return the favor tenfold.¡± Viki stepped closer, chest to chest now. Her eyes glittered, hungry for chaos. ¡°Since Talia refused toe back¡­ What about your father? What will you tell him when he returns from training next week?¡± I smirked. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him what he wants to hear. He never approved of the Moon Goddess pairing me with an omega in the first ce. He said it was an embarrassment to the bloodline. I¡¯ll bring you to meet him instead. Once he sees you¡¯re carrying the Shadoww heir, he¡¯ll forget all about Talia.¡± Viki let out a lightugh. ¡°Of course he will,¡± she said, stepping back. Her hands moved to the tie of her silk robe. ¡± CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT +25 Bonus I¡¯m everything she¡¯s not. Loyal. Ambitious. You¡¯re giving him exactly what he wants. And what if Talia regretster?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be your personal maid. You can do whatever you want with her,¡± I told her and Viki grinned, her eyes shing with hunger. ¡°I always know my Alpha loves me more, now let me please you alright?¡± Viki purred, stepping closer. ¡°Let me take care of you, alright?¡± Her eyes never left mine. I grabbed her waist and pulled her flush against me. I kissed her hard, iming her mouth. ¡°Talia could neverpare to you,¡± I said. Viki lit up at my words, her hands already undoing my belt.She dropped to her knees, pulling my hard cock free of my pants. She stroked me slowly. ¡°Say it again.¡± ¡°Talia¡¯s nothing.¡± Viki looked up at me with lust and pride in her eyes as she took me into her mouth. I moaned, my fingers twisting in her hair as her head bobbed up and down. ¡°Talia¡¯s nothing. She can¡¯t hold a candle to you.¡± And I believed it. Viki wouldn¡¯t just help me rise, but she¡¯d help get rid of anyone who would stand in our way. And Talia will regret ever turning her back on me. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 29 CHAPTER TWENTY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWENTY NINE Jason¡¯s POV The morning my father returned from training, it was raining. It set the mood of my growing anticipation of meeting and exining everything to him. Viki and I waited for him in front of the steps of the packhouse. I wore a gray button down with ck cks. Viki beside me in an ocean blue gown that hugged her rounded belly. She insisted on showing off the baby bump, thinking that my father would respond positively to it. A ck limo with the Shadoww crest on the hood came into view and stopped in front of us. The driver got out and opened the passenger door. My father, Alpha Michael stepped out. His silver threaded cloak dragged behind him. Despite his age, he never stopped looking as formidable as he did in his youth. His aura still made lesser wolves drop their eyes in submission. ¡°Father,¡± I said, giving a slight nod. ¡°Wee back.¡± His gaze fell on me, dropped to Viki¡¯s stomach, and then returned to my face. The weight of his dominating aura rolled off him, and my wolf cowered within me. ¡°Well?¡± he asked. ¡°Where is your little omega mate?¡± I kept my back straight and my chin level, but I did not hold his gaze for long. ¡°Talia¡¯s no longer part of Shadoww. I rejected her and banished her from the pack.¡± My father¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°And why is that?¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t worthy,¡± I exined. ¡°She was an omega. I should have never epted the mate bond from the start. She couldn¡¯t carry my heir, so she was useless for our pack.¡± I gestured to Viki with a smile. ¡°Viki will be my new Luna. She is carrying the future heir of Shadoww.¡± Father stared at me for a moment. I saw anger sh in his eyes before he walked past us. ¡°My office. Now.¡± He didn¡¯t spare Viki a second nce. I swallowed hard as bad feelings grabbed me. Viki¡¯s fingers tightened on my sleeve. ¡°Is he upset? I thought he would be happy.¡± Her voice was nervous. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. He is like this with everyone,¡± I lied. ¡°But he did not even acknowledge my pregnancy,¡± Viki pouted. ¡°He¡¯s aplicated man, Viki,¡± I reassured her. ¡°Everything is fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle with you and help you exin,¡± Viki suggested, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go talk with him,¡± I told her, kissing her forehead. ¡°You get out of this rain and rest.¡± When I finally entered his office, my father¡¯s hand moved so fast, I didn¡¯t even see iting. The p echoed in the room. I could feel blood trickling from my split lip. I stumbled back, blood rushing to my ears. ¡°You arrogant fool,¡± he snarled. ¡°You rejected your fated mate. You disrupted the Moon Goddess¡¯s will because you thought with your dick instead of your head?¡± My eyes widened in fear and confusion. ¡°You never approved of her. Why are you angry now, Father?¡± I asked, HAPTER TWENTY NINE +25 Bonus forcing my voice to stay even. ¡°Whether I approve of her or not doesn¡¯t matter, you don¡¯t spit in the face of the Moon Goddess. I thought you knew better than that!¡± ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing, Father.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± he snapped. ¡°You had a fated mate, someone chosen by the Moon Goddess herself, and you banished her like garbage because you thought she¡¯s barren?¡± ¡°She¡­she was weak too, I wasn¡¯t going to waste time on a lost cause,¡± I stammered. My father let out a bitterugh. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what the bond meant, what power it could¡¯ve brought to this pack.¡± ¡°She turned her back on us, on me, because she couldn¡¯t handle Viki having my heir.¡± I added. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°You pushed her out. You chose some power-hungry whore over the mate you were meant to protect. Now you¡¯ve jeopardized the bnce of the pack, the bond with the Moon Goddess, and the stability of our pack.¡± My blood boiled. ¡°We don¡¯t need her. I¡¯m aligning with Alpha Nn. Together¡­¡± His hand struck my face, sending me backwards. ¡°You really think Nn¡¯s going to help you? He¡¯s an insufferable bastard, but he does have lines he won¡¯t cross. He won¡¯t lift you up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not some naive pup,¡± I scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m still Alpha. I know how to y the game.¡± ¡°Then, y smarter because you¡¯re losing right now.¡± He hissed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I frowned, my heart pounding. ¡°Have you not heard what the other packs are saying about Shadoww? Shadoww is in decline because of the mess you made. We have pack members following Talia¡¯s lead and joining other packs. I raised you to do what I couldn¡¯t and that is to be the Alpha King, but instead, you¡¯re ying house with a whore.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­.don¡¯t talk about Viki like that,¡± I mustered the courage to say. ¡°Or what? You¡¯re in no ce to make demands,¡± my father said. ¡°You need to ept the fact that is what she is.¡± I swallowed hard. I wanted to argue with him, but the fear in me kept my mouth shut. My father stalked past me and poured himself a drink from his decanter. ¡°You¡¯re going to fix this damn mess. You¡¯re going to bring Talia back.¡± ¡°You want me to make her Luna again?¡± I asked, stunned. ¡°You always said she was nothing but an omega.¡± He turned slowly, eyes like ice, ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit if you make her your Luna again or not. That girl held this pack together. Bring. Her. Back.¡± ¡°But Viki-¡± His ss mmed against the table. ¡°You think parading Viki around makes you a man? Makes you look powerful? That simpering brat can¡¯t handle a conversation without bursting into tears, and you want her by your side in front of the council? Your true mate couldmand a room without saying a word-and she did. While you were at war for the Alpha King.¡± My wolf surged under my skin, snarling to be let out. His anger overpowered his fear. I bit down on the rage, but CHAPTER TWENTY NINE not before my father noticed. ¡°Don¡¯t raise your hackles at me, son,¡± my father warned. +25 Bonus I felt bile rise in my throat as I remembered how he had beaten me into a pup in front of Talia before. My father stepped closer. ¡°You want to keep Viki? Fine. Marry her. But Talia stays. For the good of this pack. For its survival. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Father,¡± I muttered, jaw clenched so tight it ached. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share X get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 30 CHAPTER THIRTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER THIRTY Viki¡¯s POV The wedding gown shimmered like diamonds in the light. I twirled in front of the mirror; the hem of the gown fluttering around my ankles as the maids pped softly behind me. One of them murmured something about how radiant I looked. I smiled when the younger maid added, ¡°You look gorgeous, Luna.¡± Damn right I did. My fingers brushed over the pearl-studded bodice. The fabric had been imported in, stitched by a seamstress known only to the elite. Every bead, every thread had been selected to make one thing clear ¨C I was born for this. ¡°Miss Viki, does the waist need tightening?¡± the other maid asked cautiously. I pped the maid across the face. She stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. ¡°I told you to stop calling me that,¡± I hissed. ¡°It¡¯s Luna now. Don¡¯t make me repeat myself again.¡± The maid held her check, trembling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Luna,¡± she stammered as she stood up. ¡°Go get me something to drink,¡± I ordered. The maid bowed before scurrying out of the room without another word. I turned back to the mirror, resting a hand on my stomach. There was no child growing there, not yet. No one had dared question me. No one would. I had yed my part wlessly. The morning sickness, the paid off healer visits the idiots believed it all. Iwon. I tricked them all and got what I wanted. I was Luna now. I grinned at the memory of Jason turning on Talia. Jason fell for all my tricks and didn¡¯t even think to question me. He was such an easy fool to manipte. Talia, that pathetic omega had her chance. She was Luna for three years, and never could do anything right. She never deserved the title in the first ce. I was raised, molded for this since I was a little girl. I remembered one winter when I was ten. I had stolen a ne that I wanted. My father found me. He didn¡¯t say a word. He just pulled off his belt and whipped me until my legs bled. ¡°A Luna doesn¡¯t steal like some lowly omega. A Luna is graceful, controlled,¡± his voice boomed. Everything I had endured, every cruel lesson, every bruise was for this. And now Jason¡¯s father knew. He saw me, the daughter of the chief warrior, already carrying the heir, he¡¯d have no choice but to ept me. He wouldn¡¯t care that Jason has cast aside Talia. He never wanted Talia to be the Luna to begin with. A maid peeked in from the hall and reported to me. ¡°Luna, Alpha Jason has returned.¡± I dismissed the maids with a flick of my hand. I made my way down the stairs, the heavy train dragging behind me. My heart beat faster with each step, but I masked the anticipation. I couldn¡¯t appear desperate in front of him. I ran into Jason as he entered the foyer. I smiled at him, stretching my arms slightly so the dress would catch the light. ¡°Well, what do you think? Do you like it?¡± ¡°Why do you have this on?¡± he asked in frustration. CHAPTER THIRTY +25 Bonus I froze, but maintained myposure. ¡°I thought with your father returning, and everything falling into ce, it was time. The pack has started calling me Luna. Don¡¯t you think it suits me?¡± Jason looked me over, but he didn¡¯t seem happy. He looked annoyed. I noticed the bruising on the side of his face. Something had happened between them and it wasn¡¯t good. Before I could ask what happened, Jason said, ¡°Take it off now. You¡¯ll wear it when the Luna ceremony is held.¡± I forced a soft smile. ¡°Of course. I just¡­couldn¡¯t wait to see the look on your face.¡± Jason walked past me and was on his way to our bedroom. I followed behind. ¡°I thought we could look at the guests for the Luna ceremony. I think¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Jason cut me off. ¡°We¡¯ll wait until Talia returns.¡± I blinked. My smile dropped slightly. ¡°I¡­what?¡± ¡°Your Luna ceremony will not happen until Talia returns,¡± Jason said firmly, turning around to face me. ¡°You need to look at the big picture here. Shadoww¡¯s reputation is in jeopardy. A proper Luna would understand this.¡± His words felt like a p to the face. My fists clenched at my sides. I forced a smile on my face. ¡°Of course. That makes sense. I¡¯ll support whatever you decide,¡± I finally said. Jason nodded, then turned away like he was already bored. ¡°Good. That¡¯s the behavior I expect from you moving forward. You are carrying my heir and will be the future Luna. You need to start acting like it.¡± I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming. Who was he to tell me how to act? I kept the smile on my face. ¡°Understood, my Alpha,¡± I said politely, bowing to him as he walked past. My smile quickly turned into a frown as Jason left me standing there in the hallway. I marched back to the dressing room, spooking the maids cleaning, as I kicked the door open.. ¡°Take it off me. NOW!¡± I snarled. They rushed to me and began undoing the dress. I couldn¡¯t believe this. Bring Talia back? Was he out of his mind? That would ruin everything! Talia was a mistake, a smear on Jason¡¯s reputation, a smear on the reputation of Shadoww. If Talia returned, the elders wouldplete her with me. Worse, make her Luna again and then everything would be for nothing. I couldn¡¯t allow this. Jason was impulsive, easy to sway when his pride was wounded. All I had to do was remind him of her betrayal, of her weakness, and how she didn¡¯t respect him as Alpha. He would get rid of her again. And if that didn¡¯t work, there were other ways. Certain poison couldn¡¯t be traced. idents happen all the time. If Talia thought she could walk back into this pack and steal what belonged to me, she¡¯d soon realize how wrong she was. This was my pack now. And if I had to kill to protect it? So be it. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 31 CHAPTER THIRTY ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER THIRTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV A sharp knock rattled my door. I groaned as I opened my eyes. I had finally gotten to sleep a few hours ago. Iid my head back down on my pillow, hoping whoever was knocking would go away. Then, there were another couple of knocks. Before I could sit up, the door creaked open and De stepped in, holding a steaming cup of tea. She quickly closed the door behind her. ¡°Get up,¡± she said, ¡°You¡¯re not going to like what I¡¯m going to tell you.¡¯ I yawned and stretched taking the teacup from her. ¡°Oh man, what is it now?¡± She took a breath and blurted out, ¡°Your father¡¯s allowing Alpha Nn to stay right here in the eastern guest wing. That¡¯s right down the hall from you.¡± I nearly dropped the teacup, the tea spilling out on the floor. ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡± De shook her head. ¡°I wish I were. The order went out at dawn. The staff has already prepared the rooms.¡± I stood quickly as the anxiety began building in my chest. ¡°He barely hid his disdain at the banquet! Now he¡¯s allowed to stay here like he owns the ce? And Father allowed this?!¡± ¡°Breathe. Calm down,¡± De said. ¡°I¡¯m sure your father had a good reason for doing this.¡± ¡°How? He put Nn in the wing near me!¡± I eximed. I went to my dresser and began to pull out clothes to get dressed. ¡°Talia, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I am getting dressed to find out what this really good reason was,¡± I said. I began walking towards the door when De stepped in front of me. ¡°Come on, Talia. Just take a moment to calm down,¡± De reasoned, leading me back to sit on the edge of my bed. ¡°Your father is still the Alpha King and you are the Princess. You can¡¯t just barge in and throw a tantrum.¡± De argued. ¡°Am I supposed to just go along with this?¡± I asked. ¡°I am supposed to be taking over with Solon. This is something he should¡¯ve discussed with us first.¡± ¡°I know, but you two aren¡¯t in control yet,¡± De replied. ¡°If you insist on going, go with a n. I doubt you¡¯ll be able to convince him to make Nn leave, so ask for conditions on Nn¡¯s stay.¡± ¡°Noted,¡± I said, standing and running past her. ¡°Talia¡­¡± I didn¡¯t hear her finish as I was already marching toward the council wing. My face was flushed from the fury I felt. I could hear Father and Solon arguing in my father¡¯s office before I reached the doors. ¡°You should never have let him stay, Father,¡± Solon said, pacing, ¡°His excuse about rogues is bullshit and you know it. Our patrols haven¡¯t missed a single breach.¡± Father sat at the desk, arms crossed. ¡°Are you questioning my decision, Solon?¡± Solon didn¡¯t shrink back at my father flexing his Alpha aura. ¡°I question the decision of letting a vtile Alpha CHAPTER THIRTY ONE +25 Bonus with a known grudge stay on royal grounds,¡± Solon snapped. ¡°Talia¡¯s room is right down the hall from him.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t hurt her,¡± father said. I stepped into the doorway. ¡°How can you possibly know that, Father?¡± Both men turned to look at me. ¡°Talia, I am having a discussion with Solon,¡± my father said. ¡°A discussion that I should have been included in if I am to rule beside Solon,¡± I countered. Father¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°It seems you are also questioning mymand.¡± ¡°We all know Nn¡¯s reason for being here isn¡¯t 100% true,¡± I argued. ¡°He could use me to get to you.¡¯ The air in the room became heavy. My father did not re his aura; he didn¡¯t have to. The way he could tear you apart with his eyes was scary enough that he didn¡¯t need to use his Alphamand. ¡°Nn wouldn¡¯t do that and he hasn¡¯t made any threats,¡± my father stated firmly. ¡°His very presence here is a threat,¡± I replied, my voice edged with unease. ¡°He has no respect for our authority.¡± Father¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I have no reason to believe Nn is here to challenge me or is a threat to any of us.¡± ¡°You also don¡¯t have a reason to trust him this much,¡± I countered with a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t think I am asking for too much when I want to understand why you¡¯re allowing him so much grace.¡± ¡°Because keeping him close is better than letting him prowl the borders unchecked,¡± my father finally said. ¡°He agreed to be civil and I will believe him. As long as he follows our rules, there will be no issues.¡± ¡°And if he doesn¡¯t follow our rules?¡± Solon asked. ¡°I will handle him,¡± Father answered. ¡°That is not enough,¡± I said. Both men stared at me in surprise. ¡°What did you say?¡± my father asked. ¡°It¡¯s not enough,¡± I repeated, meeting his gaze. If he wanted me to rule alongside Solon, I couldn¡¯t cower and be afraid of voicing my opinion. ¡°And what would you have me do?¡± my father asked, his voice low. ¡°Set conditions,¡± I replied. ¡°Guards in the corridor. No movement after a set hour. No walking unescorted in private wings¡­¡± ¡°He is not our prisoner, Talia,¡± my father interrupted. ¡°and we will not treat him as such.¡± ¡°What if he is just waiting for the right moment to strike? What if¡­¡± ¡°Enough, Talia!¡± Father growled and I immediately closed my mouth. ¡°He hasn¡¯t given me reason to distrust him. You will respect my decision and that¡¯s the end of this conversation.¡± Solon tensed beside me, but said nothing. I swallowed my frustration. There was no changing Father¡¯s mind when he used that tone. We both bowed slightly and left the office. 213 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 32 CHAPTER THIRTY TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER THIRTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV I didn¡¯t speak again until we were in the corridor, far enough where our father would not hear us. I grabbed Solon¡¯s wrist to stop him as I couldn¡¯t hold the questions in any longer. ¡°What is wrong with father?¡± I asked, keeping my voice low. ¡°This is not a smart move.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Solon exhaled and leaned against the wall. ¡°Nn is disrespectful, throws around baseless usations, and is still able to do what he wants. If it was anyone else, they¡¯d be in the dungeon or exiled.¡± That was what scared me the most. Nn was allowed to behave like a spoiled child for so long. How far would Father allow Nn to go before he intervened? ¡°Then why does Father continue to tolerate him?¡± I asked. ¡°Why let him sleep under our roof?¡± I needed a reason that made sense. Any reason other than because Father agreed to his request. ¡°There¡¯s history between them,¡± Solon sighed. ¡°What kind of history?¡± I pressed. ¡°After Nn¡¯s father died in an ambush, our father offered to adopt him, bring him here to raise him but he refused,¡± Solon exined. That surprised me. I opened my mouth to respond, but a sh of memory stopped me. I had met Nn after the tragedy. I¡¯d been six. It was the day Father brought Nn to Silverfang. I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but I remembered standing in the grand hall, holding De¡¯s hand when Nn walked in. Unlike before, Nn didn¡¯t offer a timid smile or bow politely. That day, he red at my father. A boy barely taller than me, staring at the Alpha King without a trace of fear. Even then, even at that age, I sensed he was dangerous. ¡°I just remembered him now,¡± I said. ¡°He was mad at father back then.¡± ¡°Yes, rude even,¡± Solon said. ¡°I wanted to drag him out and beat him for it. Father did not have to offer him anything. He could have left the Elder Council to ce him with a guardian. Yet father chose to respect Nn¡¯s, will to go back to Dark Moon when he refused the adoption.¡± (1) ¡°Why would Father do that?¡± I asked, my brows knitting. ¡°Because Father respected Nn¡¯s father. They were friends,¡± Solon exined. ¡°After the ambush, Father med himself for not preventing it. He tried to make amends with Nn but Nn didn¡¯t want anything to do with us. Nn chose to rebuild Blood Moon on his own. He was just a boy with no allies and no resources and he made Blood Moon into a pack that is to be feared. He earned respect through force. That¡¯s why father feels guilty. He sees the man Nn became and mes himself. ¡°But it is not our father¡¯s fault that Nn¡¯s father died,¡± I said. ¡°I know. There was an investigation and he was cleared. Everyone knew he wasn¡¯t responsible, but guilt doesn¡¯t care about that.¡± I took a moment to process this. Father wasn¡¯t stupid or weak. He wouldn¡¯t just allow someone who hates him close to him without a n. ¡°De told me something about Nn¡¯s past,¡± I said. ¡°She told me he ughtered a small pack a few years ago CHAPTER THIRTY TWO +25 Bonus and that Father refused to punish him. Is that true?¡± Solon nodded. ¡°Yes. Their Alpha had a record of abuse. He tortured and starved omegas. He let his Beta enforce rank with violence. That Alpha issued a formal challenge to Nn when Nn had rebuilt Blood Moon. He wanted Nn¡¯s territory and his pack.¡± ¡°And Nn just killed him during the Alpha challenge?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes. ¡°Yes, Alpha challenges do sometimes end in death. The problem was the way it ended. Witnesses said Nn pinned the Alpha and he submitted. He exposed his throat and surrendered. Nn didn¡¯t stop.¡± I gasped, covering my mouth. ¡°Killing after submission is forbidden. Everyone is taught that. Why did Father not punish him?¡± ¡°Father said the witnesses weren¡¯t reliable as they were from the deceased Alpha¡¯s pack. The Elder Council investigated, but no one dared to use Alpha Nn.¡± ¡°This is more than enough reason to not allow Nn to walk around our territory without an escort,¡± I said. ¡± Father should understand that if he broke the rules once before, he¡¯ll do it again.¡± ¡°I think Father wants to see for himself what Nn¡¯s after,¡± Solon added. ¡°Maybe he believes offering hospitality will lower Nn¡¯s guard or allow him to mend their rtionship.¡± I understood the logic behind this decision; however, I did not want to be part of the test. I did not want to be used in the process of trying to figure out if Nn had ill intent towards us. ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you really believe Father is testing Nn?¡± ¡°I believe Father does not act without a n,¡± Solon replied. ¡°Do you think Nn is here for revenge?¡± I asked, my stomach tightening. Solon shrugged. ¡°It seems usible. He never moved on from his father¡¯s death and never forgave us while we thrived and he struggled.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this at all, Solon,¡± I said. ¡°I am worried about what Nn wants. I am worried about what Father will allow from him.¡± ¡°Your concern is valid, Talia,¡± Solon said, resting a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t like this either, but we don¡¯t have a choice.¡± ¡°Then what do we do?¡± I asked, brows furrowed. ¡°We will keep an eye on him,¡± Solon stated. ¡°You should stay away from Nn. He¡¯s dangerous. Don¡¯t let him speak to you privately, and don¡¯t react to anything he does. Avoid engaging him if you can.¡± I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what Nn wanted, but something told me I was going to find out sooner than I liked. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 33 CHAPTER THIRTY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER THIRTY THREE Nn¡¯s POV I stood at the window of the guest wing; arms crossed behind my back as I stared down at the stone path of the courtyard. I watched as omegas rushed by with their duties and the guards changing shifts. This wing was modestpared to the others in the Alpha King¡¯s estate. It was set apart, like a polite exile. It was not quite a rejection, but not quite wee either. Thest time I visited Silverfang, I was eleven. My father had brought me here once or twice for formal meetings, but even then, something had felt off. The smiles were too wide. The wee was too eager. It was all a performance. Behind me, Marco flipped through a book. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± I didn¡¯t look away. ¡°I¡¯m observing routines.¡± ¡°You really n to stay here?¡± he asked, giving the room a slow look. ¡°This territory isn¡¯t safe, They hate that you¡¯re here even if they¡¯re too polite to say it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what they think.¡± I turned to him. ¡°Let them stew in their difort. We¡¯re not leaving until I get what I came for.¡± Marco pressed his lips into a tight line. ¡°We¡¯ve waited years, Alpha. What makes it different now?¡± ¡°Because the old man is getting soft.¡± I gestured toward the window. ¡°He let me stay here, so close to his daughter. That alone proves he¡¯s lost his edge. He knows what he did. And he¡¯s afraid.¡± Marco didn¡¯t respond right away. Then he said, ¡°Alpha Jason reached out again. He wants to formalize the alliance. He¡¯s eager.¡± My brow lifted. ¡°The same Alpha who screamed at Talia like a feral mutt at Fangvale?¡± Marco nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± My wolf growled low in my chest. He pushed forward to take control, but I forced him back down. ¡°The first chance we get we should rip his throat out,¡¯ he snarled. ¡®I don¡¯t give a shit about her. We have more pressing matters to focus on,¡¯ I snapped inwardly. I wouldn¡¯t let the mate bond weaken my resolve. Not when I was this close. ¡°His rtionship with the Princess is irrelevant, and I don¡¯t care,¡± I said aloud. ¡°If Jason wants to ally with Blood Moon, he¡¯ll do so on my terms. I don¡¯t care about his personal drama. If he offers leverage, I¡¯ll use it.¡± Marco set his book aside and studied me. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± he asked, ¡°Speak inly, Marco,¡± I ordered, ¡°Jason¡¯s reckless and vtile. He let some she-wolf manipte him at will. That kind of man can¡¯t be trusted. He¡¯s not the useful kind.¡± ¡°I know what he is.¡± I spoke calmly. ¡°But I also know he¡¯s the only Alpha foolish enough to go up against the Alpha King for something personal. That makes him valuable.¡± I turned back to the window just in time to see a flicker of movement. Across the courtyard, beyond the hedges and ornamental trees, the rose garden spread like a tapestry. Blooms in every shade swayed in the breeze. Talia walked through them, wearingvender again just like the night of the +25 Bonus banquet. Her hair caught in the light as she paused to brush her fingers across a cluster of white petals. The faint wind carried her scent again: roses, clean and sweet. I clenched my jaw. Are roses her favorite flower? They were too delicate and too easy to crush, just like her. Marco stepped beside me. ¡°You chose this wing because of her, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°My wolf remembered her scent, that¡¯s all. He¡¯s curious. I¡¯m not.¡± I responded. ¡°Still smells like roses?¡± I didn¡¯t answer. ¡°She¡¯s just my enemy¡¯s daughter,¡± I said tly. ¡°Nothing more. If she¡¯s stupid enough to get in my way, I¡¯ll crush her. If she stays out of it, she¡¯ll live longer.¡± Marco studied me for a beat longer. ¡°You¡¯re sure that¡¯s all she is to you?¡± I turned slowly to meet his gaze. ¡°This isn¡¯t about her. It never was. My father is dead because of the Alpha King. Our pack was nearly wiped from the map. That¡¯s not something I¡¯ll ever forgive.¡± My voice dropped to a cold edge. ¡°I came to expose the truth and watch the perfect, honorable Alpha King crumble. I¡¯ll reveal who he really is before I burn it all down and if using the Princess is the way to do it, I¡¯ll do it.¡± I looked back at Talia in the rose garden. She crouched beside a bush, carefully lifting a fallen bloom and tucking it behind her ear. I¡¯ll let her enjoy her peace for now. Let her think that she and her family are untouchable. And when the timees, she¡¯ll be treated like every other obstacle in my way. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 34 CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR Nn¡¯s POV I didn¡¯t intend to end up in the rose garden. My feet had moved off their own ord, following the familiar scent of roses reaching me on the breeze. I paused at the edge of the archway leading to the garden path, only to be met by two guards who stiffened and stepped in front of me. ¡°Apologies, Alpha Nn,¡± one said, gripping his spear tightly. ¡°This area is restricted unless you have the princess¡¯s permission.¡± I raised a brow but said nothing. My wolf stirred uneasily in my chest, agitated by the sudden halt. I found myself drawn to the rose garden due to the mate bond even though it was muted. I hated that and these guards could be the perfect opportunity for me to get some of my frustration out. I was just about to test how far the guards would push their courtesy when a familiar voice rang out behind them. ¡°Let him through.¡± Talia emerged from a side path. Her dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail, exposing the clean lines of her neck. The softvender dress she wore clung to her waist before flowing around her legs. Even with the pendant masking the mate bond, I felt my gaze lock onto her. She was undeniably beautiful. I hated to admit that. My wolf grew restless. I could barely contain him as he growled, ¡®Tell her what she means to us!¡¯ I ignored him as I watched Talia. Talia dismissed the guards with a nce. They bowed and retreated just far enough to still be listening. ¡°Why are you here, Alpha Nn?¡± Talia asked, arms folding over her chest. Her tone was calm, but the tension in her posture betrayed her. I could tell she was ufortable seeing me here in her special ce. ¡°I heard the Silverfang gardens were famed across the continent,¡± I said, deliberately casual. ¡°I thought I¡¯d see them for myself.¡± Talia didn¡¯t smile. ¡°The Silverfang gardens you¡¯re referring to are at the southern wing, but you know that already.¡± 1 ¡°You got me there. The real reason I¡¯m here is to greet you, Princess. I don¡¯t think we had a good introduction,¡± I said smoothly. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need for that and you¡¯re not wee to roam unescorted,¡± Talia stated firmly. I tilted my head. ¡°I thought your family valued hospitality.¡± She didn¡¯t take the bait. ¡°This garden is for residents of Silverfang.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be here longer than most of them,¡± I replied with a smirk. ¡°I merely wished to speak with you.¡± ¡°Then speak,¡± Talia said curtly. ¡°I heard about the rogue sightings near your border,¡± I said. ¡°If you¡¯ll allow it, I¡¯d like to offer assistance. I suspect some of them may be connected to the ones Blood Moon is pursuing. Our enemies may be ovepping. She frowned and said, ¡°Silverfang¡¯s border is not yours to worry about.¡± ¡°The threat might concern us both.¡± CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR +25 Bonus ¡°Still not your jurisdiction,¡± Talia shot back. ¡°We handle our territory.¡± I studied her for a moment, intrigued by her fire. ¡°I am simply trying to help.¡± ¡°That is honorable of you, but I¡¯ve already told you no,¡± Talia said firmly. ¡°You¡¯re meddling in things that aren¡¯t your concern.¡± ¡°On the contrary, I think our concerns are more entangled than you realize.¡± Talia stepped closer. I could feel her aura rolling off her. For such a small woman, it surprisingly made the hair on the back of my neck stand. ¡°Don¡¯t stir up problems, Alpha Nn. You¡¯re a guest here. And if you step out of line, my father will deal with you directly,¡± she warned. I smiled coldly. ¡°Your father crossed the line years ago.¡± Talia¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I didn¡¯t answer immediately. I wanted her to stew in the uncertainty. I could tell she was getting impatient. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Talia repeated. I smiled at her and stepped back from her. ¡°You¡¯ll understand when the timees,¡± I said atst. She looked at me long and hard, searching my eyes to see if I was lying. Her eyes narrowed as she realized that I wasn¡¯t lying. She quicklyposed herself. Her expression became unreadable again. ¡°Was that all?¡± Talia asked. ¡°No, there is one more thing. I¡¯d like to see the dungeon,¡± I answered. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Blood Moon has been tracking a specific rogue you know,¡± I said. ¡°The rogue has information I need. You may have already captured him and then I would be on my way. Wouldn¡¯t that be nice? It won¡¯t take long.¡± Talia didn¡¯t move. I could practically hear the gears in her head turning as she assessed the risk of going into the dungeon with me alone. ¡°Sorry, Alpha Nn.¡± She snapped. Finally, she turned to the nearest guard. ¡°Escort Alpha Nn to the dungeon. Ensure he is supervised at all times. I have other matters to attend to,¡± she ordered. The guard bowed. I didn¡¯t resist the smirk that curled on my lips as Talia turned and walked away without another word. I followed the guard out of the garden. I didn¡¯t need to see her face again to know that Talia was already questioning her father¡¯s decisions. And she¡¯lle back to me looking for answers just like I nned. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 35 CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV The moment I stepped into my room, I locked the door behind me and leaned against it, trying to breathe. My skin was still crawling from the encounter in the rose garden. Nn¡¯s eyes, his voice, the restrained force behind his words put me on edge. He was dangerous. No matter how calm he tried to appear, the truth was in his eyes with every re. There was no warmth, no kindness in him. I crossed the room to the bed and sat on the edge. My hands were trembling slightly, so I began rubbing them. No, I couldn¡¯t afford to be afraid. Nn was just messing with my head. I wouldn¡¯t let him get to me. I reached for my phone and froze. Over a dozen missed calls, mostly from one person: Jason. I rolled my eyes. Here he came again? He had sent multiple messages like crazy. Each more agitated than thest. I hated to admit that I found some satisfaction in his distress. However, the most recent message wiped the smile off my face. Talia, it¡¯s urgent. Meet me at the Breeze Caf¨¦ in Fangvale, please. Why? What could he possibly have to say after he already screamed at me through the phone days ago? ¡°Talia?¡± De¡¯s voice came from the hallway after a light knock. ¡°Everything okay?¡± I opened the door, and she stepped inside, already eyeing my phone with suspicion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Jason,¡± I admitted. ¡°He wants to meet at a caf¨¦ in Fangvale. He said it¡¯s urgent.¡± De¡¯s expression darkened instantly. ¡°You¡¯re not actually considering it, are you? You said it yourself that you¡¯re done with him.¡± ¡°I am. But if meeting him onest time means he¡¯ll leave me alone for good, then it¡¯s worth it.¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ming with you.¡± The caf¨¦ in Fangvale was cozy but quiet. It sat nestled between two shops, and despite the peaceful ambiance, the moment I walked in, I already knew this was going to be a waste of time. Jason was already there. He was leaning back like he had nothing to worry about. Jason smiled at me when he saw me, but his smile quickly turned into a frown when he saw De walk in behind me. ¡°So much for this meeting being urgent,¡± De muttered. ¡°He looks like he¡¯s having an enjoyable brunch with his whore.¡± Viki sat beside Jason. Her hands were folded over her small bump. She smiled as well, but her eyes were full of fury. ¡°Talia,¡± Jason greeted, standing like nothing had happened between us. ¡°Thanks foring.¡± I said nothing as I sat across from them. De sat down next to me. ¡°I was hoping to speak with you alone,¡± Jason said. ¡°If Viki can stay, I can stay too,¡± De snapped. CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE +25 Bonus I could tell Jason wanted to argue with De. I red at him. If he said one disrespectful word to De, I would leave. Jason took a calming breath before sitting down. ¡°I¡¯ll get to the point,¡± Jason said smoothly. ¡°My father¡¯s back.¡± I frowned. ¡°And?¡± ¡°He¡¯s ordered that you return to Shadoww immediately.¡± ¡°And why would he want that?¡± I asked. I remembered how his father hated me. He told me I was a disgrace to his bloodline, so why would he want me toe back? Jason exchanged a nce with Viki before answering. ¡°You¡¯ve dyed Viki¡¯s Luna ceremony long enough.¡± The absurdity of his request almost made meugh. ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± I asked. ¡°That¡¯s your urgent message? You want me to publicly admit she¡¯s Luna or what?¡± Viki offered a soft, practiced smile. ¡°Please Talia. We thought you¡¯d want to do the right thing.¡± ¡°The right thing?¡± De scoffed. ¡°You mean fix your and Shadoww¡¯s public image by making it seem like Talia is okay with you being a homewrecker? Are you insane?¡± Jason¡¯s gaze hardened. ¡°I¡¯m giving you onest chance, Talia. If you don¡¯te back willingly, you¡¯ll regret staying here. You¡¯ll die in Silverfang.¡± My eyes narrowed as I leaned forward. ¡°This is Silverfang territory, Jason. If you threaten me again, I¡¯ll ask Prince Solon to send soldiers to lock both of you up to reflect. Don¡¯t forget whosend you¡¯re standing on.¡± Jason¡¯s jaw clenched and he opened his mouth to speak, but Viki interrupted. ¡°Please forgive him. He just¡­ misses you,¡± she said, cing a gentle hand on his. Deughed outright. ¡°Miss Talia? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. He¡¯s just doing this, so Daddy doesn¡¯t get mad at him again. He doesn¡¯t care about anyone but himself.¡± I stood. ¡°This conversation is over.¡± ¡°Talia, please don¡¯t go,¡± Jason said, standing up. ¡°I don¡¯t want this to escte.¡± ¡°And it won¡¯t. You have your Luna. You need to leave me alone now, Jason.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake,¡± Jason warned. ¡°You¡¯re about to set things in motion that you won¡¯t be able to walk away from.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me again, Jason?¡± I asked, my anger building. ¡°No, I¡­¡± I turned, walking out with De beside me, refusing to hear anything else he had to say. Jason called out, ¡°Don¡¯t regret this!¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 36 CHAPTER THIRTY SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER THIRTY SIX Nn¡¯s POV The stone corridor reeked of mildew and damp metal. Two Silverfang guards nked me on either side. They were clearly ufortable with my presence. Good. I didn¡¯t care if they were ufortable. They should be afraid of me. I had requested this inspection under the pretense of assisting Silverfang with their recent rogue issue. In truth, I was hunting one specific creature: a feral rogue with red eyes who had evaded Blood Moon¡¯s scouts more than once. Its erratic behavior and the cracked ck veins all reminded me of my father before he went mad. We stopped before the heavy barred gate that led deeper into the dungeon. The guards pushed it open, hinges groaning. The stench intensified, rotting flesh mixed with sweat and fear. Each cell held a rogue in varying states of filth and fatigue. A few cowered from the lighting in through the open door. Others watched with lifeless eyes.. I stepped forward, and the rogues reacted instantly. A few flinched and shrank back into the shadows. Others tried to hold my gaze, their eyes defiant but faltering when my wolf stirred under my skin. One by one, their eyes dropped, their bodies trembling with the weight of my Alpha aura. My wolf pushed forward eagerly. He wanted to tear into them, to prove dominance. I reined him back in. ¡®No,¡¯ I told him. I walked slowly down the corridor. Cell after cell, the same story repeated. Lifeless eyes. Filthy rags clinging to skeletal frames. The hollow stares of wolves who had long since given up and those that hadn¡¯t realized they were not getting out alive.. I scanned each of them carefully, searching for the signs I remembered: the frenzied energy, the red gleam in the eyes, the ck veins. None of them matched. 1 This was a waste of my time. ¡°I¡¯m done here,¡± I said, turning away. ¡°Alpha Ryker,¡± a hoarse voice rasped. I froze. The name made the guards stiffen. Slowly, I turned toward the sound. It hade from the veryst cell. I nced at the guard. ¡°I will speak with him alone.¡± The guard frowned. ¡°He¡¯s senile. An old rogue who mutters nonsense.¡± I let my Alpha aura re. ¡°Do not make me repeat myself.¡± The guards stiffened, exchanged nervous looks, then backed up to the far end of the corridor. Still close enough to watch me, but out of earshot, I walked to thest cell. The man inside sat slumped on the straw-covered floor, thin and sickly. His face was almost hidden beneath a wild, matted beard, but unlike the others, his clothes were clean. That detail caught my attention immediately. Someone was keeping him in better condition than the rest. That fact alone made me even more curious. The old man lifted his head to look at me. ¡°Alpha?¡± he rasped. ¡°Alpha Ryker?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Ryker,¡± I responded. ¡°Who are you?¡± 196 Bonus The man squinted and shook his head weakly, ¡°Vorgive me. The resemnce is uncanny. You even talk like him.¡± My wolf growled in my chest, unsettled by this rogno, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I was once a servant of Alpha Ryker,¡± he rasped. ¡°My name is Gideon. Are you his son? Do you remember me?¡± I stared at him. I didn¡¯t remember him, but his name did sound familiar. ¡°Vaguely,¡± Gideon gave a weakugh. ¡°No, I suppose you wouldn¡¯t. You were young. I suppose I aged poorly,¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± I pressed. ¡°silverfang locked me away. Years ago, I tried to speak of connections between your father¡¯s death and the rogues that infiltrated the banquet. They called me a liar. They said I was mad. I was thrown down here, and here I stayed,¡± I stepped closer to the bars. ¡°And now you expect me to believe you?¡± My wolf surged, demanding I break the bars and tear the man apart for daring to speak my father¡¯s name. ¡°I only want to be useful before I die,¡± Gideon rasped, ¡°I saw what happened that night at the banquet. Your father was calm, speaking as he always did. Then he took a sip of wine, and everything changed. His eyes burned red. His voice broke into something that wasn¡¯t his own. He lunged at Luna like a rabid beast.¡± My jaw tightened. That fragmented memory still haunted me. My father foaming at the mouth, his eyes unnatural, his body shaking as though possessed. ¡°You¡¯re saying it wasn¡¯t madness?¡± I demanded, ¡°The wine poisoned him. Gideon shook his head. ¡°Not madness. A toxin. I overheard one of the rogues speak of it before the chaos. He said It came from a bite, that it spread through the blood like a weapon. Experimental. Dangerous. They meant to unleash it, but your father was the first to fall victim.¡± A toxin would exin the red eyes and the sudden frenzy. My wolf snarled inside me, ¡®And why did he not say anything? That was a good question. Gideon knew about this and didn¡¯t say anything until it was toote. My hands itched to snap his neck. ¡°And you waited this long to tell someone?¡± I growled. ¡°At first, I was terrified. I didn¡¯t want to be like your father,¡± Gideon whispered. ¡°Then, I attempted to search for information. No one would believe me. They thought I was crazy. Silverfang caught me, I told them the truth. They thought I had gone senile and put me here,¡± Gideon¡¯s fear was genuine. His scent didn¡¯t lie. I felt anger for him. Another person screwed over by Silverfang and I was helpless to do anything about it, but not for long, I crouched down, lowering my voice, ¡°If what you say is true, I¡¯ll get you out of here,¡± Gideon smiled weakly and said, ¡°I don¡¯t expect kindness, Alpha. Only justice for Alpha Ryker.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get both,¡± I said. I stood abruptly, the iron bars rattling under my hand. Without another nce, I turned and walked down the corridor. The guards straightened as I approached, but I gave them no acknowledgment. I left the dungeon with my thoughts racing, my wolf restless beneath my skin. This changed everything. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 37 CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN Nn¡¯s POV I thought a shower would help clear my mind, but Gideon¡¯s words reyed over and over, refusing to let me rest. I slumped forward, my elbows rested on my knees, hands underneath my chin. I remembered that banquet as if it had been carved into my skull. My father, Alpha Ryker, stood tall at the head table, with a goblet in his hand. He spoke calmly,manding the hall without effort, until he started coughing. His eyes turned red, and foam spilled from his mouth as he lunged for my mother. I had only been a boy, but even then, I knew something was terribly wrong. A ck wolf then lunged at father, tearing into his throat. Marco and the guards dragged me away, protecting me. When the chaos cleared, I saw Alpha Rudolf, the Alpha King now, fainted outside with blood on his clothes. I knew he had killed my father. He wanted the throne. That truth had hardened me over the years, shaping everything I became. Now Gideon¡¯s story contradicted that belief and made it moreplicated. Could it be true? Had Alpha Rudolf really colluded with rogues to trap my father? Or was it just a dying rogue¡¯s attempt to twist the past and make himself useful before his end? The door opened behind me. I hadn¡¯t even heard the knock. ¡°You¡¯re brooding,¡± Marco said. I looked up, startled, not realizing how deeply I¡¯d sunk into my thoughts. He stepped into the room, closing the door behind him, a thick envelope in his hand. ¡°What?¡± I asked. He raised the envelope but didn¡¯t hand it over yet. ¡°Before I get to this, what¡¯s got you so distracted?¡± I hesitated. Marco had been at my side for years. If there was anyone, I could trust with what Gideon told me, it was him. ¡°I spoke to a prisoner today. An old rogue who ims he once served my father,¡± I said slowly. Marco arched his brow. ¡°And?¡± ¡°He says my father wasn¡¯t mad. That he was poisoned by the blood of crazy rogues that attacked our border.¡± Marco crossed the room and set the envelope down on my desk. He leaned against it, arms folded, studying me. You mean the same kind. Do you believe him?¡± I exhaled and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to believe. I watched my father lose himself in public. His eyes are red like those rogues. I know what I saw.¡± ¡°And yet this Gideon thinks there¡¯s more to it,¡± Marco pressed. ¡°Yes,¡± I snapped. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that Rudolf benefited from the chaos. He became the sole Alpha King.¡± ¡°Did you think there¡¯s a connection between Alpha King and the crazy rogues?¡± Marco asked. I nodded. Marco always can mind reading what I think. CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN +25 Bonus ¡°I see. I will pay attention to their patrol team too, trying to find any clues when the crazy rogues appear again.¡± Marco added. I nodded. ¡°What is that envelope?¡± Marco finally pushed off the desk and picked up the envelope. He gave it to me. ¡°Alpha Jason of Shadoww sent this.¡± I broke the seal and unfolded the heavy parchment. It was a wedding invitation in gold ink and the Shadoww crest. It had been written as though I¡¯d already agreed to attend, as though he and I were brothers in arms rather than reluctant allies. ¡°He says he¡¯s honored you¡¯ll be there,¡± Marco said, dry amusement in his tone. ¡°And that he¡¯ll meet with you after the Luna Ceremony.¡± I let the invitation hang between my fingers. ¡°He¡¯s eager. ¡°Too eager,¡± Marco countered. ¡°Jason is arrogant and impulsive. He¡¯s a man who acts in the moment. And he¡¯s already thrown away his fated mate bond for a cheap substitute. The idiot doesn¡¯t even realize his fated mate was the princess. You really trust him, an idiot, to be anything other than a liability?¡± ¡°No,¡± I admitted. ¡°But he¡¯s a shallow man with anger issues. That anger can be directed if I keep him on a leash.¡± Marco gave a sharpugh. ¡°Leashes break.¡± ¡°Then we need to be careful to make sure it doesn¡¯t break.¡± ¡°He¡¯s reckless,¡± Marco countered. ¡°And reckless men make mistakes,¡± I replied. ¡°Mistakes we can use.¡± ¡°And the wedding? Are you going to attend?¡± ¡°If it keeps Jason willing to do what we want him to do, yes,¡± I said without hesitation. ¡°He wants to parade his whore around as if she is worthy. I could care less. We¡¯ll stand in the crowd, smile when expected, and let him believe we¡¯re happy for him. But the moment he steps out of line¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll kill him?¡± Marco asked. I smirked and nodded. ¡°Only if he makes me.¡± Marco¡¯s frown didn¡¯t ease. He looked as if he was trying to find the right words to say. I sighed, rubbing my temples. ¡°Out with it, Marco. What¡¯s on your mind? Say what you need to say.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t think it would be appropriate for you to go. You can show you¡¯re an ally in a different way,¡± Marco answered. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, confused, ¡°What about Talia? How do you think that¡¯ll make her feel?¡± I snorted. ¡°She¡¯ll feel nothing. I have not decided if I am going to tell her we¡¯re mates. I told you already she is not my concern. My concern is getting justice for my father. I don¡¯t care about her petty issues with Jason.¡± Marco sighed. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t regret this, Nn. You see what is happening to Jason right now.¡± ¡°I am nothing like Jason,¡± I growled. +25 Bonus ¡°You know what I mean,¡± Marco stated. He left the room without another word. I stayed in my chair. I wasn¡¯t concerned about Talia or the mate bond. Gideon¡¯s rasping voice echoing in my ears. Until the day I had proof otherwise, I would believe what I had always believed. He killed my father. 1 And one day, I would make him answer for it. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 38 CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT Jason¡¯s POV +25 Bonus ¡°You pathetic weakling!¡± His voice boomed, echoing in the office. My father stood in the center, his shoulders rigid. The heavy oak table cracked under the grip of his ws sinking into the polished wood. My throat tightened. Every instinct screamed at me to lower my head, to make myself small, but I forced my chin up. My palms were sweaty, and my heart pounded so hard I thought he might hear it. The insult burned more than I wanted to admit. No matter what I did, no matter how much I schemed or fought, his voice always managed to cut straight through me. My wolf growled low in my chest, hating the shame, hating the submission, but it didn¡¯t matter. Against my father, we both bowed. ¡°What did I tell you?¡± he growled. ¡°I¡­I talked with Talia. She didn¡¯t want to¡­¡± ¡°Enough of your excuses!¡± he snapped, cutting me off. His eyes burned with disgust, and the vein in his forehead pulsed with each word. ¡°You let a weak she-wolf, an omega no less, humiliate you before the entire kingdom. And you failed to bring her back?! You¡¯re actually telling me you couldn¡¯t even manage that?!¡± Shame burned my cheeks. The memory of Talia calmly epting my rejection reyed in my mind, her cold words felt like she had stabbed me in my heart. My wolf stirred restlessly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t force her. That would¡¯ve angered Prince Solon,¡± I exined. My father snarled, ¡°Do I have to hold your hand with everything? Do I have to think of everything for you? The Council would have handled Prince Solon. Prince Solon is not permitted to interfere with a fated mate bond ¨C rejected or not.¡± I gritted my teeth, trying to hold my father¡¯s gaze. ¡°She¡¯s not important anymore,¡± I forced out, though my voice cracked under the strain. ¡°I¡¯ve secured something better, Father.¡± His brow arched, skepticism gleaming in his eyes. ¡°Better?¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve secured an alliance with the Blood Moon Pack. Alpha Nn has agreed to work with us really.¡± His fury faltered and he straightened up. His grip eased from the table, ws retracting. Interest reced rage, a calcting glint sparking in his gaze. ¡°Alpha Nn¡­¡± he repeated. ¡°Are you sure he agreed?¡± ¡°Yes, he RSVP¡¯d for the wedding,¡± I responded. My father stepped back slowly, his hand rising to stroke his chin. ¡°If you¡¯re telling the truth, this changes everything.¡± I exhaled, the air rushing out of me like I¡¯d been holding it for hours. My chest still ached from the pressure of his Alpha aura. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you, Father,¡± I said, trying not to sound desperate to appease him, His eyes narrowed, studying me. Then, slowly, he gave a curt nod. ¡°You may have some spine after all.¡± Relief washed over me. I had bought myself a small amount of approval, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Nothing I did was ever enough for him. CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT +25 Bonus ¡°This may work,¡± my father muttered, pacing a short line across the war room. ¡°This might actually work.¡± The silence stretched. My heart raced, waiting for him to continue. What was he thinking? I wanted to ask, but I knew better than to interrupt him while he was working things out. Finally, he turned back to me. ¡°You¡¯ve made a mess of things with Talia. That humiliation won¡¯t be forgotten easily. But since you secured the alliance with Nn, that pathetic omega no longer matters. Your alliancees first ¨C nothing else.¡± This was a small victory, but it was short lived. My father abruptly pointed a finger at me. ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted again. Your main objective must remain the same: iming the Alpha King¡¯s throne.¡± ¡°Yes, father,¡± I agreed. His expression changed for only a second. He looked regretful. ¡°You need to finish what I couldn¡¯t,¡± he muttered to himself. My eyes widened. My father had always portrayed himself as perfect as if he never made a mistake. I blurted out, You¡­ you tried to take the throne before?¡± 1 ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Don¡¯t let sentiment or hesitation cost you the crown,¡± my father warned in a tone that meant he wasn¡¯t up for discussing his past mistakes. I straightened, forcing confidence into my voice. ¡°I won¡¯t fail.¡± ¡°See that you don¡¯t.¡± When I left the office, my legs felt like they were made of stone. I dragged a hand through my hair, my fingers trembling. If I hadn¡¯t mentioned Nn when I did, if I hadn¡¯t offered him some sort of strategy, he would have sent me to the infirmary a bloody mess. And yet, I didn¡¯t feel relieved. I felt more stressed. My father¡¯s approval was fickle. One mistake, one hesitation, and I¡¯d be back under his boot. I clenched my fists until my ws dug into my palms. I couldn¡¯t let that happen. I couldn¡¯t afford another humiliation. This time, I would prove myself. I had to. ¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 39 CHAPTER THIRTY NINE CHAPTER THIRTY NINE Jason¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Later that afternoon, I summoned Roy, my top warrior, and Henry, my trusted beta, into the war chamber. Henry arrived first. I found him lounging casually against the edge of the map table, arms folded across his chest. ¡°What is this about, Alpha?¡± he asked. ¡°ns for the future,¡± I replied, and Henry nodded. Roy arrived a few minutester. We heard his heavy steps before he entered the chamber. His gray-streaked hair wasbed neatly back, and he wore the ck uniform of Shadoww¡¯s chief warrior. ¡°Alpha. Beta,¡± he greeted. I stood at the head of the table. ¡°The warriors have been cking,¡± I said tly. ¡°Daily drills will be reinstated immediately, double the frequency. Shadoww is preparing to rise, and we can¡¯t do that with azy pack.¡± Roy gave a single nod. ¡°Understood, Alpha. I will see to it personally.¡± I turned to Henry. He nodded firmly. ¡°I will assist Roy to make it happen.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°From now on, every patrol goes armed, and every border is reinforced. No more distinctions between rogues and spies. If anything moves, it gets reported. No exceptions.¡± ¡°And what of the alliance with Blood Moon?¡± Henry asked. ¡°Alpha Nn is a wildcard and is no friend of ours. Do you really trust him?¡± I shifted my gaze between the two men, a slow smile tugging at my lips. ¡°Trust? No. Nn is blinded by his hatred of the Alpha King. He wants to see the crown fall so badly he can¡¯t see anything else. While he¡¯s busy tearing at the king¡¯s throat, we keep our heads down ¨C let them bleed each other dry. Once they¡¯re weak enough, Shadoww will strike¡­ and in the chaos, I¡¯ll take the throne for myself.¡±/ Roy grinned in approval. ¡°It is about time for a new order. Shadoww¡¯s warriors stand with you, Alpha.¡± ¡°See to it they stay that way,¡± I ordered. ¡°Anyone even looking like they are doubting me will be sent to the dungeon or banished. I¡¯ll leave it up to your discretion.¡± Roy dipped his head in obedience, but I caught a flicker in his eyes, a hesitation he did not voice. His silencested too long. Henry noticed too. ¡°Spit it out, Roy,¡± Henry barked. Roy red at Henry before saying, ¡°There¡¯s another matter I wanted to discuss, Alpha. I wanted to speak with you about the Luna Ceremony.¡± ¡°And what is your concern?¡± I asked. ¡°We need to hold it soon,¡± Roy pressed on, his tone implying that this wasn¡¯t up for negotiation. My wolf growled within me at his insolence. Roy had always been arrogant. My wolf itched to put him in his ce. ¡°And we will,¡± I said. ¡°Sooner thanter, Alpha. The pack is restless. They need stability. They need to see Viki crowned and acknowledged as Luna. That ceremony will settle the doubts about leadership, doubts that have been festering since the fiasco with Talia.¡± CHAPTER THIRTY NINE +25 Bonus He was right. Talia had made me look like a fool. Whispers of weakness had spread through Shadoww like wildfire. Some had already left us for other packs. If I didn¡¯t crown Viki soon, more might follow. Before I could answer, Henry scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re eager for that ceremony, Roy. Could it be because the future Luna is your daughter?¡± Roy¡¯s nostrils red. ¡°Watch your tongue, Beta.¡± Henry retorted. ¡°Why? Because I spoke the truth? You didn¡¯t give a damn about Luna Talia. You never respected her. But now suddenly, Luna¡¯s importance is sacred? You only care because it benefits your bloodline.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t about my daughter. This is about the pack. Shadoww cannot rise if our wolves believe their Alpha cannot secure a proper Luna,¡± Roy argued. Henry pushed off the table, stepping forward with fury. ¡°The pack had a proper Luna and your daughter got rid of her. The pack doesn¡¯t need a Luna right this second.¡± He turned to look at me. ¡°Alpha. What they need is an Alpha who doesn¡¯t rush into stupid decisions because his top warrior is desperate to see his ¡®little girl¡¯ wear a crown.¡± Roy¡¯s face flushed. ¡°Viki will make the whole pack proud. You¡¯ll eat your words when you see her standing by Alpha¡¯s side.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I growled, my voice echoing. ¡°I¡¯ll announce the ceremony by the end of the week. The pack will have their Luna, and the doubts will end.¡± Tension left Roy¡¯s body. He bowed to me with satisfaction. ¡°My daughter will not disappoint you, Alpha. I will take my leave now.¡± He shot a re at Henry before leaving. ¡°Prick,¡± Henry muttered. ¡°yes, but he is our best warrior. Humor him,¡± I replied. I noticed Henry looked guarded. ¡°Are you really that upset about him?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s something else,¡± Henry said. ¡°Something else?¡± I asked, walking toward the liquor cab. He shifted uneasily. ¡°I¡¯ve been helping Viki with the ceremony logistics¡­¡± ¡°Ipletely understand if you don¡¯t want to help her. That is what the omegas are for. I¡¯ll tell her,¡± I said, cutting him off. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. There¡¯s something odd going on with Viki.¡± I poured myself a ss of whiskey. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°She¡¯s been visiting the hospital frequently, more than usual. I overheard a nurse mention she¡¯s been on prescription medication,¡± Henry exined. I frowned and my grip tightened around the ss. ¡°Medication? What kind?¡± Henry shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know but the number of her visits doesn¡¯t add up. And she¡¯s been taking private cars, not the usual escorts.¡± I drank the entire ss and poured another. Was there something wrong with the pup? Why would she hide this from me? ¡°Find out what she¡¯s been doing there,¡± I ordered. ¡°I need things clear with her before the Luna Ceremony.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 40 CHAPTER FORTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER FORTY Viki¡¯s POV The pounding in my head returned as soon as I stepped out of the medical wing. My vision blurred for a second, and I had to steady myself against the wall. The faint floral scent of the Redbone Flower still lingered in my nose and the sickening sweetness on my tongue made me gag. I clutched the packet of painkillers in my hand, the doctor¡¯s warning still echoing in my ears. He had dared to raise his voice at me today. I should¡¯ve had him sent to the dungeon. ¡°Miss Viki, you¡¯re being reckless! The poison is building in your blood. If you keep taking the extract, you¡¯re not going to survive the ceremony!¡± the pack doctor had scolded. ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± I had hissed, tossing the money onto his desk. ¡°You¡¯ll keep giving me the doses until I tell you otherwise. Speak a word of this, and I¡¯ll slit your throat myself.¡± Coward that he was, he bowed his head and scribbled another prescription. Men in Shadoww were all the same. They were spineless when it came down to it. 1 My stomach twisted again as I walked down the corridor. I pressed a hand to my belly, faking the protective gesture of an expectant mother as omegas walked by. The pain was sharper now, like a thousand wasp stings all over my body. ¡®You¡¯re going to kill us if you keep this up,¡¯ my wolf growled within me. ¡®I am reaching my limit with healing us.¡¯ She sounded exhausted, but we had to endure. We hade too far to fail. The Luna Ceremony was only days away. Once it was done, the whole kingdom would recognize me as the rightful Luna of Shadoww. And Jason would be right where I wanted him. He¡¯d never be able to reject me after that. He¡¯d already chosen power over love, over Talia. It was only a matter of time before he gave up on her entirely. ¡°Viki?¡± I turned swiftly, adjusting my expression. Henry, Jason¡¯s Beta, stood at the other end of the hallway, brows lifted in concern. Of course, he¡¯d be here always skulking and not minding his own business. ¡°Henry,¡± I said, smiling warmly. ¡°What brings you here?¡± He nced at the packet of pills in my hand. ¡°I could ask you the same. You¡¯ve been visiting the medical wing a lottely. Did you decide to stay close to home instead of going to the hospital?¡± I let out a breathyugh and cradled my stomach. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. The doctor says the herbs help stabilize the pregnancy.¡± ¡°So, is there something wrong with the pup?¡± ¡°No, of course not. It¡¯s just regr precautions. I just want my son to be big and healthy,¡± I said, rubbing my stomach. Henry nodded, but his gaze lingered on my face. ¡°You look a little pale.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve barely slept,¡± I replied smoothly. ¡°You know how important the ceremony is. I¡¯ve been preparing every detail. It¡¯s exhausting, but it¡¯ll all be worth it soon.¡± He nodded politely and said, ¡°Take care of yourself, ok?¡± I watched him walk away, letting my fake smile fall. CHAPTER FORTY +25 Bonus Jason must¡¯ve sent him to check up on me which meant I needed to be more careful. It didn¡¯t matter what Henry told him. I had said the right things, and Jason wouldn¡¯t question it further. Back in my room, I closed the door and leaned against it for a moment, finally allowing myself to rx. The painkiller had begun to dull the pain, but I still felt weak. I dragged myself to the vanity and stared at my reflection. There were dark circles forming under my eyes, and my skin had lost some of its luster. Nothing a little makeup couldn¡¯t fix. I dabbed on foundation, smoothed my lips with tinted balm, and pinned my hair into an elegant knot. (1 I thought about what would happen during the ceremony. Just thinking about Talia being there made me want to break something. I did everything to get her out of the picture, and they were bringing her back. It was a p to the face. ¡®We should have just killed her,¡¯ my wolf muttered. But what was the fun of that? I wanted her to suffer, so she would never dream of climbing to a higher status again. If Talia dared to return, I¡¯d fall right in front of everyone, perhaps down a flight of stairs. I¡¯ll clutch my stomach, weep and howl that she pushed me, or poisoned my tea. Whatever worked best. I¡¯d find a witness. Maybe her former maid that betrayed her before to make it sting even more when no one would believe her. Then, I would get to watch Jason tear her apart for killing his heir. And if Talia didn¡¯t show like the coward she was, I¡¯d just wait a few weeks and im I lost the baby from stress. Once I had Luna status, it wouldn¡¯t matter whether there ever was a child or not. Sympathy was as effective a tool as scandal. Support Share ???? Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 41 CHAPTER FORTY ONE CHAPTER FORTY ONE Jason¡¯s POV +25 Bonus I had no patience for Viki today. Her constant pestering about the Luna Ceremony was starting to get on my nerves. I¡¯d told her more than once that the ceremony would happen after I secured the alliance, but she wouldn¡¯t listen. Viki continued to send a dozen messages demanding my input on pointless things like fittings, guest lists, and flower preferences. It had gotten to a point that I put her on not disturbing my phone to get some peace. Then, she had sent omegas to check on me when she didn¡¯t get a response from me within two minutes. It was exhausting. Talia had never been like that. She never asked me for opinions on trivial things. She just knew how to lead, how to act like a Luna without needing my permission. Theparison angered me every time it crossed my mind, and I hated that I couldn¡¯t stop making it. I stayed in my office, lying to her about being deep in strategy meetings. I mostly just wanted to have a moment to myself without being talked to death about the Luna Ceremony. At least she respected the fact that I was in meetings and left me alone. While leaning back enjoying my third ss of whisky, the door burst open causing me to spill the whisky all over the desk and my shirt. Henry stepped in and quickly locked the door behind me. ¡°What now?¡± I growled cleaning up the mess I made. When I looked up because Henry didn¡¯t respond, I noted his expression. He looked disgusted and angry. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I repeated. Henry walked over and offered me a yellow man folder. ¡°You need to see this.¡± I opened it. It was a medical report for Viki. I scanned the prescriptions, the dosages, and the apanying notes. Then my eyes caught blood test results and the bolded phrase: High Levels of Redbone Essence. I frowned. ¡°That¡¯s just an herbal supplement for her nausea, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Henry said. ¡°Redbone essencees from the Redbone Flower which is toxic. It causes bloating, fatigue, and temporary hormone shifts, but it slowly poisons the person taking it.¡± My hands clenched the edge of the folder. ¡°You¡¯re saying someone poisoned Viki?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not pregnant,¡± Henry stated. ¡°She never was. That flower is used by wolves trying to trick others into believing they¡¯re expecting. It is an old trick, and the flower is hard toe by now.¡± ¡°Do you have proof of this?¡± I asked. ¡°I knew you would say this. Flip to thest page,¡± Henry replied, I flipped to thest page and there was a full breakdown of what Redbone Flower is and the side effects. Henry was telling the truth. A growl rumbled from my chest, deep and low and I threw my whisky ss at the wall. ¡®You fool!¡¯ my wolf snarled within me. ¡®I told you Viki was a liar. I told you she was beneath us and now, we have lost our mate!¡¯ ¡°Was there ever a pup?¡± I asked, hoping that maybe Viki had lost the pup and was scared of my reaction. ¡°I am sorry, Alpha. She was never pregnant,¡± Henry added grimly, I half expected Henry to tell me I told you so, but he remained silent waiting for my next order. I shoved back from the desk. ¡°Where is she?¡± CHAFTLE ROSITY ONE +25 Bonus ¡°At home. Still thinking the Luna Ceremony is on schedule,¡± Henry replied. ¡°Good. Keep it that way,¡± I said. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Henry asked. ¡°Get the car ready,¡± I responded. I kept my expression neutral as I left the office. Inside, I was seething. The drive home felt like an eternity. I mmed my hands down on the steering wheel in frustration. Every pack member wouldugh if they found out. Jason, the Alpha, yed like a fool by a scheming woman. The thought made my teeth grind. ¡®Let me out! I will make her regret ever lying to us!¡¯ my wolf begged me. I wanted to agree but I had to think of the bigger picture. Roy, her father, was my top warrior. He was arrogant, but he was valuable. I needed him if I was to be Alpha King. Making an enemy out of him would not benefit me right now. So I swallowed the urge. I would not kill Viki tonight. But I would not make a fool out of her just like he had done to me. When I got home, Viki was lounging on the chaise in one of her satin robes. She looked startled and quickly stood
¡°Jason,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re home early. Is something wrong?¡± Her shrill voice intensified the headache I had. My wolf wed against my skin, urging me to rip her throat out, to end her deception here and now. But I forced him back down. I stepped forward, grabbing the remote, and turning the tv off. ¡°Go get dressed.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°What? Why? It¡¯s 9pm.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going out tonight. I¡¯m tired of eating the food here at the pack house. I want something different tonight,¡± I said, forcing a smile on my face. Her worried expression quickly reced my giddiness. She leaned forward to kiss me but I turned my head. She kissed me on my cheek. Her touching me made me sick to my stomach. ¡°A surprise, right?! I¡¯ll go get ready now!¡± I watched as she rushed back to the bedroom. The opportunity to go out and be seen made her ignore the fact that I was enraged. Talia would have been able to notice. How could I have been so blind to not see how much of a lying maniptive bitch Viki was? ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Viki said cheerfully as she walked up dressed in a form fitting yellow dress. Every bone in my body screamed for me to strangle the life out of her. I couldn¡¯t do it. I would do something so much worse. I would take back everything she gained by forcing Talia out. ¡°Come on then. I¡¯m starving,¡± I said, leading her out of the packhouse. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 42 CHAPTER FORTY TWO CHAPTER FORTY TWO Jason¡¯s POV The ride should have been silent. +25 Bonus Instead, Viki filled every moment with her endless chatter about the Luna Ceremony: color palettes, flower arrangements, guest counts, the type of crown she wanted crafted for the ceremony. Each word chipped away at what little control I had left. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly I thought I would break my hand. She didn¡¯t notice. Or maybe she didn¡¯t care. Goddess, she was so selfish and vain. I hated to admit but I missed Talia. The thought only intensified my anger. ¡°¡­and for the reception, I thought gold ents with crimson tablecloths would be perfect,¡± she continued, her hands waving dramatically. ¡°It will give the impression of strength, of prestige. Exactly what Shadoww needs.¡± ¡®Just let me throw her out of the car. Then, we can run her over,¡¯ my wolf suggested. By the time we pulled off the main road and onto the narrow trail that cut toward the northern border, I thought I would take my wolf up on his offer. The car stopped, and I stepped out first, inhaling the cool night air. Viki frowned, peering outside. ¡°What¡¯s going on? This isn¡¯t the restaurant.¡± I walked around to her side of the car. She still sat in her seat looking bewildered. I grabbed her by the wrist and slung her out of the car. Viki crashed into the mud, ruining her dress and satin heels. Her eyes widened in confusion. She slowly pulled herself up. ¡°Jason, what the hell? Do you know how much this dress cost? What has gotten¡­¡± I cut her off by throwing the folder at her. It struck her chest, the report slipping out of the folder before falling to the ground at her feet. ¡°That¡¯s what has gotten into me, Viki. Care to exin?¡± She bent down, snatched it up, and flipped through the contents. As her eyes scanned the pages, the blood drained from her face. Her hands trembled, clutching the folder as though she might tear it apart to erase the truth inside. Her head snapped toward me, her lips parting. ¡°I can exin.¡± ¡°Well, go on then: I¡¯d love to hear your exnation,¡± I growled. The words vibrated from deep in my chest, thick with my wolf¡¯s fury. ¡°I¡­that¡¯s not¡­you don¡¯t understand,¡± she stammered, her voice faltering. ¡°It was because I love you! Don¡¯t you see? I didn¡¯t want to lose you to that omega! I had to do something!¡±/ ¡°So you thought lying about the pregnancy was the best way to do that?¡± ¡°I had to show you I was the right choice for you. I did all of this because I love you.¡± Viki argued. ¡°You think love justifies betrayal?¡± I asked, my voice low, dangerous. She rushed forward a step, desperation twisting her features, ¡°I did it for us,¡± she cried. ¡°I knew that omega trash was not right for you. I had to show what she really was. And the pregnancy was my way of doing it. It would get you your father¡¯s favor and¡­¡± My wolf surged, snarling, his rage spilling into my voice, ¡°You¡¯re not carrying my heir, Viki!¡± I roared, cutting her off. The mention of Talia¡¯s name snapped the fragile thread of restraint I had been clinging to. ¡°All that¡¯s in your stomach is poison!¡± She flinched, then forced herself closer, tears streaking down her face. Her voice cracked, shrill with panic. ¡°We can still fix this, Jason! Please, just give me a chance. I can still make you proud. I can still be your Luna!¡± Viki CHAPTER FORTY TWO +25 Bonus reached for me, and I jerked away from her. ¡°You will never put your disgusting hands on me again,¡± I growled. ¡°Jason, please, don¡¯t be like that,¡± Viki begged. ¡°I love you. You have to believe me. Why would I go through all of this if I didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°You did it all for yourself,¡± I taunted. ¡°I could never ept a Luna who would lie and manipte to get what she wants. What would you do if you decided I was no longer good enough for you?¡± ¡°Jason, please. I would never do that to you,¡± Viki pleaded, reaching for me again. ¡°I am not willing to find out,¡± I said tly. Viki¡¯s me?¡± eyes widened in fear, and she took a step back from me. ¡°What are you saying? What are you going to do to ¡°I, Alpha Jason, banish you, Viki Mayers, from Shadoww,¡± I said coldly. Viki gripped her chest in pain as she could feel the pack bond snap. Her mouth fell open, disbelief painted across her face. Tears began streaming down her face. ¡°Take it back,¡± she whispered. ¡°After everything, after what we¡¯ve been through, you can¡¯t mean this.¡± ¡°I stood by you when you ruined my pack and my reputation only to find out that you¡¯ve been lying to my face this entire time,¡± I said. ¡°I mean this Viki. You should be grateful I didn¡¯t kill you! I don¡¯t ever want to see you again.¡± Her shriek split the air. ¡°No!¡± She lunged, her nails shing as she reached for me. The warriors I¡¯d stationed in the shadows stepped out, restrained her, but she twisted violently, slipping past them like a feral cat. ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡± Viki screamed, her voice ragged and wild. ¡°Everyone knows you threw away your fated mate for me! If you cast me out now, you¡¯ll be the biggest joke among all the packs! I sent invitations already!¡± I turned sharply. My wolf snarled, tearing at the inside of my skin, demanding blood. In one swift motion, my hand shot out, mping around her throat. I mmed her back into a tree, the bark cracking under the impact. Her feet dangled as I pinned her there, my grip tightening. Her eyes bulged with fear, her hands wing at my wrist. One flex of my fingers, and I could end her right here. The temptation was intoxicating ¡°What did you say?¡± I snarled, my fangs lengthening as my wolf surged dangerously close to the surface. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 43 CHAPTER FORTY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER FORTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV I stood near the open window, the wind brushing my cheek as I waited for Solon to finish his phone call. As soon as he said his goodbyes, Solon focused his attention back on me. ¡°I heard the southern border is back safe again,¡± he said. ¡°Indeed, it is. The rogue attack from the southern border has been handled. No injuries on our side, and the scouts confirmed it wasn¡¯t a pack incursion,¡± I reported to Solon. Solon, seated behind his desk, nodded with approval. ¡°Good work. You¡¯ve been handling the border well, even with everything going on.¡± Since returning to Silverfang, Solon had given me oversight of the southern patrols, an area that he once solely managed. Now that I was supposed to rule alongside him, allowing me to manage the southern patrols was a show of trust that I appreciated. ¡°I found out more information about the rogue Alpha Nn is looking for,¡± I continued. Solon looked up in surprise. ¡°Talia, I told you to stay away from him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I am. That is not how I found out about the rogue,¡± I said. ¡°Then, who did he tell?¡± Solon asked. ¡°He didn¡¯t tell anyone,¡± I replied. ¡°The guards that escorted Alpha Nn down into the dungeon overheard a conversation he had with a prisoner about a rogue whose eyes turn red when angry,¡± I exined. ¡°Do you know which prisoner?¡± Solon asked. ¡°The senior rogue in thest cell. The one that is always rambling,¡± I answered. Solon¡¯s gaze lingered for a second longer than usual. ¡°So, he wasn¡¯t lying.¡± ¡°Seems like it,¡± I said. ¡°He wasn¡¯t lying about this one thing doesn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯te here with ill intentions. This information doesn¡¯t change anything. He is still dangerous, so still, be cautious with him.¡± ¡°I will. You don¡¯t have to worry about me, Solon,¡± I agreed. After he returned to reviewing a report, I began stacking stray documents. His desk was always cluttered, despite how organized he tried to appear. Solon lived in organized chaos. I saw a crimson envelope underneath a stack of papers. Solon noticed my line of sight and said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with that. It¡¯s nothing important.¡± ¡°Now, you know that is going to make me more curious about this letter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. You¡¯re not going to find that interesting.¡± ¡°What are you hiding, dear brother?¡± I asked as I picked it up. The wax crest had already been opened. I reopened the letter and the mischievous smile on my face dropped as soon as I saw the Shadoww¡¯s symbol embedded in deep crimson. Alpha Jason Dalton and Miss Viki Mayers invite you to celebrate their union at the Shadoww Estate, next full moon. CHAPTER FORTY THREE +25 Bonus That was next week. I stared at the invitation, rereading the gold lettering to ensure I wasn¡¯t imagining things. Jason wasn¡¯t just recing me; he was making it public. He had thrown away our five-year rtionship, our fated mate bond as if it was nothing but a passing fling. And Viki had got exactly what she wanted. I tucked the invitation back into the envelope and put it back on his desk. ¡°So, Viki finally gets to be Luna.¡± Solon snatched the envelope and threw it into his trash can. ¡°Jason¡¯s a disgrace. He betrayed you. Let that slut publicly insult you with that fake apology and then have the guts to invite every Alpha to his sham of a marriage as if he¡¯s proud of it.¡± ¡°Solon, he IS proud of it,¡± I said evenly. ¡°He is a very vain man. He has always wanted to look powerful. In his mind, Viki will allow him to do that because she¡¯s not an omega. So, I¡¯m not surprised by this.¡± I¡¯m just disappointed, I thought, but I had already given up on our rtionship. There was no going back for me after this kind of betrayal. ¡°You should be furious,¡± Solon said. ¡°You were his mate for years, and now he¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t care what he does. He and his pack are no longer my problem,¡± I interrupted, even though my throat felt tight. Solon stared at me for a long moment. ¡°You¡¯ve grown, Talia.¡± I shrugged with a smile. ¡°I had to.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t attend,¡± Solon dered. ¡°You might have to,¡± I replied. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t celebrate someone who betrayed my little sister with a slutty homewrecker,¡± Solon swore. ¡°Shadoww is the thirdrgest pack. With our father stepping down soon, your attendance would be expected. Political optics matter right now,¡± I exined. ¡°But I appreciate the gesture.¡± Solon let out a sharp breath. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make sure he knows how I feel about Alphas who betray their fated mate bonds. That fool has no idea what he lost.¡± I nodded slowly. ¡°That¡¯s his loss. At least now I know the truth. If he¡¯d known who I was from the start, he probably would¡¯ve continued pretending. I might not have ever known his true intentions.¡± Solon¡¯s gaze softened slightly, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned away and returned to scanning the reports on rogue activity I¡¯d submitted earlier. ¡°I was meaning to discuss strategy for the northern border,¡± Solon said, changing the subject. Before he could continue, there was a knock on his door. ¡°Come in,¡± Solon called. De stepped in grinning from ear to ear, ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but I have some good news.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 44 CHAPTER FORTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER FORTY FOUR Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Oh Goddess, I know that look. What juicy gossip do you have now?¡± Iughed. Deid the folder on Solon¡¯s desk and flipped it open without waiting for permission. Inside was a printed screenshot of a blurry image. Jason and Viki were mid-argument near the Shadoww border. Jason looked tense while Viki appeared frantic. ¡°Someone posted this an hour ago,¡± De said, tapping the photo. ¡°And it¡¯s already been shared across several pack gossip groups. People are saying Viki was banished from Shadoww.¡± I leaned over the image. ¡°What? They had a fight?¡± Solon nced over, arms crossed. ¡°Or she got herself kicked out,¡± he said tly. ¡°Seems like Jason found out something he didn¡¯t like about his ¡®perfect little Luna¡¯.¡± I looked at another image. Viki¡¯s mouth was open in mid-yell, one arm outstretched toward Jason. She didn¡¯t look like a smug bitch giving orders and throwing insults. She looked like a desperate woman being thrown away. ¡°That¡¯s what she gets. Now she¡¯ll know what it feels like to be betrayed by someone she cared about,¡¯ my wolf snorted. I wasn¡¯t too sure. Viki was a schemer. Could this be another stunt to garner sympathy? ¡°Are we sure these images aren¡¯t fake?¡± I asked. ¡°Shadoww¡¯s reputation is tanking. I can see her pulling a stunt like this to get people to feel bad about her.¡± ¡°No, I think this is real,¡± De countered. ¡°Viki would have never let herself look this pathetic.¡± Solon removed the red envelope from the stack of papers I had just organized. He showed it to De. ¡°Look. This came in the mail a few days ago. The wedding is still on for next week. All ten pack Alphas have already RSVP¡¯d. If something changed, Shadoww would have to exin why publicly. That kind of humiliation would be a disaster. I think this is just another one of Viki¡¯s stunts.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s acting,¡± De replied with a snort. ¡°And Jason¡¯s too stiff. I know that posture. That¡¯s a man who¡¯s about to explode from anger. My instincts say this marriage is dead.¡± I rubbed my temple, trying to make sense of it. ¡°If it¡¯s true, it¡¯s odd that neither of them has made a formal statement. Shadoww isn¡¯t usually this silent when ites to major announcements.¡± De shrugged. ¡°Or maybe Jason¡¯s hoping no one finds out until after he fixes it. And by fixing it I mean convincing you toe back to him. He¡¯s going toe crawling back to you, tail between his legs, in a day or so. Maybe sooner.¡± Solonughed under his breath. ¡°You talk a big game for someone who doesn¡¯t have a mate.¡± De red at him. ¡°I have a boyfriend.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Solon challenged. ¡°None of your business. Maybe if you weren¡¯t so emotionally constipated, someone would mate with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to turn this on me,¡± Solon said. ¡°Better yet, I¡¯ll make a bet with you. If you¡¯re right, I¡¯ll buy you whatever you want.¡± ¡°You might as well give me your card now because I know I¡¯m right,¡± De shot back. CHAPTER FORTY FOUR +25 Bonus ¡°Enough,¡± I said, hiding a small smile. ¡°You two are worse than children.¡± Before either could reply, my phone buzzed. I nced down and froze. Jason. De leaned over my shoulder to see who was calling me. She then held her hand out to Solon. ¡°I told you so,¡± De hummed and then stuck her tongue out at Solon. ¡°You haven¡¯t won yet,¡± Solon said before turning to me. ¡°Are you going to see what he wants?¡± ¡°I¡¯m debating on ignoring him or throwing the phone across the room,¡± I responded. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t do that. I have a bet to win. Answer the phone,¡± De urged. I rolled my eyes and slid my thumb across the screen. I put the call on the speaker. ¡°Jason, I told you I was done with you at the caf¨¦,¡± I said. ¡°Talia, please, just listen,¡± Jason pleaded. His tone surprised me as he had never used it with me. ¡°You have thirty seconds,¡± I said coldly. ¡°I messed up. I am so sorry Talia,¡± Jason confessed. ¡°Viki lied to me. I should¡¯ve listened to you. Please, I just need to exin everything to you in person!¡± I didn¡¯t answer right away. My wolf growled low within me. She was disgusted by the sound of Jason¡¯s voice. Even now, after everything, part of me wanted to scream at him for the betrayal, but I kept my tone neutral. ¡°Not interested,¡± I said. ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t hang up. I won¡¯t make her my Luna,¡± Jason said quickly. ¡°So what? It doesn¡¯t change the fact that you cheated on me with her,¡± I argued. ¡°Talia, please, just give me another chance. I¡¯ll make it up to you!¡± ¡°No, Jason. I want nothing from you. I will NEVER forgive you. Don¡¯t ever call me again. We are done,¡± I hung up and blocked his number. Support Share CHA +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 45 CHAPTER FORTY FIVE Viki¡¯s POV The tray ttered loudly as Henry dropped it on the small table near the wall. The smell of roasted meat and steamed greens filled the room, but I barely noticed. My appetite was gone the moment I saw the judgment in his eyes. ¡°Please,¡± I said softly, forcing a tremble into my voice. ¡°Just let me talk to Jason. Just once. I need to exin.¡± Henry didn¡¯t move. He stood by the door, arms crossed. ¡°Exin?¡± His voice was low and bitter. ¡°Exin how you lied to your Alpha? Faked a pregnancy? Framed his true mate? No. More like you¡¯ll make up more lies to manipte your way out of this situation. I don¡¯t think so.¡± I bit the inside of my cheek, letting tears spill freely. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt anyone. I only¡­¡± ¡°Save it.¡± He cut me off, disgust shing across his face. ¡°You drove Talia, our real Luna, away with your lies. You humiliated our pack with your antics. And now you want sympathy? You¡¯re disgusting. You never deserved to be Luna. I don¡¯t even know what Alpha Jason was thinking to believe for a second that you were better than Talia.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I loved him. I did it all because I love Jason. Please, I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re being allowed to stay in your room and not the dungeon, where you belong,¡± Henry interrupted. ¡°Please, Henry. Just let me speak to him,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you understand?¡± he said tly. ¡°The only reason you¡¯re still breathing is because Jason pities you more than he hates you.¡± I bowed my head and sobbed louder, hoping he¡¯d feel even a sliver of guilt. Henry scoffed and said, ¡°Your tricks won¡¯t work on me.¡± He turned toward the door. ¡°Henry¡­¡± I reached for him, my hand touching his back. I felt his body tense and then he spun, grabbing me by my already bruised throat. ¡°Keep your mouth shut!¡± Henry growled. My eyes widened in surprise at Henry¡¯s cruelty. I knew he was one of Talia¡¯s biggest supporters, but I didn¡¯t think he was this loyal to her. I should have convinced Jason to get rid of him when I had the chance. ¡°Alpha Jason already gave me permission to discipline you if you step out of line.¡± Henry tossed me away from him. I managed to only stumble backward and stay on my feet. ¡°In three days, the Luna Ceremony will go forward. After that, Alpha will let you go quietly. It¡¯s more than you deserve.¡± He left my room, mming the door and locking it behind him. I slumped to the floor and screamed into my hands in anger and exhaustion. My wolf growled within me, angry that Henry had spoken to me like that. If the Redbone Flower toxins weren¡¯t still in my system, she would have surfaced and made him think twice about treating us like this. I crawled over to my vanity table and slowly pulled myself onto the chair. My neck and back still ached from where Jason had grabbed me. I unwrapped the scarf I¡¯d tied around my neck. The bruises were dark now, blooming purple and red along my pale skin. I traced them gently with a fingertip, then reached for the ointment on my vanity table and began applying it. CHAPTER FORTY FIVE +25 Bonus Since Jason¡¯s attempt to banish me, I¡¯ve been locked away. My father wasn¡¯t even allowed to see me, not that he would. I¡¯m sure he has written me off as a failure by now. The only reason I was still here in the Shadoww pack house and not dead at the border was because I¡¯d screamed that I¡¯d already sent the wedding invitations. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me, and you can¡¯t banish me,¡± I repeated while he choked me, ¡°because the invitations already went out.¡± Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You think that¡¯s going to save you?¡± he growled, easing his grip a little. ¡°If you kick me out now, before the Luna Ceremony, what do you think the other Alphas will think of you?¡± I asked. ¡°What do you think your father will do if he finds out you messed up again?¡± If he tossed me out now, he¡¯d face a scandal that would ruin his name, destroy his chance at power, and humiliate his father. Jason released me, and I gasped and coughed as I inhaled the much-needed air. ¡°Thank you, Jason. I knew you-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing this because I care about you,¡± Jason snapped. ¡°I¡¯m keeping you alive to avoid political embarrassment. After the Luna Ceremony, you will leave Shadoww and nevere back.¡± ¡°Jason, please, you can¡¯t do this to me!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, I will inform the Elders. You will be dered guilty of treason for deceiving an Alpha,¡± Jason responded coldly. ¡°The punishment for that is hanging until death. Choose wisely, Viki.¡± I shivered at the memory. His voice had been calm and emotionless. My wolf trembled inside me at the thought of that rope around our throat. But I wasn¡¯t going to let it happen. I was not defeated yet. I was going to be Luna whether Jason wanted me to or not. I wrapped the scarf back around my neck and stood, staring at my reflection. I looked awful. I was pale, with flushed cheeks. My eyes were red, with dark circles underneath them. This was all Talia¡¯s fault! I would have never had to take the Redbone Flower essence if Talia had just stayed in her ce as an omega in the first ce. She was supposed to just disappear, but no. She had to unt her rtionship with Prince Solon, making others question my rtionship with Jason. But Prince Solon¡¯s spoiled ything was my best weapon now. Talia woulde to the Luna Ceremony. She¡¯d never resist the chance to gloat. And I would use that moment to show everyone who truly deserved to be the Luna of Shadoww. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 46 CHAPTER FORTY SIX CHAPTER FORTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Dinner was quiet at first, until Father cleared his throat and looked across the table. ¡°The elders near the southern border sent word today,¡± he said. ¡°The residents speak highly of your governance, Talia. They are pleased with how you¡¯ve been handling the rogue problem. They said your ssification system is working.¡± I paused, caught off guard by the praise. ¡°I am happy to hear that.¡± Solon looked at me with raised brows, clearly surprised as well. ¡°You deviated from the original protocol?¡± I nodded and answered, ¡°I thought the procedures we currently had in ce were too rigid. Not all rogues are the same. Some were forced out due to territory disputes or abandoned by their packs. They don¡¯t deserve to be hunted like animals. Last week, a mother and her daughter crossed into one of our viges. They were just looking for food, not a fight.¡± My father leaned back, watching me thoughtfully. ¡°I instructed the warriors to remain firm with violent rogues,¡± I continued. ¡°But if someone is helpless or simply trying to survive, they should be given a chance. We have enough resources to protect our people and show mercy.¡± Father gave a pleased grunt. ¡°Good. About time someone in this family used judgment over brute force.¡± He raised a brow at Solon. ¡°You could learn a thing or two from your sister.¡± Solon smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s why it is good we will rule together. She will cover the gaps that I missed.¡± Father nodded again. I wasn¡¯t used to being spoken of as a future leader. It surprised me how much it meant to be acknowledged. ¡°Speaking of appearances,¡± Solon added carefully, ¡°Jason¡¯s wedding ceremony is still scheduled for next week.¡± ¡°And why should I care about that?¡± Father asked. ¡°He sent the invitation formally,¡± Solon continued, removing the invitation from his pocket and cing it on the table. ¡°The ceremony¡¯s going forward.¡± Father¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I will not be attending. I won¡¯t celebrate the man who foolishly rejected my daughter for some harlot. What Jason does is none of my business.¡± ¡°True, but as Alpha King, you have to attend,¡± Solon argued. ¡°No, I do not. But you and Talia will,¡± Father said. I choked on my water. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will be stepping down soon, and you and Solon will be taking over. This is the perfect opportunity to show a unified front,¡± my father exined. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go,¡± I said firmly. I wanted nothing to do with Jason or Viki, I was sure Viki had something nned to try to frame me. I didn¡¯t want to be caught in their drama again. ¡°You will. You¡¯ll go as the Princess of Silverfang, not the omega they thought you are. Jason, and the rest of the packs, need to understand exactly what he gave up.¡± I looked at Solon for support, but he shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll stay just long enough for the ceremony. Fifteen minutes, tops. I promise.¡± CHAPTER FORTY SIX +25 Bonus I opened my mouth to protest again, but Father interrupted, ¡°As Princess of Silverfang, you¡¯ll have to do things you don¡¯t want to do. Let this be your first attempt.¡± I couldn¡¯t argue with that logic. I could also make it clear that I was done with Jason and show everyone he had no hold over me anymore. I exhaled slowly and gave a reluctant nod. ¡°Fine.¡± Nn¡¯s POV Marco knocked once before entering my room. He walked in on me tossing the wedding invitation into the firece. I watched it burn into nothing. ¡°Are you having second thoughts?¡± Marco asked. ¡°It is aplete waste of time,¡± I responded. ¡°It is but if we want to make this alliance we will have to go. I already sent notice that we will be attending,¡± Marco stated. I groaned in frustration. I hated that bastard. I hadn¡¯t forgotten the smug look on his face thest time I had seen him. And how he allowed that bitch Viki to insult Talia. It made my blood boil. Marco spoke again, snapping me out of my thoughts, ¡°You¡¯re destroying the chair, Alpha.¡± I looked down and saw how my ws had ripped through the cushions. I ran my hand over my face before saying, Advise an omega that I will be recing the chair.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Marco said with a nod. ¡°But we are still going, correct?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Talia will be there,¡± Marco added and that got my attention. I looked up slowly. ¡°She is?¡± ¡°She and Solon will be attending only for the ceremony. Word is, her father insisted,¡± Marco confirmed. I smirked. This would be an interesting show. I wonder what Talia was going to do. ¡°We will still attend,¡± I said. He nodded once. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the tailor gets your suit.¡± ¡°No, I want something different. Find out what color Talia will be wearing,¡± I ordered. ¡°What are you nning?¡± Marco asked, ¡°It¡¯ll be a surprise,¡± I replied. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 47 CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN Viki¡¯s POV The scent of roses clung to everything and it made me want to gag. Jason had rented the rose bushes and ensured the whole pack house smelled like roses. He knew how much I hated roses but still did it anyway to torment me. ¡®He doesn¡¯t love us anymore,¡¯ my wolf whined. ¡®Don¡¯t say that. He is just upset. After the Luna ceremony, he¡¯ll be back to normal,¡¯ I reassured her. I sat in the waiting room, staring at my reflection in the tall mirror. My makeup was caked on to hide my sickly appearance. I could barely stand straight without trembling from the physical strain. My wolf whimpered, ¡®We should just leave now. I¡¯m so tired, Viki.¡¯ ¡®We don¡¯t have time to be tired or weak. We need to get through this with our head held high. I promise this won¡¯t be for nothing,¡¯ I told her and she only whimpered in response. Jane, my personal maid, entered the room with a cup of hot tea and set it gently on the tray beside me. She looked nervous, her eyes darting toward the door like she expected someone to burst in and drag me away. ¡°Your father sent this to you,¡± she said softly, as if afraid to anger me. I stared at the teacup. ¡°He ns to murder me for failing?¡± ¡°Oh no, Luna,¡± Jane said. ¡°There are painkillers in the tea. He instructed me to do so. Your father wanted me to remind you to be strong. Once the ceremony is done, no one can undo it. You will be Shadoww¡¯s Luna now, no matter what happens after.¡± I didn¡¯t respond immediately. I fought back tears. I thought my father had abandoned me, but he was still supporting me. I couldn¡¯t disappoint him then. ¡°Thank you, Jane,¡± I muttered. Father was right. Once the ceremony waspleted, it would seal my ce in Shadoww¡¯s records, in the eyes of the Council, and before all attending Alphas. Jason would need to inform the Council and the Alpha King to banish me since he was having a formal Luna ceremony. Jason would have to admit he misled the Council and the Alpha King and ept punishment. There was no way he would do that. I had sufficiently cornered him. He would just have to ept me as Luna. There was a loud knock on the door and the door creaked open. ¡°Luna, it is time,¡± a warrior called to me. I drank down the tea and slowly stood with the help of Jane. I walked down the side hall, back straight, chin high, all the while my body throbbed with pain. The double doors to the hall opened slowly, and murmurs filled the air as heads turned toward me. I scanned the crowd and found Jason standing near the stage, greeting guests with that fake smile he always used in public. His eyes barely acknowledged me. Instead, they focused entirely on Talia and Solon, Prince Solon and Talia were both dressed in Silverfang¡¯s silver colors. Talia looked calm, radiant even, as if she belonged here more than I did. Even though I knew she woulde, it still infuriated me to see her here. She had ruined everything and I was going to make her regreting. I approached them and bowed my head politely. ¡°Prince Solon, Talia. I¡¯m so d you both could attend.¡± CHAPTER TORDY SEVEN +25 Bonus Solon gave a brief nod, but Talia just blinked, surprised by my sudden civility. ¡°It is a¡­pleasure¡­to attend,¡± Solon said with a fake smile and Talia nodded. ¡°Talia, I remember you used to help the older maids with the gardens. I recall you had an eye for flowers. Perhaps you¡¯d like to inspect the bouquet I chose?¡± I motioned casually toward the arrangement set up on the stage. ¡°It would mean a lot.¡± ¡°Viki,¡± Jason¡¯s voice was sharp and strained behind me. ¡°This isn¡¯t the right time.¡± Surprisingly, Talia sighed and said, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll take a look.¡± The corner of my mouth lifted. I knew she wouldn¡¯t refuse, not with all these Alphas watching. She couldn¡¯t risk me causing a scene. Talia had an image to maintain, especially in front of Prince Solon. We ascended the stage together. I stumbled slightly after the third step as pain shot through my body with each step. Talia actually looked at me with concern. ¡°Are you okay? Talia asked once we were out of earshot and on the stage. ¡°You look really pale. Are you ill?¡± I gave her a practiced smile. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt better because I¡¯m bing Luna today.¡± Talia didn¡¯t respond to my jab and turned her attention back to the floral arrangement. ¡°I am surprised you chose roses. I thought you hated them.¡± ¡°I thought it would be a nice touch to remind Jason how he upgraded.¡± I sneered and Talia turned to face me. You must be jealous that Jason never even formally made you Luna. It¡¯s quite sad that he never took you seriously, but can you me him?¡± Talia¡¯s calm expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°I mean, one woman¡¯s trash is another woman¡¯s treasure.¡± ¡®Excuse me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it simpler so you can understand,¡± Talia said. ¡°Jason is garbage. I don¡¯t want him. You can have him, ok?¡± I stepped closer. ¡°Cut the crap. I know you¡¯re only here to gloat because you¡¯re with Prince Solon now, but you¡¯ll regret it.¡± My voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°Today is your end.¡± And with that, I let my knees buckle. I screamed loud enough for every guest to hear, then copsed right on cue like the perfect victim. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 48 CHAPTER FORNY FIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT Jason¡¯s POV Talia looked like a goddess draped in silver. The fabric clung to her perfectly. She was the very image of a future queen. For a second, I thought back to the times she would wait for me to return from Alpha duties, lounging in bed, ready to please me. My wolf stirred restlessly, aching to go to her. ¡®She¡¯s ours. We should never have rejected her,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®We have to win her back.¡¯ I agreed, but she stood beside Solon. She looked happy, happier than I had seen her in a long time. Solon ced a hand on her shoulder as if he had every right to touch her. Rage red in my chest. He was filling her head with lies, manipting her into believing she didn¡¯t belong to me anymore. But she did. No matter what she said, no matter how far she ran, she was still mine. I pushed the thoughts away and forced my expression into something neutral. I was surrounded by Alphas and Elders. I had to keep up appearances, shake hands, and offer the same practiced smile. After this ceremony, Viki would be gone. I¡¯d banish her quietly and then go to Talia. I would apologize, take back my rejection, and beg if I had to, to get her toe home. Talia would understand. Once she saw Viki out of the picture, she¡¯de back. Then, I noticed Viki approaching Prince Solon and Talia. My eyes narrowed. What was she nning now? I interjected, ¡°Viki, this isn¡¯t the right time.¡¯ Much to my surprise, Talia sighed and said, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take a look.¡± I wanted to stop her, but they were already walking toward the stage. I turned my attention to Prince Solon and said, ¡°Thank you foring.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have missed it for the world,¡± Solon responded with a smirk. ¡°Especially for something so¡­ genuine.¡± From his tone, it was obvious he was being sarcastic. Did he know that this was just a sham of a ceremony? Before I could respond, I heard Viki¡¯s scream. The room silenced instantly, every head turning toward the stage. Talia stood, arms crossed, her expression cold. Viki, in contrast, was crumpled halfway to the floor, only being held up by someone. Alpha Nn. He held her upright with one arm. He looked annoyed. But I didn¡¯t care about that. What I cared about was what he had on. He wore a silver suit. It was nearly identical in color to Talia¡¯s dress. My wolf growled low, pushing forward in my chest. ¡®Why is he matching our mate? Is he trying to pursue our mate?¡¯ ¡®No. He wouldn¡¯t do that. Talia is an omega. He would never want an omega,¡¯ I reassured my wolf. This had to be just a coincidence. Even so, seeing him with her as if they were a couple, even more so than her with Prince Solon infuriated me. I clenched my fists and walked quickly across the hall toward the stage. Guests whispered behind me, likely talking about the sudden drama. I ignored them. CHAPTER TORTY EIGHT +25 Bonus By the time I reached the base of the tform, Viki was standing upright again, shakily brushing off her dress as she put some distance between herself and Nn. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± I demanded, looking at both of them. ¡°Is that how you speak to someone who just saved your mate?¡± Nn questioned. I cleared my throat. ¡°My apologies, Alpha Nn. I am just concerned.¡± ¡°She nearly fell,¡± Nn exined. ¡°I was walking in and saw her wobble. She would have fallen off the stage if I had not caught her.¡± I turned to Viki. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes darting to the guests behind me before meeting my gaze. ¡°Well?¡± I pressed. ¡°Is that what happened?¡± ¡°Yes. Why would you think otherwise?¡± she said, awkwardlyughing. ¡°I¡­ I tripped. I didn¡¯t mean to cause a scene.¡± I didn¡¯t believe her. I knew there was more to it than that, but I would get answerster. Thest thing I needed was this turning into more gossip that would tarnish our reputation. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to Nn, though it nearly choked me to say it. ¡°For stepping in.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. I expect better of you, Alpha Jason,¡± Nn scolded. He leaned in just slightly, lowering his voice but not his intensity. ¡°Keep a better watch on your Luna. If she causes another disruption, the Council may think you have lost control of Shadoww. You don¡¯t want a scandal, not today.¡± My wolf bristled at the veiled threatbined with a warning. I barely kept from growling in return. I nodded stiffly. ¡°Understood.¡± Nn turned and walked off without another word. I turned around with a fake smile. ¡°False rm, everyone. Everything is okay,¡± I called out, and the guests slowly returned to socializing. I roughly grabbed Viki and carried her down the steps. Touching her made bile rise in my throat. I walked us to a quiet corner and released her, almost dropping her to the floor. Viki managed to catch her bnce by gripping the wall. ¡°Be careful, Jason. You almost ruined my dress,¡± sheined. ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about that dress. If I could, I¡¯d have you walking around in rags,¡± I hissed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do this with you right now,¡± Viki said. She tried to walk past me, but I gripped her chin, forcing her to look at me. ¡°What did I tell you, Viki? I said to behave and to stay away from Talia. Do you not understand simple instructions?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Viki argued, trying to get free of my grasp, but my grip only tightened. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? You wanted her to look at flowers? Ridiculous,¡± I said, releasing her. Viki rubbed her sore face. ¡°I am telling the truth. I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± she repeated. ¡°You¡¯re a filthy liar. You don¡¯t know what the truth is, Viki, You¡¯re lucky this didn¡¯t blow up worse. If you pull another stunt like this, I¡¯ll make you regret the day you were born. Don¡¯t test me again,¡± I warned. Surprisingly, Viki didn¡¯t try to argue. She nodded and said, ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± CHAPTER TORTY FIGHT +25 Bonus At that moment, Father appeared at my side. His eyes swept between us beforending on Viki. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± I answered quickly. ¡°We¡¯re preparing for the ceremony.¡± He grunted, clearly not convinced. He turned his attention to Viki. ¡°Good. Then you¡¯ve got twenty minutes. Don¡¯t bete. You¡¯ve caused enough dys as it is.¡± As Father turned away, I noticed the sweat beading along Viki¡¯s hairline. Her hands trembled slightly. Her scent, even though covered with that sickeningly sweet perfume, still came through, but it was off. It smelled like chemicals. ¡°Go clean yourself up,¡± I ordered, grimacing at her scent. ¡°You¡¯re not embarrassing me again looking or smelling like that.¡± P U Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 49 CHAPTER FORTY NINI +25 Bonus silent greeting. He was just observing. ¡®We should thank him,¡¯ my wolf suggested. ¡®Do we have to?¡¯ I pouted inwardly at my wolf. ¡®He kept Viki from making a scene. It¡¯s the right thing to do.¡¯ I hated that she was right. I didn¡¯t want to thank him. I didn¡¯t want to owe him anything. But even as my pride screamed at me to stay put, my feet betrayed me as I walked over to him. Nn didn¡¯t look away as I approached. For just a flicker, curiosity softened his stare, but it was gone before I could be sure I¡¯d seen it. His face settled back into his cold, neutral expression. ¡°I wanted to thank you for what you did, Alpha Nn,¡± I said, forcing the words out. He raised his ss slowly, taking a sip before replying. His voice was t as though the entire matter bored him. ¡° I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Was he really going to make me spell it out? It almost looked like he was smirking behind the wine ss. I took a calming breath before saying, ¡°You saw what Viki was doing. You caught her before she could¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mistake my actions for concern,¡± he cut in smoothly. ¡°I was just passing by and she¡¯s in my way. Her schemes are your problem, not mine.¡± His gaze slid past me, dismissing me as though I was nothing more than a distraction from his drink. Heat burned across my cheeks. Why had I even bothered? I should have stayed silent, invisible, the way I¡¯d nned from the start. Talking to him had been a mistake. ¡°Do you need anything else, Princess?¡± Nn sneered, bringing me out of my thoughts. ¡°This arrogant prick,¡¯ I cursed inside. Before I could reply, Solon appeared at my side, his hand brushing lightly over my arm. ¡°You alright?¡± he asked, leading me away from Nn. I nodded. ¡°Just thinking that Viki¡¯s behavior was strange.¡± Solon scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s always strange. She¡¯s just trying to get under your skin. Ignore her.¡± ¡°Right,¡± I said. ¡°I am going to head to the restroom.¡± ¡°Make it quick. The ceremony¡¯s about to begin,¡± Solon said. I nodded and headed toward the restroom. The corridor past the lounge was silent, almost too still. Then a scent hit me-sweet and sharp. My wolf growled a warning. Redbone Flower. P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 50 CHAPTER FIFTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER FIFTY Talia¡¯s POV Redbone Flower. I froze. The pungent, metallic-sweet scent coated the hallway air. It was faint enough to confuse it with poorly made perfume, but my wolf caught it instantly. I had heard about the herb, and I knew it was a banned substance, but I didn¡¯t know exactly what it was. ¡®It¡¯s a rare, poisonous herb,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®In small doses, it can bolster stamina and sharpen energy. But long -term consumption causes the body to rot. It swells the belly; it makes it look like a pregnancy. It destroys the body slowly and painfully.¡¯ ¡°Where?¡± I asked. ¡°The lounge. Someone carried it through here.¡¯ I stared down the hallway toward the lounge. My pulse kicked up in my throat. Who would dare to use it? The closer I stepped, the stronger the stench became. Peeking through the thin crack of the slightly ajar door, my breath caught. Viki was hunched over a table, her body shuddering violently as she vomited onto the floor. ¡°Hurry up, I need to change,¡± Viki hissed. ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± A maid knelt beside her, desperately scrubbing at the dark spatter staining the floor. At first, I thought it was wine. Then the smell hit me: iron. It was blood. Before I could stop myself, I pushed the door open fully. The wood banged softly against the wall, making the maid jump. Viki¡¯s head snapped toward me. I stepped inside, shutting and locking the door behind me. Viki¡¯s eyes darted to the door, then back to me. Fear shed in her eyes only for a second. ¡°What do you want, Talia? Get out!¡± Viki snapped. ¡°You¡¯ve been taking Redbone Flower, haven¡¯t you?¡± I asked, getting straight to the point. Her eyes narrowed into slits. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Yes, you do,¡± I said coldly. ¡°I can smell the rot on you. You¡¯ve been taking the Redbone Flower, pretending to be pregnant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business! Get out!¡± she screamed, her voice cracking. ¡°It became my business the second you dragged me into your pathetic little schemes,¡± I shot back, anger hardening every word. ¡°You wanted the Luna crown so badly, you poisoned yourself for it. Do you even realize what you¡¯ve done? You risked your own life for a title, for attention, for something that will never make you worthy. That¡¯s not strength, Viki. It is just stupid and pathetic.¡± Her face burned red, lips trembling, eyes glinting with rage as if she might strike me. Instead, she let out a furious growl. ¡°You think you¡¯re better than me? You walk around with your nose in the air, acting like you¡¯re something special just because you have Prince Solon¡¯s attention. Eventually, Prince Solon will get bored and put you in your ce because you¡¯re still an omega, Talia. Omegas don¡¯t get to be proud. Omegas don¡¯t get to stand above their betters.¡± CHAPTER FIFTY +25 Bonus I stepped closer, meeting her re. ¡°And yet, here I am. I didn¡¯t lie and cheat my way to climb ranks. I¡¯m here because I¡¯ve proven myself to be better than you every time. That¡¯s why you¡¯ll never be more than a fraud.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to judge me,¡± Viki growled. ¡°You had the privilege of having everything handed to you.¡± I barked a bitterugh. ¡°You call publicly insulted, and humiliated a privilege? You call seeing my mate actively cheat on me and choose someone else, a privilege?¡± ¡°You could walk away from him,¡± she said, her eyes watering. ¡°And you can too! He¡¯s not worth your life, Viki,¡± I eximed. ¡°You just don¡¯t get it. Just leave, Talia,¡± Viki warned. I frowned, turning away from her to unlock the door. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go get the pack doctor. At least he¡¯ll keep you¡­¡¯ ¡°No!¡± Viki yelled. Her voice was raw and panicked. ¡°Please. Don¡¯t tell anyone. This¡­ this is everything I¡¯ve worked for. My whole life has been for this moment. My father drilled it into me from the time I could stand that being Luna was my only honor, my only value. I wasn¡¯t allowed to fail.¡± I stepped closer, ring down at her. ¡°Am I supposed to care about your tragic home life?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mock me, Talia,¡± Viki growled. ¡°I am honestly trying to understand all of this,¡± I said. ¡°Tell me, Viki, when you were ordering the maids around, when you were sneering in my face, was that you trying to prove your worth? Or was it just you enjoying tearing someone else down like your father tore you down?¡± Viki dropped her head, letting out a sigh. ¡°Maybe both. Maybe I hated you because you reminded me of how much free-will I would never have.¡± ¡°Then you wasted your hate,¡± I said tly. ¡°I understand the weight of expectations. You forget I was your Luna for years. I understand what it means to have your worth rested entirely on a title and for you as a person not matter anymore after one mistake. I get it, Viki. I really do, but Jason isn¡¯t worth your life.¡± Viki let out a short, uglyugh. ¡°Easy for you to say. You have Prince Solon now. Quite the upgrade from Jason.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t deflect, Viki. That¡¯s not the point, and you know it. You could¡¯ve just waited for your fated mate. You didn¡¯t have to do this,¡± I argued. Viki shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. If I don¡¯t go through with this, I¡¯ll be discarded like trash.¡± ¡°Better discarded than dead,¡± I snapped. Viki looked away, coughing into her blood-soaked handkerchief. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. After today¡¯s ceremony, we¡¯ll never see each other again. So, just let me have this.¡± I thought seeing Viki at her lowest would bring me some sense of satisfaction, but I hated that part of me felt pity for her. Viki was maniptive, cruel, but I would¡¯ve never wished this on my worst enemy. My wolf huffed in my mind, torn between disgust and reluctant empathy. ¡®She chose this path.¡¯ I sighed, ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± I unlocked the door and stepped out into the hall only to nearly collide with Solon. ¡°There you are,¡± he said sharply. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere.¡± His eyes flicked past me toward the lounge door. ¡°What were you doing in there?¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 51 CHAPTER TITS ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER FIFTY ONE Nn¡¯s POV From my seat near the edge of the hall, I had a clear view of the main aisle. Talia entered beside her brother, guiding him toward their seats. There was something about her demeanor that caught my attention. Her posture was perfect, yet her eyes weren¡¯t on the ceremony or the crowd. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts. Her eyes kept darting to the entrance as if she was worried about something. ¡®She¡¯s distracted. Something happened,¡¯ my wolf said within me. I shouldn¡¯t have cared, but I did. My gaze lingered too long, long enough for Marco to notice. He nudged my shoulder and muttered, ¡°Careful, Alpha. If you keep staring at Talia like that, people are going to start whispering.¡± I didn¡¯t look at him. I swirled the wine in my ss and took a slow sip before answering, my tone t and cold. ¡°Of course I¡¯d be interested in the daughter of my enemy.¡¯ Marco¡¯s eyes went wide, and he shot a quick nce around us. ¡°Keep your voice down,¡± he hissed. ¡°What if someone hears you?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t look right,¡± I said quietly, ignoring his warning. ¡°Go check the lounge. Now.¡± Marco crossed his arms, not moving. ¡°You do realize how this looks, don¡¯t you? First you stepped in earlier and ruined Viki¡¯s little stunt, now you¡¯re eyeing Talia like you actually give a damn. You keep this up, and people really will think you¡¯re interested.¡± I turned, fixing him with a sharp re. ¡°Do as I say.¡± Marco leaned closer, his voice low and firm. ¡°No. Not until you admit what this is. You tell me she¡¯s your enemy, but you keep circling around her. You¡¯re being reckless, Nn.¡± A growl rumbled in my chest. ¡°I said go.¡± We locked eyes for a long moment. Marco¡¯s jaw flexed before he finally muttered, ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t expect me as your Beta to not tell you that this is ill advised.¡± He stalked off, weaving through the rows of guests with a scowl. The wedding music swelled. Jason stood tall at the front, looking like a proud peacock. Viki entered in her new gown. White silk clung to her thin frame, herplexion ghostly pale under heavy makeup. She trembled faintly with every step. ¡®Pathetic,¡¯ my wolf snorted. ¡®He rejected his mate for this?¡¯ I had to agree. Viki paled inparison to Talia¡¯s beauty. Jason had done well to bring so many Alphas here despite the scandal. I¡¯d give him that much. But arrogance only carried a man so far. Viki and Jason met and began their slow walk toward the stage. Whispers rippled through the crowd. Some admired the couple, others mocked Viki¡¯s choice of dress, but no one voiced what I could already smell from here: the disgustingly sweet foul scenting from her. What was it? Jason¡¯s voice carried as he began the ceremonial vows, but my attention shifted when Marco returned. ¡°You¡¯re not going to believe what I found,¡± he said. There was a glint in his eyes as he slid into the empty seat CHAPTER FIFTY ONE +25 Bonus beside me. Marco ced a small cloth pouch into my hand. The scent hit me instantly. It caused me to grimace and my wolf snarl within me. ¡°Redbone Flower?¡± I muttered, narrowing my eyes. ¡°Yes, and it is fresh. Someone must be growing it in Shadoww,¡± Marco responded. ¡°This was in the lounge?¡± I asked. Marco nodded once. ¡°Found it tucked behind a chair in the lounge. But you¡¯ll never guess whose scent was all over the lounge.¡± ¡°Talia?¡± I asked. It would make sense she would be as cunning and evil as her father. Marco shook her head. ¡°No. The Luna-to-be today. Her blood had stained the floor.¡± My gaze flicked back to the stage. Viki¡¯s trembling, her pale skin, and the sickly sweet perfume. It all made sense. ¡°She¡¯s faking her pregnancy,¡± I said under my breath. Marco nodded. ¡°Do you want me to call her out now? End this farce in front of everyone?¡± I took another sip of wine, face impassive. ¡°No. Jason still believes we¡¯re allies. I won¡¯t be the one to ruin his ceremony.¡± Marco scowled. ¡°So what, we just let this slide?¡± ¡°Not quite.¡± I leaned closer. ¡°Take the pouch to Solon. Tell him it was found in Viki¡¯s lounge. He won¡¯t ignore it. And when he reacts, he¡¯ll be responsible for destroying Jason¡¯s big moment. Marco gave me a hard look. ¡°You want to pit Solon against Jason. Make the Alpha King¡¯s son the viin.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± I said simply and handed him back the pouch. Marco slipped away again, moving as though he were just another guest moving for a better view. Around me, the other Alphas cast wary nces my way as they saw Marco weaving through the rows to get to Solon. They rarely saw me at events like this, but my reputation followed me everywhere. Rumors said I was dangerous and unpredictable. I could read the fear in their eyes and the way they quickly looked away when I met their gaze. I snorted. They could have at least hid their fear better. They didn¡¯t matter in the long run. I turned my attention back to the stage. Jason spoke with pride as he recited his vows to Viki. He had no idea the rug was about to be snatched from underneath him. It worked out for me. I needed to stoke the fire of hatred between Solon and Jason. They already had bad blood. This could be the catalyst I needed. The ceremony continued on stage. I couldn¡¯t help but smirk, Jason was a fool. How could he allow himself to be duped into casting aside his mate for a fraud? ¡®His loss, our gain,¡¯ my wolf said. I wanted to argue with him, but I decided against it. My wolf still believed I was going to im Talia as my mate eventually no matter what I said. I shifted my attention to Marco as he finally reached Solon. Solon¡¯s eyes flicked to the pouch, his brow furrowing as Marco murmured something in his ear. He untied the cloth, leaned forward slightly, and sniffed. I saw the shift from neutral expression to pure rage. Solon¡¯s gaze cut toward the stage, then snapped back to the CHAPTER TIETY ONE pouch. Talia, however, did not react. She ced a calming hand on Solon¡¯s arm. Did she already know about the Redbone Flower? Was that why she looked so distracted? 1 ¡°This is just getting more and more interesting,¡± I murmured. I knew one thing for certain was this ceremony would not end the way Jason expected. The show was just getting started. D Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 52 CHAPTER FILTY TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER FIFTY TWO Viki¡¯s POV I stood on the stage in front of Jason with a smile, but every muscle in my body was tense as I fought to keep from copsing. Each heartbeat sent a sharp pain through my limbs. My wolf whined weakly at the pain, but there wasn¡¯t anything else I could do. The painkillers Jane had put in my tea earlier were barely enough to take the edge off. Anymore I would be unconscious. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll stop using the Redbone Flower. It didn¡¯t matter that my stomach churned, I was seeing double, and my hands trembled just enough to make holding my bouquet a challenge. I just had to make it through the ceremony. Michael, Jason¡¯s father, stood at the center of the stage. ¡°I want to thank you all foring to this joyous asion.¡± Alphas, Betas, and honored guests pped and cheered at the greeting. Jason leaned slightly toward me, his hand brushing mine in what the crowd would assume was affection. His voice, however, was far from tender. ¡°Did you change your perfume?¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°Whatever that sweet scent is, it¡¯s making me nauseous.¡± I forced a smile and whispered back, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t realize.¡± It was easier to let him believe it was perfume than risk exining that the faint metallic sweetness was Redbone Flower clinging to my skin. He told me not to cause any problems. I nned to keep my end of the bargain. Michael finished his opening remarks, and Jason straightened. His chest puffed slightly, and a confident smirk curved his lips as he addressed the audience. ¡°Today,¡± Jason dered, his voice loud and clear, ¡°Viki Mayers will officially be my mate and Luna.¡± He paused for effect, letting his gaze sweep the crowd before continuing. ¡°And soon after, she will give birth to our heir.¡± There was polite apuse. My father, seated among the front rows, nodded at me with a rare look of approval. That look was worth every lie, every dose, every night of pretending I wasn¡¯t slowly poisoning myself. The ceremonial im was seconds away. Jason would say the words, I would ept, and my title would be secure. I could almost feel the relief building in my chest. ¡°I, Jason Dalton, take you, Viki Mayers as my¡­¡± ¡°Wait!¡± The single word froze the room. Heads turned toward the source, and my heart dropped into my stomach. Prince Solon strode forward. His gaze was on me and I swallowed hard. Why was he stopping the ceremony? Did Talia told him? Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Talia¡¯s reaction. She was wide-eyed with surprise. Clearly, she didn¡¯t know why Prince Solon was stopping the ceremony either. What was going on? Jason stepped forward to intercept Prince Solon, irritation shing in his eyes. ¡°Your Highness, this is highly irregr-¡± ¡°You¡¯ll want to hear this unless you like being yed like a fool,¡± Solon said, cutting him off. ¡°What¡­what are you talking about?¡± Jason stammered. CHAPTER FIFTY TWO +25 Bonus Prince Solon turned his attention to me. ¡°Bold. That is what I would call you, Viki. Bold and foolish.¡± I forced a polite, confused smile. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to y this game? I am giving you an opportunity to tell the truth,¡± Prince Solon warned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I said, keeping my face neutral but my heart was beating so hard I thought it was going to rip through my chest. Solon reached into his coat and withdrew a small cloth pouch. He held it up for the audience to see. ¡°This was found in your lounge,¡± he announced. ¡°Do you know what this is Viki?¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I clenched my fists. ¡°It¡¯s a banned substance, Redbone Flower,¡± Prince Solon stated and I paled. The crowd erupted into gasps and murmurs. No! This couldn¡¯t be happening. I ordered Jane to get rid of everything ¡°We also found traces of poison on discarded bloody clothing in the same room. It appears you have been using this substance for some time.¡± I could feel dozens of eyes staring at me. My wolf pushed against my control. ¡®You need to run, Viki. We have to get away,¡¯ she urged. ¡°I¡ªI can exin,¡± I began, forcing my voice to rise above the whispers. Solon didn¡¯t give me the chance. ¡°There will be no tolerance for deception. Not from a future Luna, and certainly not when it involves the falsifying of a pregnancy to secure status among the packs.¡± ¡°This is all a misunderstanding! It¡¯s not like that-¡± The crack of Michael¡¯s hand meeting my cheek silenced me. ¡°How dare you?!¡± He snapped, cleaning his hands. The force of the blow snapped my head to the side, causing me to fall over. Blood trickled from my lip. Panic began to settle in. Everything I had worked for, everything I had sacrificed, was shattering. I couldn¡¯t allow everything to go to waste. I had to find a way to get out of this. I turned to look at Jason. His eyes were cold, his jaw clenched. I stood up slowly and limped to him. I grabbed his arms. ¡°Please Jason, you have to help me,¡± I whispered. Jason opened his eyes. He looked at me with disgust and I knew then he wasn¡¯t going to help me. Jason shoved me back so hard I nearly fell again. ¡°You lied to me,¡± he said, voice low butced with venom. ¡°You ruined everything.¡± I tried again, voice shaking now. ¡°Jason, you can¡¯t do this to me. I¡¯m your Luna! If the Prince¡­¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Jason barked. ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± I felt the Alphamand m into me forcing me to close my mouth and stay quiet. My eyes widened as I realized he was making sure I didn¡¯t reveal he already knew the truth. He was going to allow me to take the full brunt of this just to keep from being punished. The truth was out. There was no need for him to y along anymore. Michael cleared his throat before saying, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the Luna ceremony is canceled. For this Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 53 CHAPTER FIFTY THREE CHAPTER FIFTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Two guards took hold of Viki by her arms and dragged her away from the stage. She struggled before giving up. Her heels scraped the floor, and her hair hung loose, now out of its borate updo. Her tears streaked her makeup into dark smudges, revealing her pale skin and dark circles under her eyes. I felt sorry for Viki. She was so close to getting what she wanted. My wolf huffed, ¡®She¡¯s getting what she deserves. Don¡¯t forget she threatened to kill us.¡¯ I hadn¡¯t forgotten and it didn¡¯t make me feel any less sorry for her. When Viki reached the aisle where I stood, her head whipped toward me. ¡°This is all your fault!¡± she hissed, her voice now hoarse from screaming. ¡°You promised me! You swore you¡¯d let me have this! You¡¯ll pay for this, Talia!¡± T I wanted to argue, to defend myself, but it wouldn¡¯t matter. Viki wouldn¡¯t believe me. There was nothing to say, nothing I would give her in return that would make this situation right for her. So, I stayed quiet, my gaze t as she was dragged past me, her sobs fading in the distance. From the opposite side of the hall, Nn rose from his seat. He looked at the watch on his wrist before saying, ¡± Well, since this ceremony is cancelled, I have other matters to attend to.¡± Without another nce at Jason, he turned and left the hall. Marco followed right after him. The remaining Alphas exchanged nces. Some with faint smirks while others had visible disdain. One of them stood, straightening his jacket. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± he said curtly. ¡°I¡¯ll follow Alpha Nn¡¯s lead.¡± Nn and the Alpha seemed to have a ripple effect as more Alphas got up to leave. One by one guests rose from their seats and followed their Alphas out. They offered no farewells, no empty pleasantries. This was an embarrassment on a grand scale. There was no fun in gossiping about this. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s still food and¡­¡± Jason¡¯s attempt to keep them from leaving was on deaf ears. I noticed Michael, his father, was barely containing his rage. As soon as everyone left, Jason would be feeling the brunt of his rage for this disaster of a luna ceremony. Michael met my gaze, and I could see hatred within his eyes. My wolf bristled, ¡®I think it is time to leave.¡¯ ¡®I am not afraid of him,¡¯ I responded. I was no longer the she-wolf that shrank under his gaze. Michael could torment Jason, but I wouldn¡¯t allow him to torment me again. ¡®No, but we don¡¯t need to cause any more scandals tonight,¡¯ my wolf warned, and she was right. There would be repercussions for this due to Michael being a very vindictive man. I turned away and left the aisle. ¡°Talia, are you leaving too?¡± Jason asked. Solon stepped forward to stand beside me. ¡°Why are you still concerned with Talia¡¯s whereabouts? Are you not upset about your fianc¨¦? Your father just sentenced her to death.¡± Jason frowned. ¡°She deceived me. She is no longer my fianc¨¦.¡± Solon¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°That¡¯s a little harsh even for you, Jason. Did you truly not know she was taking the Redbone Flower?¡± ¡°Honestly, I sensed something was wrong with her. I thought she was stressed or having a stressful pregnancy, but I didn¡¯t think she would go so far as to fake a pregnancy. I would never have continued with the ceremony if I WASTER/17 ks +25 Bonus had known,¡± Jason replied. ¡°So, that¡¯s it. You¡¯re not going to speak for her?¡± I questioned. Jason exhaled sharply and red at the doors where Viki had been taken. ¡°She deserved it.¡± I kept my expression neutral, but I didn¡¯t believe Jason. He was too calm, too rational. Jason should have been inplete rage right now unless his love for Viki wasn¡¯t real. I recalled thest time Jason apologized to me. His words had felt empty and rehearsed, and again his words right now felt as empty as they did before. Except this time, I didn¡¯t care whether he was telling the truth or not. I turned toward Solon. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Solon nodded and began leading me to the exit. Before we reached the exit, Jason moved quickly to block our path. I felt Solon tense. ¡°I¡¯m getting sick of this,¡± Solon muttered only low enough for me to hear. ¡°Jason, is there anything else?¡± I asked. ¡°Talia, wait. I need you to believe me this time. I didn¡¯t know,¡± Jason pleaded. I met his gaze. ¡°Whether you¡¯re telling the truth or not doesn¡¯t matter to me anymore. That is between you and Viki.¡± ¡°Talia, please just listen.¡± ¡°No, I have listened enough, Jason. I need you to understand that we¡¯re done. We are no longer mates, and we will never be mates again.¡± For a moment, something like pain flickered in his eyes, but I stepped around him before he could speak again. Solon quickly escorted me to his Rolls Royce and we both got in before Jason could beg me to stay again. As we were pulling out of the parking lot, I finally asked, ¡°How did you know about the Redbone Flower?¡± ¡°Because Marco gave me the pouch,¡± Solon answered. ¡°He asked me to stop the wedding.¡± I stopped short, my mind racing. ¡°Marco? Nn¡¯s Beta?¡± ¡°Yes. He found it in Viki¡¯s lounge and said it would be bettering from me,¡± Solon exined. I frowned. ¡°Better for who? Certainly not for Jason.¡± Solon raised an eyebrow. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me, you wanted me to wait until Jason was bound to Viki where it would have almost been impossible for him to break the mate bond with her. That¡¯s vicious, little sister.¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± I had so many questions. Why would Nn care enough to interfere on Jason¡¯s behalf? Nn was not a man who acted out ofpassion. Everything he did was for a reason. So, what game was he ying? 13 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 54 CHAPTEORITY FOUR CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR Jason¡¯s POV +25 Bonus The heavy oak doors of my father¡¯s office shut behind me with a low thud. I could feel my father¡¯s Alpha aura rolling off him. His aura and anger pressed down on me like a physical weight that I had to focus on not kneel. My wolf paced restlessly within me. My father sat behind his desk. His eyes fixed on me with a re so intense that if looks could kill, I¡¯d be dead twice over now. ¡°I was very clear thest we spoke,¡± my father said, ¡°to not embarrass me again, wasn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Father, I¡­¡± ¡°You let yourself be deceived by that whore,¡± my father spat, interrupting me. He stood up slowly, walking from behind his desk. I had known this confrontation wasing. My instinct told me to flee but I stood my ground. ¡°Father, I was doing what¡¯s best for the pack.¡± I exined. ¡°The Luna Ceremony can¡¯t be cancelled because she sent the invitations long ago, so-¡± ¡°Wait. Did you know it?¡± ¡°What? I just¡­¡± I¡¯m struggling to find the proper words. ¡°Don¡¯t y games with me, son. Did you know about her taking the Redbone Flower to fake her pregnancy?¡± my father snapped. I swallowed hard. ¡°Yes.¡± The vein in my father¡¯s forehead pulsed as his eyes narrowed. I held his eyes for a heartbeat and then dropped them, because I remembered exactly how many bones he had broken in me as a child after teaching me not to hold a stare too long. His Alpha aura intensified, and I felt my wolf cower within me. ¡®Move!¡¯ my wolf warned but his warning came toote. My father¡¯s fist connected with my chin. My head snapped back as blood sprayed. I stumbled backward. Before I could block, my father punched me again in the torso causing me to gasp for air. ¡°You dare to lie to me!!¡± he snarled, his voice booming causing the windows to rattle. ¡°You knew she lied and still paraded her like a Luna.¡± He continued to punch me until I was on my knees in a bloody mess. I spat the blood out and looked up at my father. ¡°Exposing the lie or cancelling the ceremony would cause damages. I intended to resolve it privately and quickly.¡± My father pped me in the back of the head. ¡°Tell me, genius, do you think you can fool the Elder Council, the Alpha King all along? Your idiotic decision would have doomed us!¡± ¡°I never thought Solon would find it¡­¡± I replied. ¡°Redbone Flower is a banned substance. Solon is bound to report it to the Alpha King. Other packs will question our strength, our leadership, because you could not see through the lies of a desperate, she-wolf,¡± my father signed. CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR +25 Bonus I fought against my wolf, who begged me to lower my head further. I kept my posture rigid as I slowly stood. I had learned that showing submission or fear in front of him only prolonged the lesson as it was unbing of an Alpha. ¡°I ept responsibility,¡± I said. ¡°I will fix it, Father.¡± ¡°You will not ¡®fix it¡¯ with more dys and idiotic decisions,¡± my father said as he sat back down at his desk. ¡°You will end it.¡± ¡°Henry!¡± His doors opened at once and Henry walked in. Henry took in my appearance only for a second. His eyes shed with concern before turning his attention to my father. His jaw flexed as he attempted to keep his expression neutral. Henry always hated seeing my father abuse me, but there was nothing he could do to help me. ¡°Where is the bitch Viki Mayers?¡± my father asked. ¡°In the dungeon,¡± Henry replied. ¡°Take Viki Mayers to the courtyard,¡± my father ordered. ¡°Raise the gallows and hang her for all to see, so everyone will understand what happens to traitors to the pack. Do not listen to anything she says. If she weeps, if she begs, if she ims pregnancy again, if the Moon Goddesses down herself, ignore all of it. The order stands.¡± Henry bowed his head in submission. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± He turned and left. ¡°Father, executing her like this will cause unrest. Her father will¡­.¡± ¡°Will obey,¡± he said coldly, cutting me off again. ¡°Because Roy will follow the lead of his Alpha. You have been too lenient, too amodating. You are Alpha not this low-level filth. Only Henry seems to be loyal to you, but that could change if you don¡¯t get a grip on the situation.¡± I swallowed back the urge to challenge him. ¡°As for you, you will contact the Alpha King.¡± The shift in topic caught me off guard. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°You will find a reason to visit Silverfang. I will oversee Shadoww while you are gone. That¡¯s the n to fix ? your mistake.¡± ¡°The n?¡± I got even more confused. ¡°The Alpha King¡¯s daughter,¡± my father said, his tone casual but deliberate. ¡°She¡¯s been out of the public eye for years¡­ the one person he guards like a treasure.¡± His gaze sharpened. ¡°You¡¯re lucky she wasn¡¯t here to see you embarrass yourself. That means you still have a chance.¡± I frowned. ¡°Father, you want me to marry her?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± he said, leaning forward, ¡°If you can win her, make her your Luna, you won¡¯t just restore Shadoww¡¯s honor. You might put yourself in line for the Alpha King¡¯s throne without bloodshed.¡± Such a union could lift Shadoww higher than any alliance we¡¯d ever dreamed of-higher even than my father¡¯s reign. The thought sent a rush of heat through me, though my wolf¡¯s voice cut in, low and using. She¡¯s not our mate¡­ My chest tightened. ¡°And what about Talia?¡± I asked, the name tasting like a betrayal. 1 +25 Bonus My father¡¯s expression turned cold, slicing through the air between us. ¡°That ship has sailed. She offers you nothing but sentiment-and sentiment will not raise this pack from the ashes.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± I said finally. My wolf dipped his head in submission, mirroring my outwardpliance. My father stared at me for a long moment, trying to determine if I was lying, He finally nodded and said, ¡°Good. Do not disappoint me again, Jason. We cannot afford another disy of weakness.¡± ¡°Father, I won¡¯t disappoint you this time.¡± I bowed, ready to do whatever it took P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 55 THAPTER BEIN FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE Jason¡¯s POV Night settled in with steady rain against the windows. I had my wardrobe open and a suitcase on the bed. Shirtsy folded in stacks. A suit for formal calls sat on top. I checked theces on my boots, then rolled two belts and set them near the edge. Earlier, I heard themotion from outside, knowing that Viki had just died. I didn¡¯t feel pity for her. She had fooled me. Thankfully, the Luna Ceremony hadn¡¯t beenpleted. The Luna link never formed, so the death shock would not pass through the mate mark The door burst open without a knock causing me to jump in surprise. Henry stood in the doorway looking frazzled. His chest rose and fell quickly and water from the tips of his hair pooled on the floor as if he came running in from the rain. ¡°What the hell, Henry?¡± I scolded. ¡°Alpha¡­ Jason,¡± he gasped, struggling to catch his breath. ¡°Viki¡­ she escaped.¡± ¡°What? What did you say?¡± ¡°She escaped,¡± Henry repeated. ¡°The body in the dungeon isn¡¯t her.¡± My stomach dropped. I grabbed my jacket that was hanging on the back of my chair. ¡°Take me there now.¡± We moved fast down the stairs. The lower corridor was colder than the rest of the packhouse. Two guards stood at the dungeon door with their eyes down and their shoulders tight. When they saw me, they stepped aside. Henry opened the door, and we entered the first cell. A bodyy under a nket near the wall. I walked over to the body. The outline matched what I expected to see: small frame, slight shoulders, a dress pulled tight across the stomach. I crouched and lifted the edge of the nket. ¡°Jane,¡± I said. ¡°This is Viki¡¯s personal maid.¡± Jane and Viki looked as if they were sisters. Probably why Roy made her Viki¡¯s personal maid. But a thin scar below her left ear confirmed it was not Viki, but Jane. ¡°Log her death through the infirmary and release her body to her family,¡± I ordered. Henry nodded. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± ¡°Exin how it came to this,¡± Imanded the guards. One of them swallowed. His scent spiked with fear. ¡°Alpha, we did as ordered. We put the hood on Viki. We took her to the gallows. Lord Roy arrived and said he wanted a final word with his daughter. I stepped outside the cell to give them privacy.¡± ¡°Lord Roy walked Viki out himself, saying that he wanted to send his daughter off to the Moon Goddess himself. for We watched him cing the rope around her neck. After the execution, we brought her back here to prepare her burial. When we removed her hood, we realized it was not Viki,¡± the other guard continued. ¡°You imbeciles,¡± I growled. ¡°You allowed him to be alone with his daughter.¡± ¡°Sorry, Alpha,¡± the first guard trembled. ¡°He said he wanted to give her peace and be the one to do it. He signaled us and we pulled the lever.¡± I let silence sit between us until both guards started to shift their weight. My wolf pressed forward, wanting to maul the two guards in front of me. I took a calming breath. CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE +25 Bonus ¡°You should never have stepped out,¡± I said. ¡°Did you really think Roy would willingly allow his daughter to be executed?!¡± ¡°Alpha,¡± he said. ¡°I take full-¡± ¡°Shut up! Just shut up!¡± I snapped, seizing him by the throat. ¡°Go find Roy immediately and execute him on the spot now!¡± The guard managed to weakly say, ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± I dropped him to the ground. My eyes returned to Jane. She had always been attentive and caring to Viki. It was a shame that her loyalty ended with her death. ¡°I am in a forgiving mood,¡± I said. ¡°If you fail again, my father will decide your fate. Do you understand?¡± The guards paled and nodded quickly. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± They all but ran out of the dungeon to look for Roy. Henry waited until they passed through the door before looking back at me. ¡°What about the position of top warrior?¡± he asked. ¡°My father will handle it,¡± I said. ¡°He will find a good recement.¡± Henry acknowledged the decision with a short nod. My father would pick a worthy recement. He would ensure a sense of order would remain. ¡°Do you want me to send a team to look for Viki?¡± Henry asked. ¡°In her condition, she wouldn¡¯t have made it too far. ¡± ¡°Viki is not worth pursuing. She is a rogue wolf now without allies and money. She will notst long,¡± I responded. ¡°Good riddance,¡± Henry said. ¡°I actually don¡¯t know what you saw in her, Alpha. I never liked her.¡± ¡°I know. You have told me at least a thousand times,¡± I sighed as we exited the dungeon and went back to the main floor. I would have to report the failure to my father and the corrective action taken. ¡°And you should have listened to me. You wouldn¡¯t be in this mess now,¡± Henry scolded. ¡°Talia is a weak omega, even without Viki, I¡¯ll need a stronger Luna,¡± I spat. Henry sighed, ¡°Physical strength isn¡¯t everything. That is why we have mates. So our other half can fill in the areas that weck.¡± I let a low, dangerous growl escape. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think you were in love with Talia.¡± ¡°No. I just think she¡¯s a good Luna,¡± he said with a shrug. ¡°Just shut up and go pack,¡± I said, letting my gaze linger on him a moment longer than necessary. ¡°We leave for Silverfang at dawn.¡± Henry¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Silverfang? For what?¡± A dangerous sneer curled my lips. ¡°The Alpha King¡¯s throne.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 56 CHAPTER FIFTY SIX +25 Bonus Father nodded. ¡°Back then, Nn¡¯s father and I were close. Nn often visited. He was quiet, timid even, nothing like he is now. You two were inseparable. People used to joke that you two might be fated mates one day.¡± My heart skipped. I couldn¡¯t believe that I was that close to Nn when I was young. ¡°But after his father died,¡± Father continued, ¡°he grew distant and cold. He resented the world. He resented me. I always med myself for not finding the truth behind Ryker¡¯s death.¡± I touched his arm gently. ¡°You can¡¯t me yourself. That wasn¡¯t your burden to bear.¡± I had never truly known what happened the night Nn¡¯s father was killed. I had been too young, but one thing I did know: my father would never have killed him. If Nn truly believed otherwise¡­ then there had to be some terrible misunderstanding. Father let out a low sigh and set the basket aside. ¡°It doesn¡¯t change the fact that Nn has hidden motives now. He wouldn¡¯te to Silverfang without reason. And now Jason ising here too.¡± A groan of frustration slipped out of me. ¡°Why is heing?¡± ¡°He ims to be sorry for the chaos at his wedding and says he wants to study warrior tactics here,¡± my father said, his tone dry. ¡°I don¡¯t believe a word of it. Both he and Nn came here for reasons they won¡¯t admit.¡± ¡°You believe me now,¡± I pressed. ¡°I always believed you, Talia,¡± my father said firmly. ¡°But you must also trust that I know what I am doing.¡± I nodded, letting out a breath. He had been right so far about Nn. He hadn¡¯t harmed me¨Cif anything, he had protected me. ¡°I know, and I do.¡± ¡°You must still be careful, Talia. Neither of them can be trusted fully,¡± my father said. ¡°There is no telling how Jason will react once he realizes you are the Silverfang princess.¡± I forgot that I never revealed my identity to him. Solon made him leave during my banquet. I would have to be very careful, especially now Viki is dead. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± I promised. Father gave me onest look before turning back to the basket of petals. ¡°That¡¯s enough for tonight. Come, I¡¯ll show you how to make Rosefall.¡± But as I left the garden, one thought gnawed at me: if neither Nn nor Jason could be trusted, then who would strike first? P Support Share LOARTES FITY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN Jason¡¯s POV Henry and I reached Silverfang byte morning. The guards stepped aside immediately, lowering their heads as I passed. Servants along the path bowed low, their eyes fixed on the ground, careful not to meet my gaze. Their submission pleased me. This was the way it should be. I was the battle-harden Alpha Jason of Shadoww. I fought wars and bled for dominance. I had wed my way into power with strength that few could match. I demanded respect and here, in the Alpha King¡¯s territory, I intended to have it. Nn had nothing on me. He thrived on cruelty, but I was more deserving of the Alpha King¡¯s favor. Even with Solon¡¯s report about Viki and the Redbone Flower, the King had allowed me to enter his territory. That alone gave me hope. If he meant to ignore me, he would have barred me from the gates. Instead, I was here. That had to mean something. At the entrance of the main hall, Beta Logan waited. He looked at me with a neutral expression. He didn¡¯t bow to me, which irritated me. Even though I wasn¡¯t his Alpha, he still should respect my title. ¡°Alpha Jason,¡± he greeted. ¡°The Alpha King is upied and cannot meet you at this time. Guest quarters have been prepared. If you wish to observe warrior training, the grounds are open to you.¡± That was all. There was no feast, no wee, not even a false smile to soften the blow. ¡°I appreciate the courtesy, Beta Logan.¡± Logan inclined his head once more, then gestured to a servant to escort us. He turned away before I could say another word. ¡°This way, Alpha Jason and Beta Henry,¡± the servant said. We followed him without saying another word. My wolf paced restlessly in me, seething at how Beta Logan had dismissed me like I was nothing. The guest quarters were grand enough with fine furnishings, carved wood, heavy curtains, but the luxury did little to soothe my pride. As soon as the servant left, I finally let my smile drop. I rounded on Henry. ¡°What the hell was that? You told me the Alpha King had no issue with meing.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t. He epted your request within 24 hours,¡± Henry replied. ¡°Then exin to me why he treated me like I was nothing! This must be due to Prince Solon. The Alpha King still must be upset about Viki. Her lying and using a banned substance had nothing to do with us. She disgraced us!¡± Henry stayed calm and ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I think you need to calm down, Alpha. This could be so much worse than it is. So, just take a breath.¡± I shrugged Henry¡¯s hand off and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need to be appeased. I need to be respected!¡± Henry walked away from me, rubbing his temples. ¡°Jason, as your Beta, listen to me. Don¡¯t make something out of nothing.¡± ¡°What are you saying? You¡¯re supposed to be on my side!¡± I eximed. ¡°I am on your side, Jason!¡± Henry snapped. ¡°That¡¯s why I am telling you to let this go. You are overthinking it.¡± ¡°Was he the same way with Alpha Nn?¡± I asked. Henry paused. He rubbed his hand over his face before saying, ¡°Why is that relevant? What the Alpha King did or Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 57 CHAPTER PETY SEVEN didn¡¯t do for him does not matter.¡± ¡°Henry,¡± I growled. ¡°Answer my question!¡± +25 Bonus ¡°Fine. When Nn arrived in Silverfang, the Alpha King held a banquet in his honor,¡± Henry said tly. My fists tightened until my knuckles ached. ¡°A banquet¡­ for him?¡± I spat the word like poison. ¡°Nn gets treated like royalty while I am dismissed like amon guest?¡± My father¡¯s voice echoed in my head. Never let them make you look weak. And yet, that was exactly what had happened here. ¡°They think I am beneath them.¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°They¡¯ll regret this. One day, I¡¯ll sit on that throne, and they¡¯ll bow to me. Everyst one of them. The King, Nn, all of them.¡± (1 Henry spun around and hissed, ¡°Watch what you say, Jason. What if someone is listening. Do you want to fail before you even get started?¡± My wolf bristled and snarled within me. He wanted to punish Henry for talking to us like that, but Henry was right. Anyone could be listening to our conversation right now. Henry continued, ¡°You need to be patient. Have I ever stirred you wrong?¡± 1 ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then listen to me. The Hunting Rite will be held in a month. You know the tradition. Remember the n.¡± If I won the Hunting Rite, the Alpha King would have to grant me a reward. It didn¡¯t matter what that reward was as long as it didn¡¯t go against the rules of the Council, the Alpha King had to grant it. I would ask to marry the Princess as a reward and the Alpha King would have to allow it. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said, breathing deep. ¡°Thanks for bringing me back to my senses.¡± Henry nodded. I stepped closer, lowering my voice. ¡°Find out where the Princess lives. I want to know everything about her.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Henry bowed and left the guest quarters to investigate. I walked out onto the balcony to get some fresh air. The garden below stretched wide, green paths bordered by blooming roses and tall hedges. My gaze swept across the garden and then I froze. There, sitting on a stone bench beneath the shade of an oak tree, was a familiar figure. A book rested in her hands, her head bent as she read, and the breeze picked up as strands of her hair. Talia. She looked calm, happy even. She looked happier than I have seen her in a long time. She looked radiant in the garden. 1 Excitement surged through me. I would make sure she wouldn¡¯t slip away from me this time. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 58 CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV I sat in the quiet garden, thest of the day¡¯s sunlight soft against my shoulders. A pack management book rested in myp. Solon had rmended it, insisting it would sharpen my leadership skills. ¡°I have enough leadership skills as a Luna,¡± I told him. ¡°Yes, to a pack that used you as an event nner. This is different. Just read the book, Talia,¡± Solon stated, ruffling my hair. ¡°Fine,¡± I pouted. Solon was right about the book. I had only finished the first chapter and felt like I had learned so much. Right when I was getting ready to start the next chapter, my wolf growled a warning. ¡®Jason is here.¡¯ ¡°What?!¡± I frowned. I snapped the book shut and started to gather my things. If I moved quickly enough, maybe I could avoid him altogether. But before I could rise from the bench, he was already there, blocking my way. Damn it. Jason looked different than thest time I¡¯d seen him. There was the faintest trace of exhaustion on his face. But the arrogance in his eyes was still there, so Viki¡¯s lies hadn¡¯t humbled him. ¡°Talia,¡± he greeted, his voice deliberately soft. ¡°I came to apologize.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already apologized. There¡¯s nothing you could say that I want to hear,¡± I said, clutching my book in front of me like a shield. ¡°Please just hear me out, Talia,¡± Jason pressed. ¡°I hurt you because I was deceived. Viki poisoned me with lies. She tricked me, and I was too blind to see. But now-¡± He spread his hands like a man offering a gift. ¡°Now that she¡¯s gone, nothing stands between us.¡± ¡°Did she manipte you when you slept with her?¡± I asked. Jason opened his mouth and then closed it quickly as he tried to think of what to say. ¡°You were cheating with her long before she told you she was pregnant, weren¡¯t you?¡± I continued. ¡°Only because she lied to me about you. She said¡­¡± I raised my hand, interrupting him. ¡°You trusted an outsider over your fated mate. That is more disrespectful than cheating. Nothing will change our past now. We¡¯re no longer mates. You made sure of that.¡± His jaw twitched, but he forced a thin smile. ¡°Do you remember the nights we shared? Do you remember what it felt like to be in my arms? I could give that back to you. I could give you everything, Talia.¡± I raised a brow. ¡°Everything? Can you return the years I wasted? Can you remove the humiliation I felt? Or what about the title of Luna? Or does your father still forbid that?¡± For the first time, his confident expression faltered. ¡°My father wants me to marry the Alpha King¡¯s daughter. It¡¯s politics, nothing more.¡± CHAPTER FILTY FIGHT +25 Bonus So, that was what he was here for. My wolf chuckled, ¡®He¡¯s an idiotic fool.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t wait to see his face when he realized I was the Alpha King¡¯s daughter. ¡°But don¡¯t think that means I don¡¯t love you. I do. I always have. I always will. I can give you everything but the title. You¡¯d still have my heart,¡± Jason stated. I scoffed. ¡°How generous of you to offer me the position of mistress while you crown another woman. No need and no thank you, Jason. Solon can give me everything I want, and he doesn¡¯t have to lie to me to do it.¡± His eyes narrowed and he finally let his mask fall. ¡°You think Solon loves you more than I do? You think he¡¯d give you more than I can?¡± ¡°Nope. I just know it,¡± I smirked. I stood and turned to leave, but Jason moved faster than I expected. His hand shot out, yanking the cor of my shirt down roughly, exposing the skin of my shoulder. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± I eximed. Jason¡¯s grip tightened as he searched my neck and shoulder. He was looking for a mark that wasn¡¯t there. Jasonughed. His lips twisted into a feral grin. ¡°I knew it. I knew you wouldn¡¯t let him mark you. You still love me. You¡¯re still mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not yours,¡± I spat, jerking away from him and pulling my shirt back up. ¡°I will never be yours again!¡± Fury shed in his eyes. He lunged, grabbing me with both hands. His mouth crashed against mine. It was no kiss. It was teeth and rage. His fingers tore at my shirt, nails grazing my skin. ¡°Did he do this?¡± Jason demanded between breaths. ¡°Did Solon touch you the way I did? Did he try to mark you?¡± Get off me!¡± I snarled, shoving at his chest with all the strength I could gather. My wolf surged forward, lending me power. My ws tore at his chest, drawing blood. Jason growled, he shook me hard as if he could shake the defiance out of me. ¡°You are mine, Talia! I¡¯ll prove it. I¡¯ll mark you again, and you¡¯ll see. You¡¯ll remember who you belong to. I fought him with everything I kicked, wed, and twisted my body to break free. My wolf snapped inside me, snarling encouragement, pushing my limbs to strike harder. But I couldn¡¯t break free of him. ¡°Stop fighting me!¡± he snapped. ¡°Stop pretending! I know you still feel it! I can see it in your eyes!¡± ¡°You see nothing but your own madness!¡± I spat back, my teeth bared. Jason forced me back down against the bench. One hand mped around my throat while the other painfully wrenched my head back by my hair. He ignored my punches as he pressed his weight over me. His face was buried in the crook of my neck. ¡°You¡¯ll thank me for this,¡± he hissed in my ear. ¡°You¡¯ll see that no one can love you the way I do.¡± I thrashed harder, my ws shing into his chest. I opened my mindlink with Solon and De, desperate, hoping they could get to me before this maniac marked me again. And then, a voice, sharp and cold, cut through the night air. ¡°Alpha Jason, what are you doing?¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 59 CHAPTER HITY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER FIFTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV I shoved Jason away, my chest heaving as I scrambled to fix my torn shirt. My hands shook as I yanked my shirt back into ce, but no amount of tugging could erase the humiliation I felt right now. I knew Jason was capable of many things, but not this. I never thought he would do something as vile as this. I felt stripped bare by the shame of having been pinned beneath him. And then I saw who had spoken. Nn. He stood just beyond the garden path. He wore a ck jacket with jeans. His expression was neutral as he walked up the garden path towards us. Of all people, why did it have to be him who found me? This was his second time saving me. My humiliation tripled. Jason straightened, clearly caught off guard. I took the opportunity to get off the bench and put distance between Jason and I. Jason reached for me, but I stepped back further. Jason frowned but turned his attention back to Nn. ¡°Alpha Nn, did you need something?¡± Jason asked casually as if he hadn¡¯t been about to take advantage of me in broad daylight. Nn didn¡¯t say anything to Jason. He walked past him and shrugged off his ck jacket. Without asking, he draped it over my shoulders. The weight surprised me. It was heavier than I expected, and warm from his body heat. My pulse slowed just a fraction; my wolf settled at thefort of it. He ced one steadying hand on my back. The gesture was simple, but it shocked me. Nn wasn¡¯t known for kindness, yet I was thankful all the same. Jason cleared his throat and said, ¡°What a surprise! It seems you know Talia as well.¡± The pause was deliberate. Nn¡¯s gaze flicked to him, then back to me. ¡°Of course I know her. I am a guest in Silverfang. Why wouldn¡¯t I know the Alpha King¡¯s¡­¡± Panic surged through me, and I quickly blurted out, ¡°Guest! Yes, a guest just like him.¡± Nn looked at me in surprise. His brows furrowed, his sharp features softening just for a heartbeat before his expression became neutral again. He studied me, as though silently demanding an exnation. Nn then turned his attention back to Jason and asked, ¡°What are you doing here, Alpha Jason? Why didn¡¯t you inform me you wereing?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think I needed to. I came here to study Silverfang¡¯s warrior training techniques,¡± Jason smirked. I wondered what was going on between Jason and Nn. What was their rtionship? It was odd that Nn felt that Jason should check in with him. Jason cleared his throat and said, ¡°Seems like you¡¯re more than a guest to Nn, Talia.¡± He gestured to Nn¡¯s hand still on my back. Nn raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t remove his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I said. HAPTER FILTY NINE +25 Bonus Jason moved closer, puffing his chest with arrogance that barely masked his unease. ¡°Alpha Nn, I would appreciate it if you would remove your hand from her. Talia is my fated mate, my Luna.¡± Before Nn could respond, I snapped, ¡°Oh my goddess, Jason, would you just stop with the lies? We ended that bond for a long time. There is no mate bond between us. I am not your Luna. You need to ept that!¡± Jason¡¯s jaw tightened. For a moment, his arrogant fa?ade cracked. He looked hurt and frustrated, but he quickly forced a smirk onto his face. ¡°You¡¯re just being stubborn. I told you me and Viki are over. You cane back home,¡± Jason said, continuing his delusion. Nn let out a short, humorlessugh. ¡°From where I¡¯m standing, it seems she¡¯s already made it clear what her rtionship with you is. And it isn¡¯t Luna.¡± Jason¡¯s aura red. Nn cocked his head slightly, smirking at him, daring Jason to try something. To my surprise, Jason didn¡¯tsh out. ¡°This is between us, Nn. You don¡¯t need to interfere,¡± Jason said in a strained voice. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Jason. You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do,¡± Nn responded firmly. Like the coward he was, instead of fighting with Nn, Jason turned to me. ¡°You get around, don¡¯t you, Talia?¡± he hissed. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I frowned. ¡°First Prince Solon, and now Alpha Nn? You just open your legs to anyone who gives you attention, don¡¯t you?¡± Jason spat, his words sharp and cruel. My wolf growled inside me. He had already humiliated me, and now he dared to shame me as if I were the whore.¡± That¡¯s cheaping from you. I¡¯m not the one that allowed a cheap floozy to manipte me! You let Viki fool you into thinking she was pregnant with your pup. What kind of Alpha can¡¯t even tell the difference between a real and a fake pregnancy?¡± I shot back. Nn coughed, clearly trying to smother augh, which only made Jason¡¯s face flush hotter with rage. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. You wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about your excuses for why you couldn¡¯t keep it in your pants,¡± I snapped, cutting him off, pulling Nn¡¯s jacket tighter around me. ¡°We have no rtionship, Jason. Who I am, or am not, with is none of your business.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only one who would ever truly want you. You¡¯re a useless, barren omega. You serve no purpose other than a ything,¡± He gestured at me like I was nothing more than a discarded rag. ¡°Did you really think Solon ever loved you? He pitied you, Talia. You were just a sad charity case. And Nn? Don¡¯t be stupid. He wouldn¡¯t be interested in you. You need to ept reality and ept your ce in the world.¡± ¡°Shut your fucking mouth!¡± I snarled. My outburst surprised Jason as I normally didn¡¯t curse but he had pushed me to the breaking point. ¡°I didn¡¯t belong to you then and I don¡¯t belong to you now! I will NEVER be your mate again!¡± Jason¡¯s shock was reced with rage, but before he could speak again, Nn spoke up, ¡°Who says I am not interested in her?¡± My head whipped toward him, my mouth falling open in shock. 1 Nn smirked, reached out, and with a finger under my chin, closed my mouth with a subtle push. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 60 CHAPTER SIXTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIXTY Nn¡¯s POV Talia and Jason were staring at me, waiting for an answer. Honestly, I hadn¡¯t expected the words toe out of my mouth either. I hadn¡¯te here to interfere. When I first noticed Jason cornering Talia, I had no intention of stepping in. Watching and waiting was safer, but my wolf didn¡¯t see it that way. He was pacing impatiently inside me. ¡®Do something. Don¡¯t let him touch what¡¯s ours,¡¯ he growled within me. ¡°She isn¡¯t ours,¡± I responded. ¡°This is none of our business.¡± ¡®She is ours. She has always been. Another male¡¯s hands on her is an insult,¡¯ my wolf howled angrily. Jason leaned closer, fingers clutching her cor. My wolf pushed hard inside me, and before I knew it, my feet were moving. Anger red as I watched him pin her to the bench. That bastard was trying to forcibly mark her. Even if I hadn¡¯t nned to mark Talia, I would never let another Alpha force himself on her. The way Talia allowed me to put my jacket on her and how she kept it on made me feel good in a way that I hadn¡¯t expected. Even with the charm on my chest, the instinctual need to protect her, and the need for her to allow me to, was still present. ¡®Because she¡¯s ours and this is our role as her mate and her Alpha,¡¯ my wolf reminded me. ¡°What did you just say, Alpha Nn?¡± Jason pressed. ¡°What if I am interested in her?¡± I sneered. Jason blinked, startled, and then scrambled to hide his surprised expression. For a moment, he even looked fearful. He chuckled nervously and asked, ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± ¡°Rx,¡± I said evenly, almost bored. ¡°She looks like she¡¯d make a good maid.¡± My wolf bristled instantly. ¡®You insult her to hide what she really means to us. You¡¯re pathetic!¡¯ I ignored him, but the desired effect was immediate. Jason¡¯s shoulders dropped, and I could see the relief on his face. He stood, fixing his shirt. ¡°Of course, of course. She did manage Shadoww well when she was my Luna,¡± he said quickly, eager to seize the lifeline. ¡°She kept the pack in order. Probably would make a fine maid.¡± His voice hardened at the end, reminding both of us of where he thought Talia belonged. I could feel Talia stiffen, but I didn¡¯t remove my hand from her back. Jason was still a threat to her until he left.¡± Your Luna? That¡¯s how you talk about her now?¡± Jason puffed his chest. ¡°I can talk about her all I want to because she¡¯s mine. She always was. If you want maids, I¡¯ll send you ten better than her tomorrow.¡± My wolf mmed against my ribs, teeth bared. ¡®Kill him. Right here. Tear his throat out.¡¯ I kept my face neutral. I could feel Talia¡¯s angry eyes on me. I could tell she was barely keeping herposure. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything from you,¡± I said, voice low and sharp. ¡°You¡¯ve just arrived in Silverfang. Behave yourself. Focus on why you¡¯re here. This territory has rules, Alpha Jason.¡± CHAPTER SIXTY +25 Bonus Jason¡¯s smirk faltered. My aura pressed down on him, and I saw the flicker of unease in his eyes. He swallowed, forcing a quick nod. ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep to my purpose.¡± ¡°See that you do,¡± I snapped. Jason¡¯s eyes darted to Talia again before he turned and stalked away. I stepped away from Talia as I watched him leave. When he was out of hearing distance, I finally looked at Talia. Talia¡¯s chest was still rising fast, her fists clenched around the edges of my jacket. For a moment, I thought she might keep it. But then Talia tore the jacket off. ¡°How dare you!¡± she growled and threw it at me. The jacket hit my chest. I caught it without hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t know what sick fantasy you have in your head about me, but I will NEVER be your maid!¡± I folded the jacket over my arm. ¡°Interesting,¡± I said. ¡°Are you upset that you thought I actually liked you?¡± Talia scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡± ¡°You kept my jacket long enough,¡± I goaded. Talia¡¯s jaw tightened as fury shed in her eyes again. ¡°I needed a barrier from him, not from you. Don¡¯t think this means anything.¡± ¡°You lie very well, Princess. You should think about my offer. It¡¯ll keep Jason away,¡± I responded. ¡°Are you serious right now?¡± Talia asked with narrowed eyes. ¡°What if I tell Jason who you really are? I only need one sentence, and you¡¯ll never get rid of him,¡± I exined. Talia stepped toward me with her chin lifted. I could feel her Luna aura ring. ¡°Go ahead and try,¡± she said coldly. ¡°But if you dare threaten Silverfang, I won¡¯t let it slide.¡± Then she turned and stormed down the path without looking back. I stood where I was, the jacket still in my hand. My wolf growled, ¡®We need to mark her. End this foolish game.¡¯ ¡°No,¡± I said under my breath. ¡°I told you I refuse to be distracted. We are so close to our goal. I won¡¯t let a little she-wolf ruin what I worked so hard to get due to instincts and hormones.¡± I reyed the exchange out of habit. The maid line had served its purpose. It gave Jason a way to retreat without having to admit defeat. Men like him cling to a petty insult because it spares them from facing their own failures. Jason praised Talia to convince himself he still held the higher ground. He held the delusion that he still had control. He offered ten maids just to flex. But in the end, like the coward he was, he obeyed my order instead of fighting. That was all I needed to see. He was still the obedient pup I needed him to be. ¡®You insulted her to move him,¡¯ my wolf said, unimpressed. ¡®Saying the truth would make you vulnerable. You¡¯re as delusional as him.¡¯ Another set of footsteps approached from behind me. Marco stepped into the garden from the hedge path. His eyes scanned the scene. His eyes went to the wed bench. Marco stopped a few paces away, reading the tension in my shoulders. ¡°What happened?¡± Marco asked. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 61 CHAPTER SATY ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIXTY ONE Nn¡¯s POV I didn¡¯t answer Marco¡¯s question. I walked past him back to my room. While I walked, I reyed every second of the encounter earlier in the garden. The way Jason wed at Talia like a desperate animal, the way she fought him, and the way my own wolf nearly tore through me to intervene. I didn¡¯t like how much I felt out of control. I didn¡¯t like seeing Jason on Talia like that. The urge to hunt him down to teach him a lesson was almost unbearable. I slung my door open and sat down at my desk, rubbing my hand over my face. Marco followed me in and closed the door behind him. ¡°Alpha, what¡¯s going on?¡± he asked. ¡°You should have told me,¡± I said coldly, not bothering to look up at him. Marco frowned. ¡°Told you what?¡± ¡°That Talia and Jason were mates once!¡± I snapped. His brows lifted slightly, and thenughed, ¡°Wait. Hold on. Did it matter now?¡± ¡°No. But you should tell me they were fated mates before,¡± I argued. ¡°You said the alliance was the priority. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t bring it up. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d want to waste time digging into her past when you¡¯d already called her the enemy¡¯s daughter,¡± Marco exined. My jaw clenched. ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide what details matter and what don¡¯t.¡± Marco¡¯s gaze hardened. He wasn¡¯t intimidated by me, notpletely. That was part of why I kept him. ¡°And you were dismissive of anything I said about her, so why do you care now?¡± ¡°Because I need to know EVERYTHING about the enemy¡¯s daughter. That was important, Marco,¡± I growled. ¡°Alpha, what happened? Why do you care so much now?¡± Marco asked with confusion. ¡°He tried to force himself on Talia,¡± I bit out, heat rising in my chest. ¡°Had the audacity to say he wanted her back as his Luna.¡± Marco¡¯s gaze hardened for a moment. Abuse of she-wolves was always something that enraged him. ¡°That ungrateful bastard,¡± Marco growled. ¡°What else? Marco,¡± I pressed. ¡°Alpha King refused to acknowledge Jason as her fated mate, so Princess Talia disguised herself as an omega just to be his mate and the Luna of Shadoww back then.¡± Marco let out a rough breath.. ¡°She did that? For him?¡± I asked in disbelief. Marco nodded once. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s how much the mate bond can push someone. She gave up her standing, her title, and her family all for him.¡± I had always believed she and Solon were just like their father. Arrogant, driven by power and pride. To think she had willingly cast it aside for Jason of all people, it was unheard of. ¡°The bond means more than pride and power,¡¯ my wolf added. ¡®You know it. That¡¯s why you wear the pendant to resist the pull.¡¯ CHAPTER SIXTY ONE +25 Bonus ¡°She was a fool,¡± I muttered. ¡°One could say so are you,¡± Marco countered. ¡°You think you can keep this under control. You wear that pendant to suppress it, but it won¡¯tst forever. You¡¯re her second chance mate but she¡¯s your fated mate. The longer you ignore the bond, the worse it¡¯ll be for you.¡± ¡°I said I would reject her!¡± I growled it loud as I fighted with my wolf. 13 Marco rolled his eyes and said, ¡°And you would be as stupid as Jason.¡± I growled at him and Marco raised his hands in defense. ¡°I¡¯m saying YOU WOULD BE not that you are. Your mate is your other half. They make you stronger. If not, then why do you think Jason is so desperate to get Talia back?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need her to be strong,¡± I retorted. ¡°She is a liability that I will get rid of once I have aplished what I came here for.¡± ¡°Nn, don¡¯t kid yourself,¡± Marco scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen what the fated mate bonds do to wolves. You can im all you want that you¡¯ll resist, and I have no doubt you will for a while, but you will give in eventually. Everyone does.¡± My wolf snarled inside me, pacing hard against my chest. ¡®If you let her slip away, you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life. I mean it!¡¯ ¡°Enough,¡± I snapped inwardly, pushing his voice back. The pendant against my skin warmed as I willed the bond into silence. I rose from my chair and walked toward the window, resting my hand against the cold frame. Beyond the ss, fog covered the Silverfang gardens. Somewhere out there, she was moving through the halls, probably trying to forget the way Jason wed at her. Marco¡¯s voice pulled me back. ¡°You need to decide soon, Nn. Either reject her or ept her as your mate before the decision is taken from you.¡± I turned to him slowly. ¡°You presume too much, Marco.¡± ¡°No. We¡¯ve been friends since we were kids. I know you, Nn, just like you know me. You feel for her even with the pendant on and it¡¯s only going to get worse.¡± ¡°I said enough,¡± I growled, letting a fraction of my aura bleed into the room. Finally, I exhaled and pulled it back. ¡°If you¡¯re so eager to keep me on task, then do your job. Jason ims he¡¯s here to study some warrior training.¡± ¡°You want me to find out the real reason he¡¯s here?¡± Marco confirmed. ¡°Yes,¡± I said coldly. ¡°I want every detail. If he has other intentions for this so-called alliance, I¡¯ll know it before he even sets anything in motion. And if he dares to doublecross me, I¡¯ll rip his throat out.¡± Marco smirked as he stood up and said, ¡°Finally, something that sounds like you. I¡¯ll handle it. But you can¡¯t ignore the bond forever, Nn.¡± When the door shut behind him, my wolf pressed forward onest time. ¡®Don¡¯t reject her. Don¡¯t make Jason¡¯s mistake. She is ours. If you lose her, you lose everything.¡¯ I pressed a hand to my chest where the pendant rested, the heat of it biting against my skin as I forced his voice down again. ¡°No,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I will not be ruled by a stupid bond. Not now. Not ever.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 62 CHAPTER SIXTY TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIXTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV The training grounds were alive with movement and noise. Warriors ran drills in staggered lines. Shields thudded as they met practice strikes. I stood with Beta Logan at the edge with a clipboard in my hands and a roster clipped at the top. With the Hunting Rite approaching, we needed to tighten our security. Logan looked at the candidates sparring in the nearest ring. ¡°We need speed and experienced trackers, not just muscle.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± I said. I marked two names on the roster. ¡°And they must be calm under pressure, so someone experienced.¡± Logan grunted approval. He nodded toward a dark-haired warrior weaving through a pair of opponents. ¡°Kade, he¡¯s a good prospect. He listens.¡± ¡°Kade goes,¡± I said, circling his name. ¡°I think Rhea would be a perfect match for him.¡± ¡°Rhea?¡± Logan repeated. ¡°She grew up near the marsh. She knows how to move quickly without making a sound,¡± I exined. Beta Logan smiled and I raised an eyebrow. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing well, Princess. I am happy you¡¯re back,¡± Beta Logan replied. ¡°Thank you, Beta Logan,¡± I said, blushing lightly. I cleared my throat before saying, ¡°We need to make sure we have a few more. We can¡¯t afford to not be too careful. The Hunting Rite brings in spectators and opportunists.¡± He nodded once. ¡°Then pick four more, Princess.¡± We continued on like this for a few more minutes before we had settled on four more warriors. Logan took the roster, reviewed the names again, and handed it back. ¡°That puts two full patrols on rotation and one reserve. This is good coverage. Anything else, Princess?¡± ¡°Rotate them in twelve-hour shifts until the Rite begins,¡± I said. ¡°We don¡¯t want anyone exhausted. If anyone looks tired, I want them reced before they start making mistakes.¡± ¡°As youmand,¡± he said. Then his gaze sharpened beyond my shoulder. ¡°De.¡± I barely had time to turn before De rushed up, braid swinging, and the scent of clean linen trailing after her. She slowed when she saw her father, adjusted her shoulders, and tried for a dignified walk. Itsted for three steps. ¡°Princess,¡± she said, beaming at me. ¡°I came to steal you. We¡¯re going shopping.¡± Logan frowned and he scolded, ¡°You do not ¡®steal¡¯ the Princess from a security inspection. This is an important task that you will be taking over in the future.¡± De¡¯s smile faltered. ¡°I know, but my¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I said, turning to Beta Logan. ¡°We¡¯ve chosen enough people for today.¡± I handed the clipboard to Logan. ¡°Have the captains brief them and assign them to their areas. I want the shifts posted by nightfall.¡± Logan epted with a short nod. ¡°Consider it done.¡± He turned to De, stern again. ¡°I agreed to your birthday party, but you will not turn it into a spectacle. No fights. No staging pranks. No dragging the kitchen staff intost -minute requests.¡± CHAPTER SIXTY WO +25 Bonus De pouted and said, ¡°I won¡¯t cause trouble, father, I promise.¡± ¡°Do not worry, Beta Logan. I¡¯ll make sure she keeps her word,¡± I said before leading De away. ¡°When is your birthday?¡± I asked. She blinked. ¡°Are you joking? It¡¯s next Wednesday.¡± Guilt tugged at me. I had been so deep in preparations, meetings, and border reports that I hadpletely forgotten her birthday. ¡°I should have remembered,¡± I said quietly. De waved it off, but her eyes softened. ¡°You¡¯re doing Princess work. I¡¯m not mad. I just wanted to pull you away for an hour. You need new clothes. The shops will reserve pieces if you go in person.¡± ¡°What do you want for your birthday?¡± I asked. Her grin returned. ¡°Whatever you think. You always know what I like.¡± We started toward the exit path that cut between the archery yard and the equipment storehouse. ¡°We need a formal dress for you,¡± De said, thinking out loud as we walked. ¡°Something light with a hidden inner pocket for your dagger. And a day dress that doesn¡¯t have a thousand buttons.¡± ¡°No feathers, no sequins, and no colors that make me look like a g,¡± Iughed. ¡°You always say that,¡± she sighed. ¡°One day I¡¯m going to get you to try blue,¡± ¡°There are other colors to choose from,¡± I said. ¡°Purple, pink, orange, green¡­pick from those and I¡¯ll try them on.¡± De rolled her eyes, but she was grinning with excitement. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll be reasonable. For my birthday, you can at least try one dress I pick without arguing.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± I smiled. We rounded the corner, and I stopped short. Jason and Henry stood near the gate that opened toward the trainingnes. They began walking over to us. ¡°Talia, De,¡± Henry greeted. ¡°Hello Beta Henry,¡± I said with a smile as Henry had always been nice to me. My smile disappeared when I focused on Jason. ¡°Alpha Jason.¡± Jason stepped forward to reach for my wrist. De moved at once, stepping in front of me. ¡°What do you want?¡± she demanded. Her Beta aura ring. Jason gestured to the yard and Beta Logan behind us. ¡°I came to watch the warrior training and happened to run into you. I wanted to offer an apology for what happened between us recently.¡± My wolf stirred at the sound of his voice and began growling within me. ¡®Keep him at a distance. He is not to be trusted.¡¯ ¡°Your apology is noted.¡± I turned to the nearest Silverfang warrior posted along the path. ¡°Escort Alpha Jason. Make sure he has a clear view of the drills and nothing more.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± the warrior said. He stepped forward, gesturing toward the sparring rings. ¡°This way, Alpha.¡± I shifted to go with De, but Jason¡¯s voice cut in again. ¡°Talia, wait.¡± W +25 Bonus 1 stopped. De took a half step back toward me, ready to nt herself between us again. ¡°What?¡± she snapped. ¡°What do you want now? Jason kept the polite tone, but his jaw was tight. ¡°I¡¯d like a word. It won¡¯t take long.¡± Henry said nothing. He said with his eyes that he would see everything. De crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. ¡°No. You don¡¯t get private words anymore. You don¡¯t get anything. Not after how you treated Talia,¡± De stated. ¡°De,¡± I said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± 2) I nced at Logan. He gave a short nod and shifted his stance so that anyone approaching from the yard would have to pass him first. De stood side by side with Henry. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here if he tries anything,¡± De said. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I just want to talk,¡± Jason stated. ¡°Sure,¡± De responded with an eye roll. I stepped three feet aside with Jason. I wasn¡¯t far. I was still within sight of Logan¡¯s steady stare and the warrior escort who had not yet moved. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 63 CHAPTER SIXTY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIXTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV Jason did not waste time and said, ¡°Listen to me, Talia. Stay away from Nn. He is ruthless. He did note to Silverfang with good intentions.¡± ¡°And you did? What were your intentions again?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re defending him,¡± Jason said in surprise. ¡°No, I am pointing out how ridiculous you sound,¡± I countered. Jason¡¯s face became flushed. He tried to hold my gaze, then nced away and forced a thin smile. ¡°I came to make things right with you,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to win you back.¡± I scoffed, ¡°By forcibly marking me that day? Let¡¯s be serious. You did note here for me.¡± ¡°Talia, believe me, I did,¡± Jason pleaded. ¡°No, I remembered what you said. You came here for the Alpha King¡¯s daughter. Let me guess. You n to win the Hunting Rite and ask the Alpha King to allow you to marry the princess. Is that it?¡± Jason¡¯s eyes widened in surprise before heposed himself. ¡°Everything I do is for Shadoww,¡± he said quickly. ¡°And for you. Yes, I put my pack first, but I never stopped loving you.¡± ¡°Stop,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± ¡°Talia, just believe me about Nn, ok? It¡¯s for your sake!¡± He snapped. ¡°You¡¯re so quick to talk bad about him. What do you know about him that I don¡¯t already know?¡± Jason seized the opening like a drowning man reaching for a rope. ¡°He breaks negotiations without warning. He killed an Alpha who already submitted. He does not forgive insults. People disappear when he visits. Alphas watch their words when he is in the room.¡± He leaned in, lowering his voice. ¡°Being near a wolf like that brings trouble. I am telling you to be careful.¡± My wolf huffed, ¡®He¡¯s not wrong that Nn is dangerous, but so is he. ¡°I hate Nn,¡± I said inly. ¡°And I hate you. It would be better if both of you stayed far away from me.¡± De walked over to me, clearly annoyed with how long our conversation had been. ¡°Are you done?¡± she asked Jason, not bothering to hide her contempt. ¡°I apologized,¡± Jason said, as if the effort should have bought him something. ¡°I am trying.¡± ¡°You tried to force a mark on me in a garden,¡± I said. My voice stayed calm. ¡°I will not forget that.¡± ¡°He did what?¡± De eximed looking between us. Jason¡¯s eyes twitched in frustration. ¡°I lost control for a moment,¡± he said. ¡°It will not happen again.¡± ¡°It will not,¡± I dered, ¡°because you will not get another chance.¡± I turned away. De fell into step with me at once. Beta Logan¡¯s gaze met mine from across thene. I gave him a small nod to show I was fine. He returned it and resumed issuing orders to the warriors. We cleared the gate and took the stone path toward the inner court. De exhaled like she had been holding her CHAPTER SIXTY THREE +25 Bonus breath. ¡°He is unbearable,¡± she muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you haven¡¯t thrown him in the dungeon yet.¡± ¡°I have to remain diplomatic,¡± I said. She cut a quick nce at me. ¡°Did he really try to force ¨¤ mark?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°He tried.¡± The thought of it made a shiver go up my spine. I didn¡¯t want to think about what would have happened if Nn hadn¡¯t intervened. De stopped walking and grabbed my arm. She looked shocked and worried. ¡°I know you want to be independent, strong, and all that. But you need to tell your father or at least Solon,¡± she said. ¡°Just because he apologized doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t try again.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I will, but right now isn¡¯t the time. They have enough to manage with the Rite approaching. I will not add this to their list.¡± De bristled. ¡°You are not a problem they need to solve; you are their family. Familyes first. Hell, just tell my father.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I sighted. ¡°I am not hiding it to protect him. I am choosing when to speak because timing matters.¡± De groaned in frustration. ¡°Fine,¡± she relented, unhappy but epting my logic. ¡°Then promise me you will tell them.¡± ¡°I will,¡± I said. ¡°If he tries again, I will say it the same day.¡± The drive to the bazaar was quick. The bazaar¡¯s bright lights reflected off polished tiles as De tugged me into one boutique after another, her excitement overflowing. ¡°Dresses,¡± she announced like it was an official order. ¡°You need at least two-one for the ceremony and one for the after-party. And shoes, obviously.¡± I sighed, already regretting letting her drag me along. ¡°You sound like Solon when he¡¯s telling me what to wear for banquets.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re hopeless,¡± De teased, holding a sequined red dress against me before immediately wrinkling her nose. ¡°I¡¯m not wearing that,¡± I said. ¡°Of course not this. You need something that says elegant, not desperate,¡± De stated. I rolled my eyes but allowed her to shove hanger after hanger into my hands. My fingers brushed over a deep forest -green dress. It was simple, sleek, and far less overdone than what she kept pushing at me. The fabric flowed without clinging, light enough to move in but still refined. ¡°This one,¡± I said, holding it up. De inspected it and then grinned. ¡°You know what? That¡¯s not bad. See you¡¯re learning. You¡¯ll look like you know how to behave in public for once.¡± I elbowed her lightly, pretending offense. ¡°I always behave.¡± ¡°Please,¡± she snorted. ¡°You are about as bad as me most of the time.¡± She turned to another rack, pulling out a silver-grey cocktail dress with beadwork at the neckline. ¡°And this one, 2/3 CHAPIT SAY TORET +25 Bonus she dered. ¡°Perfect for photos. You¡¯ll thank meter.¡± I sighed but let her add it to the growing pile. We moved toward the shoes, De already pointing out a pair of strappy heels that matched her own dress. I quickly found shoes to match both of my dresses. ¡°Look at you. You didn¡¯t even need my help with this,¡± De linked her arm through mine and steered me toward the exit. ¡°Now we pay before I bankrupt us both.¡± ¡°This will be wrapped for you within two minutes, Princess,¡± the attendant said. ¡°Would you like delivery?¡± ¡°We will carry them,¡± I said. ¡°How much is the¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± a familiar voice said behind me. I turned. Nn stood an arm¡¯s length away, calm as if he had been standing there the entire time. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 64 CHAPTER SIXTY TOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR Talia¡¯s POV ¡°No, thanks,¡± I said, keeping my voice steady. ¡°I¡¯ll cover it, Alpha Nn.¡± Nn didn¡¯t acknowledge the refusal. He gave the attendant a small nod to continue, as if my words were background noise. ¡°Did you not hear me?¡± I asked sternly, pushing Nn¡¯s hand out of the way. ¡°It is a gift,¡± Nn said, finally acknowledging me. ¡°For De¡¯s uing birthday. And a courtesy to Beta Logan for his hospitality.¡± His words annoyed me. He should be thanking my father for his hospitality, since he was the reason Nn was even allowed to be in Silverfang. Everyone else was against it. ¡°I don¡¯t want your gift,¡± I replied. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the birthday girl be making that decision?¡± Nn sneered. ¡°Thank you, Alpha Nn,¡± De cut in quickly. ¡°That is very kind of you!¡± ¡°De,¡± I warned under my breath. She shot me a look that said not here. The attendant finished packing everything as if she wanted us out of the shop as quickly as possible. I gathered the bags before De could reach for them. ¡°We are heading home,¡± I said to De. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± We turned away from the counter. Nn stepped aside to allow us to leave, which somehow irritated me more. Why was he being nice all of a sudden? ¡°Thank you again,¡± De said over her shoulder. ¡°Alpha Nn! You shoulde to my party next week.¡± I whipped my head around and hissed through our mindlink, ¡®What the hell are you doing? Don¡¯t invite him!¡¯ ¡°I wille,¡± Nn said without hesitation. ¡°Please inform Beta Logan of my attendance.¡± ¡°Uh, sure,¡± De stammered, surprised at his willingness. ¡°I will let him know.¡± I continued walking, practically stomping out of the store. De hurried to match my pace. The store¡¯s music faded as we stepped back into the mall. ¡°Talia, slow down!¡± De called after me when I was five stores away. ¡°What was that?¡± I asked as soon as she caught up. ¡°Uh, it was just a gift,¡± De said with a shrug. ¡°I refused it,¡± I said with a frown. ¡°Well, technically it was for me,¡± she answered with augh. ¡°You heard him.¡± ¡°He overstepped. I don¡¯t need¡­ We don¡¯t need him buying anything for us,¡± I argued. De hugged one of the dress boxes closer to her chest. ¡°It wasn¡¯t worth a scene at the counter. He paid. He didn¡¯t ask for anything in return.¡± CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR +25 Bonus ¡°You don¡¯t know that yet,¡± I retorted. We took the esctor down, then cut through the crowd toward the exit. The evening sky showed through the ss doors. I kept walking until we were outside. Our driver pulled the car from the parking space and rolled to a stop in front of us. He stepped out and took our bags from us. I opened the rear door and slid in. De climbed in after me. As the car eased into traffic, De nced at me. ¡°You are really upset,¡± she said. ¡°Of course, I am. I¡¯m the Princess. He doesn¡¯t get to override me,¡± I exined. I didn¡¯t understand why she didn¡¯t understand why I was upset. I opted to not say anything else to keep from getting into an argument with her. The driver merged and took the main road. Lights slid across the windows. We passed a cluster of street vendors, then a row of storefronts with closed signs already flipped. ¡°Do not invite him like that again,¡± I said after a while. ¡°Not without clearing it with me or your father first.¡± ¡°Sorry, I know,¡± De apologized. ¡°I decided in the moment.¡± ¡°Do not decide like that again,¡± I said. ¡°He is dangerous. Remember you told me that.¡± ¡°I remember what I said, but I also know what I have seen since he moved to Silverfang,¡± De replied. ¡°What have you seen?¡± I asked. ¡°He keeps a low profile,¡± she replied. ¡°He trains. He reads. He doesn¡¯t undermine our warriors. He doesn¡¯t throw his weight around.¡± ¡°Keeping a low profile doesn¡¯t make him safe,¡± I said. ¡°It makes him easier to handle because he¡¯s predictable,¡± De said. My wolf huffed. ¡®Until he isn¡¯t.¡¯ ¡°So, what¡¯s the n with him being at the party?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ll treat him like any other guest. If he acts up, he¡¯ll be kicked out. Remember your father told him to be on his best behavior,¡± De answered. ¡°Why do I feel like you invited him for another reason?¡± I asked. ¡°For instance using him against Jason.¡± ¡°If Jason tries to show up and he will try, I would rather have Nn standing in the room ensuring Jason is on his best behavior instead of being stuck policing Jason alone,¡± De rationalized. ¡°That is not your job,¡± I said. ¡°You can just say they both can¡¯t go.¡± De exhaled. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re against this. He saved you from Jason.¡± ¡°And he also said he wanted me to be his maid,¡± I countered. ¡°He probably only said that to make Jason back down,¡± De exined. ¡°You know better than anyone else that Jason is persistent. Nn isn¡¯t like that.¡± I hated to admit that she was right. Nn, majority of the time, was indifferent. It was only recently that he started engaging more. ¡°Compared to Jason, he is less trouble to have nearby. He doesn¡¯t hound you. He doesn¡¯t pretend you still belong to him. He doesn¡¯t shove you against benches in public gardens and im it¡¯s love.¡± CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR My jaw tightened. The memory of the situation still bothered me. ¡°Right,¡± I muttered. We fell quiet for a block. ¡°You still should have asked your father before inviting him,¡± I said. ¡°I will tell him tonight that I invited Nn and that Nn epted. If he says no, I will rescind it.¡± ¡°Do not argue if he says no,¡± I said. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°I will be unhappy in the kitchen and cut cake with too much force, but I won¡¯t argue.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 65 CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV The week passed uneventfully. No Jason stalking me and no Nn being condescending. Before I knew it, the night of De¡¯s party arrived. I walked into the hall with a wrapped box tucked under one arm and a bottle of Rosefall wine held carefully in my other hand. Convincing Father to part with one had been rtively easy. I could hear the music sting before I reached the hall. Upbeat pop music pulsed through the speakers. Colored lights spun across the ceiling casting the room in shifting patterns of red, green, and gold. A group of younger pack members were already dancing. De stood out among them. She looked radiant in her new gold dress. De looked like a firefly on the dance floor as the light caught the sequins on her dress. She danced close to a young man who was equally intrigued and flustered by her attention. ¡®De, ease up on him. I think you¡¯ll give him a heart attack if you keep dancing like that with him,¡¯ I teased De through our mindlink. ¡®Where are you?¡¯ De asked as she pulled away from the young man who looked relieved but also disappointed. ¡®Over here at the entrance,¡¯ I responded. When she saw me, she squealed and rushed across the room. De threw her arms around me. ¡°You came!¡± she said, beaming. ¡°Careful! You¡¯re going to make me drop your gifts!¡± I warned her and she pulled back. ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± De stated. ¡°Of course I came. I missed too many of your birthdays. I wasn¡¯t going to miss this one,¡± I said, smiling back.¡± Happy birthday.¡± I handed her the box first. She tore it open without hesitation. Inside was a delicate white gold ne with a small rose-shaped pendant. ¡°Talia, it¡¯s beautiful. I love it!¡± She immediately sped it around her neck. ¡°I¡¯m not taking this off, ever.¡± I offered her the bottle of wine next. ¡°And this is Rosefall. My father made it.¡± Her mouth fell open. ¡°You actually brought Rosefall?! I¡¯ve always wanted to try this. Thank you!¡± As De hurried off to show her father the bottle of Rosefall, I let my eyes sweep the room. No Jason lurking around, trying to win me back. No Nn standing around looking indifferent. Just music,ughter, and my best friend enjoying her night. Good. Someone shouted over the music. ¡°Come dance, Beta De!¡± ¡°In a second!¡± De answered after giving her father the Rosefall for safe keeping. ¡°Cake first. We have all night to dance.¡± De pped her hands to get everyone¡¯s attention and the volume of the music lowered. ¡°Alright, everyone, over here! Cake time!¡± I followed her to the long table where the towering birthday cake waited with candles already lit and glowing. The crowd pressed in close, and we all began singing. ¡°Happy Birthday to you!¡± +25 Bonus ¡°Don¡¯t sing so loud, you¡¯re off-key!¡± someone teased. Everyoneughed. The song continued and at the end was when the door to the hall opened. Nn stepped inside first with Marco at his side. Marco carried neatly wrapped gifts. Behind them followed Jason and Henry. The smile on my face quickly dropped. So much for hoping that they wouldn¡¯t show up. ¡°Ok, everyone, back to dancing! The night isn¡¯t over yet,¡± I said, and the guests warily went back to their seats with cake or back to dancing on the dance floor. ¡°Happy Birthday, De,¡± Nn said smoothly as he approached. ¡°Yes, Happy Birthday, De,¡± Jason chimed in, but De didn¡¯t even look at him. Marco stepped forward and said, ¡°Where would you like your gifts?¡± De froze as if she had seen a ghost. Itsted only a second before she forced a polite smile. De cleared her throat and said, ¡°Thank you foring, Alpha Nn and Beta Marco.¡± She gestured to the opposite end of the table. ¡°Right over there is fine.¡± Marco and Henry set the gifts down, stepping back behind their respective Alpha. Everything in me screamed for me to send them away. De was acting weird and I didn¡¯t want anything to happen to ruin her night. ¡°You¡¯ve delivered your gifts,¡± I said evenly, forcing calm into my voice. ¡°You should go.¡± Nn¡¯s eyes met mine. He looked amused at my irritation. ¡°Why rush? De is the princess¡¯s good friend. I was hoping to meet her. I wonder where she is tonight.¡± My wolf bristled instantly. He was baiting me. If he revealed that I am the Princess, Jason would never leave me alone. De, quick as ever, stepped in. ¡°The Princess wasn¡¯t feeling well. She came earlier,¡± she said. ¡°A shame. Maybe next time,¡± Nn replied, faking a disappointed look. Jason took the opportunity to insert himself into the conversation. ¡°De, thank you for allowing us to celebrate with you.¡± De¡¯s smile vanished. She crossed her arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t invite you, Jason.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­¡± ¡°If you know that, why are you here?¡± De asked, interrupting him. ¡°I think we got off on the wrong foot in the past. Tonight, I¡¯d like to make things right,¡± Jason replied and forced a smile. De snorted, unimpressed. ¡°Right. Convenient for you to do that at my birthday party. How selfless of you.¡± She turned her head toward me. ¡°What do you think, Talia? Should we let him stay?¡± All eyes shifted to me. Jason looked hopeful. Nn, in contrast, looked indifferent as if he already knew how I would answer. For the moment, Nn wasn¡¯t going to expose me. That much was clear. But Jason was ready to twist my decision either way. If I denied him publicly, Jason would cause a scene and ruin De¡¯s birthday. If I allowed him, it would make him CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE feel like he could continue to push boundaries. There was no good choice, only damage control. ¡°If Jason stays,¡± I said firmly. ¡°It will be under one condition. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share +25 Bonus get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 66 CHAPTER SOUTS SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIXTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Any condition,¡± Jason said, smiling as if he already knew what I was going to say. ¡°Name it.¡± ¡°Stay out of trouble,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t bother anyone. Celebrate De¡¯s birthday quietly. Then leave.¡± My tone was calm, but my eyes were watching him carefully. ¡°Done. I can do that. Thanks Talia,¡± Jason stated like it was no effort at all. I frowned and rolled my eyes. De pped once to pull the attention back on her. ¡°Alright, cake slices areing. Then drinks. Be nice, or I¡¯ll throw you out myself.¡± Servers brought out the sses, and De grabbed the rose-gold bottle of Rosefall from the bar. She uncorked it and began pouring in a steady rhythm. ¡°Finally. Rosefall!¡± De cheered. She moved down the line, filling half a ss for each guest. When she reached Nn, he immediately took a sip. ¡°Nice wine. It tastes familiar,¡± hemented. Jason heard it from three feet away and turned, eager to insert himself. ¡°Of course it¡¯s good,¡± he announced, voice a little too loud. ¡°Rosefall is one of Silverfang¡¯s premium wines. You only see it at the Alpha King¡¯s gatherings.¡± He angled his head toward Nn, his face smug. ¡°Not that you¡¯d know. You¡¯ve never been to one.¡± Nn didn¡¯t respond to his bait. He took another small drink and turned his attention back to me, ¡°I wonder if I would be allowed a bottle.¡± ¡°You liked it that much?¡± I asked in surprise. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Alpha King would have no problem providing a case.¡± Seeing that he was being left out of the conversation, Jason tossed back his entire pour in one swallow.¡± Another,¡± he said, shoving his ss toward me. I wanted to warn him that even though the wine was sweet, it packed a punch but deep down I wanted him to mess up so I could kick him out. I poured him another ss. He downed it in one gulp, then pivoted toward De. ¡°I have to say¡­ you look amazing tonight,¡± he said, words just a fraction slower than they should have been. ¡°Gold dress suits you. Your favorite color, isn¡¯t it? You and the Princess are close, I heard it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re barking up the wrong tree, Jason,¡± De warned him. ¡°Your ttery won¡¯t get you anywhere with me.¡± ¡°No ttery,¡± Jason insisted, downing his second pour. ¡°I just think it¡¯s amazing that you¡¯re good friends with Talia and the Princess. Maybe you could introduce me properly.¡± ¡°To whom?¡± De asked, already bored with the conversation, ¡°The princess of course,¡± he smiled, his words slurring more now. ¡°I want to get to know her.¡± De frowned and stepped back from him. ¡°She already knows who you are.¡± Jason grinned like an idiot and said, ¡°Great. Then you can tell her-¡± ¡°And she isn¡¯t interested,¡± De snapped, her disgust clear. ¡°She knows you rejected your fated mate.¡± His smile dropped. ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s not the full story.¡± He looked at me in desperation. ¡°Talia, tell her. Tell them CHAPTER SIXTY SIX +25 Bonus all. You know how it was.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exining anything for you,¡± I said, rolling my eyes. Jason stepped closer, ss hanging from his fingers. ¡°Please,¡± he begged. ¡°You can fix this.¡± ¡°No.¡± I snapped, backing away. Jason reached out and mped his hand around my wrist. His ws dug into my wrist. ¡°Talia¡­¡± A sharp cracking noise interrupted Jason. Nn stood next to me cracking his knuckles. ¡°Remove your hand, Jason. You¡¯ve had your fun. Now leave.¡± he ordered. Jason flinched and dropped my wrist immediately. Color climbed Jason¡¯s neck as humiliation sank in. He squared his shoulders and nced around. Some of the guests had started to watch. ¡°Jason,¡± De warned. ¡°Jason, just leave,¡± I added, trying to keep my voice steady despite my racing heart. ¡°Listen!¡± He slurred, ¡°No one takes Talia from me,¡± he said, louder. ¡°Not even you.¡± Nn smirked but it looked more feral. ¡°You¡¯re going to stop me? Try it.¡± Marco stepped closer to Nn, ready for whatever happened. Henry moved in from the side,ying a hand on Jason¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Alpha,¡± he said, his voice low and calm, ¡°don¡¯t.¡± Jason shook him off with a drunken sway. ¡°I agreed to her condition,¡± he snapped. He jabbed a finger toward me and almost poked my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m celebrating. Quietly. See? Quiet.¡± Heughed at his own lie and raised his empty ss. ¡°Another.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had enough,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll decide that,¡± he shot back, and swung the ss toward the table to set it down. He missed the edge, the ss smacked the wood, and it shattered. ¡°Enough! I will put you out myself,¡± Nn said as he stepped forward. ¡°Alpha Nn, please stand down. I¡¯ll get him out,¡± Henry stated and he reached for Jason again. Jason turned away from Henry, brandishing the broken ss. ¡°What are you doing Henry? I am having fun. Just leave me alone. This is between me and Nn.¡± He turned his attention back to Nn. ¡°Everyone thinks you¡¯re a monster,¡± he slurred. ¡°Let¡¯s see it.¡± Nn didn¡¯t respond. He just watched Jason. I stepped in front of Nn and said, ¡°Jason, that is enough. Put it down now.¡± Jason raised his hands dramatically, but he didn¡¯t drop the broken ss shard. ¡°Oh look at you. I¡¯m so scared,¡± he taunted. ¡°You¡¯re defending him again! I am done with this,¡± Without another word, Jason lunged at me. Nn¡¯s hand shot out, gripping my arm and yanking me aside just in time. Broken ss shredded across his forearm with a harsh scrape. Nn¡¯s hand locked onto Jason¡¯s throat. It wasn¡¯t a full squeeze, but just enough pressure to make Jason panic. Jason¡¯s feet scrambled for purchase. The entire party froze. De stiffened at my side. ¡°Stop,¡± she pleaded with Nn. ¡°You don¡¯t have to kill him.¡± Marco rushed forward, CHAPTER SIXTY SIN +25 Bonus trying to separate them, but Nn was unyielding. I stepped closer, cing a hand on Nn¡¯s forearm. I could feel the low growl rumbling within him. His Alpha aura ring out making the surrounding air oppressive. ¡°Let him go,¡± I said, clear and even. ¡°You can¡¯t kill him. If you do, the Alpha King will have to punish you and banish you from Silverfang. Please just let him go. He¡¯s not worth the trouble.¡± For a moment, I thought Nn would snap his neck, but he finally released him. Jason dropped to his knees, gasping for air like a drowning man. ¡°Get out NOW!¡± Nn growled. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 67 CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN Nn¡¯s POV Henry positioned himself in front of Jason. He raised one hand in a quiet signal of restraint. ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± he said, voice low and respectful. ¡°I apologize for my Alpha. He has been drinking. I will take him out and make sure he does not return tonight.¡± Jason swayed behind him, jaw set like he had something to say. He stared at the floor rather than meet my eyes. I nodded once. ¡°See that you do.¡± Henry gave a short nod back. He caught Jason by the arm and steered him toward the exit. Jason muttered something about being fine and tried to pull free, but his feet betrayed him. Guests pretended not to stare as they passed. De moved to the front of the cake table and cleared her throat. ¡°This cake will not go to waste. Everyonee get a slice,¡± she called. Her smile held, but when she turned toward me it faltered. Her gaze dropped to my arm. My blood had started to pool on the floor. ¡°Talia,¡± she eximed, eyes still on my arm. ¡°Please take him to the lounge and bandage his arm. Marco and I will handle the room.¡± Talia stepped in without hesitation. She lifted my arm gently, examining the sh, then said, ¡°Come with me.¡± I followed her out of the hall. The music faded as we walked down the corridor. The lounge door stood open. She pointed at a chair, and I sat. She crossed to a cab, pulled a small med kit from a neatly stacked row, and set it on the low table. ¡°Hold still,¡± Talia said, peeling open a packet of wipes. I did as I was told. The antiseptic burned as she cleaned the wound, but I didn¡¯t flinch. My eyes stayed on her instead-on the little crease between her brows, the way she bit her plump lips in concentration. My mind wandered. If her father were not my enemy, this would be ordinary. We would have crossed paths a hundred times as children. We would have learned each other¡¯s preferences, watched each other grow up. I wondered if the mate bond would have activated for Jason. Maybe Jason would never have gotten a chance to be near her. ¡°Have you forgiven Jason for his rejection?¡± I asked, unable to stop myself. My anger bled into the words as I studied her face. ¡°Is that why you stopped me?¡± Talia frowned and snapped, ¡°Just because I don¡¯t want you to murder him at De¡¯s birthday party doesn¡¯t mean I forgave him. You need to mind your own business.¡± ¡°You keep making it my business by allowing him to remain here to throw tantrums when he doesn¡¯t get what he wants,¡± I retorted. Her head rose like I had thrown something, and she mmed the gauze hard over my wound causing me to flinch. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to intervene. I didn¡¯t ask you to save me, so don¡¯t act like I owe you anything,¡± Talia hissed.¡± Finish whatever investigation you have in Silverfang and leave. Soon.¡± ¡®I told you, she would know it¡¯.My wolf barked. Good, I did not bother to pretend then. ¡°You understand why I am here,¡± I said. ¡°And you still think you can order me out?¡± CHARTER SO TY SEVEN +25 Bonus ¡°I am not ordering you,¡± Talia said. She tore the tape clean and pressed it down over the gauze. She began cleaning up. ¡°I am warning you. This is not your territory. Do what you came to do and go.¡± I leaned forward. ¡°What if your father really is the killer?¡± Her hands stilled over the medical kit. Slowly, she turned to face me. ¡°He was not,¡± she said firmly. The certainty in her voice caused me tough bitterly. ¡°Your blind faith will be your downfall, Princess.¡± Talia closed the tin and put it back in the cab. ¡°Believe what you want. I do not owe you an exnation.¡± She stood. ¡°You are bandaged. We are done.¡± She walked out of the lounge. The room went quiet after she left. I flexed my arm and the gauze held. My wolf was silent for once but fuming at
I left the lounge and found Marco posted in the corridor. He took one look at the bandage and then at my face. ¡°I am surprised she didn¡¯t make the wound worse,¡± Marco stated. I red at him before saying, ¡°Walk.¡± ¡°Not going back to the party?¡± Marco asked. ¡°No,¡± I replied, and he looked disappointed for a second. We didn¡¯t say anything as we walked back to our quarters. ¡°Marco,¡± I said, keeping my voice low. ¡°What if the Alpha King was not the one?¡± His steps faltered. ¡°You doubt what we saw?¡± ¡°I remember the ck wolf,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I remember my father falling. The blood.¡± Marco stopped and turned to face me. ¡°We saw a ck wolf kill Alpha Ryker. That wasn¡¯t a dream.. After that, we found the Alpha King in the forest. His clothes were soaked with your father¡¯s blood. Intentional or not, that makes him responsible.¡± ¡°He could have stumbled on the body,¡± I muttered. The words tasted wrong the moment they left my mouth. I must have lost my mind. ¡°Did the Princess say something to make you feel this way?¡± Marco pressed, staring at me as if I¡¯d grown another head. I did not answer him right away. I thought about theugh that had not been augh, and the way Talia¡¯s voice had not trembled when she said her father was not the killer. ¡°No,¡± I said atst, forcing steel into my tone. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ thinking that maybe we misread the situation.¡± Marco¡¯s gaze hardened. ¡°Do not doubt yourself, Nn. We saw what we saw. Do not let the mate bond shake you. Not now.¡± ¡°Right. The stupid mate bond,¡± I scoffed, ignoring my wolf¡¯s snarl of protest. I came here for revenge, and I won¡¯t leave until it¡¯s done. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 68 CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT Nn¡¯s POV The dream returned more intensely than ever. +25 Bonus I was in the forest. Moonlight cut through the branches in thin bands. My father called my name once, and his voice was reced with a low snarl. The ck wolf stepped out of the brush. It was massive. Its muzzle was wet with blood. Across its forehead I saw three white streaks in the shape of w marks. Its eyes were not red. They were clear and focused. My father was running towards me when the ck wolf pounced. It tore my father apart. When it lifted its head, it leaped for me. I snarled awake and sat up. Sweat soaked my shirt and my chest heaved. ¡®It was just a dream,¡¯ my wolf reassured me. ¡®Breath Nn.¡¯ The door opened at once and Marco rushed in with his ws ready. His eyes swept the room before fixating on me. Marco rxed and closed the door. ¡°The nightmare again?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± I said as I got out of bed. ¡°I saw it clearer this time. The ck wolf that killed my father had three white streaks on its forehead. They looked like w marks. Its eyes were not red. It was not feral.¡± ¡°What do you think triggered you to remember that? Are you sure it wasn¡¯t just a dream?¡± Marco asked. ¡°It was a memory. I am sure of it,¡± I replied firmly. ¡°Perhaps being here is making my memorye back clearer.¡± ¡°That does happen with memories that were repressed,¡± Marco said. ¡°Bring the blood,¡± I ordered. ¡°From the rogues we caught?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I confirmed as I retrieved a bottle of water. I drank half of the bottle before continuing, ¡°I want it detoxified so we can test it out.¡± ¡°Are you sure about this? If we don¡¯t do this, we could kill someone.¡¯ ¡°Then, do it right. The Hunting Rite is the perfect chance. The Alpha King has not shifted in public for years. If he shifts during the Rite, and if what I saw in my dream is correct, we will see the truth. If he matches the wolf I remember, I will kill him in front of every Alpha present.¡± Marco¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°That¡¯s risky. The other Alpha could unite against us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a risk I¡¯m willing to take. I am done waiting.¡± I hissed. ¡°Are you sure about this? Innocents could get hurt. If the blood triggers a frenzy in someone else- or if we miscalcte the dose and the Alpha King dies before we even know the truth-that¡¯s on us,¡± Marco snapped. ¡°We won¡¯t miscalcte,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You¡¯ll keep it stable until the poison is cleared. I just need him to lose control and shift right there. Make sure it¡¯s ready before the Rite.¡± Marco exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples in frustration. After a long pause, he muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare it.¡± He turned for the door. His hand was on the handle when a knock sounded from the other side. Marco opened it and stepped back to let the warrior in. CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT +25 Bonus ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± the warrior said with a bow. ¡°Alpha Jason of Shadoww requests an audience.¡± Marco shot me a look that said he did not like the timing. I did not like it either. What the hell did this idiot want this early? ¡°Send him in,¡± I said. Jason entered with Henry behind him. His eyes were red. His skin was sickly pale and grey. ¡°State your business and then get out,¡± I said. ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± he said. The stench of vomit was on his breath, and it made me grimace. ¡°I came to apologize forst night.¡± Jason moved like a man who wanted to seem steady and could not trust his legs to do the work for him. Henry kept a half step to the rear, ready to catch his shoulder if he stumbled. ¡®He can¡¯t hold his liquor,¡¯ Marco said through our mindlink. ¡®Utterly pathetic.¡¯ ¡°You should apologize to Beta De and Talia,¡± I said. ¡°Of course,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I n to. I wanted to start with you.¡± Marco closed the door and stood to the side. He did not hide his impatience, Jason continued, ¡°Last night got out of hand. I lost my temper. I am not normally like that.¡± He gestured vaguely with one hand. ¡°Rosefall is strong¡­¡± ¡°It was not Rosefall that was the problem,¡± I said. It didn¡¯t matter if he was sober or drunk. He would have still caused a scene for being denied. ¡°Right,¡± he said, ignoring me. ¡°It was stronger than I expected.¡± ¡°I thought you had it before,¡± I mocked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you told me? I would have known about it if I showed up at the events.¡± Jason cleared his throat and tried another smile. ¡°Look, I am not here to cause more trouble. We are allies. I do not want a small misunderstanding to harm that.¡± He flicked a nce toward Marco and then to Henry, as if he wanted witnesses for his show of submission. Henry¡¯s face did not change. Marco¡¯s did not either. Both looked at him with confusion. ¡°You put a shard of ss across my arm,¡± I said. ¡°That is not a small misunderstanding.¡± Jason¡¯s eyes dipped to the bandage at my forearm. He bowed his head in fake humility. ¡°I was wrong. I admit it. I drank too much. I let my pride get the better of me.¡± My wolf huffed, ¡®Let me sink my fangs into him. Give him an injury and then we¡¯ll be even.¡¯ ¡®Patience,¡¯ I told my wolf. I nned on getting Jason back, but not before I made use of him. ¡°You¡¯re wasting my time. So you are here to apologize or what?¡± I barked. ¡°Yes, I apologize, Alpha Nn. I want to keep the alliance on track,¡± he said. ¡°We both want the same things. We both have a problem with the Alpha King. We can work together. We should.¡± I did not answer. He kept going. ¡°Last night was a mistake. It will not happen again. I will make sure of it. Henry will make sure of CHAPTER SIXTY FIGHT +25 Bonus it.¡± Henry gave a single nod. He did not look at me when he did it. He looked at Jason, as if to remind him of the promise he had just made. ¡°I do not want this to be something it is not. Talia is not the point. She is a distraction. She is a lowly omega. She is not worth throwing away an alliance over. You agree, don¡¯t you?¡± He forced that hated smile, waiting for my answer. P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 69 CHAPTER SIXTY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER SIXTY NINE Nn¡¯s POV Iughed, and that gave Jason what he wanted to hear without giving him anything at all. He thought he had scored a point. He thought I agreed that Talia was beneath the cost of an alliance. He had no idea that his words were the loudest kind of stupidity. ¡®You should rip his tongue out for insulting our mate,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®In time. Be patient,¡¯ I hushed him. ¡°Fair point,¡± I finally said. ¡°An alliance is worth more than a low-ranked she-wolf.¡± Jason¡¯s smile grew wider. He stepped closer. ¡°That is what I respect about you,¡± he said,ying it on thick. ¡°You are a strategist. You know when to focus on the bigger picture. I have been thinking about that bigger picturetely. I guessed you were investigating your father¡¯s death. Everyone knows you are not here for the scenery. I want to help.¡± I did not respond. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s smarter than we thought,¡¯ Marco growled through our mindlink. ¡®Don¡¯t be fooled. He is still an arrogant idiot,¡¯ I responded. Jason took my silence as permission to continue. ¡°The Alpha King has a private library in the northern wing. It holds sealed archives and case records from years back. Investigations. Internal reports. All the files that he doesn¡¯t want ¡®themoners¡¯ to see. The Alpha King keeps them under lock and key. You will not find anything in the public halls, but that room is different.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± I asked. ¡°This is my way to make up for what I didst night,¡± Jason answered quickly. ¡°The King left early this morning to inspect the hunting grounds again. He will not return untilte tomorrow. When he is gone, the pce guards will ck off. It is the perfect window to get a look without raising suspicion.¡± Jason made it sound like he was helping me. He was not helping anyone but himself. He was hoping I would take the bait. If caught, the Alpha King and I would be at odds. Then Jason would reap the benefits from the chaos. ¡°Thanks for the information,¡± I said, and then gestured to the door. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s more,¡± Jason stated. ¡°There is a mechanism in the shelves. It is easy to miss if you do not know where to look. The King¡¯s crest on the third row hides a release. Press the center fang, then slide the book beside it out by two inches and it will open to the archives.¡± ¡°I appreciate the tip,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re wee, Alpha Nn. I¡¯ll let you get on with your morning,¡± Jason said. He left with Henry at his back. When their footsteps faded, Marco turned to me. ¡°The fool thinks he can trick us,¡± Marco scoffed. ¡°I know,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯re still going to go, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°This could be a trap. This feels too easy,¡± Marco argued. CHAPTER SIXTY NINE +25 Bonus ¡°You¡¯re probably right; however, if there is proof the Alpha King colluded with rogues, it will be in the archive,¡± I responded. I spent the day in in sight. I ate with the warriors and watched a training rotation. I spoke to Beta Logan about patrol assignments for the southern border. When the sun went down and the corridors settled, I left my room without sound. I masked my scent with a clean, sharp cologne that burned my eyes. I was disappointed at how easy it was for me to get into the King¡¯s study, as I only needed a lockpick. There were no guards around. I slipped into the King¡¯s study and closed it softly behind me. ¡®This is too easy. Be careful,¡¯ my wolf warned. The room smelled of leather and polished wood, bookshelves lined the walls, and a map of the territories loomed over the desk. I scanned the shelves until I found the silver wolf emblem Jason had described. Pressing its fang released a hidden panel, and cold air swept out from the space beyond. I slid inside, and the wall closed behind me, leaving me in a narrow hallway. I walked to the end of the hallway and ended up in a small library. Its shelves were stacked with ledgers and sealed boxes. There was a singlemp providing just enough light. It was smaller than I expected, narrow and deep, with a singlemp on a timer casting a low ring of light over a central table. The shelves held ledger books, sealed boxes with numbered tags, and narrow binders with typedbels. ¡®Be quick. We do not know if the guards do check this archive or not,¡¯ my wolf warned. I started at the nearest shelf. The binders were arranged by year. I pulled one and flipped past indexes to the body of the file, which covered patrol reports, incident logs, and medical summaries from the royal clinic. Names were redacted with ck ink in some ces and left open in others. I read quickly, looking for anything about my father or rabid rogues. My wolf paced restlessly within me. ¡®We have been here too long. Just take the files with us.¡¯ ¡°That is too much of a hassle. Calm down. No one ising in here,¡¯ I responded. I kept going. I looked for anything that said collusion. I found a ledger with entries tracking seizures from rogue dens. Redbone Flower seized from one raid. A note that the nt was banned. A hospital requisition for samples for study. Then a cold voice cut through the quiet, freezing me mid-page turn, ¡°Who are you, and how did you get in here?¡± I froze. It was Talia. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 70 CHAPTER SEVENTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVENTY Talia¡¯s POV My muscles were tense as I waited for the man to turn around. He was masking his scent, which was concerning, but all I had to do was mindlink the warriors and they would be here in seconds. ¡®You should¡¯ve done that before we came in here,¡¯ my wolf scolded. ¡®If we can¡¯t defend our territory on our end, how do we expect Solon to rely on us?¡¯ I countered. When the man finally turned, I froze. It was Nn. He didn¡¯t look startled at being caught. He looked like he had nned it all along, as if being discovered was part of his design. ¡°How did you get in here?¡± I asked. Nn set the binder in his hand on the table as though he were a polite guest. ¡°I am here to read,¡± he responded smoothly. Did he think this was a game? His smirk suggested he did. ¡°This is my father¡¯s private library, Alpha Nn,¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°No outsider is allowed in here. You didn¡¯te to read.¡± ¡°It is still a library,¡± he countered. ¡°Cute,¡± I said. ¡°Try again. What are you really doing here?¡± For a moment, Nn said nothing. His eyes flicked over the ledgers on the shelves as though he was debating what he should reveal. Then he looked back at me. ¡°I am looking for records about my father¡¯s death,¡± Nn admitted atst. ¡°Once I find what I need, I will leave. Do not get in my way.¡± My wolf bristled at the warning. ¡®He thinks he can walk in here, threaten us, and get away with it,¡¯ she growled. ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to, Nn?¡± I demanded. ¡°You are in the Alpha King¡¯s private room. You don¡¯t get to make threats. You shouldn¡¯t be here at all.¡± He stepped closer, closing the distance between us. In the narrow space of the library, I noticed how tall he really was. His shadow seemed to swallow mine. His closeness made me very aware of him. His scent was amber and pine. I didn¡¯t expect something so alluring from him. How had I not noticed it before? Weird. I hated that part of me that was automaticallyparing him to Jason. Compared to Jason, Nn was built like a God. I could see his muscles straining against his shirt. ¡°Do not test my patience, Princess,¡± Nn warned, bringing me out of my thoughts, ¡°Then don¡¯t disrespect me, Alpha,¡± I snapped back. ¡°And anyway, you are looking in the wrong ce.¡± I brushed past him, my shoulder grazing his arm, Heat rushed to my skin at the contact, but I ignored it, Pulling a thick record book from the shelf, I set it on the table between us. ¡°This is what you came for. I have already reviewed it, My father was cleared of all wrongdoing,¡± I said. Nn did not look down on the book. ¡°That is convenient. Do you expect me to believe that?¡± CHAL THE SEVENTY +25 Bonus ¡°I don¡¯t care what you believe. It is the truth,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Reports, witness statements, and medical summaries are in this book. The ck wolf who tore into your father was not my father nor a wolf of Silverfang.¡± ¡°How would you know that? You were a child when it happened,¡± Nn retorted. ¡°You weren¡¯t in the forest. I was. I saw it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Then you should be looking for the ck wolf who did it and not attempting to bait my father into an altercation,¡± I countered, pushing the book closer to him. ¡°Read it. Hopefully, you¡¯ll stop this foolish agenda of trying to get my father to admit to a crime he didn¡¯tmit.¡± Nn frowned, then gave a humorlessugh. ¡°You¡¯re too pretty to be this stupid.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You think stamped pages and redacted names will clear him?¡± Nn questioned. ¡°You could¡¯ve easily tampered with this.¡± ¡°Do you really think my father and I fabricated an entire report on the off chance you would sneak into Silverfang?¡± I shot back. ¡°You are not that important. And the statements came from wolves outside this pack as well.¡± That silenced him briefly. He finally looked down and picked up the book. ¡°This changes nothing,¡± Nn muttered. ¡°I am investigating as well,¡± I said before he could continue. His head snapped up in surprise, though he masked it quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I am doing this for my family, not for you. I will not let you continue to paint my father as a murderer to fuel your grudge. And I expect a formal apology when I find out the truth.¡± ¡°I can agree that facts matter,¡± Nn said coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t hold your breath on that apology, Princess. I will keep finding the truth without the assistance of someone biased like yourself.¡± ¡°You will do it with respect for this house and this territory,¡± I warned. ¡°You will not break into rooms that are not yours anymore. Dest ME, Nn. You don¡¯t scare me. I¡¯ll have you thrown into the dungeon with the snap of my fingers ¡°Of tand?¡± wish, Princess,¡± Nn said mockingly. I sneered as he walked past me to the exit. et not reporting you,¡± I told him, but he didn¡¯t respond. Solve the conflict between him and my father soon, Silverfang would be in danger. The guards eported back that Nn allowed Jason to enter his room, as ifst night¡¯s fight at De¡¯s party had never pened, to talk about Goddess knows what. If those two started working together, there¡¯s no telling what type of chaos they could stir up, A loud thud brought me out of my thoughts. ¡°What was that?¡± I asked. Nn didn¡¯t respond. He pressed the release panel again and there was the dull thud again. Nn mmed his hand into the panel again. The loud thud came again. going on, Nn?¡± I repeated. nnot be happening,¡± Nn muttered under his breath. Then, he said louder, ¡°The door is jammed. We get out!¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 71 CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Damn it!¡± Nn¡¯s curse echoed in the cramped library. He shoved at the shelf again, but the panel didn¡¯t budge. The jam was obvious now. Whatever mechanism kept the wall moving had slipped out of ce. ¡°mming into it isn¡¯t going to fix it,¡± I said. ¡°Do you have any other ideas?¡± Nn snapped. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t let me stop you. Keep trying to brute force it. I¡¯m sure that will work,¡± I shrugged. ¡°Sarcasm isn¡¯t bing of you, Princess,¡± Nn stated and turned his attention back on the shelf. Nn tried again, pressing against the crest with deliberate force, but the wood shuddered and locked with the same dull thud. He continued muttering curses under his voice. I exhaled and turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll reach Solon.¡± I opened the mindlink and reached out, but there was only silence. I tried again, but still nothing. I reached out to De, but I was still met with silence.. ¡°Nothing?¡± Nn asked tly. ¡°Nothing,¡± I admitted. ¡°Solon is out patrolling. He probably has up a mental block to focus,¡± Nn suggested. It irritated me that he knew so much about how Silverfang operated. Nn¡¯s frown deepened as his eyes zed over for a second before saying, ¡°Marco isn¡¯t answering. What time is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. There isn¡¯t a clock in here,¡± I answered. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring your phone?¡± Nn asked. ¡°No. Why would I need it?¡± I replied as I rolled my eyes. ¡°What is the point of having a phone if you¡¯re not going to have it on you?¡± Nn snapped. ¡°I could ask you the same thing. I wasn¡¯t expecting someone to be in the library,¡± I replied. Nn let out a frustrated sigh. He looked out of the small window of the library to see the full moon. ¡°Great, it¡¯s a full moon night. It must be midnight. Just our luck.¡± On full moon nights our abilities as wolves became fickle. No one knew why but certain abilities worked better than others and clearly mindlinking had been negatively affected this full moon night. 4 So, neither of us had helping. ¡°I guess we¡¯re spending the night here then,¡± I said. ¡°You want to try getting down from the window?¡± Nn suggested. ¡°At this height, the fall may actually kill me. No, thank you,¡± I said as I sat down at the table. CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE +25 Bonus Nn lingered by the exit before pulling a chair to a corner. He sat down and opened the record book I¡¯d given him. His fingers flipped through the pages slowly before he looked at me. I continued to try to mindlink anyone as he read. We sat in silence for a moment before Nn asked, ¡°Did you alter this?¡± I snapped my head toward him. ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a simple question, Princess. Did you or did you not alter this record book?¡± ¡°That book waspiled by wolf elders, years before either of us stood in this room. So, no, Nn, I did not alter it,¡± I stated firmly. Nn scoffed, ¡°You say elders like I should respect them. They bury the truth when it¡¯s favorable for them.¡± ¡°I gave you the evidence you¡¯ve been looking for, and when you don¡¯t like what the evidence says, you call it lies. How mature of you, Alpha.¡± Nn snorted and closed the book. ¡°I¡¯ll find my answers somewhere else.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t find anything, but what you already refuse to admit,¡± I warned. Nn¡¯s eyes locked on mine, dark and unyielding before he smiled. ¡°I can see why Jason wants you back.¡± I was surprised by this statement. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nn smirked at my confusion. ¡°You got the drive for a Luna. You don¡¯t back down even when you should,¡± Nn exined. I frowned. What kind ofpliment was that? Nn chuckled and opened the record book again. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off him for some reason. I noticed how calm, almost pleasant he looked while he read. The light showed the faint shadow of stubble tracing his mouth. I noticed how his right peck lifted slightly as he turned a page. Goddess, he was an asshole, but he was so handsome. And then there was his scent. His scent reached me again. It made my pulse race in a way that had not happened in a long time. My mind began to wonder about how he would have looked if I had seen him at Fangvale. My wolf hummed with her approval, ¡®He smells delicious.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but agree. I shook my head. No, we shouldn¡¯t be thinking about him like that. This jerk was trying to pin a murder on my father. I forced myself to stop looking at him. The full moon sat heavy in the sky. I stood up and walked over to the window to get fresh air. As soon as I stepped into the moonlight, my body reacted. I immediately felt a rush of heat. I felt as if I was burning up. The cool air did nothing to relieve the heat building up in me. I slipped my shirt off but it didn¡¯t help. I needed to take more clothes off, ¡°Why are you taking your clothes off? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Nn¡¯s voice cut in, sharp with disbelief. The sound of him made me pause, my fingers frozen at the button of my pants. ¡°Nothing,¡± I lied. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ hot.¡± Too hot. I could feel my wolf pacing, pressing against the fragile control I had left. What was happening to me? My body screamed for cool air. I quickly tore my pants off and hid it beneath me. The air hitting my legs helped only for a second. CHARTER SEVENTY ONE +25 Bonus I heard Nn put the book down and walk over to me. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I told him as I sat down on the ground hoping the cool stone would help. I closed my eyes trying to focus on my breathing that was now too quick. ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± His voice was closer now, low but firm. ¡°Open your eyes and look at me.¡± I forced my eyes open. He was right there, crouched in front of me, studying my face. ¡°Your pupils are dted,¡± he muttered. Then his hand pressed against my forehead. I flinched at the contact. His skin was so much cooler than mine and I leaned into his hand before I knew it. Nn¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Damn it,¡± he breathed, rough with disbelief. His eyes locked on mine. ¡°You¡¯re in heat.¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 72 CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO Nn¡¯s POV +25 Bonus ¡°Nn,¡± Talia¡¯s voice cracked as she leaned into me, her warmth pressing against mine. ¡°Please¡­ help me.¡± I attempted to pull my hand back, but her hand snatched open. She held on to me desperately. Her touch brought a shiver down my spine. I should have pulled away. Instead, I stayed and allowed her to move closer to me. All I could smell was her sweet rose scent tainted with the tangy sharpness of heat. My cock hardened almost instantly. I had never wanted a she-wolf as bad as I wanted Talia. My fangs began to lengthen as the instinct to mark her became stronger. My hands twitched with the urge to drag her closer and remove the rest of her clothes. Goddess, I wanted to taste the sweet nectar between her legs that had her scent so thick in this room. ¡®She acknowledges us! We must im her as ours,¡¯ my wolf said triumphantly. ¡°No,¡± I snapped back at him in my mind. ¡°Not like this. She doesn¡¯t even understand what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡®She doesn¡¯t need to understand,¡¯ my wolf countered. ¡®It is our responsibility to relieve her pain.¡¯ ¡®How is it our responsibility?¡¯ I asked. ¡®If a she-wolf remains unmarked when the bond awakens, she will go through heat on a full moon night. She will continue to go through it until she is imed,¡¯ my wolf exined. ¡®You caused this by denying the bond. She needs us!¡¯ ¡°Why won¡¯t you help me? Do you hate me?¡± Talia whimpered, clutching my shirt and pulling me closer. Her fingers traced the buttons, parting the fabric just enough to press soft kisses to my skin. She tilted her head, baring her neck and said, ¡°Take me now, please¡­¡± My control faltered as I leaned forward, my tongue ran across her neck earning a moan from Talia. I felt my cock strain against my jeans. ¡°Please, Nn. What are you waiting for?¡± She whispered, fidgeting beside me. Her voice brought me back to my senses and I pulled back. This was wrong. Talia deserved more than this. ¡°No, don¡¯t go,¡± Talia begged as she grabbed my hand again to keep me from standing. She dragged my hand across her face before she dragged it along her neck. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to feel me?¡± she purred as she began leading my hand down. When my hand hovered over her breasts, I quickly snatched my hand away and stood. Talia whimpered at the loss of my hand. ¡°So hot, I¡¯m so hot,¡± Talia moaned as she began twisting restlessly. Her skin glistened with sweat, her body arching. ¡°Please, make it stop,¡± My wolf growled with satisfaction, prowling against the edges of my control. ¡®She is begging for us. Stop holding back.¡¯ ¡°She doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s saying,¡± I argued even though I wasn¡¯t starting to not believe that, ¡°She¡¯s delirious.¡± ¡®She doesn¡¯t need words. Her body has already chosen us. im her now or would you want another male im her,¡¯ my wolf retorted. The thought of Jason touching her, iming her caused a violent surge of possessiveness roared through me. Jason had lost his chance, and I refused to allow him to sully her any further. Only I could touch her. CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO +25 Bonus ¡°Talia,¡± I said roughly. ¡°You need to focus. This is not what you want. Remember, you hate me.¡± ¡®You can¡¯t resist this forever,¡¯ my wolf sneered. ¡®The pendant is weakening. When it breaks, I will im her, and you will thank me.¡¯ ¡®Like hell you will,¡¯ I growled back at him. I was brought out of my thoughts as Talia¡¯s hands began fumbling with my pants. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to stop her. I watched her struggling to free me. ¡°Nn, I need this. Please. Just please make it stop,¡± she pleaded with me. Goddess if only she knew how much I would love to surrender to the bond. I would love to have her straddling me, sliding up and down my length screaming my name. But I made a promise to myself that I would not be ruled by the mate bond. I couldn¡¯t risk this. ¡°Talia, stop. You¡¯re not in your right mind. You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing,¡± I warned her again, but she didn¡¯t stop. ¡°I know exactly what I am doing,¡± Talia said as she gave up on my pants. Her hand slid over my groin, earning a moan from me. ¡°I know you want me too. Please, Nn,¡± she pleaded again. Her hand slid over my stomach, up my chest as she stood. Her fingers curled around the chain at my neck. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I growled, but she didn¡¯t listen. Talia yanked hard and the chain snapped. The pendant fell to the floor with a sharp clink. My wolf surged free, snatching control from me. He pulled her closer to him, inhaling her scent before pulling back. My wolf gripped her chin, forcing Talia to meet his gaze. ¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± he growled and then kissed her hard. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 73 CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE Nn¡¯s POV My hands slid down the curve of her body. I cupped her breasts, earning a gasp. I nipped at her neck, and she arched into me. ¡®This is what we were supposed to be doing. Do not deny it,¡¯ my wolf growled. Talia clutched at me. She deepened the kiss. One of her legs was already wrapped around my waist. I sucked on her neck as I grinded into her. ¡°Mark me. Please, mark me,¡± she begged me. For a brief second, I almost listened to her. All it would take was one bite, but rity snapped me out of my lustful haze. If I marked her now, she¡¯d wake up tomorrow with regret. She was in heat, half-lost to the bond, If I was to mark her, I wanted her to truly want me not to be driven by instinct because of the mate bond. ¡°No!¡± I roared as I took control again. My Alpha aura ring as I used the Alphamand against my wolf. He snarled as I shoved him back down. My body shook from the efforts. Talia flinched as my Alpha aura mmed into her, but then her eyes burned with anger. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t regret it,¡± she snapped. ¡°I can smell you. I know your scent. You¡¯re my mate!¡± The pendant had been off for only a minute, and the bond had snapped into ce almost immediately. ¡°No! The heat has you confused,¡± I said. ¡°Why won¡¯t you admit it?¡± she demanded as tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°What are you waiting for? Are you going to reject me, too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, Talia,¡± I told her. She didn¡¯t know how close I was to losing everything right now, how close I was to breaking every promise I¡¯d made to myself. Talia had no idea how bad I wanted to mark her. ¡°How is it not? We are mates. We should im each other,¡± Talia retorted. ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± I said as I looked past her for anything that could help with the situation. My eyes caught on a coil of rope tied to a stack of books along the wall. ¡°Then, make me understand, Nn,¡± Talia said as she cupped my face. I stepped away from her and in a few quick strides, I grabbed the rope, dragged a chair into ce, and tied her down. Talia thrashed, snarling, ¡°Let me go!¡± The heat had stolen her strength, so she couldn¡¯t free herself. ¡°You bastard!¡± she shouted, yanking at the ropes. ¡°First Jason rejected me, and now you? You think I can¡¯t handle being your mate? You think I don¡¯t deserve it? You think I¡¯m beneath you, too?¡± I picked the pendant back up and tied the chain as best as I could around my neck. The runes on it activated and reduced the need to im her significantly. My wolf snarled within me but could do nothing about it. My body still ached with need, but I had enough control to think. Talia¡¯s tears finally spilled. Her voice trembled as she said, ¡°Do you know what it feels like to not be wanted? Jason rejected me. He told me I wasn¡¯t good enough and I was barren. And now you sit here, knowing you¡¯re my mate, knowing I¡¯m in pain, and you do the same thing. Do you have any idea what that feels like?¡± I stood still, unable to answer. My wolf whimpered inside me, ¡®You¡¯re hurting her. Please stop hurting our mate.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m not Jason,¡± I said atst, my voice rougher than I intended. ¡°But if I give in now, you¡¯ll regret it tomorrow.¡± CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE +25 Bonus Talia shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± she sobbed. ¡°You¡¯re so wrong. Why is the Moon Goddess so cruel? I get a second chance, and you don¡¯t want me either.¡± I walked over to the window and shoved it fully open. Dark clouds now covered the moon as it had started raining. The cool mist from the wind entered the room. Talia gasped at the chill. Her heat slowly easing as her face didn¡¯t look as flushed. I dragged a chair over and sat beside Talia. For a while, I said nothing. I just listened to her as she continued to sob andin. Finally, I spoke. ¡°There is someone out there for you, Talia. Someone that will love you the way you deserve.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say! You¡¯re not the one who was rejected twice,¡± Talia snapped, her voice cracking under the weight of her pain. I stayed silent. Anything I said now would only make her feel worse. Talia struggled for a few more minutes until exhaustion consumed her. Her body sagged against the chair. Her breaths evened out. She had fallen into a deep, restless sleep as she muttered incoherently. I stared at her for a long time, torn between relief and guilt. She looked so fragile like this. Without meaning to, I reached out to hug her carefully, and wiped away thest tear on her cheek. ¡°Damn it,¡± I muttered softly, my chest tight. ¡°Why did it have to be you?¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 74 L¡¯HAPTER SEVENTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR Nn¡¯s POV I hadn¡¯t slept at all. Part of me did not feel right about sleeping while Talia was bound to the chair while the other part of me was fearful that she would break free and I would wake up to find myself deep inside of her. The night seemed to drag on forever. My wolf stalked inside me, restless and unsatisfied. He berated me, working on my resolve to push me to im Talia, but I had more honor than that. I focused on calling out to Marco all night through the mindlink. When sunlight entered the room, Marco¡¯s voice flooded my mind. ¡®Alpha! I hear you. I¡¯m on the way.¡¯ ¡®Hurry!¡¯ Marco burst in minutester. His eyes swept the room andnded on her instantly. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± ¡°Did anyone see you?¡± I asked. ¡°No,¡± Marco replied. ¡°What happened? Why did she take off clothes?¡± ¡°Look away,¡± I snarled at him and Marco turned away as I pulled my shirt off. I slipped it on her and said, ¡°She went into heat. It was the full moon.¡± Marco turned back around. His eyes darted from me to her and back. Then, he noticed the rope on the floor and the rope burning on her wrists. ¡°Nn, I didn¡¯t think you had a fetish.¡± ¡°Cut the crap, Marco,¡± I snapped. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch her. We need to get her to the infirmary before she wakes.¡± Marco nodded and moved to pick up Talia. I couldn¡¯t help but growl at him. The urge to maul him hit me instantly. Marco immediately sat Talia back down. ¡°You need to carry her, Alpha.¡± I picked up Talia. Her head slumped weakly against my shoulder. The scent of her heat lingered, making my wolf push against my control again. I shoved it down and carried her out the Alpha King¡¯s library. By the time we reached the pack infirmary, Solon was rushing towards us. His scent wasced with anger and fear. His Alpha aura red against mine as he saw me carrying Talia. ¡°What did you do to her?¡± Solon roared as Iid Talia down on an empty stretcher. Marco stepped forward to exin, but Solon shoved him aside without hesitation. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Marco stumbled, caught himself, and bared his teeth. ¡°Prince Solon! It¡¯s not what you saw. Just calm down!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do in my territory, in my home!¡± Solon snarled and then shoved Marco again out of his way. This time I red at Marco signaling for him to not engage Solon again. ¡°What the hell did you do to my sister?!¡± Solon demanded. ¡°She copsed,¡± I said coldly, ignoring Marco¡¯s growl. ¡°I¡¯m bringing her here because she needs treatment.¡± ¡°Copsed?¡± Solon snarled. ¡°Or did you put her in this state yourself? Did you assault her?¡± ¡°Watch your mouth, Prince. I am many things, but I will never take advantage of a she-wolf,¡± I warned, my wolf pressing hard against my skin. CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR +25 Bonus ¡°Then, exin why she is half naked!¡± Solon barked, ready to attack me. Before the tension could boil over, the doctor rushed out from a side room and pushed between us. ¡°That¡¯s enough! Both of you! You are disturbing her.¡± The doctor rushed over to Talia to check her pulse. He opened one of her eye lids to check her eye before straightening. ¡°Other than minor bruising, she is fine, Prince Solon.¡± ¡°Then, why is she not awake?¡± Solon questioned. ¡°She went into heat duringst night¡¯s full moon. Of course, you would not be able to detect it from her scent as you are her brother. The heat puts strain on the body. She needs rest and will wake when ready.¡± Solon¡¯s anger and worry turned into shock. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ in heat?¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°It will pass.¡± He turned Talia¡¯s head from side to side to check her neck. ¡°There is no mark on her. See? Whoever stayed with herst night did not take advantage of our Princess.¡± I felt Solon¡¯s eyes return to me and he was relieved with a deep breath. He studied me for a long moment before finally speaking. ¡°Nn, a word.¡± Solon led me into an empty room, and I closed the door behind me. ¡°Speak,¡± I growled. ¡°I apologize for my behavior, I was worried as she¡¯s my sister, I think you can understand it,¡± Solon stated. I gave him a curt nod. ¡°It was to be expected. You care about your sister,¡± I said tly. Solon continued, ¡°But stay away from my sister from now on. You are not suitable for her.¡± I snorted. ¡°Listen. I have no interest in your sister,¡± I lied and turned on my heel and left the hospital. Marco followed. When we reached my room, I kicked my shoes off and copsed into my bed. ¡°Close all the curtains,¡± I ordered. As Marco was closing the curtains, he asked, ¡°Did you at least find anything in the archives?¡± ¡°Nothing that proves the Alpha King¡¯s guilt. Nothing that clears him either,¡± I responded before yawning. Marco exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°So, we¡¯re back where we started.¡± ¡°Yes, and I realized how close I was to losing control,¡± I cursed. ¡°I need you to make a sedative from Nightveil ASAP. It needs to be strong enough to put the Princess¡¯ wolf to sleep.¡± Marco¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Nightveil? Nn, that could cause severe side effects. And if anyone found out, we dosed the Princess¡­¡± ¡°No one will,¡± I cut him off sharply, ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to kill her wolf. Just put it to sleep. I can¡¯t risk hering into heat again, not during the Hunting Rite. Prepare it in secret.¡± Marco hesitated, then nodded grimly. ¡°As youmand.¡± I closed my eyes. The image of Talia kissing me, and her sobbing that I was rejecting her reyed again and again in my mind. And no matter how many times I told myself I didn¡¯t care, my chest tightened all the same. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 75 CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE Jason¡¯s POV I paced in my room waiting for Henry to return to give me an update. My thoughts had been chaotic all night. I had given Henry the order to sabotage the mechanism in the Alpha King¡¯s private library. It was the perfect trap. Nn wouldn¡¯t be able to resist sneaking in. Then he would be stuck until someone found him, preferably the Alpha King himself or Solon. But he hadn¡¯t been caught. Instead, all I¡¯d heard was that Nn had sent Talia to the hospital. There had been no violent sh with Solon. By all logic, if he had been discovered in that library, Solon would have arrested him and sent him to the dungeon. So why was Nn walking around as if he hadn¡¯t overstepped boundaries? My thoughts circled back to the one detail that kept bothering me. Talia had been in the library as well. The library wasn¡¯t a ce formon wolves. It was the Alpha King¡¯s domain. No outsiders were allowed. So why had she been there? Was Solon actually taking her seriously as a potential mate? No. No, that was absurd. Talia was an omega, a nobody. Maybe it was all a coincidence. Her best friend was De. Maybe the Princess requested something from the library and Talia was just carrying out the request like a servant. That had to be it. Still, that meant Talia had been alone with Nn all night. I didn¡¯t like the thought of that either. Finally, Henry entered the room. His eyes shifted uneasily and that put me on edge. Henry rarely looked unsettled. ¡°Well?¡± I demanded. ¡°What did you find out? What was Talia doing in the library?¡± ¡°You may want to sit down for this,¡± Henry suggested. Just tell me what you found out,¡± I snapped. ¡°Talia went into heatst night. Nn sent her to the hospital,¡± Henry responded. I scoffed, relieved for a moment. ¡°So that¡¯s all it was. Just her wolf acting up?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be acting up if you hadn¡¯t rejected her,¡± Henry retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t start that again, Henry. I told you I was going to win her back.¡± Henry¡¯s mouth pressed into a thin line. ¡°That¡¯s not all I saw,¡± he admitted. I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°I stayed back, as you ordered, I didn¡¯t interfere. But when I followed quietly, I saw Beta Marco with her. He injected her with something smelt like Nightveil.¡± Henry¡¯s voice lowered, his tone edged with disgust. I stiffened. Why would Nn order Marco to inject her with a sedative? The sedative was strong enough to force someone¡¯s wolf into sleep. And worse, if overused, it could strip a wolf of its ability to shift entirely. ¡°Are you certain?¡± I asked. Henry nodded. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes. I am familiar with the herb. Your father had my father administer it to rogues as punishment depending on their crime.¡± I sat on the edge of the table, tapping my fingers against the wood. ¡°Why would Marco drug her?¡± I muttered, more to myself than to him. ¡°What possible reason could Nn have to subdue her wolf?¡± CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE +25 Bonus ¡°Your n may have worked, Jason,¡± Henry suggested. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°Solon was angry with Nn when he saw Talia with Nn. Nn may be using Talia to get to Solon,¡± Henry exined. Henry did have a point. Even though Talia was a ything to Solon, Solon was very possessive of her. I could use this against Nn if he attempted to doublecross me. ¡°Do you want me to tell her?¡± Henry asked cautiously. ¡°Do you want Talia to know?¡± I looked up sharply, shaking my head. ¡°No. Not yet.''¡± Henry frowned. ¡°She should know what they¡¯re doing to her.¡± Henry had always been loyal to Talia since she was my Luna before. I remember how he scolded me when he found out that I rejected Talia for Viki. ¡°You¡¯re going to regret this, Henry. She was the best thing that ever happened to you,¡± Henry told me. ¡°She will know when it benefits me,¡± I corrected, my voice cold. ¡°Think, Henry. If I tell her now, she runs straight to Solon. Solon will demand answers, and Silverfang descends into chaos. And what happens to me? Nothing. I gain nothing from telling her right now.¡± Henry clenched his jaw, clearly unhappy with my reasoning, but he didn¡¯t argue. ¡°This way,¡± I continued, ¡°I hold the leverage. Nn has secrets. He thinks he¡¯s clever, that no one notices the shady things that he does. But I know now. He drugged her wolf. Whether he ns to kill it or bind it to himself, I don¡¯t care. What matters is that it gives me a weapon to use against him whenever I choose.¡± Henry crossed his arms, still frowning. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to let it go on.¡± ¡°All the better,¡± I said. ¡°The more dangerous it is, the more valuable the knowledge bes. And when the opportunity presents itself, I¡¯ll use it.¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 76 CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV When I finally awoke, I felt as though I had been struck by a truck. My body ached as if I had spent all night sparring. I blinked several times, waiting for my vision to adjust to the light. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡± Solon said. He sat in the chair at my bedside and immediately grabbed my hand. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Like I have been run over,¡± I admitted with a faint groan. I looked around and noticed I wasn¡¯t in my lovely room. ¡°Where am I? Am I in the infirmary?¡± De was sitting by the window, bncing a tray across herp. The moment she heard my voice, she jumped to her feet, nearly dropping the tray to the floor. ¡°Thank the Goddess you¡¯re awake. You frightened us half to death!¡± she said. ¡°You have been unconscious for two days, Talia.¡± My eyes widened. ¡°Two days?¡± I balked. ¡°Yes,¡± Solon said grimly. ¡°When they brought you in, I thought¡­¡± I squeezed his hand and smiled weakly. ¡°I am alright, Solon. Do not dwell on it.¡± De hurried forward. She sat the tray on myp before pouring me a ss of water. ¡°Drink and eat first. Then, we can talk.¡± She removed the lid from the tray, revealing chicken noodle soup, crackers, and a cup filled with cut fruit. The scent of warm broth made my stomach growl. I gulped down the water. I could feel the water rush down into me, activating my hunger even more. Once I began the soup, I could not stop myself. I finished it quickly before moving on to the fruit. ¡°You worried us so much,¡± De stated after a while. ¡°We weren¡¯t sure you would wake up.¡± I gave her a faint smile, though the weight of Solon¡¯s gaze drew my attention again. ¡°What happened that night?¡± Solon asked suddenly. His voice carried both protectiveness and suspicion. ¡°Nn carried you in, and you were wearing only his shirt.¡± The spoon in my hand froze halfway to my mouth. I remembered Nn¡¯s intoxicating scent surrounding me, and the intensity of his eyes when I begged him to mark me. I couldn¡¯t help blushing at the memory. No¡­ it had to be a dream. There was no way I¡¯d have done that. And calling Nn my mate? Absolutely impossible, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Everything is fragmented,¡± I responded, ¡°I just remember we got trapped in the library,¡± ¡°Did Nn harm you?¡± Solon asked. De threw her hands up in exasperation. ¡°What kind of question is that, Solon?¡± ¡°I have to ask,¡± Solon argued. ¡°I need to know she¡¯s okay.¡± De frowned and said, ¡°I know you refuse to believe it but Nn nor the doctor lied to you. The doctor said she was untouched.¡± ¡°The doctor¡¯s right. Nn did not harm me,¡± I confirmed. CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX +25 Bonus Solon¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Did Nn force you into the library?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No. He only wanted to look for records about rogues. I let him in.¡± It wasn¡¯t aplete lie. I did give him permission to review the records. ¡°Reckless,¡± Solon snapped, his voice sharp. ¡°Why would you allow that?¡± I flinched at his tone but answered firmly. ¡°Would you have preferred that he tore Father¡¯s library apart instead?¡± ¡°Yes, I would,¡± Solon shot back. ¡°Do you realize what could have happened? If he had marked you while you were in heat¡­¡± He broke off as he attempted to calm himself. My eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What¡­what do you mean?¡± I stammered. ¡°You put yourself in a dangerous position where Nn could have used you against us because of a mate bond,¡± Solon continued. ¡°I am sure he knows how loyal you are to the mate bond.¡± ¡°I went into heat?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°Yes,¡± Solon answered, his tone harsh. ¡°Your wolf reacted to the full moon. You should have been more careful. You could¡¯ve¡­¡± De interrupted Solon, ¡°Nn tied you to a chair so you would not harm yourself. He did not touch you, Talia. He stayed with you all night and kept you safe. If anything, he acted like a gentleman.¡± Her words only worsened my shame. It meant that it had been real. I begged him. How was I supposed to look him in the eyes now? Solon gave a bitter snort. ¡°Do not make him sound noble, De. He held back only because he feared Father¡¯s punishment, not because of any sense of honor. He probably nned all of this.¡± I didn¡¯t respond. I would have believed that Solon was correct except for two details. There was no way that Nn would have known I was going into heat, so he couldn¡¯t have nned this ahead of time. Also, Nn¡¯s expression when the library¡¯s mechanism jammed had been genuine rage. ¡°Nn didn¡¯t look guilty when he couldn¡¯t get the door open,¡± I finally said. ¡°He was very angry about it.¡± ¡°What are you saying? You think someone else must have tampered with it?¡± De asked. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying,¡± I nodded. ¡°Someone wanted us trapped together. But who and why?¡± No one said anything for a moment as I finished off the rest of the food on the tray. Then De suddenly gasped, seizing my wrist. ¡°What happened? Why isn¡¯t this healed?¡± I looked down at my wrist. There was an ugly bruise from where I assumed Nn tied my wrist. It should have healed a long time ago. Two days had passed, and yet it was still there and tender to the touch. ¡°That is not normal,¡± Solon muttered. ¡°Your wolf should have healed that within hours.¡± I closed my eyes and reached inward, searching for the presence that had always been there, ¡®Where are you?¡¯ I asked internally, but there was nothing, ¡®Please, answer me,¡¯ I tried again, calling louder. I received no response which caused panic to set in. ¡®Are you angry with me? Please, say something,¡¯ I called out again. But, again, there was still no response. My eyes flew open in shock. ¡°She is not there. CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX Solon looked at me in concern. ¡°What did you say?¡± De gasped, covering her mouth with both hands. ¡°My wolf¡­ has disappeared,¡± I choked out, the words breaking as panic seized me. Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 77 CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV Solon and De stared at me, both clearly shaken. De was the first to recover, rushing out to call the doctor. Solon stayed at my bedside. The doctor arrived quickly and said, ¡°How are we feeling, Princess?¡± ¡°Tired, doctor. I can¡¯t feel my wolf,¡± I whispered, my voice cracking. The doctor looked surprised and said, ¡°I felt your wolf earlier. Your wolf was also weakened by the heat. Maybe you just overlooked her.¡± He checked my pulse, studied my breathing, and pressed his palm against my chest. His brow furrowed as he searched for my wolf. Finally, he leaned back with a furrowed brow. ¡°Your wolf has indeed gone silent,¡± he said. ¡°Do you know what caused this? Was it the heat?¡± Solon asked. ¡°I cannot tell whether her wolf has disappeared or is in a deep dormant state,¡± the doctor exined. ¡°The Princess going into heat should not have caused her wolf to go dormant; however, it did happen on a full moon night. So, it could potentially be the cause.¡± This could not be happening. My wolf had been with me since I was a child. I never knew a moment without her. Now, not hearing or feeling her, made me feel so empty. ¡°What is the remedy for this? How do we bring her wolf back?¡± Solon asked. ¡°Because I don¡¯t know the cause, it makes it harder for me to prescribe a treatment,¡± the doctor exined. ¡°In most cases, extreme danger will force a dormant wolf to reappear or awaken to protect her.¡± ¡°I am not about to put my sister in a dangerous situation. What is the other option?¡± Solon pressed. ¡°She needs to be marked by a true mate. Beyond that, there is no method I can promise,¡± the doctor answered. ¡°So, we wait until she returns on her own,¡± I said firmly. I was not about to allow Jason anywhere near me. I would never allow him to mark me again. The doctor nodded and added, ¡°And rest. The Princess may leave the infirmary now; however, I rmend light activities until further notice. Your senses will be dulled, and your healing factor will be significantly reduced. Please avoid stressful situations to keep from worsening your condition.¡± Solon nodded. ¡°Thank you, doctor. I expect your utmost discretion with this information.¡± ¡°Of course, Prince Solon. No one but those in this room will know about the Princess¡¯ condition,¡± the doctor said before leaving the room. Solon let out an exasperated sigh as he rubbed his temples. ¡°This has to be the worst time for this to happen. You¡¯re going to need someone with you at all times.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be with her,¡± De volunteered. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, Talia. We will figure out how to bring your wolf back.¡± ¡°Father may know of a way. We can always get a second opinion,¡± Solon suggested, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell Father. He has enough to worry about.¡± I murmured. CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN +25 Bonus ¡°He will want to know what is going on with his daughter, Talia.¡± ¡°Just not yet. I don¡¯t want to be treated like I am useless again.¡± Solon frowned. ¡°You are never useless, Talia. Don¡¯t ever think that.¡± ¡°Just please don¡¯t tell him.¡± Solon gave me a long look, then finally agreed. ¡°Very well. But only for now. Get some rest, and we will be backter to take you to your room.¡± De adjusted my nket, whispering, ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside.¡± She took the tray from myp and closed the curtains before following Solon out. The room felt so quiet. I reached inward for my wolf one more time, hoping I could feel her, but still nothing. I sighed and closed my eyes in frustration. I must have dozed off, because when I opened my eyes again, I noticed someone at the end of my bed. I groaned, ¡°Solon, just give me a few more minutes and I¡¯ll get up.¡± I closed my eyes and curled back up to go back to sleep. ¡°Talia, you take all the time you need.¡± This voice was not Solon¡¯s. My eyes snapped back open, and I leaned up to see Jason standing at the foot of my bed. ¡°Jason?¡± I asked as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. ¡°Yes, it is me,¡± Jason answered. ¡°Go back to sleep. We can talkter. I¡¯ll watch over you.¡± ¡°How did you get in my room?¡± I demanded angrily. He raised his hands in what he must have thought was a gentle gesture, but it only put me on edge. Thest time he had tried to appear harmless, he attempted to forcibly mark me. And now I couldn¡¯t even mindlink anyone for help. His timing didn¡¯t feel like a coincidence. ¡°I came to see you. I wanted to apologize for what happened at De¡¯s party. I was drunk. I lost control,¡± Jason exined. I scoffed. ¡°It was exactly you, Jason. You can¡¯t fool me. Now, get out. I am trying to get some rest.¡± He winced but pressed on. ¡°You don¡¯t have to suffer like this, Talia. You don¡¯t have to go through heat.¡± My eyes narrowed. How did he know I had gone into heat? I didn¡¯t answer, only red at him. ¡°If you let me, if you ept my mark again, you wouldn¡¯t have to endure it. We can restore what we had,¡± he continued. ¡°I would rather fall down stairs headfirst,¡± I snapped. Jason¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Then tell me, was it Nn? Did he touch youst night? Did he mark you?¡± ¡°That is none of your business.¡± I snapped. Jason¡¯s voice rose, jealousy spilling into every word. ¡°It is my business. You¡¯re my fated mate. Tell me the truth, Talia!¡± ¡°I told you to leave,¡± I said, sitting straighter. ¡°You are not wee here.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 78 CHAPTER SEVENTY FIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV Jason¡¯s question echoed in my mind: ¡°You¡­ You are the Princess? You¡¯re the Alpha King¡¯s daughter?¡± I forced myself to keep my expressionposed. If I panicked now, everything would fall apart. ¡°Answer me!¡± Jason snapped, pulling me out of my thoughts. The guards looked at me in confusion. They were waiting for me to tell them what to do. I had to think of a way to get out of this situation without revealing to Jason I was the Princess. One of the guards noticed my difort, assessing the situation, and said, ¡°Royal Guest Talia, how can we assist you?¡± I straightened my posture against the pillows and narrowed my eyes at the guards. ¡°The Princess left earlier and told you not to let anyone disturb my rest. Are you incapable of following a simple order?¡± ¡°We thought you would have wanted to see him,¡± The guard responded quickly before the others could question why I was acting as if I wasn¡¯t the princess. ¡°You thought wrong,¡± I snapped. ¡°All I want is peace and quiet. Is that too much to ask?¡± The guards quickly turned their attention to Jason. ¡°Apologies. Alpha Jason, on our Princess¡¯ orders, please leave.¡± Jason still looked at me with suspicion. His mouth opened as if he wanted to argue, but one of the guards took a step toward him and cleared his throat. ¡°Alpha Jason, we have our orders to remove you by any means necessary,¡± he said firmly. ¡°We do not wish to do that, so we would appreciate your cooperation.¡± Jason hesitated. I braced for him to resist, but then he exhaled slowly. ¡°We can continue this conversation another time. You rest, Talia,¡± he said. I didn¡¯t respond. I turned my back to him as I slid back down under the nket. I could hear him exiting the room with the guards following him out, closing the door behind them. When I heard the door close, I released the breath I had been holding and pressed a trembling hand against my chest. That was too close. If Jason had found out the truth, that I was really the Alpha King¡¯s daughter, he would have marked me. I knew he had no good intentions of being here, and he would have used me to get at my father. I couldn¡¯t let him find out. Damn it, I wish I was able to mindlink De. Jason¡¯s POV Henry was waiting for me outside of the infirmary, He looked up at me and frowned. ¡°Did she kick you out? You look terrible,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s hiding something,¡± I told him. ¡°Things aren¡¯t adding up. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Henry asked. ¡°When Talia called for the guards, they came rushing in as if she was royalty. They didn¡¯t hesitate,¡± I exined. ¡°I think you may be overthinking it. She is Prince Solon¡¯s girlfriend, and she just copsed. He may have requested extra security,¡± Henry suggested. CHAPTER SEVENTY FIGHT +25 Bonus ¡°No, I think there¡¯s more to it. I just don¡¯t know what,¡± I pondered. ¡°Do you want me to watch her to see if I can figure out her secret?¡± Henry asked. ¡°Yes, but be careful. All eyes are on her right now,¡± I said. ¡°If she is hiding something, I want to know what it is. Do not let her out of your sight.¡± Henry gave a curt nod. ¡°Consider it done.¡± With that matter handled, I turned to my next problem: Nn. I found him waiting at the location we had agreed upon: the caf¨¦ in Fangvale. There was clearly something important that he wanted to tell me that he didn¡¯t want to risk being heard by any of the Silverfang guards. Nn sat at one of the outside tables, drinking atte and reading a book. He did not even look at me right away, as if my arrival was beneath his notice. ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± I said, forcing respect into my tone. ¡°You arete,¡± he said tly. ¡°I was dyed,¡± I replied quickly. ¡°But I am here now.¡± Nn set his book down and studied me for a moment before saying, ¡°During the Hunting Rite, I will make my move. I need you to ensure all the Alphas attend, no exceptions.¡± ¡°What do you mean by act? What do you n on doing?¡± I pressed, though caution edged my voice. ¡°Do not ask questions you do not need answered.¡± ¡°I am your partner in this, aren¡¯t I? I should know the n,¡± I countered. ¡°Knowing too much will only make you a liability,¡± Nn stated firmly, leaving no room for me to ask more questions. Did he suspect me? Did he know I had ordered the library mechanism sabotaged? There was no way he could have known. ¡®He¡¯s just testing you,¡¯ my wolf reassured me. ¡®Stay calm.¡¯ ¡°Understood,¡± I said carefully. ¡°I will make sure every Alpha attends.¡± Nn nodded and then picked his book back up. He started reading again, making the silence between us awkward. I cleared my throat, eager to redirect. ¡°Have you seen the Princess?¡± That got his attention. He looked up from his book. His eyes gleamed with curiosity. ¡°Why do you care about the Princess?¡± ¡°I have not seen her since I arrived in Silverfang,¡± I said smoothly. ¡°I intend to win the Hunting Rite. Once I do, I will ask the Alpha King to grant her to be my Luna.¡± Nn¡¯s smirk widened. ¡°So, you have given up on Talia.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t continue to beg and plead with her. The Princess will be a better option for me,¡± I exined. Nnughed and then his expression became serious. His voice was cold and absolute as he said, ¡°Do not waste your hopes. She is mine. She is the daughter of my enemy, destined to die by my hand. Do not even think about Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 79 CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV The infirmary walls had begun to feel like a cage. For days I had been watched over by doctors, healers, and the asional guard, while my father and Solon remained consumed by the endless wave of visiting Alphas. Due to the altercation with Jason, the doctor had changed his diagnosis and ordered me to remain in the infirmary for a few more days. Because of that, I was missing everything. Silverfang had be crowded overnight. High-ranking wolves from nearly every pack had arrived, each bringing gifts, entourages, and the heavy weight of politics. My father received them in the great hall, Solon shadowed him constantly, and I was left behind, expected to recover quietly. The truth was that I already felt fine. The soreness from my copse had faded, the dizziness passed. The only thing missing was my wolf, and even that silence had be something I tried not to dwell on. I longed for movement, for training, for the rhythm of sparring to ground me. Staying in bed only made me restless. De visited often, sometimes carrying gossip, sometimes with nothing but a grin and a te of food. She was my onlypany when the corridors outside filled with footsteps andughter from the delegations. If not for her, I might have wed my way out of the hospital out of sheer boredom. On the morning of the day before the Hunting Rite, Solon came to see me. ¡°You have clearance to leave today.¡± My heart leapt. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. But do not push yourself,¡± he warned. ¡°Remember what the doctor said: light activity. If anything happens, you get De to get me or let De handle it.¡± ¡°Okay, you don¡¯t have to worry about me,¡± I agreed. ¡°Tonight, I will host a gathering for the young Alphas. A chance for them to rx before the Hunting Rite.¡± De practically squealed. ¡°Finally! A party worth dressing up for. You¡¯reing with me, Talia.¡± I hesitated. I did want to leave the infirmary; however, that didn¡¯t mean I wanted to go to a party full of Alphas. I already knew De would be trying to hook me up with one of them all night and I was not in the mood for any additional chaos. ¡°If Father approves, I will help,¡± I said. ¡°He already approved,¡± Solon said with a bright smile. By evening, Silverfang¡¯s great hall was alive with music andughter. Solon stood at the front, giving a short wee speech. His voice was calm butmanding respect. When he finished, he shook a few hands and left, giving the younger Alphas freedom to enjoy themselves. The mood changed right away. Wolves from different packs mixed together. The music changed to more lively music that drew them to the dance floor. However, I wish I had left with Solon. I stood near the bar, tugging self-consciously at the hem of my dress, De had insisted I wear it. It was a camisole -style slip of ck silk that felt far too revealing. I had fought against wearing it until I had no choice. De had taken and hidden all my dresses. ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± I muttered, running a finger along the edge of my ss. ¡°I feel exposed.¡± Deughed, tossing her curls back. ¡°That is the point. You need a mate, Talia. You can¡¯t be in heat every full moon. So, I¡¯m saving you from yourself.¡± CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE +25 Bonus I red at her. ¡°This is your idea of saving me?¡± ¡°You should be thanking me,¡± she teased. ¡°I do not need a mate hunt staged for me,¡± I said. ¡°You might not think so, but someone else does,¡± De stated. My eyes narrowed. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± De leaned closer and whispered, ¡°There¡¯s a rumor going around that the Alpha King is using the Hunting Rite to choose a mate for his daughter.¡± My stomach tightened. ¡°You¡¯re joking?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± De said, clearly enjoying my difort. ¡°Potentially every Alpha here is trying to win just for YOU.¡± I was unsure how to answer. Was it really just a rumor? Or had Solon finally told our father, and this was how he was handling the situation? I didn¡¯t like being left out of the loop. ¡°Do not make that face,¡± De chided. ¡°Stop sulking. I¡¯m sure your father won¡¯t force you to do anything that you don¡¯t want, but you need to be prepared that one of these Alphas could ask for you as a reward. As the Alpha King, he would have no choice but to honor that request.¡± ¡°That is not making me feel any better,¡± I told her. ¡°I know, so why don¡¯t you make the decision for yourself. Pick an Alpha to talk to,¡± De suggested. She gestured toward the dance floor, where a tall Alpha stood with his packmates,ughing easily. ¡°Go talk to him. He has been looking at you all night.¡± ¡°I doubt that,¡± I said quickly. ¡°Take him a drink,¡± she insisted, pushing two sses into my hands before I could argue. ¡°Go. At least pretend or do you want someone else to decide your fate.¡± I took a deep breath as I stepped away from the bar. The Alpha De had pointed out nced my way again, his eyes warm, expectant. My grip tightened on the sses. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps speaking to him wouldn¡¯t hurt. But before I reached him, a hand plucked one of the sses from my hold with easy confidence. ¡°It has been a long time,¡± a familiar voice said. My pulse quickened instantly. I looked to my right and found Nn standing there at my side. He stepped in front of me, blocking my path. ¡°It has been,¡± I responded, my voice sounding weaker than I intended. Nn wore ck trousers and a fitted red shirt that clung to his frame. He looked more rxed than I had ever seen him. I didn¡¯t know how Nn had be so handsome to me. The memory of the night in the library crossed my mind. I blushed and forced myself to not turn away. Nn stared at me intently and then smirked as if he knew what I was thinking. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 80 CHAPTER EIGHTY CHAPTER EIGHTY Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Nn lifted the ss in his hand to toast me. Then, he tilted his head toward the bar and said, ¡°Come. We can talk where it¡¯s quieter.¡± Without waiting for my agreement, he started walking back and I followed. De winked at me as we walked back to the bar. Inwardly, I groaned. I knew she wasn¡¯t going to behave and pester me about this after the party was over. I sat back down next to her and Nn took a seat a stool away from
¡°Thank you,¡± I said quietly. ¡°For taking me to the hospitalst time.¡± I hated that I owed him anything, least of all gratitude. Worse still was the fragmented memories of that night kept returning at the worst time. I still couldn¡¯t believe I begged him to mark me. ¡°It was nothing,¡± Nn responded. What? Thest time I thanked him he had been rude to me. Why was his response different this time? ¡°You clean up well, Alpha Nn,¡± De chimed in, leaning around me. She gave him a bold once-over. ¡°Very handsome. You almost look like a gentleman tonight.¡± I groaned and hissed, ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass him.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m just stating the obvious. You agree with me, right? He looks good tonight,¡± De continued, and I tried to hide my face behind my drink. Nn didn¡¯t react, but his Beta did. Marco scowled. ¡°You should know better than to parade yourself around in that dress. It¡¯s indecent. Miss De.¡± De gasped as if he had struck her. ¡°Indecent?¡± she scoffed. ¡°This is a camisole dress. It¡¯s elegant and trendy, not that you¡¯d know the difference.¡± Marco¡¯s ears darkened as he walked over to her. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled off the stool. ¡°It¡¯s too short. It shows too much.¡± He pulled off his jacket to give it to her, but De pped his hand away. ¡°It shows exactly as much as I want it to,¡± De shot back. ¡°If you have such an issue with it, don¡¯t look.¡± Their argument drew curious nces. I didn¡¯t understand why she was getting so worked up. ¡°De, take it easy. I don¡¯t think Beta Marco meant any harm.¡± ¡°No, Talia. He doesn¡¯t get to tell me what I can and can¡¯t wear.¡± ¡°You¡¯re impossible!¡± Marco snapped. ¡°Beta Logan raised you better than to unt yourself like this!¡± De¡¯s eyes widened in anger. ¡°Oh, thank you, Father Marco. Next time I¡¯ll remember to ask you how I should breathe too,¡± she mocked. ¡°De, I don¡¯t mean-¡± Marco started. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± De said before walking toward the dance floor. She grabbed the first willing partner and began dancing. Marco pinched the bridge of his nose and cursed under his breath before following her onto the dance floor. CHAPTER EIGHTY +25 Bonus ¡°What was that about?¡± I said to myself. The tension between them was strange. Had I missed something while I was recovering? When I turned back to the bar, I noticed Nn had slid onto the stool beside me. He was staring at the row of bottles. ¡°Thinking of ordering another drink?¡± I asked. Nn shook his head. ¡°No, I just need to focus on something. I hate noisy asions,¡± he said tly. Before I could ask Nn why he was here tonight if he didn¡¯t likeing to these kinds of asions, I felt someone staring at me. Even with my dulled senses, I already knew who it was and knew I was toote to flee. Jason dropped onto the stool on my other side, grinning broadly, already toofortable. ¡°Now this is a party,¡± Jason dered, his voice carrying across the bar. Several wolves turned to look. I fought the urge to cringe. I didn¡¯t know how I had ever tolerated his arrogance when we were mated. Love truly blinded me. Jason leaned closer, his gaze sliding down the length of my body. ¡°Talia, you look¡­ incredible. Sexy. Just like when you used to dance back at Shadoww.¡± His words made my skin crawl. His eyes lingered on me for too long. ¡°That is nice of you to say,¡± I said ndly and then, finished my drink. Before I could excuse myself, Jason leaned in further, cing his hand over mine. ¡°Dance with me for old times¡¯ sake.¡± Before I could speak, Nn growled, ¡°Leave.¡± Jason froze. The grin faltered, arrogance slipping from his face. He looked between us, nervousughter escaping him. ¡°I was just¡­¡± ¡°Leave,¡± Nn repeated. This time he turned his head to look at Jason. ¡°I want to speak with her. Alone.¡± Jason swallowed hard. His wolf must have felt Nn¡¯s Aura ring because Jason quickly stood up. Muttering something under his breath, he left us alone. I hated to admit that De was right. We needed to keep Nn around to keep Jason away from me. I turned to Nn and asked, ¡°What was that about?¡± ¡°He was too noisy,¡± Nn said simply and took another sip of his drink. Iughed. For all the rumors about his brutality, he wasn¡¯t nearly as terrifying as everyone imed. In fact, he was interesting. There was more to him than the cruel Alpha persona. Nn set his ss down and turned fully toward me. His eyes locked onto mine, but he said nothing. ¡°Is something on my face?¡± I asked. ¡°No,¡± he replied. I didn¡¯t know what else to say, so I stayed quiet and allowed myself to look at him. His shirt pulled across his chest when he leaned closer, and I caught sight of a faint scar tracing the line of his neck. Hisshes framed his eyes. How had I not noticed that he had green eyes? My gaze went to his mouth, and CHAPTER EIGHTY the thought of how his lips might feel made me blush again. My pulse quickened. I shifted on the barstool, trying to distract myself. ¡°So, what¡¯s up? Why are you staring?¡± I asked nervously. ¡°Do you still like Jason?¡± Nn asked suddenly. Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 81 CHAPTER FIGHT ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER EIGHTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°I stopped caring about Jason the moment our bond ended,¡± I told Nn firmly. ¡°To be honest, I think I really stopped caring when I realized that he agreed with how Viki felt about me.¡± Nn turned away from me and focused on his drink. ¡°You¡¯re too kind to an ungrateful fool like him,¡± he said after a pause. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°After that kind of insult, I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t at least have him beaten,¡± Nn replied. He had no idea how much I had thought about it and how hard I had worked to take the higher road. Before I could say anything more, a tall Alpha approached us. He was the one De had wanted me to talk to. Up close, he was even more handsome. ¡°Excuse me, would you like to dance?¡± He asked politely, extending his hand. I hesitated for only a second. What harm would it do if I danced a little? I reached for his hand, but Nn¡¯s grip closed around mine instead. I hadn¡¯t even realized he¡¯d turned back around from the bar. ¡°She already has a partner,¡± Nn said tly. The Alpha nced between us before replying, ¡°I thought she was alone.¡± ¡°You thought wrong,¡± Nn snapped. The Alpha gave a stiff nod and stepped back awkwardly, retreating quickly into the crowd. Even after the Alpha had gone, Nn still hadn¡¯t released my hand. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my mind from wandering. ¡°Um¡­ do you want to dance, then?¡± I asked carefully. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± He muttered. ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know how to dance.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve had too much to drink. Take me to the lounge,¡± Nn said as he stood, finally letting go of my hand. Why did he need me to take him there? Nn knew exactly where the lounge was. Maybe he really was drunk. ¡°Fine. Follow me,¡± I muttered, leading him out of the hall and into the corridor. The music faded the farther we got. My mind started racing. What if he wanted to talk to me alone about what happened in the library? I would not be able to handle the humiliation if he brought it up now. I was about to ask if he was making up an excuse to leave the party, when I froze and my jaw dropped. Nn bumped into me, causing me to stumble forward. He caught me before I fell. ¡°Why did you stop?¡± He asked, irritated and I pointed to the corner in front of us. There, in the corner, De was locked in a kiss with Marco. One hand was on her waist, the other behind her neck, deepening their kiss. De¡¯s leg was hooked on his waist as she clung to him, Nn cleared his throat and De gasped when she noticed us. Marco released her, and she quickly tugged her dress down. ¡°This isn¡¯t what it looks like,¡± she stammered, then winced. ¡°Well¡­ it is what it looks like.¡± CHAPTER BIGHTY ONE +25 Bonus ¡°Exin. Now,¡± Nn growled. Marco opened his mouth, but De blurted out first, ¡°We¡¯re mates. ¡°Mates?¡± I repeated, stunned. De nodded quickly. ¡°How long have you known?¡± I asked. ¡°Since my birthday party. I didn¡¯t say anything because I wasn¡¯t sure if we were going to ept each other,¡± she said, rushing her words. It all made sense. I remembered how De acted when she saw Marco for the first time. I never would have thought they would¡¯ve ended up being mates. ¡°You kept this from me?¡± Nn demanded. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would have thought Nn was offended that Marco didn¡¯t tell him. ¡°I was going to tell you. I just¡­¡± Marco began. ¡°Marco! You should have not kept this from me!¡± Nn yelled. ¡°Alpha, just let me exin,¡± Marco pleaded. ¡°You wille with me. Now,¡± Nn snapped, cutting him off. Marco moved to obey, but De grabbed his arm. ¡°No! You don¡¯t get to order him around, not like this.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve forgotten, De, that Marco is not part of Silverfang. He is my Beta,¡± Nn shot back. ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable! Our bond is none of your business!¡± De argued, stepping forward. ¡°De, calm down,¡± I told her. I could feel Nn¡¯s aura pulsating. Even though I hated to admit it, De was out of line talking to Nn like this. Nn¡¯s re hardened before he used the Alphamand, ¡°Marco. Now.¡± Reluctantly, Marco pried De¡¯s hand off his arm. He whispered something in her ear, kissed her forehead, and then followed Nn down the hall. I stayed silent as De watched Marco disappear. ¡°The bastard!¡± she finally exploded, spinning toward me. ¡°Can you believe him? Acting like Marco belongs to him!¡± ¡°You have to understand,¡± I said gently. ¡°Marco swore his allegiance to Nn when he became his Beta. By not telling him immediately, he may have vited his oath.¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t hiding it from him! He just didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d ept him until tonight,¡± De said desperately. ¡°Start from the beginning. Tell me everything.¡± I pressed. ¡°At first, I was furious. He ignored me at my party, and didn¡¯t even acknowledge the bond. I thought he didn¡¯t want me. I even hoped he¡¯d reject me so we could both move on,¡± she confessed. ¡°But he didn¡¯t. No matter how mean I was to him, he kept trying. I started to realize he was everything I didn¡¯t know I needed.¡± CHAPTER FIGHTY ONE +25 Bonus ¡°So the argument tonight¡­¡± ¡°I was upset because he wanted to wait to reveal we were mates. He was worried about how Nn would react. I should have listened. I shouldn¡¯t have pushed him to im me.¡± Her voice cracked; tears brimmed. ¡°Now Nn¡¯s going to tear us apart. I can¡¯t lose him, Talia. I just can¡¯t.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to let that happen, De.¡± I pulled her into a hug, my chest tight with her grief. I couldn¡¯t let her suffer the same loss I had endured. ¡°You won¡¯t lose him. I promise. I¡¯ll help you, no matter what Nn says. If he tries to interfere, he¡¯ll have to go through me first.¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 82 CHAPTER EIGHTY TWO CHAPTER EIGHTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus I was three days away from the Hunting Rite and every breath I took during training was a struggle. I threw myself into training, but I could barely maintain it. Without my wolf, every movement I felt off. My stamina dropped faster than it ever had before. I was covered in sweat and wheezing before the others even looked winded. I kept forcing myself to match them, but each time the sessions ended with me on the ground in exhaustion. It was humiliating. I was the Princess. I was supposed to be ruling over the Silverfang, and I couldn¡¯t even run 6 miles. As the Alpha King¡¯s daughter, I had always been stronger and faster, but now I was looked at with pity and concern. Maybe Nn was right. Maybe I should have had Jason beaten for the continued stress he was putting me through. If he hadn¡¯t betrayed the mate bond, I would still be a Luna and not have gone through a stressful heat that made my wolf silent. I just wanted my wolf toe back. Every day I called her and was met with silence. At dinner that evening, my father expressed his concern. ¡°Talia,¡± he began, setting his fork down, ¡°your abilities are not what they were. You should notpete in the Hunting Rite this year. I am afraid you may injure yourself.¡± ¡°The Hunting Rite does not require battle, Father,¡± I responded. ¡°I am still skilled in hunting. I just need to adjust my training to increase my stamina.¡± ¡°Still, your healing is slowed. I¡¯m just worried you got injured,¡± my father countered. ¡°Please,¡± I said, leaning forward. ¡°Let me do this.¡± ¡°Solon, what do you think?¡± my father asked. Solon looked at me to our father before answering. ¡°She¡¯s right. Hunting is different from battle. She can handle it.¡± Father sighed and said, ¡°Very well. If this is your wish, I will not stop you. But you will not push yourself recklessly. If I see you straining, I will have you removed.¡± Relief washed over me. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Why do you want to participate? You haven¡¯t participated in years,¡± my father asked. ¡°I want to win first ce.¡± Solon chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°You know Father would grant your wish regardless of the oue.¡± Father gave a small nod in agreement. ¡°He is right. You do not need to win first ce for me to hear you.¡± ¡°This is different,¡± I said firmly. ¡°It has to be earned. If I take first, no one can question it.¡± Both Father and Solon looked at me in surprise. ¡°What wish is so important?¡± My father asked. I took a breath. ¡°De¡¯s mate is Marco.¡± CHAFTER FIGHTY TWO. +25 Bonus Solon blinked in surprise. ¡°Marco? Nn¡¯s Beta?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯ve been bonded since her birthday. But Nn does not support them, and Marco has been torn between loyalty to his Alpha and his mate. I want to win first ce so that you canmand Marco to join Silverfang and leave the Blood Moon Pack. That way, he can stay with De.¡± Silence followed my words. Father¡¯s expression hardened in thought, while Solon looked at me with both disbelief and admiration. Finally, Father spoke. ¡°That will not be easy. Taking a Beta from his Alpha is no small matter.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°But if I win, Nn would not be able to refuse outright.¡± I thought about the way De¡¯s eyes lit up when she spoke of Marco. She deserved the chance to live with him openly. I would do anything to make sure they had a chance to live the life that they deserved. Father rubbed his chin as he processed my words. He finally sighed and said, ¡°If you take first, I will speak to Nn. That is all I can promise.¡± Relief washed over me as I was thinking my father would have put up more resistance than this. ¡°Thank you, Father,¡± I said, leaning over to hug him. He gave a faint smile even though he still looked conflicted. ¡°Do not worry too much for De. Even Nn would not defy the Moon Goddess by forcing his Beta to break his fated bond. No Alpha could.¡± I wanted to beforted by my father¡¯s words, but I knew better. If what he said was true, why did Jason betray me? The memory of Jason¡¯s rejection no longer bothered me, but it was a stark contrast to my father¡¯s words. Jason had willingly turned his back on the mate bond due to pressure from his own father and a lie. It felt almost na?ve and ill advised to believe another male would not do the same. My thoughts wandered to Nn. I wondered if his mate had already appeared. It was doubtful because she wasn¡¯t around. But if she had, how would he treat her? Would he resist the bond, the way I had once resisted mine with Jason? Or would he embrace it? Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 83 CHAPTER EIGHTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV The morning sun beat down on the training grounds, warm but not yet oppressive. De stood beside me with a bow in hand. ¡°Focus, Talia,¡± she said, her tone smug as the string creaked. She released, and the arrow thudded just outside the painted ring. ¡°Damn it.¡± I chuckled and pulled my own arrow from the quiver. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be teaching me, not missing on purpose.¡± ¡°Shut up. That was wind,¡± De argued. Iughed under my breath. I lifted my bow and tried to copy her stance. My fingers ached from yesterday¡¯s training, but I wanted to keep pushing. I drew back, aimed for the target¡¯s center, and released. The arrow hit outside of the painted ring as well. ¡°See? You¡¯re no better,¡± De teased. Before I could retort, a voice interrupted us. ¡°At this rate, you¡¯ll never hit prey.¡± De stiffened instantly. We turned, and my stomach clenched when I saw Jason and Nn approaching us. De¡¯s re could have burned holes in the dirt. ¡°You¡¯re not wee here.¡± Jason raised his hands innocently. ¡°We only came to help.¡± ¡°Or are you here to continue begging Talia for forgiveness?¡± De taunted. Jason¡¯s smirk dropped, and he red at De. ¡°Alpha Jason is right about one thing, though,¡± Nn added. ¡°And what is that?¡± De asked, turning her attention to him. ¡°Your methods wouldn¡¯t bring down a rabbit. Maybe a frog, but doubtful,¡± Nn stated. De¡¯s face flushed scarlet. ¡°Excuse me? After the stunt you pulled, you don¡¯t get to talk to me like that. You pompous ass-¡± I stepped between them quickly. ¡°Enough. If you want to argue, do it somewhere else.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just stating the obvious,¡± Jason added. ¡°You know what, since you two know so much, then show us. How about you two duel and let¡¯s see who the better archer is. Whoever it is will train us.¡± Jason smirked as he rolled his shoulders. ¡°Sure.¡± I rolled my eyes at his cockiness. Nn took the bow and arrow from De. He easily hit the center target and then waited for Jason. ¡°Show off,¡± Jason muttered. He knocked his arrow and missed the center by an inch. ¡°Too bad. I guess you need more practice,¡± De mocked. Jason¡¯s face burned red in embarrassment. He muttered something about not really wanting to help. Then, Jason CHAPTER FIGHTY THREE +25 Bonus stalked off. Nn turned to me. ¡°Pick up your bow.¡± I obeyed without protest. He stepped behind me, so close that I could feel the heat of his chest at my back. His hand brushed mine as he adjusted my grip. My pulse jumped, and I struggled to focus on the target. ¡°Draw,¡± hemanded.¡± I pulled the string back. My mind kept reying the night in the library, how my hands were pulling at his pants. ¡°Release,¡± hemanded. The arrow veered wide,nding outside the rings again. ¡°You¡¯re distracted,¡± Nn said tly. ¡°Focus or stop wasting my time.¡± I swallowed hard. I couldn¡¯t believe that he was affecting me like this. My heart raced faster with every correction he made. Every time his hand steadied my elbow or brushed against my shoulder. What was wrong with me? Finally, after another failed attempt, he exhaled sharply. ¡°Enough. De, leave us.¡± ¡°Why?¡± De asked. ¡°Because she needs my attention. You have already hit the center mark twice. You know what you¡¯re doing. Now, leave,¡± Nn replied, his tone final. De looked at me to confirm. I nodded. She huffed but obeyed. ¡°Now, try again,¡± Nn said, taking a step away from me. ¨ª steadied my breathing, forced my shoulders back the way Nn had adjusted them, and loosed the arrow. It struck just shy of the center. ¡°Yes!¡± I cheered. ¡°Better,¡± Nn said without looking impressed. ¡°But you still need to hit the center. Again.¡± Nn and I trained until I could barely lift my arms. I felt a mixture of irritation and gratefulness towards him. Irritation that he refused to praise me for being able to hit the center and gratefulness that he was spending time training me when he could easily be training himself. ¡°That¡¯s enough for now. You need a break, or you¡¯ll hurt yourself,¡± Nn said tly. He guided my bow down for me. His hands lingered on mine longer than necessary. ¡°Why do you oppose De and Marco?¡± I asked suddenly, trying to distract myself from how Nn was making me feel. Nn¡¯s brow furrowed as he stepped away from me to grab a bottle of water from the table where the arrows were. ¡°They¡¯re not suitable,¡± he finally said, ¡°How do you know that? You barely know De and the Moon Goddess made them fated mates,¡± I argued. ¡°How did that work out for you, Princess?¡± Nn shot back. ¡°That¡­ that was different. It is not the same situation,¡± I countered. ¡°Yes, that is true. Their situation is worse,¡± Nn spat. ¡°How can you say that?¡± I asked. ¡°The Moon Goddess makes the best decision for us.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 84 CHAPTER EIGHTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER EIGHTY FOUR Jason¡¯s POV How dare she mock me! I stormed away from the training grounds, boots crunching against the dirt. The memory of Talia¡¯s expression reyed again and again. She looked at me with disdain as if she, an omega, was better than me. Losing face in front of her was humiliating. I would get even. I¡¯d make her regret not epting me back. Henry was near the racks of Hunting Rite equipment, reviewing the list of equipment. He straightened the moment he saw me, but I could see him tense as he saw my expression. ¡°What happened now?¡± Henry asked. ¡°Check everything again,¡± I snapped, my voice carrying farther than I intended. ¡°The bows, the des, the spears. Every strap, every shaft, every notch. Nothing can be out of ce.¡± Henry¡¯s brow furrowed, but he gave a crisp nod. ¡°I checked them yesterday and I just finished checking them,¡± he said as he motioned to the document in his hand. ¡°Then check them again,¡± I barked. ¡°If I lose so much as a single point because of a cracked string or a loose grip, it¡¯ll be your fault. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Jason, what is going on with you?¡± He asked in surprise. ¡°Do you understand me?¡± I snapped, ignoring his question. His jaw tightened, but he kept his voice even. ¡°Yes, Alpha. I¡¯ll see to it.¡± I paced a few steps before turning back on him. My frustration wasn¡¯t just with the equipment. ¡°Well? Did you at least find out anything about the princess?¡± Henry hesitated. I caught the flicker in his eyes before he answered, and my anger spiked. ¡°Don¡¯t make me ask you again, Henry!¡± I growled. ¡°No,¡± he admitted. ¡°It¡¯s strange. For the Alpha King¡¯s favorite and only daughter, she¡¯s unusually well-hidden. I haven¡¯t been able to trace her movements at all. Wherever she stays, it isn¡¯t where the other royals are housed.¡± My teeth ground together. ¡°How is that possible? She isn¡¯t a ghost. Everyone knows she exists. So why is it that no one sees her?¡± Henry spread his hands helplessly. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Alpha. It¡¯s almost as if the Alpha King has gone out of his way to keep her location guarded. Either that, or the guards are under orders not to speak about her.¡± My thoughts darkened. The Alpha King shielding her so thoroughly meant she was valuable. That only made me want her more. Before I could say more, my father¡¯s voice thundered through the mind-link, sharp andmanding, ¡°Jason.¡± I straightened instinctively as though he stood in front of me. ¡°Father,¡± I answered through the mind-link, pushing the irritation out of my tone. ¡°How are preparations going?¡± he asked. ¡°All is ready. Beta Henry is checking the equipment again,¡± I reported. ¡°I¡¯ve trained harder than ever. No one but Nn poses a real threat.¡± CHAPTER EIGHTY FOUR +25 Bonus At the mention of Nn, my father¡¯s tone hardened. ¡°What of him?¡± ¡°He advised he was making a move during the Hunting Rite,¡± I exined carefully. ¡°He implied it might even be against the Alpha King himself.¡± ¡°Do not be a fool,¡± my father growled. ¡°If you believe every word thates out of his mouth, you will be his pawn. This is simply a test to see what you n to do.¡± ¡°Then what would you have me do?¡± I asked. ¡°Ignore him. Focus only on the n,¡± my father said. ¡°You must win first ce. This will be your only opportunity. If you win, the Alpha King cannot deny your request. The Princess will be yours and that is the fastest path to bing Alpha King yourself.¡± My father was right. I could not allow Nn to distract me. No matter what he did during the Hunting Rite, I would adapt to it. I would make sure the Princess was mine. The throne, the power, that would belong to me no matter what Nn did. ¡°You are Shadoww¡¯s future,¡± Father said firmly, ¡°Do not fail me. Do not fail our pack.¡± ¡°I will not fail. I swear it,¡± I confirmed. The link severed, leaving me standing in silence with Henry. ¡°What did your father say?¡± Henry asked cautiously after a moment. ¡°That it doesn¡¯t matter what Nn ns,¡± I answered. ¡°What matters is that I win. Nothing else matters.¡± ¡°And if Nn tries something during the Rite?¡± Henry asked. ¡°He¡¯s a wild card and he refused to tell you what he was nning.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll deal with him,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°The Alpha King may be watching, but so will everyone else. If Nn wants to humiliate himself by making a move, I¡¯ll be ready. Let him hang himself with his own arrogance. We will take advantage of the situation and look like loyal subjects to the Alpha King which will win us even more favor.¡± ¡°Do you really think the Alpha King would allow you to marry his daughter? Even if you win?¡± Henry asked. ¡°What is your concern, Henry?¡± ¡°Everyone knows about your rtionship with Talia. The Princess is his favorite. Do you really think he will agree to your request?¡± ¡°He won¡¯t have a choice,¡± I said sharply. ¡°The Rite is bound by tradition. Every Alpha here will expect him to honor it. If I win, the Princess is mine. And once she is mine, the throne is within reach.¡± Henry didn¡¯t argue, but his silence grated. I stepped closer, lowering my voice. ¡°Don¡¯t ever doubt me again. Shadoww¡¯s future rests on this. I won¡¯t fail,¡± ¡°I am not doubting you, Alpha. I am simply concerned,¡± Henry responded, He then bowed his head quickly. ¡°Of course, Alpha.¡± I would not be humiliated again. I would win. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 85 CHAPTER EIGHTY FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER EIGHTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV The banquet hall pulsed with music and voices. Warm light shone across stone walls and silver tters. Wolves from every territory were in their finest suits and ball gowns, while servants wove between them with trays of food and wine. At the head stood my father, the Alpha King. Even on such a rxed night, people turned toward him, waiting for him to speak. When he raised his ss, the room went still. ¡°Tonight, we celebrate strength, but also unity,¡± he said. ¡°The Rite reminds us we are bound not just by rivalry, but by the Moon Goddess and by one another through alliances and friendship.¡± Apuse followed. Others believed while some had practiced smiles. Yes, the Rite was about deepening friendships, but this was also an opportunity for others to gain the advantage on other packs. I stood with Solon and De near the center of the hall. Solon¡¯s posture was rigid as if he was overthinking an issue. He leaned toward me and said, ¡°Talia, you should withdraw from the Rite.¡± I red at him and said, ¡°Father already approved.¡± ¡°Still, you are not at full strength,¡± Solon added. ¡°Say that again, and I¡¯ll assign you every southern case for the next three months. You¡¯ll drown in work before you even make it midway through the first month,¡± I warned. Deughed, nearly spilling her champagne. ¡°She¡¯s right, Solon. You know Talia doesn¡¯t change her mind once it¡¯s set.¡± Solon pinched the bridge of his nose. The familiar gesture softened me for a moment, but his tone stayed weary. You two are impossible.¡± His eyes cut back to me, sharper now. ¡°I am only saying it because I have a bad feeling about it. At least promise me that you¡¯ll monitor your stamina. Don¡¯t push yourself past your limits.¡± I was not used to Solon being worried, especially not for me. I wanted to argue with him, but I could tell from his expression that he really needed me to promise him. I nodded and said, ¡°I promise.¡± ¡°You better be telling me the truth, Talia. If not, I will drag you back to the infirmary myself,¡± Solon warned. I rolled my eyes and asked, ¡°Would you really embarrass me like that?¡± ¡°Of course, even if it means keeping you safe. Don¡¯t test me, Talia,¡± Solon answered. ¡°Fair enough,¡± I muttered. I didn¡¯t need any additional humiliation. ¡°( Across the room, Jason stood with Henry and two of his warriors. Once again, he looked arrogant and overconfident. He never learned from his past experiences. Not far away, Nn leaned against a marble column. A wine ss in his hand as his gaze swept the crowd. He was watching like a predator sizing up prey. Unease curled in my stomach. Both were dangerous. Both had reason to be here for the Rite, If either moved against the other, or worse against my father, the celebration would go up in mes. I would have to keep my eye on both and hope our security was vignt, I turned away, meaning to set down my ss and focus on food, but a shadow at the far doorway caught my attention. Someone lingered just outside the light. The posture was very familiar. The person moved and I could clearly see CHAPTER FIGHTY ONE +25 Bonus them before they drifted back into the shadows. Viki? No, it couldn¡¯t be her. She was supposed to be dead. This had to be a trick of the light, but I had a nagging feeling that it wasn¡¯t. I was without my wolf, but I wasn¡¯t blind. ¡°Solon,¡± I said quickly. ¡°I need to step out for a bit.¡± He turned, already frowning. ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I need some air.¡± I set my ss on a passing tray before my hand betrayed its shake. ¡°Just a moment.¡± ¡°Now? In the middle of the banquet?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be back quickly. I just need a moment.¡± ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± Solon asked suspiciously. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I just need air,¡± I replied. Solon motioned to a nearby guard. The guard approached and bowed slightly to Solon, ¡°Yes, Prince Solon?¡± ¡°Escort her. Do not leave her side,¡± Solon ordered. The guard bowed. ¡°Yes, Prince Solon.¡± I wanted to fuss at Solon. I didn¡¯t need a guard, but I didn¡¯t want to cause a scene. If it was Viki, having a guard wasn¡¯t a bad idea. ¡°I¡¯ll return before anyone notices I¡¯m gone,¡± I said. ¡°Be quick about it before Father notices,¡± Solon said. I turned before he could press further. The shadow at the door was already moving. I caught ast glimpse of her slipping out of the venue. Each step away from the crowd made my heartbeat louder. I wanted to believe that stress from training was making me see things, but as soon as that sickening sweet perfume hit my nose, I knew the truth. It was her. And I had to follow. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you ÈÕ Support Share get it X Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 86 CHAPTER EIGHTY SIX CHAPTER EIGHTY SIX Nn¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Voices rising and falling,ughter and clinking sses were grating on my nerves. I forced myself to remain calm even though I clenched my jaw any tighter, I may pop out of my tooth. Every Alpha was gathered here in Silverfang. It was the perfect opportunity to show who the Alpha King truly was. I noticed Talia slip away earlier. I hated to admit that I felt relieved. If the Alpha King lost control, she would be in danger. And if he was the wolf who I believed he was, he would die by my hands tonight. At least in this way she would be spared seeing her father bleed out in front of her. I leaned closer to Marco, keeping my voice low, and asked, ¡°Is it ready?¡± ¡°It is stable,¡± he confirmed, ¡°but Alpha¡­ are you sure this is wise?¡± ¡°You question me?¡± I asked. Ever since Marco had found his mate, he continued to question me about my n. He was slowly bing a liability. ¡°I question the risk,¡± Marco replied. His gaze flickered toward De, who wasughing with Solon across the hall. ¡°If you dose him in front of every Alpha and it goes wrong, what then? If the King shifts and it isn¡¯t the wolf you saw, the others will unite against you. They won¡¯t care about your reasons.¡± I tightened my jaw. ¡°They won¡¯t find out it was me if this was done correctly.¡± Marco¡¯s voice dropped lower. ¡°All eyes are on us and the Alpha King. They will assume. And if the truth isn¡¯t what you want? If the King shifts and shows no mark, no resemnce? What then, Nn? Will you ept it, or will you still make him your enemy?¡± My wolf growled inside me, furious at the suggestion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Marco?! Why did you change your mind all of a sudden?¡± I used, tilting my head toward De. ¡°Have I not been honorable in the way I do things?¡± ¡°She has nothing to do with it,¡± Marco retorted. ¡°You are my Beta, not hers,¡± I reminded him. ¡°Do you need to be reminded that you pledged your loyalty to me, not her? You¡¯re letting the mate bond cloud your judgment. I thought you were better than that.¡± Marco red at me, then reached into his coat and pulled out the vial, ¡°Take it,¡± he said. ¡°I have never doubted you, Nn. I am only concerned.¡± I took the vial from him and Marco didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Go be with your mate,¡± I told him. ¡°If you are nowhere near me, you will not be med.¡± Marco¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and I stepped away before he could say anything else. I moved through the hall, weaving between groups of Alphas. Their conversations lulled as I passed. Whispers followed me. I reached the bar where a servant carried a tray of Rosefall. I took two wine sses off the tray and quickly tipped the vial into it without anyone noticing. The toxin vanished instantly, indistinguishable from the rich crimson liquid. I carried the ss across the floor; my focus locked on the Alpha King. His eyes focused on me as I approached. He looked surprised at first before heposed him. CHAPTER EIGHTY SIX +25 Bonus ¡°A toast, Alpha Nn?¡± He asked, epting the ss. ¡°A toast to you,¡± I replied, lifting my ss. I clinked it with his. He lifted it, about to drink. This was it. I could already picture it: his frame twisting mid-shift and his bones cracking into the ck wolf I remember. The three pale streaks on its forehead. The blood on its muzzle. The moment I had been waiting for all these years. If it was him, I would rip his throat out in front of them all. But before he could drink, Jason pushed forward. ¡°A toast, if I may!¡± The Alpha King paused, lowering the ss. Jason was grinning too wide. The idiot was already drunk and basking in the attention. ¡°Jason, what are you doing?¡± I growled, my voice low but edged with warning. Jason ignored me and lifted his ss to the Alpha King. ¡°Your Majesty, this wine is unmatched. May it honor your strength and the legacy of Silverfang.¡± The King chuckled and set the ss down untouched. He pped Jason on the shoulder. ¡°It is his first meeting, Alpha Nn. Allow him the courtesy.¡± Jason turned and smirked at me. Rage coiled tight inside me, but I forced myself to smile. I could not allow this fool to ruin my ns. I only needed to be patient. Jason spoke again, ¡°Your Majesty, if I may ask¡­ will the Princess join the Hunting Rite?¡± The King said firmly, ¡°No. She will not participate.¡± A ripple of disappointment moved through the hall. Many of the unmated wolves had been looking to meet her, to try to win her over. The very thought of that angered me even though I had no intention of iming her. ¡°But,¡± the King continued, raising his voice, ¡°this will be my final year hosting the Rite. Next year, my son Solon will take my ce. I hope you all enjoy yourself.¡± The room erupted in apuse. ¡°To Prince Solon,¡± he said. The King lifted the ss of Rosefall once more. My wolf surged forward, ready and waiting for the moment to strike. But Jason, desperate for attention, leaned forward again, his arm swinging wide. His elbow clipped the stem of the ss, sending it tumbling. It shattered across the stone floor, the red liquid spreading like blood. 1 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 87 CHATTER EIGHTY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER EIGHTY SEVEN Nn¡¯s POV The sound of shattering ss echoed through the banquet hall. All conversation ended as everyone focused on me and the Alpha King. Because of Jason¡¯s clumsy elbow, my n was ruined. Marco¡¯s voice flooded my mind through our link. ¡°Alpha, please, just leave it alone. We can try another time.¡± There would not be another time. This must happen now. I would drag the truth out into the open one way or another. I sneered at the Alpha King and said, ¡°You¡¯re growing old and feeble, old wolf.¡± Gasps spread through the room. The Alpha King¡¯s eyes widened at my usation. Jason immediately moved away from us. He gave a nervousugh and said, ¡°I think you had too much to drink, Alpha Nn.¡± I ignored him and continued, ¡°Tell me, is it guilt that makes you tremble? Or do you remember the blood you spilled?¡± Solon mmed his hand on the table as he stood. He snarled, ¡°Nn! How dare you insult the Alpha King! If you can¡¯t handle your liquor, return to your room but do not cause a scene. It will not be tolerated.¡± I didn¡¯t break eye contact with the Alpha King, which only angered Solon more. ¡°There is only one true Alpha King, and my father is already dead.¡± Solon snarled, his Alpha aura ring. I finally met his gaze. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°You will not spit on this Rite with your conspiracy theories! This is a sacred gathering, not a stage for your tantrums. You dishonor every wolf in this hall with your reckless usations,¡± Solon berated. ¡°The Elders closed this case long ago. You would dare to call them liars before all of us?¡± ¡°Yes, I dare! The Elders closed the case too quickly, and you know it. They buried the truth to protect someone. If the Alpha King is innocent, then let him prove it. Show us all he has nothing to hide,¡± I argued. Solon¡¯s fury only intensified as his voice boomed, ¡°You insult not just the Alpha King but the Elders themselves. Their judgment is the backbone of ourw. Do you think your grief gives you the right to overturn everything we stand for?¡± My jaw tightened. ¡°Is the Council infallible? Is the Council not above being reviewed? We are all mortal. We make mistakes.¡± I could tell the wolves were pondering my words. We had spent too long trusting in a Council that could be swayed by money or favors. Even if the Alpha King didn¡¯t fall for my trap, it would still begin the revolt against him. It was a win-win situation for me. ¡°If the King is innocent, let him prove it before every Alpha here. Or is your precious order worth more than justice for my father?¡± I continued. The Alpha King rose slowly. His Alpha aura red throughout the roll, applying pressure to submit to him. I stood against the pressure and red back at him. I would not submit to a murderer. ¡°You were only a child when this tragedy struck. I understand your grief and anger as a child. As an adult, this has be ridiculous, Alpha Nn. How can you even believe your own eyes as a child?¡± he questioned. CHAPTER FIGHTY SEVEN +25 Bonus I let out a bitterugh. ¡°I was a child, but even then, I knew what I saw. A ck wolf with three white streaks across its head. It had my father¡¯s blood on its teeth. If you were not that wolf, prove it. Why hide behind closed records and silence?¡± ¡°Because he doesn¡¯t have to prove himself to an insolent ungrateful wolf like you, Nn,¡± Solon snapped, cutting back in. The room buzzed with unease. Wolves shifted in their seats, exchanging wary nces. The challenge I had thrown down was clear. If the Alpha King refused, suspicion would stain him forever. ¡°Do you think this circus honors your father¡¯s memory? You use without proof, you spheme against the Elders¡¯ judgment, and you drag this entire Assembly into your bitterness. Do you not see how shameful this is?¡± Solon taunted. I narrowed my eyes and growled, ¡°Do not speak of my father. Do not lecture me about shame, Solon.¡± The Alpha King¡¯s patience snapped. He stepped forward, his power rising like a tidal wave. ¡°You insolent whelp. Youe into my territory, insult me before my people, and use me of blood I did not spill, I should end you here.¡± I spread my arms slightly, daring him. ¡°Then do it. Shift. Let them see what you are. If you are innocent, there is nothing to fear.¡± The King¡¯s chest rumbled with a growl so deep the floor seemed to vibrate beneath it. He bared his teeth, fury burning in his eyes. ¡°You want punishment, boy? I will give it to you myself.¡± And in that moment, as his aura red higher and his muscles tensed to shift, I braced for the reveal. Atst, he would show himself. Atst, I would know. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it X Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 88 CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT Jason¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Nn thought he was clever. He thought he could slip poison into a goblet of Rosefall in full view of the room, and no one would notice. But I noticed. I watched the faint tilt of his wrist, and the liquid vanishing into the crimson wine. He carried it toward the Alpha King with that calm arrogance he always wore, as though he already owned the room. Poison. In public. He had to be insane. Did he think the Alphas would rally to him after such a stunt? They would tear him apart before the Alpha King even raised a hand. And Nn was not useful to me. That was why I acted. My elbow ¡°slipped¡± just as the goblet neared the Alpha King¡¯s lips, shattering Nn¡¯s n along with the ss. A few murmurs of surprise rose around us, but no one dared to challenge me openly. To them, I was just drunk, perhaps a little overeager in my attempts to tter the King. If Nn wanted chaos, I would give him disappointment. And if he decided to go further, provoking the Alpha King openly, I would separate myself from Nn and y the loyal subject to the Alpha King while I watched them tear each other apart. ¡®He is not going to let this go,¡¯ my wolf warned. ¡®We need to distance ourselves.¡¯ Nn was so predictable. Not even a secondter, Nn sneered across the table at the Alpha King, ¡°You¡¯re growing old and feeble, old wolf.¡± Gasps rippled through the room. The Alpha King¡¯s eyes darkened. Solon was on his feet in an instant, voice booming with outrage. He used Nn of dishonor, of spitting on the Rite itself. But Nn only pressed harder, his gaze fixed on the King like he meant to tear him down with words alone. He demanded the truth, demanding the King reopen the case of his father¡¯s death. His defiance was reckless, dangerous, but part of me admired the boldness. If he won, he proved the Alpha King guilty and I would kill him in the chaos. If he lost, the King would crush him. Either way, I benefited. Alphas muttered, warriors shifted uneasily, and the elders frowned in shock. The air grew heavier with every word. The King rose, aura flooding the hall, forcing silence. Fury burned in his eyes. He looked ready to shift right there in front of us, to rip Nn apart. And then the moment broke. The doors mmed open. A guard stumbled in. His blood covered his armor and his face was pale and stricken, All attention went to the guard. ¡°My King,¡± the guard gasped, falling to one knee. ¡°Forgive me. I¡­ I failed. Lady Talia¡­ she chased a shadowed figure into the forest. I followed, but I was struck down. When I woke¡­ she was gone.¡± The Alpha King¡¯s face contorted between surprise and panic. ¡°How could you have allowed this to happen?¡± he demanded. The rage in him was greater than anything Nn had provoked. But why for Talia? Why did she matter this much? She was a lowly Omega. Did he truly see her as Solon¡¯s future Luna? Or was there something more to her, something even I had missed? 3 The guard could not answer as he had passed out from blood loss. Chairs scraped as wolves leapt to their feet. CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT +25 Bonus Warriors surged forward, rushing out of the room on an order that I could not hear. ¡°Alpha Nn, we will continue this conversation at another time, but do not think I will let this insult go unpunished. You will get the truth you seek even if it isn¡¯t what you wanted,¡± the Alpha King stated. He snapped his attention to his Beta. ¡°Logan, you will keep the Hunting Rite on track for this afternoon. I will search for myself.¡± Logan nodded and said, ¡°Yes, my King.¡± Solon didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°I will assist you. We cannot have anyone going missing during the Hunting Rite. I withdraw from the Hunt,¡± he dered. De quickly added, ¡°Me too. We need to find her as soon as possible.¡± The room buzzed with whispers as the King stormed out with Solon and De on his heels. Nn stood silent. He wore a calm expression, but his clenched fists gave him away. He was seething that he had lost his prey. Henry approached me and asked, ¡°Are you not going to help look for Talia?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I must win the Hunting Rite, remember.¡± Henry frowned but didn¡¯t say anything else. I knew he didn¡¯t approve, but Talia was the past. The Princess was the future for our pack. 1 ¡°When the room clears, collect the shards of Nn¡¯s ss. Test them. I want to know exactly what he tried to slip to the King,¡± I told him through our mind link. Henry nodded and said aloud, ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± Satisfied, I turned my eyes back on Nn. Hisposure was almost perfect, but I knew better. He had lost his moment, lost his chance to control the field. And now I would remind him of it. ¡°Tell me, Alpha Nn,¡± I said lightly, just loud enough for nearby ears to catch, ¡°will you still join in the Rite? Or has this little spectacle drained your appetite?¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 89 CHAPTER EIGHTY NINE CHAPTER EIGHTY NINE Nn¡¯s POV +25 Bonus The news of Talia¡¯s disappearance put my wolf into a rage. He began wing at my resolve, demanding we go into the forest to find her. ¡®She is OURS! She is in danger! Go to her now!¡¯ he snarled. I forced my wolf down, but it was getting harder. The pendant on my chest was barely holding him back now. ¡°She is safe,¡± I muttered under my breath. ¡°I would feel it if she were not.¡± ¡®Safe? How?¡¯ my wolf snarled. ¡°This pendant you have ced on us has dulled our senses. You are heartless. She could be bleeding right now while you stand here pretending control matters more than her life.¡¯ Jason walked up to me looking smug as if he had conquered me. The urge to snap his neck was almost too strong to resist. ¡°Tell me, Alpha Nn,¡± he drawled, ¡°will you still join in the Rite? Or has this little spectacle drained your appetite?¡± ¡°Of course I join,¡± I answered coldly. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± His smirk widened as he said, ¡°Just checking. Some wolves might be distracted, with Talia missing and all.¡± ¡°And yet here you stand, not lifting a finger to look for her. Interesting. You want to win her back, don¡¯t you? Shouldn¡¯t you be rushing into the forest with Prince Solon right now?¡± I asked. Jason¡¯s eyes witched, but he shrugged, still with that dumb smug grin of his. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. This is Silverfang. No rogue could sneak far into these borders without being caught. With the Alpha King and Prince Solon searching, she¡¯ll be found in no time.¡± ¡®He mocks her suffering,¡¯ my wolf growled inside me. ¡®Selfish. Useless bastard. He would let her die or kill her himself if it gave him a chance at power. Disgusting.¡¯ I agreed. My hatred for Jason had only increased, but wasting energy on him was pointless. The Rite was only hours away, and I needed every ounce of focus. When the crowd dispersed, I left the banquet hall and returned to my quarters. My n had failed earlier, my patience was thinning, and I told myself rest was needed for the Rite. I needed to be ready by 2pm. But rest never came. My wolf prowled inside me like a caged beast. He was getting even more restless by the minute. ¡®She is out there. She needs us. We need to find her NOW!¡¯ For once, I couldn¡¯t silence him nor could I push him down. Then Marco entered my room. He looked distraught and tired. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I demanded. ¡°You should be resting.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he admitted. ¡°Alpha, we need to search for Talia.¡± ¡°Why? Why the sudden change now?¡± I asked. ¡°We just need to,¡± Marco replied. I frowned. ¡°You have been constantly reminding me not to take risks, urging me to be patient, not to show any outward care for Talia and now you want me to look for her? Is your mate pushing you to do this? Marco lowered his gaze. ¡°No, it¡¯s not just because of De.¡± ¡°So, it is about her,¡± I pressed. ¡°You think you¡¯re using Talia¡¯s plight to win favor with your mate?¡± CHARTER FIGHTY NING +25 Bonus ¡°No. That¡¯s not all of it!¡± Marco snapped, frustrated at my usations. ¡°Then, what is it then? Why should I care about Talia now?¡± ¡°That day after the incident in the library, I gave her an injection like you asked me to. But I miscalcted. The dosage was too much. I believe it caused her wolf to vanish,¡± Marco exined. I froze as I processed his words. My wolf roared inside of me. My Alpha aura mmed into Marco causing him to drop to his knees in submission. ¡°What?¡± I roared in anger. ¡°I thought it would calm her heat. But instead¡­¡± Marco looked sick. ¡°Her wolf has gone silent. Without it, she is just¡­¡± ¡°A fragile human,¡± I finished, the realization burning into me. Talia was now a fragile human, wandering into the forest, possibly being hunted by a rogue. Panic gripped me like I hadn¡¯t known in years. The mate bond roared in my veins. All I could think of was how she was alone and defenseless being tracked by Goddess knows what. I lunged at Marco. I mmed him hard into the wall. My forearm pressed hard against his neck. His eyes widened in fear, but he didn¡¯t move to defend himself. ¡°If anything happens to her,¡± I snarled, ¡°I will never forgive you. Do you hear me, Marco? Never!¡± ¡°I know,¡± he whispered. I knew he was ashamed, but it couldn¡¯tpare to the guilt I felt for telling Marco to inject her in the first ce. I didn¡¯t wait for another second. I bolted for the door, shoving it open so hard it struck and dented the wall. I ran, my wolf howling in triumph at finally being unleashed. ¡®We need to find her,¡¯ he ordered. ¡®Nothing else matters. We find her and kill anyone who stands in our way or hurts her.¡¯ Nothing else mattered. Only Talia. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 90 CHAPTER NINETY +25 Bonus CHAPTER NINETY Talia¡¯s POV I woke up in darkness. I tried to sit up, but my wrists and ankles burned every time I moved. The pain shot up my arms and legs. I knew the pain immediately. I was shackled in silver chains. My head throbbed. I looked around to see that I was sitting on a grimy floor of a dungeon cell. How in the hell did I get here? I closed my eyes and reached inward. I called my wolf. I desperately needed her right now. ¡®Please. Please wake up. I need you right now. I don¡¯t know what to do,¡¯ I called out within me, but I received no response. The emptiness I felt only made my anxiety increase. ¡°Focus. I need to remember how I got here, so I can figure out how to get out,¡± I told myself. I remembered the Hunting Rite gathering. My brother was at my side and then I noticed a sh of movement outside the banquet hall. It was the silhouette of a person that was familiar. A face that I will never forget. Viki. I told myself I was mistaken. She was dead or at least supposed to be dead. I excused myself because I had to be sure and crossed the courtyard with a guard at my shoulder. Solon had insisted I keep them close since the night in the library. With my wolf silent and my healing slowed, I knew I needed them. I told myself that this was Silverfangnd and that nothing would happen to me with patrols so close. ¡°If something happens, I need you to alert the Alpha King and Prince Solon as soon as possible,¡± I told the guard. If this was Viki, she probably did not have any good intentions for being here! 1 ¡°Yes, Princess,¡± the guard confirmed. I followed the silhouette into the forest. The music from the hall was long gone now reced by the creaking of branches in the night breeze. I kept going until the trees grew dense enough to block thest of the lights from the pack house. That was when I saw her. Viki was tied to a tree. Her dress hung in shreds; her hair was matted against her face. She still had on the dress from her failed Luna ceremony. She looked like someone who had drugged her a long distance. I hated her, but Viki didn¡¯t deserve this. No one did. ¡°Viki,¡± I said, standing in front of her. ¡°Look at me.¡± Her eyes fluttered open and focused on me. She winced like her entire body hurt. ¡°Help me,¡± she whispered. Talia Please. They thought I was a rogue. They tied me up and ran. Please.¡± It did not make sense. Guards in Silverfang did not abandon a tied rogue in the dark. They did not leave women bound to trees. Every instinct I had told me to wait and call Solon or Beta Logan, Viki swallowed and tried to lift her head. ¡°Please, Talia.¡± I looked at the guard beside me. He did not like this either. He stepped forward to check the knots and then flicked his gaze at me for a decision. I hated that I could not ask my wolf if this felt wrong. I hated doubting every decision I made. 1 I knew one thing was that I was not leaving her tied to this tree. ¡°Hold her steady,¡± I said to the guard. I worked at the knots. They were tight and dug into her skin. CHAPTER NINETY +25 Bonus ¡°Let me do it,¡± the guard suggested. ¡°The knots are too tight. You risk cutting her with your ws. I almost have it,¡± I said. The knots came loose a few minutester. Viki leaned onto me, and she was shaking. I awkwardly patted her on the back. ¡°Thank you. I knew you would not leave me.¡± She said and giggled. Something pricked the side of my neck and at first it felt like a bee sting. Then the burn hit. It spread fast and hot under my skin. My knees gave out as I gasped in pain. I saw the metal glint as she pulled her hand back. She held a small syringe in her hand. Viki grinned down at me. ¡°Go! Alert the Prince,¡± I tried to say, but I barely managed to get the words out. My vision began to blur from the pain. ¡°You were always so predictable,¡± Viki taunted. The guard turned toward me. I heard him shouting and then a cry of pain. There was nothing I could do. I can still remember the color of the dirt against my cheek and the way I tried to push to my feet only to m back on the ground. Then everything went ck. ¡°That bitch,¡± I muttered as I tested the chains. I had been poisoned with wolfsbane. That was what it had to be, as wolfsbane would¡¯ve killed me. The dose was enough to keep me weak. If I had my wolf, I would have purged it from my system by now. Anger pushed up through fear. I had fallen for another one of Viki¡¯s tricks again. I had let her take advantage of the leftover pity I had for her. If I had waited half a minute and called for backup, she would be in the dungeons, and I would be in this situation. 1 ¡°Stupid. Stupid. I had to be better than this,¡± I muttered to myself. Then, I heard footsteps approaching. They didn¡¯t sound like footsteps of a guard, but of someone who wanted to be heard without hurrying. The person stepped up to my cell. Viki looked nothing like the beat down woman that I took pity on. She was dressed in a simple ck dress. Her hair was neatlybed and pulled back. Her skin was clean and no longer bruised. There was color in her cheeks. She looked nothing like the woman dying from the Redbone Flower. She wrapped her fingers around the bars and smiled like we were old friends meeting after a long trip. ¡°Hello, Talia,¡± she said. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 91 CHAPTER NINETY ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER NINETY ONE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Viki? Why are you doing this?¡± I asked. ¡°You have no idea, do you?¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ve been watching you all along. My people knew the moment your wolf went silent. And now with the Hunting Rite, everyone is too busy to worry about you. It was the perfect opportunity for me.¡± ¡°Your people?¡± My voice was hoarse. ¡°Who are they?¡± Viki smirked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You won¡¯t live long enough to need to know. Tonight, you die, and with you, every mistake of mine gets buried. I¡¯ll have a clean te.¡± I pressed my back against the wall, trying to make myself asfortable as possible despite the silver chains cutting into my wrists. ¡°So, this is about revenge¡­¡± Her eyes gleamed. ¡°Of course. Do you know what you cost me?¡± ¡°Viki, you did this to yourself,¡± I retorted. ¡°Shut your fucking mouth.¡± Her voice cracked into a snarl. ¡°If you had not run your mouth, Jason wouldn¡¯t have despised me. Michael wouldn¡¯t have tried to hang me!¡± ¡°You want to me me for your mistakes?¡± I asked, though my voice trembled with exhaustion. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you to lie, nor did I tell you to poison yourself with the Redbone Flower.¡± Her chest heaved. Her lips twisted between augh and a sob. ¡°Do you have any idea what you ruined for me? My wedding was perfect. I was meant to be Luna. It was mine, Talia! Mine. And you just couldn¡¯t keep your fucking mouth shut.¡± ¡°Viki, what are you talking about?¡± I responded. ¡°You really are going to keep lying to me?¡± she asked in disbelief. ¡°My father DIED because of you! If you had kept your promise, he wouldn¡¯t have died. After everything, he loved me. He didn¡¯t see me as just a tool. Do you understand now? I have to do this for my father.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anyone anything!¡± I retorted but Viki didn¡¯t hear me. ¡°NO!!! Everything fell apart because of you. And now I finally have my chance to take it back.¡± I frowned. I hadn¡¯t told anyone that Viki was taking the Redbone Flower. Solon found out through Marco. So, it¡¯s Nn? ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anyone. Solon found out through¡­¡± ¡°You expect me to believe that you didn¡¯t tell? Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Viki snapped, cutting me off. Her fingers dented the bars as she trembled with rage. Her voice cracked as she spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare sit there acting innocent over and over again. You¡¯ve always been a cunning little snake.¡± ¡°You¡¯re projecting. You¡¯d do something like that,¡± I countered. ¡°Not me. Even with you insulting me day in and day out as Luna, I did nothing to you when I could have gotten you disciplined. So why would I hurt you now when I could¡¯ve easily done it as Luna?¡± Her eyes darted. For a moment she looked uncertain, but the rity quickly vanished. She returned to looking unstable. Viki began muttering maniacally, ¡°Just shut up! If you disappear, I can fix everything. I¡¯ll tell Jason I was wrong. CHAPTER NINETY ONE +25 Bonus I¡¯ll apologize and cry and beg. He¡¯ll take me back as his Luna. He always should have. Not you. Never you.¡± The venom in her words made me cringe. She was unraveling. Her rage, her grief, and the toll of her body breaking was finally getting to her. Viki was having some type of psychotic break. I forced myself to meet her eyes. ¡°Jason turned from you because you lied to him. He would¡¯ve chosen you in the end anyway because he¡¯s vain and power hungry. You faked a pregnancy. This isn¡¯t on me. This is on you.¡± The arrogance drained from her face. She looked as if she wanted to cry before her face contorted into a vicious snarl. ¡°You told Solon about the Redbone Flower, didn¡¯t you? You poisoned me against Jason before I had the chance to exin. Didn¡¯t you?!¡± ¡°Again, I never told him anything,¡± I said, but my voice was low, tired. Her hands trembled as they clutched the bars tighter. ¡°Liar.¡± I bit back the urge to argue again. Nothing I said would cut through the frenzy in her eyes. Exining would not matter. She had already written me as the viin in her mind. I let the silence hang, though inside, I prayed that Father or Solon would find me. My eyes flicked to the cell door, desperate, searching for movement beyond the hall. Viki¡¯s gaze caught mine. A cruel smile spread across her face. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. Oh, Prince Solon wille save me.¡± I didn¡¯t respond. I just red at her while mentally preparing for what she had nned next. ¡°You really think he¡¯lle for you? You¡¯re just an omega, Talia. No one is going toe for you.¡± (1) She unlocked the cell door and swung it open with a scrape that echoed down the corridor. ¡°Look around. This is all you deserve.¡± I forced myself not to shrink back. Panic had slowly turned to fear as I realized how unstable Viki was. My instincts screamed for me to fight and do whatever I could to get free. ¡°Still being stoic? Let¡¯s fix that,¡± Viki smirked and pped her hands. Two rogues slunk forward from behind her. They entered the cell, shoulders rolling, and their eyes gleaming yellow. Their clothes were tattered, bloodstained, and caked with mud. The stench of sweat, blood, and bile hit my nose and made me gag. One grinned. His teeth were yellow and broken with bits of rancid meat in between. The other¡¯s mouth was smeared with blood as if he had just finished mauling someone. ¡°Evening, Lady Viki,¡± the one with the yellow teeth said, bowing his head to her before looking at me. ¡°You brought us a gift.¡± Their gazes swept hungrily over me. My throat tightened as bile began rising. I never felt so weak until today. I called out to my wolf again, but still no response. Only silence, Despair surged in me, but I held her stare. If this was the end, I would not beg. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 92 CHAPTER NINETY PAWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER NINETY TWO Talia¡¯s POV ¡°She¡¯s Prince Solon¡¯s little ything. Do what you like with her,¡± Viki saidzily to the rogues. ¡°Sure thing,¡± one of the rogues said while the other growled. Excitement shone in their yellow eyes as they stepped closer. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get a taste of her,¡± one of them licked his cracked lips as he began fumbling with his belt buckle. ¡°No!¡± I yelled, my voice cracking from the strain. ¡°Viki, stop! Wait!¡± Viki turned back and said, ¡°Stop. Be patient. I want to hear what she has to say.¡± ¡°If you do this, viki, Solon will never forgive you,¡± I warned. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I die or survive, Solon will never let you go. Trust me.¡± Vikiughed again. ¡°You¡¯re just so pathetic. How many times are you going to rely on Solon? Why can¡¯t you stand on your own feet?¡± she said, stepping closer with a predator¡¯s calm. ¡°Release me and I¡¯ll show you how,¡± I growled. Viki tsked and wagged her finger in front of my face. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Do you think I¡¯m stupid? You may not have a wolf, but I know Solon has been training you. I can¡¯t risk you getting away and then these fine gentlemen won¡¯t get the reward they deserve.¡± ¡°Viki, I¡¯m serious. You really need to think about this carefully.¡± She sneered. ¡°And so am I.¡± ¡°Prince Solon-¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Viki snapped, cutting me off. ¡°Solon probably has another she-wolf as we speak. And let¡¯s say, he does care for you. After those rogues are finished using you, Solon will be disgusted by you. Men don¡¯t choose ruined women, Talia.¡± ¡°By that logic, Jason wouldn¡¯t want you either,¡± I shot back. ¡°You don¡¯t have a real bond with him.¡± ¡°Screw the fucking mate bond!¡± Viki snapped, causing me to gasp. ¡°Viki, you can¡¯t say that,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯ll say whatever the fuck I want. The mate bond is just a bunch of superstitious bullshit. Why would the Moon Goddess bond you to Jason instead of me? The Moon Goddess is such a disappointment. If she is real, she should be ashamed of herself,¡± Viki continued. My breath hitched. I couldn¡¯t remember a time I had ever heard such words spoken aloud. Even rogues knew better to speak ill of the Moon Goddess. ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± I eximed. ¡°How dare you speak about the Moon Goddess like that and mock the mate bond? She will punish you for this, Viki. You and everyone who still cares about you.¡± For a brief second, I saw the crack in her mask. I saw doubt in her eyes. Then it vanished, reced with anger. The first p snapped my head sideways. Pain exploded across my face as my cheek split open. The second came harder. It was hard enough to make my vision blur. +25 Bonus The third split my lip and Viki continued pping me until I could barely lift my head. ¡°Beating me¡­¡± I muttered and spat the blood from my mouth. ¡°won¡¯t change the truth, Viki,¡± Viki scoffed, ¡°You think you still matter? After you¡¯re gone, I¡¯ll tell Solon and Jason that I tried to save you. I¡¯ll weep for you, Talia.¡± Viki grabbed me by the throat and forced me to look at her. Her ws digging into my neck. ¡°Jason will believe me. He wanted me, not you. He only turned because he didn¡¯t have a choice. I¡¯ll show him I was always his Luna. And Solon will not waste his pity on an omega slut who couldn¡¯t even keep her wolf alive.¡± The words stung, but I forced myself to not break in front of her. She wanted me to cry, to beg, but I wouldn¡¯t give her the satisfaction. ¡°You¡¯re lying to yourself,¡± I rasped. My throat ached. ¡°Jason hated you because you lied. Solon will see through you. If I die, you¡¯ll die too.¡± Her eyes red wide, then narrowed. ¡°No, Talia. The only person that is dying tonight is you. Because they¡¯ll never choose me while you breathe. That is why you must die.¡± For one heartbeat, pity tangled with my hatred. Viki was the true pathetic one here. She was fighting for a crown that would never be hers no matter what she did. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like you¡¯re better than me!¡± Viki snapped as she mmed me hard into the wall before releasing me. ¡°You¡¯ll damn yourself for this. The Moon Goddess will never forgive-¡± ¡°Enough with your Goddess,¡± she snapped. ¡°If she cared, she would have saved me from suffering. She would have saved my father. She would have made me Jason¡¯s Luna!¡± Viki reached into her purse and pulled out a syringe. The filled ss caught the light. It smelled like wolfsbane. Overdosed, it would finish me today. I tried to scoot further away from her. ¡°No!¡± My voice broke. ¡°No point in resisting,¡± Viki mocked. Her hand shot out gripping me by the neck again. She tilted my head to the side as she drove the needle in. I gasped as the liquid shot through my veins. I couldn¡¯t move! Terror and pain finally took hold in my chest. I tried to scream, tried to w at the air, but nothing moved. My body had be a coffin. Viki leaned closely, her lips brushing my ear. ¡°This is my final gift to you. Now, enjoy your final moments. Goodbye, Talia.¡± She turned,ughing, as if the act had satisfied her. The rogues lunged at me, growling hungrily. I closed my eyes, tears streaking my bloodied face. Myst thought tore through me- I would never see my brother or my father again. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 93 CHAPTER NINETY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER NINETY THREE Nn¡¯s POV A wave of despair struck my heart. My wolf rose inside me and roared until my vision narrowed. ¡®SHE IS IN DANGER!¡¯ The message cut through every other thought. I reached for the pendant at my throat and tore it free. The mate bond snapped into ce. I could feel Talia¡¯s fear and pain. My wolf strained against my control. ¡®Hurry! HURRY! I will never forgive you if we lose her.¡¯ I did not fight him. I gave him one order that was simple and absolute. ¡°Track her scent.¡¯ My wolf epted themand with a fierce surge as he took over our body. We ran at full speed and followed a faint trail that led east through pines and across a slope of wet stone. Branches raked our shoulders. Brambles snatched at my legs. None of it slowed us. We vaulted over a stream andnded on the far bank. The scent grew stronger and then thinned until we almost lost it. My wolf began to pace restlessly at the thought of losing Talia. I regained control and continued on. I refused to slow my pace. The slope steepened. A sign stood at the base of two trees. The paint had peeled but the words were clear. ¡°No Entry.¡± I scented the air, but I could not smell Talia here. Right when I turned to go back in the direction I came, Talia¡¯s scent drifted past the sign like smoke. My wolf bared his teeth in my mind and leaned forward. I crossed the line.I followed the scent down a seam in the ridge and found a low opening under an old fall of rocks. I slid through the opening and dropped into a narrow corridor. The corridor widened and then turned. A grate in a ceiling slit let in a seam of gray light. I tasted the air and gagged. Wolfsbane was in the air. Someone had used it to choke this ce. I wrapped my arm across my mouth and nose, but kept moving. I reached the chamber. There were only a few hanging light bulbs that cast a dull glow. The light picked out chains, stone, and a set of rusted bars on a side cell. In the center, Talia hung from silver shackles fixed high on the wall. Her head slumped. Her hair stuck to her face with sweat and blood. The skin at her wrists was raw where the silver had burned it. Her dress had been torn by ws. Two rogue wolves stood next to her. Viki stood near the open cell. She watched with a greedy calm that twisted my stomach. Her hands rested on the bars as if she hade to see a y. ¡°Smart idea to hang her up like this,¡± one of them chuckled. ¡°Gives us a better view. A shame she¡¯s unconscious now.¡± The other ripped open Talia¡¯s dress revealing her lingerie underneath. ¡°I know how to fix that.¡± Seeing Talia like that, rage took over me. I moved. The first rogue turned in my direction. He barely had time to register what was happening. I crossed the space between us before he could snarl. My hand caught its jaw and drove it sideways. Bone cracked and the noise echoed. The second rogue leaped for my throat. I caught him by his wrists. With a single squeeze, I crushed them. He howled in pain as he crumpled to the ground. I kicked him in the chest until his chest caved in. I looked at Talia to be sure her chest still rose. It did. Her breath was shallow and strained. Her scent stood almost smothered under the wolfsbane. I wanted to wrench the chains free and carry her out at once. +25 Bonus ¡°Alpha Nn! I didn¡¯t expect you here.¡± She tried to sound calm. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that was a little extreme for an omega?¡± Viki sneered from behind me. I turned, low growl rumbling in my chest. She backed away from me, but there was nowhere to go as I blocked the exit. ¡°Alpha Nn, please¡­¡­¡­ just calm down.¡± I snapped my hand around her throat and lifted her. Her fingers wed at my wrist. Panic overtook the arrogance on her face. ¡°She showed you kindness, even empathy and this is how you repay her?!¡± I snarled. ¡®Kill her!¡¯ my wolf demanded. ¡®She hurt our mate!¡¯ ¡®We need answers first,¡¯ I responded. ¡°Who helped you do this? How much wolfsbane did you inject her with?¡± I demanded. Viki tried to speak, but my grip was too tight. I loosened my hand a fraction because I wanted answers more than I wanted to see the life drain from her eyes. Viki dragged in air and coughed ¡°Let me warn you before you speak,¡± I growled. ¡°If you lie to me, I will know and I will do so much worse to you than I did to those rogues. Do you understand?¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing all of this¡­ for a stupid barren omega. What is wrong with you?!¡± Viki spat. I tightened my grip again and mmed her hard into the wall, enough for the stone to crack. Viki¡¯s gaze flicked to Talia and then back to me. This time she was truly afraid that I would kill her. Viki¡¯s legs kicked in small jerks as she attempted to il to get me off her. ¡°Listen,¡± she gasped. ¡°You cannot kill me¡­ or Talia will die!¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 94 CHAPTER NINETY FOUR CHAPTER NINETY FOUR Viki¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Nn¡¯s grip on my throat tightened by the second, and just when I thought I was a goner, he finally let go. He flung me to the ground. I mmed hard into the stone floor, knocking the little breath left in my lungs out. I coughed and clutched at my neck. ¡°You have five seconds to exin to me why I shouldn¡¯t rip your throat out right now,¡± Nn demanded as he checked Talia¡¯s pulse. ¡°I injected her with¡­ wolfsbane,¡± I said quickly before he changed his mind. ¡°How much?¡± Nn asked. ¡°How much did you inject in her?¡± ¡°Lethal amount,¡± I replied, and Nn snarled. He looked ready to pounce and I quickly screamed, ¡°I have what you need to keep her alive for a little longer!¡± Nn¡¯s eyes were narrowed, and his lips were curled back into a snarl. ¡°You expect me to believe you, a liar?¡± I pushed myself up to my knees and held up both hands to show I had nothing hidden. ¡°I have a counteragent. It cannot cure her, but it can slow the spread of the poison. Without it, she may notst more than a few minutes.¡± ¡°Show me,¡± he said. ¡°Do not make me repeat myself.¡± I moved slowly, picking up my purse from the floor. My fingers closed around the syringe. I pulled it out carefully and held it where he could see. The ss caught the dim light and the orange liquid sparkled in the light. ¡°This will buy her time,¡± I exined. ¡°She was poisoned by the injection and by breathing it in. The counteragent will neutralize some of the wolfsbane, but not all of it.¡± Nn did not move. His gaze flicked to Talia and then back to me. His silence was unnerving as I could not read his expression. ¡°Give it to me,¡± Nn demanded. ¡°We need to discuss terms,¡± I told him. Nn scoffed. His eyes shing as he pushed his wolf down. ¡°You are an enemy of Shadoww and Silverfang. You have nothing to bargain with.¡± ¡°You need me,¡± I blurted out. ¡°I was once a high-ranking member of Shadoww. I know every name that matters there. I know where the hidden supplies are kept, and which families cannot be trusted. With my help, you could take Shadoww without war.¡± Nn gave me a cold smile, ¡°And why would you think I¡¯d be interested in Shadoww?¡± ¡°You want power,¡± I said. ¡°With Shadoww under yourmand, you would control two major packs. From there, the throne of Alpha King would already be yours. The Alpha King would not be able to oppose you. You could take it without much effort.¡± ¡°And what about Jason?¡± Nn asked. ¡°He betrayed me. Our rtionship is over,¡± I replied, gritting my teeth. ¡°And what do you demand in return?¡± Nn asked, tly. 425 Bonus ¡°You will make me your Luna,¡± I said. His eyes hardened and his nose red. ¡°What right do you think you have to be my Luna?¡± ¡°The right of being useful,¡± I smirked. ¡°Talia is a barren omega. She will never give you an heir. She will be a waste as your Luna.¡± ¡°Who said she was going to be my Luna?¡± Nn asked as he circled me like prey. ¡°You came running to save her. I assumed you had a reason to save her,¡± I replied with a shrug, ¡°I can give you what she never will. I can give you Shadoww, and with it, the influence you need to be Alpha King¡± Nn stepped closer until I could feel his Alpha aura rolling off him. He was less angry, but still angry. ¡®Be careful with him,¡¯ my wolf warned me. ¡®He¡¯s unpredictable.¡¯ z ¡°You betray one pack and offer another. Why would I trust a traitor?¡± Nn spat. ¡°You do not have to trust me,¡± I reasoned. ¡°Bind me by oath. Guard me. Test me. Use me as you will I only need the chance to prove that I can give you what you want. ¡°You think highly of yourself.¡± ¡°I know my worth,¡± I said. Nn stepped closer to me. He pulled me to my feet. Nn lifted his hand, and I flinched back. But he didn¡¯t p me. Nn let his knuckles brush my chin. A faint smile touched his mouth, though his eyes were unreadable. Nn smirked and said, ¡°You always had a smart mouth.¡± His hand slid to my cheek. My pulse beat faster, not only from fear but from something more. I could never resist a male with power and that was Nn even more so than Jason. Jason couldn¡¯t hold a candle to Nn. ¡®Viki,¡± my wolf growled a warning, ¡®You can¡¯t trust him. He only cares about himself.¡¯ ¡®Shut up,¡¯ I snapped at her. ¡®We need him.¡¯ The risk did not matter. Nn was cruel and so was I. He should understand my drive to secure my position next to the most powerful. I was only loyal to those that were loyal to me. Nn¡¯s gaze did not waver. He leaned closer, and his smile grew sharper. This was perfect. No man could resist me in the end. ¡°You will see the worth in me,¡± I said seductively. ¡°Give me the chance, and I will give you Shadoww.¡± His thumb traced along my jawline. His smile was calm and dangerous, but I chose to see only what it promised. I believed in the bargain I had offered. I believed it had been epted. A thrill moved through me as he leaned closer, and in that moment, I knew-I had won. 42580095 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 95 CHAPTER NINETY FIVE Viki¡¯s POV For a moment, I thought Nn was going to kiss me. His face was so close that I could feel his hot breath. My pulse hammered in my ears. I lifted my chin, ready for the moment. Instead, his mouth moved close to my ear, and he said, ¡°You are delusional.¡± ¡°What?¡± Nn quickly pped me across the face, causing me to stumble back and clutch my cheek in shock. ¡°You¡­ you hit me!¡± I stammered. ¡°I am trying to help you!¡± ¡°I do not need you to take the throne. I can take it on my own,¡± Nn said. ¡°Your very presence disgusts me. Do you think I am a fool like Jason? There are some men that can see through your bullshit, Viki.¡± I gaped at him, trying to think of something to say. Before I could respond, he reached down and snatched the syringe from my hand. He walked back over to Talia. ¡°I¡¯ve got you. This is going to help. Just hold on a little longer,¡± I heard him whisper to her. Why did everything turn out in Talia¡¯s favor? Why did everyone care so much about her? She was nothing but a lowly, filthy slut of an omega. ¡°Snap out of it!¡± my wolf snarled. ¡°If he gives her the counteragent, our lives will be forfeited. We need to get out of here. RUN!¡± I turned to flee. The door to the corridor was only a few steps away. But his voice froze me in ce. ¡°You take one step out of here,¡± he said without even turning his head, ¡°and you are dead.¡± I stood still. My wolf paced restlessly inside me, demanding that I run. I wanted to listen to her. It was not as if he could focus on Talia and chase me at the same time. But the mangled bodies of the rogues on the ground and the certainty in Nn¡¯s tone destroyed any courage I had left. I watched Nn work at the locks around Talia¡¯s wrists. The chains rattled and fell away. He caught her before she copsed onto the stone floor. Talia drifted in and out of consciousness, muttering incoherently. ¡°Shh, don¡¯t speak. Preserve your strength,¡± Nn hushed her as he lowered her to the ground. He lifted her carefully, as if she were something precious, thenid her across hisp and pressed the syringe into her shoulder. Talia¡¯s body trembled. The shallow rise of her chest grew steadier. Her lips parted as she began to breathe more evenly. Jealousy coiled through me. It intensified with every second I watched. Rage soon reced it. I had offered him power and a future no one else could give, least of all Talia. Yet even he, cold and detached, could not resist her. What did she have that I did not? She was barren, weak, and marked by failure. Yet even Nn, whose heart seemed made of stone, chose her over me. The sight made me sick. Nn stood with her in his arms. Talia sagged against his chest. He looked down at her with an expression that made me gasp. It was something Jason had never even shown me: love. Hearing me gasp, Nn looked at me. The loving expression vanished, reced by cold hatred, as if he were seconds away from dropping Talia and mauling me. I swallowed, waiting for his decision. Nn finally looked at me fully. His eyes were sharp, filled with warning. He stepped closer, his voice low but CHAPTER NINETY FIVE +25 Bonus edged with authority. ¡°You will disappear. If I see you again, I will not hesitate to kill you.¡± ¡°Listen, I meant what I said. You can keep Talia as your ything. I won¡¯t mind. But I can help you. I¡­¡± ¡°You do not get to bargain with me again,¡± Nn snapped, cutting me off. ¡°You will leave Silverfang territory and never return.¡± I forced a sneer onto my face, though fear pulsed in my veins. ¡°And if I refuse?¡± I asked. His silence stretched long enough that I could hear Talia¡¯s faint breaths. Then he said, ¡°Refusal would be foolish.¡± ¡°Do not threaten me,¡± I snapped, my voice shaking with fury. ¡°I was born to be Queen!¡± He raised an eyebrow at my outburst. I could not tell if he thought I was brave or simply pathetic. ¡°All I see is a grown woman throwing a tantrum because she could not get her way,¡± Nn growled. ¡°Obey or not obey. I could care less.¡± Nn began walking past me. I let out a sigh of relief, but it was short lived. Before I could react, Nn¡¯s ws shed across my cheek. The hit snapped my head back. I screamed in pain as I clutched my face. ¡°You told me you wouldn¡¯t kill me!¡± I screamed. ¡°Did you think I would let you walk away without punishment? You are lucky that I don¡¯t have much time to deal with you,¡± Nn sneered. ¡°You wed my face! What is wrong with you?¡± I eximed. ¡°This is your punishment,¡± Nn continued. ¡°You will spend the rest of your miserable life with the reminder of your poor decisions and a warning to others to never trust a traitor like you.¡± My vision blurred with tears. My breath came in sharp bursts, half sobs and half rage. Nn sneered and said mockingly, ¡°A Queen doesn¡¯t sob like a spoiled child.¡± Nn left the dungeon with Talia. ¡°You can heal this, can¡¯t you?¡± I asked my wolf. She did not immediately respond. I expected to feel relief, but the wound still throbbed painfully. ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡± I demanded. ¡°I am sorry, Viki. I cannot. He used some of his Alpha aura to deliver the wound,¡± my wolf exined. I screamed in frustration. Why was this happening to me? I should be the Alpha Queen! How could I live with this disgusted scar on my face? I would never forgive Talia or Nn for what they had done to me. They would regret this! I swear it! P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 96 CHAPTER NINETY SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER NINETY SIX Rudolf¡¯s POV The forest was silent except for the crack of branches as my guards spread out in a wide formation. Their eyes scanned the shadows and their nostrils red for even the faintest scent. Solon moved beside me. Still, there was no sign of Talia. How could my daughter vanish from our own pack? I hadyered protection around her since the day she was born. Yet despite every precaution, she was gone. Each moment without her only intensified the fear I felt. And because her wolf was dormant, I couldn¡¯t even feel her. ¡°Why did you allow her to go on her own?¡± I growled at Solon. ¡°She said she needed some air and I sent a guard,¡± Solon responded, ¡°I had no reason to believe she was in danger.¡± Solon was right. The danger had been in the room with us. With Nn right in front of me, who would have a grudge against me? We pushed deeper into the woods. Solon dropped to a crouch. He ran his hand through the dirt, sniffed it before he shook his head in defeat. ¡°There is no scent. No tracks. How is that possible?¡± he muttered as he stood up. I ground my teeth. ¡°Keep searching. There has to be a trace of her. People don¡¯t just disappear. We do not stop until she is found.¡± Then, movement caught my eye. Someone broke through the tree line from the direction of the restricted area and was sprinting towards us. My body became rigid as recognition struck. Nn. And in his arms was Talia. Her dress was ripped open, and she was covered in her own blood. Her body was limp like a broken doll in his arms. Was she dead? But I noticed the rise and fall of her chest and relief washed over me. Talia was alive, but barely. ¡°What did you do to her?!¡± Solon rushed forward, but I grabbed his wrist to stop him. I stepped forward myself, my voice sharp andmanding. ¡°Nn, hand her to me now.¡± His head snapped up. His eyes were shing as he was struggling to control his wolf. ¡°Get out of my way! She has been poisoned with wolfsbane. I need to get her to a hospital right now,¡± Nn stated in between ragged breaths. My guards immediately drew in closer, forming a half-circle/around him. Their ws extended, their bodies poised to strike. Nn had emerged from the restricted grounds, carrying my injured daughter. How was he able to find her when we could not? ¡°I said hand her to me,¡± Imanded again with the Alphamand. Nn didn¡¯t submit and give in to themand. He shifted Talia higher in his arms as if shielding her from me. Nn bared his fangs at me as he growled low, a clear warning for me to back off. ¡°I will not hand her to you,¡± he snarled. ¡°You fools couldn¡¯t even keep her safe.¡± CHAPTER NINETY SIX +25 Bonus His response surprised me. What did he mean by that? ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter what he means. We will not tolerate his open defiance!¡¯ my wolf snarled. With a flick of my hand, the guards tightened the circle. Solon drew his de. He lunged forward before I could stop him. His sword struck Nn¡¯s shoulder. The de cut deep, and blood sttered onto the ground. Nn didn¡¯t flinch and only held Talia tighter. ¡°Release her!¡± Solon shouted. ¡°Tell me why we should believe you are not the one who put her in this state.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what you believe,¡± Nn snarled. ¡°I don¡¯t need to prove anything to you. She is mine!¡± ¡°She is the daughter of the Alpha King,¡± Solon snapped. ¡°She belongs to her family and her people, not to you.¡± Nn¡¯s eyes narrowed as he pulled Talia tighter against his chest. ¡°No one will take her from my arms but a doctor.¡± ¡°Arrogant fool,¡± Solon spat. He raised his de again, but I roared, halting him. ¡°Enough!¡± My voice echoed across the woods. Solon dropped his sword. I stepped closer, ring at Nn. ¡°How dare you refuse themand of your King!¡± Nn met my gaze, his eyes unflinching. ¡°I will defy anyone who wastes time while she dies in my arms.¡± The fury in his words struck me hard, but beneath them was something else. He was not lying. I knew the look on his face. He had the same fear in his eyes that I had when I tried to get my mate to safety. For the first time, I hesitated. Finally, I drew in a slow breath and gave the order. ¡°It will take too long to get her to the hospital. Take her to the infirmary.¡± Nn¡¯s eyes widened, but he did not hesitate. He ran past me without saying another word. ¡°Father, what are you doing?¡± Solon protested. ¡°You cannot let him go. We don¡¯t know how he was able to find Talia. We do not know what role he yed in this.¡± ¡°I will not gamble with her life,¡± I said firmly. ¡°If she has been poisoned, then every second matters. Follow him. Watch his every move, but do not stop him. Do you understand?¡± ¡°But Father,¡± Solon attempted to argue. ¡°Put your pride aside and whatever grudge you have toward Nn. This is about Talia. We will do what is best for her and figure out the restter,¡± I continued. Solon looked as if he wanted to continue arguing, but he said nothing else and bowed his head. ¡°As youmand, father.¡± He sheathed his sword and hurried after Nn. I turned to my guards, who were waiting on mymand. ¡°Search the restricted grounds, I want every passage uncovered. Do not rest until you know who harmed her,¡± ¡°Yes, my King,¡± the guards answered, scattering at once into the trees. I would have answers. Whoever dared to harm her, whoever set foot in that dungeon, would pay with their life. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 97 CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN Nn¡¯s POV The hospital doors burst open as I carried Talia inside. Nurses rushed forward at the sight of her limp body. ¡°This way,¡± one of them said, guiding me down the corridor. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°She was poisoned with wolfsbane. She has been provided with a counteragent,¡± I answered as I followed them. Iid Talia on the nearest bed. I was reluctant to release her, but I forced myself to do so. She looked so fragile. Her condition had worsened as her lips tinged with blue. The moment I stepped back, doctors and nurses crowded around her. I was pushed aside and escorted out of the room as nurses began cutting away what remained of her bloodstained dress. ¡®You should¡¯ve killed Viki when you had the chance,¡± my wolf snarled as I stalked toward the waiting room. ¡°She dared to hurt our mate. She sent rogues to do it. Her throat should¡¯ve been crushed!¡¯ I clenched my fists. ¡®I spared her only to give Talia a change of vengeance. Viki is a rogue. If Talia doesn¡¯t deal with her, life will do it for her.¡¯ ¡°That is not enough,¡¯ my wolf snapped. ¡®She is a threat to our mate. She will never keep her word. She will try to harm Talia again and if she does it will be your fault.¡¯ ¡®That will not happen,¡¯ I growled. 1 My wolf continued to rage. ¡®What is the point of you saving our mate if you didn¡¯t follow through? You had Viki. You should have done what Jason failed to do for the mate bond.¡¯ I did not save Talia because she is our mate! Do not twist my motives. Marco made her wolf go dormant. That weakness led to her kidnapping. I had a responsibility to correct what his mistake caused,¡¯ I countered. 1 ¡®Lies!¡¯ my wolf scoffed. ¡®You can lie to yourself, but you cannot hide the truth from me.¡¯ I ignored him. My gaze fixed on the door that now separated me from Talia. I strained to hear what was happening in the room. The time dragged on. My shoulder bled freely beneath my torn shirt, but I refused to move. No one came around, not even De, but a nurse who scolded me about bleeding all over the floor. ¡°Alpha Nn, you should have gotten this looked at,¡± she said as she bandaged me up. ¡°Sure, thanks,¡± I said. The doors to the infirmary mmed open. I stood up quickly. The nurse amped up to scold, but thought better of it when Solon stormed in. The Alpha King followed. His Alpha aura filled every corner. Guards surged in behind them. Their eyes fixed on me as though waiting for themand to tear me apart. ¡°Prince Solon, there are patients here. Show some decorum,¡± I taunted and winked at the nurse, who looked as if she wanted to fade away. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that shit!¡± Solon snarled. ¡°Where is she? Where is Talia?¡± ¡°She is being worked on by the doctor right now. Please Prince Solon, calm down,¡± the nurse answered. Solon gave a curt nod, but he spoke again, ¡°If she has anysting damage, I will¡­¡± CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN +25 Bonus ¡°You¡¯ll do nothing but shut your mouth,¡± I cut him off. ¡°You¡¯re making a scene.¡± ¡°Say that to my face, you bastard,¡± Solon growled. He grabbed me by the cor and prepared to punch me while I smirked at him. Once his fist connected, I¡¯d break every bone in his body. Before Solon couldnd his punch, the door to Talia¡¯s room swung open. The doctor stepped out, his coat streaked with blood, yet his expression remained calm. The Alpha King moved swiftly to the doctor¡¯s side, and Solon instinctively released me. ¡°How is she?¡± the King demanded. ¡°She is out of danger, for now. It is good you brought her when you did, Alpha Nn. The Princess will need rest,¡¯ the doctor exined. ¡°She will need to stay overnight for supervision, but she will pull through.¡± Relief rippled through the corridor. I saw it sh in Solon¡¯s eyes before he masked it with rage. Even the Alpha King rxed as his Alpha aura wasn¡¯t as oppressive. Then he stepped in front of me, locking his cold eyes on mine. ¡°Exin yourself, Nn. You deserted the Hunting Rite. And you dare return with my daughter poisoned and broken in your arms. Tell me what you have done!¡± I didn¡¯t like his tone, but this wasn¡¯t the time or ce to argue. ¡°I encountered rogues with Viki. I killed them and brought Talia back,¡± I said. A small lie, but it didn¡¯t matter. The King¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Viki? Who is this woman?¡± Before I could answer, Solon answered for me. ¡°She is the she-wolf that tricked Jason with the Redbone Flower, but that woman is dead. She was executed for her crimes.¡± ¡°Then exin why I found her alive in the dungeon, letting rogues torture Talia,¡± I shot back. ¡°Clearly, Jason didn¡¯t kill her.¡± ¡°You lie,¡± Solon spat, stepping closer. ¡°You did this to Talia.¡± I sneered, ¡°As if I would stoop so low to harm a she-wolf.¡± ¡°You think you can hide your treachery with lies. You hate my father. You regard him as your father¡¯s murderer. You provoked both of us before the Hunting Rite began, and now you want us to believe you saved Talia from the goodness of your heart? You¡¯re not fooling anyone, Nn,¡± Solon snarled. Arguing with Solon was grating on my nerves and getting increasingly exhausting by the minute. ¡°You are simple -minded. You think because you shout louder your words be true. Just admit you cannot imagine that I acted for reasons beyond your narrow suspicions.¡± Solon blushed at the insult, and he growled, ¡°What did you call me?¡± ¡°Are you deaf now too?¡± I asked, watching as Solon¡¯s hand went to his hilt. ¡°You¡¯re simple-minded, Prince Solon.¡± ¡°You expect us to believe you just happened to be there?¡± Solon barked. ¡°That you fought rogues by chance and stumbled across her? No, this is just another one of your schemes. You harmed her yourself and now you parade yourself as her savior!¡± I growled low in my chest. ¡°Believe what you want. But if I had not been there, she would be dead while you and your guards wandered the forest like fools.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± The Alpha King¡¯s fury filled the room, silencing even my wolf. His gaze pierced me. ¡°Then why did you save her?¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 98 CHAPTER NINETY EIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER NINETY EIGHT Nn¡¯s POV ¡°Do I need a reason to save someone?¡± I asked. ¡°Don¡¯t get smart with me, Nn. You¡¯re on thin ice,¡± the Alpha King warned. ¡®Do not tell him the mate bond,¡¯ my wolf warned me. ¡®Of course. Do you think I am a fool?¡¯ I responded. ¡°I despise rogue wolves,¡± I said aloud. ¡°They arewless and destructive, and I do not tolerate them. I warned you before that Silverfang¡¯s borders were weak. I told you rogues could slip through, and yet you did not believe me. Now here we are.¡± The Alpha King frowned, and Solon continued to seethe with rage next to him. ¡°Tell me the truth,¡± he said, his voice low and dangerous. ¡°That is the truth,¡± I responded. It was a half-truth, but it was good enough for the time being. If he found out that I was Talia¡¯s mate, he would have thrown me out before I could prove to everyone that he was a murderer. ¡°My wolf can tell you are not telling the full truth,¡± The Alpha King growled. I kept my expression neutral, but I did not respond. Taunting him right now would not be advantageous to me ¡°What advantage do I gain from harming the Alpha King¡¯s daughter?¡± I asked. ¡°Think about it. How would that benefit me?¡± Solon¡¯s voice cut in, sharp and using. ¡°You are nothing but a viper who hides his venom until the strike. Do not think for a moment we will be tricked by you.¡± I turned my gaze on him, my lips curling into a bitter smile. ¡°Trust from you was never worth much. You think because I don¡¯t bow down and kiss your feet means I am guilty. I give respect when it is received and deserved. You see treachery in every step I take, but you see nothing of your own failures. While you chased trails that led nowhere, I saved her, and you have yet to thank me for that.¡± ¡°You expect us to believe that?¡± Solon snapped. The veins in his neck bulged with rage. ¡°You appear from a ce sealed for years, holding her half-dead, and now you im you fought rogues and stumbled into a rescue. You insult us with this story. Admit it. You harmed her yourself.¡± ¡°Believe what you will,¡± I growled. ¡°But the fact is you failed your sister, and you can¡¯t ept it, so you¡¯re projecting your anger onto me. Shameful for the future Alpha King.¡± Solon barred his teeth and stepped forward. ¡°Enough. I will make you submit.¡± He took a step forward, and instantly half a dozen guards moved with him. Their eyes were fixed on me as though waiting for the chance to tear me down. I refused to back down and awaited the attack. The Alpha King¡¯s aura mmed into everyone in the waiting room. The guards and Solon dropped to kneel in front of him. I gripped the chair hard enough to leave a dent, but I didn¡¯t kneel. ¡°We cannot prove that you were involved. But if Talia says your name when she wakes, if she ims this attack was tied to you, I will not let you walk free. You will not leave Silverfang. And I will punish you in ce of your father Alpha Ryker,¡± the Alpha King finally said. My blood boiled at the mention of my father. My eyes narrowed, and I stepped forward despite his oppressive Alpha King aura. ¡°Do not speak of him!¡± I hissed. ¡°You have no right to speak his name as you are the one who CHAPTER NINETY EIGHT +25 Bonus murdered him!¡± ¡°Leave now! You are forbidden to see Talia again,¡± the Alpha King ordered. ¡°I refuse,¡± I snapped. ¡°I¡¯m innocent, and I won¡¯t let you wrong me!¡± His re was sharp. I could tell he had never faced anyone who openly defied his decree. Yet I didn¡¯t flinch. Even if we came to blows, he wouldn¡¯t strike me without risk to himself. Solon caught off guard by the collision of our auras-two forces shing, neither willing to yield. ¡°Our men searched the dungeon already. They found two dead rogue wolves, but no trace of a third person. No trace of this woman you im was there,¡± the Alpha King stated. ¡°She was there. I am not lying,¡± I said through gritted teeth. The Alpha King continued, ¡°If you insist on saying she was behind the kidnapping, then bring me evidence. Catch her yourself. Until then, you are forbidden from seeing Talia.¡± ¡°As you wish, my king,¡± I said with disdain. There was nothing more I could say that would change his mind. The King¡¯smand was absolute. The guards shifted, ready to enforce it with ws if I resisted. I forced myself to swallow my rage, though my re never left his face. Without another word, I turned sharply on my heels and exited the infirmary. P ? Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 99 CHAPTER NINETY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER NINETY NINE Talia¡¯s POV When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by darkness. I floated in an empty void where the onlypany I had was silence and fractured memories. I called out to the void, but no one responded. Had I died? Then, a memory tore through me. The rogues¡¯ hands had been rough against my skin. Their ws were tearing at my dress while Viki watched with delight. I remembered the one that sank his ws into me, relishing in my scream. His eyes glowed with hunger and his breath was hot on my face. I felt as if I was being tortured all over again. The sound of ripping cloth and the echo of Viki¡¯s cruelughter repeated until I thought I would go mad. Fear gripped me so tight that I was choking on it. Then, suddenly, the pain and the fear vanished. But, I still floated in darkness. This had to be death. Perhaps this was best. Yet, the thought of never seeing anyone again brought tears to my eyes. I thought of my father¡¯s sharp andmanding voice that was filled with love when he spoke to me. I thought of Solon and his protectiveness. Then, I thought of De¡¯sughter. And then I finally thought of my wolf, who was now lost to me. I covered my face as I cried. ¡°I miss you,¡± I whispered. ¡°I am going to miss all of you.¡± ¡®I am here.¡¯ The voice caused my head to snap up as I turned in circles. I knew that voice. It was my wolf. Then, I felt her presence. It was weak, but it was there. ¡°Where are you? What happened to you? I am so sorry,¡± I cried. ¡°I failed you. You were hurt because of me. If I had been stronger, you wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± ¡®Do not say that,¡¯ she interrupted gently. ¡®This was not your fault. I was wounded, and I need time to recover. I will fight to return to you.¡¯ Then, I felt something brush up against my leg. I looked down to see a ck wolf with purple eyes staring back up at me. I dropped down and wrapped my arms around her neck. She leaned into my hug. ¡°Promise me,¡± I whispered. ¡°Promise you wille back.¡± ¡®I promise,¡¯ she said, her voice firmer now. ¡®I will fight toe back. And so must you.¡¯ The darkness shifted then and began breaking apart with threads of light. My wolf disappeared in the darkness. I reached for her, not ready for her to leave. But, a bright light made me wince. Then, it eased into a soft glow that spread before me, filling the void with warmth. And in that glow, a woman appeared. She wore a flowing dress the color of sunrise, ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°Yes, my darling. You have grown up. I am so proud of you,¡± she said, floating to me. Her face was the same as I remembered. She opened her arms, and I copsed into them. ¡°Am I dead?¡± I cried into her shoulder. ¡°Please tell me I¡¯m not dead. I am not ready.¡± Her hand stroked my hair, soothing me in the way that I remembered. ¡°Not yet, my daughter. It is not your time yet.¡± CHAPTER NINETY NINE +25 Bonus ¡°I messed up everything, Mom. I lost my fated mate. I lost my wolf,¡± I muttered. ¡°I am a failure.¡± My mother pulled back and cupped my face. ¡°Oh, my dear pup. You are not a failure.¡± She ced a kiss on my forehead. ¡°You are a strong Luna and will be an even stronger Alpha Queen.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t feel like it,¡± I pouted. ¡°Do you doubt the Moon Goddess?¡± my mother asked and I shook my head. ¡°The Moon Goddess doesn¡¯t make mistakes. She has chosen you for something bigger. You have a mission that you mustplete.¡± ¡°What? What mission?¡± I asked. ¡°That is all I can tell you, my darling. You must be brave and take control of your fate,¡± my mother replied. ¡°You are stronger than you know.¡± ¡°Please tell me. I don¡¯t know what to do,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Your mate will help and walk the path with you,¡± my mother finally said. ¡°My mate?¡± I repeated, confused. She nodded, but her form was already fading. ¡°Be brave, my darling, and always know that I am with you.¡± ¡°Wait! Mom!¡± I screamed, reaching for her. ¡°Who is he? Tell me!¡± But she vanished, leaving only the lingering glow. What did she mean by my mate? I thought of Jason, but he couldn¡¯t be the one she was talking about. Jason betrayed me and the fated mate bond. I doubted the Moon Goddess would tie me back to him. He could not be the one my mother spoke of. Did I have a second chance mate that I haven¡¯t met yet? Then, another thought came to my mind: Nn. The memory of him on the full moon night returned. In my fevered state while in heat, had I not called him my mate? Could it be true? ¡°No, couldn¡¯t be,¡± I whispered, yet doubt gnawed at me. Another voice brought me out of my thoughts. ¡°Talia, my girl, please open your eyes.¡± It was my father¡¯s voice. His deep,manding voice was filled with desperation that made my heart ache. Then, Solon¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Please wake up, Talia, Don¡¯t leave us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± I yelled as I tried to follow the sound of their voices. ¡°Please keep talking!¡± But the voices faded, leaving me alone again. 2 in Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 100 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED Nn¡¯s POV Three days had passed, and Talia still had not woken up. The reports were always the same. She was stable, but she remained unconscious. ¡®We need to be with her. If we were by her side, she would wake,¡¯ my wolf pouted. I hated feeling helpless. I gritted my teeth. The memory of my hand wrapped around Viki¡¯s neck haunted me. I should have killed her right then and there. I had chosen to spare her, believing she would not live long as a rogue, certain the Silverfang warriors would find her. Unfortunately, they were more ipetent than I thought. Now, Viki was free, hidden, and still dangerous while Talia stilly unconscious in her hospital bed. Regret gnawed at me each time I reyed the moment. ¡®You will eventually learn to listen to me, you stubborn fool¡¯, my wolf scolded. The Alpha King had been true to his word. He stationed guards at every entrance to the hospital, making it impossible for me to enter. His orders were strict, not only against me but against anyone who disturbed her recovery. I found some satisfaction in the fact that Jason had been turned away by Solon too. The guards had spoken of it quietly. ¡°You missed it,¡± one chuckled. ¡°Yes, Prince Solon flung him out of the doors like trash,¡± anotherughed. ¡°Serves the pompous fool right. He was unworthy of our Princess,¡± another added. The gossip died down quickly when they noticed me listening. Not long after, Marco came to me, frustrated but with more information than the Silverfang warriors had managed to gather. ¡°What did you find out?¡± I asked. ¡°Viki must have used a spray to hide her scent,¡± Marco exined. ¡°It is an herbal tincture used by rogues to move between pack territories. That is why no one can track her.¡± So, Viki must have made ties with a rogue pack. The thought unsettled me. There was no telling what other schemes she had nned. ¡°Inform the Alpha King of what you found. They should know the tactics that rogue wolves are using,¡± I said. ¡°I will report to him now,¡± Marco replied before leaving. Another day passed without change. Theck of good news about Talia left me restless, each hour dragging longer than thest. I couldn¡¯t keep waiting-I had to see her with my own eyes. I went to Marco¡¯s room in the morning. If anyone could find a way to help Talia, it would be him. His knowledge of herbs and medicine often uncovered solutions others overlooked. I stepped inside without knocking and was surprised to see De seated at his table in a nightgown. She fumbled quickly to put on a robe and snapped, ¡°Do you know how to knock?¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED +25 Bonus Marco greeted me as he exited his bathroom. He sat down next to De, looping an arm around her waist. ¡°Good morning, Alpha Nn,¡± he said and then noticed my expression. ¡°You look restless. Did something happen?¡± ¡°I came to speak with you,¡± I replied. My gaze flicked briefly to De. ¡°But I came back at another time.¡± Seeing I intended to leave, De rose to her feet. ¡°No, you stay. I was just going,¡± she said. ¡°You do not have to leave,¡± I told her. ¡°I am not leaving because of you,¡± she spat as she made her way to the door. ¡°Wait,¡± I said. It came out sharper than I intended. De froze and turned to look at me. She looked scared and annoyed that I yelled at her. ¡°What do you demanded. ¡°I need your help,¡± I said. want?¡± she ¡°Wait, what? Um, Marco pinch me. I must be dreaming if the great Alpha Nn is requesting my help,¡± De said. ¡°Can you arrange for me to see Talia?¡± I asked, ignoring her taunt. Her brow furrowed. ¡°Why should I? Why would I go against my Alpha¡¯s orders for you?¡± ¡°Because I want to help Talia. She has helped me many times before. And if you help me now, I will not stop Marco from seeing you.¡± Her eyes flicked to Marco, uncertain. ¡°Are you lying to me?¡± ¡°I swear on my honor as an Alpha that if you help me, I will not interfere with you and Marco¡¯s mate bond,¡± I said. De bit her lip. She was still suspicious of me, and I did not me her. I would have been suspicious as well in her ce. After a moment, she nodded. ¡°Fine, I will help you, but you better not go back on your word.¡± ¡°I will not,¡± I reaffirmed. ¡°Now, tell me how you will do it.¡± ¡°Tonight, I will switch shifts with Solon. Once I confirm it is safe, I will open the window for you. You can enter then, but only briefly. If you are caught, I will¡­¡± ¡°I understand,¡± I said, cutting in. ¡°I will take full me if I am caught. I will say you had nothing to do with it.¡± She nodded once more. ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret this,¡± De said and then left the room. When the door closed, Marco smirked. ¡°You really do care about Talia. Admit it.¡± My wolf stirred at his usation, eager to agree, but I silenced him quickly. ¡°You are mistaken,¡± I said coldly, ¡°I am only doing this because your carelessness weakened her. Her wolf disappearing allowed her to be taken. If she sumbs to the wolfsbane or worse, dies, my own wolf will suffer because of you.¡± Marco¡¯s smirk faded as guilt shadowed his features. ¡°You are right,¡± he said softly, ¡°I should have been more careful. For that, I am sorry.¡± His words did not erase the damage, but the sincerity in his voice lessened my anger. ¡°I know,¡± I said and left his room. Tonight, I would see Talia and nothing would stop me. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 101 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & ONE Nn¡¯s POV Solon didn¡¯t leave the hospital untilte in the evening. The guards at the doors of the hospital stayed alert, but I had already memorized their routine and snuck past them with ease. Quietly, I scaled the outer wall and pulled myself toward the second floor. De had kept her word. The window to Talia¡¯s room was unlocked. I pushed it open and slipped inside. De stood near the bed, removing a rag from Talia¡¯s head and back into a bowl of ice water. Her eyes narrowed as soon as she saw me. ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± she said. ¡°I came when I could,¡± I told her. ¡°You only have 10 minutes. If Solones back early, I expect you to throw yourself out the window or we¡¯ll both face consequences,¡± De exined. ¡°I understand,¡± I told her. My attention shifted to Talia. Her skin was pale and mmy. Tubes ran from her arms into the machines that beeped steadily at her side. Fresh bandages covered her wounds. I moved closer and sat in the chair beside her bed. ¡°Why haven¡¯t her injuries healed?¡± I asked quietly. ¡°Without her wolf, she can¡¯t recover quickly,¡± De replied. ¡°The doctors have manually clear the wolfsbane out of her system thus all the tubes attached to her. Once the wolfsbane is out of her system, Talia should start healing on her own. Until then, all we can do is keep her wounds clean and keep herfortable.¡± I frowned. This was my fault. I should never have told Marco to give her that herb. Now her wolf remained lost to her. Talia would have an even harder time waking out of thisa. ¡°Why are you here, Alpha Nn?¡± De asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. ¡°I told you I owed her,¡± I answered. ¡°I think there is more to it than that. I know you want to find evidence against the Alpha King, but if you¡¯re caught here, you risk losing that opportunity,¡± De said. The she-wolf was more observant that I gave her credit. ¡®She needs to be as Talia¡¯s Beta,¡¯ my wolf added. ¡°There isn¡¯t more to this other than I needed to see her myself to ensure that she was getting the proper care,¡± I stated. It wasn¡¯t entirely a lie, but it wasn¡¯t the full truth. ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t tell me, but remember this, she doesn¡¯t need more chaos in her life,¡± De warned, ¡°If you mean to hurt her physically or emotionally, I¡¯ll find a way to end you.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at De¡¯s warning which only made her re at me harder. ¡°You have nothing to worry about. I have no intentions of harming her.¡± (1 Talia groaned as her brow furrowed. Sweat had broken out on her forehead, She twisted underneath the sheets in an attempt to getfortable, I ced my hand on her forehead, and she was burning up, ¡°Why does she have a fever?¡± I asked. De reached for the rag sitting in the ice water. She wrung it and ced it on Talia¡¯s forehead. ¡°It is the side effect of the wolfsbane. They break for a few hours and then return worse than before.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & ONE +25 Bonus ¡°Why aren¡¯t the doctors prescribing her something to deal with the fevers?¡± I asked. ¡°They have and nothing is working. That is why Solon and I have been taking turns tending to her. We¡¯ve been manually causing her fever to break,¡± De exined. ¡®Hold her hand,¡¯ my wolf urged. ¡®This is like when she was in heat. She needs you to ease her pain. Our presence will reach her.¡¯ ¡®What would that mean for us? I can¡¯t allow her to interfere with avenging my father,¡¯ I retorted. ¡°Only our mate matters now. Stop pretending for once and do something useful. It¡¯s just her hand, not some deadly venom!¡± my wolf growled. My hand hovered above Talia¡¯s but hesitated for a while. But seeing her in pain because of me, I knew I couldn¡¯t let this continue. Slowly, I took her small hand into mine. Her hand was hot just like her forehead. Yet within moments, she seemed to cool. Talia¡¯s expression rxed and the fever in her face seemed to melt away. De took the rag off Talia¡¯s forehead and checked her temperature. ¡°The fever broke. What did you do?¡± ¡°I¡­ just held her hand. Give her some support,¡± I muttered. I didn¡¯t look at De, but I knew she was staring at me, trying to figure out why my touch was soothing to Talia. This was not good as De would figure out that I was her mate. I expected her to blurt it out the next time she spoke, but instead she said, ¡°Whatever you¡¯re done, please continue it. She needs this. She¡¯s been through enough.¡± I nodded and held Talia¡¯s hand tighter. My thumb brushed the back of Talia¡¯s hand. My wolf gave a satisfied growl inside me. ¡°I¡¯ll fetch more ice,¡± De said quickly, setting the cloth back in the bowl before heading for the door. The door creaked open, and De nervously said, ¡°Oh, my King, what are you doing here?¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 102 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWO Rudolf¡¯s POV When I entered the room, I froze. Nn was seated beside the bed holding Talia¡¯s hand. The moment he saw me; he let go and drew back. De cleared her throat and let out a nervousugh. ¡°I, uh, will get more ice,¡± she said quickly, and slipped past me and out of the room. I walked over to Nn and snatched him up by his shirt cor. ¡°I was very clear about you to stay away from her. What are you doing here?¡± I snarled. Nn¡¯s expression remained neutral, but an eye twitch gave away his anger. He gripped my wrist and pried my hand off him. ¡°I threatened De to let me in. I wanted to see Talia¡¯s condition and find some clues about rogues. ¡°Clues? Is that the lie you¡¯re going with?¡± I snorted. ¡°What did you expect to find? This ward has been checked. There is nothing here you will discover by sitting next to her.¡± ¡°I understand what you think,¡± Nn said tly. ¡°But I had to verify with my own eyes since your warriors failed to notice rogues entering your territory.¡± His answer was a bit of a taunt, but Nn was not defensive. What was his real reason for being here? I could not see how sneaking into this room helped him. If he wanted leverage against me, there were easier ways to create it. If he wanted to provoke me, he had already done so. A few minutes earlier, I had felt my daughter¡¯s fever rise through the faint bond that remained between us. Pain was so sharp I had thought I had identally harmed myself without noticing and then the pain eased as quickly as it came, causing me to rush to see Talia as I feared the worst. I didn¡¯t think it was a coincidence that Nn holding her hand happened around the same time her pain faded. It made me think of how Nn had carried her out of the restricted area days ago. He seemed panicked, refusing to put her down even after Solon struck him. It made me think of a possibility that I did not want to say aloud. ¡®Second chance mate,¡¯ my wolf growled, voicing the suspicion I had. ¡®He may be her second chance mate.¡¯ Years ago, I may have been ted at the idea. However, with how antagonistic he was, the idea of Talia being his mate was sickening. ¡°I have confirmed that she is stable. I will leave,¡± Nn stated, breaking the silence. ¡°No,¡± I ordered. Nn raised an eyebrow. ¡°You wanted clues, right? You will wait here and hear the results of Talia¡¯s recent tests with me. If there is anything to discuss after that, we will discuss it.¡± Nn gave a short nod and looked back at Talia. He kept his distance from the bed but did not turn away from her. After several minutes, the door opened. The doctor entered carrying a tan folder. He paused when he saw Nn, then came forward. ¡°Do not worry about him,¡± I told him, ¡°What do the results show?¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°We repeated the blood work,¡± the doctor said. ¡°The wolfsbane level is falling, but at a rate that is too slow. It has begun to affect her liver and her kidneys. She cannot withstand this for much longer.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Nn asked. ¡°It means if we can¡¯t find a way to clear her system quicker all of her organs will fail,¡± the doctor replied. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWO +25 Bonus My stomach dropped and Nn¡¯s jaw flexed as his hands balled into fists. ¡°How long?¡± I asked. ¡°At this pace, three days,¡± the doctor answered. ¡°If nothing changes, she will die.¡± At that moment De came back in with a refilled tray. She stopped when she heard him, and the tray tilted in her hands. Ice scattered across the floor with a hard tter. She pressed a hand to her mouth and then knelt to gather the pieces. The doctor kept his tone even. ¡°We have used the standard treatments to support her heart and lungs. We are managing fluids and temperature. None of that removes the poison. Without the most powerful healer Leslie, there is no method on hand to purge the wolfsbane before more damage urs. ¡°Is she in pain now?¡± I asked. ¡°Not at this moment,¡± he said. ¡°Her fever spikes and then breaks. Each spike leaves her weaker. I will order another set ofbs in six hours to confirm the trend. If the rate does not improve, we will need to prepare for organ support.¡± I looked down at my daughter and then back at Nn. His jaw was tight. He kept his eyes on the bed. ¡°You want to prove your innocence,¡± I said to him. ¡°You know what to do. Find Leslie.¡± He held my eyes for a long second, then turned and walked out without a word. The door shut behind him. I took a calming breath and then faced De. ¡°You disobeyed my order and let him into this room.¡± She stood, the tray now back on the counter. ¡°Yes, my King. I did. He only wanted to check on her, and he did help her while he was here.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to override mymand. I will look past it this time, but there will not be a second time,¡± I said. I will speak with Beta Logan about your conduct once Talia is stable. Until then, you will follow instructions exactly as given. There will be no exceptions.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± De nodded. I turned to the doctor. ¡°Continue monitoring. I want updates on the hour. If her heart rhythm changes, if her oxygen drops, or if she shows any sign of distress, notify me immediately.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± he said. He stepped to the bedside, checked the lines, and made a note on the chart. I closed my eyes and reached the link. ¡®Solon, end your patrol ande to me now. There are urgent matters to discuss.¡¯ ¡®On my way,¡¯ he replied. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 103 CHAPTER ONE HUNDREDS & THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THREE Jason¡¯s POV The Hunting Rite had ended, and I had taken first ce. There should have been a celebration or at least a feast and yet, the Alpha King offered me no acknowledgment. Not even a word of praise or recognition. The silence gnawed at me. I had proven myself against the strongest alphas of every pack, yet it seemed to mean nothing to him. The other pack leaders left quickly as they had no reason to remain. My father, however, lingered. Clearly frustrated by the inaction of the Alpha King. ¡°You should go to the Alpha King now,¡± he told me. ¡°You earned this victory. Make use of it. Go demand your reward from the Alpha King. Solidify the marriage with the princess.¡± ¡°The timing is wrong,¡± I argued. ¡°What do you mean? You won. You are owed your reward,¡± my father countered. ¡°Talia was kidnapped,¡± I started. ¡°Not this again,¡± my father stated. ¡°That omega doesn¡¯t matter. The princess is what is important.¡± ¡°I know that, but Talia is important to the Alpha King and Prince Solon. She was poisoned and wounded. They are more worried about her than anything else,¡± I exined. ¡°It¡¯s not the right time.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what they think. The Alpha King is bound by tradition. He must honor the Hunting Rite,¡± he said, his voice sharp. ¡°If you dy too long worrying about others¡¯ feelings, you will miss this opportunity. Are you going to fail our pack again?¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡± ¡°Enough of your excuses!¡± my father snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat myself, Jason.¡± I watched him storm off. I released the breath I had been holding. It was so easy for him to be cold because he had always been a heartless bastard. I still cared for Talia in my own way. I never wanted to see her harmed even when I believed Viki. Maybe embarrassed or humiliated, but nothing life threatening. I had even gone to the hospital once, determined to see her. The moment I reached her floor; Solon blocked my path. ¡°You cannot enter,¡± he said tly. ¡°Go back.¡± ¡°I have a right to see her,¡± I argued. ¡°I care about her more than you ever could.¡± ¡°Says the man that cheated on a fated mate bond,¡± Solon snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t care about her. You only care about control and how you look. Now, leave, Talia needs her rest. She doesn¡¯t need you lingering around like a leech.¡± ¡°I will not be dismissed like a servant,¡± I snapped, Solon didn¡¯t argue further. He simply shoved me back with strength that sent me staggering into the wall. ¡°Leave, Jason. Or I will remove you myself.¡± The staff had watched our exchange and I was humiliated. He moved me like I was nothing. I knew then that if Talia hadn¡¯t been kidnapped, I would not have won the Hunting Rite that felt even more shameful. HAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THREE +25 Bonus ¡°You can¡¯t keep me from her forever. I will speak with her. She is my mate,¡± I said, backing up. Solon didn¡¯t say anything else but stared me down as I left. I should be in the room tending to Talia not Solon. It should be me that she relies on fromfort. Talia was still my fated mate even if we rejected each other. ¡®He¡¯s doing this on purpose,¡¯ my wolf suggested. ¡®He must be afraid we¡¯ll im her again.¡¯ I agreed. Later that day, Henry came to my room with a grim face. ¡°There¡¯s been a change with Talia¡¯s condition,¡± he said. ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± I asked. ¡°Her condition has worsened. The doctors cannot figure out why she is disying flu-like symptoms without signs of infection,¡± Henry exined. ¡°Her body temp continues to fluctuate as she continues to have fevers.¡± ¡°What are the doctors doing? Why can¡¯t they just prescribe her medication?¡± I questioned. ¡°They are at loss. They have tried everything. They say she may notst much longer without a healer,¡± Henry exined. ¡°The doctors are certain. Without her, the wolfsbane will continue to poison her boy and eventually kill her.¡± 1 ¡°We can send the healer we have,¡± I suggested. ¡°No. They need someone that specializes in poisons. One of the doctors suggested Healer Leslie. The Alpha King has given Solon three days to find her,¡± Henry continued. ¡°Leslie?¡± I repeated. The name stirred something in my memory. My father had once mentioned meeting a healer named Leslie during his travels in the Windpaw pack. At the time I hadn¡¯t cared, but now it seemed like that this exchange had finallye in handy. ¡°I think I may know where to find the healer,¡± I muttered. ¡°Truly?¡± Henry asked. ¡°My father told me about her. Windpaw territory. If she¡¯s still there, I can rely on my father¡¯s connections to get her,¡± I replied. ¡°Then, you need to tell the Alpha King as soon as possible.¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± ¡°What? Why? Talia is practically on her death bed.¡± ¡°Just trust me. Go back to your room,¡± I said dismissing him, Henry looked like he wanted to ask me a thousand questions, but he restrained himself. He nodded and left my room, I sent a message to Windpaw¡¯s Alpha, Lane. My words were direct. I need confirmation. Is the healer Leslie within your pack? The wait felt endless, though only minutes passed. Then the reply came. Yes. She remains with us. Why do you ask? Relief surged through me. I did not exin to Lane why I asked. There was no time for long exchanges. HARTER ONE HUNDRED & THREE +25 Bonus That knowledge was mine now, and I would use it. I left my room and made my way to the Alpha King¡¯s wing. Guards at the entrance tried to stop me, but I shook them off. ¡°Move. I need to speak with the Alpha King. This is about Talia¡¯s life.¡± After hearing her name, the guards stepped out of my way. Two followed after me. I reached the double doors leading to the Alpha King¡¯s meeting room. I squared my shoulders. (1) Whatever tensiony between us, whatever doubt he held toward me, I had information that could save Talia¡¯s life. He needed to hear it from me. I knocked once, then pushed the doors open and stepped inside to face him. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P ? Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 104 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FOUR Nn¡¯s POV I was halfway down the corridor to the Alpha King¡¯s office when I heard quick footsteps close behind me. I nced back and saw Solon turning the corner, moving fast. His eyes narrowed the moment he recognized me. ¡°Why are you here?¡± he asked. ¡°My father called for me.¡± ¡°The Alpha King summoned me,¡± I said simply. Solon slowed to match my pace, watching me as if he expected me to admit something. ¡°That is unusual. Why would he want you here?¡± ¡°You can ask him,¡± I said, rolling my eyes. ¡°I am just following orders.¡± ¡°And when do you follow orders?¡± Solon asked and I didn¡¯t respond to his taunt. ¡°If you think you can use this to get closer to my sister, you are mistaken.¡± ¡°I am here because the Alpha King requested it,¡± I said. ¡°Nothing else.¡± We reached the double doors. Two guards stood aside and opened them. Inside, Jason was already positioned in front of the desk. He turned slightly when we entered, ready to speak. He stood in front of the Alpha King¡¯s desk, looking too eager, too proud of himself. The Alpha King sat behind the desk. His gaze shifted from Jason to us. ¡°I called you all here for one reason,¡± the Alpha King said. ¡°Alpha Jason hase forward with information about Leslie.¡± Solon barked augh. ¡°Of course he did. Jason never misses a chance to be the center of attention. Father, there are better ways to handle this. Send messages to the other alphas and expand the search. If you rely on him, you will lose time.¡± Jason¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°You can mock me all you want, Prince Solon, but I have something you do not. I know Leslie¡¯s whereabouts. She is in the Windpaw pack.¡± Solon folded his arms. ¡°You expect us to believe you? Convenient that you, of all people, are the one who suddenly knows where she is.¡± ¡°I confirmed it with Alpha Lane himself,¡± Jason responded before turning his attention back to the Alpha King: ¡± Allow me to go to Windpaw. I will bring her back. We don¡¯t have time to squabble amongst ourselves.¡± I watched Jason closely. His eagerness sickened me. This was not just about saving Talia. This was about carrying favor with the Alpha King and yet Jason would have everyone believe he still cared about Talia. ¡®Disgusting bastard!¡¯ my wolf growled within me. ¡®Talia deserved so much more than wasting years with this fool. I wasn¡¯t about to allow Jason to get away with his n. He ruined mine and I nned on repaying the favor, ¡°I will go as well,¡± I said. ¡°If Healer Leslie is to treat Talia, someone must judge her ability. We cannot let just anyone near her.¡± Solon spun toward me. His face was flushed with anger. ¡°This is ridiculous. Jason seeks glory, and you¡­¡± his eyes narrowed, and I raised an eyebrow waiting for him to continue. ¡°¡­you are still a suspect. Neither of you should go. I will go and bring back the healer.¡± The Alpha King raised his hand and Solon stopped talking. ¡°We had a slip with our security. This is not the time CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FOUR +25 Bonus for Silverfang¡¯s heir to be away,¡± he said. ¡°Solon, you will stay. Alpha Jason and Alpha Nn will go.¡± Solon stared at his father, stunned by his decision. Jason tried to maintain a neutral face, but satisfaction crept into his expression. I kept my reaction neutral even though the order stunned me as much as it stunned Solon. I had just challenged the Alpha King days ago. The Alpha King suspected I had harmed his only daughter and yet, he was cing his daughter¡¯s life in my hands. What happened? Why had he suddenly changed his outlook on me? ¡°Father¡­¡± Solon began. ¡°That is my order,¡± the Alpha King dered. The Alphamand mmed into me. He was ensuring that none of us resisted his order. ¡°You will leave at once. Coordinate your route and do not dy. If Leslie is not inclined toe, you will persuade her. You will not return without her.¡± ¡°Yes, my King,¡± I said through gritted teeth as I hated beingmanded. Jason bowed his head. ¡°Understood.¡± We left together. As soon as the doors closed, Jason turned to me. ¡°You should know something before we leave, Alpha Nn,¡± he said. ¡°Leslie is not someone who respects titles. She won¡¯te just because you demand it. If you show up with your attitude and your aggression, you¡¯ll drive her away. If you want this to work, you¡¯ll heed my advice and keep your mouth shut.¡± I sneered at his warning and then spun quickly, seizing him by the cor. I snatched him close to me. I could see the fear in his eyes as I red at him. ¡°You do not give me orders,¡± I growled. ¡°I think you have forgotten your ce in this sham of an alliance.¡± Jason let out a nervousugh. ¡°Rx. Just a warm reminder.¡± Again, he was trying tomand me. I wanted to beat him until he could barely move, but I needed him for now. ¡° If you think you can flex in front of me, I will make sure you remember that mistake for the rest of your life,¡± I warned. ¡°I¡¯m not trying tomand you, really. We both want the same thing. We want to save Talia.¡± I released him slowly. He adjusted his cor, forcing a smile. ¡°Then we understand each other,¡± I said. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± he muttered. ¡°We leave tonight.¡± J Judith GW Author Hi lovely readers! Do you think Healer Leslie will go with Alpha Nn and Jason to save Talia or refuse? Share your thoughts in thements! 10 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 105 +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIVE Nn¡¯s POV The next day, Jason and I reached the Windpaw pack. Compared to Silverfang, it was small, but the territory was well cared for. It was a quiet, countryside pack territory. This was the kind of ce where someone went to disappear and enjoy the simple things of life. Alpha Lane met us at the gate. He looked like a man who had spent most of his life outdoors. His skin was tanned, and his hands were rough with old callouses, Gray streaked through his beard and at his temples, but there was still strength in the set of his shoulders. ¡°Greetings Alpha Jason.¡± He greeted Jason without hesitation, but when his gaze shifted to me, there was caution. ¡°And you as well, Alpha Nn.¡± I simply nodded to him, allowing Jason to rely on his connections to get us to the healer. ¡°Greetings, Alpha Lane. We appreciate you seeing us on such short notice,¡± Jason responded. ¡°You contacted me about Healer Leslie yesterday, I assume you came for her,¡± Alpha Lane added. ¡°But I hope there won¡¯t be any violence in my territory,¡± The warning was for me, but I ignored it. Jason gave a short nod. ¡°Yes, we came for Leslie. Someone in Silverfang has been poisoned with wolfsbane. Without Leslie, she will not survive. Please help us.¡± Lane¡¯s mouth tightened. ¡°I will take you to her cabin.¡± He turned and led us into the pack. As we walked, he continued. ¡°I should warn you first. Healer Leslie is not like other healers, She is direct, harsh, and does not care about titles. She does not respond well to orders, but she is skilled. When others fall, she often finds a solution.¡± The path took us past the training field and a cluster of houses. Children ran near the edge of the field while guards sparred under the morning sun. Thend was quietpared to Silverfang¡¯s busy grounds. Lane stopped in front of a small wooden cabin at the edge of the trees, Lane knocked once. When there was no response, he called out, ¡°Leslie, you have visitors.¡± After a moment, a woman¡¯s voice responded, ¡°Come on in.¡± Lane pushed the door open, and we entered. The cabin was filled with shelves of Jars and bundles of dried nts hanging from the rafters. A young woman with long, wild red hair sat at a table covered in books. ¡°Healer Leslie, you have visitors,¡± Lane repeated. ¡°I heard you the first time,¡± Leslie stated as she ced her pen in the book to keep her ce. She looked up at us, annoyed by our presence. ¡°Alpha Lane, who are they?¡± ¡°These gentlemen came from Silverfang. They are here to ask for your help,¡± Lane exined. Leslie leaned back in her chair, unimpressed. ¡°Silverfang needs help? That is rare.¡± Jason stepped forward. ¡°A friend of ours has been poisoned with wolfsbane. Her wolf is gone. The doctors say she has three days left unless you treat her.¡± Leslie raised an eyebrow. ¡°And you traveled all this way because you think I can save her?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jason said. ¡°Because you are the only one who can.¡± Leslie shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t care about Silverfang¡¯s problems. Why should I go?¡± Her casual dismissal made my patience thin. ¡°This is not about politics. A life is at stake. You have toe with us.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIVE +25 Bonus Her eyes snapped to me, sharp. ¡°You order me in my own home? That is rude. If you want my help, start with an apology.¡± My wolf stirred, pushing me to refuse, but Jason gave me a look that told me not to make things worse. I forced the word out.¡± Fine. I apologize.¡± Leslie¡¯s mouth curved slightly. ¡°Better.¡± Jason tried again, his tone calm. ¡°If you save her, the Alpha King will reward you with whatever you desire. Gold,nd, protection, you name it, he¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Leslieughed under her breath. ¡°I don¡¯t need rewards. I don¡¯t heal for King or coins. But the case sounds unusual. A vanished wolf and wolfsbane at once? That is rare. It could be interesting.¡± She stood up and walked over to one of her many bookcases. She pulled down several heavy books, cing them on her table with a thud. She began going through each book one by one, flipping through the pages quickly. Her lips moved as she read. Leslie muttered to herself while shepared passages. Jason and I stood in silence while she worked. Minutes passed. My irritation grew as my wolf was getting restless. The longer she took, the weaker Talia would be. Then suddenly she shouted, ¡°Found it!¡± She pped a book down on the table excitedly. I felt a flicker of relief, but her excitement about something so serious angered me. It was as if Leslie felt my spike in anger and smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t take it so seriously. You came to me for help. You need to rx.¡± ¡°Exin to us what you have found,¡± I responded tly. ¡°Please.¡± Leslie tapped the page. ¡°ording to this text, there is only one way to counteract wolfsbane without help from her wolf. Moonbane Herb. It is more toxic than wolfsbane. The patient cannot take it directly. A powerful Alpha must ingest the herb. His wolf will purify the poison inside his body and then his blood bes the antidote. Then his blood can be transfused into the patient to heal her.¡± Jason stared at her. ¡°So, someone has to poison himself first?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Leslie said. ¡°If the Alpha¡¯s wolf is strong enough, it will neutralize the herb and create the cure. If the wolf is not strong enough, he dies, and the patient dies too.¡± I frowned. ¡°Is this the only method?¡± Leslie nodded. ¡°The only one written in the old texts. I have never done it, but the symptoms match perfectly. Without it, there is nothing else.¡± Jason¡¯s face was pale. ¡°Then¡­ Who is supposed to take it?¡± Leslie closed the book and crossed her arms. ¡°Well, that is for you to decide. If neither of you is willing, then leave. I won¡¯t waste time with men whoe begging for answers but flinch at the cost.¡± P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 106 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIX Rudolf¡¯s POV By the third day, Talia¡¯s fever worsened with every passing hour. The doctors had failed to break it. Solon, De, and I stayed by her side around the clock, cing her in ice baths to cool her down. Every report on her condition told the same grim story: she was dying. Solon stormed into her room as I was changing out the rag for her forehead to a cooler one. ¡°Father, this is madness. You should never have sent Jason and Nn. They are unreliable. Jason only thinks of himself, and Nn, he, I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing, but I know this will not end well for none of us.¡± ¡°Do you think I had a choice? Our doctors admitted they could not save her. We needed Healer Leslie, and neither of us could leave Silverfang to search for her,¡± I replied. Word had spread about our defensescking. Both of us needed to be here to defend Silverfang in case someone tried to take advantage. ¡°Still, trusting them was reckless.¡± Solon muttered. Before I could answer, Beta Logan burst into the room. He caught the door before it mmed into the wall. He bowed his head quickly before saying, ¡°My King. Alpha Jason and Alpha Nn have returned. They brought the healer with them. They are already on their way to the hospital.¡± For the first time in days, I felt a flicker of hope. When they arrived, I studied Leslie with care. Healer Leslie looked nothing like the solemn healers I had known. She was a young woman, not that much older than Talia. She had long red hair and sharp green eyes that were always observing and assessing her surroundings. There was a mischievous air about her as if she found the situation more intriguing than tragic. Jason spoke first. ¡°Healer Leslie, this is the Alpha King.¡± Her gaze shifted to me. ¡°I know who he is.¡± She gave no bow, no sign of deference. Instead, she folded her arms. ¡°So¡­ you want me to save your daughter.¡± (1 ¡°Yes,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Talia¡¯s life depends on you. ¡°I can try, but you should understand now: I will not take responsibility if I fail. If she dies, that is not on me,¡± Leslie responded casually. Solon bristled. ¡°You speak as though you are not the legendary healer we were told about. Why should we trust you with her life?¡± Leslie smirked and shot back, ¡°And who are you to doubt me? If I walk out of this hospital, you will have no chance at all.¡± Solon stepped forward, but I raised my hand to stop him from doing anything we all would regret. ¡°Enough,¡± I said firmly. ¡± This is not the time for pride. Healer Leslie, tell me what you need.¡± She nced past me, her eyes settling on Nn. ¡°Only him. I need Alpha Nn¡¯s blood.¡± Nn gave a short nod. I frowned. ¡°Why his blood? I¡¯m her father, You can use mine.¡± Solon stepped beside me quickly. ¡°Take mine instead. I will not allow Nn near her again.¡± Leslie shook her head. ¡°No. It must be him.¡± ¡°Alpha Jason, you have nothing to add?¡± Solon demanded. Jason was Talia¡¯s ex-mate. Even if they rejected each other, they did share that connection. If Solon and I could not help Talia, surely, he could. Jason shifted ufortably but said nothing. Leslie rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Let me make this even clearer. You three are not suitable enough for this. Do not waste my time or the precious time of Talia¡¯s squabbling over who should be the one to take this CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SPX
  1. It is either Alpha Nn, or this isn¡¯t happening.¡±
+25 Bonus My pulse quickened. I wanted to refuse. I wanted to deny Nn the right to do this. It felt wrong for him to be the one to do something so personal for Talia, but the choice was gone the moment Leslie spoke with such certainty. ¡°Are you sure of this?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Leslie said. ¡°My book record is clear. It must be Alpha Nn.¡± I looked at him. His face was calm, almost detached, but Nn was much like his father. The subtle flexing of his hands gave away his anxiety. Nn was taking this seriously even if his outward demeanor didn¡¯t show it. Atst, I exhaled. ¡°Very well. Then it will be Nn, but I want every step exined.¡± Leslie nodded once. ¡°Alpha Jason will exin to you. Now leave. I need to prepare with Alpha Nn.¡± Solon, Jason, and I reluctantly left. As soon as the door closed, I turned to Jason. ¡°Tell me the truth of this method. Exin every part.¡± ¡°The treatment uses Moonbane Herb,¡± Jason exined. ¡°It¡¯s more poisonous than wolfsbane. The patient can¡¯t take it directly. Instead, a powerful Alpha must ingest it. His wolf will work to purify the toxin inside his body. Once that¡¯s done, his blood is drawn and given to the patient for healing.¡± I cut in. ¡°How long does that purification take?¡± Jason hesitated. ¡°It depends on the Alpha. Sometimes for minutes. Sometimes longer. But there¡¯s a risk. If the dose is too much, or if the Alpha¡¯s wolf isn¡¯t strong enough to cleanse it, then he dies and loses all chances to save the patient.¡± Solon¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°So, Nn will be putting his own life on the line.¡± Jason nodded silently. Solon looked away, muttering under his breath, ¡°Why would he even agree to that?¡± He walked a few steps down the hall, trying to process the risk Nn was taking. I was asking myself the same question. It would make sense for Jason to take this risk, but Nn? I never would have believed Nn would agree to this. Nn and I had shed since the day he arrived. He challenged me without hesitation, carried a bitterness that made it clear he despised me, and by extension, Solon as well. I stopped believing there was a potential for peace between us. Yet here he was, willing to swallow poison and risk his life for my daughter. I no longer doubted him, Whatever stood between us, I knew one thing was for certain. Nn would not harm Talia. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 107 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVEN Nn¡¯s POV Leslie evaluated Talia¡¯s condition. She checked her bandages and herst test results. She pressed her hand against Talia¡¯s forehead and closed her eyes for a few seconds. Then, she pulled it back with a sharp sigh. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good,¡± she said. ¡°Based on herst test results from this morning, her fever is much higher now. The wolfsbane has spread through most of her system. If we don¡¯t act now, she won¡¯t make it.¡± Her words unsettled me, and I said curtly, ¡°Then stop wasting time. Do what you need to do.¡± ¡°Are you always this impatient?¡± she asked. I didn¡¯t answer her. Leslie rolled her eyes before pulling a small wooden box out of her bag. When she opened it, a bitter scent came from the dark green spring she pulled out of the box. ¡°This is the Moonbane Herb,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°I know what it is,¡± I responded. ¡°Get on with it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush me,¡± Leslie snapped. She cleared her throat and then continued, ¡°Once you swallow it, the pain will be unbearable. It feels like fire tearing through your body. Most people can¡¯t handle it long enough for their wolves to fight back. You need to understand what you¡¯re agreeing to.¡± ¡°You wasted time telling me that? Give it to me,¡± I said. Her mouth twitched like she found the answer amusing. ¡°No hesitation? Good. That¡¯s what I like to hear.¡± She dropped it into my hand. ¡°Only your blood will work for her.¡± I frowned. ¡°Why mine? Why not the Alpha King or Prince Solon?¡± Leslie looked at me as if I said something idiotic. ¡°Because they¡¯re not her mate,¡± she replied as she rolled her eyes. My wolf surged inside me, wanting to im it, but I forced him down. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. We¡¯re not mates.¡± Leslie reached out and flicked the pendant that hung from my neck. ¡°You wear a suppression charm. That tells me more than your denial does. A mate¡¯s blood will always heal faster. That¡¯s why it has to be you.¡± I popped the herb into my mouth. ¡°I already told you. We¡¯re not mates.¡± Leslie shrugged and said, ¡°You can lie to yourself, but you can¡¯t lie to me. You should be happy that you have the bond. It is the only thing that is going to keep you alive for whates next.¡± I didn¡¯t answer as I chewed the herb. The taste was sweet and sour like candy. I easily swallowed it down, and in the next breath, pain exploded in my chest. It spread fast, hitting every nerve in my body. My knees buckled, and I couldn¡¯t help but roar in pain. My wolf howled right along with me as we both fought against the herb. Solon began banging on the door. ¡°What¡¯s happening in there?¡± ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. Alpha King please get your son under control. We don¡¯t need any interruptions if we are to save her,¡± Leslie shouted back. I staggered toward the bed. Taliay still. Her face was pale, and her lips cracked and dry. My vision blurred as I felt as if I would fall unconscious at any moment. I grabbed Talia¡¯s hand and held on. My other hand dug into the side of her bed, my ws ripping through the mattress. ¡°I have to¡­endure¡­for her. You can¡¯t leave me, Talia,¡± I said through gritted teeth. The pain seemed to intensify by the second. My wolf howled inside me, trying to push back. Then, I felt warmthing from Talia. Our mate bond came to life, wrapping around me and giving me the strength to fight through it. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVEN +25 Bonus The pain didn¡¯t vanish, but it had be bearable. My wolf stopped howling and muttered, ¡®She is helping us with the poison. We will survive this.¡¯ Minutes passed and the pain became a deep ache. My body shook with sweat, but I was still managing. The agony became more like an annoying itch before finally fading. I forced my eyes, that I didn¡¯t know, I had closed open. Leslie had moved closer to me and was watching me carefully. ¡°Do you feel any pain?¡± she asked. ¡°No, just exhausted,¡± I responded. ¡°Good. That means your blood is ready.¡± Leslieid out her equipment on the table: needles, tubes, and bags. She pulled a chair beside Talia¡¯s bed and gestured for me to sit. I stood up from my kneeled position and sat. ¡°How much do I give her?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. There was no clear answer in the text.¡± ¡°Then how do we know when to stop?¡± Leslie smirked. ¡°Simple. You keep going until she wakes.¡± I red at her and growled, ¡°Hurry up and get on with it.¡± I extended my arm for her. She prepared my arm and then slid the needle into my vein. My blood began to flow through the line that led to Talia. I leaned back in the chair. At first, I felt okay other than the exhaustion from dealing with the herb, but as more blood drained, my body grew heavy. ¡°Rest,¡± Leslie said. ¡°You¡¯ve done the hard part.¡± She stepped out of the room to speak with the Alpha King and Prince Solon. ¡°Hurry and wake up, Talia,¡± I whispered, tightening my grip on her hand. I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair. Right when I started to drift off, I heard it. Her voice was weak, but it was her voice. My head lifted, and my heart pounded in my chest. Her lips had moved. ¡°Nn.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 108 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & LIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV When I opened my eyes, I felt relieved. It had taken me so long to wake up. I continued to follow the voices until I finally was able to open my eyes. A woman I didn¡¯t recognize was sitting next to my bed, reading a book. I shifted in bed, trying to lean up which caused her to look up from her book. She gave me a small smile, as if she had been waiting for me to wake up. I then noticed Nn slumped against the wall. His head rested back, and his skin was pale. A tube ran from his arm to mine. I licked my dry lips and managed to say, ¡°Nn.¡± His eyes quickly opened, and he turned his head toward me. He looked worn down, but hearing my voice seemed to give him energy. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± he said. I cleared my throat and said, ¡°How long¡­how long have I been out?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been unconscious for a week,¡± Nn answered. His response surprised me. I really thought it had been longer. I turned back to the girl as she started to remove the bandages from my arms and shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t need these anymore,¡± she said. She peeled back thest bandage and I was prepared to see raw wounds, but the skin beneath was smooth and healed. The girl nodded her approval and said, ¡°You recovered even better than I expected.¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± I asked. With my wolf still gone, I should have at least another week before the wounds were healed. The girl winked at me and offered me a ss of water. ¡°Because I know what I¡¯m doing. I¡¯m the strongest healer for a reason.¡± There was only one person that could im that and I immediately asked, ¡°Wait, you¡¯re Healer Leslie?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she said, sounding pleased. ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered. ¡°If not for you, I wouldn¡¯t have survived.¡± ¡°It was nothing,¡± Leslie said as she said as she loosened the strap on my arm and then removed the line connecting me to Nn. ¡°Why did Nn have to give me blood?¡± I asked. ¡°My method only worked because his wolf was strong enough to purify the poison. Without him, it would have failed. You owe him just as much as you owe me,¡± Leslie replied. I looked back at Nn. His eyes had already closed again, and his head rested against the wall. He risked himself to save me twice now. My chest tightened at the thought. Before I could ask Leslie more, she walked to the door. Leslie pulled it open. ¡°She¡¯s awake,¡± she called. I could hear footsteps approaching rapidly. Father and Solon came in at once, ¡°Talia,¡± my father said, grabbing my hand and then he pulled me into a hug. ¡°You¡¯vee back to us.¡± Solon stood on the other side of the bed. His voice was quieter than I was used to. ¡°I told you she would pull through. Talia is one of the strongest people I know. She wouldn¡¯t leave us like this.¡± ¡°I heard your voices. I followed them to wake up. Everyst person in here saved me,¡± I said. Father looked at Leslie. He released me and stood. He bowed to her which was something my father never did. ¡°You have my gratitude, Leslie. If you ever need anything, you can call on Silverfang,¡± my father said. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIGHT +25 Bonus Leslie gaped beforeposing herself. ¡°It was nothing really.¡± ¡°Tell me, how is she now? Anysting side effects?¡± my father asked. ¡°None,¡± Leslie confirmed. ¡°Her body has pushed out the poison. She¡¯ll need rest, but she¡¯s out of danger.¡± I could see the relief in my father¡¯s body as his body rxed at hearing Leslie¡¯s response. He turned back to me. ¡°What happened, Talia? Tell me everything from the beginning.¡± ¡°I thought I saw Viki. That¡¯s why I excused myself. I wanted to go look to confirm,¡± I exined. ¡°You should have told me. You¡­¡± Solon started. ¡°Let her finish,¡± father cut in and Solon nodded. ¡°I saw her beaten and tied to a tree. I released her and she injected me with the wolfsbane. When I woke up, she had me chained up in silver. I couldn¡¯t fight back. She had two rogue wolves with her. The rogues¡­¡± My voice caught as I remembered how the rogues tore at my clothes, sank their ws into my chest. I forced myself to continue. ¡°They tried to assault me while Viki stood there and watched. If it wasn¡¯t for Nn, I don¡¯t want to think about what would¡¯ve happened.¡± ¡°Jason, that bastard,¡± Solon snarled. ¡°He¡¯s been ying us this entire time. He must have been sheltering her. It exins why she¡¯s still alive. He let her go instead of ending her. Guards-¡± He turned toward the door. ¡°Bring him in for questioning.¡± ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. I pushed myself upright even though my body still felt weak. ¡°Jason didn¡¯t know. Viki said she had escaped from him.¡± Solon turned back to me. ¡°You¡¯re saying he¡¯s innocent? After everything?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you what Viki told me,¡± I replied. ¡°Viki did all this just to kill me so she could get back into Jason¡¯s good graces. Jason didn¡¯t know what she had nned.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. He knew Viki was loose and he told no one. He knew she held a grudge against you and that makes him guilty, ¡°Solon snapped. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Jason will not be touched unless I decide otherwise,¡± father cut in. He turned to the guards at the door. ¡°Add extra security to the borders. If Viki tries to return, she must be stopped immediately. I want guards watching Jason at all times. Report everything he does directly to me.¡± P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 109 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINE Talia¡¯s POV Two dayster, I was cleared to leave the hospital. My body still felt weak, but the doctors agreed I was well enough to leave. Father arranged a dinner that evening to thank both Leslie and Nn for what they had done. The long table in the dining hall was set with all my favorite foods. Leslie sat across from me, her red hair loose around her shoulders. Nn sat at the far end of the table as if he was trying to stay as far away from me as possible. Father took the central seat, and Solon sat beside him. Father raised his ss and said, ¡°To Healer Leslie for using her skills to save Talia, and to Nn, who risked his life. Without either of you, Talia would not be here.¡± Everyone lifted their cups. Leslie grinned and clinked her ss against mine. ¡°You were a challenge worth taking,¡± she said. After the first course, Father leaned toward her. ¡°Silverfang could use a healer like you. Will you stay here? You would be honored and well provided for.¡± Leslie shook her head and declined, ¡°No. I am happy at Windpaw. I came only because I heard the case was difficult. I wanted to test myself. That¡¯s all.¡± Father¡¯s face fell slightly, clearly disappointed that Leslie did not agree. He would not beg Leslie, but I was sure my father would be sending gifts in an attempt to persuade Leslieter. Then, Father looked at me and asked, ¡°Your wolf still has not returned, has it?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, Father,¡± I replied. Leslie leaned back in her chair and chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s not unusual after trauma. Sometimes, a wolf won¡¯t return until the bond with a mate isplete. Once she mates, the wolf will answer again.¡± I clenched my hands in myp. The thought of my wolf being tied to something so personal made me uneasy. It felt like I didn¡¯t have a choice if I wanted to return to being normal. Solon noticed my difort. He touched my arm lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ve gotten through worse. You¡¯ll get through this. The Moon Goddess does grant second chance mates. She would not fail you a second time.¡± ¡°Indeed Solon. In half a month, we will hold the Sacrifice Ceremony,¡± Father added. With everything going on, I hadpletely forgotten about the Sacrifice Ceremony. It is time to thank the Moon Goddess for all her blessings. It was also the time when single wolves sometimes found their mates. For bonded pairs, mating ceremonies follow soon after. ¡°I will help you choose a mate, Talia,¡± my father said. ¡°The time hase.¡± The words shocked me. ¡°I already had a mate.¡± Father nodded. ¡°And you will have another. It is the way of our kind. You are of age, and the packs will expect it.¡± Before I could respond, Leslieughed. ¡°And what about Alpha Nn? Will he stand beside his mate at the ceremony?¡± The question froze me. My mind went back to the dream I had while unconscious. I had called him mate in that dream. The memory made me blush. I found myself staring at him. Nn scowled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a mate. Mate bonds cause unnecessary distractions.¡± Relief washed over me, but for some reason, I also felt disappointed. I looked down at my te trying to process the feeling. Again, I wish my wolf was here to talk to. She always knew what to say. Leslie smirked. ¡°I agree with you. Mate bonds only tie people down. They are restraints. I¡¯ve avoided them since I became of CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINE +25 Bonus age. I take herbs that hide my scent so no bond can im me.¡± Solon balked at Leslie¡¯s response. ¡°That¡¯s irresponsible. The Moon Goddess gives us bonds for a reason. You¡¯re turning your back on what it means to be a wolf,¡± he argued. Leslie rolled her eyes and countered, ¡°You¡¯re only thinking about yourself, Prince Solon. You are a Prince. No one can touch you, but other wolves like me can¡¯t take the chance to be chained to someone you might not even like or someone that goes against your very morals. To let fate rule your life is a gamble and I would rather choose for myself. That is my responsibility.¡± 1 ¡°You¡¯re just selfish and immature,¡± Solon responded. ¡°Enough,¡± Father said firmly, ring at Solon. ¡°You will apologize. You will show her respect.¡± ¡°I apologize,¡± Solon said through gritted teeth. He downed his ss of wine, and I nudged his shoulder. Leslie gave him a mocking little smile and turned back to Nn. ¡°You¡¯re quiet, Alpha. If you ever tire of fate pushing you around, I can give you the same herbs I use.¡± ¡°Perhaps I will take you up on your offer,¡± Nn stated. She leaned forward and smiled seductively at him. ¡°And maybe I¡¯ll stay long enough to see if you reject me when you finally meet your mate,¡± she continued. I felt my stomach twist. Watching the way Leslie smiled at him annoyed me. What was their rtionship? What happened while I was unconscious? Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 110 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TEN Talia¡¯s POV Werewolves rarely get drunk. Our bodies burn through alcohol so fast that most of us can drink all night and still barely feel anything. I used to be the same, but everything was different now. Two sses of wine at dinner left me dizzy and my face hot. The room didn¡¯t spin, but I could barely walk in a straight line. All my words came out slurred. Solon noticed right away. ¡°That¡¯s it for you,¡± he said quietly, taking the ss from my hand before I could lift it again. ¡°I¡¯m not a child,¡± I responded, reaching for the ss but he kept it out of reach. ¡°You¡¯re done,¡± Solon stated and then gestured to the guards by the doorway. ¡°See her to her room.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need babysitters. I can walk on my own,¡± I told him, though the words came out weakly. ¡°I know you don¡¯t, but after what happened not too long ago,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯d rather we be careful.¡± ¡°Good night then,¡± I pouted and left the dining hall with the guards. The guards followed just behind me, trying to give the feeling of walking alone. When we crossed the courtyard, I saw Nn walking toward the garden path. He was by himself. I slowed. The guards shifted to guide me inside, but I shook my head. ¡°I want some air,¡± I said. ¡°Return to your posts.¡± ¡°Prince Solon said¡­¡± one of them began. ¡°I said I¡¯m fine,¡± I snapped. ¡°Follow orders. Just tell Prince Solon you sent me to my room.¡± They hesitated for only a moment, and then they stepped back. I crossed the courtyard and followed the same path Nn had taken. The garden behind the east wing was quiet, unlike my rose garden. It was edged with hedges and stone benches. Lanterns cast steady light along the path, and the pond at the center reflected it, still and dark. Nn sat at one of the benches in front of the pond. He had one arm resting on his knee as he watched the water. I stopped a few steps behind him. ¡°Alpha Nn.¡± He turned his head, saw me, and then looked back at the water. ¡°You should be resting.¡± ¡°I will, but I came to ask you something,¡± I muttered. ¡°Speak then.¡± ¡°Why did you save me with your blood?¡± I asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t expose me to your father when I broke into his private library,¡± Nn exined casually. ¡°When I saw rogues, I tracked them. I had no idea they had taken you, I did what I would have done for anyone.¡± ¡°You expect me to believe that lie?¡± I scoffed. ¡°It is the truth.¡± I stepped closer so he had to meet my eyes. ¡°Just because I was unconscious doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t remember, and I didn¡¯t hear things.¡± I expected to see some type of reaction from Nn, but his expression never changed. ¡°You carried me out of a dungeon. You stood by me in the hospital while others argued outside,¡± I continued. ¡°You swallowed poison because Leslie said it had to be you. Do you honestly want me to ept that you would have done all of that for anyone?¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TEN +25 Bonus ¡°Believe whatever helps you sleep. I don¡¯t me you for your father¡¯s choices, but don¡¯t turn this into something it isn¡¯t. I¡¯m not interested in you,¡± Nn responded. His response angered me. Why was he lying? I should have walked away, but the thought of letting it go felt impossible. ¡°That¡¯s your final answer?¡± I asked angrily. ¡°Yes.¡± Lantern light flicked across the pendant at his throat. I went with my first instinct. My hand shot out, grabbed the chain, and yanked. The sp snapped. The pendant fell into my fist. Nn stood at once and said, ¡°Give it back.¡± I quickly hurled the pendant into the pond. It fell in with a ssh and then sank to the bottom out of sight. His scent hit me instantly. My body reacted before my thoughts caught up, the wine making it harder to ignore. I remembered his scent from the night in the library and how it made me feel. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that. You have no idea what you¡¯ve done,¡± Nn growled. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have lied,¡± I said. ¡°You keep pretending that I don¡¯t matter. And you know that isn¡¯t true. Why are you lying?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t owe you the answer you want,¡± he said tly. ¡°I did what was needed. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You almost died,¡± I snapped. ¡°You almost died, and I would have had to live with that. Do you think that would have been easy?¡± ¡°Go back to your room, Talia,¡± Nn growled, stepping closer to me. ¡°No,¡± I said. I grabbed his cor and pulled him down to me. I kissed him hard. Nn remained still at first. For a second I thought he would push me away, but then his hand gripped the back of my neck and deepened the kiss. His other hand gripped my waist, pulling me flush against him. He kissed me as if he had been waiting for so long to do so. The kiss triggered a memory of us in that library when my heat had consumed me. I remembered his mouth then. I remembered the word I had whispered that night. Mate. D Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 111 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & ELEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & ELEVEN Nn¡¯s POV I did not mean to keep kissing her, but I couldn¡¯t resist her. The moment she leaned in again, I responded without thinking. The taste of wine was faint on her lips. Her hands stayed tight in my shirt, and she pulled me closer a second time. Part of me wanted to stop it there. Another part pushed for more. My wolf was loud in my head, pressing me to tell Talia the truth. ¡®Tell her,¡¯ he urged. ¡®Tell her what she is to us.¡¯ I forced a breath through my nose and tried to slow everything down. I would not me her for the Alpha King¡¯s choices, but I had not changed my position. I had not forgotten why I came to Silverfang or what I owed to my father. I would not pretend that any bond erased what stood between me and her family. She drew back just enough to look at me. ¡°Will you mark me?¡± she asked, her voice soft. I felt my wolf surge forward again, ready to answer for me. I stepped back instead. ¡°I have things to handle,¡± I said. The words sounded rough even to me. ¡°I need to go.¡± ¡°Notan?¡± I did not give her the chance to continue. I turned and left the garden as quickly as I could. I didn¡¯t want to do anything I would regret because I submitted to the pull of the mate bond. My wolf did not let it go. ¡®Coward,¡¯ he said. ¡®She epted us and you chose to run. ¡®It is just the mate bond. She would¡¯ve been like this with anyone,¡¯ I answered. ¡®You know it. I know it. I will not let it make my choices for me.¡¯ ¡®And what is wrong with that?¡¯ he shot back, ¡°There is nothing wrong with having a mate.¡¯ ¡®Enough,¡¯ I growled. He kept pressing, throwing every memory at me: the night of her heat, the way she had said my name in the hospital bed, the way she had pulled me down in the garden. He would not stop until I shut him out. I put up the wall I used in battle and forced his voice back into silence. The quiet that followed was necessary. I needed a clear head. I reached my room to find Marco inside, flipping through a stack of patrol reports he had collected while I was gone. He looked up the moment I came through the door. His eyes focused on my neck. ¡°What happened to your pendant?¡± he asked. ¡°Talia threw it into the pond.¡± Marco stared at me in shock. ¡°She what?¡± ¡°She pulled it off and threw it.¡± His eyes widened and he said, ¡°Then she knows. She knows you¡¯re her mate.¡± I said nothing. He set the reports down and stepped closer. ¡°Nn, listen to me. If she knows, you do not have much time. You must either im her or reject her. If Prince Solon or the Alpha King find out before you decide, the decision will be made for you. You know how they see you. They will call you a threat and kick you out of Silverfang before you can get close to the truth about your father.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & ELEVEN +25 Bonus ¡°I am aware,¡± I said. Marco paced once, then faced me again. ¡°Do you n to im her?¡± ¡°No. If I did, they would say I did it to gain power here,¡± I answered. ¡°The King would never ept it at face value.¡± ¡°Then reject her,¡± Marco said, spreading his hands. ¡°It will hurt you both, but it solves the immediate danger. You will stay in Silverfang and keep working on what you came here to do.¡± I stood at the table and braced my hands on the edge. ¡°A public rejection will not solve the situation.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marco asked. ¡°They will see it as an insult and probably quick me out of the Silverfang. So, rejecting her isn¡¯t the answer either.¡± Marco sighed and rubbed his face. ¡°Then what other choice do you have? You cannot keep pretending nothing happened. The pendant is gone. Talia will feel the bond more strongly now, and so will you. Solon is already suspicious of you. The King tolerates you because of what you did for Talia. One rumor is all it will take to turn that tolerance into a demand that you leave.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said again. He dropped his hand and lowered his voice. ¡°I am not asking what you want in your heart. I am asking what keeps us here long enough to find the truth. Your father¡¯s name will not clear itself. We need time, and time requires that we do not be the center of a scandal.¡± ¡°There is a third way,¡± I said. Marco frowned. ¡°What is the third way?¡± ¡°We can still mute the bond until I finish what I came here to do,¡± I said. ¡°How?¡± he asked. ¡°The pendant is lost in a pond. You cannot just find another one in a drawer. Those charms are rare.¡¯ ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°Which is why I am not going to request a pendant.¡± He stared at me a second longer. ¡°Wait,¡± he said. ¡°You cannot mean-¡± I cut him off with a single word. ¡°Leslie.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 112 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWELVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWELVE Talia¡¯s POV The next moming, I wokete. I blinked at the sunlight spilling across my bed and realized I had overslept. My body still felt lighter than it had before, though the tiredness clung in ces. The door opened a momentter, and De walked in. ¡°Great! You¡¯re finally awake,¡± she said, heading straight for the bed. I¡¯m not sure if I like this new Talia who sleeps until noon.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll just have to get used to it,¡± I muttered, propping myself up. ¡± She sat on the edge of the mattress and gave me a look that could have rivaled a healer¡¯s exam. ¡°You¡¯re not hung over, are you? If you are, I can send someone to make you something greasy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said. ¡°Just a little tired.¡± That did not stop her from pressing her hand to my forehead. She let out a long breath, as if she had been holding it in. ¡°Good. I was starting to worry you¡¯d drift off again and sleep for another week.¡± Her fussing made me smile. ¡°You¡¯ve been checking on me a lot, haven¡¯t you?¡± She gave a small shrug. ¡°Of course. I felt awful I wasn¡¯t there when you first woke up. So I decided to make up for it. Today, I¡¯m spending the whole day with you. No excuses.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel guilty,¡± I said softly. ¡°Toote.¡± She smirked. ¡°Besides, I want to.¡± De swung her legs up onto the mattress so she could face me properly. ¡°Do you know what irritated me most? When Father found out Leslie was the one treating you, he banned me from the hospital. He said I¡¯d only disturb your rest.¡± I stared at her. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that. Beta Logan wouldn¡¯t ban you.¡± Her head bobbed. ¡°Well, technically he did.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± I asked, wary of the answer. ¡°I snuck Nn into your room,¡± she said. ¡°You did what?!¡± My voice shot up. ¡°Yeah. He wanted to check on you, so I brought him in. Then your father caught us. It didn¡¯t matter. I still snuck back in to check on you anyway.¡± I gaped as my mind tried to process what she was telling me. Nn had actually risked Father¡¯s anger just to see me? That did not make sense. He was impossible to figure out. One moment he was cold and distant, acting like I meant nothing, and the next I was finding out he had risked himself for me more than once. ¡°Why did he want to sneak in? What happened?¡± I pressed. ¡°Solon and your Father were furious. They thought Nn had harmed you, so they banned him from seeing you until you woke up,¡± De exined. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I stressed everyone out,¡± I murmured. ¡°No need to apologize. We all know you¡¯d have done the same, and probably more, for us,¡± she said firmly. ¡°I always felt like someone was near me, even when I didn¡¯t hear voices,¡± I admitted. ¡°That would¡¯ve been me. I rotated with Solon to make sure you had someone watching over you. I cooled you down when your fever spiked.¡± IN HUNDRED & TWELVE +25 Bonus I reached out and squeezed her hand. ¡°Then I didn¡¯t dream about it. I felt someone near me. That must have been you.¡± Her cheeks turned pink, and sheughed awkwardly. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t easy. But I wasn¡¯t about to let Solon think he could handle everything himself. Besides, I wanted to be there when you opened your eyes. A shame I missed it.¡± My throat tightened. Gratitude, guilt, andfort all pulled at me at once. I had not realized how much I leaned on her presence, even without remembering it clearly. The tension broke when my stomach growled loudly. De burst outughing. ¡°Now that¡¯s a good sign. Your stomach¡¯s ready to make up for lost time.¡± Iughed too. ¡°That was louder than I expected.¡± She tugged at my arm. ¡°Come on. Enough lying around. You need food.¡± With her help, I got up and dressed. Together, we walked to the dining hall. The smell of eggs and bacon reached us before we even stepped inside. A man stood at the long table and put tray after tray of food in ce. He wore a clean white coat and bowed low when he saw us. ¡°Good afternoon, Princess Talia. I have been waiting for you,¡± he said. ¡°I am Chef Jordan. Prince Solon has appointed me to ensure you are meeting your nutritional requirements. I promise to only prepare the best to ensure you recover quickly.¡± I looked at the spread. I had expected a simple breakfast and instead there was roasted chicken, steak, warm biscuits, vegetable dishes, and fruit. I said to myself, ¡°This is crazy.¡± I would have preferred Solon to be here. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit much?¡± I told the chef. The chef bowed once more. ¡°You need to get better, Princess, and eating well is a part of that. I¡¯ll make you something else if these dishes don¡¯t meet your needs. Solon always overreacts about everything. Even when we were kids, if I got a scrape on my knee, he would shower me with gifts, food, and anything else he thought would help. It was annoying, but I couldn¡¯t help but like the attention. Solon didn¡¯t know how to hold back, but he did care, and that was what mattered. De sat down in the nearest chair, picked up a knife and fork, and cut into a thick steak before I could say anything. She smiled and took a bite. She said, ¡°This is so good,¡± with her mouth full. ¡°You really have to try this, Talia.¡± I shook my head and sat down next to her. ¡°At least you¡¯re getting special treatment.¡± I pushed one of the tes toward her. ¡± Eat more. You deserve it. You helped me when I couldn¡¯t move. Her eyes lit up, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll do it.¡± I started eating too, and I loved how sharp the vors were after weeks of nd broth and medicine. I looked at her halfway through. ¡°Will you help me take care of my rose garden after this?¡± It¡¯s likely a disaster by now, She smiled while she chewed. ¡°Of course. Together, we¡¯ll fix it.¡± P Support Share 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 113 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTEEN CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTEEN Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus The afternoon sun sat high over the courtyard when De and I carried our tools to the rose garden. The beds had gone unchecked while I was in the hospital, so we started with the row that had the most dead blooms and weeds. De constantly grumbled about how hot it was and how she should¡¯ve never agreed to this. ¡°So,¡± De said as she yanked out a weed, ¡°is Leslie an olddy? Be honest. I keep picturing a tiny woman in ten shawls with a stick.¡± ¡°She is about our age,¡± I said. ¡°A year older, maybe two. No shawls. No stick.¡± De lowered her shears. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°Very,¡± I said. I nudged mulch into ce with my boot. ¡°She does act like she¡¯s older. She has an authority about her. She speaks her mind freely. Probably because she knows she¡¯s the best at her job.¡± De nodded. ¡°That is not the healer I imagined.¡± Her face lit up with a smirk. ¡°Introduce us. I want to meet her.¡± ¡°I will,¡± I said. ¡°She ns to stay through the Sacrifice Ceremony, so you will have time.¡± ¡°Good. That makes this easier to ask,¡± De said as she yanked out another weed with a grunt beforeunching it into the mulch pile. ¡°To ask what?¡± I asked. ¡°Marco and I want to hold our mating ceremony after the ritual,¡± De answered as she blushed. ¡°Okay and why would you need to ask for permission about that?¡± I asked. ¡°I worry Nn might object,¡± De admitted. Nn was many things, but I didn¡¯t know him to be a liar at least not to me anyway. I can¡¯t see him going back on his word especially if it would negatively affect his rtionship with Marco. ¡°He already approved your bond. If he gives his blessing, he will not block your ceremony. Set your date and send the notices,¡± I reassured her. ¡°You think so?¡± she asked. ¡°He can be strict.¡± ¡°He can,¡± I said. ¡°He is also fair. If he has agreed, he will stand by it.¡± De picked up her shears again. ¡°I needed to hear that.¡± She cut three spent blooms and dropped them into the bucket between us. ¡°People say that he is cold and uncaring.¡± ¡°People say many things,¡± I said, ¡°He is not like the rumors,¡± she said. ¡°He visited you while you were unconscious. More than once. And the transfusion, he made the decision to be the one to save you.¡± I stopped moving. ¡°Wait, what do you mean? Leslie said that his wolf was the strongest.¡± De paled and mumbled, ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t shut down on me now. Exin,¡± I said, ¡°He told me not to tell you. He said it was not my ce. But I think you should know,¡± De continued. My chest tightened. ¡°Then, tell me.¡± ¡°I overheard the conversation. It was either Nn or Jason that could help you. Jason¡­Jason didn¡¯t volunteer. It was Nn,¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTEEN +25 Bonus De exined. I thought I would feel pain from knowing that Jason once again did not fight for me, but I felt nothing. I felt my heart ache more so for Nn. The fact that I was the daughter of his enemy and he still chose to save me meant something. ¡°Then, the night that Leslie started treatment, Nn sat by your side the entire time. If you ask me, he likes you. Why else would he do that?¡± De added. Heat rose in my face. ¡°De.¡± ¡°I am not teasing,¡± she said. ¡°I mean it.¡± I looked down at the bed of roses and picked a dead leaf off a healthy stem. ¡°He does not act like someone who likes me,¡± I muttered. ¡°What do you mean?¡± De pressed. ¡°Last night I asked him a question, and he did not answer. He left,¡± I replied. ¡°Okay¡­what did you ask him?¡± How could I tell her I practically begged him to mark me? The memory of it made my cheeks burn hotter. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now,¡± I said quickly, taking my frustration out on another weed. ¡°He still has his reservations. I do not know how to face him after what happened.¡± De moved to the next bush and worked quietly for a minute. ¡°Everything is fresh for you both,¡± she finally said. ¡°You barely left the hospital. Give yourself time.¡± I nodded, though I still didn¡¯t feel any better about the situation. De cleared her throat and changed the subject. ¡°About Leslie, do you think she would show me some of her herbs?¡± she asked. ¡°I want to learn what helps with fever. I felt useless when yours would spike.¡± ¡°She will show you if you ask,¡± I said. ¡°She likes people who are direct. Tell her exactly what you want to learn.¡± De smiled. ¡°I can do that.¡± She nced at me again. ¡°And thank you for agreeing to introduce us.¡± ¡°You are wee,¡± I said. ¡°She helped me. You helped me too. It is right that you meet.¡± We worked without speaking for a while. The breeze shifted and brought the kitchen¡¯s midday smells across the yard. My appetite had returned and my stomach growled loudly. De broke the quiet. ¡°Do you think the Sacrifice Ceremony will be crowded this year?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± I said. ¡°Father told me several neighboring packs n to attend. Many will bring young wolves to seek their mates.¡± De huffed a smallugh. ¡°Then our ceremony might feel small,¡± ¡°Small can be good,¡± I said. ¡°Less opportunity for issues.¡¯ She bumped my shoulder with hers. ¡°You always say things like that and make me feel better.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth,¡± I said. She opened her mouth to answer, then stopped. She lifted her nose a little, the way a wolf does when trying to ce a scent. I had already found it. It reached me before the sound of steps on the gravel path. It was Nn. I kept my head down and focused on the nt in front of me. If I did not look up, maybe he would keep walking. De watched me for a second, then followed my line of sight to the path. She saw him too. I bent closer to the bush and pretended to check the underside of the leaves. My cheeks felt hot. I was not ready to talk to him afterst night. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 114 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FOURTEEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FOURTEEN Talia¡¯s POV ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t call him over here!¡± I hissed at her. ¡°I¡¯m helping you get over this awkwardness,¡± De responded with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll prove that he likes you.¡± ¡°No, wait, De,¡± I started but the damage was done. The guards had already opened the gate to the rose garden to allow Nn in. He moved with his usual calm stride. He scanned the garden before focusing on us. I forced myself to look indifferent. ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± De greeted first. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± I greeted, trying to sound calm. Nn didn¡¯t take his eyes off me. I maintained his gaze. Right when I was starting to feel ufortable, he nodded and said, Princess. Miss De.¡± ¡± De smiled. ¡°No need to be so formal. I haven¡¯t had the chance to thank you properly,¡± she said. ¡°You saved Talia¡¯s life. We all owe you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. I did what anyone in my position would have done,¡± Nn responded. Hearing him say that again made me think aboutst night. He might as well have rejected me again. ¡°You make it sound so simple,¡± I said softly. Nn didn¡¯t respond right away. I could¡¯ve sworn he looked guilty for a moment. ¡°I need to leave. The Alpha King requested my presence.¡± ¡°So you weren¡¯t visiting?¡± De asked. ¡°No, I was only passing through,¡± Nn stated before walking away. He paused and looked back at me. ¡°But it¡¯s good to see you¡¯re recovering.¡± Nn continued back toward the gate. ¡°Thank you,¡± I managed to say. Nn didn¡¯t turn around but raised his hand in goodbye. I watched him leave. He was distant today. The warmth and care he briefly showed during my recovery was gone. I wonder if the mate bond affected me more than him. ¡°He¡¯s acting strange today,¡± De said, bringing me out of my thoughts. ¡°I guess that was one hell of a question you asked himst night.¡± I nodded slightly. ¡°Perhaps, He could just have a lot on his mind. Meeting my father does stress him out.¡± Deep down, I knew it was more than that. By forcing him to admit to the mate bond, I felt as if I pushed him further away. Before I could dwell on it further, a familiar voice called out. ¡°Talja!¡± I turned and saw Jason approaching from the main path. I could hear De growling next to me. I gripped her wrist and shook my head. ¡°Fine,¡± she muttered. ¡°If he does one thing, I mean one thing, I¡¯m kicking his ass.¡± ¡°Alpha Jason,¡± I said. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He stopped in front of me, his eyes sweeping over me. I resisted the urge to cringe. ¡°I came to see how you¡¯re recovering. You look much better,¡± Jason said. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said. ¡°And I heard you found Healer Leslie. Solon told me everything. Thank you for your help.¡± He gave a self-satisfied smile. ¡°Yes, I was the one who found her. I had hoped you¡¯d hear it from me, though.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FOURTEEN +25 Bonus De crossed her arms and scoffed, ¡°We¡¯ve been busy keeping her alive. You¡¯ll have to forgive us for not sending a thank-you note.¡± Jason chuckled awkwardly. ¡°I understand.¡± His tone shifted, bing more serious. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯te just to check on you. There¡¯s something important I need to tell you.¡± ¡°Oh, here we go,¡± De groaned. I nced at De. ¡°If it¡¯s important, she can stay. I trust her.¡± Jason hesitated before saying, ¡°It might be better if we spoke alone.¡± ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Say it here.¡± ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± He stepped closer, lowering his voice. ¡°You need to be careful around Nn.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said things like this before. What is your reasoning this time?¡± ¡°Do you know why your wolf disappeared? It wasn¡¯t an ident. Nn ordered Marco to take her from you,¡± Jason answered. I stared at him, speechless. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Nn wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± De moved between us, she pushed him back and away from me. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely disgusting, Jason! You¡¯re such a liar! Nn saved her. We saw what he did.¡± Jason red at her before turning his attention back on me. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. Nn told him to use the Nightveil herb on Talia to suppress her wolf. That¡¯s how the rogues managed to take her.¡± My heart raced. I shook my head slowly. ¡°You¡¯re twisting things. Nn risked his life for me. Why would he do that if he nned this?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s trying to cover his tracks. He knew saving you would clear suspicion. That¡¯s what makes him dangerous,¡± Jason exined. De took a step forward, ring. ¡°That sounds like something YOU would do, not Nn.¡± ¡°Talia,¡± Jason said, ignoring De. ¡°Listen to me. I once wanted to marry the princess because of duty. I wanted to unite Shadoww and Silverfang, but the truth is, that isn¡¯t where my heart is. I care about you. I want to protect you from him.¡± ¡°You got to be kidding me?¡± De groaned, rubbing her temples. ¡°You deserve someone who values you, not someone who treats you like a tool,¡± Jason continued. De scoffed, ¡°That¡¯s riching from you. If Viki hadn¡¯t been a fake, you wouldn¡¯t even be worrying about Talia right now. Why can¡¯t you just leave her alone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± Jason said again. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you believe me, but Talia, please believe me.¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, you have lied so many times.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Marco yourself. Ask him who told him to use the Nightveil herb on you. You¡¯ll see I¡¯m right,¡± Jason suggested. I felt cold all over. Jason had that smug smile on his face. He only smiled like that if he knew he had the upper hand. Did Marco really poison me? De ced a hand on my arm as if she knew what I was thinking. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. He¡¯s trying to drive a wedge between you and Nn,¡± De reassured me. ¡°He¡¯s just a jealous asshole. Ignore him. Guards!¡± ¡°Think what you want, but I¡¯m the only one telling you the truth.¡± Jason quickly turned and left before the guards came. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 115 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTEEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTEEN Nn¡¯s POV I knocked once before stepping into the Alpha King¡¯s office. He was sitting behind his desk, staring out the window like he¡¯d been lost in thought for a while. When he finally turned, he gestured toward the chair in front of him. ¡°Come in, Nn,¡± he said. ¡°Have a seat.¡± I sat down across from him. His tone wasn¡¯t cold or hostile, which was unexpected. It made sense. After everything that had happened, after saving Talia twice, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d treat me like an enemy this time. ¡°You wanted to see me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ,¡± the Alpha King said. ¡°I thought it was time we spoke properly.¡± He opened a drawer and pulled out a folder, setting it on the desk. Inside were a few photographs. He spread them in front of me. The first showed him with my father. They were younger, probably around my age now, both smiling like brothers. The next was a family photo of my father, my mother, and me, with my father¡¯s hand resting on my shoulder. Seeing those pictures brought up bitter sweet memories I¡¯d buried deep. They were from my first trip to Silverfang. Back then, the pack had started to feel almost like a second home. ¡°Do you remember those days?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°I do,¡± I said. ¡°I never forgot.¡± A faint smile crossed his face. ¡°You were a quiet boy back then. Always following your father. I remember you once told me I was the man you admired most after him.¡± I remembered that too, right up until the day he betrayed us. ¡°Is that why you called me here? To reminisce?¡± I asked. The Alpha King chuckled, which made me frown. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°You sound just like your father when he is angry,¡± he said. I crossed my arms. ¡°If this is just about the past, you¡¯re wasting your time. I won¡¯t look back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to waste your time, Nn,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°I wanted to talk before the Sacrifice Ceremony. There¡¯s something you should know.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Your father¡¯s memorial day ising up,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯ll fall right after the ceremony. I thought maybe we couldmemorate it together.¡± That caught me off guard. I hadn¡¯t expected him to bring up my father, much less suggest honoring him. ¡°I haven¡¯t observed his memorial day in years,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing tomemorate while his killer is still out there.¡± ¡°You still believe there¡¯s more to it than what was reported?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I know. My father was used of crimes he didn¡¯tmit. Until I uncover the truth, I can¡¯t celebrate anything.¡± He studied me for a moment. He looked sad, maybe disappointed. ¡°You¡¯ve carried that resentment for a long time,¡± he said. ¡°And I¡¯ll keep carrying it,¡± I said tly. ¡°Until I bring him justice.¡± He didn¡¯t respond. He just gathered the photos, tucked them back into the folder, and slid it into the desk drawer. Finally, he said, ¡°If you want to keep investigating, I won¡¯t stop you. You have my permission.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTEEN +25 Bonus I narrowed my eyes. ¡°There¡¯s a catch, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°There is,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll stay away from Talia.¡± I stared at him, unsure I¡¯d heard him right. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I want you to keep your distance from my daughter Talia,¡± he said, his tone steady. ¡°She¡¯s been through enough. Whatever is going on between you two, it ends now.¡± My wolf¡¯s voice rose furiously, and I winced. ¡®Don¡¯t agree to this. He doesn¡¯t get to decide what we do with our mate.¡¯ I clenched my jaw. ¡°You¡¯re assuming there¡¯s something between us,¡± I said carefully. ¡°Talia and I are nothing more than acquaintances.¡± ¡°Acquaintances don¡¯t risk their lives for each other,¡± he said. ¡°I saw your face when she was unconscious, Nn. I¡¯m not blind.¡± My hands tightened on the armrests and said, ¡°I saved her because it was the right thing to do.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care why,¡± he said. ¡°I care about keeping her safe. If you n to stay in Silverfang, promise me you won¡¯t pursue her.¡± He didn¡¯t use an Alphamand, but the authority in his tone made it clear there was no argument to be had. My wolf growled again. ¡®He knows she is our mate! How dare he make us promise!¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re asking for a promise I don¡¯t need to make,¡± I said. ¡°Talia is your daughter. I know my ce.¡± ¡°Then promise me,¡± he said again. I met his gaze. ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll leave Silverfang before the ceremony,¡± he said without hesitation. ¡°And you won¡¯t return.¡±. My wolf snarled in protest, but I pushed him down. Leaving would mean giving up on clearing my father¡¯s name, and that wasn¡¯t something I could live with. ¡°Fine,¡± I said finally. ¡°You have my word.¡± He studied me for a long moment before nodding once. ¡°Good. That¡¯s all I needed to hear.¡± I stood. ¡°If that¡¯s all, I¡¯ll be going.¡± As I reached the door, his voice followed me. ¡°Remember your promise, Nn.¡± Support +2 Share 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 116 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTEEN CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTEEN Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus De and I went straight to the gym where Marco usually trained. He was sitting near the equipment racks, dripping with sweat. When he saw us, he smiled, but his expression quickly changed when he caught sight of De¡¯s re. ¡°Marco,¡± De said sharply, ¡°we need to talk.¡± He stood up quickly looking confused. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked. ¡°Wait,¡± De said as she looked around to make sure no one else was in the gym. She gave me a nod when the coast was clear. ¡°Marco, I need you to be honest with me,¡± I said. ¡°Did you give me the Nightveil herb?¡± Marco¡¯s eyes widened. For a second, he froze and then said, ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°Jason. Now answer the question,¡± I answered. ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Marco said. ¡°Marco! What the hell? How could you do that? Talia has always been nice to you!¡± De eximed. He raised both hands as if to defend himself. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean any harm, I swear! It was only meant to make your wolf dormant for a short time. Nn said it would help stabilize you. He thought your wolf was unstable after what happened in the library. I was just following his orders.¡± My stomach twisted. ¡°Just following orders? You took away my wolf because someone told you to?¡± Marco¡¯s face went pale. ¡°It should¡¯ve worn off in hours. I never meant for you to¡­¡± ¡°You never meant for me to lose her?¡± I cut in. ¡°Because that¡¯s exactly what happened. I was left defenseless. The rogues nearly killed me, Marco.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that this would happen neither did Nn. He genuinely thought he was helping.¡± ¡°Did he tell you exactly why he wanted you to do it?¡± I demanded. Marco hesitated before saying, ¡°He said you needed rest, that your wolf was too strained.¡± De crossed her arms. ¡°And that was enough for you? You didn¡¯t think to ask any rifying questions??¡± ¡°I did, De, but,¡± Marco said quietly. ¡°He¡¯s my Alpha. I can¡¯t challenge him.¡± I clenched my fists. ¡°Tell me the truth. Did Nn say I affect him?¡± Marco blinked. ¡°Affect him? What do you mean?¡± De stepped closer. ¡°You heard her. Did he say anything about her wolf affecting him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re asking,¡± Marco said quickly. He looked genuinely confused, but I didn¡¯t need to have my wolf to know that he was lying. The pieces began to fit together. The transfusion, the way Nn avoided me, the distant look whenever our eyes met, it all made sense now. He had known. Nn had known we were mates from the beginning. The realization hit hard. My chest tightened, anger and hurt rising together. He¡¯d known and said nothing. He¡¯d kept me in the dark while acting as though I meant nothing to him. HUNDRED & SIXTEEN +25 Bonus I turned to leave to find Nn, but De stepped in front of me. She gripped my shoulders and said, ¡°I am not going to let you make a rash decision. You¡¯re angry. You need to calm down before you make any decisions.¡± ¡°This has gone on long enough,¡± I said. ¡°He treated me like a burden, like I was in his way. If that¡¯s what he wants, then I¡¯ll give it to him.¡± De shook her head and argued, ¡°You¡¯re not thinking clearly. At least wait until you¡¯ve spoken to him calmly.¡± ¡°I am calm,¡± I said, shrugging De¡¯s hands off me. ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± De countered. ¡°Don¡¯t forget. I know you.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll wait here for him toe back. We¡¯ll settle this today,¡± I huffed. ¡°Don¡¯t start a fight,¡± De warned. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I said firmly. De looked like she wanted to argue but finally sighed. ¡°Fine. But promise me you won¡¯t do anything reckless.¡± ¡°I promise,¡± I said and then turned and left De to argue with Marco. I went back to my garden and sat down on a bench to calm my nerves. He would have to pass the garden to get back to his room and I wouldn¡¯t let him until I spoke to him. I waited for Nn to return. One hour passed and then another. The sun had begun to set and Nn still didn¡¯t show. Marco approached me. The side of his face was a bright shade of pink from where I assumed De had pped him. Guilt was written all over his face. ¡°Talia, you should go into your room to rest. It is about to rain,¡± Marco said softly. I didn¡¯t respond and stared past him. ¡°Please,¡± he said quietly. ¡°You¡¯ve been through enough for one day. Let me talk to him first.¡± I finally met his gaze. I searched his eyes to see if he was lying. He looked exhausted and ashamed. ¡°You really thought you were helping me?¡± I asked. He nodded. ¡°I did. Nn said it was the safest option. I never thought it would end like this.¡± I let out a bitterugh. ¡°The safest option nearly killed me.¡± Marco lowered his head. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. If I could undo it, I would.¡± ¡°Then tell him to stop running from me,¡± I said. ¡°Tell him to face what he¡¯s done.¡± ¡°I will,¡± he promised. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to him tonight. He¡¯lle to you tomorrow.¡± I stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. ¡°Fine,¡± He looked relieved. ¡°Thank you.¡± But as I turned to leave, my anger began to rise again. Nn had known. He¡¯d kept me in the dark, acting as if our bond was a mistake. Why did my second chance mate have to be an insensitive jerk too? If Nn didn¡¯t want to feel the mate bond, fine. I didn¡¯t want to feel it either and knew exactly who I needed to speak to make that happen. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 117 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTEEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTEEN Talia¡¯s POV Healer Leslie¡¯s temporary home was at the edge of Silverfang territory. It was one of the cabins we used to house rogues while we decided whether to include them in the pack or let them recover and move on. Smoke rose from the chimney, so I knew Leslie was home. I walked up to her door and knocked. It opened almost instantly. Leslie stood in the doorway wearing a loose shirt and mismatched socks. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail. Her eyes widened when she saw me. ¡°Talia? You found me already?¡± Before I could answer, she grabbed my wrist and pulled me inside, saying, ¡°Come in before someone sees you,¡± The cabin smelled of herbs. Then I froze as a familiar scent hit me. Nn was standing near the table, looking just as shocked to see me. I hated the fact that I had the urge to go to him, to pull him down by his shirt and kiss him. I forced myself to stay where I stood. My shock and yearning for him turned to anger as Leslie walked past me and I noticed her attire again. What was going on between them? As if she could read my thoughts, Leslie quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping with him, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking.¡± My attention locked on Nn. ¡°Then what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I could ask you the same thing,¡± Nn replied. ¡°Do you think this is a game?¡± I asked. Before I could say anything more, Leslie pped her hands and said, ¡°The Moon Goddess must beughing at me right now.¡± I turned to her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You two are mates,¡± Leslie answered. Nn shot her with a warning look. ¡°Leslie.¡± ¡°You told her, but you couldn¡¯t tell me?¡± I shot back at him. ¡°What? Don¡¯t re at me,¡± Leslie said, waving Nn off. ¡°Talia, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. He didn¡¯t tell me anything. I figured it out days ago. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to put it together.¡± My cheeks burned with embarrassment. ¡°Nothing to be embarrassed about,¡± Leslie said easily. ¡°I tried not to say anything at the dinner but watching you both avoid each other was painful.¡± She picked up her mug and took a sip of tea. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m surprised it took you this long toe here,¡± she continued, leaning against the wall. ¡°Usually, one mate runs to me begging for a solution while the other tries to pretend nothing is wrong. Today, I got both of you at once. It must be my lucky day or the Moon Goddess¡¯s sick joke.¡± I ignored her sarcasm. ¡°Then you already know why I¡¯m here. I want the herbs you talked about that night. The ones that suppress the mate bond.¡± Leslie looked between us, then grinned. ¡°Oh, this just got more interesting,¡± she hummed. ¡°Can you give them to me or not?¡± I asked firmly. ¡°You don¡¯t need them,¡± Nn cut in. ¡°You have no right to tell me what I need,¡± I snapped. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTEEN +25 Bonus Nn didn¡¯t respond, but his brow furrowed. I scoffed. Instead of telling me what he was thinking, he stayed silent. Leslie let out a long sigh. ¡°Alright, this conversation is going nowhere.¡± She walked back to the table, shooed Nn aside, and reached under it. Leslie pulled out two small packets wrapped in brown paper. ¡°Here. One for each of you.¡± Nn frowned. ¡°Both of us?¡± She nodded. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how often I have to give them in pairs. Makes things easier when neither side wants to admit they care.¡± I reached out and took the packet. ¡°How does it work?¡± ¡°Simple,¡± Leslie said. ¡°You add it to tea. It should start working in twenty-four hours. The herbs suppress a mate¡¯s scent and dampen the bond for a while. It won¡¯t make the bond disappear, but it¡¯ll make it easier to ignore. However,¡± she added, pointing a finger at both of us, ¡°the effect fades with time. The only way to truly break the bond is through rejection.¡± Nn¡¯s eyes flicked toward me. ¡°Rejection?¡± he repeated. ¡°Yes, you know, the official rejection,¡± Leslie said with a shrug. ¡°I, Leslie, reject you,¡¯ and so on. That¡¯s the only permanent way to stop being affected by the mate bond. The herbs only dy the inevitable decision of whether you¡¯ll ept or reject it.¡± I tightened my grip on the packet. ¡°Thank you, Leslie.¡± ¡°You really think this is the answer?¡± Nn asked. I red at him. ¡°What else is there? You¡¯ve spent all this time pretending the bond doesn¡¯t exist. I¡¯m just returning the favor.¡± Leslie nced between us and muttered, ¡°Maybe you should talk before making any permanent decisions.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about,¡± I said quickly. Leslie raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really? Because you¡¯re both here asking for the same thing. That means you still care enough to fight about it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± I said. ¡°Neither do I,¡± Nn replied right after me. Leslieughed. ¡°Sure. Keep telling yourselves that.¡± She handed Nn his packet and leaned against the table. ¡°If you two are serious about this, you should at least discuss whates next. Otherwise, the herbs will wear off before you even make up your mind.¡± I turned toward the door. ¡°I don¡¯t need to talk,¡± I repeated. Leslie caught my wrist and leaned close. ¡°You do. Trust me. If you both walk out now, you¡¯ll just end up back here again,¡± she whispered. ¡°He saved your life, so at least hear him out.¡± I stared at her, unsure if she was trying to help or just amuse herself. ¡°Fine,¡± she said finally. ¡°If you won¡¯t talk here, go outside. I have things to do, and I don¡¯t need you two sulking in here.¡± She pushed us gently toward the door. As soon as we stepped outside, she called out, ¡°And do it away from my house.¡± Leslie closed the door before either of us could respond. I wanted to just go back to my room and sulk, but De, Marco, and now Leslie were all saying the same thing, Nn and I needed to talk. There was nothing to talk about. He didn¡¯t want me, and I didn¡¯t need him to say it, but a small part of me still wanted to hear him out. With a sigh, I said, ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s talk, Alpha Nn.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 118 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTEEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTEEN Nn¡¯s POV I didn¡¯t know why I was offended. I didn¡¯t expect Talia toe here to get herbs to suppress our mate bond. I shouldn¡¯t have cared, but I did. My heart ached that she didn¡¯t feel our bond, but who could me her? Talia stood in front of me. Even without her wolf, I could feel her anger. She red at me with her arms crossed. Even while angry, she was still beautiful. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s talk, Alpha Nn,¡± she said. I tried to think of a reason, any excuse that would exin why I hade for the herbs, but nothing sounded convincing. ¡°I came because¡­¡± I started. ¡°Don¡¯t bother lying,¡± Talia said, cutting me off. ¡°I already know you ordered Marco to give me the Nightveil herb.¡± For a moment, I couldn¡¯t speak. My wolf¡¯s voice roared in my head. ¡®I told you it was a terrible idea. She must hate us now!¡¯ ¡°Talia,¡± I said finally, ¡°you don¡¯t understand what happened.¡± ¡°I understand perfectly. You told Marco to suppress my wolf. He admitted it. So tell me what was your reason for doing this?¡± Talia demanded. I clenched my jaw, trying to control the rising frustration. Marco had been careless. He didn¡¯t even warn me that Talia found out. ¡®You cannot me him for this,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡°The hell if I can¡¯t,¡¯ I responded. I had trusted Marco to act with restraint, to behave like my Beta. He made a mistake and gave her a stronger dose than necessary. Marco was not supposed to expose the truth before I was ready to exin. ¡°Marco wasn¡¯t supposed to tell you,¡± I muttered, not looking at her. ¡®You should¡¯ve never ordered him to do it. She¡¯s right to be angry with us. You need to apologize to our mate,¡¯ my wolf scolded
She gave a bitterugh before moving to force me to look at her. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say? That he wasn¡¯t supposed to tell me?¡± Talia demanded. I finally met her gaze. She was no longer angry. She looked disappointed which was worse. I tried again. ¡°I never meant to hurt you. I¡­¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t get to feel sorry for yourself,¡± Talia said, cutting me off. ¡°You hurt me. You took my wolf away. You left me helpless. If you hadn¡¯t found me in that dungeon, I would be dead. Why, Nn? Were you that afraid of me?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± I said. ¡°Then what was it?¡± I stayed silent. There was no answer that would make her understand. Talia sighed and threw her hands up in frustration. ¡°You could have told me the truth from the beginning. But you didn¡¯t. And now, you can¡¯t even say why.¡± Her calm tone only made it worse. I wanted her to scream, cry, or even hit me. I wanted her to do anything but stare at me with such disappointment in her eyes. I could deal with her anger, but not this. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TIGHTEEN +25 Bonus Then, Talia asked softly, ¡°Are you ever going to mark me?¡± I didn¡¯t look at her when I answered. ¡°No.¡± For a moment, neither of us said anything. I didn¡¯t look at her. I didn¡¯t want to see her expression. I focused on the faint rustle of the trees nearby. ¡°Fine,¡± she finally said. ¡°Then let¡¯splete the rejection now. Let¡¯s end both of our suffering.¡± Hearing her wanting to reject me made me snap. ¡°You think the full moon hurts?¡± I asked harshly. ¡°You don¡¯t know pain, Talia. You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to watch your father die right in front of you.¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re being hypocritical.¡± ¡°Am I? Do you think losing Jason could evenpare to losing a parent?¡± I demanded. ¡°I lost my mother, so don¡¯t try that,¡± Talia countered. ¡°From illness! Your mother wasn¡¯t framed and murdered!¡± I snapped. ¡°You¡¯re trying to distract me. This has nothing to do with our mate bond,¡± Talia said firmly. ¡°It has everything to do with this,¡± I shot back. ¡°You want to end the bond because you¡¯re hurt? Fine. But don¡¯t stand there pretending you understand what loss feels like.¡± ¡°So you want me to stay bonded to you out of pity? You think that¡¯ll make either of us stronger?¡± Talia demanded. I took a step closer. ¡°You¡¯re not rejecting me. I¡¯ll be the one to end this when the timees. You don¡¯t get to decide when or how.¡± Talia didn¡¯t cower from me. She red right back at me. ¡°You¡¯ll reject meter? Fine. I look forward to it,¡± Talia responded. Something about the way she calmly said it only fueled the anger burning in me. I wanted her to match my anger, but she didn¡¯t. Instead, Talia turned her back to me and said, ¡°Then we¡¯re done here.¡± She began walking away. ¡°Talia¡­¡± She stopped but didn¡¯t look back. ¡°No. I gave you a chance.¡± I stood there, watching her disappear down the path until she was gone. ¡®You¡¯re an idiot,¡¯ my wolf growled inside me. ¡®You could have told her everything. You could have fixed this.¡¯ ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have listened,¡± I said. ¡®You don¡¯t know that,¡¯ my wolf argued. ¡®She was listening right now. All you had to do was tell her the truth.¡¯ I shook my head. ¡°If she hates me, she¡¯ll stay safe. The moment she cares, she¡¯s in danger,¡± My wolf¡¯s anger rose again, and he growled, ¡®You¡¯re lying to yourself. You hurt her to protect yourself.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± I snapped out loud. ¡®You know I¡¯m right,¡¯ my wolf huffed. ¡°Maybe,¡± I muttered. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± ¡®Go after her. Apologize. She¡¯ll ept it. She wants you to run after her,¡¯ my wolf demanded. The urge to follow her was almost unbearable. The bond pulled at me, demanding I go to her, exin everything, and tell her she was wrong about me. But I couldn¡¯t. I made a promise, and I needed to clear my father¡¯s name. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 119 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETEEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETEEN Talia¡¯s POV I spent most of the afternoon in my room, trying to calm down, but it was useless. I couldn¡¯t stop crying. I wish my wolf was here to talk to, but I was left with only my thoughts that seemed to be torturing me. I had trusted Nn. I had let myself believe there was something real between us. But he had discarded the moment I opened up to him. I wiped the tears from my face, but more kepting. ¡®Why am I still crying over him?¡¯ I thought bitterly. ¡®He doesn¡¯t care!¡¯ My reflection in my mirror didn¡¯t help either. My eyes were swollen and puffy. The corners of my nose were red. I sighed and sshed cold water on my face. I couldn¡¯t keep hiding in my room. Father and Solon were expecting me for dinner. Avoiding dinner tonight would only worry them. ¡°Pull yourself together, girl. You can get through this,¡± I told myself. After applying some makeup, I checked my reflection again. I looked miserable, but at least I didn¡¯t look like I¡¯d been crying for hours. I took a deep breath, left my room, and walked toward the dining hall. When I entered, the table was already set. The table was barely visible with how many tes of food on it. It was too much food for three people. Solon and father were already seated and waiting for me. ¡°Talia, you¡¯re just in time. Come and sit down,¡± my father said, pulling the chair next to him out for me to sit. ¡°Hey Dad. Thanks,¡± I greeted softly, taking my seat. Solon gave me a small nod from across the table. ¡°You¡¯ve prepared too much food,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Was this your idea, Solon?¡± ¡°You got me,¡± heughed. ¡°You¡¯ve only just recovered from wolfsbane poisoning. You need proper nutrition,¡± Father added. Did they expect me to eat all of this? Even with my wolf, I wouldn¡¯t be able to eat all of this. I smiled weakly and said, ¡°I appreciate the gesture, but this still is a lot of food.¡± ¡°Come on, Talia, eat. You must be hungry. You missed breakfast and lunch,¡± Solon urged. I reached for my fork and knife. I cut into a piece of chicken while Solon and father talked about patrols. I hid my grimace behind my hand. The chicken tasted like nothing to me. ¡°You¡¯re quiet tonight,¡± father said. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I replied, though it sounded unconvincing even to me. ¡°Are you sure? We asked you a question three times and you didn¡¯t hear us,¡± Solon stated, looking concerned. ¡°Oh, I am sorry. I zoned out a little,¡± I apologized. ¡°No¡­ You¡¯ve cried earlier, right?¡± Nn asked suddenly. My head snapped toward him. ¡°What?¡± Solon pointed to his eyes. ¡°Your eyes are still a little red. What is it?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t crying,¡± I lied. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETEEN +25 Bonus ¡°Talia, you don¡¯t have to lie to us,¡± Father said. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you upset? Is it Jason again?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not Jason. I was thinking about my wolf. I miss her,¡± I answered. Father¡¯s expression softened and he pulled me into a side hug. ¡°You¡¯ll see her again soon. Leslie said your wolf is recovering slowly, but she¡¯ll return when the bond is strong enough.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± I murmured, hugging him back. The conversation quieted for a while until Father set down his ss and said, ¡°Talia, I wanted to ask something.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He looked at me with a serious expression, ¡°What do you think of Alpha Nn now? He risked his life to save you. I¡¯d like to know your opinion.¡± I hesitated. The question caught me off guard. I knew Nn wouldn¡¯t tell Father the truth about us. So, I wouldn¡¯t either. I didn¡¯t want the additional drama from it, and we were going to reject each other anyway. ¡°I¡¯m grateful he saved me,¡± I said carefully. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change what I think of him. He¡¯s still cold and¡­ harsh. I hate him.¡± Solon nodded in approval while Father seemed relieved by my answer. ¡°I see. Well, perhaps it¡¯s better that you see him like that,¡± father said. I wanted to ask him what he meant by that but before I could, he continued talking. ¡°You¡¯ll have a chance to move forward with your life at the Sacrifice Ceremony,¡± he continued. ¡°The ceremony?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Father said. ¡°When the timees, you¡¯ll meet many potential mates. Being marked will bring your wolf back and protect you from the next full moon¡¯s heat.¡± I nodded, trying to hide my unease. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°This will be good for you, Talia. You deserve someone who makes you happy,¡± Solon added. I forced another smile. ¡°Thank you, Solon.¡± Father leaned back slightly and looked at Solon. ¡°You¡¯ll assist during the ceremony as well. I trust you can help ensure everything proceeds smoothly.¡± Solon nodded with a smile. ¡°Of course, Father. I will help Talia to find the best mate ever.¡± I forced my face to stay neutral. Was Nn really going to stand there and watch me bond with another man? Father looked satisfied. ¡°Good. Then it¡¯s all settled.¡± The conversation shifted to preparation ns for the ceremony, but I barely heard them. I was focused on trying not to cry in front of them. I had no appetite, and I really wanted to just go back to my room and nevere back out. By the time dinner ended, I quickly excused myself saying I wasn¡¯t in the mood for dessert. The moment I was back in my room. I grabbed my pillow and screamed into it. ¡®I¡¯m going to choose the best mate, and it won¡¯t be Nn,¡¯ I thought bitterly. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s for the better¡­¡¯ But deep down, I knew it wasn¡¯t. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 120 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY Jason¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Father¡¯s message came early that morning, just after sunrise. The Sacrifice Ceremony was approaching, and he wanted to arrive in Silverfang ahead of time to ¡°assist¡± with my preparations. I knew better. My father rarely involved himself in ceremonies unless there was something to gain. By noon, I was already on my way to meet him at the southern border, apanied by Beta Logan and Henry. When we arrived, Father was already waiting near the checkpoint, leaning casually against his car. ¡°Jason,¡± he greeted with a polite smile as he opened his arms. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy, haven¡¯t you?¡± I smiled politely and hesitated only for a second. My father didn¡¯t do acts of affection, but this had to be for Beta Logan¡¯s benefit. I stepped forward to hug him. ¡°Busy, yes. But it¡¯s good to see you, Father,¡± I said. He pulled back and said, ¡°You look well. The Silverfang climate seems to suit you better than Shadoww¡¯s mountains.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± I said. Father looked past me to Logan and greeted him. ¡°Beta Logan, always a pleasure.¡± Logan bowed his head respectfully. ¡°Michael. Wee to Silverfang territory. The Alpha King has already arranged your room in the guest wing.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Father said. ¡°I appreciate your hospitality.¡± We made our way back to the pack house. Father¡¯s presence alone seemed to attract attention; every warrior we passed stood straighter. Once we arrived, Logan gave instructions to a few attendants, ensuring Father¡¯s luggage was taken to his room. After everything was arranged, Logan turned back to us. ¡°The Alpha King wanted me to let you know that he¡¯ll be hosting a dinner tomorrow evening. It¡¯s meant to wee you properly to Silverfang before the Sacrifice Ceremony.¡± Father smiled knowingly. ¡°That¡¯s very kind of him. You¡¯ll extend my gratitude, of course.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Logan said. Father paused thoughtfully, then added, ¡°If I may, Beta Logan, I believe it would be appropriate to invite Alpha Nn as well. After all, he¡¯s been serving Silverfang loyally these past months. I¡¯d like to meet him again in a more formal setting.¡± Logan considered this for a moment, then nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Father said. Once Logan left, the polite mask dropped. Father turned to me, his expression serious. ¡°I see you are nowhere near bing the Princess¡¯ mate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on it,¡± I replied, ¡°How hard can it be to find a she-wolf?¡± Father growled. ¡°They are keeping her identity secret until the Sacrifice Ceremony,¡± I exined. ¡°Then, you better find her and mark her before anyone else does,¡± Father warned. ¡°Or do I need to remind you what happens when you fail me?¡± ¡°No, I understand,¡± I responded. So,¡± he said, ¡°tell me, how has our ¡®ally¡¯ been managing these days?¡± ¡°Still chasing ghosts. Nn¡¯s been investigating his father¡¯s death since the day he arrived. No progress so far.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY +25 Bonus ¡°How predictable. It is a little disappointing though. I thought he would have done more by now.¡± He stepped closer, lowering his voice. ¡°You know, Jason, perhaps it¡¯s time we gave him a little push.¡± ¡°You mean provoke him into conflict with the Alpha King?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Father said. ¡°Actually, I already have a n, father.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± His eyes gleamed with interest. ¡°Do tell.¡± ¡°I have real proof of Nn¡¯s recklessness. Henry, bring the report.¡± Henry, who had been standing quietly nearby, nodded and left the room. Father arched an eyebrow and asked, ¡°What kind of proof?¡± ¡°Do you remember the gathering before the Hunting Rite?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°Everyone attended. What about it?¡± ¡°I saw Nn pour the King¡¯s wine himself. It looked innocent enough, but something didn¡¯t feel right about it,¡± I exined. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t knock over his ss like a drunken fool. I didn¡¯t think you were that stupid to embarrass me,¡± Father said. ¡± What did he put in the wine?¡± ¡°There were traces of a toxin that would trigger an uncontroble shift. A werewolf poisoned with it bes unstable and dangerous even to their own pack. In extreme cases, it could even be lethal,¡± I continued. ¡°So, he tried to murder the Alpha King in his own home?¡± Father asked. For once, he looked surprised. ¡°I can¡¯t prove intent,¡± I said carefully, ¡°but I can prove the toxin was there. The report is detailed. Once the Alpha King sees it, he¡¯ll doubt Nn¡¯s loyalty. That¡¯s all we need.¡± At that moment, Henry returned and handed Father the report. My father read through it, nodding in approval, ¡°This is perfect,¡± he said, giving the report back to Henry. ¡°Even if Nn didn¡¯t put a lethal dose into the wine, no one will believe him.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed. ¡°and his rtionship with the Alpha King has been tense ever since Nn challenged him publicly. This will only worsen it.¡± ¡®Are you not going to tell him how he saved Talia¡¯s life?¡¯ my wolf asked. ¡®He doesn¡¯t need to know that right now,¡¯ I responded. ¡®If he finds out that you withheld that information, he¡¯ll¡­¡¯ my wolf started. ¡®He won¡¯t,¡¯ I cut him off and pushed him back down. ¡°Good. Then tomorrow, during dinner, I¡¯ll announce it in front of everyone. The Alpha King and his hot headed idiot of a son will demand to see the proof, Once that happens, Nn¡¯s fate will be sealed.¡± ¡°You really think the Alpha King will believe it?¡± ¡°The Alpha King has always been a fool. He has always jumped to conclusions before investigating. He will let his pride guide him,¡± Father answered. ¡°Should I prepare additional copies of the report, sir?¡± Henry asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Father said. ¡°I want to ruin Nn. I want to make sure everyone knows he is a traitor. Maybe even slip it to the news.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 121 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY ONE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus ¡°How in the hell is he able to keep up with anything in this mess?¡± I muttered as I filed away a stack of papers into a filing cab. It barely looked like I made a dent in the messy pile still on Solon¡¯s desk. I had been at this for two hours. First, I had to organize the filing cab which was the hardest part. Now, I could deal with the reports on his desk. It was about an hourter when Solon walked into his office. He still managed to smile even though he looked exhausted. ¡°You really made yourself at home,¡± he said, dropping another pile of files on his desk. ¡°I turned my back for a few days, and you¡¯ve already taken over my work.¡± ¡°I have to make up for time lost while I was recovering,¡± I responded. ¡°And someone has to make sure you don¡¯t drown in work. You were getting real close.¡± ¡°You¡¯d think after you were poisoned, you¡¯d take it easy for a while,¡± Solon said as he leaned against a wall as he watched me work. ¡°I am taking it easy,¡± I said, holding up a file. ¡°This is easypared to fighting rogues.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been so busy with pack affairstely that I almost forgot we¡¯re supposed to have guests tonight.¡± ¡°Guests?¡± I asked, ncing up. ¡°Father is hosting a dinner,¡± Solon exined. ¡°Jason¡¯s father, Michael, arrived this morning. Apparently, he wanted toe before the Sacrifice Ceremony to discuss something with the Alpha King.¡±¡± ¡°Michael?¡± I repeated, making sure I¡¯d heard him right. ¡°Yes, Elder Michael of Shadoww,¡± Solon said with a nod. ¡°I didn¡¯t know they were on good terms,¡± I said. ¡°They used to be,¡± Solon said. ¡°Before all the politics between the packs got messy, but that was a long time ago.¡± The thought of that man being in Silverfang again bothered me. There was no need for him to be here early unless he had something nned. With Jason warning me about Nn and now Michael was here early, this felt like more of a coincidence. ¡°He¡¯s nning something,¡± I warned. ¡°We need to warn Father.¡± Solon gave a shortugh. ¡°Talia, not everyone who visits Silverfang is part of some conspiracy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not kidding, Solon. You don¡¯t know that man like I do,¡± I said. ¡°Michael¡¯s timing is too convenient. The Sacrifice Ceremony hasn¡¯t even started. Whye now?¡± ¡°Maybe he just wants to see his son,¡± Solon shrugged. ¡°You know that¡¯s not true,¡± I countered. ¡°That man barely likes Jason.¡± Solon sighed, walking to the window. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re wrong, but Father knows him better than both of us. I think it¡¯ll be ok.¡± I closed the filing cab and fully turned to face Solon. ¡°I¡¯m serious, Solon. You and Father should be careful tonight.¡± ¡°You really think that cold old man would try anything in the Alpha King¡¯s own house? He wouldn¡¯t dare. He¡¯s smart enough to know he wouldn¡¯t make it out alive,¡± Solon reassured. ¡°That¡¯s what worries me,¡± I said again, standing from the chair. ¡°If he¡¯s here, he has something nned. He¡¯s too calcting to take risks without something to gain.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY ONE +25 Bonus The smile on Solon¡¯s face faded slightly the more I exined. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll be careful,¡± he said. I gave him a look that made it clear I didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Who else is invited?¡± ¡°The usual council members,¡± Solon answered. ¡°And Michael asked specifically for Alpha Nn to attend.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°He said he wanted to meet the Bloodmoon Alpha in person,¡± Solon exined. ¡°You know how these old men like to measure each other up before they talk politics.¡± ¡°Or he wants to manipte him,¡± I said under my breath. Solon raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°You really don¡¯t trust anyone outside Silverfang, do you?¡± ¡°Would you?¡± I asked. He tilted his head slightly. ¡°Not particrly.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± I said. ¡°You know how dangerous men like Michael can be.¡± Solon gave me a wry smile. ¡°And yet you want to attend this dinner, don¡¯t you?¡± I hesitated but nodded. ¡°Yes. I need to see him myself.¡± He frowned. ¡°As the princess?¡± I smiled faintly and shook my head. ¡°No. As your maid.¡± Solon stared at me for a long moment before sighing. ¡°You¡¯re serious.¡± ¡°Completely.¡± He walked back to the desk and sat in his chair, rubbing his forehead. ¡°You know, there are easier ways to get information than sneaking into a private dinner disguised as a servant.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± I said, ¡°but this way, no one will notice I¡¯m listening. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind,¡± he muttered. ¡°} ¡°Probably,¡± I replied, gathering the rest of the sorted files. ¡°But tell me you¡¯re not concerned. This doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± Solon didn¡¯t argue right away. I could see the hesitation in his expression. Finally, he said, ¡°If Father finds out, he¡¯ll be furious.¡± ¡°Then we won¡¯t let him find out,¡± I said simply. He groaned softly. ¡°You sound more like Mother every day.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± Solon sighed again, though this time it was less frustrated and more resigned. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°If you¡¯re going to do this, at least let me handle the arrangements. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re added to the servant rotation for the event.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. Solon pointed a finger at me and said, ¡°But you stay out of trouble.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I mean it, Talia. No spying, no provoking, and no eavesdropping that gets you caught.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just serve wine and look invisible,¡± I promised. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY ONE ¡°You¡¯re terrible at being invisible,¡± Solon muttered. ¡°Then I¡¯ll practice,¡± I said. He shook his head, half amused, half exasperated. ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be gone before dinner starts. If you change your mind, let me know,¡± I told him as I was leaving his office. He called after me, ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± I nced over my shoulder. ¡°You will.¡± Michael¡¯s sudden appearance, his request for Nn, and the timing before the ceremony did not feel coincidental. He had something nned and I needed to be there to stop him. Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 122 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV I had worked hard to make sure no one noticed me tonight. I adjusted the in apron over my maid¡¯s uniform and joined the line of omegas standing near the kitchen doors. I lowered my head like the others. I had hoped to blend in, but unfortunately, that hope vanished the moment Solon spotted me from across the room. He was standing beside Father, greeting guests near the entrance. When his eyesnded on me, a grin spread across his face. I shook my head slightly, warning him not to draw attention. Jason and his father, Michael, entered soon after. Both looked smug and arrogant, which wasn¡¯t a good sign. Father greeted them warmly, sping Michael¡¯s hand like an old friend. ¡°It is always a pleasure to see you, Michael,¡± Father said. ¡°Thank you for volunteering to assist with preparations.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Michael replied, his tone smooth. ¡°It is what I should do for an old friend after your unfortunate run in with rogues.¡± Their conversations seemed friendly to those who were not familiar with my father and Michael, but Solon and I knew better. There was tension between them. Solon¡¯s jaw clenched as I knew he was regretting not listening to my warning about Michael. A few momentster, Nn arrived. His presencemanded attention even without trying. I felt my heart skip, but I forced myself to keep my focus on the tray in my hands. Michael turned toward him immediately. ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± he greeted. ¡°It¡¯s been years since Ist saw you. You look just like your father. You have his cold eyes and all.¡± Nn¡¯s neutral expression did not change. ¡°I will take that as apliment,¡± he said evenly. Michael chuckled before continuing. ¡°As you should. He was a remarkable man even though he was a bit too trusting for his own good.¡± I could tell from Nn¡¯s posture that he didn¡¯t appreciate the remark, but he didn¡¯t respond further. The dinner began, and I moved quietly among the tables, refilling sses and recing tes. Every time I passed Solon, he looked like he was fighting not tough. Father was too focused on conversation to notice, thankfully. I was halfway through pouring wine when Jason¡¯s voice stopped me. ¡°Well, well,¡± he said, leaning slightly toward me. ¡°The maid outfit suits you.¡± I forced a smile before anyone else noticed. ¡°Thank you, Alpha Jason,¡± I said under my breath. He chuckled, clearly enjoying my difort. ¡°Is this your way of paying off your debt to the Alpha King? Humility looks good on you.¡± Before I could reply, Michael¡¯s amused voice joined in. ¡°Ah, former Luna, now a lowly servant, quite fitting.¡± I straightened carefully and gave a polite bow. ¡°Elder Michael.¡± I could tell Michael was annoyed because I didn¡¯t react in fear at his presence, so he continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the Alpha King was so generous to let a rogue wolf work in his pce. How noble.¡± My throat tightened. Father¡¯s voice came from across the table, calm but firm. ¡°Not all rogues left by choice, Michael. Some were victims of circumstance.¡± I tried to stay as calm as possible. This meant Father knew I was sneaking around. So much for being invisible. Michael gave a small nod. ¡°Of course,¡± he said, clearly unconvinced. I stepped back to continue pouring drinks, moving toward Nn¡¯s seat. He hadn¡¯t said a word since he sat down. When I reached him, he lifted his ss slightly without looking at me. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY TWO +25 Bonus Our hands brushed as I refilled his drink, and the faint scent of his pine and smoke hit me like a spark. My chest tightened. He avoided my eyespletely. ¡°Tell me, Alpha King,¡± Michael said, turning toward Father. ¡°Are you still hunting that beast the warriors used to talk about? You know the one with red eyes? I think the warriors called it the mad rogue.¡± The room grew quiet. Father shook his head. ¡°The creature hasn¡¯t been seen in years,¡± he said. ¡°We assume it was killed. The rogue dungeon has been empty for a long time.¡± At his words, a memory shed through my mind. I remembered the cold darkness of that abandoned dungeon where Viki had chained me up. A cold chill ran up my spine as I remembered her mockingughter as the rogues assaulted me. Jason¡¯s chuckle snapped me out of my thoughts. ¡°Maybe Alpha Nn could tell us where the beast went,¡± he suggested, swirling his wine. ¡°He seems to know more about rogues than anyone else.¡± I kept from ring at Jason. What did he mean by that? Everyone knew that Nn hated rogues to death because they were relevant with his father¡¯s death. Michael raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Nn¡¯s gaze hardened and he growled, ¡°If you have something to say, say it now.¡± Jason smiled, pretending to be innocent. ¡°No need to be defensive, Alpha Nn. We¡¯re just curious. You did spend quite a lot of time outside your pack beforeing here, didn¡¯t you?¡±. Father frowned. He looked between him and Nn before warning, ¡°Jason, this is not the time for baseless usations.¡± ¡°Not baseless,¡± Jason replied. ¡°I have proof.¡± All at once, I realized that Jason was setting Nn up. This was why Michael was here. And because I had not revealed who I was yet, there was nothing I could do but let this y out. ¡°Proof of what exactly?¡± Solon asked. ¡°Alpha Nn conspired with the mad rogues to poison the Alpha King.¡± ÈÕ Support Share 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 123 CHAPTEN ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY THREE Nn¡¯s POV Jason took a folder from his jacket and slid a report across the table to the Alpha King. I understood then why I had been asked here. This was not wee. It was a setup. ¡°Before the Hunting Rite, I saw Alpha Nn pour the King¡¯s wine. It looked wrong, so I knocked the ss over and had the liquid tested. Henry ran the analysis. The sample contains the samepound identified in thete Alpha¡¯s blood,¡± Jason exined. Jason spoke confidently as if he had practiced in the mirror. Marco had been right. I should have never attempted to manipte him. I would make sure that I got even with Jason at the end of all of this. The Alpha King¡¯s hands gripped the report tightly. He looked up and his gaze was fixed on me. ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± he said, his voice cold, ¡°exin this.¡± At this point, there was no point in denying it. I stood. ¡°I poisoned your wine,¡± I said. Gasps followed. Solon¡¯s chair scraped back as he stood. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind!¡± he snarled. ¡°We should have killed you the moment you stepped foot in this territory.¡± Jason leaned back with a smug smile and said, ¡°At least he admits it. Guess he finally decided to drop the act.¡± ¡°Some of us own up to our actions instead of hiding behind lies and their father,¡± I shot back. Jason stiffened, but before he could answer, the Alpha King mmed his hand against the table. ¡°Enough! You poisoned me, Nn. Why?¡± I faced him directly. ¡°To confirm a suspicion,¡± I said. ¡°I needed to see your wolf. I needed to know if you were the wolf that killed my father.¡± The Alpha King¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°You expect me to believe that? You poisoned me to ¡®confirm a suspicion¡¯?¡± he spat. ¡°It wasn¡¯t meant to kill you,¡± I said evenly. ¡°Listen to him, your Majesty,¡± Jason interjected, attempting to bait the Alpha King into a blind rage. ¡°He¡¯s saying he thought you might have been the murderer even though the council proved you were innocent back then.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s more you should know,¡± Michael chimed in. I grit my teeth. What else did he have nned? ¡°The results in this report match almost exactly with the records from the investigation into his father¡¯s death. That can¡¯t be a coincidence,¡± ¡°Are you saying he used the same poison that killed his father?¡± the Alpha King questioned. ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like,¡± Michael said. ¡°Which means this isn¡¯t some random poison,¡± Jason added, ¡°Maybe Alpha Nn has been working with mad rogues over the years.¡± ¡°Ridiculous!¡± I said sharply. ¡°Their blood led to my father¡¯s madness, and I¡¯ve hunted mad rogues since the day I became Alpha. I¡¯ve lost men to them. I would never work with them!¡± Michael turned his gaze on me. He couldn¡¯t hide his smirk as he said, ¡°And yet you used their blood on the Alpha King. You expect us to think that¡¯s just coincidence? Sounds like you¡¯ve had ess to them for a long time.¡± The Alpha King¡¯s aura red, thick and suffocating. ¡°You brought rogue corruption into my court,¡± he snarled. His voice was almost deafening. ¡°You poisoned me with it. Give me one reason why I shouldn¡¯t execute you now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not working with them,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I kept their blood to make you shift in public. Again, I was not attempting to kill you.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY THREE +25 Bonus ¡°He¡¯s trying to twist this when really, he¡¯s covering for his allies,¡± Jason added. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be you, Jason? What was it that you were nning to do here?¡± I asked. Jason paled and quickly yelled out, ¡°I trusted you before Alpha Nn, but now I want nothing to do with you. You are a traitor for poisoning the Alpha King.¡± My wolf snarled at his cowardice. Oh, I would get even with Jason. I would make sure to torture him before the end. ¡°You expect me to believe that excuse?¡± the Alpha King snarled. I turned to look back at him. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you believe,¡± I shot back. ¡°I did what I had to do. If you are the murderer, I will avenge my father.¡± I heard Talia¡¯s gasps but I didn¡¯t care at this moment. The Alpha King¡¯s wolf pushed close to the surface. His aura pressed down on everyone at the table. I didn¡¯t submit to it. I would not act guilty for something that I didn¡¯t do. ¡°Your Majesty, you can¡¯t let this go unanswered. If you tolerate this, every Alpha will see it as weakness. He must be punished,¡± Michael urged. ¡°It¡¯s not just about the insult. If he¡¯s truly in contact with mad rogues, we¡¯re all at risk,¡± Jason added. The Alpha King didn¡¯t respond immediately. His gaze stayed fixed on me, calcting, as if he were weighing the cost of his next move. His fists clenched at his sides, but he knew that if we fought, he wouldn¡¯te out of it unscathed. Then Solon snapped. He shoved his chair back and lunged across the table toward me. ¡°You treacherous bastard!¡± I stepped to my right, drew my dagger, and brought the de to his throat. The tip settled under his jaw. My left hand stayed open, palm out, in an attempt to keep him from closing the gap. ¡°Stop,¡± I said. ¡°Do not push this further.¡± Solon¡¯s breath was fast, but he held still. His eyes were wide. My de was steady. Around us, the guards shifted, ready to spring if either of us moved again. ¡°Nn, stop!¡± the Alpha King roared, ¡°put the weapon away.¡± 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 124 CHAPTER ONE MUNDRED & TWENTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY FOUR Talia¡¯s POV Nn¡¯s grip on the dagger tightened but he did not have the murderous glint in his eyes like he did with the rogues. Nn really didn¡¯t want to harm Solon if he didn¡¯t have to. ¡°I said, put it away!¡± my father¡¯s voice boomed, causing me to flinch. Nn slowly lowered the de and backed away from Solon. He sheathed it and stepped back. The guards quickly surrounded him. ¡°You have crossed every line tonight, Nn. Until I know what truly happened, you are no longer free to walk this pack¡¯s grounds,¡± Father said. ¡°Are you ordering me to the dungeon?¡± Nn asked. His voice was low and cold. His body was tense as if he was ready to fight. His aura red throughout the room, almost as oppressive as my father¡¯s. ¡°Yes,¡± Father said firmly. ¡°Beta Logan will escort you there. You¡¯ll stay until I decide what to do with you.¡± ¡°You think that dungeon will stop me?¡± Nn scoffed. Then, he smirked. It wasn¡¯t the type that would have made my heart flutter, but it made a chille up his spine. It was a smirk of a man that spilled blood and enjoyed it. ¡°If I choose to leave, nothing will stop me.¡± My father¡¯s eyes shed with anger, but he kept his tone calm even though his ws were digging into the table. ¡°If you were innocent, you wouldn¡¯t make threats. You would wait for the investigation to run its course,¡± Father responded. ¡°I¡¯m not threatening,¡± Nn replied. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a warning. If you don¡¯t find the truth to clear my name by tomorrow, I will handle it myself.¡± Solon, still fuming, growled, ¡°Is that another threat?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise, Prince,¡± Nn answered. ¡°Enough. Beta Logan, take him,¡± Father ordered. Logan approached, motioning for two guards to follow. Nn didn¡¯t move at first. I began to panic. What if he actually challenged my father? Would I have to pick a side? I couldn¡¯t allow him to harm my father, but I also knew that Jason and Michael had set him up. Thankfully, Nn finally rxed. He shot one nce toward me before walking out of the dining hall. I felt a mixture of relief and sadness. Michael turned to Father first. ¡°Your Majesty, this cannot stand. His defiance endangers every pack in the alliance. If he walks free again, he¡¯ll drag Silverfang into ruin.¡± Jason added, ¡°He¡¯s already been seen with rogues. If he¡¯s truly working with them, then the Bloodmoon pack itself ispromised.¡± Father rubbed his forehead, looking weary. ¡°We will investigate this matter carefully. No decision will be made tonight.¡± ¡°With all respect,¡± Michael said, his tone firm, ¡°hesitation will be seen as weakness. The other alphas will not ignore an attack on their King.¡± ¡°And yet, acting without proof could start a war,¡± Father countered. ¡°I will not condemn an Alpha until I know the full truth.¡± Jason leaned closer to his father and muttered something, but I couldn¡¯t catch the words. Michael gave him a small nod before turning back to Father. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. You¡¯ve always been wise. I only hope your trust won¡¯te back to haunt you.¡± ¡°I have one more matter to raise before we go,¡± Michael added. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY FOUR +25 Bonus ¡°Go on,¡± Father said. His tone was now guarded. Of course, Michael would request something right after causing chaos. ¡°My son,¡± Michael said, nodding toward Jason, ¡°has spoken often about the princess. He admires her greatly. It would be an honor for our families to unite. I thought perhaps we could discuss the possibility of a marriage especially since that was what Jason wanted as his reward for winning the Hunting Rite.¡± I froze, keeping my eyes focused on filling wine sses. Solon looked as if he was more word from exploding. I wonder if Father was going to reveal that I was the Princess yet. Father gave a polite smile, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°I appreciate the respect. I can arrange an introduction, but marriage is not mine to decide.¡± ¡°But the Hunting Rite tradition clearly¡­¡± ¡°We have moved past offering daughters as rewards,¡± Father cut in. ¡°The Elders already agreed that the she-wolf would make the final decision, so the Princess will determine if Alpha Jason is worthy of her.¡± Jason smiled confidently and said, ¡°Of course. I only ask for the opportunity.¡± ¡°You will have it. Perhaps after the investigation isplete,¡± Father suggested. Michael seemed satisfied with Father¡¯s response. ¡°Good. I look forward to it,¡± he said. As they left the hall, their smug expressions made my blood boil. Jason paused at the door just long enough to sh me a quick, knowing grin before following his father out. I wanted to throw the tray at his head. The rest of the guests excused themselves from the dining hall only leaving Father, Solon, and I. ¡°They¡¯re using this situation to get what they want. Jason doesn¡¯t care about me. He just wants the title,¡± I blurted out as I mmed the tray down on the table. ¡°That¡¯s obvious. But right now, we have bigger problems,¡± Solon added. ¡°Nn¡¯s words trouble me. He sounded sincere but his actions can¡¯t be ignored,¡± Father said. ¡°Then we put him on trial,¡± Solon rmended. ¡°If he¡¯s guilty, we punish him publicly. That will show the other packs that we won¡¯t tolerate betrayal.¡± ¡°Wait, no,¡± I said quickly. Both of them turned to look at me in surprise. ¡°I know he saved your life, but this is serious Talia,¡± Solon started. ¡°That¡¯s not why I am saying no. I think this is part of Jason and Michael¡¯s n,¡± I said, cutting him off. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Father asked. ¡°You can¡¯t put him on trial yet. There¡¯s no proof. All you have is a report that Jason and Michael could have fabricated,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯ll just make the Blood Moon pack an enemy. They won¡¯t stand by if their Alpha is used without real evidence.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been defending him a lottely,¡± Father said tly. ¡°I¡¯m not defending him! I¡¯m saying this could be another trap. We can¡¯t rush to conclusions,¡± I said. Solon folded his arms. ¡°So, what do you suggest? Let him go?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Just give him a chance to speak. That¡¯s the least we can do since he saved me twice.¡± Father was silent a moment before saying, ¡°I know one thing about Nn. He hates rogues. This was not an assassination attempt. Nn does resent me. I can see it every time he looks at me. But even so, he would not work with rogues.¡± ¡°Then let me speak to him,¡± I suggested. ¡°He¡¯ll be honest with me.¡± Father considered my words for a long moment. Then he finally nodded. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll allow it. But you¡¯ll go with guards, and Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 125 CHAPTER ONE HUNDREDS TWENTY FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV I went to the dungeon not long after speaking with my father and Solon. When I reached the lower cells, two guards stood by the heavy door. They stepped aside when I approached, clearly father had told them in advance to let me in. Inside, Nn sat on a bench with his back against the wall. He had leaned back on the stone wall. His eyes were closed, but I knew he wasn¡¯t sleeping. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be thest person to visit,¡± he said. He opened his eyes and met my gaze. ¡°Just because I think you¡¯re a jerk doesn¡¯t mean I want you imprisoned unjustly,¡± I stated. ¡°Well then, what do I owe the pleasure of your presence, Princess?¡± Nn asked. ¡°I came because I wanted to talk to you and ask you what the hell you were doing,¡± I replied. My voice is much louder than I intended. Nn studied me quietly, surprised by the sudden outburst. ¡°Do you believe Jason and Michael?¡± ¡°I believe in evidence,¡± I replied. Nn stared at me before scoffing. He let out a humorlessugh. ¡°Of course you believe them,¡± he muttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I believed them. I said I believe in evidence,¡± I snapped. Nn didn¡¯t say anything else, but I could tell that he didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°I am being serious, Nn.¡± ¡°Do you really think that evidence matters here? Evidence can¡¯t punish me, and it can¡¯t clear your father either. It¡¯s just words on paper,¡± Nn finally said. ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I said firmly. ¡°If you¡¯re innocent, evidence will protect you. If you¡¯re guilty, it will condemn you.¡± ¡°Then maybe you should ask yourself which oue your father prefers,¡± Nn said. ¡°You know as well as I do that, he already made up his mind.¡± His defiance tested my patience. ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. If he did, I wouldn¡¯t be down here talking to you.¡± ¡°Or he is just appeasing you,¡± Nn argued. ¡°Nn, just focus. Tell me why you did it. What were you trying to do?¡± ¡°There is nothing more to say, Princess,¡± Nn stated. His tone was detached, almost mocking even. It was this tone that erased every ounce of patience I had left. ¡°You sound as if you don¡¯t even care,¡± I snapped. ¡°You could have killed him.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± he said. ¡°You already made up your mind, so what¡¯s the point?¡± ¡°The point is telling me why of all options, why did you do that?¡± I asked. ¡°Leave, Princess. I already said what I needed to say.¡± He closed his eyes again. I fumed. It was as if he was dismissing me. ¡°Then, there¡¯s nothing left to discuss,¡± I said and turned on my heel before he could respond. Outside, De and Marco were waiting near the stairwell. Marco had been pacing, and De was chewing on her nails nervously. ¡°Well, what did he say?¡± De asked. ¡°He admitted poisoning my father, but he wouldn¡¯t exin why. He said evidence didn¡¯t matter. It would not protect him,¡± I replied. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY FIVE +25 Bonus Marco looked concerned. His brow furrowed and I asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Marco?¡± ¡°If this isn¡¯t resolved by tomorrow, I¡¯ll have to summon the Bloodmoon warriors with Alpha Nn¡¯s order,¡± Marco answered. My pulse jumped. ¡°Summon them for what?¡± ¡°To intervene,¡± Marco replied. ¡°If the Alpha King doesn¡¯t clear Alpha Nn¡¯s name, Blood Moon will have no choice but to attack Silverfang. We will not stand around and watch him be persecuted for something he didn¡¯t do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s madness! Blood Moon would start a war?!¡± De eximed. ¡°No,¡± Marco said quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t want bloodshed. I don¡¯t want anyone to be hurt over this. That is why I came to Princess Talia. And please believe Nn doesn¡¯t want it toe to that either.¡± I stepped closer, anger sharpening my voice. ¡°Do you even know what really happened, Marco? Tell me the truth. Was Nn working with the mad rogues?¡± I questioned. ¡°No,¡± Marco said without hesitation. ¡°He never worked with them. He ordered me to neutralize the toxin before it could be used. We killed a mad rogue years ago at Blood Moon and kept some blood with us.¡± ¡°Then why keep it secret?¡± De asked. ¡°Because the King would never allow it,¡± Marco said. ¡°He forbade all research into that toxin. Nn disobeyed only because he suspected that the Alpha King was the murderer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. The Alpha King would never murder anyone,¡± De said. I crossed my arms, my chest tightening. So that¡¯s it-this was all because Nn still believed my father had killed his. He had even tried to poison him, to force him to shift in public. The thought made my stomach twist. Humiliation, anger, and worry all tangled together. ¡°So he was trying to force my father to shift¡­ What does the killer look like in his wolf form?¡± I asked, my voice sharp. Marco hesitated. ¡°A pure ck wolf¡­ with a white w mark on its forehead.¡± De exhaled, pressing a hand to her chest. ¡°Thank the Goddess,¡± she said, ¡°The Alpha King looks nothing like that.¡± Relief washed over me too, slow and heavy. I didn¡¯t know how I would have endured it if it had been my father. Marco looked between us, eyes searching. ¡°You believe me?¡± I nodded and said, ¡°I believe you. My father¡¯s wolf is silver and gray. You need to believe me too. So, really, Nn was just testing to prove he wasn¡¯t the murderer. If Nn meant to kill him, he would have just done it.¡± Marco¡¯s shoulders rxed, a quiet sigh escaping him. ¡°Then¡­ what do we do now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to prepare another sample of the detoxified blood, the same kind Nn used. I want it ready by morning,¡± I told him. ¡°Why?¡± De asked. ¡°Because I have a n,¡± I said. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it 212 X Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 126 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY SIX Jason¡¯s POV Lunch with Father was usually quiet, but today he seemed almost pleased. It unnerved me how happy he was. ¡®Enjoy the moment while itsts,¡¯ my wolf said, and I couldn¡¯t help but agree. We had barely started eating when a firm knock came at the door. Beta Logan entered and bowed. ¡°Alpha Jason. Elder Michael. The Alpha King has requested your presence in his office at noon,¡± he said. Father took a sip of his orange juice and asked, ¡°For what reason?¡± ¡°The King said he¡¯s reached a conclusion regarding Alpha Nn¡¯s poisoning case,¡± Logan exined. ¡°Understood,¡± Father said, his voice smooth. ¡°You may tell the King we¡¯ll be there.¡± Logan nodded and said, ¡°Of course.¡± As soon as the door closed, Father smiled and said, ¡°It seems the King finally came to his senses.¡± ¡°Honestly, I had expected the Alpha King to execute Nn once we revealed the report. Betterte than never,¡± I responded. Father leaned back in his chair. ¡°With Nn gone, Blood Moon will be in chaos and will more than likely retaliate. The Alpha King will need loyal allies to fight against the Blood Moon pack. That¡¯s where wee in.¡± I nodded. ¡°He¡¯ll owe us for uncovering Nn¡¯s betrayal.¡± ¡°You handled this well, Jason. I¡¯ll admit, I expected you to fail, and I would have to clean up your mess again,¡± Father said. I looked up, surprised. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ pleased?¡± He smirked slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s not overstate it. You did your job. But yes, I¡¯ll give credit where it¡¯s due. You caught the boy¡¯s mistake and secured the proof.¡± For the first time, I felt the rare flicker of pride. ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± He waved a hand dismissively, but there was still approval in his tone. ¡°Don¡¯t let it go to your head. Nn¡¯s downfall is only one step. Whates next will determine whether this victory means anything.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°Once the King executes him, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll make my move.¡± Father looked curious. ¡°And what move would that be?¡± ¡°The one you nned,¡± I reminded him. ¡°I¡¯ll marry the princess. The Alpha King will support it after this. He¡¯ll see me as dependable, someone loyal enough to protect his daughter and the pack.¡± ¡°And what if the Princess says no?¡± Father asked. ¡°I won¡¯t give her the option to say no,¡± I replied. I will take a page from Nn¡¯s book. A healthy dose of aphrodisiac and the Princess won¡¯t be able to resist me. Father gave a low chuckle. ¡°Good. You finally understand how to use timing to your advantage. A political marriage will tie Silverfang to Shadoww permanently.¡± ¡°It will also silence anyone who doubts my loyalty,¡± I said. ¡°Once I¡¯m linked to the royal bloodline, no one will question my ce.¡± He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. ¡°And Solon?¡± ¡°Solon¡¯s no threat. He¡¯s predictable and too cautious to act without his father¡¯s approval. He¡¯ll grumble, but he won¡¯t resist if the King supports the decision.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY SIX +25 Bonus Father nodded slowly, considering my words before scoffing. ¡°You¡¯re still too weak for my liking.¡± ¡°What?¡± I asked in confusion. ¡°Solon will always be a threat. Threats should be eliminated, but I do agree. He¡¯s obedient, not ambitious. He won¡¯t challenge you for a title.¡± ¡°And I will be mated to his sister. He wouldn¡¯t dare challenge me if it meant his dear sister would be harmed,¡± I exined. My father smirked. ¡°Ah. That¡¯s the angle you¡¯re going. Very good.¡± He reached for the bottle and poured wine into both sses. ¡°Then we¡¯re finally in agreement. I think this deserves a toast.¡± I hesitated but then raised my ss. ¡°To Shadoww,¡± I said. He lifted his own. ¡°To Shadoww and to my son, who finally understands the value of patience.¡± We clinked sses. For once, his tone wasn¡¯t purely critical. I took a drink, feeling both ttered and cautious. The rest of the meal passed in rtive silence. For once, I felt at ease. When the clock was near 12, Father rose from his chair and straightened his jacket. ¡°Let¡¯s not keep the King waiting,¡± he said. ¡± Appear calm, but not arrogant. Remember, he needs to think we are doing this for his best interest.¡± I nodded, following his lead. When we entered, I immediately noticed the number of people inside. Not only were the Alpha King and Prince Solon present, but Nn was there as well. He was nked by two guards. Nn¡¯s wrists were bound in silver cuffs, but beyond that he looked well. To my surprise, Talia was there too, sitting beside Healer Leslie. She kept stealing nces at Nn which made my jaw tighten. Why was she so worried about Nn? She needed to be looking at me. Father and I stopped at the center of the room. The Alpha King stood behind his desk. ¡°Elder Michael. Alpha Jason. Thank you foring,¡± he said. ¡°Of course, my King,¡± Father replied smoothly. ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business,¡± the Alpha King said. ¡°As you both know, I¡¯ve invited you two here to hear my verdict on the case against Alpha Nn.¡± ¡°Yes, I apud you with your swift action on this,¡± Father stated. ¡°Handling this situation will show your strength to the packs.¡± ¡°Indeed, it would,¡± the Alpha King responded. ¡°I¡¯ve reviewed every statement and piece of evidence regarding the poisoning.¡± Father folded his hands behind his back, confident. ¡°And?¡± The King¡¯s eyes moved briefly to Nn. ¡°The act of poisoning was real. That much is clear.¡± A flicker of satisfaction crossed Father¡¯s face. ¡°Then justice will be served.¡± But the King wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°However,¡± he continued, his tone sharp, ¡°the investigation found no evidence of collusion between Alpha Nn and the mad rogues. The substance in question was traced to an isted batch that had been neutralized.¡± I felt my chest tighten. ¡°What?¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 127 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY SEVEN Jason¡¯s POV This was wrong. I had Henry send the wine back to Shadoww for testing. It was the same toxin. How could it not be lethal? Father, as stunned as I was, finally found his voice and said, ¡°Your Majesty, there must be some misunderstanding. My son saw Alpha Nn poison the wine himself. He wouldn¡¯t lie about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± I said. ¡°The sample we sent confirmed that the wine contained traces of a toxin identical to what was found in the mad rogues¡¯ blood samples.¡± Nnughed and I narrowed my eyes at him. ¡°Care to enlighten us on what is so funny?¡± ¡°Inadequacy must be an inherited trait,¡± Nn answered. I could feel my father¡¯s aura re briefly before heposed himself. ¡°Your taunts won¡¯t save you, boy,¡± Father said. ¡°I just find it interesting that you know so much about the rogues¡¯ blood, perhaps you¡¯ve spent more time with them than I ever did,¡± Nn said. ¡°Watch your tongue, boy. It is you who is on trial,¡± Father snapped. Before the argument could escte, the Alpha King raised his hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± He turned toward Talia. ¡°Talia, please bring the documents.¡± She stood and crossed the room, handing over two folders: one blue and one red. Her movements were calm, but I knew Talia. I could tell she was angry. ¡°The blue folder holds the report you submitted,¡± the Alpha King said, looking at me. ¡°The red folder holds the report of a previous analysis done on one of the mad rogue¡¯s blood. Whenpared, there are simrities, but there are also key differences.¡± I frowned. ¡°Differences?¡± Talia stepped forward again. ¡°The report you provided shows¡­¡± ¡°Is it necessary for this omega to be speaking here? What expertise does she have in this area?¡± Father asked, cutting Talia off. I could see Talia¡¯s jaw flex. Before the Alpha King could respond, Talia said, ¡°If you learned to keep your mouth shut for once, you would understand.¡± Father looked at Talia then at Alpha King. When the Alpha King didn¡¯t reprimand Talia, Father said, ¡°Well then, exin.¡± I had to keep from cringing as I knew that tone. A beating always cameter when Father used that tone. ¡°As I was saying, the report you provided, Alpha Jason,pared to the previous analysis, showed that the toxin was used but it missed keyponents that would be lethal,¡± Talia continued. Father scowled. ¡°That doesn¡¯t prove anything. The toxin used was still dangerous. The intent remains.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more. I had a third report. I had the blood tested that the toxin was pulled from to dose the Alpha King, thanks to Marco,¡± Talia countered, pulling out another report. She provided it to me and my father snatched it out of my hand to read. Father looked impatient and asked, ¡°And who is Marco?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my Beta,¡± Nn said tly. ¡°So, you have a biased witness. He could¡¯ve gotten that blood anywhere,¡± Father argued. ¡°Unlikely,¡± Healer Leslie interjected. ¡°I checked the sample myself. Beta Marco¡¯s batch of treated blood matches the one tested CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY SEVEN +25 Bonus from the wine sample, not the one from rogues. And before you say I¡¯m biased, I honestly couldn¡¯t give a damn about what is going on here.¡± Father frowned and said, ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean anything. The toxin was still used.¡± ¡°Healer Leslie, would you exin this for everyone present?¡± Alpha King asked. ¡°With pleasure. If you turn to page 2 of the report, what you¡¯re looking at is detoxified blood. Marco removed nearly all the lethal toxins, which is impressive for someone not in the medical field,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°Anyway, only trace elements remained that could cause a temporary uncontroble shift.¡± Father¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°A temporary uncontroble shift?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Leslie said. ¡°If the Alpha King had drank the wine, he would have shifted on the spot, but he would not have gone mad.¡± Father clenched his jaw. ¡°That¡¯s absurd. You¡¯re saying this was some kind of experiment? I don¡¯t believe that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Nn answered before Leslie could. ¡°The blood used came from a mad rogue my warriors and I killed in Bloodmoon territory nearly two years ago. It had been preserved for testing. Over time, the toxins lose their strength.¡± Leslie nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s correct. Even without detoxifying, the toxin¡¯s potency would begin to fade at time of death. Give it another year or so and the toxin would be no more.¡± ¡®Did you know about this?¡¯ my father¡¯s voice boomed through our mind link. ¡®No, I didn¡¯t. L.¡¯ ¡®I will have to clean up your mess once again. We will discuss thister,¡¯ my father snarled before closing the mind link. ¡°You expect us to believe this nonsense? That a jar of old blood, conveniently detoxified, was used for a harmless test?¡± Father growled. Leslie frowned and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know who you think you are, but I don¡¯t appreciate you doubting my medical expertise. So, let me put this in terms that you¡¯ll understand. Get your head out of your ass. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you believe it or not. Theb results prove it. The blood from the rogue and the one found in the King¡¯s wine don¡¯t match exactly.¡± Father took a step forward, his tone rising. ¡°Then where did this treated bloode from? How do we know this isn¡¯t fabricated?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Nn said, his voice calm but cutting, ¡°it was tested under the Alpha King¡¯s direct supervision this morning. Ask him yourself.¡± The room went silent again. The Alpha King finally spoke, ¡°He¡¯s right. I had the samples tested by my own people this meeting. The results confirm Healer Leslie¡¯s exnation. The toxin in question was diluted and nonlethal.¡± Father¡¯s face hardened. ¡°So, you¡¯re letting him go?¡± The King¡¯s tone grew firm. ¡°No. I¡¯m punishing him, but not for an assassination attempt. Alpha Nn acted recklessly and put my safety at risk. That cannot go unaddressed.¡± I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, The situation was salvageable. Would the Alpha King banish him, take away his title? Either option would be workable. Then, my stomach dropped as I heard the Alpha King¡¯s words, ¡°Alpha Nn, you will temporarily be relinquished of Alpha duties and be a warrior for the nightly patrols along the northern border until the end of the Sacrifice Ceremony. Consider it a reminder of your ce and responsibility,¡± Nn shrugged and said, ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± I clenched my fists. ¡°That¡¯s it? He admits to poisoning the wine, and you send him on patrol duty?¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY SEVEN +25 Bonus Father¡¯s temper red beside me. ¡°Your Majesty, with all due respect, this leniency will only embolden him. You know what he¡¯s capable of. You saw how he¡­¡± ¡°Enough, Elder Michael,¡± the Alpha Kingmanded. His Alpha aura filled the room, forcing us to submit to him. ¡°You may consider the punishment light, but I consider it fair. Alpha Nn¡¯s intentions were misguided, but not treacherous. The matter is closed.¡± The King turned to the guards. ¡°Escort Elder Michael and Alpha Jason out. The rest of you are dismissed.¡± We had no choice but to bow and step aside. As we turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of Nn. He met my gaze. I paled as Nn smirked. There was a murderous glint in his eyes as he mouthed ¡°see you soon¡± as the door closed behind me. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 128 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY EIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV De and I trained on the south practice grounds after breakfast. We started with simplebinations to warm up and then moved into defensive drills. I focused on my footing and kept my guard up. Without my wolf, I had to rely on technique. ¡°Good,¡± she said, circling me. ¡°Again. Elbow higher on the block. You drop it when you pivot.¡± I adjusted and repeated the move. The strikended square on the padded post. De nodded with approval. ¡°You¡¯re still a strong fighter,¡± she said. ¡°You just have to work harder until your wolf returns.¡± I caught my breath and rolled my wrists. ¡°Harder is fine. I just need to get used to this being my new normal.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get toofortable with it. Your wolf will be back in no time. If not before, then after the ceremony. Once you find your mate andplete the bond, she¡¯lle back. You know that,¡± De said. ¡°I know, I know. That¡¯s what the doctor keeps saying,¡± I said. ¡°We have records and elders who have lived through this,¡± De added. ¡°The bond restores bnce. Your body knows it. Your wolf knows it too.¡± I nodded, but I still felt uneasy about it. I wanted the mate given to me by the Moon Goddess, but perhaps having father choose for me was for the best. I returned to guard and signaled that I was ready to continue. We moved through another series. De feinted, and I countered. She grinned and said, ¡°That¡¯s it. You¡¯re getting better at reading me.¡± Footsteps approached from the path that led down from the armory. I looked over De¡¯s shoulder and saw Marco and Nn crossing the edge of the field. Marco lifted a hand in greeting. Nn wore a patrol jacket over a green shirt. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. I felt my heart flutter, and I looked away. ¡°Good morning,¡± Marco called. ¡°Did we interrupt?¡± ¡°No, we were just finishing up,¡± De said as she passed me a bottle of water. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± I asked. ¡°I was just exining to Alpha Nn where he¡¯ll be stationed for the next three nights,¡± Marco exined. ¡°Ah. How do you like being a subordinate?¡± De teased. Nn frowned and said, ¡°That Silverfang needs to do better with their defenses.¡± ¡°So, it is perfect that you will be patrolling. We can use your expertise,¡± I said sarcastically. Marco nced at Nn and I, feeling our tension and quickly changing the subject. ¡°So, you train every day now?¡± ¡°Trying to keep her from outpacing me,¡± De said, bumping my shoulder. ¡°She makes me lookzy.¡± I rolled my eyes at her and said, ¡°As if. You¡¯re still running circles around me.¡± Marco¡¯s attention moved to De and asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to check stock?¡± De gave Marco a confused expression before her eyes widened. She quickly looped arms with Marco and began walking away from us. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± De said. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll walk you back. Talia, I¡¯ll see youter?¡± ¡°Later,¡± I said. They left together toward the path behind the sheds. I bent to coil the practice wrap and slung it over my shoulder. I noticed that Nn hadn¡¯t left. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY EIGHT +25 Bonus ¡°I thought you had patrol assignments to review,¡± I said without looking at Nn. ¡°I do,¡± he said. ¡°Border duty suits you,¡± I said. Nn snorted. ¡°Sure.¡± I turned to leave. ¡°I was being serious earlier about using your expertise. If you see where we can improve, let Beta Logan know. Goodbye, Alpha Nn.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± he said. ¡°Before you go. I stopped and faced him. He held my eyes, then looked past me for a second, as if he was working out what he wanted to say. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little anxious. ¡°Why did you help me?¡± Nn asked. ¡°Technically, I didn¡¯t. You were still punished,¡± I replied. ¡°This isn¡¯t a punishment. It¡¯s a p on the wrist,¡± Nn stated. I kept my tone t. ¡°It was not because of our bond, if that is what you want to ask.¡± For a brief second, I thought I saw a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. ¡°Then why did you do it?¡± Nn asked. ¡°I am the Princess. It is my job to protect Silverfang,¡± I answered. ¡°I will not let Silverfang be dragged into turmoil over a false usation. I was protecting my pack, not you.¡± ¡°Then Marco has a bigger mouth than I thought,¡± he said under his breath. ¡°You should be d that he did. If I had not intervened, would you have really brought your warriors to destroy my pack, my home?¡± ¡°If the Alpha King chose to listen to false usations, he does not deserve the throne he sits on.¡± ¡°So that is a yes,¡± I said. ¡°Does it matter? It didn¡¯t happen. There¡¯s no point in discussing it,¡± Nn responded. ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide when the situation is over! You gave my father a reason to doubt you by dosing his wine. And now you say he does not deserve the throne if he believes the wrong man?¡± I snapped. ¡°I meant what I said, Princess,¡± he replied. ¡°If the Alpha King cannot tell the truth from a trap, he does not deserve the power he holds.¡± Something in me snapped. I saw him for what he had always been, He wasn¡¯t the man holding my hand while Iy in the hospital bed. This was him. Nn was an Alpha who would do anything to get what he wanted. ¡°The rumors were right about you,¡± I said. ¡°You are ruthless and without morals.¡± Nn didn¡¯t argue. I took a breath and said, ¡°After the ritual, we will reject each other. And I expect you¡¯ll leave Silverfang and nevere back.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 129 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY NINE Nn¡¯s POV I watched Talia walk away. I rubbed a hand over my face. I should go back to my room and take more of the herbs. Maybe they could dull the noise in my head. ¡®That won¡¯t fix anything,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®You drove her away, and now you¡¯re going to reject her? If you do, I¡¯ll never forgive you.¡¯ ¡°I had to,¡± I muttered. ¡°It¡¯s better this way.¡± ¡®Better for whom? You or her?¡¯ my wolf growled. I didn¡¯t answer. Even now, I could still feel the faint pulse of our bond. We were her second mates, but she was our only one. It must mean something, and yet, here I am trying to ignore it. I thought about what would happen after the Sacrifice Ceremony. The Alpha King would stand before the gathered Alphas, praising the Moon Goddess, and then, he¡¯d choose a mate for his daughter. He¡¯d pick someone with a strong lineage, a political advantage. It would be someone to strengthen his alliances. The idea of another man touching her caused irrational rage. ¡®You have no reason to be upset. You agreed to this,¡¯ my wolf said quietly. Before I could respond, a knock came from the door. ¡°Come in,¡± I said. Marco stepped inside, looking uneasy. ¡°You called for me?¡± he asked. ¡°I did,¡± I said. ¡°Sit.¡± Marco didn¡¯t move and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine standing.¡± ¡°We need to talk about what you told Talia,¡± I finally said. Marco didn¡¯t say anything as he waited for me to continue. I half expected him to apologize, but he maintained hisposure. ¡°You told her about my n to attack Silverfang. You told her everything,¡± I said sharply. ¡°I couldn¡¯t lie to my mate, and Talia needed to know,¡± Marco exined. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your decision.¡± ¡°It was,¡± he shot back. ¡°What did you just say?¡± I asked as I looked up in surprise. ¡°Talia needed to know what was at stake and what you were prepared to do if the Alpha King didn¡¯t see reason,¡± Marco exined. ¡°I know you, Nn. I¡¯ve seen you make rash choices when you¡¯re angry, and this was one of them. My job as your Beta isn¡¯t to follow you blindly; it¡¯s to stop you from destroying yourself when you stop thinking clearly.¡± I stared at him for a long moment. Marco didn¡¯t back down. It wasn¡¯t like I expected him to do. Marco thought out everything he did. Finally, I said, ¡°You overstepped.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I¡¯d rather live with your anger than a pile of innocent bodies. I don¡¯t want that, and I know you don¡¯t want that blood on your hands.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything. I wasn¡¯t going to argue with someone who believed they were wrong. ¡®Well, he is right,¡¯ my wolf huffed. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY NINE +25 Bonus Marco let out a slow breath. ¡°You know, I used to believe the Alpha King killed your father. Every sign pointed to him. His timing, his influence, and even his silence after the death. It all fits too well. But now, I¡¯m not so sure.¡± I raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Is this due to De?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just because of her,¡± Marco answered quickly. ¡°De and Talia told me that the Alpha King¡¯s wolf is gray and silver. That is nothing like the murderer.¡± That caught me off guard. I frowned. ¡°You¡¯re sure about this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Marco said firmly. ¡°Talia confirmed it as well. And if the King is not the murderer, we¡¯ve been chasing after the wrong person this entire time.¡± The idea that I had been holding a grudge against the Alpha King for so many years, only to find out I had been wrong, made my stomach twist. It would mean everything I had done up until now was all for nothing. ¡°If you haven¡¯t seen it yourself, then I don¡¯t believe it. They¡¯ll say and do anything to keep the Alpha King and Silverfang safe.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to see it myself,¡± Marco said. ¡°Think about it. If the Alpha King was truly guilty, would he spend years hunting the same rogues we¡¯re after? Would he risk his men, his reputation, and his own life chasing shadows just to keep up an act?¡± ¡°You sound like you¡¯re defending him,¡± I said coldly. ¡°I¡¯m not defending him. I want you to think without your pride. You¡¯re letting hate guide you,¡± Marco shot back. ¡°If the Alpha King was the killer, you wouldn¡¯t be standing here. He would¡¯ve had you executed after the poisoning incident.¡± He did have a point. This entire time I had been looking for something off with the Alpha King. There was nothing, not one blemish. Marco took a step closer. ¡°And if you really hated the King as much as you im, you could¡¯ve let Talia die. You didn¡¯t. You risked your life to bring her back.¡± ¡°I did what I had to,¡± I said. Marco snorted. ¡°You can¡¯t lie to me, Nn. You always say things like that when you don¡¯t want to admit the truth.¡± I red at him, but he didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°Enough, Marco.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re going to hear this,¡± Marco continued, ¡°you can keep pretending this bond doesn¡¯t matter. You can talk about rejecting her all you want. But the truth is, you¡¯re torn because you know walking away means losing the only person who ever made you feel anything real since your father¡¯s death.¡± ¡°Enough, Marco,¡± I snapped. He nodded slightly, ¡°Fine but you¡¯re not going to have the luxury to live in denial soon.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Other Alphas areing to Silverfang for the Sacrifice Ceremony,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯reing for alliances, for power, and for the princess. Three days from now, she¡¯ll belong to someone else. You have until then to decide whether you¡¯ll reject her or fight for her.¡± . Support Share 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 130 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY Talia¡¯s POV I spent the morning in Solon¡¯s office helping him organize letters from the other packs. His desk was buried under envelopes. I opened them one by one, read the contents, and sorted them into neat piles ording to arrival dates. ¡°How many so far?¡± Solon asked. ¡°Almost thirty,¡± I said. ¡°Half of them will arrive the day of the Sacrifice Ceremony, and the rest will arrive the day before. Some of them sent gifts too. I don¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going to store all of this.¡± ¡°That happens every year. The wealthier the Alpha, usually the more generous the gift,¡± Solon stated. ¡°So, every year each pack tries to gain Father¡¯s favor?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Solon replied. ¡°Every pack wants the same thing: an alliance through marriage if their Alpha hasn¡¯t found their Luna yet. Theye to the Sacrifice Ceremony to find mates or be provided with a chosen mate. It¡¯s the fastest way to strengthen their position. The difference this time is that they¡¯re trying to win the Alpha King¡¯s daughter.¡± I didn¡¯t like the idea of this. It made me feel like I was going to be sold to the highest bidder. ¡°And I have to meet all of them?¡± I asked. ¡°That¡¯s part of it,¡± Solon answered. ¡°But remember, there¡¯s nothing for you to do but be yourself. They¡¯ll be the ones trying to impress you.¡± ¡°Jason used toin about these ceremonies,¡± I said, almost absentmindedly. ¡°He said they were dull and full of people pretending to like one another.¡± Solon snorted and said, ¡°That sounds like him. He never told the truth when it would paint him in a bad light.¡± I smiled faintly. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. He always found ways to make things about himself.¡± I smiled at the memory, though it faded quickly. The only reason Jason never invited me was because he was ashamed of me. I didn¡¯t realize how much he did until he betrayed me with Viki. ¡°This will be your first time participating in the Sacrifice Ceremony,¡± Solon said, bringing me out of my thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t waste another thought on him. You should be thinking about how much fun it is going to be. ¡°I¡¯m just nervous,¡± I admitted. ¡°There will be so many eyes watching. So many expectations.¡± I still had the lingering feeling that I wasn¡¯t good enough. How couldn¡¯t I feel that way? Jason didn¡¯t want me and now, Nn. Solon¡¯s tone softened as he said, ¡°You have nothing to be nervous about, Talia. You are the Alpha King¡¯s daughter. You have more authority than any of the Alphas that¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± I said. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll feel more confident once De helps me pick something to wear.¡± ¡°That sounds like something De would say,¡± Solon said with a smirk. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong though.¡± I smiled. ¡°She¡¯s been reminding me every hour. She said confidence starts with what you wear.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t let her talk you into anything too outrageous. Herst dress caused a bit of chaos,¡± Solon said, and it made me think of the night when Nn and I caught Marco and De making out. There¡¯s no telling what else happened before Nn and I found them. Iughed and said, ¡°I promise I won¡¯t.¡± Solon nodded. ¡°Remember to wear your Rosecrest ne.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t forget it,¡± I said. I wore it to attend every important and official event. Having it on would feel like Mom was right there with me. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY +25 Bonus Before I could ask him about what Mom would normally wear to ceremonies, there was a knock at his door. ¡°Come in,¡± Solon called. De stepped inside, smiling brightly. ¡°There you are! I¡¯ve been looking all over for you.¡± ¡°What made youe here to look for me?¡± I asked. ¡°I assumed you¡¯d be here since you weren¡¯t in your usual spots,¡± she said cheerfully. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course. I wasing to ask if you are ready to pick gowns,¡± De replied. Solon grinned. ¡°Great minds think alike. We were just talking about that.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± De agreed with a wink. ¡°Nowe on, Talia. I¡¯ve been waiting all morning. The seamstress has new fabrics that just arrived from Windpaw, and you have to see them.¡± Solon¡¯ rolled his eyes and groaned, ¡°De, you¡¯re going to make us go bankrupt.¡± ¡°How dare you! For your information, the Alpha King requested new fabrics,¡± De said with mock offense. ¡°It¡¯s not every day the Princess will choose her mate.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that,¡± I groaned, rubbing a hand over my face. ¡°You¡¯re making this more serious than it should be.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nervous,¡± De said, waving her hand. ¡°Nothing to be nervous about. You¡¯re going to have those Alphas drooling over you.¡± Solon grimaced and Deughed. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re not used to this kind of talk, Solon. I¡¯m giving her confidence.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Solon muttered, but he smiled. ¡°I suppose I can take a break,¡± I said. Solon pretended to sigh dramatically. ¡°Of course. Leave me with all the boring work.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll survive,¡± I teased. De leaned toward his desk and said, ¡°Before I forget, you¡¯ll never guess who arrived just an hour ago.¡± Solon raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Colin Ashford,¡± she said, her tone full of excitement. ¡°The Alpha of Moonbrook. The guards saw him at the border, and apparently, he¡¯s brought a whole truckload of gifts!¡± 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 131 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Colin Ashford?¡± I repeated. ¡°That sounds familiar, but I can¡¯t remember where I heard it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Solon asked in surprise, and I shook my head. ¡°Colin¡¯s father used to visit during the early spring festivals. You and Colin used to y together all the time.¡± De nodded enthusiastically. ¡°You two were so cute ying.¡± I could only nod. I didn¡¯t remember Colin, nor did I remember ying with anyone outside of De and Solon. ¡°Colin is already here. You have to go see him, Talia,¡± De said gleefully. Solon grinned. ¡°Of course. I should greet him properly. It has been years since west met.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry. Who exactly is he again?¡± I asked. De sighed dramatically, putting her hands on her hips. ¡°You really don¡¯t remember, do you? You used to call him Colly. He followed you everywhere when we were little.¡± The memory hit me then. Anky green-eyed boy who would offer me candy whenever he had it. He always stuck by my side even when I was being mean. ¡°I remember now,¡± I said quietly. ¡°He was sweet. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s an Alpha now.¡± ¡°I mean what did you think he was going to be, Talia. He is the son of an Alpha,¡± De teased and I rolled my eyes. ¡°Not just any Alpha,¡± Solon said, amused. ¡°He runs one of the most stable packs in the region. Moonbrook¡¯s strength has tripled under his rule.¡± ¡°Really? We¡¯re talking about Colin? Lanky, nerdy boy that was afraid of butterflies?¡± ¡°The very one,¡± De said with a grin. ¡°And if I recall correctly, he had a little crush on you back then.¡± Solon chuckled. ¡°More than a little. You two were inseparable. Colin tried to follow you into every meeting Father had.¡± ¡°I remember that,¡± De said. ¡°He kept yelling about how the Princess had to be protected. The guards had to drag him out of the council chamber once.¡± I felt heat rise to my cheeks. ¡°Come on, I don¡¯t remember that.¡± ¡°Yes, you do. He even made you a rose crown,¡± Solon continued. ¡°It was adorable,¡± De added before nudging me. ¡°You should go greet him. He¡¯s probably already waiting for you in the main hall!¡± ¡°1¡­I don¡¯t know about that,¡± I said. ¡°Come on, Talia. It would be weird if you didn¡¯t greet him,¡± De said firmly. Solon grabbed his coat. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Father will already be with him by now. We shouldn¡¯t keep them waiting.¡± We made our way out of Solon¡¯s office with De half dragging me. The closer we got, the more nervous I became. I told myself it was silly to feel nervous, but I still couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. When we entered the main hall, Father was already there speaking with a tall man. ¡°That¡¯s Colin,¡± De whispered into my ear. Colin had changed a lot throughout the years. He exuded the confidence of an Alpha now. Younger me would never have CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY ONE +25 Bonus believed it. Colin was taller now and stockier, no longer thenky boy I remembered. His skin was fair, almost pale against his fine red hair, which he now kept closely shaved. A neatly trimmed beard and mustache framed his face to make him look older than he really was. I noticed how his pecs flexed as heughed. He really did fill out. ¡°Close your mouth girl. You¡¯re about to drool,¡± De teased, nudging me. I blushed harder when I noticed Colin had finally noticed me. ¡°Ah, there you are. I was wondering when you two would be joining us,¡± Father said, finally noticing us.. Solon bowed his head respectfully and said, ¡°We came as soon as we heard, Father.¡± Father turned to me and De. ¡°You remember Alpha Colin Ashford of Moonbrook, don¡¯t you?¡± I opened my mouth to speak, but Colinughed softly. ¡°How could she forget me? Though judging by her expression, I think she might have.¡± De grinned and said, ¡°Only a little.¡± ¡°I¡¯leave you young people to catch up. Make sure our guest isfortable.¡± With that, Father excused himself. Colin turned fully toward us, his smile warm. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to see all of you again. Talia, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°Hello, Colin, wee to Silverfang,¡± I said, returning the smile. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Wee? That¡¯s all?¡± I hesitated, and he leaned slightly closer, teasing, ¡°You used to call me Colly. You can still call me that if you want.¡± Iughed softly. ¡°That was a long time ago. We were children.¡± ¡°Then I suppose I¡¯ll have to remind you how it sounded,¡± he said, still smiling. ¡°But if it embarrasses you, we¡¯ll keep it between us. You can use it in private.¡± I blushed. Was he flirting with me? The wink he gave me confirmed it for me and my face grew hotter. De and Solon let out a quiet snicker behind me, but I ignored them. ¡°That might not be necessary,¡± I quickly said. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± Colin said gently. His expression softened, and for a moment, the confident Alpha faded, reced by the boy I remembered, ¡°I missed you, Talia.¡± His words caught me off guard and before I knew it, Colin had pulled me into a hug. He held on to me as if I would vanish. I didn¡¯t realize how much I needed this hug until I was in his arms. His warmth wasforting and I leaned into him. ¡°I missed you too, Colly,¡± I said. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 132 CHATTE ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY TWO Nn¡¯s POV Marco and I crossed the training field afterpleting the border patrol. We had been up since dawn, checking the southern perimeter and inspecting the guard rotations. It wasn¡¯tplicated work, but I was looking forward to sleeping. ¡°The prince is stirring things up again,¡± Marco muttered. ¡°Every time he adjusts the patrol routes, he leaves a mess for us to clean up. If he wants to look useful, he should at least learn the difference between north and northwest.¡± I ignored him, but Marco didn¡¯t stopining. ¡°He had the guards from the east wall moved to the inner yard yesterday. I had to cover the gap myself. He¡¯s making things harder than they need to be.¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be in this situation if you had done what you were supposed to do correctly,¡± I said finally. ¡°Just let it go.¡± Marco shot me a look. ¡°You¡¯re telling me to let it go? You, of all people?¡± ¡°With the Sacrifice Ceremonying up, there¡¯s more at stake than a few patrol shifts,¡± I said. ¡°If the one who killed my father is still around, a full gathering like this will bring him out. We need to be familiar with every potential way someone could sneak into Silverfang.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that for weeks,¡± Marco groaned in frustration. ¡°Do you really think the murderer is going to walk into Silverfang and announce himself?¡± ¡°Not in the way you think,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s clever, but we don¡¯t know what he wants. If we knew why he killed my father, then we could figure out what he ns on doing next. Since we don¡¯t have that information, we will need to be extra cautious.¡± Marco didn¡¯t respond. I felt relieved as I didn¡¯t have to hear himin anymore. That moment ended up being short lived because only a few momentster, Marco said quietly, ¡°You don¡¯t even talk about the Alpha King anymore.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°It means that for years you couldn¡¯t stop ming him for your father¡¯s death. Every lead we followed, you tied it back to him somehow. Now you don¡¯t mention him at all. You don¡¯t believe he did it anymore, do you?¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense,¡± I snapped. He raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Alright, forget I said anything.¡± We reached the main corridor that led to Solon¡¯s office. I nned to hand over the patrol report, butughter from ahead stopped me. It came from the open hall near the entrance. I turned toward it. Solon was standing near the great doors, speaking with De and Talia. Beside them stood a tall man with shaved red hair. He was close to Talia, too close. Talia¡¯sugh rang out again. I hadn¡¯t heard herugh like that since before everything fell apart. She never looked that at ease when she was near me, ¡®You didn¡¯t give her a reason to be at ease with you,¡¯ my wolf muttered. ¡°Who is that?¡± I asked. Marco followed my gaze. ¡°That¡¯s Colin Ashford,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Alpha of Moonbrook.¡± I turned to him. ¡°Moonbrook?¡± He nodded. ¡°Third strongest pack in the region.¡± ¡°What is he doing here so early?¡± I asked more so to myself than to Marco. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY TWO +25 Bonus ¡°Probably to meet Talia. De said he and Talia are childhood friends. De said Talia even nicknamed him ¡®Colly¡¯ or what.¡± Talia smiled again. This time it was softer, almost endearing. She looked up at him with the kind of warmth I didn¡¯t think she still had in her. I looked away. ¡°We¡¯ll report to Solonter,¡± I said. Marco frowned. ¡°You sure? Solon¡¯s expecting us. He¡¯s right there.¡± ¡°I saidter,¡± I replied as I began walking away. Marco studied me for a moment before nodding and following after me. ¡°Alright. You don¡¯t look like you want to stand there anyway.¡± ¡®Why are you lying to Marco, to yourself?¡¯ My wolf taunted me. ¡®Tell Marco the truth as to why you don¡¯t want to talk to Solon now.¡¯ I ignored him. ¡®You¡¯re jealous,¡¯ he hissed. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I muttered. ¡®You are. You couldn¡¯t even look at them for more than a minute,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡°Enough,¡± I said under my breath. Marco gave me a quick nce but didn¡¯tment. ¡®You hate that she looks at him that way,¡¯ my wolf continued. ¡®You hate that she smiles for him when she barely looks at you.¡¯ ¡°I said enough,¡± I growled. ¡®Admit it,¡¯ he said. ¡®You want to tear him away from her. You want to remind her who she belongs to.¡¯ ¡®She doesn¡¯t belong to anyone,¡¯ I responded. ¡®We¡¯re giving her up. That¡¯s what is safe for her.¡¯ ¡®You don¡¯t believe that,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®If you did, you wouldn¡¯t still be thinking about her every night.¡¯ I clenched my fists in frustration. I pushed him down. I didn¡¯t want to hear anymore of his taunts. ¡°Nn, are you sure you¡¯re alright? You¡¯ve been muttering to yourself,¡± Marco said. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said tly. He hesitated. ¡°You look ready to start a fight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I said. ¡°Go make yourself busy, Go talk to Solon. Report to him. Give him whatever excuse you can think of why I am not with you.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Marco said, turning around and going back from where we came. I made my way through the gardens to get back to my room. I purposely avoided Talia¡¯s garden. I wanted fresh air and not the scent of roses to remind me of her. The fresh air didn¡¯t help anyway. The memory of Talia¡¯s smile lingered in my mind, and the sound of herughter wouldn¡¯t fade. ¡®You can pretend all you want,¡¯ my wolf said, quieter now. ¡®But you¡¯re jealous that someone is getting attention that should be for us.¡¯ I clenched my hands until my ws dug faintly into my palms. ¡°I¡¯m not jealous,¡± I said again. ¡°I¡¯m furious.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 133 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY THREE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Over the past few days, it had be clear that my father and Solon were trying to push me and Colin closer together. Colin had been given a guest suite only a few doors from mine. Every time I went for a walk in the gardens or stopped by the training grounds, somehow Colin was already there, smiling and ready to talk. At dinner, Father often invited him to sit beside me. When I asked Solon about it, he just smirked and said it was ¡°good for diplomatic rtions.¡± De, of course, found the whole thing entertaining. ¡°Face it,¡± she said one morning as shey slouched on my couch. ¡°You and Colin look perfect together. I meane on, he followed you around like a lost puppy when you were little.¡± ¡°We were kids. That was so many years ago,¡± I said. De grinned. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. He still likes you. You can¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t see that.¡± I sighed. ¡°He¡¯s kind, and I like spending time with him, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s my mate.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s not,¡± De said, ¡°but you have to agree that having a chosen mate that wants to be with you is better than having a destined mate that doesn¡¯t want you.¡± Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit. De only knew about Jason. She had no idea that Nn also didn¡¯t want me either. ¡°Sorry, Talia. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you,¡± De apologized after seeing my solemn expression. ¡°It¡¯s fine, really,¡± I said with a shrug. The next day, Colin stopped by the rose garden while I was trimming the vines. ¡°You¡¯re working too hard,¡± he said as he took the shears away from me. ¡°Do you know what you are doing?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course I do. It was you that taught me how to take care of them,¡± Colin replied. ¡°and almost cut off my thumb in the process. 11 I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the memory. I had been so upset after he butchered one of my bushes that I put him through a crash course on how to take care of rose bushes. ¡°So, what are you doing out here?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought you might like to get out for a while,¡± Colin answered as he put the shears down. He looked faintly embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I was hoping to visit the previous waterfall. The one we used to y at. Thought you might want toe along.¡± The memory made me smile. ¡°The one near the ridge? I haven¡¯t been there in years.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Colin said. ¡°We can leave after lunch. See you then, Talia.¡± I watched him leave before I decided I needed to go inside to bathe. I found De lounging in my room. She noticed my flushed face and said, ¡°No way. He made a pass at you, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°What¡­what are you talking about?¡± I stammered. ¡°Unh-uh, don¡¯t y dumb with me. He asked you out on a date, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a date,¡± I said quickly. ¡°Oh my goddess, he did!¡± she eximed. ¡°Where? When? Give me all the details.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just going to the waterfall we used to y at when we were kids. It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± I answered. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY THREE +25 Bonus ¡°You just happen to be going to a romantic waterfall with the boy who¡¯s always liked you,¡± De said. ¡°That¡¯s a damn date. Go shower. Now we have to think about your entire wardrobe.¡± ¡°No, I am keeping it simple. This is not a date,¡± I told her firmly. ¡°Sure, if you say so,¡± De teased. After lunch, I met Colin near the stables. He was already waiting with two horses saddled. ¡°I thought we could switch it up,¡± Colin said. ¡°I haven¡¯t ridden a horse in a long time,¡± I said. Colin beamed at my response. I couldn¡¯t help but blush. We followed the trail leading out of the main gates. It felt peaceful as I listened to nature and the sound of hoof beats. Colin talked about Moonbrook, about how the pack was thriving after a difficult winter. I listened, genuinely enjoying the conversation. Then, halfway down the forest trail, a voice called from behind. ¡°Talia!¡± I cringed at the voice. Why couldn¡¯t he just leave me alone? I turned and saw Jason approaching. His eyes were wild with rage. ¡°What do you want now, Jason?¡± I asked. He stopped a few feet away, ring at Colin before turning his attention to me. ¡°I could ask you the same thing. Why are you with him?¡± ¡°Because I can,¡± I said. ¡°You just jump from one Alpha to another. Do you have any shame?¡± Jason snapped. ¡°Excuse me?! I don¡¯t know how many times I have to tell you this, but who I associate with is none of your business,¡± I growled. ¡°It is my business,¡± Jason said. ¡°You¡¯re my mate!¡± ¡°Watch your mouth, Alpha Jason,¡± Colin growled. It was low and deep, a tone I had never heard from him before. ¡°You should be careful what you say. That¡¯s quite the usation.¡± Jason¡¯s re shifted to him. ¡°You need to stay out of this.¡± ¡°Jason,¡± I said sharply, ¡°you need to stop this. We are over.¡± ¡°You heard her,¡± Colin chimed in. ¡°Besides, shouldn¡¯t you be worrying about your own pack? From what I hear, Shadoww¡¯s influence is fading fast. Moonbrook might surpass you soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll never happen,¡± Jason fumed, ¡°Whatever you say, Alpha,¡± Colin said. ¡°Now, leave us alone. You¡¯re ruining our date.¡± Jason¡¯s jaw clenched as he watched us leaving. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said softly. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to be dragged into that.¡± Colin waved it off. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. If anything, I¡¯m d I was here. He shouldn¡¯t speak to you like that.¡± We continued the ride in silence after that. The trail wound through the forest until we reached the clearing by the waterfall. Mist rose from the water¡¯s edge and sparkled in the sunlight. ¡°It hasn¡¯t changed much,¡± Colin said, dismounting. ¡°Still as beautiful as I remember.¡± I smiled, looking at the sunlight reflecting off the water. ¡°It feels smaller now.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY THREE +25 Bonus ¡°Maybe we just got taller,¡± he said with a grin. Iughed. ¡°Maybe.¡± We sat near the rocks with our horses grazing nearby. After a while, I broke the silence. ¡°It was smart to tell him it was a date. I am sure Jason is still angry about it now.¡± Colinughed nervously and said, ¡°Well, I thought it sounded better than just saying I wanted to spend time with you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°When I heard you¡¯d married Jason, I was angry, mostly at myself. I should¡¯ve told you how I felt back then, but I didn¡¯t. I kept overthinking it and by the time I wanted to, it was toote.¡± His honesty startled me. ¡°Colin¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t change the past. All I have is the present. I want to be with you, Talia. Not out of pity, not because of your title, but because I¡¯ve always cared about you. Let me make you happy. Be my mate.¡± I looked at him, unsure what to say. Part of me was touched, and another part afraid. I really wish my wolf was back. She would know what to say. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted. ¡°So much has happened. I need time.¡± Colin nodded, smiling gently. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait. I¡¯ve waited this long already. A little longer won¡¯t matter.¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 134 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY FOUR Nn¡¯s POV I couldn¡¯t wait for this day to be over. I had been assigned to go on patrol with Solon. It was clear neither one of us wanted this. Even though I made peace with the Alpha King, Solon still held a grudge. Solon walked beside me, scrolling through something on his phone before tucking it into his jacket. ¡°You know,¡± he said, breaking the silence, ¡°you were supposed to file yourst report two days ago.¡± ¡°I was busy,¡± I replied. ¡°The western fence sensor was down. I stayed behind to fix it.¡± He sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do everything yourself, Alpha Nn. That¡¯s why you have patrol teams. You could¡¯ve told someone else to handle it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how mistakes happen. I saw it, I fixed it. Your warriors need to learn how to do that as well,¡± I said simply. Solon muttered something other than his breath. I decided not to antagonize him. I focused on the birds chirping in the trees. We walked a few more steps in silence before he added, ¡°You¡¯re lucky my father¡¯s in a good mood. After tomorrow, once the ritual¡¯s done, you¡¯ll be free to leave Silverfang.¡± I stopped mid-stride. ¡°You think I want to leave?¡± He shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing but re and antagonize at us since you got here. Trust me, no one¡¯s going to stop you.¡± Before I could respond, the wind picked up and it brought a familiar scent. Solon noticed it too. He turned around to see someone stepping out from between the trees. It was Jason. He looked annoyed as he approached us. ¡°Alpha Jason? What are you doing here?¡± Solon asked, clearly irritated. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be with your pack, not wandering through restricted areas.¡± ¡°Do you know where Talia is?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Because I do.¡± I felt my pulse quicken. ¡°What about her?¡± ¡°She went out with Colin, the Alpha from Moonbrook. They¡¯re at the waterfall together. He called it a date,¡± Jason replied. My stomach tightened. ¡°A date?¡± I repeated slowly. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you,¡± Jason said coldly. ¡®The little rat. We still need to make him pay for setting us up,¡¯ my wolf growled. Before I could respond, Solon cut in. ¡°So, what is the problem?¡± Solon asked. ¡°You should probably send guards to check on her before it gets dark. That trail isn¡¯t exactly safe,¡± Jason snapped. ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Solon said firmly before I could speak. ¡°Alpha Colin knows the area. I trust him.¡± ¡°You trust too easily. What if¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you think, Jason,¡± Solon snapped, cutting him off. ¡°You need to learn to mind your own business. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be getting ready to try to pursue my sister? How are you supposed to do that if you keep running in behind Talia? Jason¡¯s face turned a deeper shade of red. He turned and disappeared into the woods without another word. Solon and I continued patrolling, but I couldn¡¯t get my mind off the fact that Talia was on a date. ¡°You trust Alpha Colin that much?¡± I asked. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY FOUR +25 Bonus ¡°Yes,¡± Solon said. ¡°He¡¯s one of the few Alphas who¡¯s reliable, loyal, and level-headed.¡± ¡°Sounds like you admire him.¡± ¡°I respect him,¡± Solon corrected. ¡°He¡¯s been a friend to this pack since we were children. If he bes Talia¡¯s mate, I¡¯d wee it.¡± My wolf bristled immediately. ¡®He is talking about giving our mate away,¡¯ he growled. ¡°You really think handing her off like that makes her safer?¡± I asked. ¡°The alternative is allowing Jason to mark her again and I refuse to let that happen,¡± Solon replied and for once, I agreed with him. ¡°Colin would cherish and treat her the way she deserves. Talia deserves to be happy. She¡¯s been through enough.¡± Rage burned through me and I turned away so Solon couldn¡¯t see my expression. My nose red as I took calming breaths. I had already epted that we wouldn¡¯t be together. I needed to let this go. ¡°You should focus on your duty,¡± Solon said. ¡°My father said that he wanted your help to pick a mate for Talia, but we don¡¯t need your help. We appreciate you saving her, but you shouldn¡¯t concern yourself with her anymore.¡± Solon¡¯s voice faded into background noise. My wolf¡¯s voice grew louder. ¡®You hear him? He¡¯s trying to remove you from the equation. Are you going to let him do that?¡¯ ¡®Be quiet,¡¯ I growled. ¡®You can¡¯t ignore this,¡¯ my wolf pressed. ¡®She¡¯s ours. If you let her go, you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life. I will make you regret it.¡¯ ¡®She made her choice. She doesn¡¯t even want me anymore,¡¯ I said, though I didn¡¯t even believe it. ¡®Liar.¡¯ Solon kept walking ahead, muttering something about finishing the route. I stayed behind for a moment, staring through the trees. The forest was calm, but my mind wasn¡¯t. Every instinct screamed at me to find her. ¡°We¡¯re almost done. Don¡¯t start something you¡¯ll regret, Nn. You¡¯ve already caused enough trouble,¡± Solon said, bringing me out of my thoughts. I didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Nn,¡± he said again, turning toward me. ¡°Whatever¡¯s going through your head, stop it.¡± I gave him a curt nod, ¡°Understood.¡± But as soon as he turned away, I took a step off the trail, then another. The scent of her lingered faintly in the air. I could picture her already. Her hair catches the soft rays of sunlight. Her eyes reflected the water. And beside her, Colin, smiling like he had no right to. The thought filled me with rage. I didn¡¯t think. I just moved. My feet hit the dirt path faster and faster until the trees blurred past me. ¡°Nn!¡± Solon¡¯s voice echoed faintly behind me, but I ignored it. My wolf pushed harder, his voice clear in my head. ¡®Don¡¯t let him take her. She¡¯s ours!¡¯ I clenched my fists as I ran. No one would take her from me. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 135 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV After taking a shower, I copsed onto the bed, letting the cool sheets soothe me. The day had left me tired. Colin and I spent the rest of the afternoon catching up at the waterfall. We even went swimming. I should have been exhausted and ready for sleep, but my thoughts refused to calm down. ¡°I can¡¯t change the past. All I have is the present. I want to be with you, Talia. Not out of pity, not because of your title, but because I¡¯ve always cared about you. Let me make you happy. Be my mate,¡± Colon had told me. His confession continued to echo in my mind. It had been simple and straightforward, better than Jason¡¯s terrible marriage proposal. But, Colin had always been the straightforward type. Finally, a man was choosing me. I should have felt relief, maybe even excitement, but I didn¡¯t feel anything other than being ttered. Being around Colin was easy. I couldugh freely. I did not have to worry about watching my tone or what I said. Everything about him felt safe. Still, my heart didn¡¯t race when I was with him. I pressed my palms against my face and sighed. ¡°Maybe it¡¯lleter,¡± I told myself. It was known that chosen mates dide to love each other so much that their bond felt like a fated bond. If my wolf were still with me, she could tell me what to do. She¡¯d know whether Colin was truly meant for me or if this strange pull toward Nn wasn¡¯t the actual mate bond. I turned onto my back, ced a pillow on my face, and screamed into it. I thought about Nn again, even though I didn¡¯t want to. No matter how hard I tried to ignore or avoid him, he was always there either physically in front of me or taking up space in my mind. I groaned softly and threw the pillow to the floor. ¡°I have to stop doing this,¡± I muttered. ¡°He¡¯s not thinking about me. He agreed to give me away to another Alpha, so why am I still thinking about him?!¡± A knock interrupted my thoughts. ¡°Come in,¡± I called, expecting De. Sure enough, she appeared with her usual burst of energy. She held two long garment bags over her shoulder. ¡°Good, you¡¯re not asleep. We have work to do.¡± ¡°Work?¡± I asked, sitting up slowly. ¡°Outfit testing,¡± she announced as sheid the bags on the bed. ¡°The Sacrifice Ceremony is tomorrow, and I am not taking any chances. We¡¯re going to make sure everything is perfect. We don¡¯t have time forst-minute disasters,¡± ¡°De, the ceremony doesn¡¯t even start until 10am. We can just get up early in the morning,¡± I said. ¡°No, we¡¯re doing this right now,¡± she said, unzipping one of the bags. ¡°If something doesn¡¯t fit or needs adjusting, I can fix it tonight. You don¡¯t want to be panicking in the morning.¡± I sighed. ¡°You¡¯re taking this too seriously.¡± De grinned and said, ¡°Not at all. I am your Beta, and this is part of my duty. Someone¡¯s got to make sure you, the princess, looks perfect.¡± She pulled out the first gown. It was an ice-blue dress with a fitted bodice and delicate silver beading that shimmered in themplight. ¡°Try this one first. The seamstress said the previous Luna often wore this color.¡± The idea of my mother wearing this gown made me smile. I wanted to ask Solon about it but never got around to doing it. I slipped into the gown. The fabric was breathable and soft against my skin. I turned toward the mirror and gasped. The gown fit CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY FIVE +25 Bonus perfectly, emphasizing every one of my curves. De sped her hands together. ¡°You look incredible!¡± ¡°You think so?¡± I asked, turning slightly. ¡°I know so,¡± she said proudly. ¡°Now try the other one before I change my mind.¡± She handed me the second dress. It was a silver-white gown. It was elegant and something I normally would wear. ¡°Why do I have to? I want to wear the blue dress,¡± I told her. ¡°You always need a backup n,¡± De stressed. ¡°You could wake up bloated or something.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yes, now try it on!¡± As I started to unzip the blue dress, De suddenly gasped. ¡°The belt! I left it in my room. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°You can grab itter,¡± I said, but she was already halfway to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be quick!¡± she called over her shoulder. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving me alone. I hung the blue gown carefully over the chair and then grabbed the silver gown. I stepped into it and pulled it up over my shoulders. I heard the door open. ¡°That was fast,¡± I said as I struggled to reach the zipper at my back. I was able to get it halfway up, but now it was out of reach. De, a little help, please.¡± There was no response, and De didn¡¯te over to help. ¡°De? What are you doing? I need help. This was your idea, remember,¡± I said. Footsteps approached behind me. I felt the zipper slide up my back. ¡°Thanks. What were you doing? Did Marco link with you or something?¡± I asked as I turned back to the mirror. ¡°You always get distracted when he¡­¡± The words caught in my throat. My heartbeat quickened as I stared at my reflection. Right behind me wasn¡¯t De. It was Nn. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you ÈÕ Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 136 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV For a moment, I couldn¡¯t move. I stood frozen staring at Nn. His presence was so unexpected that my mind struggled to catch up. ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± I said quietly, my voice barely steady. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He didn¡¯t answer right away. His eyes were dark with anger and something else I couldn¡¯t name. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have gone with him,¡± he finally said. I frowned. ¡°What?¡± ¡°With Colin,¡± he snapped. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have gone into the forest with him. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?¡± ¡°How do you even know about that?¡± I asked, startled. ¡°Jason told me. He said you went to the waterfall with Colin, on a date. I searched the entire forest for you. For hours,¡± Nn replied. I blinked in disbelief. ¡°You searched for me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Anything could have happened to you.¡± My pulse quickened at the thought that Nn cared that much to look for me. Then, I mentally cursed myself. Why was I getting flustered over this? Nn didn¡¯t want me. He basically was acting like Jason. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that,¡± I told him. ¡°I know Colin. I was fine with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± he snapped. ¡°You went off with another Alpha without telling anyone. That¡¯s reckless, even for you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to lecture me. You¡¯re not my Alpha. You¡¯re barely even¡­¡± I stopped midsentence. I didn¡¯t want to be rude. I just wanted him to leave. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Barely even what, Talia?¡± I hesitated, then said, ¡°Barely even my mate.¡± Nn took a sharp breath, but before he could respond, I added, ¡°You should leave.¡± He ignored me and stepped closer instead. ¡°Was it really a date?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± I said, stepping back to maintain space between us. ¡°The hell it isn¡¯t,¡± Nn growled. ¡°You lost the right to ask questions like that when you decided we¡¯d reject each other,¡± I snapped. ¡°I never agreed to that,¡± he shot back. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t mark me!¡± I eximed. ¡°That¡¯s not the same thing,¡± Nn said. ¡°Then what is it?¡± I demanded. ¡°You¡¯ve done nothing but push me away, and now you¡¯re angry because I spent time with someone else?¡± Nn didn¡¯t answer. His chest rose and fell faster now. Again, he wasn¡¯t telling me the truth, and I didn¡¯t want to deal with him any longer. CHAPTEYONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SIX +25 Bonus ¡°Just go,¡± I said quietly. ¡°After tomorrow, we¡¯ll be done. You¡¯ll get what you want.¡± ¡°You really think that¡¯s what I want?¡± Nn demanded. ¡°That¡¯s really what you think?¡± Before I could respond, he closed the distance between us. His hand caught the back of my neck. The warmth of his hand made me jerk, but he kept a firm grip on my neck. ¡°Nn, what are you¡­¡± Then he kissed me. I froze at first, stunned, but then the bond ignited like fire under my skin. I tried to push him away, but my body betrayed me. My fingers curled into his shirt instead. Every breath I took filled with his scent. It was impossible to resist. I hated how my body responded, how every part of me ached for him even when I didn¡¯t want to. Nn deepened the kiss, and for one terrifying, thrilling second, I stopped fighting. He pushed me up against the mirror. His free hand gripped my hip tightly. Then, a scream stopped everything. ¡°What in the Moon Goddess¡¯ name is going on here?!¡± De¡¯s voice cut through the haze like a de. I jerked back, breaking the kiss. Nn froze too.. De stood in the doorway, eyes wide with shock and disbelief. ¡°You two¡­ you two are mates or what?!¡± Before I could even think of a response, she strode across the room and shoved Nn hard in the chest. ¡°Get out!¡± she shouted. Nn didn¡¯t resist. His expression flickered between guilt and anger. He hesitated in the doorway. ¡°GET.THE.HELLOUT!¡± she snarled. Nn looked at me once, like he wanted to say something, but I couldn¡¯t meet his eyes. After another moment of silence, he turned and walked out. The door shut behind him with a heavy thud. De spun toward me and yelled, ¡°Are you kidding me right now?¡± ¡°L..¡± ¡°How long have you been hiding this from me?¡± she demanded. ¡°You and Nn? When were you nning to tell me? Never?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like,¡± I said weakly. She gave a disbelievingugh. ¡°Oh, it looks exactly like what it looks like. I walk in and find you two making out before the biggest ceremony of the year!¡± ¡°De, please,¡± I said, lowering my voice. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. We¡¯re not¡­¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Not what? Mates?¡± I sighed, rubbing my temple, ¡°We are. But it doesn¡¯t even matter. We¡¯re going to reject each other after the ceremony.¡± Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Reject each other? After what I just saw?¡± My face burned with embarrassment. ¡°I don¡¯t know what got into him. He kissed me. I didn¡¯t kiss him.¡± De threw her hands up. ¡°He was not acting like a man that wanted to reject his mate. What are you doing, Talia?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said quietly. ¡°I thought that rejection was the n, but now I don¡¯t know anymore.¡± +25 Bonus She frowned, her tone softening. ¡°Talia, do you even know what you want?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I admitted. ¡°Everything¡¯s a mess. I thought I wanted to move on, to make things simple, but he keeps doing things that confuse me.¡± She exhaled slowly, watching me. ¡°You want to know what I think?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s jealous.¡± The word caught me off guard. ¡°Jealous?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said, her tone matter of fact. ¡°You went on a date with Colin, and suddenly Nn¡¯s storming in here, acting like you belong to him. He¡¯s definitely jealous.¡± I stared at her. ¡°No, that can¡¯t be it. He doesn¡¯t even want me.¡± De raised an eyebrow. ¡°You really believe that? Actions speak louder than words, Talia.¡± She stepped closer and ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not saying he¡¯s right for you. I¡¯m just saying, maybe think about giving him another chance.¡± For the first time in a long while, I had no idea what I felt. P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 137 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SEVEN CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus The morning of the Sacrifice Ceremony arrived faster than I expected. I barely got any sleep as I couldn¡¯t get the kiss with Nn out of my mind. De brought me coffee and had applied makeup to expertly hide the bags under my eyes. She stood behind me, adjusting the final curl in my hair. ¡°Hold still,¡± she said as her tongue stuck out slightly as she concentrated. ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that for an hour,¡± I groaned. De red at me through the mirror. ¡°That¡¯s because you keep turning your head. I swear if you keep moving I will start over.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°Try me,¡± De said with a smirk. I stayedpletely still and after another ten minutes, De stepped back. ¡°There. Done.¡± Before I could respond, there was a knock at the door. De went to open it. Leslie stood in the doorway wearing a red gown that stopped just above her knees. Her bright hair was tied into a high ponytail, and her usual carefree expression had been reced with a confident smile. ¡°Well, don¡¯t you look amazing,¡± I said honestly. Leslie smiled, twirled once, and said, ¡°I try.¡± ¡°Wow. Red suits you. I didn¡¯t even know you owned a dress that didn¡¯t have a pocket full of herbs,¡± De said. ¡°Funny,¡± Leslie said with a grin. ¡°I left them at the cabin. Figured I should look like a normal person for once.¡± I gestured toward the vanity. ¡°Come in. We were just getting ready.¡± Leslie stepped inside, eyeing my gown with an approving nod. ¡°So, you¡¯re going with the ice blue one. Good choice. It makes you look radiant.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°You look like a femme fatale with that red on.¡± ¡°I figured if I¡¯m going to spend the evening watching wolves hook up with each other, I might as well look gorgeous while doing it,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°You sure you didn¡¯t dress like this to lure yourself a mate?¡± De teased. Leslie smiled mysteriously. ¡°Maybe I am. I didn¡¯t take my herbs today.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t!¡± I gasped. She nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I thought it might be fun to see what happens if I let fate decide.¡± De gasped dramatically. ¡°The great Healer Leslie willingly taking a chance on the mate bond? I thought I would¡¯ve never seen. the day.¡± Leslieughed. ¡°Don¡¯t sound so surprised. I¡¯m notpletely against the idea of a mate. I just don¡¯t like the idea of being told what to feel.¡± ¡°Oh, you say that now. But when you meet your mate, the bond will change everything. It always does,¡± De warned. ¡°You sound like you¡¯re speaking from experience,¡± Leslie said. De grinned. ¡°Maybe I am. It took me a while to admit it, but the Moon Goddess knows what she¡¯s doing. Sometimes you just have to let go and trust.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY SEVEN +25 Bonus I nodded quietly. ¡°That¡¯s true. Not all bonds make sense right away.¡± Leslie looked at me and then smiled knowingly. ¡°Seems like something happened to you.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but blush. De quickly jumped in, much to my relief, and pivoted the attention away from me. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Leslie, when it happens, you¡¯ll be the same way.¡± Leslie chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± De turned back to me. She picked up a small velvet box from the table. ¡°Now, for the final touch.¡± She opened it and lifted out the Rosecrest ne. The silver chain glimmered in the light, the small moonstone pendant catching faint hues of blue and gold. It was the same ne my mother had once worn during her own ceremony. (2) De sped it around my neck. ¡°Perfect. Now you¡¯re ready.¡± Leslie let out a low whistle before saying, ¡°You¡¯re not a Princess today. You¡¯re a Goddess!¡± De nodded in agreement. ¡°Absolutely. You¡¯re going to have to beat the Alphas off you.¡± Iughed, shaking my head. ¡°You two are ridiculous.¡± I almost believed them. The woman staring back at me looked calm andposed, nothing like the confused mess I¡¯d been just days ago. There was another knock on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± I called. Solon entered. He was dressed in a formal ck suit with a silver crest pinned to his jacket. He looked me over and gave a small approving smile. ¡°You look beautiful, little sister. The ceremony¡¯s starting soon. Father¡¯s¡­¡± Solon stopped in midsentence. ¡°Solon?¡± I asked as I turned to look at him. His mouth was agape. His eyes were on Leslie. His nose red and his eyes widened. I looked at Leslie, who also had a deer in the headlights expression before swearing under her breath. ¡°Fucking hell.¡± ¡°Mate¡­¡± Solon blurted out and walked towards Leslie. 1 ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± Leslie muttered as she put her hands out to stop Solon from getting closer to her. ¡°I need air. Or maybe a cliff to jump off.¡± ¡°Leslie, wait,¡± De said, reaching after her, but Leslie was already halfway out the door. The door closed behind her, leaving the rest of us in stunned silence. Solon looked at the door. I could tell he was fighting the urge to run after Leslie. ¡°De, go check on Leslie. Make sure she¡¯s okay,¡± I said. ¡°Got it,¡± De said quickly. She grabbed her clutch and hurried out of the room. When she was gone, I ced a hand on Solon¡¯s arm, breaking his focus on the door. He looked down at me, looking conflicted. I felt for him. I knew how it felt to have a mate that didn¡¯t want the mate bond at first. ¡°I know this is a lot right now, but we need to go,¡± I said gently. ¡°The ceremony is about to start.¡± ¡°This day just keeps getting longer,¡± he sighed. ¡°Come on,¡± I said, linking my arm with his. ¡°You can panic after the ceremony.¡± +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 138 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY EIGHT Nn¡¯s POV The ceremony grounds were already full by Sam. Every Alpha from the major packs had gathered. Their banners disyed along the outer walls in multiple shades of silver, gold, crimson, and blue. Strings of lights hung between the old pines. Their glow catching on polished stone and silver decorations. The stage had been rebuilt since thest celebration. Its wide steps leading to an altar were covered in white cloth and bowls of moon lilies. I sat in the front row. Around me, people were talking. I didn¡¯t need to listen closely to know what they were saying. Word of me poisoning the Alpha King spread quickly, and the fact that I was still alive seemed to unsettle them. No one dared to meet my eyes for long. I¡¯d grown used to the way people looked at me with fear, curiosity, and barely concealed distrust, so I didn¡¯t care. Then. Jason and Michael walked toward the front. I felt my wolf bristle within me. I ignored him. We would y nice today. ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± he said lightly as they approached. ¡°A grand ce, isn¡¯t it?¡± I didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°That depends on how you define grand,¡± I said. Michael chuckled and took the seat to my right, with Jason beside him. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you. I trust there are no hard feelings after the inquiry?¡± I turned my head just enough to meet his gaze. ¡°You mean the inquiry you staged to have me executed?¡± His smile faltered for half a second, but he recovered quickly. ¡°Business between Alphas can get messy. No need to dwell on the past.¡± ¡°I am not dwelling,¡± I told him. ¡°A shame that Jason forgot what I told him when we first became allies.¡± Jason shifted ufortably but said nothing. I would get even with them. If they thought they were safe, they were fools. I focused my attention back on the stage, ending the conversation. The murmurs around us quieted as another Alpha made his way down the aisle. It was Alpha Colin. He carried himself with the same calm confidence I remember from the first time I saw him: confident, charming, and far tooposed. His pack¡¯s crest gleamed on the shoulder of his tailored coat. When he reached my row, his eyes flicked toward me, and then down to the empty seat on my left. ¡°Mind if I sit here?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s a free seat,¡± I replied evenly. He smiled and sat down. ¡°Good. I was beginning to think everyone was afraid of you.¡± ¡°They are,¡± I said without humor. He chuckled softly, unbothered. ¡°Fear and respect often look the same from the outside.¡± I didn¡¯t respond. His tone was too light. I knew that type of confidence. It was the kind born from inheriting power versus working for it. It irritated me more than it should have. Colin nced sideways at me, and I returned his gaze. ¡°Is there something on my face, Alpha Colin?¡± ¡°You look tired, I have to say.¡± ¡°Long night.¡± ¡°You should drink Moonlight Spring water when this is over. It helps.¡± 13 CHAMES ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY EIGHT +25 Bonus I frowned slightly and asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The water they use during the ceremony,¡± Colin exined. ¡°Each year, the Alpha King collects it himself from the Moonlight Spring during the full moon. Only a few sks are ever drawn. They say it¡¯s blessed by the Moon Goddess. It restores strength, purifies energy, that sort of thing.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re supposed to drink it?¡± I asked. Colin nodded. ¡°At the end of the Sacrifice Ceremony, every Alpha receives a cup. It¡¯s symbolic of the Moon Goddess blessing her chosen leaders.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°You actually believe that?¡± I asked. Colin smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen stranger things in this world.¡± I didn¡¯t answer. Instead, I looked toward the altar, where attendants were preparing the ceremonial table. The faint silver gleam of the sacred water caught my eye. ¡°Don¡¯t look so skeptical,¡± Colin said. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be part of this ceremony. Even for you.¡± ¡°Even for me?¡± I repeated. He shrugged lightly. ¡°Your reputation precedes you, Bloodmoon Alpha. Most wouldn¡¯t have been invited after an investigation like that.¡± ¡°Maybe the Alpha King wanted to keep his enemies close,¡± I said dryly. Colin chuckled again and said, ¡°Maybe.¡± His calm made me feel uneasy. There was something disarming about him. His personality made you want to like him. I could see why the Silverfang court liked him. I could also see why Talia smiled so easily when he was near. The sound of the ceremonial bell rang through the courtyard, silencing the crowd. Every Alpha, Luna, Beta, and Elder turned their attention to the grand staircase as the Alpha King emerged. He wore ceremonial robes of deep silver trimmed with white fur. Solon followed closely behind him. He was in a ck suit with the Silverfang crest on his chest. He looked confident, but there was something in his eyes. He looked off. Then I saw her. The ice blue gown shimmered as Talia walked beside Solon. Her steps were graceful, her expression serene, but my wolf became restless the moment I saw her. She looked not just beautiful, but divine. My wolf growled softly inside my head, a mix of awe and admiration. Colin straightened beside me. I didn¡¯t need to look at him to know his gaze was fixed on her too. I pushed my anger down. This wasn¡¯t the time to pick fights even if my wolf urged me to do so. The crowd erupted in apuse as the Alpha King reached the altar. He raised his hands, calling for silence. ¡°Wee, brothers and sisters,¡± he began. ¡°Today, with the blessing of the Moon Goddess, we renew our vows of loyalty and sacrifice. This marks the bond between our packs: a unity of strength, blood, and spirit.¡± He turned slightly toward Solon and Talia. ¡°To open this ceremony, my children, the prince and princess of Silverfang, will present the Moonlight Spring water to the altar.¡± A murmur of excitement rippled through the crowd. Solon and Talia stepped forward. For a moment, she looked directly at me. Then, Talia focused on her task as though I meant nothing to her. I hated to admit that it made my heart ache. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY FIGHT ¡®What did you expect?¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®You did everything but reject her. You deserve her ignoring you.¡¯ +25 Bonus The apuse rose again as she and Solon ced the silver chalice upon the altar. Beside me, Colin pped politely. Jason and Michael looked at Talia in disbelief. Then, Jason began turning a dark shade of red. Seeing Jason¡¯s humiliation soothed the ache in my heart just a little. P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 139 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY NINE Jason¡¯s POV I stood frozen among the gathered Alphas, unable to take my eyes off Talia. The same woman I had humiliated and rejected stood before us wearing the royal crest of Silverfang. And it seemed like everyone knew but me. The lies, the secrecy, the unexined protection she enjoyed, all of it made sense now. Talia was never a ything for Solon. He was simply looking out for his sister. ¡®You made assumptions and insulted her,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®You deserve to be lied to.¡¯ I swallowed hard and forced myself to breathe evenly. Around me, the other Alphas kept theirposure. I met Nn¡¯s gaze. His mouth twisted in something between amusement and disdain. I could almost hear his unspoken thought: that I, Alpha Jason of Shadoww, was once again the fool in the room. Embarrassment burned through me, but it was quickly reced with rage. My father¡¯s voice echoed in my head. ¡®Calm yourself, ¡® he growled. ¡®You will not embarrass me by throwing a tantrum here.¡¯ The Alpha King raised his hand for silence. Everyone obeyed instantly. ¡°Today, we give thanks for peace and the promise of unity,¡¯ he began. One by one, the Alphas knelt. Solon and Talia joined the Alpha King in prayer. I lowered my head, not in reverence, but to hide the storm gathering behind my eyes. How the hell could she not tell me she was the Princess? I would have never allowed Viki to seduce me. ¡®And if she had told you, she¡¯d never have learned that your love for her was conditional,¡¯ my wolf snarled. ¡®Shut up,¡¯ I told him. ¡®You only want me to shut up because you know it is true,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®I warned you about Viki, but you wouldn¡¯t listen to me.¡¯ I ignored him and tried to focus on the prayer. My mind was racing. All the signs were there, and I had missed them all. Talia had helped Shadoww so much as Luna. I should have known that no omega would be able to handle the pack affairs so well. Why didn¡¯t I see it? ¡®Because you didn¡¯t want to,¡¯ my wolf whispered. When the prayer ended, attendants carried out trays of crystal sks. Solon passed them first to his sister. Talia moved down the line of Alphas, offering each a small vial of Moonlight Spring water. I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to apologize to her, but she didn¡¯t look at me as she gave me the vial. She acted as if I was a stranger, not even worth a second nce. My father¡¯s voice filled my mind again. ¡®Calm yourself. Do not make me tell you again.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m trying.¡¯ ¡°Try harder. We will deal with thister. I will request a meeting with the Alpha King,¡¯ my father said. That didfort me a little, only until I realized that the Alpha King knew about me cheating on Talia and rejecting her. He would never agree with her being my mate again. The Alpha King lifted his cup and dered, ¡°To the Moon Goddess. May her light guide our hearts and strengthen our bonds.¡± The hall erupted in cheers. Dozens of voices echoed back the blessing. I drank. The water was cool on my tongue, but it did nothing to calm the anxiety building in me. The ceremony was over. I would be able to talk to her. I would properly apologize. I¡¯d do anything she wanted if it meant getting her back. Then, the Alpha King raised his hand again to silence us. This was different. Usually, the rest of the ceremony was mingling with CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & THIRTY NINE +25 Bonus other packs. ¡°This year¡¯s blessing carries special meaning,¡± he said. ¡°My daughter stands before you as Silverfang¡¯s princess. The Moon Goddess will guide her hand in finding a mate worthy of her.¡± The announcement silenced the hall. The words hit me like a punch to the gut. The Alpha King was looking for a mate for Talia. He was recing me! He continued, ¡°Those who believe they are fit to stand beside her may step forward. You will remain within Silverfang for one week. At the end of that time, my daughter will announce her decision.¡± My pulse pounded in my ears. All I could think of was the memory of her walking away from me and now she stood before us as a prize to be imed. My jaw clenched in anger. I would not allow anyone to touch. She was my mate. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ my wolf snarled. ¡®Step forward. Win our mate back!¡¯ ¡°Me,¡± I blurted out as I stood up. ¡°Consider me.¡± The Alpha King¡¯s gaze rested on me. I stood tall under his gaze. He looked calm but there was anger in his eyes. I had already hurt Talia once, but the Alpha King could not deny me a chance to win her back. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Colin stand. He stepped forward next. ¡°It would be my honor to be considered,¡± he said with a bow. The King nodded to him with faint approval. No one else moved. Some of the Alphas shifted ufortably, clearly unwilling to risk the King¡¯s disfavor if they failed to impress his daughter. Then, a voice rang out. ¡°I wish to be considered.¡± I stared in disbelief as Nn stood up and stepped forward too. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 140 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY Talia¡¯s POV I hadn¡¯t expected Nn to step forward. For a moment, I thought he might stop halfway, but he didn¡¯t. De, once again, had been right. I didn¡¯t know what Nn was thinking, but it was starting to look like he had no intention of rejecting me. My father¡¯s posture stiffened beside me. Solon¡¯s expression was more telling. His eyes narrowed in silent warning. Both men kept theirposure, but I could feel their disapproval as clearly as if they had spoken it aloud. ¡°So be it,¡± my father said. ¡°Thank you, your majesty,¡± Nn replied with a smile. My father didn¡¯t respond to Nn and addressed the remaining Alphas. ¡°You may enjoy your time here in Silverfang, but please leave after nightfall. May the Moon Goddess forever bless your path.¡± The hall slowly emptied. I knew this would be all over the tabloids today. Three of the strongest Alphas were vying for my affection. I should have felt excited, but all I felt was anxiety. I stepped off the stage and began walking towards the exit when a voice called out behind me. ¡°Talia, you could have told me,¡± Jason said. I looked at him, surprised by his boldness. Was he really going to get into an argument with me in front of my father and Solon? His boldness always bordered on recklessness. ¡°About what?¡± I asked, feigning ignorance. Jason¡¯s eye twitched and his face became flushed. He took a calming breath before saying, ¡°That you were the Silverfang princess. You lied to me.¡± ¡°I had nned to tell you,¡± I responded. ¡°But you made it clear that you didn¡¯t need to hear anything from me when you chose to betray the mate bond by cheating on me.¡± The color drained from his face. Michael stepped forward and said, ¡°Jason was deceived. I understand that is no excuse, but I have punished him on your behalf. I assure you, Princess Talia, he deeply regrets his mistakes. Disgust rose in my chest. His attempt at diplomacy made my skin crawl. ¡°Deceived?¡± I said, keeping my voice level. ¡°He wasn¡¯t drugged when he slept with Viki, knowing it would cause me pain. He was fully aware when he humiliated me and allowed Viki to humiliate me multiple times.¡± Before Michael could reply, my father interrupted. ¡°The past is finished,¡± he said coldly. ¡°If Jason intends to court my daughter now, he will do so with respect. It will be up to my daughter to decide whether he has another chance to be her mate again.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d like to request time alone with her. As part of my Hunting Rite reward, I¡¯m owed a personal favor,¡± Jason requested. ¡°That reward was not meant for this purpose,¡± Father said. ¡°It¡¯s still mine, Your Majesty,¡± Jason said firmly. My father weighed his response carefully. He was worried about how it might look if he refused, Jason and Michael would surely tell anyone who would listen that he was biased, which would cause unnecessary problems for him and Silverfang. Before he could speak, I said, ¡°I agree.¡± All eyes turned toward me. ¡°Talia, you don¡¯t have to agree to that,¡± Solon stated. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY +25 Bonus ¡°There¡¯s no harm in conversation,¡± I responded. My father¡¯s mouth thinned into a line, but he nodded once. Solon exhaled audibly beside him. Nn¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I am so d that you are reasonable, Princess. I¡­¡± Michael started. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck. If you keep talking, I will change my mind,¡± I warned. Michael nodded, bowed, and left. Colin maintained his calm expression. He gave a polite smile, bowed, and quietly excused himself. Nn gave a quick re at Jason before he left as well. Solon pulled me over to him and whispered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°Then why agree?¡± ¡°Because Father would rather not appear partial in front of the other Alphas,¡± I replied. ¡°Jason and Michael would cause a scene if I didn¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°Then, I will chaperone this lunch,¡± Solon suggested. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± Solon frowned. ¡°You¡¯re sending me away?¡± ¡°You need to find Leslie and check on her,¡± I reminded him. Solon paled. With everything happening with me, it seemed as if he had forgotten that we all found out that Leslie was his mate. He hesitated before saying, ¡°I would rather not.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have a choice. Go. Find her. Sort it out,¡± I told him. ¡°Or would you want another male to im her?¡± Solon sighed, defeated but unwilling to argue in front of our father. ¡°Fine, but you will keep guards with you.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I said. Solon bowed to our father and left the hall. When he passed Nn, they exchanged a brief, tense look before they both left the hall together. I only hoped Solon would go to find Leslie and not pick a fight with Nn. ¡°I will leave you under the care of the guards,¡± Father said and I nodded. He squeezed my hand before leaving as well. The moment we were alone, Jason¡¯s confidence returned. He had that smug smile on his face that I hade to hate. I resisted the urge to grimace and stared nkly at him. ¡°So,¡± he said lightly, ¡°since you¡¯ve agreed, how about lunch? It¡¯s been a long day, and I¡¯d rather not spend itpeting for your attention in front of everyone else.¡± I studied him carefully. ¡°Lunch?¡± I repeated. ¡°Yes. Just a meal,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I only want an honest conversation.¡± Honesty. The word sounded strangeing from him. All he knew how to do was lie and twist the truth to benefit himself. ¡°Fine,¡± I agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch.¡± 213 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 141 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY ONE Ta¡¯s V I changed quickly into a soft blue dress. I tied my hair back and put away the rowerest dace, My hands trembled with anxiety, not because i was excited, but because I was ready to get this over with When I stepped out of my room, Jason was already waiting in the corridor, ¡°You look beatiful,¡± he s 1 rolled my eyes and walked past him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± We walked in silence until we reached the car, waiting outside. The ride to Kangyale took only a few minutes, yet every second felt longer than it should have, Jason sat across from me, fidgeting with his cuffs as if searching for something to say, Ikept my gaze on the passing streets beyond the window. Relipse was one of Pangvale¡¯s most refined establishments. It had polished marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and gold- trimmed walls lined with portraits of Silverfang¡¯s past rulers. The host bowed deeply when we entered, Jason had clearly reserved one of the private rooms in advance. He pulled out a chair for me. It was a gesture that once might have felt chivalrous. Now I felt calcted. I sat without thanking him. The moment the servants brought out the first course, Jason¡¯s demeanor changedpletely. He served me first, carefully pouring sauce onto my te and arranging the cutlery as if the gesture could erase years of betrayal, ¡°You still take your tea with honey, right?¡± he asked, pouring it before I could answer, ¡°I remember you used to say sugar ruined the vor.¡± 1 picked up my fork but didn¡¯t respond. He smiled, pretending not to notice my silence. ¡°Do you remember thest Moon Festival we spent together? You couldn¡¯t stopughing when 1-¡± ¡°Stop it,¡± I said tly. He froze, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about the past.¡± The cheer faded from his face. He lowered his gaze to the table, his fingers tightening around his cup. ¡°You¡¯re still angry at me,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m not angry,¡± I said. ¡°I told you that I am done.¡± ¡°Talia, I owe you more than an apology. I was wrong, and I regret everything I did. I hurt you, and I hate myself for it,¡± Jason said. ¡°Regret doesn¡¯t change what happened.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°But if you could give me one chance, I¡¯d prove I¡¯m not the same man.¡± I almostughed. ¡°You think one conversation over lunch fixes everything?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a start,¡± he said, meeting my eyes again. ¡°When I agreed to marry Viki, it wasn¡¯t because I stopped caring about you. I thought it would help Shadoww. I thought¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± 1 interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t twist it into something noble. You didn¡¯t do it for Shadoww. You did it for your own pride. You don¡¯t get to try to change the narrative now that you know my identity.¡± Jason¡¯s expression shifted into that practiced look of sincerity that had fooled me before. I wondered how many times he had tricked me. How many times he talked about me behind my back. 312 +25 Bonus ¡°It¡¯s almost funny, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said softly. ¡°After all this time, I found out you were the princess all along. Maybe fate was giving me another chance.¡± I set down my fork. ¡°You think this is fate?¡± ¡°Maybe not fate,¡± he admitted. ¡°But it¡¯s something. A happy coincidence that makes sense. You were always meant to stand beside me. Now you can return to my side.¡± My appetite disappeared. His shameless tone made my stomach turm. I had to believe that the Moon Goddess was not talking about Jason when she said I still have a path to walk. I refused to go back to Jason. I would rather be mateless for the rest of my life than go back to his lying, cheating ass. ¡°Eat first,¡± I said quietly. ¡°At least make this meal useful.¡± Jason obeyed at first, but the silence clearly unsettled him. Halfway through the meal, he pushed his te away and suddenly moved to my side. Before I could react, he went down on one knee beside the table. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Talia, please,¡± Jason begged ¡°Give me another chance. Don¡¯t choose Nn or Colin. Don¡¯t make a mistake you¡¯ll regret. I looked down at him. Before this type of gesture may have moved me, but now, it only made me sick. ¡°The only thing I regret,¡± I said calmly, ¡°is marrying you.¡± ¡°You¡­you don¡¯t mean that,¡± Jason stammered. ¡°You gave up everything to be with me.¡± ¡°And I regret that the most,¡± I countered. ¡°I missed my family¡¯s life for three years for someone who was so unworthy. I will make peace with that eventually, but you and I are over Jason. My answer will not change.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t mean that. We had so many good memories,¡± Jason argued. ¡°From the moment you chose Viki over me, you ruined those memories and shattered the love I had for you,¡± I continued. ¡°You lied. You humiliated me. You broke your vows and your word. Only a fool would go back to you, and I am no fool¡± Jason shook his head and said, ¡°No. You still love me. I can see it!¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re blind and delusional,¡± I said and wiped my mouth. ¡°Because all I see now is a pitiful liar who wants to use the title of the Alpha King¡¯s daughter to fix his and his pack¡¯s reputation.¡± Jason flinched as if the words were blows. For a moment, I thought he would stand, but instead, he stayed on his knees. His eyes searched mine for love that was no longer there. ¡°I¡¯ll change,¡± he said desperately. ¡°I swear I will.¡± ¡°Have some shame, Jason,¡± I replied as I rose from my seat. ¡°This conversation is over.¡± ¡°Talia, wait, please,¡± he reached for me, but my guards stood in his way. I left the private room. I could hear Jason struggling to get past my guards. ¡°You still love me, Talia!¡± Jason screamed. ¡°You can pretend all you want, but I know you still love me! I will never let you go!¡± P Support Share 272 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 142 THAT SECOND HUNDRED & FORTY TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV I sat in the patio chair, nursing my second cup of tea. I felt relieved after the talk with Jason. It felt like this time it may get through his thick skull that there was no chance of us getting back together. Solon approached wearing a grey T-shirt and ck joggers. His hair was slightly tousled and there were bags under his eyes. He sat down next to me. ¡°Morning,¡± he said. ¡°Morning,¡± I replied, setting my cup down on the table. Solon gestured for an omega, who poured him coffee and left. ¡°You look refreshed,¡± he said, studying my face. ¡°You look tired. Rough night?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it rough,¡± Solon said. ¡°Just long. I¡¯m surprised you don¡¯t look tired too.¡± ¡°Why would I be?¡± I asked before sighing, ¡°You heard about Jason throwing a tantrum?¡± ¡°Everyone heard,¡± he said. ¡°Word travels fast when an Alpha raises his voice in the middle of Fangvale.¡± ¡°He made a scene, not me.¡± ¡°I never doubted that,¡± Solon said. ¡°I assume you turned him down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His brows lifted. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°He proposed that I get back with him as a sales pitch. It was ridiculous. I told him there was no chance,¡± I exined. ¡°Good. I was ready to intervene if he didn¡¯t take the hint.¡± ¡°You may still have to,¡± I joked. ¡°But, in all seriousness, I can handle him.¡± ¡°I know you can,¡± he said, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t mean I like watching you deal with him.¡± We both fell silent as omegas ced our breakfast on the table. Solon thanked them with a nod and then focused on me again. ¡°I still think Colin is the better man. He¡¯s considerate and not trying to prove himself every five minutes. He deserves a real chance.¡± I gave a small smile. ¡°You sound like you¡¯ve already picked a winner.¡± ¡°Just an observation,¡± he said. ¡°He seems genuine.¡± ¡°Maybe he is.¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I still have a week to test all of them. Of course, I will only be going through the motions with Jason.¡± He nodded, satisfied, but I noticed the faint tension in his shoulders. He wasn¡¯t here only to discuss Jason or Colin. Something else weighed on him. ¡°You didn¡¯te just to talk about the candidates, did you?¡± ¡°You always notice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not hard to see that you¡¯re tense,¡± I said with a shrug. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY TWO +25 Bonus Solon sighed and pushed his te aside. ¡°It¡¯s Leslie.¡± ¡°What about her?¡± I asked. ¡°She still won¡¯t talk to me,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Not since the ceremony. I went to her cabin, and she refused to answer the door. She won¡¯t answer my calls either.¡± I frowned. ¡°Something must be keeping her from talking to you.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be her mate, yet she can¡¯t stand to look at me. It¡¯s¡­¡± He broke off and rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°It¡¯s getting to me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t assume the worst. Maybe she¡¯s still processing what it means to have a mate,¡± I reassured him. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take this long,¡± Solon said in exasperation. ¡°The Moon Goddess doesn¡¯t make mistakes, right? So why does it feel like she might have this time?¡± I understood where Solon wasing from. I felt the same and then Nn decided to pursue me. Mate bonds wereplicated especially if the other party never wanted a mate in the first ce. ¡°Because you¡¯re impatient,¡± I said, smiling faintly. ¡°You¡¯ve spent your whole life making people follow your pace. Leslie doesn¡¯t move that way. You¡¯re going to have to learn to be patient.¡± ¡°You always make things sound simple,¡± Solon sighed. ¡°Because they usually are,¡± I said. ¡°Just give it time. Distract yourself while you wait.¡± Solon nodded but didn¡¯t answer right away. Finally, he said, ¡°Would you talk to her for me?¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°Solon, what happened to being patient?¡± ¡°Not to convince her of anything. Just to see how she¡¯s doing. She trusts you. If she tells you something I need to hear, maybe I can fix it,¡± Solon exined. ¡°Of course,¡± I said immediately. ¡°I¡¯ll take De with me.¡± Relief softened his posture. ¡°Thank you. Tell De I owe her.¡± ¡°I will,¡± I said. We ate in silence for a while. But my thoughts drifted. Nn¡¯s face appeared in my mind. I tried to push the image away, but it lingered. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about something,¡± Solon said, causing me to look up in surprise. ¡°Your brow is furrowed.¡± ¡°Someone,¡± I admitted, then quickly corrected myself before he could misunderstand. ¡°Nothing serious. Just something from yesterday.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°If it¡¯s about Jason again, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± I interrupted. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Because that man¡¯s already skating on thin ice,¡± I smiled slightly and took another sip of tea. ¡°You don¡¯t trust anyone new around me,¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯ve seen what happens when people earn your trust and don¡¯t deserve it,¡± he said, meaning Jason. ¡°And as for Nn¡­¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY TWO +25 Bonus I froze but kept my expression neutral. ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a wild card,¡± Solon stated. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to risk his life for you, nor did I expect him to pursue you. I don¡¯t like him, and I don¡¯t trust him, but I have to say he is better than Jason. But remember, just because he saved your life doesn¡¯t mean you owe him. In my opinion, you two are even after you revealed that he had no intention of poisoning Father.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re biased,¡± I teased. ¡°Yes, but my points are valid. Just be careful with him. Keep the guards nearby,¡± Solon said. ¡°I will, big brother.¡± ¡°You better,¡± he muttered, but his tone softened a momentter. ¡°I know you don¡¯t need a babysitter, but I just want to make sure you stay safe.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Solon nced at his watch and stood. ¡°I need to check on the patrol updates before the council meeting.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll talk to Leslie today,¡± I said. ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Promise.¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 143 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV De and I walked the path to the cabins for temporary residents sitting beyond a stretch of pine trees, quiet and shaded from the morning sun. ¡°I couldn¡¯t catch up to her yesterday. She went straight to her cabin and has been there ever since. She hasn¡¯t answered any of my messages,¡± De said as we walked. ¡°You really think she¡¯s nning to leave?¡± ¡°Solon said she¡¯s been distant,¡± I replied. ¡°She won¡¯t speak with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think she would react like this. I thought her not wanting a mate was all for show.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t convince her to speak with him, I think Solon may spook or worse she¡¯ll run back to Windpaw and get the Alpha to not let Solon see her,¡± I said. ¡°Then, let¡¯s make sure we convince her,¡± De stated. When we reached the cabin, the front door was cracked open. We could hear movement within. I cautiously pushed the door open. Leslie stood by the bed, folding clothes into a suitcase. Her hair hung loose, and she looked pale fromck of sleep. She looked at us but didn¡¯t stop folding clothes. ¡°You two actually showed up sooner than I thought,¡± she said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be vetting mates, Princess?¡± ¡°We were hoping you¡¯d still be here,¡± I said, stepping inside. ¡°Not for long,¡± Leslie said. ¡°I¡¯m heading back to Windpaw.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± De eximed. ¡°I am. It is time for me to go,¡± Leslie stated. De paused and said, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the bonfire celebration. There¡¯ll be contests, the feast, the mating ritual. Everyone¡¯s going to be there. How about you stay to-¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I don¡¯t want to stay,¡± Leslie snapped. She folded another shirt and set it neatly in her suitcase. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough ceremonies and celebrations.¡± De crossed her arms and said, ¡°Stop lying. You told us you love bonfires before.¡± ¡°That was before the Moon Goddess decided to take my choice away,¡± Leslie spat. ¡°Leslie,¡± I started, but she kept going. ¡°She must be ying a cruel joke on me, I should¡¯ve known something was wrong when I couldn¡¯t even drink the herbs yesterday. I built up an allergy. Ironic right? How can a healer be allergic? It¡¯s pathetic!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not pathetic,¡± I said, keeping my tone calm. ¡°I mean it makes sense. As a healer, you should know that.¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Leslie snapped. ¡°Why now? Why would I build up an allergy the day of the Sacrifice Ceremony?¡± ¡°It means this was meant to happen,¡± I responded, and De nodded. Leslie let out a bitterugh. ¡°Do you really still believe in the mate bond after everything that has happened to you?¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY THREE +25 Bonus ¡°Hope and belief are all I have left,¡± I responded honestly. ¡°You think Solon is someone I can trust?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Of course you¡¯ll tell me yes. He¡¯s your dear brother!¡± Leslie said, waving me off. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll tell you,¡± De said, stepping forward. ¡°He isn¡¯t perfect, but he¡¯s honest. He¡¯ll stand by you if you let him.¡± ¡°You make it sound easy.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t. I know that firsthand with Marco,¡± De admitted. ¡°But it¡¯s worth trying.¡± I nodded and said, ¡°Listen to De if you don¡¯t believe me. I promise you it¡¯ll be worth it in the end. You need to face this head on.¡± Leslie scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk about trying.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I asked. Leslie crossed her arms. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know what I am talking about. Your first mate cheated on you and your second refuses to acknowledge the bond earlier. How can you tell it¡¯ll be worth it in the end?¡± Leslie was right. I couldn¡¯t tell her that, but I did remember how happy I was with Jason before everything fell apart. Those memories I cherished but this was different. Solon was nothing like Jason. He wouldn¡¯t betray Leslie. Before I could respond, De quickly stepped in. ¡°No, you¡¯re not going to do that. You areshing out, and Talia doesn¡¯t deserve that. She is trying to make sure you don¡¯t end up regretting your decisions.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Leslie muttered. ¡°It¡¯s just a lot.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s focus on something else,¡± De suggested. ¡°Like what?¡± Leslie asked. ¡°The Bonfire,¡± De said. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Come on, Leslie. The Bonfire night isn¡¯t just about mates. It¡¯s about renewal, blessings, and new beginnings. You could talk to Solon there,¡± De exined. Leslie looked skeptical. ¡°And if I don¡¯t want to talk?¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t,¡± De said simply. ¡°Juste, Listen to the music, eat something, and stand by the fire. No one¡¯s asking for more than that.¡± I nodded. ¡°He wants to talk, Leslie. He¡¯s just afraid of pushing too hard. You leaving now will only make it worse.¡± Leslie stared at her half-packed bag. She stared at it for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Even if I went, what would I say? Would I have to pretend I was fine and we just go straight to reject each other?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend anything and overthink,¡± I said softly. ¡°Just show up.¡± Leslie looked between us, her expression guarded. ¡°Are you going?¡± Leslie asked. I hesitated. The thought of being near Nn and the other Alphas made my stomach twist. I wanted to spend some time to myself before I had to deal with testing Nn and Colin. But if going gave Solon a chance to talk to Leslie, I had to go. ¡°Yes,¡± I said finally. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY THREE +25 Bonus Leslie searched my eyes to see if I was lying. She sighed and sat down on her bed. ¡°Fine. But if you back out, I¡¯m leaving first thing in the morning,¡± Leslie warned. J Judith GW Author Hi, lovely readers! What do you think Leslie will do about her mate bond with Solon? Do you think they¡¯re a good match, or did the Moon Goddess y a joke? Share your thoughts in thements, and if you¡¯re enjoying the story, please don¡¯t forget t~ 13 ÈÕ Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 144 OKALTER ON HUNDRED & TORTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY FOUR Nn¡¯s POV I found Marco in his room with the closet doors open and half a dozen suit jackets on his bed. Music yed from the speaker on his nightstand. He went into an air guitar solo for a few seconds before hanging up a suit jacket that he no longer liked. ¡°You¡¯re in a good mood,¡± I said. Marco nced back with a grin. ¡°Preparation makes me happy, Alpha. The mating ceremony is near, and tonight will have the bonfire party and all the stuff. Which one do you think suits me well? Should I represent BloodMoon or do something else?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯te to talk about clothes,¡± I said, shutting the door. ¡°Then, what did youe here for?¡± Marco asked. ¡°We need to discuss Talia.¡± I muttered. He paused, still holding the jacket. ¡°What is there to discuss? You n to pursue her, right? You¡¯re making this moreplicated than it should be, but it is better than you ignoring the mate bond.¡±. I ignored the bait. ¡°I need to make sure she chooses me,¡± I continued. Marco put the jacket on the bed and faced me fully. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if she was with someone else?¡± ¡°Marco!¡± I hissed at his bad joke. He held up both hands. ¡°Alright, alright. What exactly are you worried about? You have the advantages.¡± ¡°I am worried she will choose Colin,¡± I said. ¡°He has Solon¡¯s approval, Alpha King¡¯s support, you know that. He is safer than me. That matters to her right now.¡± ¡°She is your mate. No one can take her from you,¡± Marco reassured me. ¡°She won¡¯t be able to resist the mate bond.¡± ¡°The bond does not help if she refuses to ept it or worse rejects me,¡± I said. He studied me for a moment. ¡°Now I get it. You want a n where you know for a fact that Talia will choose you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I reluctantly admitted. He nodded toward the shirts. ¡°First, you need to get cleaned up and put on clothes thatpliment you. Second, you need to start thinking about what she wants and not what you want.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°You need to be selfless, Alpha. If you have a hard time doing that, think about what you gain by acknowledging the mate bond,¡± Marco exined. ¡°If you marry her, you gain ess to Silverfang without barriers which means finding the truth gets faster.¡± I held his gaze. ¡°I know. So, what is your n?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to attend the Bonfire tonight,¡± Marco said simply. ¡°That is not a n,¡± I said. ¡°That is a location.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to charm her tonight. Stay near her, but do not crowd her. Ask about the parts of the festival she actually enjoys. Offer to get her a drink. Keep your hands to yourself unless she closes the distance.¡± ¡°You want me to y friendly and nice,¡± I said. ¡°I want you to make it easy for her to remember why choosing you is not a risk,¡± he said. ¡°Colin will look gentle. Jason will look desperate. You should look steady.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY FOUR +25 Bonus I thought about thest time Talia met my eyes. The calm there had not been indifference. She had been defensive. She noticed everything. If I pushed, she would push back. ¡°When Jason provokes you, and he will, ignore him,¡± Marco continued. ¡°If he follows, let me handle it. He¡¯ll attempt to ruin the night and use you as the fall guy if you allow it.¡± I nodded once. ¡°What about Colin?¡± ¡°Be respectful,¡± he said. ¡°If she walks with him, you do not interfere. You wait, and when the moment opens, you take it.¡± Marco made it seem so simple. Talia wanted to reject me and after I forced the kiss on her, I didn¡¯t even know how she felt about me. I still couldn¡¯t risk losing her to Colin. Marco returned to his closet and pulled out a charcoal jacket and a soft blue shirt. ¡°Try these.¡± ¡°I have my own clothes.¡± 33 ¡°That wasn¡¯t a request, Nn,¡± he said. ¡°Put them on.¡± I took the jacket and shirt to humor him and changed quickly. The fabric fit cleanly across my shoulders without the usual stiffness. When I stepped back into the room, Marco looked me over with a critical eye, then nodded. ¡°Better,¡± he said. ¡°You look like a man trying to enjoy the night instead of preparing for war.¡± I red. ¡°I can hold a conversation at least.¡± He smiled. ¡°Then do it with her tonight. Remember it is all about her tonight.¡± I adjusted the cuffs. ¡°And if she brings up Colin?¡± ¡°You forgot what I said earlier. Just listen first,¡± he said. ¡°Then you answer without insulting him.¡± ¡°What else?¡± I asked. Marco picked up a slim watch from the dresser and handed it to me. ¡°Time yourself. Fifteen minutes with her and then step away. You do not want toe off as if you¡¯re clingy like Jason. Let here to you.¡± ¡°I think you assume too much.¡± ¡°She will,¡± he said. ¡°And if she does not, you will still lookposed. That matters to her father.¡± I fastened the watch. ¡°You are enjoying this.¡± ¡°A little,¡± he admitted. ¡°I do not get many chances to coach you on anything besides tactics. Let me have this.¡± Iughed as I made my way to the door. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Remember to keep your tempter in check,¡± Marco said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep reminding me,¡± I told him. ¡°That means your wolf too,¡± Marco said. ¡°We will remember,¡± I said, and my wolf grunted in agreement. We would not bare our teeth unless someone tried to harm Talia. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 145 CHAPITR ONE HUNDRED & FORTY FIVE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY FIVE Nn¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Music pulsed from the speakers set near the main fire, and the scent of roasted meat and spice drifted through the air. The mes climbed high in the pit, throwing light across the open space where wolvesughed, danced, and flirted without restraint. I was already regrettinging. Why were all the events so loud? Marco looked around, clearly impressed. ¡°Silverfang knows how to throw a party,¡± he said. ¡°Try not to scowl too much. It ruins the mood.¡± I gave him a look, and heughed. ¡°You¡¯ll thank meter. Just remember what we discussed. Watch your temper.¡± Before I could answer, someone called his name. De appeared through the crowd. She was wearing a red dress that caught every flicker of firelight. De smiled when she saw him. ¡°There you are,¡± she said. ¡°You promised a drink, remember?¡± ¡°I did?¡± he asked. ¡°You did,¡± she said firmly, looping her arm through his. ¡°Come on. I¡¯m not letting you escape.¡± He shot me a helpless nce. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I said but I knew he wouldn¡¯t be back. She pulled him toward the food tables, leaving me surrounded by noise and strangers. The fire cracked and popped, throwing bursts of light across the courtyard. The air buzzed with music,ughter, and the low growl ofpetition from the strength games near the far wall. It was everything a celebration was meant to be, but my focus stayed on the crowd. I could not find Talia. I knew she was around, but I didn¡¯t know where. If the mate bond had weakened, I could¡¯ve easily found her. 1 ¡®You deserve this,¡¯ my wolf muttered. ¡®You need to help me. If she chooses Colin, then she¡¯ll be lost to us,¡¯ I told him, but my wolf didn¡¯t respond. I moved through the space. Some recognized me and nodded politely; others stepped aside quickly as if touching them would cause them to die. I ignored them all. Talia wasn¡¯t near the bonfire, the drink tables, or the groups ying cards along the fence. The longer I searched, the more anxious I became. My wolf now, restless and impatient, was taking what I said to heart now.¡± Find her,¡¯ he urged. ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± I muttered. A woman¡¯s voice called to me from behind. ¡°Nn!¡± I turned and saw Leslie stumbling toward me with a cup in one hand and a crooked grin on her face. Her hair hung loose with leaves tangled into it. ¡°Well, well,¡± she said, swaying slightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for Talia,¡± I said. ¡°Have you seen her?¡± She took a long sip from her cup before saying, ¡°You mean the princess?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said evenly. ¡°Where is she?¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY FIVE +25 Bonus Leslie¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know.¡± ¡°I just asked.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± she said, tapping a finger against chin as she swayed. ¡°I might tell you. But only if you y.¡± I frowned. ¡°y what?¡± She raised three fingers. ¡°Three cups. You drink three, and then I tell you.¡± ¡°Leslie.¡± I frowned. She shook her head. Leslie swayed to the left, almost falling over as she quickly stumbled forward. ¡°Rules are rules, Alpha,¡± she slurred. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re above it. Everyone¡¯s drinking tonight.¡± I nced toward the tables. Half the guests were already well past sober. Leslie wasn¡¯t lying about that. ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± I said. I couldn¡¯t drink tonight, but if it meant finding Talia, I would do it. Leslie folded her arms and said, ¡°Maybe. But, if you don¡¯t do it, no Talia.¡± The fastest way to get this over with was to drink. I picked up a nearby ss, filled it, and drank. The burn hit my throat immediately. ¡°One,¡± Leslie said cheerfully. ¡°Two more to go.¡± I did the second, then the third. The liquor was strong. It was stronger than anything I¡¯d had in weeks. I set the ss down as I began to start feeling the warmth of liquor spread throughout my body. ¡°There,¡± I said. ¡°Now tell me.¡± Leslie nodded aggressively and said, ¡°Right. Tell you. I waited and I waited some more, but Leslie didn¡¯t say anything. She just stared at me with a crooked grin as she blinked slowly. ¡°Leslie!¡± Sheughed and then pouted, ¡°oops, I forget.¡± Her cup slipped from her hand, and she slumped forward against my chest before I could stop her. I caught her by instinct. Leslie murmured something incoherent and went still. ¡°Perfect,¡± I groaned. ¡°Now, I¡¯m babysitting.¡± Leslie was out cold, lightly snoring. For a moment I considered leaving her where she was, but that wasn¡¯t an option. It would be another scandal if something happened to her and I was thest person to be seen with her. I would rather deal with another ¡®punishment¡¯ from the Alpha King. I lifted Leslie into my arms and started toward the side lounge where several guests had already passed out on the couches. The building was quieter inside. The music faded to a soft hum. I adjusted my hold on Leslie and pushed through the open doorway. That was when I froze. Across the room, near the tall windows, stood Talia. Jason was with her. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 146 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Please¡­please forgive me,¡± Jason slurred as he wrapped his arms around me. I grimaced as he reeked of liquor. I allowed him to hold me as he continued to mutter incoherently about how sorry he was. I almost felt bad for him. ¡°I appreciate the apology, but¡­¡± ¡°So, you forgive me! We¡¯ll be mates again!¡± Jason said frantically. ¡°No, no we won¡¯t,¡± I told him and then he went back into begging. He continued to beg for another ten minutes. My patience was running thin. I hade to the lounge to get a break from the noise. I hadn¡¯t expected Jason to follow me and hug me. Then, the roar ripped through the lounge. The walls shook from the force of the roar. I didn¡¯t need to turn to see who it was. ¡± Dammit. I have the worst luck tonight,¡± I muttered to myself. Startled, Jason stepped back from me as if I had burned him. We both looked at Nn. Leslie hung limply in his arms. Jealousy began building up in me, but I pushed it down. I knew nothing was going on with Leslie and Nn. It was just the mate bond making me feel like that. ¡°Nn, this is not what it looks like,¡± I told him, but his full attention was on Jason. His eyes were filled with anger. I could feel his Alpha aura rolling off him. ¡°Jason was just apologizing,¡± I said as Nn entered the room and lowered Leslie carefully onto the couch. I came over and kneeled next to Leslie. She waspletely unconscious. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked. Nn didn¡¯t answer. He was on Jason as soon as I closed my mouth. Nn caught Jason by the throat as Jason attempted to flee the room. ¡°Nn!¡± I shouted. ¡°What are you doing?! Stop it!¡± He didn¡¯t respond. Jason gasped for air as Nn tightened his grip. Jason swung at Nn¡¯s face before gripping Nn¡¯s wrist as he tried to break free. ¡°Let him go!¡± I grabbed Nn¡¯s arm, attempting to pry his hand from Jason¡¯s neck. ¡°You¡¯re choking him.¡± The tendons in Jason¡¯s neck strained as he struggled to breathe. Jason¡¯s face was starting to turn blue. ¡°Nn!¡± I eximed as I pulled harder at his arm. ¡°You¡¯re going to kill him!¡± The words seemed to finally get through to him. Nn blinked as ifing out of a daze. He released Jason with a hard shove, Jason hit the floor and coughed violently as he clutched his neck. ¡°Get out,¡± Nn growled. ¡°Now!¡± Jason looked up, breathing hard. His eyes were wide with fear. Then, Jason pushed himself up and stumbled toward the door. Nn followed him to the doorway. ¡°Stay away from her,¡± he warned. ¡°Or I won¡¯t stop next time.¡± Jason didn¡¯t argue. He quickly scurried away. Nn closed the door again. ¡°What were you thinking? You could¡¯ve killed him,¡± I said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you push him away?¡± Nn asked with his back to me. ¡°What?!¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY SIX +25 Bonus Nn turned around and said, ¡°You let him touch you at will. Why didn¡¯t you stop him?¡± ¡°Because he was drunk,¡± I said. ¡°He wasn¡¯t trying to hurt me. He wanted to apologize.¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Nn scoffed. ¡°Is that what you call what he was doing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it was,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You¡¯re reading too much into it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re na?ve if you think that,¡± Nn retorted. ¡°Have you forgotten what he tried to do before or did you not care this time?¡± The memory of Jason trying to force his mark on me came back. How dare he throw that back up! I took a step towards Nn. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like that,¡± I snapped. ¡°Or what?¡± Nn growled, taking a step toward me. The space between us felt smaller. His scent filled my senses. I wanted to step back, but I couldn¡¯t back down now. ¡°This is Silverfang territory. If you try to hurt me, you¡¯ll regret it¡­¡± Nn didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of any consequences.¡± I felt his aura spiking. It didn¡¯t m into me as if he had done an Alphamand, but it was pushing against me. ¡°Nn,¡± I said quietly, ¡°don¡¯t use the mate bond to force my choice.¡± ¡°Who said anything about force?¡± Nn moved closer, and I finally stepped back. My back hit the door and I realized I had nowhere to go. Nn pressed his hand beside my head against the door. He leaned down. His face was inches from mine. ¡°Let me leave,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not holding you here,¡± Nn responded. My hands pressed against his chest, trying to create space, but touching him was a bad idea. The mate bond pulsed with intensity. I wanted to feel more of him. I wanted to kiss him. ¡°Nn¡­¡± He leaned forward and kissed me the next second. I attempted to push him again, but he didn¡¯t budge. His other hand gripped the back of my neck. I gasped in surprise and Nn took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. I turned my face away, breaking the kiss. ¡°Stop it,¡± I whispered, but it sounded weak, almost pleading for him to continue. Nn didn¡¯t move back. His hand rose to my jaw, tilting my face toward his again. ¡°Tell me you don¡¯t want this,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Tell me you don¡¯t want me to kiss you again.¡± ¡°I am not going to y this game with you,¡± I whispered. ¡°You can lie to yourself all you want, but not to me,¡± Nn said, ¡°I can smell you, Talia. I know you liked it as much as I did.¡± Before I could respond, there was a loud knock at the door. ¡°Talia?¡± Solon called from the other side of the door. ¡°Is Leslie in there? Open the door!¡± I felt relieved hearing my brother¡¯s voice, but that was short lived. I expected Nn to back away, but he stayed where he was. His breath was hot against my skin. Solon knocked again, louder this time. ¡°Talia? I know you are in there!¡± I tried to step forward, but Nn shifted, blocking mepletely. I felt his breath on my neck and a chill go up my spine. What was he nning to do? CHARITA ONE HUNDRED & FORTY SIX ¡°Remember who you belong to,¡± he whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t do this,¡± I said, tears burning in my eyes. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll remember you¡¯re mine,¡± he murmured, his mouth moving down to my neck. From the hallway, Solon¡¯s tone hardened. ¡°Talia, I¡¯m opening the door¡­¡± ¡°Please move,¡± I begged. ¡°You¡¯re crossing a line.¡± Nn nibbled at my neck, and I bit my lip to keep from moaning. ¡°I will if you don¡¯t say it,¡± Nn muttered as he ran his tongue up my neck. The metallic sound of a key slid into the lock. My heart jumped, and the tears I¡¯d been holding back finally fell. Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 147 CHAPTES ONE HUNDRED & FORTY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV The door burst open. Nn let go of me in the same instant and stepped back as if nothing had happened. I wiped my tears quickly. My hands trembled, but I hid them behind my back. ¡°What¡¯s going on in here?¡± Solon asked as he stepped into the room. Leslie stirred on the couch, mumbling faintly. Nn adjusted the nket around her shoulders and checked her pulse as though thest few minutes had never happened. ¡°Leslie? What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Solon asked. His eyes were fixed on Nn. I could hear a low growling from Solon. Nn noticed as well. With a raised eyebrow, Nn backed away from Leslie. I stepped in between Nn and Solon. ¡°Leslie had too much to drink,¡± I said quickly. ¡°She got upset because you werete, and I brought her here to rest.¡± Solon frowned, ncing between Nn and me with suspicion. ¡°You brought her here?¡± ¡°Yes. She didn¡¯t want to go back to her cabin,¡± I added. ¡°Nn was already here when I arrived.¡± I didn¡¯t like lying to Solon, but I had enough drama for one night. I had to keep Nn and Solon levelheaded. Both were in overdrive with their mates around. Silverfang didn¡¯t need a scandalous situation. ¡°I just saw Jason walk out of here,¡± Solon said tly. ¡°Yes, um, he was apologizing again,¡± I exined casually. Solon turned his focus on Nn and asked, ¡°And why was the door locked, Alpha Nn?¡± ¡°The lock jammed,¡± Nn said as he shrugged. ¡°I tried to fix it. It must¡¯ve caught from the inside.¡± Solon didn¡¯t look convinced. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn¡¯t press the issue. He walked over to the couch and crouched beside Leslie, Solon nced up at Nn. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you decided to volunteer to be my sister¡¯s mate, but my warning to you doesn¡¯t change. You need to stay away from her I think.¡± ¡°Prince Solon that is up to the Princess,¡± Nn responded with a sneer. ¡°Nn, this will be thest time I warn you,¡± Solon said firmly. ¡°Stay away from Talia.¡± Nn looked as if he wanted to respond, but he thought better of it. Solon carefully gathered Leslie into his arms and turned to me. ¡°I¡¯m taking her to the hospital wing. She¡¯ll be fine after some rest.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle with you,¡± I said, slipping past Nn. As we moved toward the door, Nn didn¡¯t say another word. He sat down on the couch as if nothing had happened between us. His calmness unnerved me more than his anger had. Solon walked ahead. Leslie¡¯s face was nuzzled into Solon¡¯s neck causing him to blush. ¡°You don¡¯t need toe all the way,¡± he said gently, ¡°I¡¯ll take her from here. You should rest. Long night, huh?¡± I forced a smile. ¡°Yes, but I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Still,¡± he said, ¡°go back to your room. You¡¯ve had enough excitement for one night.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY SEVEN +25 Bonus ¡°Alright, that¡¯s true,¡± I said. ¡°Good night, Talia,¡± Solon said as he headed down the corridor toward the hospital wing. I stood there for a moment, wondering what to do. Nn¡¯s warning kept repeating in my mind. ¡°Remember who you belong to.¡± I didn¡¯t know if I wanted to cry or scream in excitement. I hated that it still made my heart race. He¡¯d said he wouldn¡¯t mark me, that he wouldn¡¯t im me the way other Alphas would, but he still found a way to remind me that I was ¡°his.¡± I didn¡¯t understand what he wanted. If he truly meant to let me go, then why keep pulling me back? ¡°He is giving so many mixed signals. Does he think the mate bond is a game?¡± I muttered to myself, feeling frustrated. I couldn¡¯t go back to my room. Not yet. I would only toss and turn all night. The bar near the courtyard was still open. The air smelled of citrus and smoke when I stepped inside. A few wolves sat around the counter, talking quietly. I took a seat at the far end. ¡°Something strong, please,¡± I ordered. The bartender slid the ss toward me, and I stared at the amber liquid for a long time before drinking. I coughed hard as the burn felt like a punch to the neck. It was much stronger than I expected, but I weed the burn. It would temporarily get my mind off Nn. For a while, I just sat there. My reflection in the mirror behind the bar looked almost normal. My hair was slightly messy, eyes were still red, but otherwise I lookedposed. ¡°Talia?¡± I turned. Colin stood at the entrance. He looked relieved to see me. He walked over quickly and sat down next to me with a concerned smile. ¡°There you are,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking everywhere. Are you alright?¡± I swallowed hard and forced a small nod. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Colin frowned the next moment. ¡°You¡¯re not. Your eyes are red. What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± I said too quickly. ¡°Talia.¡± His voice softened. ¡°Please don¡¯t shut me out. Talk to me.¡± Something about his concern and his calmness broke through the wall I¡¯d been holding up all night. The tears I¡¯d tried to stop returned, slipping down my cheeks before I could wipe them away. Why couldn¡¯t Nn be like Colin? Why couldn¡¯t Colin be my mate? 1 ¡°Talia,¡± he said softly, gripping my hand tightly. ¡°What happened?¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 148 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY EIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Talia,¡± he said gently, ¡°you¡¯re safe now. Just tell me what happened.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t. It¡¯s too much. I don¡¯t want to burden you with this.¡± He didn¡¯t press. He just waited. He continued to hold my hand gently. I finally whispered as he wiped my tears, ¡°Nn. It was Nn.¡± Colin¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What about him? What did he do?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my second chance mate,¡± I admitted. ¡°He should¡¯ve rejected me, but he didn¡¯t. He¡­ threatened me instead.¡± ¡°Threatened you?¡± Colin repeated. I nodded, staring down at the counter. ¡°He told me to remember that I belong to him. He said it like it was an order.¡± Colin exhaled slowly. ¡°Is that all he said?¡± ¡°He thinks the bond gives him permission to do whatever he wants,¡± I continued. ¡°That it¡¯s his right.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t. You know that, right?¡± Colin said. ¡°A mate bond is not amand. It¡¯s a choice.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like that to me,¡± I whispered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel sacred. It feels like it¡¯s binding me to someone I can¡¯t fully trust yet.¡± Colin stared at his drink. He sighed deeply before saying, ¡°He¡¯s wrong for you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then, why not reject him?¡± Colin suggested. ¡°Because I can¡¯t stop thinking about him,¡± I admitted finally, and hated myself for that. ¡°Even when I¡¯m angry. Even when I hate what he says. There¡¯s something in me that still reaches back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the bond,¡± Colin said softly. ¡°Probably,¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean it owns you,¡± he said. ¡°You still decide what to do with it,¡± ¡°I want to believe that,¡± I said. ¡°But I just want to ignore it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ignore it. You confront it. You look at it for what it is. Yes, it is sacred, but it is not amand from the Moon Goddess.¡± I turned my ss slowly between my hands. The melted ice shimmered in the low light, distorting my reflection. ¡°You make it sound easy,¡± Iined. ¡°Probably because I am not the one going through it,¡± Colin said with a shrug. I smiled faintly. ¡°You always know what to say.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± he said. The bartender passed by and refilled a drink two seats away, pretending not to notice us. The smell of citrus peel and alcohol hung in the air. ¡°If he ever threatens you again,¡± Colin said after a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he regrets it.¡± I looked up sharply. ¡°No. Don¡¯t do that.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY EIGHT +25 Bonus ¡°Then at least promise me you won¡¯t be alone with him,¡± Colin said. ¡°You sound like Solon,¡± I said tly. ¡°And Solon is right. You can¡¯t trust someone who uses fear to get what they want.¡± I nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± He seemed to rx a little. ¡°Good. That¡¯s all I needed to hear.¡± For a moment, we sat quietly. I finished my drink and sat the ss down. Then I said, ¡°He told me he wouldn¡¯t mark me. That he didn¡¯t want to force me. But then he keeps saying I¡¯m his. Why say that if he doesn¡¯t even want me?¡± ¡°Because he doesn¡¯t know the difference between wanting and possessing,¡± Colin exined. ¡°He¡¯s used to obtaining things through power.¡± I didn¡¯t know if I believed that. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± I muttered. ¡°I know I am,¡± he said lightly, trying to soften the weight of it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to let him define what the bond is for you.¡± ¡°I wish it were that simple.¡± ¡°It really is that simple. You¡¯re the Princess. You should be dictating the rtionship, not him.¡± I sighed. ¡°You make it sound like I¡¯m braver than I am.¡± ¡°You are,¡± Colin said simply. ¡°That¡¯s why I like you. You just forget sometimes. If I were your mate, I¡¯d never treat you like that. I¡¯d treasure you.¡± The words caught me off guard. I looked at him, unsure what to say. ¡°Colin¡­¡± He smiled faintly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know the Moon Goddess didn¡¯t exactly check with me before deciding fates.¡± Iughed. ¡°You always ruin serious moments.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a defense mechanism,¡± he said, smiling more easily now. We sat there for a while longer. I could feel the exhaustion setting in. Talking to Colin had calmed my mind and now I needed to sleep. ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to deal with this alone,¡± Colin said. ¡°I¡¯m used to it,¡± I said quietly. ¡°See, that¡¯s the problem. You shouldn¡¯t be used to it,¡± Colin countered. I hesitated, ¡°Then what do I do?¡± Colin studied me for a long moment before saying, ¡°You stop reacting to him. You start getting proactive.¡± ¡°Proactive?¡± He nodded. ¡°You can¡¯t spend the rest of the week letting him get to you. The King will expect you to make a choice on your own not because you were bullied into a decision. You need space to assess and make the best decision for yourself.¡± ¡°Again, how am I supposed to do that?¡± Colin smirked and said, ¡°If Nn¡¯s one of the Alphas in this contest, then he¡¯s ying to win. You might as well stop ying defense. Go on the offensive. Make him work for it.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 149 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV The guest wing was quiet other than the sound of birds chirping from the open windows. I had nned to visit the hospital first thing in the morning. Leslie hadn¡¯t left my mind sincest night. Halfway down the hall, the door to Marco¡¯s room and De stepped out. She looked surprised to see me, then smiled wide and bright. I could see a fresh mate mark on her neck. ¡°Oh, Talia, what are you doing over here in the guest wing?¡± De asked. ¡°Seems like you had a wild night,¡± I replied. ¡°Congrattions.¡± De touched it instinctively and grinned. ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°So, did Marco take the initiative? Or did you make this happen?¡± ¡°He did. He damn near pounced mest night,¡± she said,ughing under her breath. ¡°I was just on my way to grab breakfast before he wakes up again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy for you both,¡± I said honestly. ¡°What are you doing over here and up so early? You¡¯re walking like you have somewhere serious to be,¡± De asked again. ¡°I¡¯m going to the hospital to check on Leslie,¡± I said. De¡¯s smile faded and she asked, ¡°What happened to her?¡± ¡°She drank too muchst night at the bonfire,¡± I said. ¡°Nn found her before she copsed and carried her into the lounge. After everything that happened, Solon took her to the hospital to rest.¡± De frowned. ¡°Poor thing. I didn¡¯t even see her there. I would¡¯ve stopped her if I had seen her.¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t near the crowd,¡± I said. ¡°I think she wanted to be alone and overdid it.¡± ¡°That sounds like her,¡± De said quietly as we started down the corridor together. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why she keeps holding Solon at arm¡¯s length. He¡¯s patient and kind. You can tell he loves her.¡± ¡°I think she knows that. I think she¡¯s more worried about the bond,¡± I said. De nced at me. ¡°You think she¡¯s scared?¡± ¡°I think she¡¯s uncertain,¡± I suggested. ¡°After suppressing it for so long, I am sure the pull from the bond is overwhelming. She has been on her own for so long. Leslie¡¯s probably afraid she¡¯ll lose herself to the bond.¡± De nodded slowly. ¡°Then maybe we can help her understand it and not fight against it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I was hoping,¡± I said. We reached the hospital wingter and signed in at the reception desk. Nurses moved quietly from room to room. The receptionist smiled kindly and said, ¡°Healer Leslie is in Room 224.¡± As we approached her door, we could hear muffled voices from inside the room. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving yet,¡± a nurse said gently but firmly. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Leslie responded: ¡°I don¡¯t need to stay here.¡± De opened the door, and we stepped inside. Leslie was sitting upright on the bed. Her hair was a tangled mess on her head. The nket and sheets were thrown haphazardly CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY NINE +25 Bonus off the side of the bed. A young nurse stood near the monitor, holding a clipboard. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even be out of bed,¡± the nurse said firmly. ¡°Your vitals still haven¡¯t stabilized.¡± The nurse finally noticed De and me. Her eyes lit up with relief. ¡°Good morning, Princess. Please tell her she can¡¯t leave just yet,¡± the nurse pleaded. I nodded to the nurse. ¡°You can leave now.¡± The nurse quickly left the room to let De, and I handle the situation. ¡°Good morning,¡± I said, turning my attention back to Leslie. ¡°We came to check on you.¡± Surprise crossed her face before Leslie sighed and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°We wanted to,¡± De said quickly as she sat down. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve felt worse,¡± Leslie said dryly. ¡°Barely a headache.¡± ¡°Why did you overdo it? You were supposed to hang out with usst night,¡± De said. Leslie looked toward the door instead of answering. ¡°Has Solon already left?¡± ¡°He went to meet with the healers about your results,¡± I said. ¡°He didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡± ¡°That sounds like him,¡± Leslie murmured. ¡°Quiet, polite, and impossible to shake.¡± De smiled faintly. ¡°He was worried. That¡¯s not something to apologize for.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him to worry,¡± Leslie muttered as she pushed her hair back and avoided our eyes. ¡°You scared himst night,¡± I said gently. ¡°You had alcohol poisoning. You could have stopped breathing before anyone found you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for it to go that far,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°I just wanted everything to quiet down for a while. And, he¡¯ste¡­¡± De¡¯s tone softened. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re supposed toe to us if you need to vent or need a break. You didn¡¯t have to deal with it on your own.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± Leslie said as she rubbed her hand over her face. ¡°The more time I have to think, the more I realize I¡¯m not built for this ce or for him,¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean that,¡± De and I said at the same time. ¡°You care about him. You wouldn¡¯t be this torn if you didn¡¯t,¡± De continued and I nodded. ¡°Caring isn¡¯t the same as wanting. You can care about someone and still know you can¡¯t give them what they need,¡± Leslie responded. Her words struck a chord with me, I began thinking about Nn and I quickly suppressed the thoughts. I needed to focus on helping Leslie. ¡°Maybe this isn¡¯t the time to decide anything,¡± I said. ¡°You just woke up.¡± ¡°This is exactly the time,¡± Leslie argued. ¡°When you see things clearly, there¡¯s no one left to convince you otherwise.¡± De stepped forward. ¡°Leslie, please. Whatever you¡¯re thinking, don¡¯t do it while you¡¯re still in pain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in pain,¡± Leslie said softly. ¡°I¡¯m just tired. There¡¯s a difference.¡± There was a knock at the door. The door opened and Solon entered. Seeing Leslie awake, Solon¡¯s eyes lit up. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FORTY NINE +25 Bonus ¡°Thank the Moon Goddess, you¡¯re awake,¡± Solon said. ¡°Wait. Are you getting up? Do you need help getting to the restroom or something?¡± ¡°I am getting ready to leave Silverfang,¡± Leslie responded. ¡°You can¡¯t. You haven¡¯t fully recovered,¡± Solon said. ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do!¡± Leslie snapped. ¡°Leslie, I¡¯m just trying¡­¡± Solon started but Leslie interrupted him. ¡°I, Leslie of Windpaw, reject you, Solon of Silverfang, as my fated mate!¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 150 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY Talia¡¯s POV For a moment, no one spoke. De and I just stood there, too stunned to speak. ¡°Say it,¡± Solon said, breaking the silence. ¡°Say it again.¡± His eyes were unfocused. He was taking deep, ragged breaths as he managed the pain of feeling his mate reject him. ¡°I don¡¯t need to,¡± Leslie stated. ¡°You heard me.¡± Solon took a step forward and growled, ¡°Say it!¡± ¡°Solon, stop!¡± I moved between them, raising my hands. ¡°You need to leave.¡± Solon eyes flicked toward me. His wolf was close to the surface, ready to take control. There was hurt in his eyes that made my heart ache. ¡°She rejected me,¡± he said, disbelief twisting his tone. ¡°What have I done to deserve that?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t mean it,¡± I said quickly. ¡°She¡¯s panic. You can¡¯t make decisions right now.¡± ¡°I have to ept it,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°If the bond¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone.¡± Panic tightened my chest. epting a rejection in anger could destroy him and her. ¡°No! The bond is still there. Until you ept it, it will be weakened but it will remain.¡± De caught on immediately. She slipped to his side and took his arm. ¡°Solon,e with me. Let¡¯s get you outside. Please.¡± He didn¡¯t move at first. His gaze stayed locked on Leslie, who sat motionless. Then, slowly, he let De steer him toward the door. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to her,¡± I said, meeting his eyes. ¡°I promise, brother. Just breathe, ok?¡± Solon nodded before leaving with De. The door shut quietly behind them. ¡°What the hell were you thinking?¡± I asked. Leslie red at me and said, ¡°That¡¯s my question for you! You shouldn¡¯t have stopped him.¡± ¡°Yes, I must. Of course, I wasn¡¯t going to let him decide before he even has a good conversation with you,¡± I argued. Her eyes shed. ¡°It was my choice.¡± ¡°And it was his too,¡± I said, keeping my tone calm. ¡°But choices made in pain sometimes be regrets,¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to lecture me, Talia,¡± Leslie snapped, ¡°I saved your damn life, remember? You need to learn to mind your own business and stop overstepping!¡± ¡°Yes, you saved my life, and I owe you more than to stand by and let you ruin yours,¡± I countered. Leslie¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°So now you think you know what¡¯s right for me?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°But I know what it looks like when someone gives up before trying.¡± Leslie let out a bitterugh. ¡°Spare me the speeches, Talia, You sound like everyone else who thinks the bond fixes all problems.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t fix everything,¡± I agreed. ¡°But it can be a beautiful thing if you ept it. ¡°Like Jason?¡± she asked sharply. ¡°Was the mate bond with him beautiful?¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY +25 Bonus I kept a neutral expression, but the words stung. It was a low blow, but I knew she was justshing out. ¡°At first, it was. Or perhaps I was just blind to his lies,¡± I responded truthfully. ¡°That¡¯s why I can tell the difference now. Solon isn¡¯t like him.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t know that,¡± Leslie argued. ¡°He¡¯s good to you because you¡¯re his sister.¡± ¡°I know that. I have known him my entire life,¡± I said. ¡°Solon has had every reason to give up on people and never has. He still believes in others even when it hurts him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Leslie muttered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. You can ask anyone here in Silverfang. You can even ask Jason,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s stubborn, yes, but not cruel. You don¡¯t have to love him right now. You just have to give him the chance.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Leslie said. ¡°Yes, you can. Why are you so afraid¡­.¡± ¡°Because my father betrayed my mother!¡± Leslie burst out, tears spilling before she could stop them. I froze, caught off guard. I hesitated only for a second before attempting to hug her. She pushed me away. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± I nodded and stepped back, giving Leslie space. I waited quiet, patient until she found her voice. ¡°My parents were destined mates,¡± Leslie began. ¡°My father was a warrior. Strong, respected. Everyone said the bond would make any wolf loyal, but no, not my father. He fell for someone else: a damn rogue. Can you believe that? He forced my mother to save her when she was injured, made her use her healing ability, even her own blood to do it. It drained her. She died a weekter. He told me it was the Goddess¡¯s will and that bonds can break when hearts change. I stopped believing that stupid bond that day.¡± I wiped away the tears that I didn¡¯t realize had fallen. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Leslie.¡± Sheughed softly, the sound hollow. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. Just don¡¯t tell me destiny means anything.¡± ¡°I never said anything about destiny,¡± I said. ¡°I said to give the bond a chance. You can¡¯t believe all men are cheaters like your father.¡± ¡°Prove me wrong then,¡± Leslie said defiantly. ¡°My father, for instance, never took another mate after my mother died. He never cheated on her,¡± I said. Leslie didn¡¯t answer right away, so I continued. ¡°Solon isn¡¯t your father. He would rather die than betray the mate bond. You don¡¯t understand how much he has been waiting for his mate, for you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go through that again,¡± Leslie said finally. ¡°I can¡¯t watch someone I care about turn into a monster again.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t know unless you give him the chance,¡± I said. ¡°You don¡¯t owe him love. Just time. One week:¡± ¡°One week?¡± Leslie repeated skeptically. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m giving my suitors, you know it,¡± I said. ¡°A week to prove they¡¯re worth trusting. If I can do it, so can you.¡± Leslie studied me for a long moment. Her eyes softened slightly. ¡°You really think he¡¯ll wait for me?¡± ¡°Of course. What¡¯s another week for someone who has been waiting for all his life?¡± I answered. Leslie finally leaned back against the pillows. Her body rxed into the bed as she released the tension. ¡°One week,¡± she murmured. ¡°Then we¡¯ll see,¡± I nodded, a quiet smile tugging at my lips. ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡± 217 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 151 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY-ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY ONE Jason¡¯s POV I woke to a sharp pain behind my eyes and pain in my back. The sunlight that slipped through the curtains made my head throb. I realized I was on the floor, and I didn¡¯t know how I got back to my room. My memories came back slowly as I brushed my teeth. I remember begging Talia to take me back. Then, Nn choked me. I could see the bruises on my neck were slowly healing. There was a knock at my door. ¡°Alpha Jason?¡± Henry said as he entered. ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, sitting up slowly. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°You look terrible,¡± he said. ¡°You always know how to brighten a day,¡± I muttered, rubbing my temples. ¡°How much did you drink?¡± ¡°Enough to regret my decisions,¡± I groaned. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you here so early?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 2pm.¡± Henry crossed the room and ced a folded note on the table. ¡°Your father left for Shadoww before dawn. He told me to remind you of your purpose here.¡± I grunted. ¡°Let me guess. Win Talia back.¡±. ¡°Yes. He expects you to make sure she marries you,¡± Henry said. ¡°Of course he does.¡± I leaned back, the headache pulsing again. ¡°Does he ever get tired of giving orders?¡± ¡°Never,¡± Henry said as he reached into his jacket and handed me a small, wrapped package. ¡°He also told me to give you this.¡± I frowned and tore open the paper. Inside was a small ss vial filled with pale green liquid. A faint scent came from the vial. It was sweet but it made me slightly dizzy. ¡°Careful,¡± Henry said quickly. He took the vial and ced it on the table. ¡°You don¡¯t want to breathe that in.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s called Moonlust,¡± he checked and finally said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of that before,¡± I said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a banned aphrodisiac? Why would my father give me this?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an old herb mixture used by healers generations ago,¡± Henry exined. ¡°A few drops can trigger heat in a she-wolf.¡± I stared at him. ¡°And my father sent this to me?¡± ¡°He did,¡± Henry said. ¡°He said it would help.¡± I looked at the vial again. ¡°Help how?¡± ¡°If Talia drank even a small amount, she would be morepliant. You mark her while it was in her system, the mate bond could return,¡± Henry said. ¡°Permanently,¡± I sat there, staring at the ss with a smile, ¡°Then, she would stop being angry with me.¡± The bond would no longer be vacant from my mind. I would feel whole again. Talia would no longer be resentful. Our bond would be solid. Thepetition would end there. Colin¡¯s patient smiles erased, and Nn¡¯s dark looks would be meaningless. SAPEVONE HUNDRED & TETY ONE +25 Bonus Henry shook his head and said, ¡°You¡¯re forgetting that she hated you. So, I¡¯m afraid-¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you not kill joy for one second?¡± I groaned. ¡°I¡¯m serious, Jason. If she found out you drugged her, she¡­¡± ¡°She won¡¯t,¡± 1 interrupted him. ¡°Once the bond is back, she¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°Understand what?¡± Henry asked. ¡°That you used a banned herb to take away her choice?¡± ¡°She loved me once,¡± I said quietly. ¡°She still does. I just know it.¡± Henry exhaled. ¡°Jason, that isn¡¯t love. It¡¯s guilt and pride. If you use this, she will never forgive you.¡± ¡°Shut up. You don¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°I do,¡± he said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t forgive deceit. You would be no different from Viki.¡± The usation stung and I growled, ¡°Watch what you say. I¡¯m nothing like that bitch.¡± ¡°How is what you¡¯re nning not any different from Viki? You¡¯re using deceit to get what you want,¡± Henry argued. ¡®He has a point. It would be hypocritical of you to do this to our mate,¡¯ my wolf muttered. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re against me too,¡¯ I responded. ¡®I want her back as much as you do, but not like this,¡¯ my wolf said. I rubbed the bruise on my neck. ¡°If I do nothing, she¡¯ll end up with Nn or Colin,¡± I said. ¡°This is not how you handle this. This isn¡¯t you, Jason. Maybe¡­maybe it is time for you to put your father in his ce. You¡¯re the Alpha now and you should not let him dictate your actions.¡± He pointed toward the vial. ¡°Throw it out before it destroys what¡¯s left of your dignity.¡± I didn¡¯t move. Henry sighed. ¡°You asked me once why I stay by your side. It¡¯s because I remember who you were before all of this. Don¡¯t prove me wrong for doing that.¡± He turned and left the room. I looked at the vial again. I picked it up. The liquid swirled inside. Maybe Henry was right, but I still wanted what my father wanted. I wanted Talia beside me. I ced the vial back into its box and slid it into the drawer. For now, it will stay there. I couldn¡¯t shake the memory of Talia at the bonfire and the way she looked at me when I apologized. She hadn¡¯t pulled away when I hugged her. That meant something. Maybe she still cared. Maybe she could forgive me once the bond returned. For now, I will wait. But if the next conversation didn¡¯t go the way I wanted, I knew exactly where that vial would be. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 152 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV The afternoon sun hung high when I reached the training grounds. At the far end, Solon stood alone. Sweat glistened on his skin as he drove his fists into a wooden target. The dull thud echoed through the field again and again. Each strike harder than thest. As I approached, I could smell his blood on the wind. ¡°Solon,¡± I called, but he did not stop. Blood streaked from a split across his knuckles, and his chest rose and fell in short bursts. His arms were covered in bruises. I watched for a moment before I approached him. ¡°That is enough,¡± I said firmly. He ignored me and threw another punch. The wood cracked. ¡°Solon.¡± I caught his wrist. ¡°You will break your hand.¡± He pulled away but did not strike again. Sweat slid down the side of his neck, and his breathing remained uneven. He didn¡¯t meet my gaze as he slowly walked over to his bag to grab his water bottle. ¡°What do you want, Talia?¡± he asked tly. ¡°I came to check on you,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t need you checking on me,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You have been out here for hours.¡± ¡°I needed a distraction.¡± ¡°Thinking about Leslie?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Liar.¡± I studied him quietly as he drank his water. When he finished, he dropped the bottle to the ground. ¡°Has she already left Silverfang?¡± Solon finally asked. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°She is still in the hospital.¡± He gave a short, bitterugh. ¡°That is a surprise.¡± ¡°I convinced her to stay,¡± I said. ¡°She agreed to get to know you slowly.¡± ¡°You should not have interfered. She told me how she really felt,¡± Solon stated. ¡°If you had not stopped us, the rejection would have beenplete by now.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean that.¡± I snapped. ¡°I do,¡± he said quietly. ¡°You cannot force someone to love you,¡± ¡°I am not forcing anyone,¡± I said, ¡°I am giving her time to think without pain clouding her judgment.¡± Solon gave me a confused look. ¡°She felt pain? How did I hurt her? She¡¯s the oneshing out.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean,¡± I said. ¡°Her pain does note from you. Ites from what happened before.¡± ¡°Before? Goddess, am I being punished for the decisions of an ex-lover?¡± Solon huffed. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY TWO +25 Bonus I shook my head. ¡°Worse. Her father betrayed the mate bond with her mother. Her father even forced her mother to save his lover which ended up killing her mother.¡± Solon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°She told you that?¡± ¡°She did,¡± I said. ¡°That is why she does not trust mate bonds. It is not you. It is what she saw growing up. She is afraid the bond will turn her into her mother, who was devoted to someone who might one day choose to betray her.¡± Solon sank onto the bench beside me and rested his elbows on his knees. ¡°Is her father still alive? I¡¯d like to punch him in the throat.¡± ¡°That I do not know,¡± Iughed. ¡°No wonder she looked terrified when she realized I was her mate,¡± Solon sighed. ¡°She was trying to protect herself,¡± I said. ¡°You should not take it personally.¡± ¡°That is easier said than done,¡± Solon stated. ¡°Goddess, I feel like an asshole now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. You didn¡¯t know,¡± I said. ¡°And for what it¡¯s worth, she doesn¡¯t think you¡¯re an asshole. Leslie¡¯s just scared to let anyone in.¡± ¡°I suppose I owe you for stopping me earlier,¡± Solon said. ¡°Yes, yes you do,¡± I responded with augh. He nodded and stared at the training ring. ¡°Do you think this will really work?¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t rush this, it will. You have to be open and honest about everything even if you think it is insignificant,¡± I exined. ¡°I can do that.¡± ¡°I know you can.¡± I stood. ¡°Now go see the healer.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll heal on their own anyways,¡± ¡°Not if they get infected. Now, go.¡± Solon groaned but stood anyway. ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± He began walking away, then he stopped and turned around. ¡°Thank you, Talia.¡± I smiled and nodded. If I could ensure that Solon was happy and this worked out between him and Leslie, that would be enough for me. When Solon finally left, I stayed a moment longer and let the breeze cool my skin. I should have dressed in my workout clothes. Sparring would really help with clearing my head. I turned toward the rose garden. The scent of roses thickened the closer I came, From a distance, I noticed movement near the gate. Two guards stood at the entrance. Their posture was stiff and alert. Nn and Jason stood nearby. Their voices were raised, and they were clearly arguing. Even from across the path, I could hear Jason¡¯s tone sharpen, and Nn¡¯s reply matched it. The guards looked uneasy, caught between stepping in and pretending not to hear. ¡°You idiot, she already told you her decision,¡± I heard Nn growl. ¡°What I talk about with the Princess is none of your damn business,¡± Jason barked back. I rolled my eyes. What is going on now? Why couldn¡¯t they just stay calm for one day? CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY TWO I sighed and walked toward them. When I reached the gate, both of them turned. ¡°Shut up,¡± I said. My voice was calm but firm. ¡°What do you two want from me?¡± Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 153 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV Both men fell silent at my words. The guards stood alert while keeping a careful distance. Jason responded first saying, ¡°Hey, I came to ask you out.¡± ¡°Out of the question,¡± Nn growled. Jason did not look at him when he said, ¡°I was not asking you.¡± I could feel Nn¡¯s Alpha aura rolling off him. The guards exchanged a nce. I was not interested in watching them fight each other. ¡°Why? You have already apologized multiple times. What¡¯s more to say?¡± I asked. ¡°There is something that I need to tell you in private. We can go into Fangvale. It¡¯ll be neutral ground,¡± Jason replied. ¡°It is ridiculous. She already told you no. You need to go home,¡± Nn interjected. I frowned at Nn trying to control the situation. I remembered Colin¡¯s n when he said: ¡°Keep your distance from Nn. He¡¯ll reveal his feelings in time.¡± This was my chance to show him I could hold the boundary, no matter how confusing his signals were. ¡°Since I already spent time with Nn at the bonfire,¡± I said. ¡°Today I am going with Jason.¡± Nn¡¯s eyes narrowed in disbelief, but he did not speak. I held his stare for a moment to make sure he understood that I was serious about this. Then, I turned my attention back to Jason. ¡°Really? Are you serious?¡± Jason asked. ¡°Hurry up or I¡¯ll change my mind,¡± I snapped, walking past him. I decided that we would walk to the nearest caf¨¦. It would help me calm down and hopefully, Jason would just tell me what he wanted to say on the way there. Unfortunately, I was not lucky. Jason stayed silent the entire time we walked. It took us about 15 minutes to get to Fangvale. People moved in pairs and small groups as they entered and exited shops. Jason guided me to a modern cafe. Inside, soft jazz yed. A host greeted us and led us to a booth with half-height privacy panels. The cushions were firm and clean. A ceiling vent kept the air cool. We sat across from each other. A server arrived with two bright drinks in tall sses, one pink and one gold, each with thin slices of fruit floating near the top. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked. ¡°A house mix,¡± Jason said. He picked mine up and took a sip. Then, he took a sip from his drink. ¡°See. Safe,¡± I kept my hands folded and said, ¡°Drink more than a sip.¡± He took a longer drink and set the ss down, ¡°Do you trust me now? I would never hurt you,¡± I lifted the ss and tried a small sip. It tasted sweet at first, and then floral. A gentle warmth moved down my throat. I set the ss back on the coaster and watched him. ¡°This is not a date, you know it,¡± I said. ¡°I am not promising you anything.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± he said. ¡°I am grateful for the hour.¡± ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± I asked. ¡°You look different,¡± Jason said. ¡°You look stronger than before.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY THREE +25 Bonus ¡°Nothing about me has changed, Jason,¡± I responded. ¡°I am just exhausted.¡±. ¡°You are still beautiful,¡± Jason continued and I rolled my eyes. Compliments from him didn¡¯te without a price. I took another sip from my drink. ¡°Let¡¯s get to it, Jason. What do you want?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t Ipliment you?¡± Jason teased. ¡°No, you cannot,¡± I responded. ¡°You¡¯re wasting my time.¡± He did not argue. He traced a finger along the rim of his ss and looked up again. ¡°I am sorry for what I did. I have said it, but I will say it again because it matters. I was selfish. I listened to the wrong people. I hurt you.¡± The apology sounded genuine this time. I hated to admit that his apology moved me this time. I refused to ept it out of stubbornness. ¡°You said you wanted lunch,¡± I said. ¡°Order something.¡± Jason smiled faintly and said, ¡°I will. Only if you stop overheating in that jacket.¡± ¡°I am not hot,¡± I said: ¡°The air here gets heavy in the afternoon,¡± he said. ¡°Let me help you with it.¡± ¡°No.¡± I said, frowning. Jason lifted both hands and settled back. ¡°Alright.¡± I reached for the menu and then paused. Heat began to rise across my chest and neck. It started as a mild flush and then grew. The vent above us still pushed cool air, yet my skin felt warmer with each breath. I brushed my hair back from my face. ¡°Why is it so warm in here?¡± ¡°I told you it gets hotter,¡± Jason said. He nodded toward my ss. ¡°It might help to drink more.¡± The heat spread lower. My heart began to beat faster. The edges of the room looked too bright. I gripped the table as I tried to steady myself. I had felt this before. ¡°What is wrong?¡± Jason asked. ¡°I do not know,¡± I said. ¡°Do you want me to call the server? I can get you some water.¡± I shook my head. A pull gathered low in my stomach. I crossed my legs as I began to throb. I knew this feeling. It felt like the onset of heat, and it should not have been happening now. Jason studied my face. ¡°You are flushed,¡± he said. ¡°Take off the jacket.¡± ¡°I said no,¡± I answered. ¡°Let me help,¡± Jason said as he stood. He walked over to me and reached toward my sleeve. I pulled back. ¡°Do not touch me,¡± I growled. He set his hand down again and lowered his voice. ¡°Talia, you are safe. Breathe.¡± The heat continued to climb. My pulse pounded in my ears. The cafe did not feel warm. My body did. I looked at the drink. The color was bright and innocent on the table. I met his eyes. He did not look away. My vision blurred at the edges. I pushed my chair back. The legs scraped against the floor. CHALTRINE HANDGE, ETV THANK ¡°What did you order?¡± I asked as I stood. ¡°The same as you,¡± he said. ¡°It is on the menu.¡± ¡°Then why do I feel like this?¡± ¡°Maybe you skipped breakfast,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe you are stressed.¡± ¡°This is not stress,¡± I said. Heat rolled through me in another wave. My throat felt dry. The need to be touched was unbearable. ¡°Here, drink some more,¡± Jason said, offering me the drink. I knocked it away from me. ¡°Did¡­did you drug me?¡± I demanded. 1 Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 154 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY FOUR Talia¡¯s POV Buttons scattered across the floor. Jason¡¯s hands gripped my shirt with rough impatience. The fabric tore easily beneath his fingers. My shirt fell open, and I gasped at the cool air on my skin. ¡°Stop it, I¡­¡± His mouth closed over my breast. The pressure jolted through me. I gasped and gripped his shoulders without thinking. The only things I could feel were his breath, the scrape of his teeth, and the heat rolling through my body. I knew this was wrong, but the thought felt distant and out of reach. ¡°Once our mate bond is restored,¡± Jason said, his voice low against my skin, ¡°you¡¯ll forgive me. Everything will be back to normal.¡± His voice sounded distorted as if he were speaking underwater. I forced myself to focus on his face, but my vision kept blurring. ¡°We¡¯re fated mates,¡± he said. He moved to the other side, and I couldn¡¯t help but moan. ¡°Stop. This isn¡¯t right,¡± I managed to say. ¡°But this IS meant to be. Your body knows it. Your body remembers my touch.¡± I tried to push him away, but I only held onto his shoulders tighter. I tried to focus but all I could focus on was the increasing pleasure. My body responded to his touch and shame twisted in my stomach. Even that shame felt muted. Jason¡¯s hands slid lower over my stomach and hips. Each touch sent a new jolt through me. My back arched without permission. I felt him pulling down my pants. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he whispered. ¡°Submit to it. Submit to me. My mate¡­¡± His scent did not match the memory my instincts tried to reach for. The wrongness grew clearer, but I could not hold onto the thought long enough to act. It had to be him. It couldn¡¯t be anyone else doing this to me. Heat and confusion blurred everything. I reached for that voice in my memory and held on to it. I needed it to be him. ¡°Nn,¡± I whispered. ¡°Are you¡­ you going to mark me?¡± He was still for a second above me. Then he kissed me with sudden desperation. His mouth crushed mine, and his teeth caught my lower lip hard enough to sting. ¡°Yes,¡± he said against my mouth, ¡°I¡¯ll mark you right now.¡± His kisses grew frantic. His grip tightened on my hips, holding me in ce while he pressed against me. The heat inside me red, but my panic increased somehow, Nn wouldn¡¯t treat me like this. He was never this rough and rude. Even though I knew that I still couldn¡¯t do anything. I just needed the heat to stop. ¡°Please¡­please make it stop,¡± I moaned. ¡°I¡¯ll make it stop,¡± he growled as he leaned back and fumbled with his belt. ¡°I¡¯ll make you forget everyone but me, my love.¡± Then, the door mmed open with a loud crack. Nn¡¯s POV Ten minutes. I stood across the street from the caf¨¦ staring at the entrance like an idiot for ten full minutes. I could feel my wolf pacing, but he CHAPTER ONE MUNDRED & PETY FOUR +25 Bonus seemed amused by my predicament. ¡®You look like a stalker,¡¯ he said. ¡°This is pathetic, even for you.¡¯ I shoved my hands into my pockets. The sun pressed against the back of my neck, but I barely felt it. My focus stayed fixed on that door and the fact that she still had not walked out. It doesn¡¯t take ten minutes to formally reject someone for good. ¡°This is what you deserve,¡¯ my wolf added. ¡®You threatened her, cornered her and gave her orders. You made her fear you. Now, she¡¯ll choose someone else because of your stupid actions.¡¯ ¡®And you think marking her while in heat was a better option?¡¯ I shot back. ¡®Yes, she wanted it. You were too much of a coward and- ¡°Enough,¡± I muttered, cutting him off. He was not wrong. I remembered the look in her eyes that day. Anger, defiance, and fear all tangled together in her eyes. I had wanted her to understand the consequences of making herself vulnerable. If she ended up fearing me but she learned to be more careful, I was fine with that. I checked my watch again. Fifteen minutes. The restlessness under my skin sharpened and then the bond pulsed. It felt like a warning. My wolf responded immediately. ¡®Go inside! Something is wrong!¡¯ he growled. I crossed the street without looking for cars. I moved through the entrance with a single purpose: to find Talia. The caf¨¦ smelled like roasted coffee beans, cinnamon, and polished wood. Jazz yed quietly from hidden speakers. It only irritated me more. Then, the sweet scent of roses hit me.. I followed the trail past the counter and into the hall that led to the private booths. A host stepped in front of me. ¡°Alpha Nn, it is lovely to have you here, but if you do not have a reservation¡­¡± I ignored the host as he talked. I focused on Talia¡¯s scent. It mixed with something heavy and artificial. The newyer hit my senses like a p. It was lust. ¡°Move,¡± I said. My voice dropped low enough to make him step back. He lifted his hands. ¡°Sir, I really must insist¡­¡± I set a hand on his shoulder and moved him aside. I did not shove him, but he understood the warning. He stumbled into the wall as I passed. I reached the end of the hall. I did not touch the handle. I drove my shoulder into the door. It flew open with a loud crack. Jason stood inside with his pants down. Taliay beneath him with one of her legs up on his shoulder. Her blouse was torn. Her hair stuck to her forehead from sweat. Her skin was flushed from heat and confusion. Her eyes were zed over and half closed. I reached Jason in two steps. My hand closed around his throat before he could speak. I hauled him off her and mmed him into the wall. The impact knocked the air from his lungs. He wed at my wrist, but it did not matter. I pulled my fist back and drove it into his jaw. Blood sttered across the wall. I struck him again and again. His head hit the panel behind him. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I snarled. He tried to speak. Blood pooled at the corner of his mouth. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ mates¡­¡± ¡°She is drugged,¡± I roared, interrupting him. I drew my arm back for another hit. Talia made a faint sound behind me. 213 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY FOUR +25 Bonus I turned toward her. The scent hit me fully. My body immediately responded. I.wanted to go to her, to im her. I released Jason and went to Talia. Her body shook and craved my touch. Her movements were uncoordinated. She tried to sit up, but her arms gave out. ¡°We are going to the hospital,¡± I said. I pulled off my jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders before lifting her into my arms. She pressed her burning face into my neck. Talia began kissing and nibbling on my neck. I could feel myself hardening, but I forced myself to focus. ¡°Stop, Talia. This isn¡¯t right,¡± I told her. ¡°Please,¡± she whispered. ¡°I need something¡­ anything¡­¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said, keeping my voice calm. ¡°We are leaving now.¡± ¡°Nn,¡± she breathed, clinging to me. ¡°Mark me. Please. It hurts.¡± My step faltered. Instinct surged through me so fast it almost took my breath away. My wolf roared inside me with a force that rattled myposure. I could not give her what I want right now. She was drugged and not in her right mind. I wanted her to be fully aware when she epted me. ¡°Not like this,¡± I said. My voice roughened. ¡°Never like this.¡± I pulled her closer and carried her out of the booth. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 155 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY FIVE Nn¡¯s POV I used the mind link the moment I stepped out of the caf¨¦ with Talia in my arms. Marco answered immediately. ¡®Alpha?¡¯ ¡®Find Solon and Leslie. Tell them to meet me at the hospital right now,¡¯ I said. ¡®Talia is in trouble. Then,e to the caf¨¦ and get Jason¡¯s drink. You need to bring it to the hospital for a checkup.¡¯ ¡®What happened?¡¯ Marco asked. ¡®Jason drugged her,¡¯ I responded. ¡®He forced her heat toe early.¡¯ I could feel Marco¡¯s anger through the link and he responded, ¡®I will handle it.¡¯ I closed the link and focused on carrying Talia to my car. Her skin burned against my neck, and her breath shook with each inhale. She had stopped kissing me and had fallen unconscious. Talia continued to mutter my name. Every part of me wanted to bring her back to my room and im her, but I knew she would never ept me if I took advantage of her. Two guards met me in the parking lot and escorted me to the hospital. They opened the doors the second they saw us. I stepped inside without slowing down. A group of nurses ran toward us as soon as I called out to them. One hurse noticed Talia¡¯s ripped clothing. I noticed the judging looks and ignored them. ¡°The Princess needs help.¡± ¡°Alpha Nn, why is Princess Talia¡­ ¡°She has been drugged,¡± I said, cutting her off. ¡°Her heat was forced. She needs help now.¡± One of the nurses guided me to an exam room. A stretcher waited beside a set of monitoring equipment. I lowered Talia onto it carefully. They ced cold packs onto her body and checked her vitals. Her eyes opened halfway, but they could not focus. ¡°Nn¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t go. It hurts.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s going to be okay now. They are going to help you,¡± I reassured her. A doctor inserted an IV into her arm. Another ced sensors across her chest and checked her temperature. Her whole body remained flushed with heat, and her breathing came in shallow bursts. The staff moved quickly, but it felt like they weren¡¯t moving fast enough. The door opened behind me, and Solon rushed into the room with Leslie right behind him. Both froze when they saw her on the stretcher. I braced for Solon tosh out. ¡°What happened?¡± Solon asked. ¡°Jason drugged her,¡± I said. ¡°It forced her into heat.¡± Solon¡¯s wolf pushed against the surface as I saw his eyes sh with anger. ¡°Did¡­did he¡­¡± ¡°No, I got there in time,¡± I said, Solon looked relieved for only a second before he turned his attention to Talia. ¡°Is she conscious? Can she hear us?¡± he asked. ¡°No, she is still unconscious,¡± the doctor replied, Leslie walked past him and approached the bed. She looked at the monitor and frowned before cing a hand on Talia¡¯s forehead. ¡°Her temperature is still too high. If we don¡¯t get it down, we risk her getting brain damage,¡± she said. ¡°What do you rmend, Healer Leslie?¡± the doctor asked. ¡°She needs cooling and a full diagnostic scan. Begin ice therapy and start a cooling agent through the IV,¡± Leslie replied. The nurses moved into action. Cold packs were adjusted across Talia¡¯s arms, legs, and torso. The doctor at the foot of the bed CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY FIVE +25 Bonus prepared the scan. Solon looked at me again and asked, ¡°Where is Jason? Did you kill him?¡± ¡°Unconscious at the caf¨¦. I left you the honor of dealing with him,¡± I answered. ¡°Marco will bring him up along with any evidence.¡± As if on cue, the door opened again. Marco stepped inside with a sealed evidence bag with a paper cup sat inside it. ¡°I brought this straight from the booth,¡± Marco said. ¡°No one touched it.¡± Leslie opened the evidence bag and sniffed it. Her brow furrowed before she handed it to the doctor. ¡°Take this to theb. Tell them to test for any herb that induces heat,¡± Leslie ordered. The doctor ran out with it. ¡°The drink smelled like Moonlust,¡± Marco said once the doctor and nurses were out of the room. Leslie whipped around and said, ¡°Is it true? I didn¡¯t want to believe what I smelled.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I think,¡± Marco said. ¡°It is my job to identify these things.¡± Leslie nodded once and said, ¡°If it is Moonlust, her symptoms will be severe. We will need to get the antidote into her, or someone needs to mark her.¡± ¡°What is Moonlust?¡± Solon asked. ¡°I never heard of that.¡± ¡°It is an herb that forces a she-wolf into heat,¡± Leslie said. ¡°It should never be used without medical supervision. The effects can be dangerous if misused.¡± ¡°That son of a bitch,¡± Solon growled. ¡°You should¡¯ve killed him, Nn.¡± Solon had no idea how much I wanted to, but what mattered more was getting Talia to safety. Before I could answer, the doctor returned with a clipboard. He offered it to Solon. ¡°The drink contained a high concentration of Moonlust.¡± ¡°We need to treat her immediately. She is stable for now, but once another wave of heat hits her, we will have to start over. We need to get the antidote into her now,¡± Leslie said. Solon moved closer to the bed. ¡°Let me stay with her.¡± ¡°No,¡± Leslie said firmly, ¡°She needs space and calm. You all have to leave the room.¡± Solon hesitated, but then he nodded. ¡°Please take care of her. I¡¯m trusting you with my sister.¡± ¡°I will,¡± she said. My wolf pressed against my control. He didn¡¯t want me to leave Talia alone. I pushed him down. Talia needed care and I would not allow him to interfere. The doctor gestured for us to step out. I followed Solon and Marco into the hallway. The door closed behind us, and the noise inside the room became muted. Solon began pacing as soon as we were out of the exam room. ¡°I should have never let her leave with him,¡± he said. ¡°He should not have been anywhere near her.¡± ¡°He will not be near her again,¡± I said. ¡°What do you mean? I thought you said you didn¡¯t kill him,¡± Solon said. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t, so you can¡¯t allow Talia to show any more kindness towards him. He doesn¡¯t deserve it. He never deserved it,¡± I said. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY FIVE +25 Bonus Solon turned toward the guard at the desk. ¡°Detain Jason and put him in the dungeon immediately,¡± he said. ¡°Hold him until further notice. No visitors.¡± The guard nodded and left to carry out the order. Marco crossed his arms. ¡°They already moved him downstairs. He was unconscious after the beating Nn gave him.¡± Solon did notment on that. He stared at the hospital room door instead. ¡°I do not want to imagine what could have happened.¡± I stayed silent. The memory of seeing Talia underneath Jason kept reying in my mind. Solon didn¡¯t need to know how close I was to being toote. We waited in silence until the door opened again. Leslie stepped out. Her expression was neutral but exhausted. ¡°She is stable,¡± Leslie said. ¡°The suppressant is working. Her temperature is going down.¡± Solon let out a breath. ¡°Can we see her?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Leslie said. ¡°Let her rest. I will tell you when she wakes up.¡± The hallway fell quiet again, and for the first time since arriving, I rxed. And I remained surprised that Solon had believed me without hesitation. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share 312 get it X Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 156 THE ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY SIX CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus My eyes fluttered open. I winced at the bright light from the ceiling. It felt as if someone had wrapped my entire body in weighted nkets. The scent of antiseptic told me immediately that I was in the hospital. ¡°What the hell happened this time?¡± I muttered as I blinked to allow my eyes to adjust to the light. I was really getting tired of waking up in the hospital. A chair scraped softly beside me. Solon leaned forward and rested his arms on the edge of the bed. He looked exhausted. His hair was messy, and he had bags under his eyes. ¡°Thank Goddess, you¡¯re awake,¡± Solon said. I tried to sit up, but my body protested. I felt weak and my arms slightly numb. I rested against the pillow again and shut my eyes for a moment. ¡°What¡­ happened?¡± I asked. My mind felt sluggish, but pieces of memory shed in and out. I remembered talking with Jason. Then, heat pulsed through my body. Hands were on my body and then someone was kissing me. Did my heat start again? ¡°What do you remember?¡± Solon asked. ¡°I remember going with Jason to the cafe,¡± I said slowly. ¡°We were in one of the private booths. He bought me something, and he told me it was safe.¡± I paused and pressed my hand to my forehead. ¡°Then, I felt dizzy. I thought the liquor was too strong. My body got hot, too hot. I couldn¡¯t think straight. I couldn¡¯t stop anything.¡± Solon listened without interrupting, but his face darkened. ¡°I thought Nn showed up,¡± I continued quietly. ¡°I think¡­ I think I kissed him. Or maybe he kissed me. I can only remember bits and pieces. I assumed it was because I was in heat. I don¡¯t remember anything after that.¡± I looked away in embarrassment and shame. My cheeks burning at the memory of Nn¡¯s kiss-the thrill I shouldn¡¯t have felt still lingering on my lips. I never thought I would have to talk to my brother about this. Could this get any worse? Solon took a slow breath before saying, ¡°Talia. It wasn¡¯t Nn kissing you.¡± I looked at him sharply. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It was Jason,¡± Solon said, ¡°Impossible¡­ What are you saying?¡± ¡°He used Moonlust, Talia,¡± Solon answered. Hearing the word made nausea rise in my stomach. I covered my mouth and shook my head. ¡°No, no, no no,¡± I said with my voice cracking. ¡°He¡­he wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°But he did, Talia. I¡¯m so sorry. I know you don¡¯t want to hear that but it is the truth,¡± Solon continued. ¡°He caused your heat. Then he tried to force the mark on you to restore your mate bond. He wanted to im you before anyone could stop him.¡± Shame and anger tightened my chest. I had given Jason so many chances and every time he proved how stupid it was to give him any. ¡°So¡­ Nn never¡­?¡± I started and paused. I then looked at myp. A wave of nausea hit me. My hand reached for my neck. There was no mark there and I sighed in relief. Solon shook his head. ¡°Nn arrived just in time. He pulled Jason off you before he could mark you.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY SIX +25 Bonus ¡°How do you know it was Moonlust? It could¡¯ve been something else,¡± I reasoned. ¡°No, we are sure. We got the drink tested. The doctor and Leslie confirmed it was Moonlust,¡± Solon answered. ¡°Where is Jason? Did he run again?¡± I asked. ¡°No, Jason has already been detained. Father will deal with him,¡± Solon replied. I wanted to believe that Jason wouldn¡¯t stoop this low, but I remembered how he tried to force the mark before. I felt shame because Nn warned me. Nn told me not to trust Jason and I ignored his warning. ¡°I was a fool. I should¡¯ve banished him like everyone said,¡± I muttered. My heart pounded in my chest. The memories that felt blurred suddenly made sense in the worst way possible. Jason waited until I was vulnerable. A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. Then, another. Before I knew I was sobbing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Solon said quietly. ¡°If I could take the memories away, I would.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I managed. ¡°I just¡­ I feel disgusted. I don¡¯t even know what happened after that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to remember right now,¡± Solon said. ¡°Leslie said you need rest.¡± I covered my face with my hands. Tears slipped through my fingers faster than I could wipe them away. Solon stood and stepped closer but didn¡¯t touch me. I appreciated that because I didn¡¯t want to be touched right now. When I finally lowered my hands, I avoided his eyes. ¡°I want to take a shower, brother,¡± I said. ¡°I need to wash all of this off.¡± Solon nodded slowly. All I wanted, more than anything, was water and silence. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 157 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV I sat on the edge of the hospital bed and hated Jason with a passion I had never felt before. The anger sat heavy in my chest and made it hard to breathe. Every part of me felt wrong, and I could not shake the memory of his hands on me or the way my body had responded while I had no control. Goddess, I wish it had been Nn touching me. I wanted to get out of bed and leave the hospital for a shower, but when I pushed myself up, my legs gave out. My knees hit the mattress instead of the floor only because Solon reached me in time and pulled me back up. ¡°You¡¯re not steady yet,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here,¡± I said. ¡°I need to leave. I need to shower. I need-¡± I copsed again and hated how weak I felt, but the weakness made my decision even stronger. I needed to go home. I needed to wash every trace of Jason off my skin. ¡°I¡¯m calling De,¡± Solon said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go anywhere alone.¡± I nodded. I stared at the floor and tried to breathe steadily. The longer I sat there, the more ufortable I felt. Every second in this room reminded me of what happened. De rushed in a few minutester. ¡°Marco told me everything. Are you hurting anywhere?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said even though I didn¡¯t feel fine at all. ¡°I want to go home and shower.¡± She looked at Solon before asking, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to rest here longer?¡± ¡°I can rest at home,¡± I said. ¡°Leslie said you should rest here.¡± De suggested. ¡°I don¡¯t care what Leslie said. I can rest in my damn room,¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll drive both of you. De stays with you, no exceptions,¡± Solon added. ¡°Fine.¡± De moved beside me and helped me stand. My legs wobbled again, but she held my arm and waited until I found my bnce. Solon walked beside me on the other side. The walk through the hallway felt longer than usual. My body felt heavy, but I forced myself forward. I didn¡¯t want to sit in that hospital bed another minute. We reached the car, and Solon opened the back door for me. I sat carefully and leaned into the seat. The car felt quiet as he started driving. I watched the road through the window and tried not to think about Jason. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± Solon asked from the front seat. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I just want to get home.¡± When we reached the estate, Solon parked and stepped out first, He opened my door, and De helped me out of the car. Solon watched us closely as we walked toward the entrance. ¡°Call me if anything changes,¡± he said. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I will,¡± I said quietly.. De closed the door behind us and kept her hand on my arm as we walked to my room. My legs still felt unsteady, but I forced myself to keep walking. Pack members watched us as we walked by. I didn¡¯t meet their eyes. I didn¡¯t want to see the pity on their faces. I just wanted to get to my room. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY SEVEN +25 Bonus As soon as the door closed, I began pulling my clothes off. ¡°Let me help you get into the shower,¡± De said gently. I followed her to the bathroom. She turned on the water and waited while it warmed. I didn¡¯t look at anything else until I identally nced at the mirror. I gasped at my reflection. My eyes were swollen and red from crying. My lips were swollen. The faint marks on my neck stood out clearly against my skin. Seeing them made me start crying again. ¡°Talia,¡± De said softly. ¡°Don¡¯t look at that right now.¡± I shook my head and wiped my eyes even though the tears kepting. ¡°He almost marked me. Bastard!¡± De stepped closer and ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you have someone go with you? You should have never trusted him again. I told you many times¡­¡± Her words stung, and I flinched. I knew she wasn¡¯t trying to hurt me, but it still hurt to hear her reprimand me. When she guided me to the bathtub, her voice sounded even more tense. ¡°He didn¡¯t deserve another chance,¡± De said firmly. ¡°I told you he was no good. You shouldn¡¯t be anywhere near him.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t fair,¡± I said sharply. ¡°You don¡¯t understand what I¡¯ve been through.¡± ¡°Talia, you knew what he did to you before,¡± she said. ¡°You knew what he was capable of, and you still let him close. What am I missing?!¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t been rejected by your mate!¡± I snapped. ¡°You don¡¯t understand anything I feel! You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to have your mate choose someone else! You don¡¯t know how any of this feels because you¡¯re lucky!¡± Hurt flickered across De¡¯s face before it shifted into anger. She stepped back. ¡°I think you need space,¡± she said and walked out of the bathroom. The door mmed behind her. The sound echoed through the room and I flinched. I lowered myself into the tub and pulled my knees to my chest. I stayed curled in the water with tears slipping down my face. I didn¡¯t want to cry anymore, but the tears wouldn¡¯t stop. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it 2:2 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 158 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY FIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV I regretted yelling at De almost as soon as she left the bathroom. The more I thought about her face when I shouted at her, the harder it became to hold myself together. I continued to sob. Each one made my chest hurt a little more. I stayed in the bath until the water turned cold. I did not have the strength to get out until I began to shiver from the cold. When I finally stood, I wrapped myself in a towel and moved slowly back to my room. Goddess, I wish my wolf was back. I really needed someone to talk to. She would reassure me or at least tell me what to do. I slipped on arge T-shirt. I looked at my reflection again. I looked better, but I was still pale. I groaned in frustration and threw my chair across the room before I started sobbing again. ¡°Why? Why was this happening to me?¡± I sobbed. None of this would have happened if I had my wolf. I couldn¡¯t even be upset with Nn about it because he saved me. All I could do was me myself for being foolish. I should have listened to Nn and De that made me feel worse. I got into bed and pulled the covers up to my chin. I wanted the world to disappear for a while. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to drift off to sleep. Someone knocked on my door about an hourter. ¡°Talia?¡± Solon called softly. ¡°Solon,¡± I said. ¡°Please¡­.just let me rest.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll check on youter.¡± I heard his footsteps fade down the hall. I turned onto my side and closed my eyes again. More time passed. I wasn¡¯t sure how long. I drifted in and out of sleep. Each time I opened my eyes and became aware, I reyed the same thoughts on a loop. I couldn¡¯t cry anymore, and I just sat in my bed thinking of ways I could¡¯ve avoided the situation. I finally started drifting off to sleep again when there was another knock at my door. I groaned and pulled the nket over my head. ¡°Solon, please, leave me alone,¡± I said. ¡°I want to rest,¡± The knocking continued. ¡°Solon, stop,¡± I said louder, ¡°I said I want to rest.¡± The knocking continued, I threw the nket off and climbed out of bed even though my legs still felt weak. I walked across the room and opened the door angrily. ¡°Solon, I said I wanted to rest. Why are you¡­¡± I stopped in midsentence, Colin stood in the hallway with a dinner tray in his hands. My previous annoyance vanished at seeing him. ¡°Um,¡± I said awkwardly. ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°I thought to check on you to see how you were doing,¡± Colin said. ¡°And I was right. Talia, you look terrible.¡± ¡°Gee thanks,¡± I muttered. ¡°You know I don¡¯t mean it like that,¡± Colin said as he stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, set the tray on my desk, and turned back toward me. ¡°De asked me to bring this. She¡¯s worried about you.¡± CHAPTES ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY EIGHT +25 Bonus My eyes filled with tears instantly. I covered my face with one hand and tried to stop myself from crying again, but the tears came too fast. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have yelled at her,¡± I murmured. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. Can you tell her I¡¯m sorry?¡± Colin stepped closer and brushed the tears from my cheeks with his thumb. ¡°She knows you didn¡¯t mean it. She will forgive you,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± I said, turning away from him. ¡°Well, I do. If she hadn¡¯t forgiven you, she wouldn¡¯t have urged me to send food to you,¡± Colon reasoned. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± I muttered. Colin nodded. ¡°Eat first. You¡¯ll feel better.¡± I nodded and sank onto the edge of the bed. He pulled the small table closer and set the tray in front of me. I picked up the fork with an unsteady hand and took a bite. The food tasted nd, but I forced myself to eat. Colin sat in the chair beside me. He waited without rushing me. When I finished, he took the tray and set it aside. ¡°Do you want to talk?¡± he asked. I stared at my hands for a long moment before I nodded. ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± Colin said. ¡°Jason almost marked me today,¡± I said and Colin¡¯s eyes shed, but he remained quiet as he allowed me to continue. ¡°I thought Jason was harmless. I thought that since he knew I was the Princess, he wouldn¡¯t try again. I was wrong, so very wrong. He drugged me, Colin. He made me go into heat. I tried to push him away, but I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± Colin looked furious but he still didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°I feel ashamed,¡± I continued. ¡°I thought Nn was the one kissing me at first. I thought he was going to mark me. But Jason¡­¡± ¡°Talia,¡± Colin said gently. ¡°None of that is your fault.¡± My voice cracked again. ¡°But¡­ I thought it was Nn. For a brief second, it felt real. It felt¡­ right. And when Solon told me the truth-that it had been Jason-I just¡­ I wanted to disappear.¡± Colin studied me, concerned, ¡°Why did you feel ashamed when you knew it wasn¡¯t Nn?¡± I stared at him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Do you want Nn? So you¡¯re disappointed it¡¯s Jason?¡± Colin asked. ¡°Am L¡­?¡± I whispered, and the question hit me so hard my mind wentpletely nk. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 159 CHATTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV I stared at him as I did not know how to respond. ¡°Do you want Nn?¡± Colin asked again. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I lost control of myself. It wasn¡¯t right,¡± I muttered. ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked you,¡± Colin said. My mouth opened, but no answer came out. I had no idea how to exin it. For a moment, I couldn¡¯t look at him. ¡°I¡­ am not sure,¡± I said finally. ¡°You do not have to answer now,¡± Colin said. ¡°I only want you to think about it. Ask yourself why you felt ashamed when you realized it was Jason and not Nn.¡± I looked down at my hands. I forced myself to rx. Colin wasn¡¯t judging me. He just wanted to help me sort out my thoughts. Colin went on, ¡°It is a right thing that Nn is the one who saved you.¡± I looked up again. ¡°Why would you say that?¡± ¡°Because he did what a decent man should do,¡± Colin said. ¡°He pulled Jason off you and brought you to the hospital. He did not touch you while you were vulnerable and in heat.¡± I frowned. I didn¡¯t even remember Nn rescuing me actually. All I had were the fragmented pieces of Jason assaulting me. ¡°Let me ask you something else,¡± Colin said, bringing me out of my thoughts. ¡°If Nn had been the one who drugged you and tried to take advantage of you, would that make you feel better about what happened?¡± The question hit me like a p. ¡°No,¡± I said immediately. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Colin said. ¡°If he had drugged you, that would mean he nned to hurt you. Would you be able to forgive that?¡± ¡°No,¡± I answered almost immediately. ¡°Then do not wish he had been the one in that room,¡± Colin said. ¡°If it had been him kissing you in that state, it would mean he chose to be like Jason. That is not the man you want him to be.¡± I had not thought of it that way. The idea of Nn nning to drug me and force a mark just seemed absurd especially after he has tried so hard not to mark me. ¡°So, you are saying it is better this way?¡± I asked. ¡°It is better that it was Jason who did this and not Nn, because it proves who they really are?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Colin said, ¡°Remember I said to test Nn. Well, treat this as a test too.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nn had every chance to take advantage of you. He brought you to safety instead. If you decide to choose him as your mate, I will support you.¡± There was no hesitation in his tone. No resentment. Just calm eptance. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. He gave a small nod. ¡°You should rest now. We can talk again when you have had time to think.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY NINE +25 Bonus Colin stood and picked up the empty tray from the table. For a moment, I thought he wasn¡¯t going to leave. His conversation had distracted me enough that I didn¡¯t want to be alone. ¡°Sleep if you can,¡± he said. ¡°And remember what I asked you.¡± ¡°I will,¡± I said. Colin left the room and closed the door behind him. Iy back on the bed and pulled the nket over myself again. I stared at the ceiling and thought about his questions. I hated that Jason had touched me at all. I hated that my body had responded to him and the fact that there was nothing I could do about it. I felt ashamed only because when I thought it was Nn, I had epted it. When I focused on the fact that Nn had pulled Jason away from me and carried me out of there, I felt a different kind of emotion. It was not fear. It was a mix of gratitude and sadness that once again Nn didn¡¯t mark me. ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± I muttered. Colin was right to say this was a test for Nn. If Nn had been the one who slipped something into my drink, I would never want to see him again. Instead, Nn didn¡¯t act selfishly. Jaseh, on the other hand, had taken every opportunity to do the worst thing he could. He had known exactly what he was doing. Fear crept in when I forced myself to picture Jason¡¯s face over mine again. My heartbeat picked up, and I squeezed my eyes shut until the image faded. By morning, I felt exhausted as I had only slept for a few hours. I pushed myself out of bed and went to the bathroom. My reflection still looked tired. My eyes were a little less swollen, but the marks on my neck and shoulders had not faded yet. I refused to stand there and stare at them. I brushed my teeth and washed my face. After that, I changed intofortable clothes: a grey T-shirt and sweatpants. I didn¡¯t have the energy for makeup or anything formal. When I finished dressing, I picked up my phone. Solon left me alone yesterday, but I knew he was worried and waiting for me. I mindlinked him. ¡®I¡¯m awake, brother.¡¯ Solon replied almost immediately. ¡®How do you feel?¡¯ I thought for a second before answering. ¡®Still tired, but better.¡¯ A few minutes passed, and then another link came. ¡®Father wants to meet. We need to discuss how to handle Jason. Can youe to his office now? If you need more time, I can-¡® ¡®I¡¯m on my way,¡¯ I cut him off, ignoring his concern. I knew this conversation would happen, but I didn¡¯t expect my father to act this quickly which meant there would be no mercy. This time, Jason wasn¡¯t just in trouble. He was done Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 160 . CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY Nn¡¯s POV I woke up with my heart pounding and sweat clinging to the back of my neck. For a moment, I didn¡¯t know where I was. It took another second before the nightmare faded enough for me to think straight. It wasn¡¯t about my father this time. It was about Talia. She was on the ground, pinned beneath Jason with his teeth at her neck. In the dream, I arrived toote. I saw his fangs sink into her skin. Rage burned in my chest at the very idea of Jason marking her. I pushed myself upright and ran a hand across my face. My wolf snarled inside me. He was restless and angry. ¡®You should have killed him,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®You should finish what you started before he gets free.¡¯ ¡°No,¡± I muttered. ¡°I will not take away Talia¡¯s chance for vengeance.¡± ¡®No, he is too much of a threat,¡¯ my wolf growled. I ignored him and stood. The cold floor shocked my senses, allowing me to focus. I dressed quickly and stepped out of my room. Marco was waiting in the hall instead of entering my room. Marco nced at me before offering me his cup of coffee. ¡°You look terrible. Rough night?¡± he said. ¡°Nightmare,¡± I said. ¡°About your father?¡± he asked. ¡°Not this time,¡± I answered. Marco raised an eyebrow, but he didn¡¯t push. ¡°Jason is locked in the dungeon. Solon made sure he was held without visitors.¡± My wolf let out a low sound of satisfaction at that, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Jason needed to be dealt with before he coulde up with a n with his father. ¡®Rip out his throat,¡¯ my wolf suggested. ¡°Then, we will know he¡¯s handled.¡¯ I pushed him down again. If I let him keep talking, I would stop thinking clearly. ¡°I need to know if Talia is alright,¡± I said. Marco nodded. ¡°She was emotionally unstable when she woke up yesterday.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°She cried a lot which is understandable given the situation,¡± Marco exined. ¡°She demanded to leave the hospital, Solon and De had trouble calming her down.¡± The urge to go to her tofort her was strong, but I knew she needed space. I couldn¡¯t rush in and force that type of intimacy.¡± Where is she now?¡± ¡°On her way to the Alpha King¡¯s office, She looked calmer,¡± Marco said. ¡°That means she is going to decide what to do with Jason,¡± I said. ¡°That is what it looked like,¡± Marco said. ¡°It is a good thing they¡¯re moving fast on this,¡± ¡°Not fast enough,¡± I growled. ¡°If I was the Alpha King, his head would be on a spike right now.¡± ¡°Given her personality, she would probably fight you on that. She is too kind for her own good. I am sure she is going to ask for leniency on his behalf for the sake of alliances,¡± Marco continued. Of course she would. Even after everything she had been through, Talia never put herself first. She was the one who had been CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY +25 Bonus taken advantage of. Talia didn¡¯t need to worry about alliances. Everyone would understand her wanting her pound of flesh from Jason. ¡®You should kill him before she forgives him,¡¯ my wolf suggested. ¡°I am not going to kill Jason in Silverfang,¡± I said. ¡°Not when it would put Talia in an even worse position.¡± ¡®You always act like you know what is best for her,¡¯ my wolf snorted. ¡°And you¡¯re not any better,¡± I shot back. ¡®At least I don¡¯t lie about it. You don¡¯t even listen to her,¡¯ my wolf argued. ¡°Enough,¡± I snapped. Marco cleared his throat. ¡°You¡¯re talking to your wolf aloud again.¡± ¡°We are not in agreement on this,¡± I said. ¡°Clearly,¡± Marco stated, ¡°You two should not get involved with Silverfang¡¯s internal decisions. Prince Solon is protective of her. The Alpha King will make the final call. If you interfere, they will take it as an insult.¡± ¡°I am not interfering with the decision,¡± I said. ¡°I just want to ensure that he doesn¡¯t break out. I want guards assigned to the dungeon. Not Silverfang, ours. I want at least three men watching the entrance at all times. No one gets close to Jason.¡± ¡°Nn,¡± Marco said again. ¡°This is a bad idea. You can¡¯t order our guards into Silverfang. Prince Solon will see this as overstepping. He already does not like you.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°But I do not care. After what Jason tried to do, I refuse to allow him to escape again.¡± Marco sighed. ¡°I will assign the guards, but you are causing trouble for yourself.¡± ¡°Your concern is noted.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I am going to see the Alpha King myself,¡± I said as I brushed past him. Marco grabbed my arm. ¡°Think before you say anything in there.¡± ¡°I will.¡± He gave me a look that said he didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°You always end up talking impulsively when it involves Talia,¡± Marco said. ¡± Just let them handle it.¡± I pulled my arm free. ¡°I will only give my statement.¡± ¡°Nn, you can¡¯t¡­¡± I ignored him and headed down the hall. I would not allow Marco to dy me. I was going to the Alpha King¡¯s office to ensure that they or she won¡¯t put herself in danger again. ¡®You¡¯re going because you¡¯re trying to control the situation again,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡°I¡¯m going because Jason is her problem now,¡± I said, jaw tight. ¡°And her problem is my problem.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 161 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY ONE Nn¡¯s POV When I reached the Alpha King¡¯s office, I could hear them talking from the hallway. I stood there for another moment and listened. ¡°I am willing topromise,¡± Solon said. ¡°Exile is the best choice.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± the Alpha King said. ¡°Shadoww needs formal restructuring. Jason¡¯s actions had crossed a line. He needs to be removed and repair the damage his leadership caused by weeding out anyone supporting him.¡± None of this bothered me. I supported itpletely. Then I heard Talia. ¡°I don¡¯t agree,¡± she said. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t agree? He tried to force you back as his mate!¡± Solon eximed. ¡°Exile is pretty damn lenient.¡± ¡°I agree Jason doesn¡¯t deserve any type of leniency; however, I am looking at the big picture here,¡± Talia responded. There was a pause before the Alpha King said, ¡°Exin.¡± ¡°Exile might provoke retaliation from Michael. He willsh out if we act too quickly. We need to n ahead and not give Shadoww¡¯s members a reason to rally behind him,¡± Talia exined. My wolf stirred. He was pleased but also disappointed in Talia. ¡®She still thinks about the safety of wolves who do not care about her,¡¯ he growled. ¡®We cannot change who she is,¡¯ I responded. I understood her reasoning, even if it irritated me. She never ignored the consequences of a choice. Talia always thought about the bigger picture no matter how it could potentially hurt her. ¡°Then, we will protect her from herself,¡¯ my wolf dered and I agreed. I opened the door and stepped inside. The Alpha King turned his head toward me immediately. ¡°Alpha Nn, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± he demanded. ¡°It ismon courtesy to knock. This is a private conversation and you need to leave.¡± ¡°I could hear the conversation from the hallway,¡± I said. ¡°Exile is the correct decision. Reforming Shadoww is necessary.¡± Solon¡¯s expression tightened when he looked at me. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this room supposed to be soundproof?¡± ¡°I will make sure to fix that,¡± the Alpha King said through gritted teeth. ¡°No matter if you overheard, this is a private conversation that you were not invited to,¡± Solon said. ¡°I do not need an invitation to speak about what Jason did,¡± I said. ¡°He tried to force a mark on Talia. If you do not punish him properly, I will handle it myself.¡± The Alpha King frowned and growled, ¡°Are you threatening us?¡± ¡°No, I am not threatening,¡± I said. ¡°It is a fact. Jason broke every rule that protects a she-wolf. The only reason he failed to mark her is because I arrived before he could do it. If you expect me to pretend this is a minor offense, you are mistaken.¡± Talia looked at me with wide eyes. There was no anger in her expression. She only looked worried.. I continued. ¡°Jason did not n this out on his own. He is too dumb to obtain Moonlust on his own. Someone got it for him.¡± ¡°You¡­you think Michael is behind this?¡± Talia blurted out and I nodded. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY ONE +25 Bonus Solon¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°How does Michael benefit from this?¡± ¡°I am unsure of his intentions, but I know Jason. He is reckless and emotional, but not strategic. Michael has ess and motive. Jason ruined the reputation of Shadoww by rejecting Talia. By getting her back as the Luna of Shadoww, that would put them second to Silverfang,¡± I exined. ¡°Exile Michael and Jason. Get rid of both threats.¡± Talia shook her head quickly. ¡°We cannot make that decision yet. The elders in Shadoww will oppose it, and the situation will escte. There are too many people involved for us to act without a n.¡± Solon nodded. ¡°She is right. Removing Michael immediately could destabilize the region.¡± The Alpha King raised a brow. ¡°We will take time to discuss our next move. Jason will be punished, but exiling Michael requires more consideration.¡± My wolf growled within me as he was unhappy with their hesitation. ¡°He almost marked her,¡± I said. ¡°You know what would have happened if he seeded.¡± The Alpha King met my eyes. ¡°We know. You are not the only one who cares about her.¡± The sharpness of his tone told me to be quiet, so I forced myself to stop talking. Aknock broke the silence. Logan stepped inside and bowed. ¡°Your Majesty, there is news from the dungeon.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± the Alpha King asked. ¡°Jason refuses to confess unless he sees Princess Talia,¡± Logan replied. My response came before I could stop myself. ¡°No.¡± ¡°For once, I agree with Alpha Nn,¡± Solon said. ¡°He has nothing she needs to hear. We can figure this out without his confession.¡± Logan nodded and said, ¡°I agree. I would be happy with drowning the bastard if permitted.¡± ¡°He should know that his request will not happen,¡± the Alpha King snorted. ¡°He wants sympathy,¡± I interjected. ¡°He is delusional. He thinks she still cares about him. He wants her to waver so he can twist this in his favor.¡± I looked at Talia, who was biting her lip. I could tell she was thinking it over. I hoped that she would agree with us but instead she said, ¡°I should hear what he says.¡± (1 ¡°You do not owe him that,¡± Solon said. ¡°I know,¡± she replied, ¡°But if he gives us information about Michael or the Moonlust, then hearing him out is necessary.¡± Solon frowned. ¡°Talia, this is not wise.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be alone,¡± she said. ¡°Guards are with me.¡± The Alpha King exhaled slowly. ¡°She has made her choice.¡± ¡°He should not see her at all,¡± I said as anger began rising in me again. The Alpha King looked at me and said, ¡°This decision belongs to her.¡± My wolf fought to break free. ¡®He should not be allowed near her. If she sees him again, he will say something that hurts her. You should stop this,¡¯ he growled. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY ONE +25 Bonus I forced myself to stand still. I could not drag her out of the room. I could not override the Alpha King. Every instinct inside me hated the situation, but I had no power to prevent it. Talia looked toward the door and straightened her shoulders. ¡°I should go.¡± I did not say more. I could not. Anything I added would only expose how angered I was, and that would not help her anyways. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 162 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY TWO CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Nn stood in front of the dungeon entrance. His arms were crossed, and his expression showed clear frustration. How in the world did he get here before me? It didn¡¯t matter. I was going into the dungeon whether he liked it or not. I stopped in front of him and said, ¡°Move.¡± ¡°No,¡± Nn said. ¡°You are being too lenient with him. You should not see him again.¡± I stayed calm. I was still shaken about what happened, but I would not let him determine my choices. ¡°I did not ask for your opinion.¡± ¡°You should think before letting him manipte you again,¡± Nn added. ¡°I am not giving him a chance,¡± I said. ¡°I am getting information that we need to properly prosecute him.¡± Nn stepped closer and for a moment, I thought he would pick me up and carry me away. ¡°You do not need to handle this alone,¡± he finally said. ¡°I am not alone,¡± I said. ¡°The guards will be with me.¡± ¡°That is not enough.¡±. ¡°It is enough,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Silverfang will resolve its own affairs. You do not need to get involved.¡± Nn¡¯s frustration grew more visible, but I raised my hand before he could argue again. ¡°Thank you for saving me,¡± I said. ¡°But that does not give you authority over what happens now. I can make decisions on my own. I am not a child.¡± He hesitated for a moment. ¡°You still do not understand how dangerous this is,¡± he muttered. ¡°You do not understand how close he was to getting what he wanted.¡± ¡°I understand perfectly,¡± I said. ¡°Now step aside.¡± When Nn still did not move, I sighed and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to have to do this.¡± I turned to the guards. ¡°Block him. He does not enter.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess,¡± they said, stepping forward to stop him. Nn exhaled sharply but did not push past them. ¡°You call out to me if he does anything,¡± Nn said. ¡°Nothing will happen. He¡¯s in a cell, Nn, not running free,¡± I replied. Nn¡¯s eyes stayed on me as I walked through the doorway and headed down the stairs. A guard led me to thest cell. Jason sat on the floor with his back against the wall and his eyes closed. Fresh cuts marked his arms and face, His lip was split, and one eye was swollen. Nn nor Solon¡¯s guards had not held back. I did not feel sorry for him. Honestly, he deserved more than what he got. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would see you back here after what happened with Viki, but here we are,¡± I said. My voice startled him. The shock in his eyes was reced with hope as Jason scrambled to his feet when he saw me. ¡°Talia. Please listen to me,¡± he started. ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± I said, crossing my arms, ¡°Tell me how drugging me was a mistake.¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I lost control. I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted us back to how we used to be.¡± ¡°You drugged me. That takes time and nning, Jason. You meant to do it,¡± I shot back. ¡°It was a moment of anger,¡± he said. ¡°A mistake. I thought it would help us. I thought it would fix everything.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY TWO +25 Bonus ¡°Again, it was not a mistake. You made the decision to drug me and acted on it. I will never forget or forgive that,¡± I said firmly. Jason gripped the bars. ¡°I did it for us. For the pack. Michael has been pressuring me for months. I just wanted to protect everyone.¡± ¡°Bullshit, Jason. You weren¡¯t protecting anyone but yourself. You did this to appease your father,¡± I snapped. ¡°When are you going to start telling the truth?¡± Jason hesitated before saying, ¡°If you had told me the truth earlier about you being the Princess, this would have never happened.¡± I scoffed. ¡°And now you¡¯re going to me me for your decisions? A real apology from you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Talia. I¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what you mean,¡± I said, cutting him off. ¡°You crossed a line and there will be consequences, Jason.¡± Jason swallowed and tried again. ¡°I still care about you.¡± ¡°Then tell me where the Moonlust came from,¡± I said. ¡°I¡­ someone gave it to me. I do not remember who,¡± Jason muttered. ¡°You remember every other detail,¡± I said. ¡°You remember enough to apologize. Enough to me me for your decisions. But the one part that matters, you cannot recall?¡± ¡°It does not matter where it came from,¡± Jason said. ¡°I¡¯ve already confessed.¡± I shook my head in disgust. ¡°I should have known you were only going to waste my time. You should use your time to reflect and pray to the Moon Goddess that she and my father will be merciful.¡± I turned away and walked toward the exit. I had taken only a few steps when Jason asked, ¡°Is this because of Nn?¡± I stopped but did not turn. Jason¡¯s voice grew louder. ¡°You think he is better than me because he saved you? He doesn¡¯t care about you, Talia. Nn is a monster. You would choose him over me?¡± I would in a heartbeat because at least he is man enough to stand firm behind his decisions, I wanted to tell Jason that but I decided against it. He was baiting me and I wasn¡¯t going to humor him. ¡°Of course you would,¡± Jason continued. ¡°A bloodthirsty monster like him would ept someone like you. An useless barren she -wolf. You two will be the perfect pair.¡± 1% Jason¡¯s words hit with the exact cruelty he intended, but I did not let him see any reaction. ¡°Enjoy your cell, Jason,¡± I said, ¡°You earned it.¡± I left without turning back. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 163 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV I went straight to Henry after leaving the dungeon. He was in the storage room behind the kitchen. He was sorting through crates of supplies. When Henry noticed me standing in the doorway, he froze. His eyes widened, and the guilt on his face was immediate. ¡°Princess,¡± he said. ¡°I did not expect you.¡± ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± I said. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°What¡­what¡¯s wrong, Princess?¡± Henry stammered. ¡°You know exactly what I am here for,¡± I said as I stepped closer. ¡°Jason used Moonlust. Where did he get it?¡±. Henry gulped and said, ¡°Princess, I did not mean for any of this to happen. I swear it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about your apologies. I want you to answer my question,¡± I said. ¡°How did he get the Moonlust? Did you get it for him?¡± ¡°Goddess, no!¡± Henry eximed. ¡°Then, tell me who,¡± I snapped. Henry avoided my gaze, choosing his words carefully. He had always been loyal, respectful to me when I was his Luna. I had stood by him more than once, covering for mistakes that weren¡¯t his, and I knew he hadn¡¯t forgotten. Henry took a long breath, and then forced himself to meet my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s Michael.¡± I felt my entire body go still. ¡°His father?¡± I repeated. ¡°Elder Michael?¡± Henry nodded. ¡°He told Jason it would help him fix things with you. Said it would be better for the pack if you restored the bond. I told him it was wrong, Princess. He wouldn¡¯t listen.¡± I was furious but I knew Henry didn¡¯t have a choice. He was Jason¡¯s Beta. He swore his loyalty to him. ¡°Thank you for telling me now,¡± I said finally. Henry bowed his head. ¡°Princess, I am so sorry.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°But an apology will not undo what happened.¡± He nodded again and kept his head lowered. I left him there. Every step I took away from the storage room allowed the anger to build in me. Again, Michael was interfering in my life. Jason had drugged me, but Michael set everything in motion. Michael was equally to me. By dinnertime, I had already decided what needed to happen. I sat across from my father and Solon at the long dining table. The dishes were untouched. My father waited patiently. He wanted to hear what I had found out. Solon nced between us nervously. ¡°Come on, Talia, tell us what you found out,¡± Solon finally said, I set my fork down. ¡°I spoke with Henry this afternoon.¡± Father¡¯s attention sharpened. ¡°And?¡± ¡°He admitted that Michael gave Jason the Moonlust,¡± I said. ¡°Michael told him it would help repair the bond between Jason and me. He framed it as a solution for Shadoww.¡± Solon answered first. ¡°So Michael was behind all of this. I am not surprised.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY THREE +25 Bonus Father¡¯s face darkened, and his eyes cooled. ¡°It fits his personality. He has always been a problem.¡± His tone surprised me. Father was normally cordial with Michael, but there may be some bad blood between the two even more so than I thought. ¡°Jason is not fit to lead a pack,¡± I said. ¡°He cannot control himself, and he is too easily influenced. Shadoww needs a new leader.¡± Solon nodded once. ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°Silverfang should take responsibility for the transition,¡± I continued. ¡°We cannot leave a pack in the hands of a man who uses Moonlust freely. But we also cannot move carelessly. If we act too fast, Michael¡¯s supporters will push back.¡± ¡°Right. We need to make a wise n.¡± Father said. ¡°I suggest we wait until I choose a mate,¡± I said. ¡°Once my position is settled, we can bring Shadoww under Silverfang¡¯s guidance. And we will have another powerful alliance to support us.¡± ¡°Choosing Colin may be the best oue we can build after this mess,¡± Father said and nodded. ¡°I think so. There aren¡¯t any other candidates that are trustworthy,¡± Solon added. The way they said it told me everything. They were already nning around Colin. They were already building a future on the idea that I would choose him. Neither of them said it directly, but the assumption was there. I knew they were both right. With Colin involved, everything would be easier. The elders would see a bnced arrangement instead of a sudden overthrow. It was the logical choice. But when I pictured myself standing beside Colin as his mate, I felt empty. I trusted him. I liked him. I felt safe with him. I knew he would never harm me or betray me for power. Colin would give me a peaceful life, but my mind kept going back to Nn. I took a sip of water to keep my voice even. ¡°I support Colin to stabilize Shadoww,¡± I said firmly. ¡°but honestly, I haven¡¯t made my decision on who my mate will be.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to go through the motions,¡± Solon said. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I said as my mind struggled. Father nodded. After a moment, he said, ¡°Talia, how about you invite Colin to dinner tomorrow night?¡± I felt a flicker of resistance, but I could not find a good reason to refuse him. ¡°Sure,¡± I said. ¡°Good. We will talk about then,¡± Father added. He picked up his ss again. ¡°Also invite Healer Leslie.¡± Across the table, Solon stiffened. His gaze snapped to Father. ¡°Leslie?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Father said. He watched Solon closely. ¡°Do you have an objection?¡± Solon¡¯s mouth opened, and then closed. He looked down at his te, and then let out a quiet breath. ¡°No, Father.¡± At that very moment, I wish I was able to mindlink with Solon. Father seemed to already know Leslie was his mate. He had probably known since the day they met. Nothing stayed hidden from him for long. And if he had seen that so clearly¡­ I had to wonder if he knew about Nn and me. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 164 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY FOUR Talia¡¯s POV I went to De¡¯s room right after dinner. I needed to talk to her. I owed her an apology and I wasn¡¯t going to put it off. I knocked at her door. ¡°Who is it?¡± she called. ¡°It¡¯s me, Talia.¡± De didn¡¯t respond. For a moment I thought she might ignore me, but the door opened. De stood in the doorway with her arms crossed as she red at me. ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked. ¡°I came to apologize,¡± I said. She opened the door a little wider but did not move aside. ¡°You yelled at me and told me I would never understand you. Do you think you can say sorry and it all goes away?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I want you to let me exin and then decide if you can forgive me.¡± De stepped back and let me in. I walked inside while she closed the door. ¡°Speak,¡± she said. I took a breath. ¡°I thought I had moved past everything with Jason. I was so very wrong. When I saw you trying to help, it reminded me that you still have something I lost, and I took that out on you. You did nothing to deserve it.¡± Her expression softened a little. ¡°You told me I would never understand.¡± ¡°I was wrong about that too,¡± I said. ¡°You understand more than I wanted to admit. You have always tried to stand by me. You were there when I needed help. I was cruel because I was hurting. I am sorry.¡± She held my gaze for a long moment, and then sighed, ¡°You know I can¡¯t stay mad at you. Now tell me everything. Is Jason getting the punishment he deserved?¡± ¡°Not yet. Jason is locked in the dungeon,¡± I said. ¡°Henry admitted that Michael gave Jason the Moonlust. Father and Solon n to exile Jason and restructure Shadoww after I choose a mate. Silverfang will take over to stabilize things.¡± De let out a low whistle. ¡°So your bonding situation turned into a political solution.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± I said. ¡°And one more thing, I need your help with Leslie. Father asked me to invite her to dinner tomorrow. It is obvious he already knows Leslie is Solon¡¯s mate,¡± ¡°Come on. She listens to me until the topic is Solon,¡± De muttered, rolling her eyes. ¡°Then we involve Colin, he often has great ideas,¡± I said, De thought about it and then nodded slowly, ¡°Alright. We bring Colin. Between the three of us, we might get her to say yes. ¡°That is what I was hoping for,¡± I said. After leaving De¡¯s room, I texted Colin about dinner tomorrow-and asked if he could help invite Leslie too. He agreed right away. We met him outside the courtyard and then walked together to Leslie¡¯s cabin. De and Colin chatted about strategy. My mind kept drifting to the worst oues. What if Leslie didn¡¯t agree? There was nothing I could do about her. When we reached her cabin, De knocked on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± Leslie called from inside. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY FOUR ¡°De,¡± De answered. ¡°I broughtpany.¡± +25 Bonus There was a short pause, and then the door opened. Leslie stood in the doorway. Her eyes moved from De to me, then to Colin. ¡°What are you three doing here?¡± Leslie asked. ¡°Well, I came to thank you,¡± I said. ¡°For saving me at the hospital. If you had not acted, I might not be here.¡± Leslie shrugged and said, ¡°Someone has to keep you alive. You get yourself into trouble too easily.¡± She stepped back and let us in, though her posture stayed stiff. ¡°Actually, we¡¯re here to make you have some fun,¡± Colin said. ¡°Up for a game?¡± Leslie folded her arms. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for games. I¡¯m packing and- ¡°Tonight you do,¡± De cut in, already pulling an empty bottle and a bottle of wine from her bag like a magician revealing a trick. ¡°We walked all the way here. Humor us¡­ please?¡± I nced at Colin. He picked up the hint smoothly. ¡°Truth or Dare,¡± he suggested. ¡°Nothingplicated. We just have a good time and talk.¡± Leslie hesitated. I could almost see her weighing her options. Her gaze moved between the three of us. Finally, she huffed. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°But if this turns into a trap, I am throwing all of you out. Clear?¡± We nodded and sat around the small table. Leslie sat across from me, De to my right, and Colin to my left. Leslie grabbed shot sses and filled them with wine. Colin ced the empty bottle in the middle of the table and spun it. It stopped, facing me. ¡°Truth or Dare?¡± Colin asked. ¡°Truth,¡± I said and instantly regretted it as I noticed Colin seemed almost too pleased with that choice. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°Do you want me as a friend or as a potential mate?¡± Heat rushed to my face. Leslie¡¯s eyebrows shot up. De grinned and said, ¡°Oh this is getting good and we just started.¡± ¡°Colin,¡± I said. ¡°That is not a fair question.¡± ¡°Your choice,¡± he reminded me. ¡°Those are the rules. If you refuse to answer, you can drink.¡± I did not want to lie, but I was not ready to have that discussion especially not in front of Leslie. ¡°I am not answering that,¡± I said and reached for the drink De had set on the table. I knocked it back and ced it back on the table. De filled it again. Leslie let out a lowugh, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m getting interested.¡± My heart thumped harder than it should have, but I forced myself to focus. ¡°My turn,¡± I said and spun the bottle. Itnded on Leslie. Leslie quickly said, ¡°Dare.¡± ¡°I dare you to agree to have dinner with my family tomorrow.¡± Leslie shrugged, a yful smile spreading across her face. ¡°Alright. Easy enough. I was getting tired of making my own meals anyway.¡± ¡°That¡­that was much easier than I expected,¡± De giggled, But in the next instant, Leslie¡¯s smile froze. ¡°Wait! Solon is your brother, right? He¡¯ll be there too?!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I said, shing her a satisfied smile. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 165 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY FIVE +25 Bonus did she want more herbs to suppress the mate bond again? ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°De told me before she left. Talia wanted to check on Leslie after everything.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Marco asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I¡­ um, I¡¯m not feeling well. I should have her check me,¡± I lied, trying to sound casual. Marco studied me for a moment, then smirked. ¡°Wow¡­ that was a terrible lie.¡± I did not deny it. ¡°I should go.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re still going to stick to that lie?¡± Marco chuckled. ¡°I want to speak to Leslie too,¡± I said, refusing to give in fully. ¡°Look, it¡¯s just you and me here. You don¡¯t need to lie about wanting to see Talia,¡± Marco said. ¡°How about youe with me?¡± I asked. ¡°No,¡± he said without hesitation. ¡°If De, Talia, and Leslie are talking, I am staying far away from that cabin.¡± ¡°You could stille,¡± I insisted. ¡°No,¡± he repeated. ¡°I am not getting involved if you invoke their wrath.¡± I gave him a sharp look. ¡°You¡¯re getting a kick out of this, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Just a little bit,¡± Marco said. ¡°I hate to say it but I told you so. Next time listen to me.¡± Despite his tone, his bluntness helped. My frustration eased a little. I turned and left the field. Leslie¡¯s cabin sat near the edge of the trees. The closer I got, the clearer the voices inside became. I slowed when I reached the small porch. I heardughter. It was unmistakably Talia¡¯s. She had notughed once around me since the night at the bonfire. Hearing herugh now, freely and without hesitation, made my heart ache. ¡®You need to remain calm. No threatening her. No sarcasm. Just calm,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®Hypocrite,¡¯ I muttered as he was the one normally pushing me to do reckless things. ¡®She isfortable here. We do not want to ruin that for her,¡¯ my wolf continued and I agreed. I would keep my temper in check or leave if it got too much for me to handle. I ced my hand on the door handle. I told myself I had every reason to see how Talia was doing after the stress of yesterday. Maybe showing her I cared would change her feelings toward me. I pushed the door open. De sat on one side of the low table. Leslie sat across from her. Colin sat beside Talia. None of them noticed me at first. Talia leaned close to Colin. De¡¯s eyes widened. Leslie lifted an eyebrow but said nothing. Colin did not pull away. Then, Talia pressed a kiss to his cheek. Fury rose in my chest. My wolf snarled within me. I stepped fully inside. The door hit the wall behind me. All four of them turned toward me at once. Talia froze. Her eyes widened. The color drained from her face. ¡°What on earth is going on?¡± I growled. 213 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 166 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY SIX Nn¡¯s POV I crossed the room in a sh and grabbed Colin by the neck, rage flooding every nerve. What infuriated me even more was that he didn¡¯t fight back. He only looked at me with that same calm expression except his eyes told a different story. His eyes glinted with deadly intent. ¡®Rip his throat out for touching our mate!¡¯ my wolf snarled. Talia stood immediately and shouted, ¡°Let him go. If you don¡¯t, I will ask my father to exile you. I swear!¡± I turned my head to look at her. She wasn¡¯t bluffing. The fact that she was threatening to exile me to protect Colin made me more frustrated. ¡°Nn!¡± Talia eximed. ¡°Put him down!¡± My grip loosened. Reluctantly, I let him go. Colin sucked in a breath and straightened his shirt. Instead of looking shaken, he smiled. It felt smug. It looked as if he already knew she would protect him every time and saw no reason to hide it. Talia rushed over to him and asked, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± Colin said as he rubbed his neck. De stood between us with her hands raised to show she wasn¡¯t a threat. ¡°It was a game, Alpha Nn,¡± De exined. ¡°We were ying Truth or Dare. Talia only kissed him because it was her dare. Don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± ¡°A game?¡± I repeated. ¡°You are drinking and kissing people because of a game. I¡¯m not stupid!¡± 1 ¡°It was harmless fun,¡± De answered. ¡°No one was trying to provoke you, if that is what you¡¯re thinking.¡± ¡°Why are you even here?¡± Talia asked, frowning. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± ¡°No, I just wanted to check on Leslie,¡± I answered. Talia¡¯s eyes narrowed as she stared at me suspiciously. De and Leslie exchanged a nce before Leslie said, ¡°Again, Nn and I have no romantic rtionship.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve seen her. She¡¯s fine. You can leave now,¡± Talia said and turned her back on me. I grit my teeth as she was giving me the cold shoulder again. It even looked like Colin felt bad for me. I wanted to know why Talia was doing this, why she treated me as if I was the one who had almost hurt her instead of the man sitting next to her. Before I could ask, Leslie said, ¡°Since you¡¯re already here, sit down and join the game. It will be more fun with you involved.¡± Talia shot a look at Leslie before shaking her head. ¡°No. He does not need to join,¡± ¡°I think he should. It will make this less awkward,¡± De chimed. Colin added casually, ¡°I agree. It is only a game.¡± It was three against one. Talia hesitated only for a few moments before sighing in defeat. ¡°Fine. One round. Then everyone goes home.¡± I took the empty seat next to Leslie. Talia begrudgingly spun the bottle. It turned slowly before stopping in front of De. ¡°Truth or dare?¡± Talia asked. ¡°Dare,¡± De answered without thinking. ¡°I dare you to make Nn leave,¡± Talia said. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY SIX +25 Bonus De scoffed and rolled her eyes. She grabbed her ss and said, ¡°No. I am drinking instead.¡± She downed her ss, and Leslie leaned forward to refill it. De spun the bottle again. It pointed at me. Talia¡¯s reaction was immediate. Her shoulders tensed as she awaited my response. ¡°Maybe this isn¡¯t such a good idea. I think I should go,¡± she said. ¡°No, you said one more round and we¡¯re almost done,¡± Leslie said and Colin nodded. De smiled and asked, ¡°Truth or dare?¡± ¡°Truth,¡± I said and I instantly saw Talia rx. That stung a little. Was she afraid that De would dare me to do something to her? I should be able to do whatever I want to Talia as she was my mate. ¡°What do you most want to know right now?¡± De asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. I couldn¡¯t tell if De was trying to help me or be mischievous. Either way, she was setting Talia up to be put on the spot and I weed the opportunity to get everything out in the open. I turned toward Talia and met her eyes. ¡°Will you choose me or Colin as your mate?¡± Talia¡¯s POV All eyes were on me. I swallowed hard before forcing out a smallugh even though my stomach twisted. How dare he put me on the spot like this, especially with how he had been acting. One moment he was angry, the next he was civil, and now he was demanding answers in front of everyone. Once again, Nn was trying to control the situation. I did not have to answer. I picked up my ss and drank instead. The alcohol burned my throat. It gave me a few seconds to avoid his stare and gather myself. I could feel the heat in my cheeks from embarrassment. ¡°Well, this was fun,¡± I said as I stood up. ¡°I should go.¡± ¡°Come on, you don¡¯t have to be party pooper about it,¡± Leslie teased. Talia gave her tight smile before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about dinner tomorrow, Leslie.¡± The color drained Leslie¡¯s face and she gave a quick nod. ¡°You too, Colin, do not forget.¡± I walked toward the door. I wanted the night to end before anything else could happen. It seemed like I was going to get my way until Nn stepped in front of me and blocked the exit. ¡°Nn, I am really not in the mood. Please move,¡± I said. ¡°You are avoiding me,¡± he used. He was correct, I was avoiding him, I didn¡¯t like how he judged me for my decisions. ¡°I am not,¡± I lied as I kept my voice even. ¡°I am tired and want to go to bed. That is all.¡± ¡°Since you say you¡¯re not avoiding me,¡± Nn said as he smiled, ¡°Then I will attend the dinner tomorrow as well.¡± P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 167 SMERTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV I arrived at the dining hall with Leslie on my right side and Colin on my left. Nn walked behind us with a solemn expression as he was stewing with anger. Before we stepped inside, I stopped and looked at both Alphas. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Colin asked. ¡°I am warning you both,¡± I said. ¡°If either of you start another argument during dinner, I swear I will have you thrown out. Do you understand?¡± Colin nodded and said, ¡°I have no intention of arguing.¡± Nn gave a short answer. ¡°Neither do I.¡± Leslie let out augh under her breath. Nn red at her. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± he asked. ¡°You two look like lost pups following her around,¡± Leslie said. Colin¡¯s ears reddened, and Nn¡¯s jaw tightened. I let out a sigh. ¡°If you think trying to get them in trouble will get you out of this, it won¡¯t. Leslie it won¡¯t work. I won¡¯t kick you out even if you pour wine on me.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t hurt a girl for trying,¡± Leslie muttered. I rolled my eyes and pushed the door open. Father sat at the head of the table. Solon sat to his right, probably talking about something dealing with the borders. They both looked up when we entered. I expected Father to be angry or at least surprised to see Nn; however, he didn¡¯t even flinch. Solon, on the other hand, was caught off guard. His eyes widened slightly and then he forced a polite smile. ¡°Come in,¡± Father said as he waved us over. ¡°We have been waiting for you.¡± The servants moved quickly to show us our seating arrangements. Father pointed to the seats he had chosen. To my disappointment, he ced me between Colin and Nn. It was apparent now. Father either knew Nn was my mate or he assumed he was. Putting me in between Colin and Nn allowed him to observe every small reaction. Colin and Nn both stared at the seat. It seemed they both realized what my father was trying to do. They seemed to be a little more on edge. They both reached for my chair at the same time, but Nn got his hand on it first. Nn smirked at Colin, Colin¡¯s jaw flexed as he red at Nn. I rolled my eyes. I couldn¡¯t believe they were going to argue over something as little as this. ¡°I can seat myself,¡± I said quickly. Nn stepped back. Colin lowered his hand. Leslie covered her mouth as she was trying not tough again. I really wanted to tell her to shut up but I wanted to keep the peace, so I red at her as I sat down. Once everyone sat, Father said, ¡°Before we eat, I want to properly greet all my guests. Healer Leslie, I am d you came.¡± Leslie smiled politely and said, ¡°Thank you for inviting me.¡± ¡°Do you n to stay at Silverfang?¡± Father asked. His blunt questions surprised me. I expected my father to at least have small talk before he started asking questions. Leslie cleared her throat nervously and replied, ¡°I do not enjoy busy ces. I n to return to Windpaw after Princess Talia chooses her mate.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY SEVEN +25 Bonus Father nodded slowly. ¡°That is understandable,¡± he said. ¡°However, since you have a mate, you have every right to remain in Silverfang if you wish.¡± Leslie¡¯s eyes widened before her mouth dropped. Her head snapped towards Solon, who suddenly wanted to count the threads in the tablecloth. ¡°Did you tell him?¡± Leslie asked sharply. ¡°Are you trying to force me to stay?¡± Solon held up his hands and quickly said, ¡°No. I did not say anything.¡± ¡°Then how did he know?¡± Leslie demanded. I cleared my throat which made Leslie focus her attention on me. ¡°No one told father anything. Father assumed and your panic attack just proved his assumption was correct,¡± I exined awkwardly. Leslie went quiet. She looked down for a moment topose herself and then sighed as she leaned back in her seat. ¡°I do not want to stay here, my Majesty,¡± Leslie said, her voice sharp. ¡°I will go home. Even if you locked me up to stop me, I¡¯d still find a way to escape.¡± I groaned inwardly at her bluntness. Why did Leslie always jump to the most extreme conclusions? My father would never act like that. Before I could intervene, Colin spoke up. ¡°Healer Leslie meant no disrespect, my Majesty. She only means that Windpaw is her home, not Silverfang.¡± Thankfully, my father didn¡¯t look offended. Relief flickered in his eyes, reced quickly by concern. ¡°There is no disrespect. Healer Leslie has a very real concern,¡± he said firmly. ¡°No one here seeks to force you to stay, I assure you.¡± I noticed Nn leaning back, a faint smirk ying at his lips. He seemed to be enjoying the tension a little too much, but I couldn¡¯t call him out-there was already enough drama tonight. Solon leaned closer to Leslie, his voice low but earnest. ¡°Is there any way I can convince you to stay? Any demands I could meet to keep you from leaving?¡± Leslie froze, caughtpletely off guard. From his tone, it was clear he meant it. He really wanted to know. He wanted to make their rtionship work. After a moment of consideration, Leslie finally said, ¡°I have just one.¡± 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 168 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY EIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Then, tell us what it is,¡± my father said. I watched Leslie¡¯s expression. She looked calm, but I could tell from the tension in her shoulders that whatever she nned on saying wasn¡¯t a small matter. ¡°I want to prepare a special herb for Solon,¡± Leslie finally said. My father¡¯s eyes narrowed. Solon stiffened. Nn stopped eating. Colin set his fork down and focused on her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± my father asked. Leslie continued, ¡°He would take it only after we mark each other as mates. If he betrays me afterward, the herb will activate and cause a pain worse than what he would feel if I rejected him. The pain would spread through his body. It would be intense enough that he might not survive it.¡± The words were spoken so calmly that it made them even more unsettling. Father¡¯s hand mmed down on the table so hard the dishes rattled. ¡°Are you nning to kill my son? Is that your condition?¡± ¡°When did I say I wanted to kill him?¡± Leslie responded. ¡°Do not act coy with me,¡± my father growled. ¡°I do not want to kill him,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°I want to ensure my mate¡¯s loyalty. That is all.¡± ¡°That is all? That¡¯s ALL?!¡± Father repeated. ¡°You speak as if this is a simple conversation over an afternoon brunch. You are talking about poisoning my son! The future Alpha King!¡± ¡°It is not poison,¡± Leslie defended. ¡°It is a safeguard. If he is faithful, nothing happens. If he betrays me, he feels the consequence of that choice.¡± I understood why she felt this way. Her parents¡¯ story had been haunting her for years. Of course she would want a way to protect herself. But hearing her describe a pain that could kill Solon made me worry. ¡°Leslie, you cannot be serious,¡± I interjected. ¡°You have not thought this n through.¡± ¡°I have thought it through, Talia,¡± Leslie shot back. ¡°I know exactly what I am asking for. I will not bind my life to a man who can walk away without consequence. I will not repeat my mother¡¯s fate.¡± I looked at Solon. His face had gone pale. He did not look offended, just overwhelmed. His hand rested near his ss but did not move. ¡°Solon,¡± Leslie said. She turned fully toward him now. ¡°This is my condition. If I stay, if I ept this bond, will you ept it too?¡± Conflict showed inly on Solon¡¯s face. He cared about her, That much was obvious from the way he looked at her, but he also understood what she was asking. This was not a simple request for reassurance. She was asking him to swallow something that could kill him if a mistake was made whether it was his fault or not, Solon opened his mouth to answer, but father interrupted him. ¡°You will not answer that damn condition,¡± he said to Solon. The Alphamand hit Solon and he closed his mouth quickly. ¡°I will. The answer is no,¡± father said. Leslie frowned and asked, ¡°So you will not allow him to decide for himself?¡± ¡°I will not allow my son, the future Alpha King, to bind himself to this fate,¡± Father said. ¡°You are asking for a tool that could end his life. Do you understand what that means?¡± CHAPTER ONE MUNDRED & SIXTY RIGHT +25 Bonus ¡°I understand exactly what it means,¡± she replied. ¡°Then you know why I refuse.¡± Leslie crossed her arms and said, ¡°What I know is that you do not trust him.¡± Solon flinched at her words and turned to father. ¡°That is not what this is,¡± Father said. ¡°I am protecting my son.¡± ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Leslie insisted. ¡°If you believed he would never betray me, you would have no reason to fear a herb that only activates if he does.¡± ¡°This is not about trust. This is about control,¡± Father retorted. ¡°You fear not having any control, so you would rather control my son and inevitably kill him because you refuse to deal with your trauma.¡± ¡°It sounds like you do not trust him,¡± Leslie argued. ¡°You expect him to rule a kingdom, but you do not trust him enough to let him prove his loyalty to me.¡± I looked from Father to Leslie and then to Solon again. I trusted him. I did not believe he would betray her. I also knew herbs like that were not a game. I had experienced first hand what certain herbs could do to a wolf. ¡°Leslie,¡± I said carefully. ¡°You do not need something like this. If you are afraid, you can take time. You can wait beforepleting the bond. You do not need to risk his life.¡± Leslie shook her head. ¡°You are not listening. Time does not change what he is capable of. I want a mate who chooses me and knows that betrayal has a cost. That is the only way I will ever feel secure.¡± I thought of Jason and everything that had happened between us. I understood the desire to make betrayal hurt. I understood it too well. Even so, the idea of Solon copsing in pain because of one mistake, or a misunderstanding, or something beyond his control, made me feel sick. Father spoke again. ¡°I will not approve this.¡± ¡°I know you understand where I¡¯ming from, Talia,¡± Leslie continued. ¡°You could use the herb too. You have two Alphas right here. Do you n on trusting either of them without consequences?¡± I felt Nn and Colin¡¯s eyes on me, but I could not bring myself to look at either of them. ¡°I do not want anything like that,¡± I responded. ¡°I might be afraid, but I do not want a bond built on fear of death.¡± ¡°Then, you are a fool just like my mother,¡± Leslie said sadly. Father mmed his hand on the table again causing us all to flinch. ¡°Enough! This dinner is over.¡± ÈÕ Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 169 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV I barely slept after that terrible dinner. I was surprised my father hadn¡¯t expelled Leslie from Silverfang immediately afterwards. Knowing him, he was going to take time to figure out how he could salvage the situation because I knew he would never want Solon to reject his mate. I felt for Solon. I couldn¡¯t get the image of the way he looked so defeated out of my mind. I tried tofort him, but Solon told me he needed space. ¡°Goddess, what am I supposed to do?¡± I groaned as I tossed my pillow off the bed. I was angry about the entire situation. I was angry at father for Alphamanding Solon to keep him from responding. He shouldn¡¯t have done that because now things would be tense between him and Solon. But I understood his concern. I couldn¡¯t even fault Leslie even if I wanted to. Leslie had every reason to be wary and suspicious, but she didn¡¯t need to take it out on Solon. Though I understood her reasoning even if I wished I didn¡¯t. She was a deeply scarred woman but knowing that did not make the sight of Solon¡¯s sorrow hurt any less. Unfortunately, their situation only made me think about Jason and his warning: No Alpha would want a barren Luna like you. I knew Jason said that to hurt me. Jason wanted me to believe that he was my only option and to ignore all the terrible things he had done and take him back. I knew that he was trying to manipte me, but part of me still feared that Jason was right. I had every test and examination done while still Luna of Shadoww. The doctors never found anything wrong with me. Now, without my wolf, my doubts continued to increase at this very moment. By morning, my eyes burned from exhaustion, but I had made my decision. I needed to be examined again. And it couldn¡¯t just be anyone doing it. There was only one person I trusted to do this for me and that was Leslie. I waited until the sun had fully risen before making my way to Leslie¡¯s cabin. The entire walk I kept pausing and turning back before pushing myself to go talk to her. I finally reached her cabin and knocked on the door. There was a long moment of silence before the door opened a crack. Leslie looked back at me with dark circles under her eyes. It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only person that didn¡¯t get any sleepst night. ¡°Rough night?¡± I asked. Leslie pushed the door open fully but kept one hand on the door in preparation to m it in my face. ¡°Look Talia, if you¡¯re here to try to convince me, you¡¯re wasting your time, and I am running out of patience with you intervening in my life.¡± Her tone stung, but I understood it. She was tired. She needed space. And she didn¡¯t expect everyone to pressure her again after what she saidst night. ¡°I¡¯m not here for that,¡± I whisper. ¡°You said thatst time and then you tricked me into agreeing to go to that dinner,¡± Leslie said. ¡°I¡¯m not here about Solon, I promise,¡± I said firmly, ¡°I know Solon would ept you. He just needs time to process everything.¡± She snorted quietly, clearly unconvinced. ¡°Processing and epting are two different things.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said softly. ¡°But he cares about you. He truly does.¡± Leslie crossed her arms over her chest, ¡°Cut the crap. Why are you here?¡± she asked. I hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words, Leslie sighed and leaned her shoulder against the door frame. ¡°You are wasting yours and my time. I thought you weren¡¯ting here to convince me.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SIXTY NIND +25 Bonus ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I said quickly. ¡°I am just letting you know that I understand where you¡¯reing for. I get it.¡± That made her pause. She studied my face carefully, searching for any sign that I was lying. When she found none, Leslie rxed a little, but she still eyed me suspiciously. ¡°Then what do you need, Princess?¡± Leslie asked. I swallowed hard. My palms felt sweaty. I was trying to find the right words, but it was all so embarrassing. Leslie frowned when I didn¡¯t respond right away. She reached for my hand and pulled me into her cabin. Leslie closed the door. ¡± Look, you don¡¯t have to be nervous. After everything we¡¯ve been through, you can talk to me,¡± Leslie said, ¡°What trouble have you caused this time?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything. I¡¯m not in trouble or at least I¡¯m not in trouble yet,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s something personal.¡± Leslie raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, what is it?¡± I drew in a slow breath and forced myself not to look away. ¡°I want you to help me check something.¡± ¡°Talia¡­you¡¯re starting to scare me,¡± Leslie said. ¡°Check what? What do you need me to check?¡± ¡°I want you to check if I¡¯m barren.¡± 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 170 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY Talia¡¯s POV I stood there, feeling exposed. Leslie stared at me as if I had just spoken in anothernguage. ¡°What?¡± My throat felt tight, but I forced the words out again. ¡°I want you to help me check if I am barren.¡± Her expression shifted from shock to anger in an instant. ¡°This is about Jason, isn¡¯t it?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That fucking bastard¡­I should¡¯ve known from the beginning he was up to no good,¡± Leslie growled. She then calmed herself and asked, ¡°What did he say to you exactly?¡± ¡°He said no Alpha would want a barren Luna,¡± I exined. Leslie¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°You realize that says more about him than it ever said about you, right?¡± ¡°I know that,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Then, tell me what you¡¯re afraid of,¡± Leslie said. I looked at my hands for a moment and thenced my fingers together to keep them from shaking. ¡°I am afraid Jason was right that I am barren.¡± ¡°He was not,¡± Leslie said at once. ¡°There are plenty of couples who can¡¯t conceive, and their mates never abandoned their she- wolves.¡± ¡°But they weren¡¯t Alphas,¡± I argued. ¡°When I could not get pregnant with him, I thought something was wrong with me. The doctors at Shadoww examined me and there was nothing wrong with me, but Jason didn¡¯t even hear me out. After I left Shadoww, I was checked again. They said I was fine, but I still cannot shake the thought that maybe something was overlooked.¡± Leslie pulled out the chair across from me and sat down. ¡°Ok, look, healers can sense things regr doctors cannot,¡± she said. ¡± We work with the body, but we also work with the soul. That is our difference,¡± ¡°You can really tell if someone can have children?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Leslie confirmed. ¡°Werewolf fertility is tied to our soul. When I examine someone, I do not just look at their body. I feel the flow of that energy. If something is blocked, I can sense it.¡± A flicker of hope rose inside me, but I pushed it down, afraid to trust it too soon. ¡°But¡­ My wolf has not awakened yet. Will that make a difference?¡± ¡°No,¡± Leslie said. ¡°Your wolf is part of you even if she is not fully awake, Your soul is stillplete. I can still read it.¡± I exhaled slowly. ¡°So, you can tell?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Leslie said. ¡°If you want me to.¡± ¡°I do,¡± I answered. ¡°I need to know. I cannot keep wondering about this.¡± Leslie stood and moved toward the shelves. I watched as she chose a small ss bottle and a y cup. She poured water into the cup and then added a few drops of liquid from the bottle. The water turned deep blue. ¡°What is that?¡± I asked. ¡°A mild focus potion,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°It is safe. It helps calm your mind and make your energy easier to read.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY +25 Bonus She brought the cup over and held it out to me. I took it from her. The ceramic felt warm from her touch. ¡°Drink all of it,¡± Leslie instructed. I drank it in a few swallows. A few secondster, I felt the tension in my chest loosen. My heartbeat slowed to a steadier rhythm. Leslie moved behind me and rested her hand lightly on the top of my head. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± I did as she said. At first, I felt nothing. Then a gentle warmth spread from the top of my head down through my body. It was soothing, like stepping into sunlight after being cold for too long. For the first time in days, my thoughts stopped racing. There was no repeating of Jason¡¯s harsh words. No sh of Solon¡¯s sad eyes at the dinner table. Just a peaceful quiet.. It was hard to tell how long we stayed like that. I didn¡¯t realize I had fallen asleep until the warmth faded and I felt Leslie¡¯s hand lift from my head. I opened my eyes as she moved around to stand in front of me again. ¡°So, what¡¯s the verdict?¡± I asked. Leslie smiled. It was a real smile, not a forced one to make someone feel better. ¡°You are fine,¡± she said. ¡°You can bear pups.¡± ¡°You are sure?¡± ¡°There is nothing wrong with your ability to conceive. Your energy is clear. There are no signs of damage or blockage,¡± Leslie answered. ¡°Then why¡­?¡± I swallowed. ¡°Why did I never get pregnant with Jason?¡± Leslie shrugged slightly. ¡°Clearly because your rtionship with him was not meant tost.¡± I blinked. ¡°That is it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Leslie confirmed. ¡°Sometimes the bond does not allow conception when the pairing is wrong. The body can sense it even when the mind cannot. You were not the problem.¡± It felt strange to think the bond knew that Jason wasn¡¯t loyal before he even betrayed the bond. I was forever grateful. Now knowing how Jason truly was, there was no telling what kind of atrocities he would¡¯vemitted when he realized I was the Princess. ¡°Why were you still worried about this? Nn and Colin care about you. You¡¯re not losing no matter who you choose,¡± Leslie pressed. ¡°Jason treated me well at first too,¡± I said. ¡°He was kind and patient. I believed our bond was unbreakable and it was worth losing my status as Princess. Then, he changed when I couldn¡¯t have his pup and with Viki¡¯s lies, he threw our bond away without a second thought.¡± ¡°That was him. That doesn¡¯t mean Nn or Colin would do that,¡± Leslie stated. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to take the chance,¡± I said ¡°It would not only hurt me. It would hurt Silverfang too. The pack¡¯s future is tied to my choice. If I choose someone whoter discards me, it affects everyone.¡± Images shed through my mind: Nn rejecting me, Colin looking at me with disgust, and the Elders judging me for failing for a second time. Leslie leaned down to wrap her arms around me in a firm hug. ¡°You do not need to worry about that right now,¡± she said. ¡°Just know you are whole.¡± ¡°Thank you, Leslie,¡± I said. ¡°You trusted me with this. Thank you for that. It means more than you realize,¡± Leslie continued. CHADER THE HUNDRED & SEVENTY Leslie let go of me, but I don¡¯t know¡­ I should¡¯ve felt better, but something in my chest still wouldn¡¯t settle. P Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 171 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV After leaving Leslie¡¯s cabin, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my chest. I felt energized. I knew that wouldn¡¯tst due to myck of sleep, but I wanted to take full advantage of it while I could. I headed toward the training grounds to release some of my pent-up energy. I walked the usual path, but I did not see Nn anywhere. Normally, he trained at this hour or sparred with Marco. Today, he wasn¡¯t there. Only a few younger warriors practicing their forms and a pair of instructors shouting corrections. Colin¡¯s voice echoed in my mind: Distance yourself from him. If he truly cares about you, he¡¯ll make the effort. That advice made sense when I heard it. Now, I wasn¡¯t so sure. It felt like I was switching from one thing to another to worry about. Two days remained before I was expected to make my decision and yet, Nn was nowhere to be seen. Had something happened to Nn? Or had he taken my silence as a sign that I no longer wanted him as my mate? The longer I walked without seeing him, the heavier that pressure felt. ¡°I am overthinking this,¡± I told myself. ¡°He¡¯s probably handling something important with his pack.¡± Still, when the sun started to set and I realized I had wandered the pce grounds half the day without finding him, my anxiety returned with a vengeance. Something was wrong. By the time I arrived at dinner, I had no appetite. I pushed food around my te and kept ncing at the door, half-expecting Nn to walk through it. De found me before dessert arrived. She slid into the seat across from me and lowered her voice. ¡°You look like you have not slept. What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing. I am simply tired,¡± I lied. ¡°You¡¯re a terrible liar, Talia,¡± De said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡± I hesitated and then decided it was pointless to hide anything from her. ¡°I have not seen Nn all day,¡± I admitted. ¡°And that¡¯s a bad thing because? I thought you were upset with him,¡± De said. ¡°I¡¯m not upset with him. I wanted him to put forth an effort to pursue me and not just make demands or try to control the situation,¡± I responded. ¡°Oh, you really don¡¯t know what today is,¡± De said as she ate a spoonful of pudding. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°Today is his father¡¯s Memorial Day,¡± De replied. ¡°Oh.¡± I sat back in my chair, ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Because Marco is with him right now. He stays with him all day,¡± De exined. ¡°Nn does not train, he does not leave his room, and he does not speak unless necessary. He basically drinks himself into unconsciousness.¡± All day, I had been restless. It made sense now. I was responding to Nn¡¯s sadness that I was feeling through the mate bond. ¡°There is nothing wrong with checking on him, you know,¡± De suggested. ¡°You can take the initiative this time. It will show him that you care about him regardless of the mate bond.¡± ¡°I am not sure about that. This is a very sensitive time for him,¡± I said. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY ONE +25 Bonus ¡°And?¡± De countered. ¡°He has seen you at your lowest multiple times. I think it is about time you¡¯ve seen him at a low point.¡± ¡°I barely know him,¡± I said, though my voicecked conviction. ¡°That is exactly why you should go,¡± De said. ¡°This is actually the perfect chance to see him as a person, not as an Alpha or a potential mate.¡± She was right. If I wanted to judge Nn fairly, I needed to understand him beyond all the walls he put up. De leaned forward. ¡°Go to him. If he pushes you away, then at least you know where you stand and the decision will be easier.¡± I took a slow breath and nodded. ¡°You are right.¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± she said, softer this time. By the time I left the dining hall, the sky had darkened into shades of deep blue. The closer I got to Nn¡¯s room, the more anxious I became. I had no idea what I was walking into and the thought of him rejecting me was frightening. I reached Nn¡¯s room. Before I could knock, Marco stepped into the hallway. He looked surprised to see me as he closed the door. ¡°Princess? What are you doing here?¡± Marco asked. ¡°I¡­ I wanted to check on Nn,¡± I answered. ¡°I hadn¡¯t seen him all day.¡± Marco nced back at the door before looking back at me. ¡°Tonight isn¡¯t really a good time,¡± he said. I frowned but I didn¡¯t push. Marco knew Nn better than me, so he would know if it was safe for me to engage. ¡°I cane back tomorrow,¡± I said quietly. ¡°If that is better.¡± Marco hesitated. He looked torn, as if he wanted to say yes but knew Nn would not approve. Before he could respond, Nn called out, ¡°Marco, bring more wine.¡± Marco pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. I could tell that he wanted to argue with Nn, but being that Nn was his Alpha, he had no choice but to obey. ¡°I will handle it from here,¡± I told him. ¡°From your reaction, I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t need any more wine.¡± Marco studied my face as if trying to determine if this was a terrible idea. ¡°If you insist,¡± he said as he opened the door for me. But be prepared. He is not himself today.¡± ( BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 172 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY TWO Nn¡¯s POV Today was my father¡¯s Memorial Day. I sat alone in my room with a half empty bottle of wine on the table and a cup in my hand. Years had passed, and I was still no closer to the truth behind my father¡¯s death. Rogues had carried out the attack, yet I no longer believed the Alpha King was responsible. I was supposed to find answers, but bying to Silverfang, I only had more questions and more stress. My father¡¯s face flickered in my mind. Thest time I saw him alive. One moment, he was smiling at me and then the next he was a raging beast. I mmed the cup down on the table and drank straight from the bottle. The wine slid down my throat and left a dull warmth in my chest. It did nothing to ease the constant pain I felt at remembering that moment. I needed at least two more bottles until I passed out. It would be a sweet relief from my racing thoughts. ¡®Coward,¡¯ I heard my wolf grumble. ¡®You need to fix your mistakes with our mate.¡¯ ¡°Not now,¡± I responded. ¡®Are you going to wait until she chooses Colin before you act?¡¯ my wolf growled. Each time I saw them together, something twisted hard in my chest. I did not like that she seemedfortable with Colin while she kept her guard up with me. It made me restless and angry in ways that made me feel inferior. Hadn¡¯t I shown her enough that I would always choose her? Yes, I made a mistake by ignoring the mate bond initially, but she should know that I wanted her. What more did I need to do to prove it to her? Even though she rejected Leslie¡¯s request to give me the herb to secure my loyalty, I would have taken it without hesitation if she asked me to. I would never betray her like that fool, Jason. (1 ¡®You will have to tell her,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®After what you did, words alone won¡¯t work anymore. You¡¯ve been giving her mixed signals. You need to tell her that you want her as a mate.¡¯ ¡®I have tried,¡¯ I argued. ¡®Telling her that she belongs to you does not mean the same as telling her you want to be her mate,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®I am trying, but she avoids me,¡¯ I said. ¡®Try harder,¡¯ my wolf countered, ¡®You saw how Marco treats De. He does not threaten her. He supports her choices. You should try that instead of pushing every time you feel impatient,¡± ¡°I do not need advice from you,¡± I muttered. ¡°Yes, you do,¡± he argued. ¡°You have a mate who is hurt and confused. If you want her, you need to care for her.¡± Two days remained until the choosing ceremony. If Talia did not change her mind before then, I would have to think about more than my pride. Silverfang¡¯s future was tied to her decision. If she chose Colin, I would not take another she-wolf as my mate. Silverfang and Bloodmoon would be at a disadvantage. ¡®Her not choosing us is not an option,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®You need to show her that you want her. Remember she has begged you more than once to im her.¡¯ I stared at the cup and did not respond. I did not like the idea of pressuring her, but I also could not pretend politics did not exist. I ran my hand over my face before looking at the door. I didn¡¯t want to think about this right now. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY TWO +25 Bonus Marco had gone to fetch more wine a while ago. Where was he? What was he doing? ¡°Marco,¡± I called out. ¡°Where the fuck are you?¡± There was no answer. I clenched my jaw and opened my mind link with him. ¡°Marco! I told you I needed more wine.¡± Silence answered me again. My anger intensified. Thest thing I wanted was to be left alone today with old memories and new doubts. The door finally opened. ¡°Finally! What were you¡­¡± I stopped mid-sentence as it was not Marco who entered the room. It was Talia. She closed the door behind her. Her eyes moved over the table, the bottle, and then my face. She crossed the room and offered me a bottle of water. Still in shock, I didn¡¯t take it. Talia shoved it into my hand. ¡°Drink this,¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t need any more wine. If you keep going, you¡¯re going to get drunk.¡± There was no softness in her tone and that bothered me. Did she really juste to scold me? ¡°That¡¯s the point of drinking, Princess. It is to get drunk,¡± I sneered. Talia frowned and said, ¡°Well, you shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a little toote with that warning, Princess. I am already drunk,¡± I said before taking a sip of water. ¡°I¡¯m getting ck out drunk¡± ¡°Nn¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn¡¯t you be with Colin?¡± I asked sarcastically. The words left my mouth before I could stop them. The second I heard them out loud, I regretted it. I sounded petty and jealous, which was exactly how I did not want to appear in front of her. ¡®You idiot!¡¯ my wolf roared in my mind. ¡®She came here to see you, and you are pushing her away. You¡¯re making this worse! Apologize!¡¯ Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 173 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY THREE Nn¡¯s POV T red at me The look she gave me made it clear she didn¡¯t appreciate myment. If Talia wouldn¡¯t scold me my wall decided to do so on her behalf ¡°You keep making things worse!¡® he snapped. ¡®You need to apologize right now.¡® I did regretshing out at her, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to apologize especially after how she avoided me when she was supposed to be getting to know me too. I kept my expression neutral as if none of this bothered me Talia sat down beside me and asked, ¡°Do you want me to choose Colin?¡± The question caught me off guard. I didn¡¯t expect her to juste out and ask that. My wolf roared in my head before I even decided to answer. ¡®What are you doing?! Tell her no!¡® I should have answered her. Instead, I noticed her scent: the sweet scent of roses. The moment I focused on it, I could feel the mate bonde to life within me. Without thinking, I leaned forward and gripped the back of her neck. ¡°What are you¡­¡± I cut her off by pulling her forward into a kiss. Her hands gripped my shirt, and I expected her to push me away, but she didn¡¯t. She responded to my kiss, leaning into me. My wolf howled with joy that she had not rejected us this time. I slid my hands to her waist, lifted her easily, and ced her on the bed so that I could kiss her more deeply. She gasped softly when her back met the mattress but did not try to escape. Her arms wrapped around my neck pulling me closer. ¡®Mark her!¡® my wolf urged. ¡®She¡¯s right here. She epts us. Mark her!¡® I lowered my head toward the curve of her neck and began sucking at her neck, earning moans from Talia. I could feel the ce where my teeth would fit. My wolf pushed hard against my restraint as he wanted the bond to form so that no one else would Before I could give in, Talia said, ¡°Nn, stop.¡± I froze and forced myself to pull back. Talia looked up at me. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were slightly swollen from the kiss. She did not look afraid but just overwhelmed. I sat beside her so she would not feel cornered. My voice was firm when I said, ¡°I will not allow you to choose Colin. You are my mate and you can only belong to me.¡± Talia looked away as her face grew even redder. ¡°You could have said that a long time ago.¡± I did not respond. I didn¡¯t know what to say. I expected her to leave, but she stayed where she was. ¡°I didn¡¯t stop because I don¡¯t want you,¡± she said while blushing. ¡°We just¡­we don¡¯t know each other well enough.¡± I shifted so I could see her better. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get to know each other right now. Let¡¯s talk.¡± Talia leaned up and asked, ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Anything,¡± I said. ¡°First thing thates to your mind.¡± She hesitated before answering. ¡°I like quiet things. ces where I can think. Reading helps with that ¡± ¡°I read too,¡± I said. Her brows lifted slightly. ¡°What do you read?¡± .78 Borus ¡°History I answered ¡°Strategy Things my father pushed on me when I was younger I learned to enjoy it ¡°My father did the same,¡± she said ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I like it. It¡¯s just a necessity¡± ¡°So, we have that inmon,¡± I said. She nodded once. ¡°We do, but I do like reading other things too.¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯ll have to rmend a book to me,¡± I said and Talia nodded. ¡°What about full moon nights? How do you feel abour them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like them,¡± Talia admitted. ¡°I do not like losing control in front of everyone.¡± ¡°I feel the same,¡± I said. ¡°Most people think the Alpha¡¯s son wants to show off, but I never liked the attention.¡± ¡°That makes sense. You don¡¯t seem like the type to boast. There¡¯s no need for you to anyway,¡± Talia said. I smiled at Talia¡¯spliment. Talia was now fully rxed in the conversation. I could hear it in her voice and see it in the way her shoulders loosened. I had not expected how much we had inmon. Talia yawned and said, ¡°Keep going. Tell me something else.¡°. ¡°When I visited Silverfang as a child,¡± I said, ¡°I always wanted to ask you something.¡± She turned her head slightly. ¡°Ask me what?¡± ¡°The roses,¡± I said. ¡°Sometimes you carry one behind your ear. I wanted to know why.¡± She was quiet for a long moment. I waited for her answer, but she didn¡¯t answer. I looked over and she was fast asleep. Her hair fell across part of her face, and she looked peaceful. For a moment, I simply watched her. A thought came to mind: what would we have been like if my father had not died? If he were alive, she might already be my mate, and she would never have had to deal with Jason or any of the pain he caused. The thought filled me with frustration and regret, but it also pushed me closer to her. I leaned down and pressed a light kiss on her forehead. I pulled her gently into my arms and closed my eyes. She fit against me morefortably than I expected. ¡®Of course she would. She is meant for us,¡® my wolf said. ¡®Don¡¯t ruin the moment.¡® I ignored him and focused on the feeling of Talia in my arms. Right now, she was at her most vulnerable. Talia trusted me, so there was hope that she would not choose Colin over me. For the first time in a long time, my mind didn¡¯t race and I fell asleep with her in my arms. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 174 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY FOUR Nn¡¯s POV While drunk, I had forgotten to close the blinds, so the sunlight made it impossible for me to stay asleep. Annoyed, I shifted to grab my pillow to cover my face when I realized there was someone pressed against me. Did Marco fall asleep in my bed? When I opened my eyes fully, I saw Talia. Her head rested on my shoulder and her arm was draped over my torso. She looked peaceful and content within my arms. The memory of the night before came back to me. I didn¡¯t expect her to stay with me for the entire night. Honestly, I didn¡¯t know what to expect, but I was pleased with this oue. ¡°This is how things are meant to be,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®We should always wake up with her in our arms.¡¯ I attempted to pull my numb arm out from under her but this caused her to stir. When Talia¡¯s eyes opened, her previously peaceful expression was reced with confusion. ¡°Good morning, Princess,¡± I said. Talia¡¯s head snapped up to look at me. Her face turned red as I watched her realize that she had fallen asleep in my bed. I could hear her heartbeat racing faster. ¡°L¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Talia stammered. Before I could respond, she climbed out of bed. She smoothed her clothes as best she could and avoided my eyes. Then she hurried toward the door. ¡°Talia, wait. You don¡¯t¡­¡± I started. But she slipped out quickly, closing the door behind her. I could hear her voice from the hallway. ¡°No, Marco, I won¡¯t be staying for breakfast,¡± she hurriedly said. I chuckled as I knew she was running back to her room as quickly as possible. My wolf snorted in amusement. ¡®At least she didn¡¯t run because you pushed her away this time. She knows she belongs here. She can¡¯t deny it anymore.¡± Before I could answer him, the door swung open without warning and Marco walked in. He did not bother knocking. Marco¡¯s eyes went straight to the bed, and then to me. ¡°Well?¡± he asked. ¡°Did you mark her?¡± ¡°No.¡± Marco raised an eyebrow. ¡°You expect me to believe that? You two slept in the same bed!¡± ¡°I followed the rules,¡± I growled. ¡°I did not touch her after she fell asleep.¡± Marco scoffed. ¡°Congrattions. You have mastered the bare minimum,¡± I scowled. ¡°She stayed with me all night.¡± ¡°She fell asleep,¡± Marco corrected. ¡°She felt safe enough to fall asleep in my arms, in my bed,¡± I countered. Marco ced the tray of food on the table and picked up one of the empty bottles on the stand to throw away. ¡°Then why did she CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY FOUR +25 Bonus run away if you didn¡¯t do anything?¡± he asked. ¡°I did not chase her away,¡± I argued. ¡°She was embarrassed and panicked.¡± Marco shook his head. ¡°She panicked because the mate bond is pulling her toward you and she does not know what to do about it and you are no better.¡± ¡°She will not choose Colin anyways,¡± I said firmly. Talia¡¯s POV My face burned from the moment I stepped out of Nn¡¯s room. I could still feel the warmth of his body and his scent on my skin. Worse, I remembered how safe I felt when I woke up. How could I have let my guard down so easily? What if he had acted like Jason? But, deep down, I knew Nn would never take advantage of me like that. ¡°Just calm down. It¡¯s okay. Nothing happened. You just went to sleep,¡± I told myself. I hope I didn¡¯t look as flustered as I felt, but I knew I did. What time was it? I had to get back to my room before anyone noticed. I could shower and act like this never happened. I ducked behind statues and vases to make sure no one saw me before taking the service hallways back to my room. I thought I made it back without anyone noticing, but only a few minutester, as I was getting ready to shower, there was a loud knock at my door. ¡°Talia, open up.¡± I let out a quiet groan. It was Solon. Had he seen me? No, he couldn¡¯t have. I stayed quiet, hoping he would go away quickly. Then, Solon said, ¡°I know you¡¯re in there. Open up, Talia.¡± I opened the door, hoping I looked normal. That hope died immediately when Solon frowned at my messy hair. ¡°Talia, are you okay? Your hair is a mess,¡± Solon said. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I was about to shower,¡± I responded, trying to keep my voice even. ¡°Where were you this morning?¡± he demanded. ¡°You missed breakfast. I was worried.¡± ¡°I, uh, I went running,¡± I lied. Solon¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stepped closer. ¡°Running?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I answered quickly. ¡°I needed to clear my head.¡± ¡°Talia, I asked around,¡± Solon responded and I paled. ¡°You weren¡¯t running, so what were you doing this morning?¡± I didn¡¯t expect Solon to investigate and as I was trying to think of an exnation, Solon leaned in before I could stop him. He inhaled only once and frowned. Solon¡¯s body became tense as he slowly looked up at me. He previously looked concerned, but now he looked angry. ¡°Talia,¡± he said slowly, ¡°why do you smell like Alpha Nn? Exin.¡± I stood frozen. My mind went nk and I was unable to find a single good lie. I could feel heat rising up my neck. This was the one thing I had not prepared for. I had not expected Solon to sniff me. My heart dropped straight to my stomach. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 175 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY FIVE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Come inside,¡± I said and stepped aside. +25 Bonus Solon entered my room. He closed the door behind him but did not sit. His eyes stayed fixed on me, waiting for an exnation. ¡°Talia, why do you smell like him? Did he hurt you?¡± Solon asked again. ¡°Yesterday was Nn¡¯s father¡¯s memorial day. De told me he had shut himself in, so I went to check on him. I stayed to make sure he was alright and¡­ I identally fell asleep,¡± I exined. Solon stared at me as if he had not heard me correctly. ¡°You fell asleep in Nn¡¯s room?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I admitted. ¡°Did you sleep with him?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I said,¡± I muttered. ¡°You know what I am asking. Did you have sex with him, Talia?¡± ¡°No!¡± I eximed, my cheeks burning. ¡°Nothing happened.¡± ¡°Talia, it¡¯s okay. If he took advantage of you, Father and I will handle it,¡± Solon said. ¡°I am telling the truth,¡± I insisted. ¡°We did not do anything. I fell asleep because I was exhausted from not sleeping well. That was it. He did not touch me.¡± Solon still did not look convinced. He stepped closer and tilted my chin up. His gaze went to my neck as he checked for any sign of a mark. When he saw none, he let out a sigh of relief. I pulled away from him. ¡°Solon, I wouldn¡¯t lie about that.¡± ¡°Talia, this was careless,¡± Solon said. ¡°If Colin notices Nn¡¯s scent on you, he will be upset. You should know better than that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to treat me like a child, Solon. And I never said I was choosing Colin,¡± I retorted. Solon looked at me in surprise. ¡°Wait. You are not choosing Colin?¡± I took a deep breath and admitted, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why? He¡¯s a perfect fit. He cares about you.¡± ¡°Colin is a friend. That is all,¡± I said. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like Nn, and he does have a bad temper, but he is honorable. He has saved me more than once. If I choose him, Shadoww will hesitate before making any moves. Choosing Nn strengthens Silverfang and will keep Shadoww and Michael in check.¡± Solon frowned slightly. ¡°Talia, neither Father nor I want you to think about political pressure when choosing a mate. We want you to be happy.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I replied. ¡°But I am the princess of Silverfang. Protecting our members is part of my duty. Who I choose will affect everyone.¡± ¡°But will you be happy with him, Talia?¡± Solon asked. Nn was my mate, and he is finally acknowledging the bond. He put forth the effort to start getting to know me. It was a start. ¡°Yes, I think I will,¡± I finally said. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY FIVE +25 Bonus Solon was quiet for a moment. I watched his expression shift as he thought it through. I knew he was wrestling with his dislike for Nn, but he understood my reasoning. Finally, he nodded. ¡°If this is what you want, then I will respect your choice. You will always have my support.¡± I expected Solon to argue with me a little more about choosing Nn, but I felt relieved that he was respecting my decision. ¡°Don¡¯t look so relieved, Talia. Did you really think I would force you to be with Colin?¡± Solon asked. ¡°Of course not. I just¡­ I appreciate it. Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°But why were you looking for me this morning?¡± ¡°I wanted to tell you that I am going to agree to Leslie¡¯s conditions,¡± Solon answered. ¡°Really? How? Dad was against you doing it.¡± ¡°I spoke with Fatherst night. We argued about it, but in the end, he agreed to let me make my own decision. If the condition makes her feel safe, then I will ept it,¡± Solon exined. ¡°I am d. Leslie needs that reassurance,¡± I said. Solon epting her condition meant she finally had someone willing to meet her where she stood instead of expecting her topromise. Though I did hope Leslie was only bluffing as a way to test Solon¡¯s sincerity. ¡°I am going to tell Leslie today. I think we spent too much time not acknowledging the bond. I am ready to im her and let everyone know she¡¯s my mate,¡± Solon said proudly. ¡°Wait for me,¡± I said. ¡°Let me get ready. We can go together.¡± Solon looked conflicted for a moment. His eyes zed over for a split second, which meant someone had mindlinked him. ¡°I cannot. There is something I need to take care of first.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it something important?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I will meet youter. Just¡­ do not run off alone again.¡± Before I could ask anything else, he stepped toward the door. ¡°Solon?¡± I asked softly. He paused. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I am d you are choosing her.¡± His eyes softened. ¡°So am I.¡± P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 176 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY SIX CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus The afternoon dragged on. After a few hours, I didn¡¯t want to wait for Solon anymore. I decided to find him to see if I could help him with the important matter. Keeping myself busy felt easier than sitting alone with my thoughts. I went to his office first, expecting to find him reviewing documents like usual, but his office was empty. I checked the courtyard next and then the training grounds. There was no sign of him anywhere. My worry grew. Without my wolf, I was not able to mind link him or anyone else to ask if they had seen him. Solon had said he had something important to handle this morning. It was unlike him not to tell me what was going on.. A guard passed by, and I stopped him. ¡°Have you seen Solon?¡± ¡°Yes, Princess,¡± the guard answered. ¡°He and Alpha Colin left together not long ago. I stared at him, unsure if I had heard correctly. ¡°Solon and Colin? Together?¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± That made no sense. Solon had told me he had urgent matters to attend to. He did not mention meeting Colin. My stomach tightened with unease. Why was he going to meet with Colin? Was this about my decision? Was Solon discussing something with Colin regarding me choosing Nn? Was he figuring out a way to still have me choose Colin? I hated the idea of Solon going against my wishes, but that was the only thing that made sense. I did not want either of them to make decisions for me. I turned and headed straight for Nn¡¯s room. If anyone knew what was going on, it would be him. When I arrived, I knocked once and then again harder when no one answered. ¡°Nn, open up! I need to speak with you,¡± I said and knocked harder on the door. ¡°Princess?¡± Marco said,ing up behind me, causing me to jump. ¡°Where is Nn?¡± I asked. ¡°He was summoned to the dungeon by the Alpha King,¡± Marco said. My stomach dropped. Did my father imprison Nn because I was going to choose him? I could feel my heartbeat racing. No, Father would not do that. ¡°Princess, are you okay? You look a little flushed,¡± Marco said. ¡°Do you know why Nn was summoned to the dungeon?¡± I asked. ¡°I do not know,¡± Marco replied. ¡°He left in a hurry.¡± That was enough for me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said quickly and headed straight for the dungeon. My footsteps echoed against the stone halls as worry pushed me forward. Whatever was happening, it was not normal. When I reached the dungeon corridor, I saw exactly who I did not expect to see outside the cells. Solon was standing beside my father behind a pir. Colin stood next to him. They were all pressed close to the wall, positioned near Jason¡¯s cell door as if they were listening. All three turned when they noticed me. Solon¡¯s eyes widened. Colin lifted a finger to his lips, signaling me to stay quiet. I nodded and joined them. I could see Nn standing in front of Jason¡¯s cell. From where we were standing, neither Jason nor Nn would know we were there. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY SIX +25 Bonus ¡°You took her from me,¡± Jason shouted. ¡°You only want her because she is the princess!¡± Nn scoffed. ¡°You are the one who only cared about her status. Do not try to me me for the consequences of your choices.¡± ¡°She is my mate, and you need to stay away from her!¡± Jason yelled. ¡°Not anymore,¡± Nn replied. ¡°You broke that bond the day you betrayed her and epted her rejection. Your mate now is that shameful whore Viki.¡± Inside the cell, metal scraped as if Jason had stepped forward. ¡°Viki is not my mate. She was a mistake.¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how much worse that is? You gave up on Talia over a mistake,¡± Nn said in disgust. ¡°You do not deserve her, you monster,¡± Jason snarled. ¡°You deserve to die just like your father!¡± I almost gasped. How could Jason say something like that? I expected Nn tosh out, but he kept hisposure and onlyughed at Jason. ¡°What is so damn funny?¡± Jason snapped. ¡°You do not have a im on her anymore. The Moon Goddess has turned her back on you,¡± Nn exined. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Jason asked. ¡°I am her second chance mate,¡± Nn replied. Solon¡¯s head whipped toward me. I winced and gave him a small apologetic pat on the arm. This was not how I wanted him to find out, but it was out in the open now. Solon looked at Colin, who only shrugged, and Solon looked like he had even more questions than before. Father signaled him to stay quiet and kept listening.. Jasonughed. It was augh filled with resentment and anger. ¡°There is no such thing as second chance mates. You think she cares about you? I am the one she loves, and there is nothing you can do about that.¡± Nn did not respond immediately. Jason continued, his tone turning cruel. ¡°You do not want her because of the bond. You want her because choosing her gives you power and the advantage to kill the Alpha King. That is all this is.¡± ¡°I want her because she is my mate,¡± Nn said simply. ¡°Joke¡¯s on you. She is barren by the way,¡± Jason responded. ¡°What¡­ what did you say?¡± ¡°Why do you think I chose Viki?¡± Jason spat with a crazyugh. ¡°Talia is barren. She is useless.¡± I went still, too stunned to breathe. J Judith GW Author Dear readers, Talia¡¯s mate selection is just around the corner-will more trouble find its way to her? I¡¯d love to hear your thoughts in thements! I¡¯ll be taking a short break for about a week, so don¡¯t miss me too much. 104 L CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY SIX Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 177 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV ¡°So, tell me, Alpha Nn,¡± Jason said, his voice carrying sarcasm clearly through the bars. ¡°Can you really ept that the Bloodmoon pack will never have an heir?¡± He leaned forward, gripping the iron bars as if he wanted Nn to see the satisfaction on his face. ¡°Or does that not bother you,¡± he continued, ¡°knowing your line ends with her?¡± Jason¡¯sugh scraped at my nerves. I had truly thought it was Viki that had swayed how he felt about me, but I was wrong. As soon as Jason thought I was barren, he didn¡¯t care about me at all. Nn did not answer right away which made my stomach twist. Why wasn¡¯t he saying anything? Did he agree with Jason? Noticing my difort, Solon gripped my wrist. His touch broughtfort and I began to slow my breathing. Then, it felt like my heart jumped out of my throat when Nn roared. The echo of it seemed to be even louder. It vibrated through my chest and Jason¡¯sughter cut off instantly. Nn¡¯s hand went through the bars and gripped Jason¡¯s neck. ¡°You shameless bastard,¡± Nn snapped. ¡°You are not only a disgrace as an Alpha. You are a disgrace as a male.¡± He slung him backward and Jason barely managed to keep himself from falling back on his butt. Jason¡¯s face twisted with fury. ¡°You think you are better than me?¡± he snarled. ¡°You don¡¯t get to judge my decisions. I did what was the best for my pack.¡± ¡°And look where that has gotten you. You have done more damage to your pack by abandoning her,¡± Nn said, his voice hard. Jason had no rebuttal. It was true. By trusting Viki, his pack was on the brink of ruin. ¡°I do not believe Talia is barren and even if she were barren, that was never her fault,¡± Nn continued. ¡°You were her mate. You should have stayed by her side. You should have protected her. Instead, you abandoned her like she was nothing.¡± I felt rxed when hearing his words. I didn¡¯t realize how stressed I was about Nn¡¯s opinion on the matter. At least I knew if I was barren, Nn would not have betrayed me. I nced toward my father. He was watching Nn closely. My father nodded in approval. Solon also looked pleased with Nn¡¯s response. Jason mmed his palm against the bars. ¡°Do not pretend you would have done any different,¡± he snapped. ¡°An Alpha needs an heir.¡± ¡°An heir does not have to be by blood,¡± Nn snapped, ¡°you simple minded fool.¡± ¡°The Elders would never¡­¡± ¡°Fuck that! An Alpha needs to make his own decisions and stand by them,¡± Nn snarled, cutting him off. ¡°An Alpha needs honor, something you never had.¡± Jason scoffed. ¡°I made the right choice.¡±, ¡°You were never worthy of her,¡± Nn said firmly. ¡°And the Moon Goddess will never grant you another mate I believe.¡± ¡°You do not know that,¡± Jason responded. ¡°I do,¡± Nn said evenly. ¡°Because the Moon Goddess already chose again. Yet, you have no one and will never have anyone again.¡± Colin¡¯s hand closed gently around my shoulder. ¡°We should go,¡± he whispered. ¡°Before he realizes we were listening.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY SEVEN +25 Bonus I hesitated. I wanted to continue to listen. I wanted to see Nn continue to berate Jason, but I knew it was only a matter of time before we were noticed. I allowed Colin to guide me away. We left the dungeon and went straight to my rose garden to debrief. I sat down on the nearest stone bench as I needed a moment to process what I heard. No one spoke at first. Finally, I looked up at Colin. ¡°Was this your idea?¡± ¡°Partly,¡± Colin answered. ¡°And when were you going to tell me about this?¡± I asked. ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to know,¡± Solon chimed in. ¡°Solon¡­.you said you respected my choice!¡± ¡°I was worried,¡± Solon admitted. ¡°I did not know if Nn would truly put you first. I spoke with Colin about it and we came up with the n to test him.¡± ¡°Do you know how bad this could¡¯ve turned out if he caught us?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Colin said quietly. ¡°But we both needed to know how he would react when it mattered.¡± ¡°You should have trusted me,¡± I said. ¡°You can¡¯t me us for being worried though. After what happened with¡­.¡± Solon didn¡¯t finish his sentence after receiving a re from our father. ¡°After what happened with Jason¡­that¡¯s what you were going to say, right?¡± I sneered. ¡°I understand why you are upset,¡± Father interjected. ¡°And you should also understand our concern. We did not want you to go through the same thing.¡± ¡°Nn is NOTHING like Jason,¡± I said firmly. Nn had gone out of my way to save me twice and never took advantage of me. I knew even though I was nervous about him, I did feel like he wouldn¡¯t betray me. I just wanted him to im me properly. ¡°I know,¡± Father said. ¡°Seeing how Nn defended you tonight made me more confident entrusting you to him.¡± I looked at him in surprise. ¡°You already knew I would choose Nn?¡± I looked between Solon and Colin. Colin quickly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him.¡± Solon nodded. ¡°Alright. I told Father.¡± ¡°Solon!¡± I eximed. ¡°Hey, you did not tell me Nn was your second chance mate,¡± Solon added, turning toward me. ¡°Why would you keep that from me?¡± ¡°I was worried you would fight with him,¡± I said honestly. ¡°You are both stubborn.¡± Solon exhaled through his nose. ¡°That is fair.¡± I reached out and squeezed his hand, ¡°I know you were trying to protect me. I appreciate it and I promise I will help you keep Leslie.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Solon said, shing his usual smile. ¡°Solon, go confirm the arrangements for tomorrow¡¯s ceremony,¡± Father said, turning to me with a gentle gaze. ¡°We¡¯ll make everything perfect for our princess.¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 178 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY EIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV It was official the morning of the ceremony and I felt strangely calm. I sat still while De adjusted the sleeves of my dress for the third time. Her fingers tugged and smoothed as if she could iron out my nerves along with the fabric. Leslie leaned against the dresser with her arms crossed, watching us. ¡°If you keep messing with her dress like that, you¡¯re going to rip it,¡± Leslie warned. ¡°Then, I will get her a new one. This is an important day for Talia. She has to look perfect,¡± De responded. ¡°I think you¡¯re more nervous than she is,¡± Leslie said. ¡°I am anxious. I want to know who she¡¯s going to choose. She hasn¡¯t even told me and I¡¯m her best friend,¡± De said and rolled her eyes. I said nothing as I stared at my reflection. Once again, I looked like a proper Princess thanks to De¡¯s help. When I returned to Silverfang, I had felt awkward about dressing up like this and now it just felt right. ¡°Are you even listening?¡± De asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. ¡°Sorry. What did you say?¡± I apologized. ¡°You¡¯ve been out of it all day. That means you haven¡¯t made a decision on who you n on choosing.¡± Leslie nodded. ¡°Or she¡¯s thinking of an escape n.¡± ¡°I am not going to run,¡± I said. ¡°And I have made a decision already.¡± Both of them looked at me. ¡°Well, who is it then?¡± De asked. ¡°Don¡¯t keep us in suspense.¡± ¡°Nn. I¡¯m choosing Nn,¡± I finally said. De froze. Her hands dropped slowly to her sides. ¡°Nn,¡± she repeated. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to be with him because he wouldn¡¯t im you,¡± De said. ¡°Well, he did im me. He even defended me against Jason,¡± I exined. ¡°Oh, I wish I was there to hear that,¡± De said and then she frowned. ¡°Colin is going to be so sad. He really cares about you.¡± Leslie snorted. ¡°Just because he cares doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s right for her.¡± ¡°True, but Nn has been an asstely,¡± De argued. ¡°That is kind of Talia¡¯s fault,¡± Leslie said and I red at her. ¡°Sorry, Talia, but it is true. Nn told you not to trust Jason and you decided to find out for yourself.¡± I turned toward the mirror, ignoring Leslie¡¯sment. ¡°Colin is kind and he is loyal, but there is no spark there and I can¡¯t force something that isn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°You could learn to love him,¡± De suggested, ¡°Not when I have a mate,¡± I said. ¡°Nn¡¯s my second chance mate. That matters more than anything else. The Moon Goddess blessed me with another chance at happiness, and I won¡¯t be ungrateful and take another mate because he looks like the perfect fit. I won¡¯t be like Jason.¡± De studied my face. ¡°If he ever betrays you,¡± she said quietly, ¡°I will not forgive him. I will find a way to make him pay.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY EIGHT +25 Bonus ¡°I know,¡± I replied. ¡°There¡¯s always the herb,¡± Leslie suggested with a smile. ¡°That way it is guaranteed he won¡¯t betray you.¡± Iughed softly. ¡°That will not be necessary, but it will be for someone else.¡± Leslie¡¯s brow lifted. ¡°Oh? Has Marco done something he shouldn¡¯t?¡± De¡¯s face became flushed with panic as she said, ¡°No. Marco wouldn¡¯t. He¡­¡± ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s not Marco,¡± I cut her off, gripping her hand reassuringly. De sighed in relief. I turned my attention back to Leslie. ¡°Solon agreed to take the herb,¡± I continued. ¡°No way! Didn¡¯t your father Alphamand him not to agree?¡± De eximed. ¡°Sn spoke with him and they both agreed,¡± I exined. Leslie straightened. ¡°They did?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± For the first time since I¡¯ve met her, Leslie looked genuinely surprised. De sped her hands together. ¡°That¡¯s incredible,¡± she said. ¡°I am d Solon stood his ground on this. Great way to start a rtionship.¡± ¡°L¡­I didn¡¯t expect that,¡± Leslie finally said. ¡°I told you to give Solon more credit,¡± I said. ¡°He won¡¯t betray you. I bet my life on that.¡± ¡°Enough of this. Let¡¯s get you to your ceremony. You have a hot mate to im,¡± Leslie said. I allowed her to change the topic. She had a lot to think about, and I had a mate to im. I followed Leslie and De out of my room. The closer we got to the hall, the more nervous I felt. It was silly really. I had been begging Nn to im me, so I shouldn¡¯t be nervous about it now. ¡°You got this,¡± Leslie said as she pulled me into a hug. She entered the hall to take her seat. The hall was already full when De escorted me inside. The murmur of voices stopped as we entered. The entire Silverfang pack was present and representatives from Colin and Nn¡¯s packs were also in attendance. Colin and Nn stood on the stage in suits in their pack colors. Solon waited near the steps. When I reached him, he offered his arm, and I took it. ¡°You¡¯re ready,¡± he said quietly, ¡°I am,¡± I replied. My father moved to the center of the stage, ¡°Today marks a sacred moment for Silverfang,¡± he said. ¡°We gather to witness Princess Talia¡¯s choice of mate and the alliance that will shape our future,¡± The crowd erupted in cheers. Solon escorted me up onto the stage. I took my ce in between Colin and Nn. My father turned to me and said, ¡°Talia, my daughter, please make your choice.¡± I faced Colin first and I could see Nn tense in my peripheral. I stepped closer and hugged Colin. ¡°Thank you for always standing by me and being a wonderful friend.¡± Colin hugged me back and said, ¡°No need to thank me, Talia.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY EIGHT +25 Bonus I stepped back and turned to Nn. I took his hand. ¡°We have been through sa many things in a short period of time that we¡¯ve known each other. You have protected me, defended me, even when I was unappreciative of it. You embody the true characteristics of an Alpha and a mate. Because of that, I choose you, Alpha Nn, to be my mate if you will have me.¡± Nn¡¯s grip tightened slightly. ¡°I ept you as my mate, Princess Talia. I promise that I will protect you and honor you as my mate and Luna.¡± My father looked directly at him. ¡°Do not say those words unless you mean them, Alpha Nn.¡¯ ¡°I meant every word,¡± Nn said. Jason had said the very same thing to me, and I didn¡¯t know if Nn was telling the truth, but I had to hope he was. ¡°Then, so be it,¡± father said and the crowd erupted again in cheers. Colin chuckled. ¡°If you ever mess this up,¡± he said lightly, ¡°I will take her from you.¡± I could tell Colin was joking, but there was a glint in his eyes that made me feel there was some truth in his statement. Nn¡¯s expression hardened before turning back to look at me with a smile. ¡°You will never have the chance in this lifetime.¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Share Support get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 179 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY NINE Nn¡¯s POV Colin ced a hand on my shoulder and said, ¡°Congrattions, you two.¡± True to his word, he did not challenge Talia¡¯s decision and stepped down from the stage. My wolf rose inside me with a satisfied growl. ¡®He chose us. Now mark her.¡¯ ¡®Not here, not yet. Be patient,¡¯ I told him. He snarled at my restraint, but he did not push. I wanted to relish this victory, and I wanted to im Talia in the privacy of my home. The Alpha King lifted his hand, and an attendant approached with a small tray. Two rings rested on a ck pillow. The Silverfang¡¯s crest was worked into a simple band of the ring while the other was adorned in diamonds. ¡°These rings represent Silverfang¡¯s recognition of your bond. They will strengthen it and serve as a reminder that from this moment forward, both of you carry obligations that extend beyond yourselves,¡± the Alpha King exined. Talia stood still at my side. She did not look frightened, but I could feel her nervousness through our bond. I squeezed her hand which caused her to smile at me. ¡°Talia,¡± the Alpha King said, ¡°Hold out your hand.¡± She did and the Alpha King slid the ring onto her finger. I immediately felt our mate bond intensify. Then the Alpha King turned to me. I held out my hand. The metal was cool as it slipped onto my finger, and I can¡¯t resist the bond attraction now. My wolf pushed forward again. ¡®Now. Mark her. You have the right. Bring back her wolf so I can meet her,¡¯ he insisted. ¡®I will,¡¯ I promised him. ¡®You must be patient. Wee this far. We need to do this right.¡¯ ¡°May the Moon Goddess witness this union,¡± the Alpha King said. ¡°May your bond bring strength to Silverfang and Bloodmoon. May you honor what has been given.¡± He then turned to the crowd and told them, ¡°Please go to the banquet hall for the feast.¡± The crowd slowly dispersed only leaving Solon, the Alpha King, Talia and me. ¡°Nn,¡± he said, ¡°when do you intend to return to Bloodmoon?¡± ¡°Soon,¡± I answered. I didn¡¯t want to give a definite answer. I had been away too long, but I had no intention of rushing back with unfinished business. Jason and Michael still needed to be punished for what they tried to do to my mate. Talia¡¯s head turned toward me immediately. ¡°Return to Bloodmoon?¡± she asked. ¡°I need to go with you right?¡± Her question bothered me. Would she not want to go back with me? The Alpha King responded before I could. ¡°Be that as it may, you have different responsibilities now. You must go to the Bloodmoon pack.¡± ¡°Now? Like right now?¡± Talia asked. ¡°You chose Nn as your mate. That means you will be Luna of Bloodmoon,¡± the Alpha King added. ¡°You cannot do that from a distance. You will need to bond with your new pack.¡± Talia turned to me and asked, ¡°When do you need to go back?¡± ¡°Two days,¡± I responded. ¡°Does that give you enough time to prepare?¡± Talia nodded once. ¡°Two days is fine.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVENTY NINE +25 Bonus Solon finally spoke, cutting through the brief quiet. ¡°We still have Jason to deal with.¡± The Alpha King¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°We do.¡± He turned to Talia. ¡°After you leave Silverfang, you will go to Shadoww first,plete the takeover, and rule it.¡± Talia¡¯s eyes widened slightly. The decision caught me off guard as well-I had expected Solon to take Shadoww, not her. ¡°Talia and Nn will escort Jason back to Shadoww,¡± the Alpha King continued. ¡°Michael will be captured. Their crimes will be announced. Both will be expelled.¡± ¡°Father, Solon could take charge of Shadoww. Or one of the seniors,¡± Talia said quietly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be me.¡± ¡°It does,¡± the Alpha King replied, a gentle smile easing his features. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you were the former Luna of Shadoww. They know and trust you as you never harmed them during your reign,¡± the Alpha King replied. ¡°Your presence makes the transition cleaner. It reduces the chance of unrest.¡± ¡°Colin can absorb Shadoww too. I¡¯m just not sure I can-¡± ¡°Father is right,¡± Solon said, cutting in. ¡°We trust you.¡± Talia exhaled once. ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it properly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the right call,¡± Solon said, patting her back. ¡°You¡¯re the most qualified.¡± ¡°My decision is final,¡± the Alpha King said, though there was pride in his tone now, not authority. ¡°And I trust my daughter to see it through.¡± Tal¨ªa dipped her head. ¡°Understood, Father.¡± I could feel her unease in the way her shoulders tensed. ¡®It will be fine,¡¯ I told her through our bond. She looked at me quickly as if she didn¡¯t know I could do that. I smirked and she blushed. The Alpha King then turned to me, his gaze thoughtful but kind. ¡°Nn,¡± he said, ¡°promise me you¡¯ll stand by Talia as she takes over Shadoww.¡± This was not only about Shadoww. It was another test to prove my loyalty to Talia. It was about whether I would treat Talia as a mate or as a pawn. It was about whether I would stand with her in public and in action, even when it benefited Silverfang more than it benefited me, ¡°I will support her, no matter what,¡± I said, ¡°You have my word.¡± P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 180 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY Talia¡¯s POV I was grateful for what Nn said, but whether he would truly stand with me until I took Shadoww still unsettled me. He was my second-chance mate. The bond mattered. Still, I had learned the hard way that a bond did not guarantee loyalty. ¡°Get yourself together,¡± I told myself. I did not allow myself time to obsess. I needed to keep busy. There were things that needed to be settled before my departure. Leslie and Solon were first. I found them the next day in one of the conference rooms in the infirmary. Solon stood near the window. Leslie paced while twirling a vial in her hand. They both looked at me when I entered. ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Leslie said tly. ¡°What was so urgent that we needed to be here this early?¡± I raised an eyebrow. I had told Leslie why I needed her toe, but she was clearly pretending she did not know that Solon had already agreed to her conditions. ¡°I just wanted to get the situation between you settled before I left,¡± I exined. ¡°There is nothing to settle. His father won¡¯t let him do it, and that¡¯s that. We should reject each other and be done with it,¡± Leslie said. Solon looked at Leslie in surprise. ¡°No. I will not ept your rejection.¡± He turned to me. ¡°I thought you told her.¡± ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Leslie asked with fake annoyance. ¡°Father has already been informed of my decision, I agree to your condition,¡± Solon replied. ¡°He will not interfere.¡± Leslie snorted. ¡°He Alphamanded you. There¡¯s nothing you can do. Let¡¯s stop dragging this out.¡± I bit my lip to keep from telling Leslie to stop acting. I did not know why she was testing Solon like this, but I did not want to interfere. Solon frowned. ¡°He doesn¡¯t get to control me,¡± he said as he stepped closer, taking the vial from her hand suddenly. Leslie studied him for a long moment. ¡°You understand exactly what this means.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Solon answered. ¡°Then drink it and swear to me,¡± Leslie said, crossing her arms over her chest. Solon uncorked the vial and drank it in one motion. He grimaced at the taste for only a second. He looped his arm around Leslie¡¯s waist and pulled her close, causing her to blush. ¡°I swear I will never betray our bond,¡± he said. ¡°If I do, I ept the pain, the punishment, and the consequences of my actions without protest.¡± After a moment, Leslie finally said, ¡°Good. Then I will stay.¡± Solon smiled and kissed her forehead, making Leslie¡¯s face turn even redder. ¡°I will not make you regret it,¡± he said. I cleared my throat pointedly, drawing their attention. I did not want to watch them make out here. ¡°Congrattions,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m d the matter is settled.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY +25 Bonus Leslie nced at me. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be getting ready to leave? I am sure you need to prepare.¡± I arched my brow. ¡°Are you dismissing me?¡± ¡°I want some time with my mate,¡± Leslie said, giggling. Solon nodded in agreement. Iughed. I was genuinely happy that they would ept each other. ¡°Once everything is settled with Shadoww and Bloodmoon, I wille back to visit,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t bring any trouble back with you. Trouble always finds you, Princess,¡± Leslie said. ¡°You know I have ruled over a pack before.¡± ¡°And?¡± I looked at Solon to defend me, but he said nothing. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a whole five minutes yet and you are already choosing her over me, brother,¡± I pouted. ¡°You know what they say,¡± Leslie teased. ¡°Happy mates, happy lives.¡± With that settled, I left them alone and went to find De. She was halfway through packing when I found her. Clothes were scattered across the bed. Marco sat nearby looking amused. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked. ¡°Are you going on a trip?¡± ¡°Yes, I am,¡± De replied. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked. De grinned. ¡°I aming with you.¡± ¡°Wait, when was that decided?¡± I asked. De fake pouted and replied, ¡°You don¡¯t want me toe with you?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± I answered. ¡°I asked my father for permission,¡± De exined. ¡°He spoke with your father, who agreed since I am Marco¡¯s mate. It didn¡¯t matter if he agreed or not. I was not about to let you do this alone. I am your Beta, after all.¡± Relief settled in my chest knowing De would be with me. She hugged me tightly. ¡°You should go get ready too. We leave in the morning.¡± When the time came to leave for Shadoww, I felt more prepared and confident. Father stood with Solon and Leslie in the parking lot. De and Mar?o waited in the car behind mine. Nn stepped out of his vehicle the moment he saw me. Jason was already secured in the transport cage, restrained and gagged. His eyes burned into me as I approached. I did not look away as he was loaded into the back of the transport vehicle. Father drew me into a firm embrace, then Solon followed. ¡°Safe travels,¡± Father said quietly. ¡°Contact us as soon as you get there,¡± Solon added. I nodded. I turned to Henry. ¡°Beta Henry, you are responsible for Jason during transit.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY ¡°Of course, Princess,¡± he replied. ¡°He will not escape.¡± Nn opened the door for me. ¡°Are you ready, Talia?¡± he asked, a smile curving at the corner of his mouth. I took onest breath, then stepped forward. ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Shadoww.¡± Support Share +25 Bonus 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 181 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV We made it to the Shadoww border checkpoint right before sunset. A metal gate stretched across the road with two SUVS parked at an angle behind it. This gate was new. Michael had worked fast once he found out Jason had failed again. It didn¡¯t matter what he did. He was going to lose Shadoww, and he was going to be banished. As Nn¡¯s car slowed, two armed guards approached us. I could hear Nn growling low in his throat. I touched his forearm and said, ¡°Stay calm. We have to y it smart.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Nn responded without looking at me. Behind us, De and Marco pulled up in their own car. Farther back, the transport vehicle rolled to a stop. ¡°State your purpose,¡± the first guard said as he walked up to the driver¡¯s side window. ¡°We are here under the Alpha King¡¯s authority,¡± Nn responded. ¡°We have orders from Elder Michael. No entry into Shadoww until further notice. Turn back,¡± the guard stated. ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re speaking to?¡± Nn asked. ¡°I¡¯m Alpha Nn of BloodMoon and this is Princess Talia of Silverfang. Go and open the gate now.¡± The guard barely reacted to my title, which told me he was not going to cooperate. ¡°And I have my orders. No one enters,¡± the guard replied. Nn¡¯s eyes narrowed and his hand tightened on the steering wheel. ¡°Elder Michael does not outrank the Alpha King.¡± The second guard stepped closer. His hand hovered near the weapon strapped to his belt. ¡°We follow Elder Michael,¡± the second guard said firmly. Behind us, I saw Marco step out of the car. De followed, and even from a distance I could tell she was ready for a fight with the way she was rolling her shoulders. Marco¡¯s body tensed as if he was seconds away from incapacitating both guards. ¡°I don¡¯t think you two understand the situation you¡¯re in,¡± I said. ¡°Talia, you no longer have authority here. Leave. We will not warn you again,¡± the first guard responded, earning a growl from Nn. I gripped his forearm and shook my head. ¡°Let me handle this,¡± I said and Nn nodded. I opened the door and stepped out of the car. Nn got out of the car and leaned against it, watching to see what I would do next. I turned my head slightly toward the transport vehicle. ¡°Beta Henry.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Henry got my hint and yanked the cover from the cage, revealing Jason inside. ¡°Alpha Jason?!¡± The guards whispered, eyes wide. I kept my hand on the cage frame and looked over my shoulder at them. ¡°Tell Elder Michael if you do not allow us entry,¡± I said, ¡°I will execute his son right here and the only thing he will have left of him is his bloodied head.¡± Jason jerked against the restraints, and the muffled sound that came from behind the gag was pure fury. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing,¡± the first guard said, but his voice shook. ¡°Try me,¡± I told him. ¡°Do you want your Alpha¡¯s blood on your hands? What do you think Elder Michael will do to you if you are the reason for his only son¡¯s death?¡± ¡°Open the gate,¡± the first guard finallymanded. CHAPITR ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY ONE +25 Bonus The second guard moved fast, rushing back to the gate. He punched in a code. The metal gate began to move to the left. I stepped out of the transport vehicle and Henry closed the door. Then I walked back to Nn¡¯s car and got inside. Nn got back in right after me and finally allowed himself tough. ¡°Well done. I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve done it better myself,¡± he said. ¡°Thank you.¡± After a moment, he asked, ¡°Would you really want to kill him?¡± ¡°It was a bluff,¡± I admitted. ¡°Good. Death would be too merciful for him,¡± Nn replied. We crossed the border and drove toward Shadoww¡¯s pack house. The road inside the border looked the same as I remembered. A few pack members stood near storefronts farther down, pausing to stare as we passed. A momentter, Elder Michael appeared at the entrance of the pack house, nked by two guards. His expression was hard, but I saw the panic beneath it. At least he cared a little about the wellbeing of his son. Michael walked toward us in quick strides. ¡°What have you done with my son?¡± His voice carried, meant to nt the idea that we were the aggressors. I stepped forward before Nn could speak. I had to own this. I would not allow Michael to bully me. ¡°Jason is alive,¡± I said. ¡°He is restrained for transport and judgment for his crimes against Silverfang.¡± ¡°Lies. Jason has been a loyal Alpha,¡± Michael responded. I almostughed and said, ¡°You and I both know that isn¡¯t true.¡± ¡°How dare youugh! You walk into my territory with my son in a cage and you expect cooperation?¡± Michael snapped. ¡°I expect obedience,¡± I growled, stepping toward him. I am here to enforce the Alpha King¡¯smand.¡± Michael¡¯s mouth tightened. ¡°You have no authority here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you are mistaken, Michael,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I am Princess Talia of Silverfang, the daughter of the Alpha King. Seeing me is as if you¡¯re seeing the Alpha King himself.¡± ¡°Whatever my son has done, it has nothing to do with me or Shadoww. You can leave,¡± Michael stated in an attempt to control the situation. I wasn¡¯t going to let him, not this time. ¡°Shadoww is under Silverfang¡¯s authority now, pending formal reform,¡± I told him. Michael¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°This is unheard of. You can¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°I can and I will, Michael. You and your son havemitted multiple crimes against the crown. You are lucky I am even discussing this with you,¡± I snapped. ¡°You have no evidence or proof. You¡­¡± ¡°You encouraged your son to drug me with Moonlust,¡± I interrupted him. ¡°You helped him attempt to force a mark and restore a bond I rejected. You are as guilty as he is.¡± His lip curled into a sneer, ¡°Prove it.¡± ¡°Your son and former Beta did that for me,¡± I said. Michael frowned. I could see him trying to work through a n to escape except there was no way for him to escape this. 213 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 182 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV Michael¡¯s demeanor changed almost immediately after Nn spoke. His shoulders eased and his expression smoothing as if he had simply flipped a switch. It was unsettling how quickly he adapted. Michael had always been unpredictable, but this change was disturbing. ¡°War would serve no one,¡± Michael said after a brief pause. His voice was calmer now, almost appeasing. ¡°Shadoww has already suffered enough instability.¡± Nn did not respond. He watched Michael carefully. I could tell through our bond that he too was suspicious of Michael¡¯s mood change. Michael turned his attention back to me. ¡°Princess Talia, my earlier reaction was¡­ impulsive. I apologize for it.¡± I kept myself from rolling my eyes. He meant every word. Michael was only doing damage control because he had not expected Nn to be here. ¡°If Shadoww is to avoid unnecessary bloodshed,¡± Michael continued, ¡°then a proper transition must be handled with order and transparency. I will arrange for a full assembly tomorrow.¡± My surprise must have shown on my face because he quickly added, ¡°At that assembly, I will exin the situation and formally transfer leadership of Shadoww to you, under the Alpha King¡¯s authority.¡±. This was too easy. I had expected resistance, but Michael was barely putting up a fight. We needed to be careful moving forward. ¡°I agree,¡± I said carefully. ¡°A full assembly is appropriate.¡± Michael nodded and said, ¡°Then it is settled. Until tomorrow, you and your party will be treated as honored guests.¡± Michael turned and gestured to one of the omegas standing nearby. ¡°Prepare quarters for Princess Talia and Alpha Nn and their guests. Ensure their needs are met.¡± As omegas moved into action, Michael took a step back. His gaze lingered on Nn a moment longer before he turned away. Only once he was gone did I release the tension in my body. The omegas guided us to our rooms. Everything looked the same as I remembered, and yet it felt entirely different now. This ce was no longer Jason and I¡¯s domain. Michael had quickly changed the decorations to suit his taste, but all of that would change. Soon, it would be mine. Our quarters were spacious and well-appointed, just like I had designed them to be when I was Luna. Dinner arrived before we could even get a moment to dpress. Trays were set on the table and the omegas retreated immediately. Marco immediately went into action as he searched for any hidden cameras or microphones. Henry assisted with the search, Before anyone could sit, I spoke. ¡°I want guards stationed outside Jason¡¯s cell at all times. No one approaches him without my authorization.¡± One of the guards bowed and left immediately to carry out the order. I turned to Henry. ¡°You¡¯ll dine with us,¡± Henry hesitated only a fraction of a second before nodding. ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± We took our seats. The food was untouched for a moment as I gathered my thoughts. ¡°Starting tomorrow,¡± I said, meeting Henry¡¯s eyes, ¡°you answer only to me.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY TWO +25 Bonus Henry did not look surprised. He straightened slightly in his chair. ¡°Understood. I will follow yourmands.¡± Nn leaned back, watching the exchange with quiet approval. Marco remained rxed but alert, his attention flicking asionally toward the door as if he expected trouble to walk in at any moment. ¡°Before we eat, we need to make sure it¡¯s not poisoned,¡± De said. ¡°Since you know Michael is good for that kind of thing.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Henry said. ¡°Yes, he would,¡± I responded. ¡°If he thought he could get away with it.¡± De took out a small bag filled with what looked like white powder and said, ¡°Leslie gave me this. She said all I need to do is sprinkle the herb on the food. If it turned a different color, it would mean the food was poisoned.¡± She sprinkled it on the food and in our drinks. Thankfully, the powder did not change colors. ¡°I am d he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to try to poison us,¡± Marco added. As we began to eat, Nn spoke. ¡°Michael¡¯spliance came too quickly.¡± Henry paused mid-bite and said, ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. It was unnerving how fast he switched his tone.¡± ¡°Men like him rarely surrender power without attempting something,¡± Nn continued. I set my fork down. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°During tomorrow¡¯s assembly, he¡¯s going to retaliate,¡± Nn replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he ns on doing, but there will be a fight. Henry, do note to the assembly unless we contact you first. Stay with the guards near Jason until you receive direct orders.¡± Henry nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± I felt tense. I expected a battle when I got here, not this passive aggressive version of Michael. Creeping unease had curled into my stomach. De noticed it immediately. She reached across the table and squeezed my hand. ¡°Tomorrow will settle everything,¡± she said softly. ¡°Once the transfer is done, Shadoww will be yours, and you¡¯ll be able to move on and start the new chapter of your life in Bloodmoon.¡± I forced a small smile. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± De nced toward Nn and Marco. Both appeared calm, almost unbothered. They looked confident as if no matter how things turned out tomorrow, they would be able to handle it. Nn smiled and said, ¡°Look at them. They would never let anything happen to us.¡± Marco chuckled quietly. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± By the time we were done eating, I felt more rxed. I listened to Marco and De talk about what they nned on. It allowed me to ignore what we would have to deal with tomorrow if only for a little while, Eventually, De pushed back her chair and stood. ¡°We should rest. Big day tomorrow.¡± She grabbed Marco¡¯s hand and tugged him toward the door. As she passed Nn, she winked exaggeratedly. ¡°You two should do the same.¡± My face flushed instantly as the implication sank in-I and Nn would be sharing a room tonight. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 183 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY THREE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus The doors closed behind them, and I stole a nce at Nn. He had unbuttoned his shirt a little and was pouring himself another ss of wine. Only then did it truly sink in that we would be sharing a room for the night. I felt my heart rate increase. I tried to calm down to keep Nn from feeling my nervousness through the mate bond. I wish I had taken the suppression herb, so he wouldn¡¯t be aware of everything going on with me. ¡°This is nothing new. I just need to calm down,¡± I told myself. I slept in his room before. Nn had been drunk and could have easily taken advantage of me, but he didn¡¯t. Tonight was different. I have epted him as my mate and vice versa. There was no haze of alcohol to hide behind this time. My nerves were getting the better of me. There were too many life changing events happening for me to not be nervous. My thoughts spiraled before I could stop them. Would he expect to solidify our mate bond tonight? Would he¡­. ¡°Talia.¡± Hearing Nn call my name startled me out of my thoughts. ¡°Y..yes,¡± I stammered. ¡°Did you say something?¡± ¡°You zoned out. Are you okay?¡± Nn asked. ¡°Are you worried about tomorrow?¡± I hesitated. Should I tell him again I wanted him to mark me? I thought better of it and nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to expect tomorrow. Everything could go wrong.¡± ¡°It will go smoothly. If things do get hectic, we will handle it,¡± Nn said. He reached over and gripped my hand. His touch made the mate bond re. ¡°I won¡¯t let anything bad happen to you.¡± ¡°Nn¡­ can I ask you something?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask for permission,¡± he replied. I took a breath and asked, ¡°Can I really trust you?¡± Nn did not answer immediately. I stayed silent to allow him time to respond. Nn smiled. He let go of my hand and brushed his thumb lightly along my jaw, ¡°You are my mate,¡± Nn finally said. ¡°And you are my Luna. I will stand by you, not because of obligation, but because I chose you. I always will.¡± The certainty in his voice and feeling his sincerity through the mate bond released the tension in my chest. Before I could second -guess myself, I leaned forward and kissed him. Nn, surprised by my boldness, froze for only a second. Then he kissed me back. His hand slid into my hair as he pulled me closer. The kiss was deep, hungry, it was as if Nn had been waiting for this for a long time. It left me breathless. I barely noticed when we stood. He pulled me against him, and the next moment he lifted me and carried me to the bedroom. When he sat me down on the bed, he was on top of me in an instant. His hands roamed my body causing me to moan. My hands tightened in his shirt as the mate bond pulsed between us. When his lips left mine and traced along my jaw, a shiver ran through me. I inhaled sharply when his mouth moved to my neck and froze. All the nervousness returned as I awaited his bite, but it didn¡¯te. Nn pulled back just enough to look at me. His expression had shifted from lust to concern. ¡°You¡¯re nervous,¡± he said quietly. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY THREE +25 Bonus I had not realized how obvious it was until he said it. ¡°I am,¡± I admitted. ¡°I want this, but everything feels¡­ overwhelming.¡± Nn wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. ¡°We stop here,¡± he said. ¡°No, wait, I want this. I¡­¡± I started. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Talia. We will have time,¡± Nn said, cutting me off. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel pressured.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding,¡± I told him as I rested my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to tell you,¡± Nn continued after a moment. ¡°Something I should have said a long time ago.¡± I lifted my head with curiosity. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I fell for you the first time I saw you,¡± he admitted. ¡°I was angry, bitter, and drowning in my own resentment back then. Every misunderstanding, every rumor, it all fed that anger. Instead ofing to you, I pushed myself away.¡± ¡°Honestly, I was afraid of you at first,¡± I admitted softly. ¡°Not of you, really, but of what people said you were. Later¡­ I realized you weren¡¯t the monster they described.¡± Nn¡¯s arms tightened around me. ¡°Thank you for taking a chance with me, Talia.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your mate. I¡¯ll stand with you. And I¡¯ll help you uncover the truth about your father¡¯s death. Whatever it takes,¡± I promised him. We kissed again. It was slower this time and not influenced by lust from the mate bond. When we finally pulled apart, exhaustion settled over me all at once. His fingers traced a slow pattern against my arm. ¡°Get some sleep, my Luna.¡± P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 184 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & FIGHTY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY FOUR Nn¡¯s POV I woke to the sweet scent of roses. Talia was still asleep in my arms. Her back pressed lightly against my chest. Her breathing was slow and even. The bond hummed low and steady beneath my skin. ¡®She has fully epted us,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®We should mark her now.¡¯ ¡°No,¡± I snapped back. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡®I am sick of waiting. She is OURS. Mark her,¡¯ my wolf retorted. ¡°Yes, she is our mate,¡± I agreed. ¡°That does not mean we get to rush her. We would be no better than that scum that betrayed her. My wolf grumbled, but he stayed quiet. I was not going to ruin what little trust I had earned because he was impatient. I lowered my head and kissed her forehead. Then, her cheek and then the side of her neck. That got her attention and her eyes fluttered open in the middle of the kiss. For a brief second, confusion crossed her face. Then awareness followed, and she blushed. Talia turned around to face me. ¡°Nn,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Good morning,¡± I said. ¡°I fell asleep,¡± she murmured. ¡°You did,¡± I said. ¡°You werefortable.¡± She tried to sit up but stopped as her hand brushed my upper body as she moved. Her fingers caught on the raised lines of my old scars. Talia traced one of the scars with her finger before looking back up at me. ¡°What happened to you?¡± she asked. I know she was confused as werewolves weren¡¯t scared. ¡°They are from battles,¡± I replied. ¡°They came from weapons tainted with wolfsbane.¡± ¡°Wolfsbane?¡± she repeated. ¡°Not enough to kill but it causes the wound to heal wrong and scar,¡± I continued. Her expression softened. Talia leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to one of the scars. My breath caught as pleasure coursed through my body. I expected her to pull back, but she didn¡¯t. Talia kissed another, slower this time, like she was doing it on purpose. My wolf practically purred. ¡°Talia,¡± I said, ¡°if you do not stop, neither of us will make it to the transfer ceremony.¡± Her eyes widened. Heat rushed into her face. She pushed off the bed so fast she almost stumbled. ¡°I need to shower,¡± she said quickly, and then she went into the bathroom. I sat there for a second, listening to the water start and forcing myself to stay where I was and not join her in the shower. My wolfughed inside my head. ¡®We are supposed to chase her,¡¯ he said. I ignored him as I got up and got dressed. Even though I would rather fulfill the mate bond and make sure Talia would never ??? STAVICONE TONEY & FIGHTY FOUR +25 Bonus think of another male, today was not about that. I was here to support Talia taking over Shadoww. After breakfast, we met with Marco and De and headed to the square. The pack members were gathered in groups. I could feel the hostility in the air before I saw it on their faces. Most of them looked angry and ready to fight. Then, I noticed Jason was in a holding cell nearby, but Henry was nowhere to be found. I reached out to Marco through our mind link. ¡°Stay close to Talia. They are up to something.¡± Before Marco could move, De was already close to Talia, slightly behind her but close enough that she could step in without being told. I couldn¡¯t help but smile in approval. Michael finally made his appearance. He walked onto the stage and raised his voice so the crowd could hear. ¡°Shadoww,¡± he called and pointed at Jason. ¡°Look at what has been done to your Alpha. This is the proof of what happens when outsiders are allowed to invade our pack and rewrite our rules.¡± ¡°Michael, stop. You are twisting the truth,¡± Talia responded. Michael scoffed. ¡°Twisting?¡± he repeated. ¡°You are the one twisting the truth, ying tricks. It is your fault our pack has fallen.¡± A wave of voices rose immediately in agreement with Michael. ¡°It is Alpha Jason and your actions that have led us here,¡± Talia countered. ¡°Princess Talia, the ex-Luna, hid her identity in our pack. She fooled everyone. She yed the role she wanted and let my son suffer for it,¡± Michael said. Voices rose again. ¡°She lied!¡± ¡°She pretended to be omega!¡± ¡°Viki wouldn¡¯t have suffered if she told the truth!¡± I grit my teeth. This pack was a bunch of idiots. Even now, they would rather ce the me on Talia instead of epting that their Alpha was a cheating fool. Michael lifted his hands as if he was calming them, but his eyes gleamed like he enjoyed every second of their anger. ¡°She hid her true identity to fool everyone,¡± Michael continued, ¡°and now she returns as the Alpha King¡¯s princess, standing beside Bloodmoon¡¯s Alpha like this was always the n.¡± ¡°That is not true,¡± Talia said, louder this time. She sounded strained as she was attempting to keep her anger in check. ¡°I am here because Alpha Jason and you need to be punished for what you both have done.¡± Michael¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Punished?¡± he echoed. ¡°My son is bound like an animal. He is silenced. He has done nothing wrong!¡± ¡°You are lying to them,¡± Talia snapped. ¡°You know what your son did. He drugged me. He tried to force a mark on me!¡± The crowd did not care. They shouted over her and became more agitated. We had to get a handle on this before we had an angry mob and then I would have no choice but to spill blood to protect Talia. I stepped forward and yelled, ¡°Quiet!¡± My alpha aura mmed into everyone. The pack flinched. Some stepped back without thinking. The noise dropped fast, not because they suddenly agreed, but because instinct demanded they stop talking when a stronger Alpha forced silence. ¡°Princess Talia is telling the truth!¡± a familiar voice rang out. WHAT ONE HONDED & Dray Form +25 Bonus Henry pushed through the crowd to stand before everyone. He had a ck eye and his face was bruised. The bastard Michael even harmed one of his own to continue the lie. The pack recognized him immediately. There were murmurs amongst the pack. ¡°That is Beta Henry,¡± someone muttered. ¡°What happened to him?¡± another asked. ¡°Elder Michael did this to me to keep me from telling the truth, I almost died!¡± Henry said firmly. Michael¡¯s face contorted into a sneer as if he had not expected Henry to stand against him. ¡°That man is a traitor,¡± Michael snapped. ¡°He abandoned Shadoww. He sided with outsiders, Seize him.¡± A few guards hesitated and then moved like they were going to obey out of fear of Michael¡¯s rank. I moved quickly. I mmed the palm into the chest of one of the guards and sent him flying. Another I kicked hard in the stomach causing him to double over while the third backed away. ¡°I dare anyone to touch him,¡± I said. ¡°He is under the protection of the Alpha King as a witness.¡± ¡°This is Shadoww territory. The Alpha King¡¯s authority means nothing here,¡± Michael growled. ¡°And no one will believe the words of a traitor!¡± ¡°Then, let your pack determine for themselves,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°Henry,¡± Talia said, loud enough for the crowd to hear, ¡°tell them the truth.¡± P Çú Support Share ! Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 185 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY FIVE Nn¡¯s POV I moved just enough to ce myself fully in front of Talia when Henry began to talk. Every instinct I had was focused on keeping her protected. There was no telling how the pack would react to the truth and they were all hostile. I was not taking any chance that Talia would be harmed. I would rather murder all of them than to tolerate any harming to Talia and I would have no regrets doing it. It seemed Marco and De also agreed as they were now standing in formation. ¡°I want to rify something before I begin,¡± Henry said firmly. ¡°Princess Talia did not hide her identity to try to take ownership of Shadoww.¡± ¡°Lies! What do you call this?¡± Michael snapped, pointing at Jason. ¡°Facing the consequences of his action,¡± Henry responded. ¡°Princess Talia did not hide her identity. She renounced it when she became the Luna of Shadoww. She couldn¡¯t reveal it because she no longer had the title to be Alpha Jason¡¯s mate.¡± The pack members murmured in surprise. I was even surprised. It made sense now how upset Talia was about her rtionship with Jason. She had given up everything for that fool, and he spat in her face. It made me want to punch Jason¡¯s face again. ¡°Elder Michael and Alpha Jason have coveted the Alpha King¡¯s throne for years. When they discovered¡­¡± ¡°Lies!¡± Michael eximed. ¡°He just wants to have control. He always¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± a pack member yelled out even though their voices trembled. ¡°Let him speak!¡± another joined in. I smirked as Michael stared at them. He never expected to lose his grip on the pack like this. ¡°When they discovered Princess Talia¡¯s true identity, they realized she was their way to the throne,¡± Henry continued. ¡± Knowing how Princess Talia no longer wanted anything to do with Jason, poisoned her and Jason attempted to force a mark on her to secure control over her im and Silverfang.¡± There were gasps within the crowd. Wolves understood exactly what that meant. This was a crime that every packw condemned. It was forbidden to force a mate bond. ¡°Alpha Nn intervened before that act could bepleted. Had he not, the consequences would have been irreversible,¡± Henry continued. Michael reacted quickly. ¡°That is a lie,¡± he shouted, pointing at the crowd. ¡°He just wants power.¡± ¡°No! That is, you, it has always been you!¡± Henry snarled. ¡°Look at my face! Princess Talia, Alpha Nn, the Alpha King¡­they didn¡¯t do this to me. He did!¡± Henry pointed at Michael. ¡°This is what he does! Do not allow him to fool you into going against the Alpha King? If I hadn¡¯t been smart, he would have beaten me to death to keep me from telling the truth today!¡± ¡°Are you going to believe him or your Elder?¡± Michael demanded. Not one person rose to Michael¡¯s defense. Henry¡¯s injuries were just a reminder to them of how Michael abused those that didn¡¯t go along with his ns. I smirked. Everything he put in ce was now falling apart by his own hand. Seeing that the pack no longer was in his control, Michael attempted to leave the stage, but he did not make it two steps. Shadoww warriors closed in, their movements swift and coordinated. At the same time, Silverfang warriors stepped forward from among the onlookers. They surround Michael. One restrains him by pinning his arms behind his back. ¡°You cannot do this,¡± Michael snapped. ¡°I am your Elder.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & LIGHTY FIVE +25 Bonus ¡°You are under arrest,¡± one of the warriors replied. Michael¡¯s gaze darted wildly beforending on Jason. ¡°Say something,¡± he barked. ¡°Tell them this is a lie.¡± Talia stepped out from behind me before I could stop her. ¡°We did note here to cause a war. We came to stop one from happening,¡± Talia said firmly. ¡°Shadoww does not deserve to be twisted into a weapon for personal ambition.¡± Michael looked at Jason before sneering. ¡°We haven¡¯t even spoken to my poor son. We need to hear his exnation.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Talia stated. She walked over to Jason, who was still gagged, bound, with a warrior on both his sides. There was nothing to fear, but I couldn¡¯t help but still walk with Talia. Jason reached forward and removed the gag. ¡°Speak,¡± Talia said. ¡°Your father wants you to tell everyone the truth.¡± ¡°Tell them how they are liars and we never did anything. They are¡­¡± ¡°We did it,¡± Jason said hoarsely. Michael froze. Jason lowered his head, his voice breaking. ¡°It is all true.¡± A stunned hush fell over the crowd. ¡°Everything Beta Henry said was true,¡± Jason continued. ¡°I used Moonlust. I thought I could fix everything if I marked her. I thought we could go back to how everything was before.¡± ¡°You fucking fool! You have ruined everything. All your foolish actions areing back to haunt you,¡± Michael shouted. My eyes widened as I realized that Michael was attempting to sacrifice his own son instead of taking ountability. Jason shook his head slowly and said firmly, ¡°You told me to do it. You said it was the only way and I believed you. You said the Alpha King would never see iting. You said Shadoww would be stronger.¡± Michael¡¯s mouth opened, but no sound came out. Fear and then anger shed in his eyes. I couldn¡¯t help smirking that Michael was finally watching his son stand up to him. Jason looked up at the crowd and said, ¡°I was wrong. I am sorry.¡± Angry shouts erupted from all sides, calling for the exile of both Jason and Michael. ¡°Banish them!¡± ¡°They dishonored the pack!¡± ¡°Traitors!¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 186 CHAPTER ONE MONDRED & EIGHTY SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV Jason and Michael¡¯s banishment spread quickly. By sunset, the elders had already sent word to the neighboring packs. Some packs agreed while some seemed cautious about how the Alpha King intervened. Shadoww would finally have the opportunity to grow and thrive. I did not allow myself to rx. I still needed to prove that I could rule Shadoww. If I wanted the pack to follow me, I had to move quickly, speak clearly, and make decisions that could not be questioned. The first thing I needed to do was to decide on what to do about Henry. I met him in the main hall of the pce in front of Elders and a few warriors. I wanted my decision to be public, so no one could twist the narrative behind closed doors. The Elders had stood against me when Jason first betrayed me, I couldn¡¯t trust them fully yet. ¡°Princess Talia, this was an odd request. We could have met within one of our conference rooms,¡± one of the Elders said. I ignored the elder and turned toward Henry. He looked nervous. He bowed and greeted me, ¡°Princess Talia.¡± ¡°Beta Henry,¡± I said. ¡°I called you here to discuss the leadership of Shadoww moving forward.¡± ¡°Splendid,¡± the previous elder said. ¡°We have some candidates that¡­¡± ¡°Henry will remain Beta of Shadoww,¡± I said, cutting the elders off. They paled at my deration but none of them spoke against me. ¡°Understood, Luna,¡± Henry responded. ¡°You answer to me,¡± I continued. ¡°You do not answer to anyone who ims authority, only to me.¡± Henry nodded once. ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± ¡°What of Alpha Nn? I am sure he would need some input as he is your mate, isn¡¯t he?¡± the elder asked, trying to stir up conflict. ¡°Princess Talia does not need my input to be Luna of Shadoww,¡± Nn simply said. I noticed how he stood a step behind me. He was clearly making it known that I was in control of this situation, not him. ¡°Elders, do you have any questions?¡± I asked. None of them spoke and I left them where they were to find an office to work on the final paperwork. Once everything waspleted, I leaned back in the chair and finally allowed myself to rx. ¡°You handled that well,¡± Nn said, offering me a cup of tea. ¡°I handled it because I had to,¡± I replied. ¡°Do you always have an issue taking apliment?¡± Nn teased. I blushed and before I could respond, Nn had left me with my thoughts, so I did what I had been doing for days. I focused on the next task. I met with two elders who had supported Michael in the past and warned them that any attempt to stir unrest would be dealt with immediately. I made sure the kitchens had enough food for the pack, because instability made people hungry in more than one way. That night, the pack insisted on a celebration. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & LIGHTY SIX +25 Bonus Fires were lit in the courtyard. Tables were pushed together. Music yed from a small speaker, and someone started a chant that made othersugh because it sounded ridiculous. De found me before I could slip away back to my room. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± she asked. ¡°I am going back to my room to get some rest,¡± I replied. ¡°You can¡¯t do that,¡± De whined. ¡°This is your celebration even if everyone looks like they¡¯re walking on eggshells. You have to be seen.¡± De did have a point, but I wasn¡¯t going to admit it. I took a sip of my drink and then I noticed she was staring at me. ¡°What?¡± ¡°So,¡± she said, drawing the word out as she looked me over, ¡°still not marked.¡± I stared at her. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you came to find me.¡± ¡°I came because I wanted to make sure you were okay and not going to burst a blood vessel by overthinking again,¡± she replied. ¡°I am not overthinking and what does that have to do with me being marked,¡± I said, then realized how unconvincing I sounded. Deughed. ¡°Because I know you. So, what, you talked yourself out of the situation, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t the right time,¡± I snapped. My tone was sharper than I intended. De¡¯s smile faded just enough to show she understood. ¡°You weren¡¯t thinking about that before, so why now?¡± I looked down at my cup. ¡°Now it is real. Shadoww is mine. Nn is my mate. I agreed to all of it, and I still feel nervous.¡± ¡°Nervous that Nn could end up like Jason,¡± she said inly. My throat tightened. ¡°Yes.¡± De bumped my shoulder gently. ¡°Nn is not Jason.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said weakly. De sat her cup down and ced her hands on my shoulders. ¡°Then act like you know it. Release the past, even if you do it one step at a time. Tonight will be a good night.¡± Before I could answer, someone brushed too close behind me. My hand jolted, and the wine in my cup spilled down the front of my dress, ¡°Sorry, Princess, I didn¡¯t¡­.¡± the omega stammered. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I quickly said. ¡°Just go and enjoy,¡± The omega bowed and scurried away as if afraid I would change my mind and punish him. ¡°Go change before it stains,¡± De said, ¡°Ande right back. You¡¯re dancing tonight.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± I said, already turning. When I reached the room, I paused with my hand on the door. Nn¡¯s scent was nearby, but he wasn¡¯t in the room. This would give me a moment to go through my thoughts. I stepped in and closed the door behind me. I stripped out of the ruined dress, set it aside, and moved to the bathroom. The water was hot, and I let it run over me until my ONE HUNDRED & FIGHTY SIX +25 Bonus skin. Still, when I stood there alone, the questions returned. When would I let him mark me? Minutester, I heard the door open and close in the outer room. My pulse jumped as I immediately knew it was Nn. I wrapped myself in a robe and walked out slowly. Nn stood near the table, his jacket already removed, his sleeves rolled just slightly as he poured a drink from the bar. He turned to look at me. ¡°You left early,¡± he said. ¡°I spilled wine on myself,¡± I replied. ¡°Do you think I made the right call today with Henry?¡± I asked quietly. Nn¡¯s expression hardened slightly, not toward me, but toward the thought. ¡°You did what you thought was best.¡± ¡°That is not an answer,¡± I said. His eyes met mine. ¡°Yes. You made the right call.¡± I swallowed. ¡°Do you mean it?¡± ¡°I do,¡± he said. ¡°You are the Luna of Shadoww. You will not be undermined in front of your pack. Not by the Elders, not by anyone else, and especially not by me.¡± I blinked rapidly as I attempted to fight back the tears. I didn¡¯t realize I needed to hear that from him. Nn trusted me without a second thought. ¡°Talia,¡± he said, and his voice softened, ¡°what are you thinking?¡± ¡°I keep thinking about what happened with Jason,¡± I responded and noticed Nn¡¯s jaw tightened but he didn¡¯t say anything.¡± And I keep thinking that I do not want fear to make me hesitate forever.¡± I stepped closer before I could overthink it. ¡°I am ready,¡± I told him softly. He blinked, caught off guard. ¡°Ready for what?¡± I let the robe fall to reveal my naked body. J Judith GW Author Hi dear readers! How was your Christmas holiday? I hope it was amazing! I had a wonderful time with my family, so I apologize for the dy in updating. Now, with our princess Talia officially taking over Shadoww, it¡¯s time for her to rx and enjoy some intimate moments with Alpha Nn. Are you excited?! Please drop yourments! 04 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 187 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY SEVEN CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Lock the door.¡± I whispered. +25 Bonus ¡°It¡¯s already locked,¡± Nn answered. His voice was low and controlled, but his body told a different story. I could see the tension in his hands by the way he twitched. Seeing him struggling with his resolve gave me confidence. I stepped closer, reaching for his hand. His palm was warm and rough. I guide it upward, letting his fingers brush my stomach. ¡°You¡¯re ying a dangerous game, Talia,¡± Nn said through gritted teeth. I ced his hand on my breast. Nn¡¯s palm covered me fully. His thumb moved over my nipple, slow and deliberate. I let out a quiet moan and he exhaled slowly. ¡°Make me yours,¡± I whispered. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Nn asked. I reached for his shirt and undo the first button. Then the next. When I leaned in and kissed his chest, I could hear him growling low in his throat. His skin tasted clean and warm. I opened more buttons, kissing as I went. His muscles tensed beneath my mouth when I bit lightly. I opened his shirtpletely. My hands slide over his chest and down his stomach. I felt him tense. ¡°Talia,¡± he growled, a warning that I intended to ignore. My hand moved lower, covered his hip, to the front of his pants. I wrapped my hand around him through the fabric and squeezed. Nn moved fast. One moment I¡¯m standing, the next I¡¯m on the bed beneath him. He braced himself above me. His mouth crashed onto mine. Nn¡¯s restraint was starting to break. His kiss deepened, hungry and demanding. I arched into him when his chest brushed against my breasts. He cupped one firmly, thumb circling my nipple. ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± I moaned. He kissed my throat, my jaw, and the hollow of my neck. This time I didn¡¯t freeze. I tilted my neck, allowing him more ess, but he didn¡¯t stop at my neck. His kiss trailed down my neck. When he took my nipple into his mouth, I gasped. Heat pooled low in my body. ¡°Tell me what you want,¡± Nn said in between licks. ¡°You, I want you,¡± I answered and he chuckled. He began moving down my body slowly. ¡°What¡­what are you doing?¡± I asked as he spread my knees apart and settled between my thighs. Nn smirked as he stuck his tongue out, ¡°Nn, what¡­.¡± I gasped and arched as his tongue inside me. Jason had never done this before. I read about it in books but never thought to ask for it to be done. Nn holded me down with my waist. My fingers were tangled in his hair. When he sucked my clit into his mouth, my body jolted. He hummed softly, the vibration pushing me closer to the edge. ¡°Oh, my goddess, Nn!¡± He slid a finger inside me and then another. The stretch was intense but controlled. Nn found the ce inside me that made CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY SEVEN +25 Bonus my vision blur and pressed there deliberately. ¡°Tell me you like this,¡± Nn said. ¡°Yes,¡± I said without hesitation, ¡°I love it!¡± He stood up, kicked his shoes off. Then his belt. His cock sprung free, hard and flushed, bobbing between us. I froze for a second. He¡¯s longer and thicker than Jason, and I feltl a flicker of nervousness mingled with anticipation. Goddess, how was it going to fit? I swallowed, actually swallowed hard, and he smirked. ¡°Toote to back out now, Princess.¡± I raised an eyebrow. I wasn¡¯t going to back out of this. I reached up and grabbed him, earning a groan. ¡°Does it look like I am backing out?¡± I growled as I stroked him slowly. Nn grabbed my hands and pushed me back onto my back. He looked into my eyes as he lined up. Nn pushed in slowly, the head slipping through my wetness with ease, but the stretch was startling. It burned at first, a hot ache, but then I adjusted, and the pain became something electric and thrilling. When Nn¡¯s all the way in, he copsed on his elbows and buried his face in my neck, shuddering. ¡°Holy shit,¡± he murmured, voice muffled by my hair. ¡°Nn, please,¡± I whined. He began to move slowly as if worried I¡¯ll break. All I could do was clutch at him and rocked my hips in time. The sensation was raw; nothing like with Jason. No frantic grunting, no desperate rutting, no half-hearted climax for him and then rolling away, leaving me unsatisfied and alone. Nn was attuned to every sound I made, every twitch and sigh. ¡°You feel so good,¡± he moaned. He kept the rhythm faster and fucked me harder. Each time he bottomed out, I felt the jolt all the way up my spine, and it made me desperate. I wrapped my legs around his waist, locking him to me, wanting more, wanting everything. ¡°Nn!¡± I screamed as I tightened around him. All his restraint broke. He lifted both my legs onto his shoulders. I gasped at the new angle. He was able to thrust deeper into me. I can¡¯t think. I can only feel: his hips mming into mine. His thrusts were frenzied as I could feel him pulsing inside of me, ¡°Mine,¡± he groaned as he bit the crook of my neck. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, please Nn,¡± I moaned. For a split second the pain of the mark was white-hot. Then, the mate bond mmed into ce. I felt him inside of me, physically and mentally, Nn slid carefully out of me before copsing next to me. I reached up and touched the mate mark. It is real. It is proof, evidence that this really happened, that I am not dreaming. ¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± he repeated, smiling softly. P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 188 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY EIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV ¡®How long do you n on sleeping?¡¯ a familiar voice teased. ¡®As long as I want,¡¯ I muttered. ¡®So, you are not happy to see me?¡¯ the voice asked. ¡®What?¡¯ I asked as I rubbed my eyes. ¡®Talia, wake up!¡¯ I woke with a startled gasp and then I heard a chuckle within my mind. I turned to see Nn, still sleeping next to me. ¡®Did you really think it was him?¡¯ the voice asked, amused at my confusion. Then, it clicked. My wolf was awake! She came back to me! I didn¡¯t know if I wanted to scream in glee or cry. ¡®Oh, my goddess, I missed you so much,¡¯ I told her. ¡®I told you I wasn¡¯t going to leave you,¡¯ she responded, ¡®But you sure took your time bringing me back.¡¯ ¡®I am sorry. Things got soplicated,¡¯ I said. ¡°Talia?¡± Nn murmured as he yawned into my hair. He pulled me closer to him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°She¡¯s back,¡± I said, my voice breathless with excitement. ¡°Whose back?¡± Nn murmured as he began drifting back to me. ¡°My wolf! She¡¯s really back,¡± I squealed. Nn blinked awake, confusion flickering across his face before he realized what I was saying. Then, he smiled as if he was as relieved as I was. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± he said quietly. ¡°I was wondering when she¡¯d decide to stop hiding.¡± ¡®I did not hide. It is his fault I disappeared in the first ce,¡¯ my wolf huffed. ¡®But I forgive him anyway.¡¯ Iughed and buried my face against his shoulder. ¡°She says she forgives you.¡± ¡°Good because my wolf would give me hell if she didn¡¯t,¡± Nn replied, his voice warm with humor. My wolf hummed contentedly as Nn¡¯s hand slid up my back. The bond between us feltplete and bnced now. ¡°You feel stronger,¡± Nn said, brushing his thumb along my spine. ¡°I feel like myself again,¡± I admitted. Nn kissed me. I felt him hard against my hip. My wolf purred in delight, excited to experience what I hadst night. Right when Nn began to line up, there was a knock on our door, ¡°Awful timing,¡± he muttered. ¡°Tell him to keep going,¡¯ my wolf urged and I opened my mouth to tell them until I heard Marco¡¯s voice from the other side of the door. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY EIGHT +25 Bonus ¡°Alpha, you told me to make sure to wake you, so we can leave on time. If you don¡¯t get up now, we will bete,¡± Marco said. Nn groaned and pressed his forehead against mine. ¡°I swear he does this on purpose.¡± Iughed as Nn rolled off me. ¡°You did tell him to keep us on schedule.¡± ¡°That does not mean I like it,¡± he replied. Nn kissed my cheek and added lightly, ¡°The Bloodmoon Pack is going to be very pleased to meet their Luna. It is a long timeing.¡± ¡°Now, you¡¯re making me nervous,¡± I said with a smile. We dressed quickly. If we lingered, we wouldn¡¯t leave this room for another hour. I quickly had breakfast and met with Henry. I needed to prepare him to run Shadoww while I was gone. ¡°The Silverfang warriors I appointed yesterday will answer to you,¡± I said. ¡°Until I return, Shadoww¡¯s stabilityes first.¡± Henry nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± ¡°Any signs of unrest, you contact me immediately,¡± I continued. ¡°I understand,¡± Henry said. ¡°I can leave Beta De to assist you, if necessary,¡± I said. I trusted Henry but it only took one moment of doubt for everything to go wrong. I needed to know he would be able to hold everything together until I returned. ¡°You need her with you, Luna,¡± Henry stated firmly. ¡°You can trust me.¡± I nodded and said, ¡°Thank you, Henry.¡±. ¡°Safe travels, Luna.¡± As we stepped outside, I began to hear voices even though no one was talking. The barrier that left me feeling alone within my own pack was gone. ¡®You can hear them again,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®Reach out to them.¡¯ I closed my eyes briefly and reached outward. The mindlink opened. Senior members of Shadoww responded instantly, showing respect and acknowledgement. Then, I felt members from Silverfang, all rejoicing in feeling me again. ¡°I can link again,¡± I said softly. ¡°Thank Goddess!¡± De eximed. ¡°It was terrible not being able to talk to you when I wanted to.¡± I rolled my eyes and said, ¡°We both have cell phones.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the same and you know it,¡± De pouted. ¡°As my Luna, you¡¯ll be able to link with Bloodmoon¡¯s leadership as well,¡± Nn exined. ¡°However, I¡¯d rmend waiting until we have the formal introduction.¡± I reached for Nn through the bond. ¡®Hello, my mate,¡¯ Nn said and chuckled. ¡®Last night was impressive,¡¯ I teased. ¡®I wasn¡¯t sure if I was going to be able to walk this morning.¡¯ Nn smirked as he answered, ¡®I was restrained. I won¡¯t be tonight.¡¯ Then, Nn whispered to me multiple obscene positions that he wanted to put me into. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY LIGHT +25 Bonus I flushed andughed out loud, drawing Marco and De¡¯s attention. ¡°Do I need to know?¡± Marco asked, eyeing us with open amusement. ¡°No,¡± Nn replied immediately. ¡°Yes,¡± De said at the same time, stepping closer and scanning me from head to toe. Her eyes widened when she saw the mark. ¡°Well, that exins the limp in your walk this morning.¡± My face burned in embarrassment. ¡°It is not that obvious,¡± I said. ¡°It is to anyone who knows what they¡¯re looking for,¡± De said cheerfully. ¡°I cannot wait to see youplete the Luna ritual.¡± ¡°I have to win over the Bloodmoon first,¡± I said. Nn nodded approvingly. ¡°Trust me, Bloodmoon will respect and love you. I reached for Nn¡¯s hand without thinking, and he took it. Nn leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. De pped her hands once. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get going.¡± I grinned. ¡°To Bloodmoon, then!¡± +2 Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 189 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV We arrived at the Bloodmoon Pack just before dusk, and the wee started before I even stepped out of the car. Warriors lined the path to the pack house in neat rows. They bowed as we drove by. The people behind them leaned forward to see who Alpha Nn had brought home. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Nn asked as he parked the car. ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± I replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re going to love you,¡± Nn said. Nn stepped out of the car and I could hear the cheers from the pack. Bloodmoon clearly loved Nn and were happy to see him. Nn opened the door for me and I stepped out. The crowd erupted again. ¡°Wee to Bloodmoon!¡± The greetings were loud and respectful, and I returned them with a calm smile and a wave. Everyone was excited to see us except for one person, a young woman in the middle. She stood near the front. She wore a simple brown dress. Her ck hair was pulled back into a tight bun. When she first saw Nn, her face lit up with excitement, and she began pushing through the crowd to get closer. As she approached, she saw Nn open the passenger door and take my hand as I stepped out. Her smile faltered as her eyes darted from me to him and then to the matching rings on our hands. She frowned before she forced a smile back onto her face. Who was this woman? My wolf paced within me and said, ¡®Someone who expected our mate to return alone.¡¯ ¡°Bloodmoon, I want to introduce you to Talia,¡± Nn announced. The crowd immediately went silent to listen. ¡°She is the Alpha King¡¯s daughter, my mate, and the Bloodmoon Pack¡¯s Luna.¡± Cheers broke out around us. People pped, wolves howled, and several older women smiled in a way that looked almost relieved. I held Nn¡¯s hand and nodded once, epting the wee while trying not to be irritated by this woman¡¯s stiff expression. ¡®She does not matter. Nn chose us. He epted us,¡¯ my wolf advised and I agreed. I was here because the Moon Goddess had bound Nn and me together, and I was taking on the role of Luna, I had nothing to prove. Even so, I could not ignore the way the woman watched Nn, and then had the nerve to look at me like I was a nuisance. The woman approached us and I braced myself, ¡°Wee to Bloodmoon, Luna Talia,¡± the woman said. Her tone was formal, almost like a hostess greeting an honored guest. We are honored to have you,¡± I should have appreciated the courtesy. Instead, it made my skin crawl. It felt like she was putting on a show and that the show was all for Nn. Nn turned slightly toward her. ¡°Talia, this is Maggie,¡± he said. ¡°I rescued her from the Mad rogues years ago. She is like a sister to me. She manages the maids and keeps the household running well.¡± So that was why she moved to the front. Maggie was not a random pack member. She was someone who had be close to him. ¡®We need to get rid of her,¡¯ my wolf growled. I ignored her. I would not exile this woman just because she had a crush on Nn ( CHARTVE ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY NINE +25 Bonus I stepped closer and held out my hand. ¡°It is nice to meet you, Maggie.¡± Her eyes flicked to my hand, and she lifted hers in response, but she did not take mine. Instead, she angled her hand, so the bandage wrapped around her hand was hard to miss. ¡°I am sorry, Luna,¡± Maggie said quickly. ¡°I injured my fingers while preparing a treat for Alpha Nn. I did not want to be rude.¡± The bandage was wrapped neatly, and it looked fresh. Even so, a handshake would not have hurt her. Maggie simply did not want to shake my hand. I lowered my hand and forced a smile. ¡°That is a pity,¡± I said. ¡°I hope it heals quickly.¡± ¡°Maggie, you need to be more careful,¡± Nn told her. Maggie¡¯s smile faltered a little as if she expected Nn to react more caring to her injury. ¡°I just wanted to surprise you, Alpha,¡± Maggie said as she pouted. Her sugary sweet voice made my skin crawl. Nn¡¯s arm slipped around my waist, pulling me closer, and he gave her a nod, ¡°Thanks for thinking of me, but go get it treated before it gets infected.¡± ¡°I will, Alpha,¡± Maggie promised. Nn¡¯s hand tightened on my waist, and he leaned down to murmur, ¡°Come on. I will show you our room. I bet you will love it.¡± I nodded and followed him. As we walked to the pack house, I felt as if there were eyes on my back. I looked back and Maggie was still standing where we left her. Maggie¡¯s eyes met mine. The fake smile was now gone. Her expression was t and cold as she red back at me. ¡®Be careful with her,¡¯ my wolf warned. ¡®She hates us.¡¯ D ½¡ Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 190 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY Maggie¡¯s POV The moment Nn and that woman were out of sight I finally allowed myself to show how I really felt: absolute rage and disgust. I went to my room with my hands clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. I shut the door and leaned against it. How did this happen? Nn left to make the Alpha King pay for killing his father, note back with his daughter as his mate. On top of that, he moved that woman into his room. What about me? He felt nothing about me? Impossible! I had spent years imagining the day I would stand beside him as his Luna, and I had done it with patience. I had waited while other women whispered and tried to get close to him. While Nn grew colder and more guarded each year, I told myself he would soften for me in the end. I just had to be patient. Then she arrived with his mark on her neck. ¡°That bitch,¡± I growled and I kicked my chair across the room. ¡®He was never ours from the beginning,¡¯ my wolf whispered. ¡°No, that¡¯s not true,¡± I argued aloud, my voice shaking. ¡°He saved me. He wouldn¡¯t have done all of that if I wasn¡¯t the one for him.¡± ¡°That is not the same as choosing you,¡¯ my wolf replied firmly. ¡®He does not owe you, his heart.¡¯ I huffed as I remembered the day Nn saved me clearly. I had been running from the Mad rogues, barefoot and bleeding, and my throat was raw from crying out for help that never came. When I crossed into Bloodmoon territory, I copsed only a mile away from the pack house. I was certain the Mad rogues would drag me back before anyone noticed and finished what they started. Instead, Nn appeared. He did not ask who I was. He did not question whether I deserved saving. Nn killed the rogues with little effort, then lifted me into his arms like I weighed nothing. I¡¯ll never forget that moment, how he smelled like smoke and pine and how I never felt so safe before that moment. Nn brought me to the pack and told the maids to care for me. I expected to be put in the dungeon as a rogue, but no. Over time, he gave me responsibility. Nn asked my opinion about household matters. He left the maids under my care, and he did it because he trusted me, The maids hinted. The older woman smiled knowingly. Even the warriors joked that I would be the one to calm him down someday, that I would be his Luna. ¡®You allowed their foolish thoughts to delude you to the truth,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®No, I know him. He allowed me to take care of him when he was at his weakest. That has to mean something,¡¯ I countered. ¡®It only means that he trusts you. You need to let go of this infatuation,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®We need to find our own mate,¡¯ ¡°No! He is our mate!¡± I eximed. ¡°This has to be a trick from the Alpha King.¡± Nn only returned with her because he had been forced. That had to be the reason. Talia didn¡¯t deserve him. She didn¡¯t know him and loved him like I did. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY +25 Bonus ¡®If you¡¯re going to continue like this, if you truly want to be his Luna,¡¯ my wolf.said with a sigh, ¡®then you need to act quickly¡¯. ¡°How?¡± I asked. ¡°Tell me how because right now I feel helpless. He¡¯s already marked her.¡± ¡°You are not helpless,¡¯ my wolf replied. ¡®You need to calm yourself and think clearly. Marks can be removed. Mate bonds can be rejected.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know how to do that,¡¯ I told her. ¡®Someone must be able to. Someone who owes you a favor,¡¯ my wolf suggested. Her statement made me think of her. A month ago, I had found a masked female rogue half-dead near the border. She had been thin, wounded, and silent until I offered water. When she learned I worked in Nn¡¯s household, that piqued her interest. ¡°That¡¯s precious,¡± she had said after staring at me for a while. ¡°You¡¯re in love with him.¡± I blushed and said, ¡°That is none of your business.¡± ¡°It will be,¡± she said. ¡°I will be able to repay my debt to you sooner than I thought.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re going to need my help very soon. Mark my words,¡± she replied. I thought she was speaking nonsense, probably delirious from dehydration. However, I could not shake the odd feeling that she was telling the truth. Against my better judgment, I decided to hide her in a small cabin on the western corner of the territory that is barely patrolled, so the likelihood of someone finding her was low. I never thought to ask her where she came from, but now I wondered did shee from Silverfang? Or did she have the ability to see into the future? I needed to know and it couldn¡¯t wait until tomorrow. Once night fell, the pack celebration was in full swing. I lied and said I wasn¡¯t feeling well, so no one woulde looking for me. I waited for hours until everyone went back into their homes. I slipped out of the pack house with my hood pulled up. ¡®Be careful. If you¡¯re caught¡­¡¯ my wolf started. ¡®I know. You don¡¯t have to keep reminding me,¡¯ I snapped. I moved through the trees quickly. My anger kept me focused, and my wolf stayed tense within me. When I reached the cabin, I quickly knocked. The door opened a momentter, and the masked woman¡¯s eyes met. ¡°Come in,¡± she said, ushering me into the cabin and closing the door behind me. ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°You were right, I need your help, Viki.¡± J Judith GW Author Hi everyone! Do you remember Viki? Yes, she¡¯s back. What do you think she¡¯s going to do this time? I¡¯d love to hear your thoughts in thements. (; And as always, thank you for reading. Happy New Year! 13 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 191 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY ONE Viki¡¯s POV ¡°And what do you need my help with?¡± I asked her as I sat down on the old, stained sofa. I knew as soon as I saw her face that Talia had arrived. I just wanted Maggie to tell me. ¡°You knew,¡± Maggie responded. ¡°You knew he would bring her back.¡± ¡°Bring back who? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I said. ¡°Yes, you do!¡± Maggie snapped. ¡°The Princess. He brought back the Princess as his Luna.¡± ¡°Oh Yes,¡± I said simply. ¡°I knew.¡± Her hands clenched at her sides. ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to warn me?¡± I tilted my head slightly. ¡°Would you have listened? I tried to tell you that you would need me, but you thought I was crazy.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve still warned me,¡± Maggie said firmly. ¡°Do not direct your anger at me,¡± I told her firmly. ¡°As I didn¡¯t take the love of your life away from you.¡± Maggie¡¯s face flushed, but she did not deny it. She looked away instead as she sat down in a chair. ¡°The way,¡± she muttered. ¡°The way he looks at her. He never looked at me like that.¡± ¡°I know exactly how that feels,¡± I told her. She looked back at me sharply. ¡°You do not.¡± ¡°I do,¡± I said, evenly. ¡°Because she took my mate too.¡± Maggie¡¯s brow furrowed and asked, ¡°What? How?¡± ¡®You¡¯re ying a dangerous game,¡¯ my wolf hissed within my mind. I ignored her and pushed her down. ¡°I never told you how I ended up like this,¡± I said. ¡°Alpha Jason of Shadoww was my mate, and she took her from me.¡± Maggie¡¯s eyes widened in surprise before they narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re that Viki?¡± she said before scoffing. ¡°Everyone knows that Talia was Jason¡¯s original mate. He betrayed her for you.¡± ¡°That is the story she tells,¡± I said with a sigh as I stood. I began to walk around the room as I spoke as I spun my tale for this young fool. ¡°She came to Shadoww as Luna. She hid her true identity to ruin Shadoww from the inside out. When Jason served no purpose to her, she abandoned him for someone better,¡± I exined. Maggie folded her arms and said, ¡°That does not exin Nn.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡± I replied, ¡°The Alpha King uses his own daughter as a pawn. No one would expect the dainty, delicate princess to be a danger. I am sure that¡¯s how she got close to Nol¨¢n. It¡¯s how she won over Jason.¡± ¡°But how does Nn have anything to do with you?¡± Maggie asked. ¡°Talia doesn¡¯t get her hands dirty,¡± I replied. ¡°Nn hurt me for her.¡± Maggie shook her head. ¡°Nn would never hurt a woman. He would never do what you are implying.¡± I stopped in front of her. ¡°You are wrong,¡± I said quietly. ¡°He ruined me because I refused to disappear quietly.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY ONE +25 Bonus Maggie didn¡¯t believe me. I could tell in her eyes. So, I would just have to show. her what her beloved Nn was really capable of. I reached up and slowly removed the half mask from my face. Maggie recoiled from me. She covered her mouth, gasping in horror at the jagged scar that stretched across my cheek and jaw. The skin was uneven, twisted in ces where it had never healed correctly. ¡°No, Nn, couldn¡¯t have¡­. he wouldn¡¯t!¡± Maggie stammered. ¡°This,¡± I said tly. ¡°This is what he did to me for going against Talia.¡± Maggie stood up and backed away from me. ¡°That is not possible,¡± she muttered. ¡°It is,¡± I said. ¡°And I begged him not to kill me.¡± ¡°Why would she want you dead?¡± Maggie asked. I kept my face neutral, but I wanted to smirk. Maggie had taken the bait. She was now asking the right questions. ¡°Because I threatened the perfect image she wanted to maintain,¡± I exined. ¡°She had to get rid of me.¡± I put my mask back on and said, ¡°But Nn is merciful, I¡¯ll give him that. He spared my life only because I begged, but he made sure I would remember to never cross Talia again.¡± Maggie didn¡¯t respond. I could tell she was trying to process all of it. She was young and na?ve. With the scar on my face and her jealousy, Maggie would find a reason to believe me. ¡®You¡¯re taking a risk,¡¯ my wolf warned. ¡®One we need to get revenge. Before she realizes she¡¯s been fooled, it¡¯ll be toote,¡¯ I told her. ¡®But what if she asks Nn?¡¯ my wolf asked. ¡®She won¡¯t, because she would have to reveal that she hid a rogue, and it¡¯s me. She won¡¯t risk him being upset with her, not if she wants to be his Luna,¡¯ I exined. Maggie finally broke the silence and asked, ¡°So why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°I want to help you by stopping her,¡± I replied. ¡°You helped me and now I am going to help you.¡± ¡°Stop her, how?¡± Maggie asked. ¡°By making sure the Luna ritual doesn¡¯t happen. She cannot secure her ce as Luna without it and if she cannot secure her ce, she can be reced,¡± I replied. ¡°Reced?¡± I held her eyes. ¡°Yes. Reced By the proper person that should be Luna.¡± Maggie searched my eyes. She would not find deceit there. I would help her get rid of Talia, but that didn¡¯t mean Maggie would be Luna. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Maggie finally asked. ¡°Watch them both. I need to know everything that they do,¡± I said. Maggie frowned. ¡°You want me to spy on them.¡± ¡°I want you to protect your future,¡± I replied. ¡°It should be easy for you to do, right?¡± Her fingers tightened in the fabric of her sleeves. ¡°And if they find out?¡± ¡°They will not,¡± I said. ¡°She underestimates women like us.¡± CHAPTONE HUNDEO & NINETY ONI +25 Bonus Maggie hesitated. ¡°And if this fails?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± I reassured her. ¡°You have to believe in yourself and know you¡¯re doing the right thing.¡± She looked at me for a long moment before nodding, ¡°I will do it,¡± she said. ¡°I will tell you everything.¡± ¡°Good,¡± I said. ¡°Now go back for now. Allow me some time to n.¡± As I watched Maggie leave, I felt the familiar thrill of purpose return. I was going to make them pay for everything they did to me. This time my revenge would not be taken from me. J Judith GW Author Happy New Year, my lovely readers! Your support means the world to me. (: 3 P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 192 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY TWO Talia¡¯s POV When I woke up that morning, I didn¡¯t know where I was. I began to panic until my wolf whispered, ¡®Calm down. You¡¯re safe.¡¯ The memory of the day before came back and I rxed. It felt surreal that I was here. Weeks ago, I would have thought a person was crazy if they told me I would be the Luna of Bloodmoon. The events of the past few days had moved so quickly that I hadn¡¯t had time to truly process. If I just stared at the ceiling, I would have thought I was still in my room in Silverfang, but the scent of pine and iron in the air reminded me where I was. Nn¡¯s arm tightened slightly around my waist as he started to wake up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I wake you?¡± I asked. ¡°No, I¡¯ve been in and out of sleep all morning,¡± Nn replied. ¡°You look like you¡¯re trying to decide if this is real.¡± ¡°I am,¡± I admitted. ¡°Coming to Bloodmoon feels strange.¡± ¡°Strange in a bad way?¡± he asked. ¡°No, just really sudden,¡± I replied. Nn leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to my forehead. ¡°I never expected to find my mate when I came to Silverfang,¡± he said. ¡± If you ask me, this was the Moon Goddess¡¯s arrangement. She has a sense of timing that enjoys humiliating us.¡± I huffed softly at that. ¡°I suppose she does.¡± His hand brushed along my back. He kissed me before running his tongue across the mark on my neck. I couldn¡¯t help but moan at the feeling. He pulled me closer as his hands roamed my body, caressing. Eventually, he sighed and pulled away just enough to sit up. ¡°I wish I could stay longer,¡± he said. ¡°But I will be busy all day.¡± ¡°With pack matters?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied. ¡°Marco and I need to meet with the Elders and senior members. There is also preparation for your Luna ceremony. It will formally recognize you as Bloodmoon¡¯s Luna, and that requires a great deal of coordination.¡± I nodded. The thought of the Luna ceremony made me nervous. I just wanted time to just let everything settle. ¡®And we will,¡¯ my wolf reassured me, but I just didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°Do not worry about me,¡± I told Nn. ¡°I can walk around with De and get to know the territory.¡± Nn nodded and then said, ¡°That is probably wise. Bloodmoon can be overwhelming at first.¡± Then he added, casually, ¡°If you need anything while I am gone, you can ask Maggie. She will take care of it.¡± Hearing her name brought up the memory of her from yesterday. Maggie didn¡¯t like me and I didn¡¯t want anything to do with her. The way he casually brought her up made me wonder how close Nn was to her really. ¡°Maggie?¡± I repeated. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°She is careful and reliable.¡± ¡°Has she served you for a long time?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± he said honestly. ¡°She has been here for many years.¡± ¡°And before me?¡± I pressed. ¡°Before Silverfang.¡± Nn frowned in confusion. ¡°Do you mean romantically?¡± he asked. NORED & NINETY TWO +25 Bonus ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°I do.¡± Nn let out a shortugh. ¡°No. Never. Maggie and I have never had that kind of rtionship. I think of her as a little sister.¡± So, then it was one-sided affection. That eased some of the tension, but not all of it. ¡°It seemed like there was more to it than that,¡± I admitted. ¡°Like I said nothing ever happened between us,¡± Nn reiterated. ¡°She just knows my habits and routines well. She will serve you now too, as my Luna.¡± ¡°I do not want her entering our bedroom,¡± I said as I sat up. ¡°Not for cleaning or anything else.¡± I did not want that jealous woman anywhere near us. I already had to deal with one crazy woman attempting to take my mate and sessfully did it. I was determined to learn from my previous mistakes. Seeing how serious I was, Nnughed and said, ¡°You are jealous.¡± I met his gaze. ¡°Yes,¡± I said. Is that a problem?¡± Nn leaned forward and kissed me. ¡°No, I find that reassuring,¡± he said. ¡°Very well. I will make sure she understands your boundaries.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, relieved that he did not dismiss my concern. Nn nced at the clock on the nightstand. ¡°You should get up too,¡± he said. ¡°I want you to have breakfast with me before I leave. There is someone I want you to meet.¡± My brows knit together. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he said, already standing. ¡°Go get dressed.¡± That only increased my curiosity. I slipped out of bed and quickly went to the bathroom. I showered, brushed my teeth, and got dressed. When I was ready, I followed him out of the room and down the corridor. The kitchen was already busy when we entered. The sound of cooking and the sweet scent of breakfast filled the air. Nn led me forward without hesitation. Then I saw her For as efused to process what my eyes were seeing. The woman standing near the counter turned toward good to see you again,¡± the woman said with a bright smile. ween her and Nn. as ra, my former maid at Shadoww, the same maid that had betrayed me, P Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 193 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY THREE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°What is she doing here?¡± I demanded. All of ra¡¯s confidence left her and her posture stiffened. She sat tray down with shaky hands. ra then dropped to her knees. ¡°Princess, no, Luna Talia,¡± ra said, her voice shaking. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m so sorry.¡± The words came out fast and desperate, as if she had been holding them back for a long time. ¡°I never wanted to betray you. I swear I had no choice.¡± The other omegas in the kitchen stopped what they were doing to watch. I grit my teeth. Was she acting vulnerable to gather sympathy? ¡°Get up,¡± Nn ordered and ra quickly got up. ¡°No one is going to harm you. Tell Talia what you told me.¡± ra swallowed hard and looked at me as she wiped tears from her face. ¡°Viki threatened me,¡± she said. ¡°She said if I didn¡¯t do exactly what she told me, she would kill me. I didn¡¯t care at first until she threatened my family.¡± My chest tightened. ¡°And why didn¡¯t you tell me when all this happened? I could¡¯ve protected you.¡± ¡°How? Alpha Jason had stopped confiding in you. He only cared about Viki,¡± ra answered. ¡°I couldn¡¯t risk Jason not believing you.¡± Her words stung, but she was right. I was the only one delusional about Jason still loving me. Even though I understood her, it didn¡¯t make me feel any better about her betraying me. ¡°She forced me to lie,¡± ra continued. ¡°She made me nt things, repeat stories, twist events so that everyone would doubt you. After that, she never stopped torturing me. She told me I should be grateful she let me live.¡± ¡°So, how did you end up at Bloodmoon?¡± I asked. ¡°I finally ran. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore,¡± ra said quietly, ¡°I had nowhere to go. I wandered until I reached Bloodmoon¡¯s border. The guards caught me, but Alpha Nn saw that I wasn¡¯t dangerous. He let me stay as a maid.¡± Nn nodded. ¡°Her story was consistent after being interrogated multiple times. I believed her.¡± I looked back at ra. I could see the fear in her eyes as if she was reliving the trauma all over again. ¡®We can forgive her. Make her prove herself,¡¯ my wolf suggested. ¡°You will swear to me,¡± I said slowly, ¡°that you will never betray me again. No matter who threatens you. No matter what they promise. Swear that you will report to me, no matter what.¡± ra nodded vigorously, ¡°I swear it,¡± she said. ¡°On my life, on my wolf.¡± ¡°Understand this clearly, ra, I forgive you, but that doesn¡¯t mean I trust you. You will have to earn back my trust.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± ra replied at once. Only time would tell if ra was telling the truth or not. Nn turned to her. ¡°You will serve Talia now,¡± he said. ¡°With loyalty.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± ra said. He left us then, exining he needed to return to his meetings. When he was gone, I released a breath I had not realized I was holding. After breakfast, I asked ra to show me around the pack grounds. De joined us, exining that Marco was still tied up with Nn and the senior members. Bloodmoon¡¯s territory was very simr to Silverfang, but surprisinglyrger. I understood why Nn wanted to hold onto the territory on his own no matter what. But what caught my attention was the grand garden. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY THREE +25 Bonus It was wide and immactely maintained, with flowering hedges and stone paths that curved gently through the greenery. I didn¡¯t realize Nn and I had so much inmon. Several maids were scrubbing benches and trimming nts under the supervision of a familiar figure. It was Maggie. She stood with her hands folded behind her back, issuing instructions. ¡°Is she serious?¡± De asked. ¡°She¡¯s acting like a drill sergeant.¡± When Maggie noticed us approaching, she turned her attention to me. There was hostility in her eyes just like when we first arrived. ¡°Miss Talia,¡± she said coolly. My wolf stirred at once, a low, displeased warning echoing through me. ¡®She is testing you.¡¯ ¡°You will address her properly. She is Luna-to-be Talia,¡± De said firmly. ¡°I was just showingdies the grounds as instructed,¡± ra said carefully. I raised an eyebrow at ra¡¯s timidness with Maggie. Maggie stepped forward, blocking the path. ¡°This garden is reserved,¡± she said. ¡°It is Alpha Nn¡¯s private space. You should not be here.¡± De¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°That is not your decision to make. The future Luna can go anywhere.¡± Maggie¡¯s lips curved into a polite smile, but her eyes held malice. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it was like in Silverfang, but Bloodmoon has rules. Until the Luna ceremony isplete, she is not my Luna.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide that,¡± De said sharply. Maggie remainedposed. ¡°I am only enforcing what has always been in ce.¡± ¡°And who are you to enforce anything?¡± De growled. ¡°You need to put her in her ce,¡¯ my wolf urged. I watched Maggie silently and ced a hand on De¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We will leave,¡± I said calmly. De turned toward me in surprise, but I met her gaze and shook my head slightly. This was not the moment. Maggie smirked in satisfaction for a brief moment before going back to her calm fa?ade. ¡°Thank you for understanding, Miss Talia.¡± Her emphasis on my name was another jab, but I wasn¡¯t going to take the bait. As we walked away, De reached out through our mind link. ¡°She does not like you,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I know,¡± I replied. ¡°And you¡¯re just going to allow her to talk to you like that?¡± De asked. ¡°No, but this wasn¡¯t the ce to deal with her,¡± I replied. ¡°You should tell Nn before this gets out of hand,¡± De suggested. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I n to,¡± I said. 212 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 194 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY FOUR Talia¡¯s POV I spent the evening exploring the wing of the pack house that Nn used as his residence. The space wasrger than I expected, but it did not feel excessive or cold. It felt lived in. What caught my attention most was the study. Shelves lined two of the walls. The shelves were packed with books of every size and binding. Some were old with their spines worn but carefully kept. Then they were well organized by region and topic. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°So, this is what you do when you¡¯re not scowling at people,¡± I muttered as I ran my fingers along the edge of one shelf. I had not expected Nn to be a reader. His collection was extensive and there were a few handwritten journals tucked between them. I pulled one book free and sat down in one of the chairs near themp. I started reading, and before I realized it, I was several chapters in. My wolf stayed quiet as she was enjoying this moment with me. Then, a noise broke the peaceful quiet moment. I could hear footstepsing from the bedroom. I grabbed a pen from the desk and ced it into the book to hold my ce before sitting it down on the desk. I opened the door to the bedroom saying, ¡°Nn, I thought you¡­¡¯ I stopped midsentence as it was not Nn in our bedroom. Instead, Maggie stood there. ¡®I thought Nn told her to stay out of our den,¡¯ my wolf growled. Maggie ced a basket of folded clothes down. She had a neutral expression, but her eyes narrowed when she saw me. I met her gaze as I entered the room. If she thinks she was going to bully me here, Maggie had another thinging. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize anyone wasing in,¡± I said. ¡°This is my duty, Miss Talia,¡± Maggie stated. ¡°You can go,¡± I told her. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to clean the Alpha¡¯s quarters anymore,¡± I exined. ¡°I take my instructions from Nn, Miss Talia,¡± Maggie responded. My wolf bristled. ¡®Who is she to call him by his name like that!¡¯ she growled. ¡®I know, I know. She wants us to be angry. We won¡¯t give her the satisfaction,¡¯ I told her. ¡°I am his mate,¡± I replied evenly. ¡°These quarters are no longer his alone, so you are not needed.¡± ¡°Again, I follow only Nn¡¯s orders,¡± Maggie stated. My wolf snarled at that, but I pushed her down. ¡°And aren¡¯t you disobeying his order now?¡± I asked and Maggie¡¯s eyes widened. So, she didn¡¯t know I knew Nn told her to stay out. ¡°I am his mate and Luna. I¡¯m asking you to leave.¡± ¡°What you want doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Maggie said firmly. ¡°That will change after the Luna ceremony,¡± I said. ¡°And when it does, you will respect my authority along with Alpha Nn¡¯s.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY FOUR +25 Bonus Maggie¡¯s eyes darkened. The politeness she had been holding finally fully slipped. ¡°That ceremony may not go as smoothly as you expect.¡± I studied her more carefully then. This was not simple resentment or wounded pride. Maggie would cause me harm if she could. I took a step toward her, allowing my aura to flow from me. ¡°What is your problem? You¡¯ve been disrespectful since I arrived. I have done nothing to you.¡± ¡°You did nothing to me, but you¡¯ve done something to him,¡± Maggie exined. ¡°You¡¯ve changed him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± I said. ¡°Nn was not like this before he left. He needs to be focused to govern the pack properly,¡± she shot back. ¡°You¡¯re going to endanger our pack.¡± ¡°Are you doubting your Alpha¡¯s ability?¡± I questioned. ¡°Don¡¯t try to turn this on me,¡± Maggie said. ¡°I understand my role as Luna. You don¡¯t need to be concerned,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You understand nothing,¡± Maggie snapped. ¡°He never allowed women near him before you. Not like this. He trusted me. He listened to me. Now he doesn¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°This pup desires our mate,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®We need to put her in her ce now before this gets out of hand.¡¯ ¡°You are confusing kindness with affection,¡± I said. ¡°And loyalty with entitlement.¡± Her face flushed red. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°I know that the Moon Goddess made me his fated mate and not you.¡± ¡°You think that bond makes you special. There¡¯s nothing special about you.¡± ¡°It makes me his mate,¡± I answered. ¡°That is not something you can change.¡± She stepped closer, her voice rising. ¡°That bond is a curse! You don¡¯t deserve to be his Luna!¡± My wolf¡¯s anger red and I agreed. I had enough of Maggie¡¯s insolence. Right when I was about to p her, I caught Nn¡¯s scent. ¡®What are you waiting for?¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡°This is the perfect opportunity to show Nn what his ¡®little sister¡¯ is like behind closed doors,¡¯ I exined. ¡°You¡¯re in love with him. No, infatuated. It¡¯s cute really,¡± I said inly. ¡°But he does not belong to you.¡±. ¡°Shut up! You don¡¯t know anything about me!¡± Maggie shouted. ¡°Your mate bond is a curse!¡± I smiled slightly. ¡°You are young, girl. You have not found your mate yet. When you do, you will understand the pull you are cursing, and you will understand how foolish you were right now,¡± Maggie¡¯s hands curled into fists. ¡°You are a witch!¡± she snapped. ¡°You seduced him!¡± The door behind her opened. The door mmed hard into the wall causing Maggie to jump. ¡°Maggie!¡± Nn snarled. Maggie went pale instantly, all defiance draining from her face as she turned toward him. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 195 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY FIVE Nn¡¯s POV The meeting dragged on longer than necessary. The Elders had so many questions about Silverfang and Talia. Everyst one of them wondered whether I had ended the hunt for my father¡¯s killer. By the time it finally ended, my patience was gone. The senior members filtered out one by one, still murmuring about schedules, patrol rotations, and preparations for the uing Luna ceremony. I acknowledged them out of habit, but my attention was already elsewhere. I wanted to go home. Marco noticed immediately. ¡°You¡¯re restless,¡± he said as we walked out together. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I have things to do.¡± ¡°Or someone,¡± Marco said and I shot him a look which caused him tough. My wolfughed too. He liked that Marco had noticed the change too. ¡®There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of for wanting our mate,¡¯ he added. ¡°You¡¯ve been different since you epted Talia,¡± Marco continued, clearly enjoying himself. ¡°More rxed, not obsessing over things.¡± ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± I asked. ¡°No,¡± Marco answered. ¡°It isn¡¯t. I¡¯m d to see it. Happy to see Nn, my friend not the Alpha, returning.¡± ¡®You need to learn to listen to me,¡¯ my wolf said smugly. He had been urging this shift from the moment we knew Talia was our mate. It was a constant string of demands: im her, protect her, be honest. For once, I was listening. ¡°Go to her,¡± Marco continued. ¡°If anythinges up, I¡¯ll handle it.¡± I nodded and headed back toward the residence. I followed Talia¡¯s scent to the main sitting room and then our small kitchen. She really explored today. It made me smile that she was taking the time getting to know where everything was. ¡®Of course she would. She is our Luna,¡¯ my wolf said. I walked to the bedroom to check if she was in there. As I drew closer, I heard raised voices. One of them was unmistakably Talia¡¯s. The other was Maggie¡¯s. I stopped just outside the door. ¡°Shut up! You don¡¯t know anything about me!¡± Maggie shouted. ¡°Your mate bond is a curse!¡± My wolf bristled. ¡®We should not allow this pup to disrespect our Luna,¡¯ he growled. ¡°You are young, girl. You have not found your mate yet,¡± Talia said. ¡°When you do, you will understand the pull you are cursing, and you will understand how foolish you were right now,¡± ¡°You are a witch!¡± Maggie snapped. ¡°You seduced him!¡± That was enough. I pushed the door open hard enough that it struck the wall with a dull thud. ¡°Maggie!¡± I snarled. She spun around, eyes widening as she realized I had heard everything. The anger drained from her face and was reced instantly with panic. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY FIVE +25 Bonus ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡± she started. ¡°That is enough!¡± I snapped, interrupting her. I crossed the room in two strides and positioned myself between her and Talia. ¡°You do not speak to her like that,¡± I said. ¡°Ever.¡± Maggie¡¯s gaze flicked to Talia and then back to me. ¡°Alpha Nn, she is just a¡­¡± ¡°She is my mate,¡± I said clearly. ¡°And she will be my Luna. You will respect her.¡± I turned and pulled Talia into my arms. Talia stiffened for only a moment before rxing in my arms. She leaned into me. ¡°Apologize now,¡± I said. Maggie hesitated. Her face was flushed with anger and embarrassment. I could see in her eyes that she wanted to argue. ¡®Insolent pup!¡¯ my wolf snarled and I allowed my Alpha aura flow from me. Maggie flinched and dropped her head. ¡°I am sorry, Alpha Nn.¡± ¡°Why are you apologizing to me?¡± I demanded. Maggie swallowed hard. She opened her mouth but quickly closed it. ¡°Now,¡± I growled. ¡°I am sorry,¡± Maggie said stiffly, eyes fixed on the floor. ¡°I spoke out of line.¡± ¡°It was not sincere,¡± I said. ¡°Try again.¡± Maggie¡¯s head snapped up. She looked at me as if I had betrayed her. She looked at Talia and finally said, ¡°I apologize, Luna Talia.¡± I nodded once. ¡°Leave.¡± Maggie turned and walked out quickly, the door closing behind her with a soft click. I looked down at Talia. ¡°I am sorry, Talia,¡± I apologized, ¡°For what?¡± Talia asked. ¡°You should never have been put in that position, I told her not toe in here,¡± I replied. ¡°I should have addressed this sooner.¡± Talia hesitated before saying, ¡°She likes you. She¡¯s just jealous of me.¡± I sighed. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You knew?¡± she asked, surprised. ¡°Yes,¡± I said honestly. ¡°I thought it was a harmless crush. She has been through a lot, and I never encouraged it. I thought she would have grown out of it,¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t like the attention?¡± Talia teased. ¡°I don¡¯t. I see Maggie as a little sister,¡± I confirmed. ¡°I took her in when she had nowhere else to go. The Mad rogues nearly broke her. I thought giving her work, structure, and protection would help her and it did, but it does not mean she gets to ignore rank and do whatever she wants.¡± Talia smiled slightly. ¡°I am d you stood up for me. Thanks.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY FIVE ¡°There was never another option,¡± I said. ¡°I think you deserve a reward,¡± Talia purred. I raised an eyebrow, my gaze lingering on her. ¡°Is that so?¡± She nodded, eyes bright. ¡°Very much so.¡± ¡°And what would that be?¡± I asked. Talia rose onto her toes, wrapped her arms around my neck, pulled me forward and kissed me. P Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 196 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY SIX +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY SIX Nn¡¯s POV I cupped the back of Talia¡¯s head and kissed her back harder. I walked her backwards until her back hit the edge of the desk. ¡°Do you like my gift?¡± she murmured when we broke for air. 1 kept my voice low. ¡°Very much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re incredibly sexy when you¡¯re all serious.¡± Talia flirted. Iughed and then kissed her again. I lifted her onto the desk. Her dress rode up revealing a ck thong. Talia¡¯s hands fumbled with the buttons on my shirt before she gave up and tore it open with her ws. She nipped at my chest as she began to unbuckle my pants. I lowered my mouth to her neck as I licked my mark on her. The mate bond hummed to life. ¡°Nn,¡± she whimpered. I ripped the thong from her with a quick tug. I plunged two fingers into her and began to pump them in and out of her. ¡°Do not tease me,¡± she said, half joking, half pleading. I removed my fingers and stroked my cock slowly as I lined myself up. Then, I thrusted into her hard. Talia gasped and gripped my shoulders. ¡°Yes, Nn,¡± she moaned. I start slow, but she wraps her legs around me and pulls me in deeper. The desk creaks under us. Each time I thrust into her, Talia tightens harder around me. Her nails rake down my back. Talia starts to shake, and I know she¡¯s close. Her head falls back, mouth open, and hair streaming over the desk. My wolf urges me to mark her again, but I want this tost. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Talia practically whimpers as I pull away from her. I walk over to the sofa and sit down. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be giving me a reward?¡± I tease. Talia smirks as saunters over to me from the desk. She straddles me, bracing her knees on either side. She slowly lowers herself down onto me. ¡°Goddess, Talia,¡± I moan as Talia rolls her hips She picks a fast pace as she grinds down on me. The feeling is overwhelming. I feel her tightening around me, and I begin mming up into her. Each thrust was sending shockwaves of pleasure through me. ¡°Nn, I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m,¡± Talia moans before screaming as she finally climaxes. The pleasure hit hard and fast as I released into her. I bite into her shoulder as I continue to thrust slowly in small circles. Afterwards, we stayed tangled together on the sofa. Talia traced a fingertip along my corbone. ¡°I am going to me you for this if I cannot walk tomorrow.¡± ¡°You had to give me a proper reward,¡± I responded and she yfully rolled her eyes. Talia yawned and closed her eyes. ¡°We need to talk about the Luna ceremony.¡± ¡°Now?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°Marco and I discussed it with the Elders. The Luna ceremony will be held in a week.¡± ¡°A week,¡± Talia repeated in surprise. ¡°That is so soon.¡± HACTER ONE HUNDREDY & NINETY SEX +25 Bonus ¡°It is enough time,¡± I told her. ¡°It gives the pack time to prepare properly, and it gives you time to settle into the routine without being overwhelmed.¡± She nodded. Her eyes glint with excitement. ¡°I am not bothered by it. I¡¯m actually happy that the Elders approved. I want the entire pack to acknowledge me.¡± ¡°They will,¡± I said. ¡°And I want it to be clear that you are my Luna.¡± After her experience with Jason, I wanted Talia to know in every way possible that I would choose her and I always will. ¡°And you, my Alpha. I will do everything to be a proper Luna and protect Bloodmoon with you,¡± Talia confirmed. I watched her closely. ¡°You mean that?¡± ¡°I do,¡± she replied. ¡°The Moon Goddess chose you. I chose you. Your problems are now my problems.¡± ¡°There is something else,¡± I continued. ¡°I n to put Maggie in charge of the preparations.¡± All of the excitement seemed to drain from Talia¡¯s face. It was reced with caution. I expected her to blow up at me, but she said nothing as she waited for me to continue. ¡°I want to give her responsibility and a chance to prove herself. She is spoiled, but I do not believe she is malicious,¡± I exined. Talia was quiet for a moment before saying, ¡°I do not like her attitude.¡± ¡°I do not like it either,¡± I said inly. ¡°And I will not allow her to disrespect you again. Helping with preparations will give her an opportunity to prove that she has learned from her mistakes.¡± Talia sighed and said, ¡°I will try.¡± ¡°Thank you, I appreciate that,¡± I said. ¡°You two have just gotten off on the wrong foot.¡± ¡°But, I have a condition,¡± Talia added. ¡°What?¡± ¡°If she disrespects me, I want her removed from the preparations,¡± Talia answered. It was a reasonable request. Talia was being more than generous as any other she-wolf would¡¯ve wanted Maggie removed from the pack. ¡®And this is why she¡¯s our Luna,¡¯ my wolf huffed. ¡°Deal,¡± I said. Talia leaned in and kissed me again. ¡°Now, I think I deserve a reward,¡± she said before nipping my lip. I was already hard again and flipped her onto her back. ÈÕ Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 197 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY SEVEN +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY SEVEN Maggie¡¯s POV I did not leave right away. I stayed in the bedroom, trying to be as quiet as possible. Viki told me to watch them and report back everything they did. I expected to hear Talia badmouth me to Nn. Instead, I heard a gasp and the desk creak. Then, I heard rhythmic pping and Talia moaning. My face flushed as I felt disgusted, like some creepy pervert listening in. I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms. My wolf did not even try tofort me. ¡°They are mates. This is what they should be doing. You need to leave,¡¯ she said firmly. I hated that she was talking to me as if I deserved this. I left the room quickly, but I could still hear them out in the hallway. I walked down the corridor fast. Why did it have to be her? Why did she have to show up? It should¡¯ve been me underneath Nn. ¡®You¡¯re delusional,¡¯ my wolf growled, but I ignored her. I still couldn¡¯t shake the shame and anger I felt. Nn had scolded me and ordered me to apologize. He had never raised his voice to me before. ¡®You were out of line,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®No, I was just telling the truth,¡¯ I snapped. Talia had to have known Nn was nearby. She set me up to get me in trouble. This was all because of her. ¡®No one is going to take pity on you,¡¯ my wolf scolded. ¡®You should know better.¡¯ My wolf was right. I let my anger override reason. Nn already thought I was acting like a child. If I made another mistake, he would not forgive me twice. I needed to talk to Viki. Once I got to her home, I knocked once and then twice when she didn¡¯t answer immediately. The door opened only a few inches. Viki¡¯s masked face appeared in the gap. ¡°Maggie,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Come in.¡± I stepped inside and shut the door behind me. Before Viki could even ask me what was going on, I blurted out, ¡°He reprimanded me for that witch! He has never done that. Not once.¡± ¡°Because of Talia?¡± Viki asked. ¡°Yes,¡± I snapped, ¡°Who else?¡± Viki nodded slowly as if she had expected it. ¡°Tell me exactly what happened.¡± ¡°I went into his study to clean. She told me to leave. I told her I only take orders from Nn because she is not the official Luna yet,¡± I exined. ¡°She didn¡¯t like that, so she started treating me like I was a kid and I responded.¡± Viki raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°You provoked her.¡± ¡°She provoked me first,¡± I said, defensive. ¡°Who is she to tell me where I can and can¡¯t go?¡± ¡°And then what happened?¡± ¡°And then she smiled at me,¡± I said, the memory making my skin crawl. ¡°She said I liked Nn. She said it like she was amused, like my feelings were a joke.¡± CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY SEVEN +25 Bonus Viki¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°She said that in front of Nn?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Not at first. Nn came in right after I called her a witch.¡± Viki scoffed and said, ¡°You said it where he could hear you.¡± ¡°I did not know he was at the door,¡± I exined. ¡°Did you apologize?¡± Viki asked. ¡°I did,¡± I admitted. ¡°I apologized. He made me do it twice because the first time was not good enough.¡± Viki nodded and said, ¡°Good.¡± ¡°How in the hell is that good?¡± I snapped. ¡°Because that means that Nn doesn¡¯t see you as a threat¡­yet,¡± Viki stated. ¡°Now, you know if yoush out at her, you will push him even closer to her. You will make her look like the victim, and you will look like the jealous maid who cannot ept her ce.¡± ¡°I am not a maid,¡± I muttered. I only cleaned Nn¡¯s rooms, no one else¡¯s. ¡°But you are for now,¡± Viki responded. ¡°And you need to y that role well to get what you want.¡± She walked over to the kettle on the stove. Viki ced a tea bag into a mug and poured hot water into the cup before giving it to me. ¡°Talia is skilled at manipting men,¡± Viki continued. ¡°She knows how to position herself. You cannot beat her by confronting her. You have to be patient.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°What am I supposed to do now? She and Nn will be watching me now.¡± ¡°And you y the respectful, dutiful little sister,¡± Viki said. ¡°You bite your tongue and you don¡¯t antagonize her.¡± I stared at her. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because when something bad happens to her, no one will suspect you,¡± Viki said inly. My stomach turned. ¡°You are saying you want to hurt her.¡± Viki¡¯s eyes held mine without blinking. ¡°Do you want her gone or would you rather Talia get you expelled from the pack?¡±. I thought about how it was so hard being homeless. How every night before I made it to Bloodmoon I didn¡¯t know if I was going to make it to morning. I couldn¡¯t live through that again. ¡°I want her gone,¡± I said, Viki¡¯s tone became businesslike. ¡°Then, you will get control of your emotions and then you will be patient. The n will be carried out around the Luna ceremony date. Until then, you will y the role of the obedient maid.¡± My wolf bristled, ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake. All you have to do is give up on this fantasy of being Nn¡¯s Luna. If Nn finds out¡­¡¯ ¡®He won¡¯t find out and even if he does, he won¡¯t know it was,¡¯ I cut her off. ¡®You are too trusting,¡¯ my wolf huffed. I finally nodded once. ¡°I will do what you say. You won¡¯t have to worry about me. Viki¡¯s eyes softened again, that same almost kind look. ¡°Good girl.¡± The words made my skin crawl, but I forced myself to ept them. This was not about pride. I had to humble myself to get Nn back. CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY SEVEN I exhaled slowly and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Viki tilted her head and asked, ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For helping me. For telling me what to do,¡± I said. Viki smiled and said, ¡°No need to thank me. You¡¯re my friend and I help my friends.¡± P Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 198 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY EIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV I woke upte the next morning. I stretched and rolled over, reaching for Nn, but was met with his scent and cold sheets. He had already gone to work. ¡°Thinking of going another round?¡¯ my wolf teased. I sat up and froze when I saw my reflection. Dark marks stood out against my skin. I traced them, feeling that mix of happiness and shyness settle deep in my chest. ¡®Why are you being so shy?¡¯ my wolf teased. ¡°We are supposed to look alike. He is our mate, but perhaps he did too muchst night. You two mated like wild beasts.¡¯ I huffed under my breath as I stood. ¡°That is not how I would phrase it,¡± I muttered, though I could not deny the warmth spreading through me as I thought about how Nn had pinned me against the desk. With Nn by my side, this month¡¯s heat would not feel so frightening. After the Luna ceremony, I would stand with him the way a Luna should and help him govern his pack. I chose a dress with a high cor. Even though I knew the marks were not something to be ashamed of, I was not ready to disy them openly to everyone just yet. With how Maggie was yesterday, I wasn¡¯t going to go out of my way to antagonize her. ¡°Got a little roughst night?¡± De teased as she sat down with me at the round table dedicated to Alpha, Luna, and Betas. ¡°What¡­what are you talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re blushing. You know it¡¯s okay to show off hickies. You¡¯re a grown adult,¡± De replied with a wink. Before I could respond, I felt Solon¡¯s presence brush against my mind. ¡®Good morning. Are you awake?¡¯ he asked. I smiled faintly and responded, ¡®Yes. Good morning, Solon.¡¯ ¡®I am just checking in on you. We haven¡¯t talked since you left Shadoww,¡¯ Solon said. ¡®I am fine. Everything is going well so far,¡¯ I responded. ¡®How are you and Leslie?¡¯ ¡®Good¡¯, Solon said. ¡®Leslie has settled in well. Sheins about the noise, but she has not left yet. We both miss you¡¯. ¡®I will visit after the Luna ceremony¡¯, I promised. ¡®Remember, if Nn ever treats you poorly, you tell me immediately,¡¯ Solon said. His tone was so parental that Iughed quietly to myself. Hearing Solon like this made my heart ache in a good way. ¡®I will¡¯, I said, though I doubted I would ever need to. I was just lifting my spoon to finally eat my oatmeal when a familiar scent made me tense. Maggie was walking toward me with a bouquet of roses sorge it took both of her arms to carry. The colors were striking, deep reds, soft pinks, pale whites, and hues I had never seen before. If it was anyone else bringing them to me, I would be very excited, but all I felt was tense. ¡°Luna Talia,¡± she said warmly, stopping a few steps away. ¡°Good morning.¡± De looked at Maggie and then at me with a surprised expression. The title caught me off guard as well. It was only yesterday that she was calling me a witch. ¡°This should be interesting,¡± De muttered. ¡°I heard from Alpha Nn that roses are your favorite, I gathered every variety Bloodmoon has. I thought you might like to choose which ones will be used for the Luna ceremony,¡± Maggie continued. ¡°They are beautiful,¡± I said carefully. ¡°Thank you.¡± WATER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY EIGHT +25 Bonus Maggie stepped closer and De growled defensively. I gripped her wrist and shook my head. Maggie wasn¡¯t that dumb to attack me in front of the pack. ¡°Thank you, Maggie. I think these two will be just fine,¡± I said as I pointed out two varieties. Maggie nodded eagerly. ¡°Of course. I will make sure everything is arranged properly.¡± Maggie stood there for a few seconds and said nothing. ¡°Uh, did you want something else?¡± De asked rudely. ¡°If not, please leave. We are trying to enjoy our breakfast.¡± Maggie hesitated and then bowed her head slightly. ¡°I also wanted to apologize for my previous rudeness. I understand my ce now and I am truly sorry.¡± De looked at Maggie and then at me. ¡®How bad did Nn reprimand her?¡¯ she asked through our mind link. ¡®Not enough for her to change her attitude that fast,¡¯ I replied. I had expected Maggie to put up more of a fight than this. At that moment, ra approached with a small pitcher of juice. Before she could set it down, Maggie gently but firmly took it from her hands. ¡°I will take care of that,¡± Maggie said. ra stepped back, clearly unsure, and I made a mental note of it. Maggie poured the juice into my ss. My wolf bristled and growled, ¡®Do not trust her.¡¯ ¡°Apology epted,¡± I said and Maggie turned to look at me in surprise. I gave her a small smile, and she then went to pour juice into De¡¯s ss. ¡®Do you really ept her apology?¡¯ De asked. ¡®No,¡¯ I replied. I learned enough that words meant nothing. Just like her apology was insincere, so was the eptance of her apology. I would keep an eye on her. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 199 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY NINE +25 Bonus CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & NINETY NINE Talia¡¯s POV The day of the Luna ceremony arrived before I knew it. I stood in the lounge with De beside me as maids moved quietly around us. This would be my second Luna ceremony, but this time it felt different. I had my best friend at my side this time and a mate that truly loved me. There would be no more uncertainty about my ce in Bloodmoon. ¡°How do you feel?¡± De asked. ¡°Nervous but excited,¡± I replied. Maggie and ra worked together to prepare me. ra handled my dress carefully as she smoothed the fabric and fastened the delicate closures, while Maggie focused on my makeup and jewelry. De watched her carefully. ¡®I¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t do anything fishy,¡¯ De told me through the mind link as she checked every product Maggie used. Nothing had been tainted and Maggie was attentive, overly so. ¡°You look as radiant as the Moon Goddess herself, Luna Talia,¡± Maggie said. ¡°The ceremony hall will be blessed simply by your presence.¡± De crossed her arms and said, ¡°Cut it out already. We all know that you don¡¯t like Talia.¡± Maggie paused before lowering her gaze. ¡°Miss De, I told you I was wrong before,¡± she said. ¡°Luna Talia is the Luna of Bloodmoon now, and she deserves the highest respect.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± De said with narrowed eyes. ¡°Whatever you say.¡± The final touches werepleted in silence after that. When ra stepped back and Maggie adjusted thest strand of my hair, De let out a low whistle. ¡°Well,¡± she said, smiling at me. ¡°Alpha Nn is going to forget his own name.¡± Iughed as De offered her arm and led me from the lounge toward the main hall. The closer we got, the more I could hear the music ying. When the doors opened, I gaped at Nn. Nn stood at the front of the hall. He was dressed in a tailored tailcoat that fit him perfectly. De ced her hand under my chin and closed my mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t drool,¡± she teased. Nn smiled at me and took my hand, leading me away from De and towards the stage. The hall fell silent as we stood on the stage. One of the Elders approached us. He was old, much older than my father. ¡°Bloodmoon, today is the day that we will finally beplete!¡± the Elder announced, his voice booming. The audience cheered. ¡°We have dealt with pain, loss, war, but we survived through it all due to Alpha Nn,¡± he said, his voice carrying clearly through the hall. ¡°But an Alpha can only do so much without a Luna. Today marks the next step in Alpha Nn¡¯s journey in securing his position and his rightful ce of Alpha of Bloodmoon.¡± The audience cheered and then, the Elder turned to me and said, ¡°Princess Talia of Silverfang, daughter of the Alpha King, fated mate to Alpha Nn, do you stand here of your own will, prepared to bear the weight of Bloodmoon as its Luna?¡± ¡°I do,¡± I answered. ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± The Elder said as he turned to look at Nn, ¡°do you swear to stand beside her as mate and equal, to protect her life, her authority, and this pack, even at the cost of your own?¡± ¡°I swear it,¡± Nn replied without hesitation. ¡°Then by thews of Bloodmoon and under the witness of the Moon Goddess, this bond is recoguned Maron stepped forward then, holding the crown. It was more beautiful than I had wagued Diamonds ined in carve and an ins center rested a moon-shaped raby, deep and void Nn took it from Marcs and ced it gently on my head. He leaned down and kissed me and the hall empted in cheers. Later, music filled the hall as members began to dance and drink. Nn kept an arm around my waist as we moved among frem as we epted congrastations and gifts. While we were talking, I heard someone yell from behind me, ¡°Look out.¡± I turned to see Maggie trip over her feet. The goblet of wine she had in her hands went sailing through the air before the wine sshed all over the front of Nn¡¯s suit *1 am so sorry, Alpha,¡± Maggie said quickly as she grabbed a napkin from a nearby table. She moved forward to dry him off, ber he waved her any ¡°It is fine,¡± Nn said. He turned to me and ced a kiss on my cheek. ¡°P¡¯m going to change. F¡¯ll be back¡± When Notan left, Maggie turned her attention to me. ¡°Luna Talia,¡± she said softly. ¡°Some members from the border district have arrived outside the hall. They traveled a long distance to pay their respects.¡± It seemed too convenient that she would tell me this information once hn left ¡®It¡¯s a trap,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡°I understand. ra, please inform Nn,¡± I said ra nodded and left immediately. It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one suspicious of Maggie, but I was determined to figure out what game she was ying this time. De stepped closer to me and leaned toward me. ¡°Do you want me toe with you?¡± she whispered I shook my head gently. ¡°I will be fine. I will not be long, And if I am, you know where I went and who told me to go.¡± (2 De nodded and said through the mind link, ¡®Be careful¡¯ I followed Maggie toward the doors. We stepped into the quieter corridor beyond the hall. ¡°Where are they waiting?¡± I asked. 22 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 200 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED Talia¡¯s POV ¡°They are waiting in the garden outside,¡± Maggie said eagerly. ¡°They traveled so far just to see you. It would mean a great deal to them if you greeted them personally.¡± ¡°This is not right,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®Why are you going along with this?¡¯ ¡®Because I want to know how far she is willing to go with this,¡¯ I responded. My wolf huffed. ¡®We should not be reckless,¡¯ she urged. ¡®At least wait until our mate returns.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to wait. I wanted another opportunity to show that Maggie should not be around us. My wolf growled low within me, but I ignored her. How would I exin this to Nn if I was wrong? It would look like I was being petty especially since Maggie apologized twice in front of witnesses. There was no reason, yet, to refuse a simple request. ¡®I still think this is foolish,¡¯ my wolf grumbled. ¡®If this is a trap, you will reach out to Nn immediately,¡¯ I told her. ¡°Luna?¡± Maggie said, bringing me out of my thoughts. I had not realized I had stopped walking. ¡°Lead the way, Maggie,¡± I told her. Maggie smiled as she led me out of the hall. Two warriors approached us. They eyed Maggie suspiciously before focusing their attention on me. ¡°Luna,¡± one of them said carefully, ¡°it iste. The outer grounds are not secure at this hour. We advise you to remain inside.¡± Maggie bristled immediately. Before I could respond, she snapped, ¡°How dare you stop our Luna! Do you have any idea how far those members traveled? If Alpha Nn learns that you prevented her from greeting them, you will answer for it.¡± The warriors looked at Maggie in surprise. ¡°That is not our intention,¡± the other warrior said. ¡°We are only following protocol.¡± ¡°And protocol is to follow the orders of your Luna and Alpha,¡± Maggie countered. ¡°Which you are not,¡± the first warrior growled. ¡°I will contact Alpha Nn to confirm your statement.¡± Maggie¡¯s face became flushed with anger, and I could¡¯ve sworn she looked fearful for just a moment. ¡°I appreciate your concern,¡± I said, intervening on Maggie¡¯s behalf. ¡°I will be nearby and will return shortly. There is no need to alert Alpha Nn over something so minor.¡± The warriors hesitated. They looked conflicted. After a moment, both bowed their heads. ¡°Forgive us, Luna,¡± the first one said, ¡°Please be safe, We will be nearby if you need our assistance.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I told them. Maggie shot them a triumphant look as she walked past them. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t antagonize them,¡± I said. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have stopped us. They¡­¡± ¡°You never make enemies of the ones that are risking their lives to protect you,¡± I told her firmly, cutting her off. I was starting to understand how she made rogues so angry that they were trying to chase her down and kill her back then. Maggie did not know how to talk to people. It was a miracle she got this far in Bloodmoon. ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± Maggie muttered. HARTER TWOTHUNDRED +25 Bonus We walked along the stone path that curved away from the main hall. Themp posts cast soft light across the grounds, illuminating just enough for us to be able to see in the dark. ¡°Maggie, what do you think about Nn?¡± I asked, breaking the silence. After a brief pause, she said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Alpha Nn, the Bloodmoon pack would never have grown this strong. The borders are secure. Trade has increased. Even the Elders respect him now and don¡¯t treat him as an arrogant pup anymore.¡± She clearly admired Nn and I had to bite my tongue as I felt jealousy creeping up my spine. I fought the urge to reaffirm my position as Nn¡¯s mate. ¡°He works tirelessly,¡± she continued. ¡°He rarely rests. He never hesitates when the pack is threatened.¡± ¡°He takes his responsibility seriously,¡± I added. ¡°He always has,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°Even before he became Alpha when the Elders governed the pack.¡± I didn¡¯t want Maggie telling me more about Nn. There were some things that I wanted to hear from him. ¡°Tell me about yourself, Maggie,¡± I said in an attempt to change the topic. ¡°I was an orphan,¡± Maggie stated. ¡°That had to be rough,¡± I said. ¡°Did you lose your pack?¡± ¡°To rogues,¡± Maggie answered. ¡°When the mad rogues attacked the border, my parents sent me away. I grew up in the wild on my own. Every night I was hiding because the mad rogues never left anyone alive. When they caught up to me, Alpha Nn saved me. He brought me back here. This pack became my home.¡± I felt sympathy for Maggie. To have that happen to her at such a young age was heart breaking. It made sense why she was so obsessed with Nn. ¡°Alpha Nn is my only family,¡± Maggie added. ¡°He is a great Alpha,¡± I said after a moment. ¡°I hope, in time, I can be the kind of Luna you can respect and perhaps a sister to you.¡± Maggie didn¡¯t respond. We continued walking. The path grew narrower and less light. The garden ahead was partially obscured by trees. ¡°Where exactly are they waiting?¡± I asked as I began to slow down. Maggie gestured ahead vaguely. ¡°Just beyond the hedge. They were exhausted from traveling and needed to rest.¡± My wolf surged forward, ¡°Turn back. NOW!¡¯ ¡°Maggie, this doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± I said as I came to aplete stop. ¡°No, they are just ahead,¡± Maggie insisted. A cool breeze ruffled the leaves on the tree. Then, I smelled a scent I thought I would never smell here: rogue wolves. The scent was strong, too strong. I grabbed Maggie¡¯s arm hard enough to make her gasp. ¡°RUN!¡± I shouted. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 201 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & ONE +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & ONE Nn¡¯s POV I returned to the party after changing, looking for Talia right away. The hall was filled with music andughter, and the crowd grew louder as the night continued. I nced at faces as I entered, thinking about how I would bring her back to my side for the rest of the celebration. I did not see her. I paused at the edge of the dance floor and checked the tables, the dais, and the paths between groups of guests. I noticed De¡¯s scent nearby, along with Marco¡¯s, but not her signature rose scent. ra approached me with a tense expression. My wolf bristled and said, ¡®Something is wrong. I can¡¯t feel our mate here.¡¯ ¡°ra,¡± I said. ¡°Where is Luna Talia?¡± ¡°Alpha Nn, I¡¯ve been looking for you. Luna Talia wanted me to inform you that she left to meet the rest pack members,¡± ra exined. I frowned and said, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Maggie said some members from the border district arrived and wanted to pay their respects. Luna Talia agreed to go meet them,¡± ra replied. My wolf snarled, ¡°That pup is up to no good. We should have disciplined her.¡¯ ¡°Did Maggie say who these people were?¡± I asked. ra shook her head quickly. ¡°I do not know, Alpha. Maggie did not name them. Luna Talia only told me to inform you.¡± My chest tightened. ¡°Where did they go?¡± I asked. ra pointed down the corridor. ¡°They left through the side doors that lead toward the garden paths.¡± I turned and strode toward the exit without another word. As soon as I stepped into the night air, I headed for the gate guards stationed near the outer entry points. Two guards stood under the lights, both straightening when they saw me approach. ¡°Alpha,¡± one of them said. ¡°Is everything all right?¡± ¡°Who did Maggie say was waiting outside?¡± I asked. The guard blinked. ¡°We do not know, Alpha.¡± ¡°What do you mean you do not know?¡± I snapped. ¡°Maggie brought Luna Talia out, and you two didn¡¯t stop them.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the second guard said carefully. ¡°We tried, but Maggie insisted, and Luna Talia said she would return soon.¡± None of this made sense, and the guards knew it. If border members had traveled that far, they would have announced themselves at the gate or sent word. I turned back toward the hall, moving faster now, and found De near the drinks table. Her posture changed the moment she saw my face. ¡°You haven¡¯t found her?¡± De asked. ¡°No. ra said Maggie took her out to meet border members,¡± I replied. ¡°The gate guards do not know who those members were.¡± De¡¯s expression hardened, ¡°I knew it. I knew Maggie couldn¡¯t be trusted. You should have gotten rid of her as soon as she was disrespectful to Talia.¡± CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & ONE +25 Bonus ¡°Where is Marco?¡± I asked. De pointed toward the far side of the hall. ¡°He stepped outside to check the perimeter.¡± ¡°Marco. Come to me now,¡± Imanded through the mind link. A secondter, I felt his acknowledgement, and Marco rushed over to my side. ¡°What happened?¡± Marco asked. ¡°I can¡¯t find Talia,¡± I said bluntly. ¡°Maggie took her outside to meet pack members that do not exist. I want search teams now.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Marco said. ¡°I need you to identify every member absent from this party. You will contact each one. I want names, locations, and their reasons for not being here,¡± I instructed. Marco nodded once. ¡°I will start with the guest list and the border roster.¡± I looked at De. ¡°You stay near the hall. If she returns, or if anyone reports seeing her, you contact me immediately.¡± De¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡± ¡°You are not,¡± I said. ¡°If she¡¯s brought back here, I need someone I trust in this room to keep her safe.¡± De pressed her lips together, but she did not argue again. She nodded once and then said, ¡°Fine. But if Maggie shows her face, don¡¯t me me if I bust her nose.¡± I stepped outside and called the nearest patrol leader over. ¡°Alpha,¡± he said, bowing his head. I pointed toward the garden paths. ¡°I want repeated searches across the party grounds. Use full teams. Check the garden, the hedges, the outer walkways, and the border trail that runs behind the residence wing. Do not assume Luna Talia is unharmed. Move.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± he said, and he signaled to his warriors. My wolf was constantly reaching out through our mate bond, but we felt nothing. It was as if Talia had vanished from existence. This absence made my wolf frantic. ¡®You should have never allowed that woman near her again,¡¯ my wolf whined. ¡®Calm down. We don¡¯t know if she is involved yet,¡¯ I told him. I couldn¡¯t sit still, so I joined the search as well. I moved through the outer gardens first, following the paths with guards spaced on both sides, checking behind hedges and stone walls while calling for her. ¡°Talia,¡± I said, my voice low, carrying. ¡°Answer me.¡± No one answered back. We searched the garden twice. We searched the path toward the side gate once, and then again with a wider sweep. Then, my wolf fully took over, and I shifted. I needed his heightened senses. We did not stop searching after the first team returned empty-handed, nor did we stop when the second team reported no scent trail beyond the garden. By the time an hour had passed, the celebration inside had dulled into confusion. People noticed their Luna was not there, and pack members joined the search. CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & ONE +25 Bonus Marco returned with De, both of them moving quickly. Marco¡¯s face was tight, and De looked furious. ¡°I identified the absentees,¡± Marco reported. ¡°Most of them are elderly or frail. They stayed home. I contacted them directly. None of them left their homes, and none of them saw Luna Talia tonight.¡± De folded her arms. ¡°Maggie is also missing. She disappeared along with Talia.¡± I turned toward my warriors. ¡°Lock down the borders,¡± I ordered. ¡°No one leaves. No one enters. I want search teams on every trail.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± multiple voices answered at once. I refused to ept that she could vanish inside my territory. My wolf paced inside me with relentless aggression, ming me for everything, and I couldn¡¯t even defend myself. At dawn, I was forced to face the unbearable truth that my mate, Talia, had disappeared after the Luna ceremony. Support Share ??? Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 202 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWO +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWO Maggie¡¯s POV The rogues moved faster than I expected. Talia noticed something was wrong, but it was toote. A rogue came up behind her and pressed a needle into her neck. I watched as the sedative took effect. She gasped, her body stiffened, and her legs buckled. Two rogues caught her before she hit the ground. They dragged her toward the border path as nned, her feet scraping the dirt. I felt a jolt of fear when one of the rogues leered at me, but I remained calm. Viki stood a few steps away. ¡°You did well, Maggie.¡± ¡°Thank you. Where are you taking her?¡± I responded. ¡°That is none of your concern,¡± Viki said. ¡°Just know that now you will have no more obstacles as long as you keep your mouth shut.¡± I nodded and said, ¡°I will. I won¡¯t tell a soul.¡± Viki nodded once before turning away to follow the rogues who dragged Talia away. Another remained watching me with a smirk. I knew what would happen next. He lunged forward and punched me in the face, snapping my head to the side. Pain shot through my cheek and jaw. I barely had time to react before he hit me again, this time in the stomach. I gasped for air. I doubled over. He grabbed my clothes and tore the fabric down my side. The sound was loud in the quiet. He punched me again, harder, and I stumbled backward before copsing. Pain shot through my ribs as Inded awkwardly, knocking the breath from my lungs. I curled inward instinctively as the rogue proceeded to kick me. My vision blurred at the edge. I forced myself to stay where I was and not to fight back. ¡®He is going to kill us. We need to fight back,¡¯ my wolf urged, but I ignored her. Viki wouldn¡¯t kill us. She just needed it to look convincing, or Nn would assume I was responsible. Footsteps approached in the distance. I heard voices calling out, and the rogue fled. All of this was worth it. Once Talia was gone, everything would finally fall back into ce, and I would be Nn¡¯s Luna. The warriors reached me momentster. ¡°What happened?¡± one of them demanded as he dropped to a knee beside me. I tried to speak and failed. I shook my head weakly, pressing a hand to my stomach as another wave of pain hit me. ¡°Rogues,¡± I managed to choke out. ¡°They took her. Luna Talia,¡± That was all they needed. Chaos followed. Someone shouted for reinforcements. Another warrior ran back to the pack house, Marco and Nn arrived quickly. Nn reached me first. He dropped to his knees and pulled me into his arms without hesitation. His grip was tight and protective. ¡°Maggie,¡± he said urgently. ¡°Where is Talia?¡± Hearing her name, I broke down. I sobbed, clutching his shirt. ¡°They took her,¡± I said. ¡°The rogues took Luna Talia. I tried to stop them, but I couldn¡¯t.¡± 310 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWO +25 Bonus My voice cracked. Pain shot through my ribs as I shook. Nn held me closer, murmuring reassurances. ¡°How did this happen?¡± Marco asked. ¡°Why would you lead her out here? You know that was dangerous!¡± ¡°Pocket¡­look in my pocket,¡± I replied. Nn reached into my pocket and pulled out the folded paper Viki had given me earlier. ¡°There was a letter,¡± I said through tears. ¡°Border pack members invited her to meet them outside the hall. She saw it and wanted to go. I went with her. We were ambushed.¡± Nn unfolded the letter quickly and scanned it. He frowned before muttering, ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°We tried to get back,¡± I continued. ¡°We did not make it. They came out of nowhere. I failed her.¡± I lowered my head and sobbed harder. It was not difficult to sob. The pain made it easy to do so. Nn¡¯s jaw clenched. I felt the tension radiating from him as his grip tightened briefly. For a moment, I thought he didn¡¯t believe me. Before I could panic, Nn¡¯s grip loosened. ¡°This is not your fault,¡± he said, his voice thick with fury. ¡°Tell me where they went. Did you see?¡± I pointed to the left. ¡°Mobilize the warriors. Track the rogues. Now,¡± Nn ordered. Marco nodded and immediately began issuing orders. ¡°I can help,¡± I said as I tried to stand, but copsed again. Nn looked at me, brushing my hair back. ¡°No, you¡¯re hurt. Take her to the infirmary. Keep her under watch.¡± I did not resist as two warriors lifted me carefully to my feet. Every movement sent pain through my body. Nn watched me for a moment longer, conflict shing in his eyes, before turning away to track the rogues. When no one was watching, I wiped away my tears. My face throbbed. My ribs ached. My clothes were torn and filthy against my skin, but I was smiling. They were going the wrong way. I pointed them exactly where Viki said I should. By the time they realized they were going in the wrong direction, it would be toote. ¡®You better hope they don¡¯t find her, or that will be the end of us,¡¯ my wolf growled. She was right, so I prayed to the Moon Goddess. Please let Talia die, BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 203 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THREE +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THREE Maggie¡¯s POV Two days. Talia had been gone for two full days, and every hour she stayed missing it felt like life was returning to normal. I had not contacted Viki for updates. Well, first, because Viki told me not to and second, I know Viki would not let Talia go. Viki deserved her revenge. However, there was a small part of me wishing that Talia would hurry up and die. If Talia were dead, I would not have to keep looking behind my shoulder. I¡¯d have no fear of her returning and ruining everything again. ¡°That is your conscience nagging at you because you know this is wrong,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®No, this was the right decision. Look at what she¡¯s doing to Nn,¡¯ I snapped. Nn barely ate or slept. He was obsessed with her. Nn moved through the halls a shell of himself. ¡®He is concerned about his mate,¡¯ my wolf argued. ¡°There would be something wrong with him if he didn¡¯t respond.¡¯ Yes, there was something wrong with him. He was still ignoring me. I was right here and have always been there for him. And yet, he didn¡¯t pay me a second nce after he found me and sent me to the infirmary. Tonight, I decided I would not wait for him anymore. I returned to my room. I went to my dresser and pulled out the first shelf. Folded carefully inside was the lingerie I had prepared long ago. I had told myself I would wear it when Nn finally saw me the way I had always wanted him to. ¡°This is a mistake,¡¯ my wolf warned me. ¡®You are being impatient.¡¯ ¡®He is exhausted,¡¯ I responded. ¡®He needsfort. I am the only one who understands him.¡¯ My wolf huffed but she did not argue with me. I dressed slowly. There was nothing for me to worry about. I was not doing anything wrong. All I was doing was reminding Nn of what he already had. The Alpha¡¯s study was dimly lit when I entered. Nn sat at his desk, with one hand braced against his temple, the other clenched around a stack of reports. ¡°Leave. I do not want any visitors right now,¡± Nn said firmly. ¡°Are you having one of your migraines?¡± I asked. He looked up when I closed the door, ¡°Maggie,¡± he said. He sounded very tired. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was worried about you,¡± I replied softly. ¡°You have not rested at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Nn said. ¡°It¡¯ste. You should be resting.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not fine,¡± I stated. ¡°You need to sleep or at least eat something.¡± ¡°I need to find my mate,¡± Nn snapped. I flinched at his tone. He never yelled at me, but I know this was just the mate bond talking. Once Talia was dead, he¡¯d be back to normal. I stepped closer. ¡°I know. And I am so sorry about Luna Talia. I really am.¡± CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THREE +25 Bonus Nn didn¡¯t respond. Encouraged, I lowered myself into the chair across from him. I leaned forward slightly, letting the neckline fall just enough to draw attention. ¡°You have been carrying everything alone,¡± I continued. ¡°You do not have to.¡± He looked at me then, really looked at me, and something cold settled in his eyes. ¡°This is not appropriate,¡± he said. ¡°I just want to help,¡± I insisted. ¡°You saved me once. Let me be here for you now.¡¯ Nn pushed back from the desk and stood. ¡°You are not helping.¡± I rose as well and closed the distance between us. ¡°You have barely spoken to me since she arrived,¡± I said, unable to stop the bitterness creeping into my voice. ¡°I stayed by your side for years. I watched you work yourself into exhaustion. I learned everything you liked and everything you hated. And then she appeared, and suddenly I did not exist.¡± Nn¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If you know me so well, you should understand.¡± ¡°You changed. You abandoned me,¡± I continued. ¡°Enough,¡± Nn growled. ¡°She is gone,¡± I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. ¡°Maybe she left on her own. She did not fight that hard when the rogues took her, did she?¡± I regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth. My wolf growled in warning and then Nn¡¯s Alpha aura mmed into me, causing me to stumble backwards. Then he spoke, his voice low and controlled. ¡°Get out. Get out RIGHT NOW.¡± ¡°I did everything for you,¡± I said, tears burning in my eyes. ¡°And you feel nothing? Tell me the truth. Do you really feel nothing for me?¡± I reached for him and Nn pped my hand away. ¡°Do not touch me,¡± Nn growled. The rejection snapped something inside me. I tore open my robe and allowed it to drop to the ground. ¡°Look at me,¡± I pleaded. ¡°I am right here. Tell me that you don¡¯t want me.¡± Nn didn¡¯t look at me with love, not even with lust. He looked at me in disgust as he put more space between us ¡°Guards!¡± Nn called. Panic surged through me. ¡°No,¡± I gasped, scrambling to cover myself as footsteps echoed outside the door. ¡°Please, Nn. I was wrong. The guards entered. They averted their eyes as I attempted to pull my robe back on, Nn did not look at me at all. ¡°This is thest time I will tolerate this behavior,¡± he said. ¡°Do not make me regret saving you. I wrapped my arms around myself. My face flushed in embarrassment. The guards hauled me to my feet. I had lost. And I hated Talia even more. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 204 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FOUR +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FOUR Nn¡¯s POV Maggie broke down the moment the guards took hold of her arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. I swear I didn¡¯t mean any harm.¡± ¡®She is only sorry because she is being punished,¡¯ my wolf snarled. ¡®You¡¯ve been too lenient with this pup.¡¯ I felt no regret. I only felt exhausted. I did not need this right now. ¡°Enough,¡± I said. ¡°Escort her back to her room. She is not to leave it unless under guard.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the guards replied. Maggie¡¯s eyes widened and she began to il against the guards, but they held her tightly. ¡°Please,¡± she begged. ¡°I was only upset. I would never betray you.¡± I did not answer. Marco and De arrived while the guards were dragging her out. De stopped short when she saw Maggie. She red at her and scoffed, ¡°Shameful.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Marco asked. ¡°She crossed a line,¡± I replied. ¡°That is all you need to know.¡± De did not look satisfied. She watched Maggie disappear around the corner before turning back to me. ¡°She threw herself at you, didn¡¯t she?¡± I didn¡¯t answer and De sneered. ¡°I knew it. I knew she was going to act without Talia around. She is responsible. I¡¯m telling you.¡± Marco shook his head. ¡°De, slow down. Just because she wants to be with Nn, does not make her a traitor.¡± ¡°It is not just some girl taking advantage of the situation,¡± De snapped. ¡°She has been hostile since the moment Talia arrived.¡± Marco frowned. ¡°What do you mean hostile? She¡¯s just a maid. She hates rogues. She wouldn¡¯t be involved with them.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± De shot back. ¡°And neither do you know what she¡¯s been doing behind your back.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± I snapped. ¡°If all you two are going to do is bicker, leave.¡± My head was throbbing from their loud voices making my headache worse. De gave Marco a look as if telling him that their conversation wasn¡¯t over and then turned toward me. ¡°Did Talia ever mention Maggie to you?¡± ¡°Other than not wanting Maggie to clean our room anymore and that Maggie had a crush on me, no. What am I missing?¡± I responded. De rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course she didn¡¯t. Goddess, why is she so damn stubborn?¡± ¡°De, what are you talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°Talia wouldn¡¯tin unless it wasn¡¯t avoidable. She wanted to make the best impression,¡± De exined. ¡°She has been targeted by Maggie since she arrived here, and she tried to handle it quietly.¡± My chest tightened. ¡°Exin.¡± ¡°Maggie disobeyed her instructions, questioned her authority, and once, she blocked her from entering your garden, iming it CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FOUR +25 Bonus was the Alpha¡¯s private space and that outsiders were forbidden,¡± De said.. Marco stiffened. ¡°That garden is private. Maggie¡­¡± De turned on him. ¡°Talia is not an outsider!¡± she snarled. ¡°And Maggie made a point of reminding her that she was not the formal Luna yet.¡± Why didn¡¯t Talia say anything? I could have resolved this small issue. My wolf scoffed, ¡®You keep forgetting what our mate has been through. She evaluated the situation and needed to determine if you were loyal to her. Remember her previous mate betrayed her for another she-wolf.¡¯ ¡®I am NOT him,¡¯ I growled. De continued, ¡°I am disappointed in you both. How could you not see Maggie as a problem? She went from disrespecting Talia to sucking up to her and neither one of you thought something was off?¡± Her words made me remember how Maggie cursed Talia. I had dismissed it then as a petty crush. ¡°We¡¯ve known Maggie for years. She would never do something like this,¡± Marco argued. ¡°Then who do you trust?¡± De demanded. ¡°Your history with Maggie, or me the closest person to Talia?¡± ¡®Perhaps there is more to this than just Maggie acting on her own,¡¯ my wolf suggested. Maggie alone might not have been capable of orchestrating something like this, but that did not mean she was innocent. And things were not adding up. Why would the rogues only capture Talia and not Maggie? ¡°Whether Maggie is responsible or not does not change the facts,¡± I finally said. ¡°Someone targeted Talia. Someone exploited ess within this pack.¡± De nodded. ¡°Yes, and I wholeheartedly believe it was Maggie.¡± Marco exhaled slowly. ¡°Then what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°You will watch Maggie. From now on, she does nothing without supervision,¡± I instructed. Marco hesitated. ¡°You think she¡¯s being used.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°Even if she is not the mastermind, she is young and gullible. Someone could have taken advantage of that.¡± De¡¯s expression softened slightly. ¡°Thank Goddess you¡¯re listening to me.¡± Marco inclined his head. ¡°I¡¯ll see it done.¡± They turned to leave, but before De stepped away, she paused. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth,¡± she said quietly, ¡°Talia hid it from you because she trusts you. She wanted to keep the peace as she knew you cared about Maggie. She did not want to burden you.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. Whoever had taken her had nned carefully. And I would not stop until I found Talia even if it meant tearing this pack apart piece by piece. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share get it Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 205 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIVE +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIVE Talia¡¯s POV I woke up with a splitting headache. I bit my lip to keep from groaning aloud in pain. My vision swam as I forced my eyes open. The ceiling above me was low and rough, streaked with moisture that caught the dim light. The air smelled of damp stone and old rot. I will never forget that smell. I still sometimes had vivid nightmares of when I had been kidnapped and tortured by the rogues. The memory woke me up fully. When I tried to move, it felt like the hardest thing to do. What is wrong with me? I flexed against the rope, but the rope did not give. The rope wasn¡¯t soaked in silver, so why wasn¡¯t I able to break free? ¡®Sedatives,¡¯ my wolf said. Her voice was sluggish and dull. ¡®A heavy dose. This is why we cannot break free.¡¯ I could feel the panic building in me, but I took a few calming breaths. Panic would not help me. I tested the ropes again. My ankles were bound to the chair legs. My arms were secured behind my back. The chair itself was bolted to the stone floor. ¡®How long do you think it¡¯ll take for you to neutralize the sedative?¡¯ I asked. ¡®I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m trying,¡¯ my wolf replied. I assessed the room. It was a small rundown cell with one door. The door creaked open. A woman entered. She wore dark jeans and a tight long sleeved ck shirt. A half mask covered the left side of her face. Her hair hung loose and uneven around her shoulders. Her scent reached me a secondter. She smelled like a rogue, the dirty dog scent, but underneath it, there was something else that was familiar. ¡°Untie me,¡± I said coldly, ¡°You have made a serious mistake.¡± The womanughed. ¡°Mistake?¡± she repeated. ¡°No. This time, everything went exactly as it should.¡± ¡°I am the Luna of the Bloodmoon and daughter of the Alpha King,¡± I said. ¡°If you touch me, you will die when they find you.¡¯ She stepped closer and smirked. ¡°Luna indeed and yet, you didn¡¯t even ask about that little omega that was with you.¡± My eyes widened as I remembered telling Maggie to run and then everything had gone dark. ¡°Where is Maggie? You better have not hurt her!¡± I growled. The womanughed again. ¡°How sweet. You actually care about that useless little thing. But don¡¯t worry, she was only bait.¡± ¡°What do you¡­¡± Before I could finish, a whip cracked across my shoulder. Pain red hot through me causing me to yelp in pain. The chair rocked violently as I tried to break free. ¡°Little Maggie really thought I cared about her,¡± the woman said calmly. ¡°She betrayed her own pack just to get you to me.¡± She struck me again, lower this time, thesh biting into my side. I forced myself to breathe through the pain. My wolf growled weakly but could do nothing else. ¡°You will not escape this,¡± I said, my voice shaking despite my effort. ¡°Nn will tear thisnd apart to find me.¡± Her eyes gleamed. ¡°That is exactly what I want. I want him to drive himself crazy before I deliver your corpse to him.¡± I stared at her face, at the way she held herself, at the hatred that burned so openly now. I knew that look. CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIVE +25 Bonus ¡°Viki,¡± I said. The woman¡¯s smirk slowly turned into a psychotic grin. ¡°I honestly thought it would¡¯ve taken you longer to figure it out,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re notpletely stupid.¡± Viki circled me, dragging the whip along the floor. ¡°Do you regret it?¡± she asked. ¡°Do you regret not killing me back then?¡± ¡°I never wanted to kill you. I¡­¡± Viki struck me again. This time on my legs and I couldn¡¯t help but snarl at her. I didn¡¯t want to kill her before, but I was starting to rethink that. Viki stopped in front of me. ¡°Everything I am now,¡± she said, tapping the mask, ¡°exists because of you and him.¡± ¡°Nn spared your life,¡± I said. ¡°You are alive because he chose mercy.¡± Viki scoffed, ¡°Mercy? You call this mercy?¡± She reached up and tore the mask away. I gasped before I could stop myself. The scar was worse than I had imagined. The skin was twisted and uneven, carved deep and jagged across her cheek and jaw. One side of her mouth pulled downward, distorting her expression. ¡°Is this mercy?¡± Viki demanded. ¡°He ruined my face! He turned me into a monster!¡± ¡°You could have rebuilt your life. You could¡¯ve started your own life,¡± I reasoned. ¡°There is no life left for me, don¡¯t you understand?¡± she snapped. ¡°I am a rogue now. That is all I will ever be.¡± Viki leaned closer and dered, ¡°And my only purpose as a rogue is revenge.¡± I swallowed. ¡°You do not have to do this. You could settle in Bloodmoon. Live quietly. I can help you if you want.¡± Her eyes widened with disbelief before she burst intoughter again. ¡°You think I want peace? No!¡± Viki turned toward a table along the wall. When she came back, she held a dagger. She dipped the de into a vial and lifted it so I could see the liquid coating the metal. ¡®Wolfsbane,¡¯ my wolf warned. My heart spiked with panic. ¡°I will make you look worse than me,¡± she said calmly as she closed the distance. ¡°I will carve my pain into your body!¡± Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 206 +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIX Talia¡¯s POV There was a loud knock. At first, I thought I misheard it and then there was another knock. Viki had stopped moving at the first knock. The tip of the dagger was barely touching my face. When the second knock came, her eyes narrowed. ¡°Perfect timing,¡± she cursed. Someone was here. Someone had found this ce. There was a chance for me to be rescued. As if she saw what I was thinking, Viki grabbed my jaw and shoved a gag into my mouth. The cloth tasted like it had been stored in dirt. I jerked my head away, but she was stronger, and my body did not respond the way I wanted it to. She tied the gag behind my head and yanked the knot tight enough to make my eyes water. ¡°You sit there and be quiet,¡± Viki ordered. She exited the room quickly but left the door open. I could hear male voices. ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± a voice said. I recognized it so clearly. It was Marco. I tried to call out, but the gag muffled my voice. I twisted in the chair and yanked my wrists against the ropes, but the ropes didn¡¯t budge. I tried the pack link. I reached for it the way I always did when I needed Solon or Father. No one answered. There was only silence. ¡°The sedatives are blocking us,¡± my wolf warned. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to reach out until it¡¯s out of our system.¡± I refused to ept that. I refused to just wait and allow Viki to torture me. Marco was here. That meant Nn had to be close by. I had to alert him somehow. I twisted again. This time I focused on my legs. The ropes around my ankles were not as tight as my wrists. I dragged my heel along the chair leg and forced the rope to rub against the rough wood. My ankle burned. I kept going. Upstairs, Marco spoke again. ¡°We are collecting statements. We need to know if you saw Luna Talia tonight, or if you noticed anything unusual during the ceremony.¡± How did he not know he was talking to Viki? I had to alert him. I iled hard and the ropes gave way around my ankles. The chair rattled on the stone floor. The sound echoed in the basement, but I could not tell if I was making enough noise. I mmed both heels down into the stone repeatedly, trying to make the noise as ugly and obvious as possible. Please hear me! Please! ¡°I saw nothing,¡± Viki said smoothly. ¡°I stayed in my cabin. I heard the celebration from a distance, but I was not there. I felt sick that night.¡± Marco¡¯s tone stayed polite. ¡°Then we will need your name and residence recorded. There is an effort to track who was present and who was not.¡± There was a pause. 173 +25 Bonus Had he heard that? Marco said, ¡°Thank you. We appreciate your cooperation.¡± No. The footsteps moved away. A few secondster, Viki came back down the stairs. Her expression was smug, like she had just watched me lose a game she had already rigged. ¡°Did you enjoy that?¡± Viki asked softly. ¡°Did you think he would save you?¡± I tried to spit at her. The gag made it impossible. All I managed was a choked sound. Vikiughed. ¡°Nn¡¯s Beta found this ce,¡± she said, as if she was sharing something amusing. ¡°And he did nothing. Do you know why? Because he was too stupid to suspect anything. Being a rogue has its perk. He couldn¡¯t even tell it was me. Idiot.¡± My eyes narrowed. Rage pushed through the sedative in small bursts. Viki made a mock sympathetic expression. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like Nn really cares about you. He couldn¡¯t even be bothered to inform his Beta to conduct a search.¡± Viki stepped back toward the stairs. ¡°I am going to pass a message to Nn, so he thinks he is getting closer.¡± I iled against the restraints. My wolf snarled inside me and said, ¡®I am doing the best that I can, Talia. I will get this sedative out of our system and then we will maul her.¡¯ Viki watched me struggle and looked pleased. ¡°Do not rush,¡± she said. ¡°Both of you will die in due time.¡± She reached toward the table and picked up the dagger again, turning it in her fingers like she was deciding whether to use it before leaving. Then she paused and looked toward the far wall. ¡°But first, I need to provide information to help Alpha Nn. He¡¯s not as clever as I thought. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t leave you alone,¡± she said, ¡°I arranged something for you.¡± Viki crossed the basement to the darkest corner. I had assumed there was only one way to enter the basement. I was wrong. Viki crouched and pressed her fingers along a seam. A hidden side door opened with a quiet scrape. Viki stood and looked back at me, a satisfied smile on her face. ¡°I wanted to make sure you weren¡¯t lonely.¡± Viki lifted two fingers to her mouth and whistled. Three rogues crawled in through the hidden door. They moved low, like animals. Their clothes were filthy. Their hair was matted. One of them smiled when he saw me, and his eyes dragged over my body. Panic rose up in me as I had shbacks of thest time I encountered rogues due to Viki. Viki pointed toward me. ¡°Keep herpany, my friends,¡± she said, voice casual. ¡°Oh, but don¡¯t kill her.¡± Viki shut the hidden door and exited the basement without a second look. I struggled against the ropes again and finally, I felt them loosen around my wrists. I red at the rogues while my ws lengthened and then they lunged. N +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 207 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV I panted hard as I stared at the three bodies on the basement floor. Blood slicked the cracked concrete beneath them. The ropes that had been around my wristsy in frayed coils near my feet. My arms were trembling so badly that I had to press my palms against my thighs to steady them. I had killed them. For a moment, my mind kept trying to push the truth away, as if I could deny it by refusing to look directly at what I had done. The sedative still dulled my senses, but the adrenaline pumping through my veins had cleared the haze. ¡®You are not a murderer,¡¯ my wolf reassured me. ¡®They attacked you. You defended yourself.¡¯ My throat tightened. I swallowed, then swallowed again, because my mouth had gone dry. ¡°I can still feel it,¡± I whispered. My voice sounded small in the basement. ¡°Their hands. Their breath. I can still feel them.¡± ¡°They are dead,¡¯ my wolf replied. ¡®You did what you had to do, and you lived. No one will fault you for it.¡¯ I looked down at my hands covered with rogues¡¯ blood. My ws had been out during the fight. They were longer than they had ever been before, driven by fear, rage and a power I had never fully used. I forced them back, breathing through the sting as they retracted. My wolf nudged me hard. ¡®We need to leave before Viki returns.¡¯ That snapped me into motion. I wiped my hands on the side of my torn dress. I turned toward the wall where the hidden side door was. I ran my hands against the wall until it opened. Then I quickly entered the passage. The passage opened behind thick. I crouched low in an attempt to listen for anyone around, but my heart was beating so loud that it was all I could hear. ¡®Run. This is our chance,¡¯ my wolf urged. I ran through the trees, not caring about the branches that tore at my arms or the stones that cut into the soles of my feet. My lungs burned. My ribs ached. The sedative dragged at my body like weights, but I kept moving. After what felt like forever, I stumbled across a small cave opening hidden behindrge trees. It was not deep, but it was enough to conceal me from anyone walking past. I slipped inside and sank to the ground, pressing my back to the cold rock. For a long minute, I did nothing but sit and breathe. When my heartbeat finally slowed down, I wiped sweat from my forehead and looked down at my wrists. The rope burns were angry and red, with faint swelling around them. Dried blood had crusted in the grooves. ¡®We are safe for the moment,¡¯ my wolf advised. ¡°For the moment,¡± I repeated under my breath. I carefully crawled closer to the cave entrance and pushed aside a curtain of leaves. From this angle, I could see a stretch of forest path beyond trees. I saw movement. It was a Bloodmoon patrol. I had not crossed the border. I was still in Bloodmoon¡¯s northern territory. +25 Bonus My wolf¡¯s anger surged, hot and bitter. ¡®She dared to do it here,¡¯ she snarled. ¡®She dared to bring rogues into ournd, into our pack.¡¯ ¡®How could she do that without anyone noticing?¡¯ I asked. My wolf did not answer, but she pushed a thought forward, Maggie. Viki told me that Maggie was the reason I had been caught by her. Was she telling the truth? I thought back on how insistent Maggie was about getting me away to meet the pack members. Her story didn¡¯t add up, but I didn¡¯t think she would betray me like that. ¡®She did this. It has to be her,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®She delivered you right to her.¡¯ I watched the patrol pass, and I stayed silent. If I went back now, Viki would run again and I would always be looking over my shoulder until she attacked me again. Worse, I could lead Nn and Marco straight into whatever n Viki had prepared next. If Maggie was involved, she could twist my return into another lie before I even reached the pack house. ¡®Our mate would never believe her lies,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean the pack wouldn¡¯t,¡¯ I retorted and I wasn¡¯t going to take the chance. As Luna, it was my responsibility to deal with this. I could not ignore that Viki was operating inside Bloodmoon territory and had rogues under her control. ¡®At least let our mate know we are okay,¡¯ my wolf urged. I closed my eyes and reached for the pack link. Again, no one answered. My wolf hissed in frustration. ¡°Try harder.¡± ¡®I cannot get through,¡¯ I told her. I opened my eyes and stared at the trees. ¡®Maybe it is good that we can¡¯t reach him. If Viki is alerted, she will know I escaped and change ns.¡¯ ¡®You cannot stay hidden forever,¡¯ my wolf argued. ¡°I know,¡± I replied quietly, ¡°but I need to figure out who¡¯s backing her, and most importantly, what her next move is.¡± I stayed crouched at the cave entrance, listening. Minutes passed. Then I heard it. Viki¡¯s harsh and furious scream cut through the forest from the direction I had run from. ¡°Where the hell is that damned Talia?!¡± J Judith GW Author Hey everyone, Viki is really getting on our nerves, huh? I have a feeling she might be on her way out soon. What do you think? Drop ament and let me know! 106 +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 208 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHT Nn¡¯s POV There was a knock at my door. ¡°Not now,¡± I called out. I sat at my desk with a map spread out in front of me. The circles and cross outs on it had stopped feeling like information and more of a sick joke. Why couldn¡¯t I find her? Two days of searching my own territory and I have yet to find Talia or the rogues that took her. Something wasn¡¯t adding up. I had De swear not to tell Silverfang, but I couldn¡¯t keep this up for too long before the Alpha King and Prince Solon began to ask questions. The knock came again. I stood and opened the door a few inches. It was Maggie. As soon as I saw her, my wolf began to snarl within me. Maggie¡¯s eyes were red and swollen. She held a folder against her chest with both hands. I looked past her and noticed there were no guards escorting her which only irritated me more. ¡°What do you want?¡± I demanded. ¡°Alpha Nn,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I need to speak with you.¡± ¡°You need to go back to your room and stay there,¡± I told her. ¡°I know you hate me right now,¡± she said. ¡°I know you have every reason to.¡± I stared at her. Was I supposed to praise her for owning up to her mistakes? Maggie swallowed under my gaze and continued, ¡°Marco sent me. He told me to deliver the investigation forms and the new registration documents. He said you needed them immediately.¡± I didn¡¯t believe her. Marco knew I told her to stay in her room. It was more like she snuck out and told a guard, unaware of the situation, that she would bring the folder to me. There was no point in calling her out as she would lie. I stepped back from the doorway. ¡°Come in.¡± Maggie moved quickly, keeping her eyes down. She crossed to the edge of my desk, ced the folder in the corner, and then retreated. I stayed standing. ¡°I am only giving you this one chance, Maggie. Say what you need to say and then leave.¡± I opened the folder. Inside were witness statements, patrol reports, and lists of names. The handwriting was organized and familiar. Maggie had always been careful with paperwork. That was part of what made all of this worse. I flipped through the first set of forms. I noticed that Maggie had yet to say anything. I looked up at her. ¡°Weren¡¯t you trying to apologize?¡± ¡°I am,¡± she said. Her voice shook slightly. ¡°I cannot undo what I did. I can only ept the consequences and try to correct what I can.¡± ¡°You want me to forgive you.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said quickly. ¡°Throw her out. She¡¯s not sincere. She only wants to stay close to us,¡¯ my wolf growled. We couldn¡¯t just throw her out right now. Maggie was our only clue as to what happened to Talia. +25 Bonus ¡°You will put the past behind you,¡± I told her. ¡°You will focus on your work. If you do that, you will eventually find your own mate and you will build a life that does not depend on mine.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± ¡°Do you understand what I said?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she repeated. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Good. You may leave,¡± I said. I returned to the paperwork. I scanned the top sheet, and then the next. Then I reached a section of newly registered names, and I stopped. Several names were unfamiliar. They were not on any of the older Bloodmoon rosters. ¡°Wait,¡± I said before Maggie could reach the door. I held up the form and tapped the page with a finger. ¡°Where did these namese from?¡± ¡°They are new registrations,¡± Maggie exined. ¡°They settled near the northern border over the past month.¡± ¡°Exin.¡± ¡°Many of them are wolves who were abused in their former packs,¡± she said. ¡°They ran and sought safety here.¡± I stared at her. ¡°And you approved this?¡± ¡°I helped them register,¡± she corrected carefully. ¡°I only helped them settle in vacant cabins because they had nowhere else to go.¡± My gaze hardened. ¡°Did you bring them in as rogues?¡± ¡°They are not rogues,¡± Maggie said immediately. ¡°They came to the boundary and asked for a chance. They were desperate. They were like me.¡± ¡®She is the reason why the rogues felt secure to cross into our territory and take our Luna. Her sympathy will be the end of our pack,¡¯ my wolf warned. ¡°Who gave you authority to do this without my permission?¡± I demanded. ¡°You did, Alpha,¡± Maggie said quickly. ¡°I mentioned it weeks ago. You told me if they were not violent, I could handle it through the proper paperwork.¡± I remembered. Not clearly at first, but enough. I had given approval without thinking deeply because I was busy nning how I would get rid of the Alpha King. I stared at the page again. ¡°You assured me there would be no issues.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be. There haven¡¯t been,¡± Maggie said quickly. ¡°They¡¯ve been grateful and trying to stay out of the way.¡± ¡°Can you say that truly, Maggie?¡± I asked. ¡°What¡­what do you mean by that?¡± Maggie replied. I moved the folder to slide it toward Maggie, but instead a single envelope slipped out. It was in with no seal or signature. ¡°What is this?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Maggie replied. I opened the envelope and read the letter inside. +25 Bonus ¡®I have Talia Come to forest clearing on the northern border at midnight. Come alone.¡¯ I read it again, because my mind refused to ept it the first time. My hand tightened on the paper until it crumpled slightly. I mmed my fist onto the desk. Maggie jerked back with a small gasp. ¡°Alpha, what happened?¡± I held the letter up. ¡°Is this what you call no issues?¡± I threw the letter at her. Maggie picked it up. Her eyes scanned the page, and the color drained from her face. ¡°This is a trap. You know it is, Alpha,¡± Maggie said. Her hands trembled as she reached for my hand, but I jerked away from her. ¡°Please, do not go.¡± ¡®She is right,¡¯ my wolf spat as if it sickened him to agree with Maggie. ¡®We would be walking straight into a trap.¡¯ I could barely breathe. My pulse pounded in my ears, but my decision was already made the moment I read her name. If there is even the slightest chance of finding Talia, I have to go. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 209 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & NINE Maggie¡¯s POV +25 Bonus After leaving Nn¡¯s office, I walked around aimlessly. My mind raced with questions. That letter had to havee from Viki, but how did she get it into the folder. Why did she need to meet Nn? It¡¯s not the n. I needed to ask her. ¡®No. You don¡¯t need to ask her anything. You need to tell Nn the truth,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®He will kill us if I do that. I just need to ask Viki what¡¯s going on,¡¯ I responded. ¡®During the day? You will get caught. Wait until night,¡¯ my wolf suggested. ¡®I can¡¯t wait that long. I have to make sure she¡¯s not trying to hurt Nn,¡¯ I argued. I left the pack house through the side door near the service entrance. I then used a secret path to get the vacant cabins. It took me a lot longer to get there, but no one would see me. When I reached Viki¡¯s cabin, I knocked once and the door opened immediately. ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± Viki hissed. ¡°Are you trying to get caught?¡± Viki yanked me inside by my wrist so fast that I stumbled over the threshold and almost fell. The door mmed shut behind me. ¡°I had toe. I¡­¡± ¡°Did something happen? Did Nn contact Silverfang?¡± Viki demanded, gripping my shoulders tightly. ¡°No. He received a letter today,¡± I exined and Viki released me. ¡°You risked getting caught telling me about a stupid letter???¡± ¡°Someone demanded Nn go to the northern border at midnight. They imed they had Talia. Did you send it?¡± Viki did not look surprised. She looked more annoyed than anything. ¡°So, you thought toe here instead of doing what you were supposed to do.¡± ¡°Where is Talia? Is she here? Did you send that letter?¡± I asked. Viki turned away from me and paced the small cabin. Her mask rested near the table instead of on her face. ¡°She is missing,¡± Viki responded. ¡°Missing? What do you mean, missing?¡± ¡°That is exactly what I said. She is missing,¡± Viki repeated furiously. ¡°You lost her,¡± I said, my voice rising before I could control it. ¡°How could you lose her?¡± Viki stopped and looked at me as if I had insulted her. The scars on her face stretched as her expression warped with rage, and for a second, she looked terrifying. I actually felt scared of her. ¡°You have a lot of nerve to talk to me in that tone,¡± Viki said firmly. ¡°I did everything you told me to do,¡± I said. ¡°I led her out. I gave you the opportunity. And then you lost her. Do you know how bad this is going to be for me?¡± Viki scoffed and said, ¡°If you would just do what I tell you, this wouldn¡¯t be an issue. I am trying to help you.¡± ¡°I wanted her gone,¡± I said. ¡°And now she could appear at any moment and put my life in jeopardy!¡± ¡°Did you really think this would work out without any issues? Be realistic,¡± Viki said. She exhaled like I was exhausting her. ¡°I NONURE & NINE +25 Bonus have already sent rogues to find her.¡± My eyes widened. ¡°You sent rogues after her?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Viki said. ¡°The moment I realized she had escaped.¡± ¡°To bring her back?¡± I asked quickly, because that was the only answer that made sense. ¡°Once they find her, they will kill her immediately,¡± Viki said. She talked about killing like she was discussing weather. It caused a shiver to run up my spine. I froze at that. She did not say she would kill Talia but I noticed the scent of blood. ¡®Maggie! We need to leave now. She¡¯s unstable,¡¯ my wolf warned. ¡°How can youmand the rogues?¡± I demanded, suppressing my fear. ¡°How do they listen to you?¡± Viki¡¯s mouth curved into a smile that did not soften her eyes. ¡°Because I am one of them,¡± she said. ¡°Or did you forget that?¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°What about the letter?¡± ¡°What about it?¡± Viki asked. ¡°Do you n on hurting Nn?¡± I asked. ¡°You ask too many questions, my dear.¡± ¡°This was not part of the n,¡± I insisted. ¡°If you harm him, I won¡¯t let¡­¡± Before I could finish, Viki¡¯s hand mped around my throat, and my words died instantly. The pressure was hard enough that my eyes watered. I wed at her wrist, but she did not loosen her grip. ¡°I have had enough of you, you stupid little girl,¡± she said, her voice low and cold. Viki leaned in close enough that I could smell the blood on her breath. ¡°From now on,¡± she said. ¡°You do what I tell you to do, when I tell you to do it. If you try to warn Nn, or if you try to interfere again, I will kill you. Do you understand?¡± My lungs burned fromck of oxygen. I nodded quickly as I still fought her grip. Viki released me. I stumbled backward, my hand flying to my neck as I gasped. ¡°Do you understand?¡± she demanded. ¡°I want to hear you say it.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I whispered, my voice shaking. ¡°Louder,¡± Viki ordered. ¡°I understand,¡± I said, forcing the words out. My throat ached. Shame crawled up my spine. I stood there, breathing hard, regretting every choice that led me to this cabin. ¡®We are trapped,¡¯ my wolf said bitterly. ¡®I told you not to trust her and now we¡¯re going to pay for this.¡¯ Tears filled my eyes as the truth hit me. I never should have trusted her, and now it was toote. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 210 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TEN Talia¡¯s POV When I no longer heard Viki yelling, I left my hiding space and climbed into a tree near the cabin where Viki had been keeping me. I chose a high branch and kept my weight close to the trunk so I would not snap anything and give myself away. I needed height because I did not want them catching my scent on the ground. ¡°This is risky,¡¯ my wolf grumbled. It was, but we needed to know what Viki was up to. We needed to get as much information as possible before we contacted Nn. Below me, the cabin door opened. Three rogues dragged Maggie out. I gripped the branch harder when I saw her. Her face was covered with bruises, and she attempted to fight against them, but they held her tightly. Her arms were tied awkwardly behind her back. One rogue was yanking her along by the hair while others shoved or kicked her forward. Viki stepped out after them. ¡°Shut her up. All that noise she¡¯s making will bring attention.¡± One of the rogues pped Maggie hard causing her to yelp and silence her sobs. ¡°All that crying will save you. All you need to do isply,¡± Viki said. ¡°Everything will go smoothly.¡± ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t hurt me. You never said you¡¯d hurt Nn,¡± Maggie said. Vikiughed. ¡°And you believed me.¡± My wolf huffed inside me, ¡®Fool!¡¯ So, Viki had been telling the truth. Maggie was the reason Viki could move around Bloodmoon territory and n something like this without being noticed. Her desire to be Luna drove her to betray her pack and Nn. ¡®Pathetic fool,¡¯ my wolf huffed again. ¡°I did what you asked,¡± Maggie pleaded. ¡°And now you will do something else,¡± Viki replied, still calm. ¡°You will keep cooperating.¡± One of the rogues yanked Maggie forward again. She cried out, then tried to pull back, but she could not fight three grown rogues at once. I still did not understand why they were taking her into the woods. If Maggie was their helper, why drag her out like this? Viki stepped closer and pressed two fingers under Maggie¡¯s chin, forcing her to lift her face. ¡°You wanted him,¡± Viki said softly. ¡°You wanted her gone. Now you will prove you deserve what you wanted.¡± Maggie¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I did not agree to¡­¡± Viki¡¯s hand moved fast. She pped Maggie hard enough that Maggie¡¯s head snapped to the side. ¡°You do not get to change your mind now,¡± Viki said. ¡°You already made your choice.¡± The rogues began dragging Maggie toward the darker part of the forest. I did note down, and I am d I didn¡¯t. ¡®I told you not to trust her. We should have told our mate,¡¯ my wolf grumbled. ¡°There¡¯s no point in discussing this now. We¡¯re here now. We survived,¡¯ I responded. I did not have the energy to argue. I finally climbed down from the tree and made my way back to my original hiding spot. I kept +25 Bonus my steps light and avoided dry leaves. Thest thing I needed was one of those rogues doubling back because they heard me. When I reached the cave, I crouched just inside and then I attempted to reach out through the mate bond. ¡®Nn, can you hear me?¡¯ The bond red instantly, so strong it almost hurt. ¡®Talia? TALIA?¡¯ His voice hit my mind hard, causing me to flinch. ¡®Is that really you?¡¯ ¡®Yes, yes, it¡¯s me,¡¯ I said. ¡®I¡¯m alive.¡¯ There was a pause that felt like him trying to hold himself together. ¡®Tell me where you are. I¡¯lle get you right now,¡¯ Nn demanded. ¡®Near the northern border. I am hiding in a cave. I am safe for now.¡¯ ¡®I aming. Don¡¯t move.¡¯ I waited, listening for footsteps. My wolf stayed tense. She was ready to take over if we needed to fight. It only took a few minutes for Nn to find me, but it felt like hours. Nn¡¯s scent reached the cave first and then he was there. ¡°Nn,¡± I whispered. He ran to me and dropped to one knee in front of me. ¡°You¡¯re covered in blood,¡± he muttered. Nn¡¯s hands moved over me quickly. He checked my shoulders, my arms, my face. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± he asked. ¡°Where are they? What did they do to you?¡± ¡°The blood isn¡¯t mine. Not all of it. I just have some bruises and cuts, but nothing is broken,¡± I replied. ¡°This is my fault,¡± Nn said hoarsely. ¡°I should have never left your side.¡± He pulled me into his arms before I could answer, holding me so tightly it made my ribs ache. I pressed my face into his shoulder and breathed him in until the shaking in my body eased. When I was calmer, I pulled back enough to look at him. ¡°Nn, this is not your fault.¡± I kissed him. He kissed back as if kissing me was breathing air into my lungs. Nn pulled back and said, ¡°I need to get you home. I received a ransom letter after you were kidnapped but I think it¡¯s fake now.¡± ¡°It was probably from Viki,¡± I said. Nn frowned in confusion. ¡°Viki? Viki is in Bloodmoon territory?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°She ordered the rogues to take me.¡± Nn¡¯s expression morphed into pure rage. ¡°I should have killed her, and I n to rectify that tonight. I will meet her and put an end to this.¡± ¡°No,¡± I said immediately. ¡°It is a trap. Do not go.¡± ¡°I know it is, but that doesn¡¯t mean she will be able to beat me,¡± Nn said. ¡°We don¡¯t know that,¡± I countered. ¡°We have underestimated her too many times.¡± Through the mate bond, I could feel Nn fighting with his wolf to go and snap Viki¡¯s neck right now. He exhaled slowly as he forced his wolf to calm down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will y along and find out what she is nning.¡± +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 211 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & ELEVEN Nn¡¯s POV I entered the clearing and Viki was already there. My wolf paced restlessly inside me. Every instinct said we were walking into a trap, but it didn¡¯t matter because Talia was safe. Viki stood near the center of the clearing with a half mask covering the ruined side of her face. I resisted taunting her about the scar. When she saw me, she sneered. ¡°So, you came,¡± Viki said. ¡°I was starting to think you were a coward.¡± I ignored the insult and scanned the clearing. ¡°Where is Talia?¡± Vikiughed softly. ¡°We¡¯re getting straight to the point then.¡± ¡°Did you expect us to talk about the weather?¡± I asked. Viki took a step closer. ¡°Do you remember what you did to me?¡± she asked. ¡°I remember sparing your life when I didn¡¯t need to. Clearly, you forgot that,¡± I replied. Her eyes shed with hatred. ¡°You should have killed me,¡± she said. ¡°Then I would not have had the chance to return the favor.¡± ¡°Where is Talia?¡± I demanded again. ¡°Safe,¡± Viki replied. ¡°Whether she stays that way depends on you. But, it¡¯s not her you should be worried about.¡± She gestured toward the far side of the clearing. Only then did I see Maggie. She was tied to a tree with her wrists bound above her head. Three rogues stood nearby, watching her closely. Her body shook as she sobbed. My wolf snarled at seeing the rogues. Again, I had to push him down. ¡®We will spill their blood. I promise you,¡¯ I told him. ¡°Oh? So, you do care about her. Interesting,¡± Viki said. ¡°Maybe not after you hear the truth.¡± ¡°Stop ying games, Viki.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. She wanted to be your Luna, you know,¡± Viki said casually. ¡°Poor thing. She¡¯s so young, so foolish.¡± I grit my teeth. I felt like a fool. The traitor had been right under my nose. ¡°Release her,¡± I ordered. ¡°Oh, no. Not yet. Not before you do something for me,¡± Viki said. ¡°What do you want?¡± Viki pulled a dark colored bottle out of her bottle. ¡°Simple,¡± she said. ¡°Drink the wine, and I let her go.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t you dare drink that. I can smell the poison from here,¡¯ my wolf warned. ¡°You think I am stupid?¡± I asked. The question was more so for my wolf than Viki. Viki¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Of course not,¡± she said. ¡°The wine will not kill you. It will weaken you. It will only dull your Alpha power.¡± ¡°To make it easier to kill me,¡± I spat. CHA ¡°Believe what you want. Either way, Maggie lives if you drink. If you refuse, she dies.¡± ¡°And Talia?¡± I asked. +25 Bonus ¡°That is different. You will have to do more than drink wine to get her back,¡± Viki replied. ¡°But it starts with you drinking the wine.¡± ¡°I agree, but first you will tell me who is backing you. You couldn¡¯t have done this alone even with Maggie¡¯s help,¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯re in no position to make demands, Alpha Nn,¡± Viki stated and offered the bottle. ¡°Drink the wine and then, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± I reached for the bottle. As my fingers closed around the ss, I opened the mind link. ¡°Talia, now!¡¯ The clearing exploded into chaos. A scream tore through the trees as one of the rogues fell. Another barely had time to turn before Talia in her wolf form mmed into him. Her ws tore through his chest like butter. Blood sprayed across her muzzle and Maggie. ¡°No, no, don¡¯t kill me!¡± Maggie cried out as Talia severed the ropes binding her and shoved her aside. The third rogue lunged, but Talia drove him into the dirt by his neck before snapping it. ¡°No! You¡¯re not getting away this time!¡± Viki screamed in fury. She lunged toward me with a dagger. I could smell the wolfsbane on it. I caught her wrist mid-strike. Viki was strong, but not strong enough to overpower me. ¡°Give it up, Viki. This is over,¡± I growled. I twisted her arm, forcing her to drop the dagger. Then, I kicked her hard in the stomach, sending her into a nearby tree. ¡°No, no, it wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this,¡± Viki coughed as she pulled herself up. She saw Maggie backing away from her and lunged for her. ¡°This is all your fault! I will kill you for your betrayal!¡± Talia mmed into her before she could reach Maggie, sending her back into the dirt. I walked over and yanked her up by her hair. I pulled the cork out of the bottle with my teeth before shoving it into Viki¡¯s mouth with my free hand. ¡°Drink,¡± I ordered. Viki fought, but she had no choice but to swallow. I released her and Viki immediately put two fingers down her throat in an attempt to vomit, but the liquid didn¡¯te up. ¡°What have you done?!¡± she yelled at me before she began to cough violently and w at her neck. Her pupils became dted and blood began to roll down from her nose before she fell backwards andy there motionless. Was she dead? ¡®Nn, we need to go. More rogues areing,¡¯ Talia warned through our mind link. ¡®I can¡¯t fight them all.¡¯ Before I could respond, I heard a chuckle and thenughter. The sound was wrong, unhinged. Viki slowly got to her feet, stillughing. The first thing I noticed were her eyes. Her eyes were blood red. She turned on the rogues who had rushed forward to help her, attacking them without warning. One fell screaming. Another tried to flee. I froze. Viki looked exactly like my father had in his final moments. P Share Support +25 Bonus +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 212 CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & TWELVE Nn¡¯s POV ¡®Focus Nn! More areing!¡¯ Talia¡¯s voice broke through my shock. I caught the rogue lunging for me by the throat and quickly snapped his neck. More rogues kepting. I quickly mind linked with Marco, letting him know where I was and what was going on. I didn¡¯t give him time to answer as I closed the link and focused on the fight. I recognized them immediately by the way they moved. Their coordination was poor, their expressions unfocused, and their scent was wrong. These were not ordinary rogues looking to survive. Every one of them carried the unmistakable taint of madness. Talia moved to my side without hesitation. We fought back-to-back. It was the only way to keep the rogues from surrounding and separating us. Each time a rogue lunged, one of us intercepted. My ws tore through flesh while Talia¡¯s fangs ripped off limbs. Viki screamed, ¡°Maggie, let¡¯s aayyy!!¡± I turned just in time to see her break away from the fight. She lunged toward Maggie with the dagger clutched in her hand. Maggie was frozen with fear. Talia lunged forward and shoved her aside, taking the attack head-on. ¡°No!¡± I shouted as I saw Talia stumble backward baring her teeth at Viki. I reached them in seconds. My fist connected with Viki¡¯s temple, sending her back into the ground. Vikiughed wildly, but she was no longer calcting. The poison had stripped away thest remnants of her sanity. I quickly ced her into a headlock. She struggled against me, but I held her in ce. Talia quickly disemboweled her. My wolf roared in satisfaction. His Luna, our Luna, had finally taken justice from what this evil woman had done to her. I released Viki. Her body hit the ground with a final gasp. The madness left her eyes even before life did. For a moment, everything was silent except for our heavy breathing. Talia shifted back into her human form. I removed my shirt and gave it to her to wear. ¡°Is it over?¡± she asked as she pulled on my shirt. Then more rogues rushed in. Before they could reach us, Marco and De burst into the clearing with warriors. They cut down the remaining rogues without hesitation. When thest rogue fell, I finally rxed and my wolf calmed down. ¡°Secure the area,¡± I ordered. ¡°Clean this scene thoroughly. Preserve Viki¡¯s blood and the wine.¡± Talia hugged me. ¡°That wine,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I think it contained the blood of mad rogues.¡± ¡°It did,¡± I replied. ¡°If you had drunk it¡­¡± Her voice faltered. ¡°Then, don¡¯t think about it,¡± I said and kissed her forehead. I turned to Maggie. She stood apart from the others, trembling. De tried to speak to her, but Maggie stared straight ahead, unresponsive. ¡®Do not pity her,¡¯ my wolf growled as I approached them. +25 Bonus ¡°Maggie, what the hell were you doing out here? Are you even listening to me?¡± De demanded as she snapped her fingers in Maggie¡¯s face. ¡°Who is backing Viki?¡± I demanded. Maggie jumped at my voice and then shook her head frantically. ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me again, Maggie,¡± I growled. ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me. She lied to me,¡± Maggie stammered. I took a step closer. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°She said¡­¡± Maggie hesitated and then started crying. ¡°Enough of your crying! Answer the damn question,¡± De snapped. ¡°Or Goddess help me I¡¯ll make you talk.¡± ¡°She said Talia stole her mate,¡± Maggie blurted out. ¡°That she seduced you.¡± ¡°And you believed her?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought I was helping you,¡± Maggie cried. ¡°I thought she was manipting you. I thought¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± I cut in. ¡°You were selfish. You only cared about what you wanted. Did you ever think about how I felt or what I wanted?¡± Maggie copsed to her knees, sobbing. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen.¡± ¡°Your tears won¡¯t save you,¡± De snapped. ¡°How could you do this? You¡­¡± ¡°De, that is enough,¡± Talia said. De scowled but fell silent. Talia touched my arm. ¡°Viki was skilled at maniption,¡± she said quietly. ¡°It makes sense that she believed her. Viki wouldn¡¯t have told her everything.¡± I didn¡¯t respond. Maggie betrayed my trust. If she had concerns, she should havee to me instead of an outsider. Maggie crawled forward and clutched at Talia¡¯s ankle. ¡°Please,¡± she begged. ¡°Forgive me.¡± ¡°Maggie, I¡­¡± Talia swayed. Her knees buckled. I caught her instantly. The scent of her blood hit me, and I looked down to see it smeared across my hand. My heart sank when I saw the deep wound in her right shoulder. ¡®Get her to a doctor now,¡¯ my wolf urged. ¡®She has been poisoned.¡¯ ¡°I need to get her to a doctor right now,¡± I said as I picked up Talia. Maggie scrambled to her feet. ¡°I can help. I¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± De said firmly. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough.¡± Maggie stepped toward me, but De blocked her. ¡°You stay away!!¡± I snarled. ¡°If anything happens to Talia, you will die. Do you understand me?¡± Maggie froze, terror written across her face. I did not wait for an answer. 212 I broke into a run back to the pack house. Nothing mattered except getting my mate to the infirmary alive. 7 Support Share +25 Bonus +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 213 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTEEN Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Ugh,¡± I groaned as the sunlight from the window hit my eyes. The re made me blink hard. My body felt heavy and sore as if I had fallen down a flight of stairs. When I tried to pull myself up, pain red through my right shoulder. My shoulder was wrapped in clean bandages. I turned my head and saw Nn asleep in the chair beside my bed. He was sitting upright, but his posture had slumped. His head tilted forward at an awkward angle, and he snored softly. ¡®He has been watching over us,¡¯ my wolf told me. ¡®He has not left once.¡¯ My chest tightened at the thought. I couldn¡¯t imagine how he felt, but the dark circles under his eyes exined it all. For three days, Nn did not know if I was alive. He probably never stopped searching and attempting to link with me. This had to be the first time since I went missing that he got some sleep. I reached out and brushed my fingers along his face. The moment my skin touched him, his eyes opened. ¡°Talia?¡± he asked, still half-asleep. Then, his eyes widened in surprise. He pulled me into a tight hug that caused me to wince as he brushed against my shoulder. Nn quickly released me and stood. ¡°Are you in pain? Do you need the doctor? I will get the doctor.¡± ¡°Nn,¡± I said quickly, catching his wrist. ¡°Stop. I am okay.¡± Nn paused as if he didn¡¯t believe me. ¡°Sit down. I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for so long,¡± Nn said as he finally sat down. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if you were ever going to wake up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic. I just passed out from blood loss. Nothing serious,¡± I said. ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand.¡± His jaw tightened and his eyes became glossy. ¡°I failed you,¡± Nn said, his voice shaking. I frowned. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°When I brought you here, the doctors couldn¡¯t do anything,¡± he said, his voice strained. ¡°The poison was already spreading, though it wasn¡¯t from the mad rogues¡¯ blood directly. We almost lost you. If Leslie hadn¡¯t given us those powerful healing herbs before we left Silverfang¡­¡± He paused, and a tear finally slipped down his cheek. My heart felt like it twisted in my chest. I could feel his grief and guilt through the mate bond. ¡°Nn,¡± I said firmly. ¡°None of this is your fault.¡± Nn shook his head. ¡°I failed to protect my mate.¡± I leaned forward and kissed Nn. At first, he didn¡¯t respond, then he kissed me back earnestly. I pulled back and said firmly, You did everything you were supposed to do as my mate and my Alpha.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Viki nned all of this. There was no way for you to know she had gone this far,¡± I added, cutting him off. Nn sighed and caressed my cheek. He looked torn as if he was fighting with himself about who was at fault for all of this, but we were both victims. We underestimated how vindictive she truly was. ¡°A scratch,¡± Nn said bitterly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°One wed wound, and it nearly killed you. I thought it was wolfsbane at first, but it was her w. I should have never allowed you toe with me,¡± Nn continued. ¡°Stop. I wanted toe. I knew it would be dangerous,¡± I told him, squeezing his hand. ¡°If I hadn¡¯te, you may be the one in the bed or worse.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°I should have killed her the first time she kidnapped you,¡± Nn muttered. Nn stared down at our hands like he could not look at my face while he spoke. ¡°I already warned Solon and your father,¡± he said. ¡°I told them about the possibility of mad rogues reappearing and what the blood can do. Now that it happened inside Bloodmoon territory, they will have to take it seriously. They will have to tighten security.¡± ¡°They will listen,¡± I replied. Nn¡¯s mouth pulled into a grim line, and then he surprised me. He lowered his voice and copied Solon¡¯s voice so well that I almost thought Solon was in the room. ¡°If you let my sister get hurt again, Nn, I will personally make sure you regret it.¡± For a second my breath caught, and then Iughed. Nn smiled. ¡°He said it twice,¡± he admitted. ¡°Your father did not say it the same way, but the meaning was the same.¡± ¡°I believe it,¡± I said, still smiling. ¡°I am surprised Father did not send Solon to stand guard outside the door.¡± ¡°He wanted to,¡± Nn said. ¡°I refused.¡± ¡°Knowing Solon that¡¯s not going to stop him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I have a guest room already prepared for him when he arrives,¡± Nn said. ¡°Also, I sent De and Marco to investigate, and if mad rogues have reappeared, the other packs need to know to properly prepare.¡± I nodded. ¡°That was the right decision.¡± If madness could be contracted through bites or scratches, we were dealing with something that none of us had ever dealt with before. ¡°What are you thinking? I can see you¡¯re trying to work something out,¡± Nn said as he noticed my silence. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking that I can help and reach out¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± Nn said, cutting me off. ¡°I want you to focus on resting. You don¡¯t need to work on this. De and Marco can handle it while you recover.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I said, trying to lighten the mood. Nn leaned in and kissed my forehead. My thoughts went back to Maggie and how she was crying in the clearing. Not once did she try to help Viki. It seemed like she regretted everything. ¡®Do not make the same mistake you made with Viki,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®Maggie made the decision to harm us. Do not pity her because Viki used her.¡¯ ¡®Easier said than done,¡¯ I answered. ¡°Nn,¡± I said, hesitating. ¡°Where is Maggie? How is she?¡± Nn¡¯s expression changed the instant I said her name. His eyes darkened and I could feel his anger through the mate bond.¡± She is alive,¡± he said tly. ¡°Other than bruises, she is unhurt. She has been waiting in the hallway since dawn.¡± ¡°I want to see her,¡± I said. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 214 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FOURTEEN Talia¡¯s POV Nn frowned at my words but didn¡¯t argue. He stood and opened the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Maggie stepped inside. Her eyes were swollen, and her hands were sped so tightly in front of her that her knuckles looked pale. ¡°Stop. That¡¯s as far as you go,¡± Nn ordered and Maggie came to a stop a few feet from my bed. Nn returned to his chair and sat down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Maggie started, her voice shaking. ¡°I will ept whatever punishment you decide.¡± ¡°You were going to be punished whether you epted it or not,¡± Nn snapped. Maggie flinched at his tone but didn¡¯t respond. ¡°You colluded with Viki and led Talia, your Luna, into a trap that almost got her killed. You are lucky that I didn¡¯t have you hung.¡± ¡°I did not know she would do that,¡± Maggie said quickly. ¡°I did not know she would bring rogues into Bloodmoon.¡± ¡°But you knew she¡¯d hurt Talia,¡± Nn replied. Maggie opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something and then closed it. Tears slid down Maggie¡¯s face, and she wiped them away with the back of her sleeve like she was angry at herself for crying. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Maggie said. ¡°I was selfish. I thought I was helping you.¡± ¡°Not only were you selfish, but you are arrogant to think that you could dictate the decisions of your Alpha,¡± Nn growled. ¡± Pack loyalty is not optional in Bloodmoon, Maggie. It is not something you do when it benefits you. I thought you understood this. That was my mistake for being too lenient on you.¡± Maggie¡¯s knees hit the floor. ¡°Please, Alpha, I will leave,¡± she said, voice cracking. ¡°If that is what you want, I will leave Bloodmoon.¡± Nn scoffed. ¡°Again, you still think you have a choice in this. The only reason I allowed you to stay is because I wanted Talia to get justice.¡± Seeing Nn so stern with Maggie was surprising. I thought he would be a little lenient based on their rtionship, but Maggie had done something unforgivable. Nn hated rogues more than anything else. Maggie truly should have known better. ¡°Luna Talia,¡± Maggie pleaded. ¡°Please. I know I almost got you killed. I¡¯m so sorry. I cannot undo what I did, but I swear I will spend the rest of my life making it right. Please¡­¡± ¡°How am I supposed to believe that, Maggie? You apologized before and led me straight to Viki. What will be different this time?¡± I asked. Maggie shook her head hard. ¡°No. I am asking for a chance to prove I am not that person. I made a stupid decision. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± Before I felt as if Maggie was lying when she apologized, this time her apology felt genuine. My wolf huffed but did not argue with me. She wanted Maggie to be gone, but she could also tell Maggie was not lying and regretted her decision. ¡°I can forgive you,¡± I said. Maggie¡¯s eyes widened. Nn¡¯s head snapped toward me. ¡°Talia.¡± ¡°I said I can forgive you,¡± I repeated firmly. ¡°That does not mean I trust you. It just means for now you will not be banished¡± Maggie swallowed hard. ¡°Thank you. Luna Ta, I¡­¡± I raised a hand slightly to stop her from rushing into gratitude too quickly. 173 +25 Bonus ¡°You will be punished based on packw. If you evermit an unforgivable act again,¡± I said, ¡°there will be no conversation. You will have only one option: flee or be executed.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Maggie said quickly. ¡°Swear on it,¡± I said firmly. Maggie ced a hand over her heart and then said, ¡°I swear to the Moon Goddess.¡± Nn¡¯s eyes stayed on me. I could tell he did not like my decision by his intense frown, but he wasn¡¯t going to stop me. This was my decision and he wasn¡¯t going to take that from me. ¡°You will also follow ranks properly. You will address me correctly. If you have concerns, you will speak to Nn directly and respectfully, or you will keep your distance. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Maggie said. ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± ¡°Now, get out,¡± Nn ordered. Maggie stood slowly, wiped her face, and shut the door behind her. A momentter, the door opened again, and De rushed in so quickly she nearly collided with Nn. Marco followed behind her. De went straight to me. ¡°Let me see,¡± she said with a worried look. She carefully checked my shoulder and then seemed finally relieved. ¡°I am fine,¡± I said and smiled at her, brushing her hand away. De¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You were poisoned. I do not want to hear ¡®fine¡¯ from you. Do you hear me?¡± ¡°The doctor already checked her twice this morning,¡± Marco said. De turned on him instantly. ¡°Doctors make mistakes! And if you ever block me from seeing her again, I will make you regret it.¡± ¡°I followed Nn¡¯s instructions,¡± Marco said and hands up in surrender. De jabbed a finger toward him, then turned back to me and said, ¡°I saw Maggie leaving your room. I wanted to wring her neck, but Marco wouldn¡¯t let me.¡± ¡°I forgave her,¡± I said. ¡°You did what? Are you sure you¡¯re not sick? She tried to get you killed, Talia.¡± ¡°She was deceived,¡± I said. ¡°So what?¡± De shot back. ¡°She didn¡¯t care if you got hurt as long as you were out of the way, so she could get to Nn. How could you forgive her? Nn, you let her do this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but it was her decision to make,¡± Nn responded. ¡°If Maggie steps out of line again, she will be banished,¡± I answered. De sighed in exasperation and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re too merciful,¡± she muttered. Nn turned to Marco. ¡°Any updates on the investigation?¡± he asked, changing the topic. ¡°The wine was tested. It contains thepound that caused the madness that urred in your father,¡± Marco replied ¡°We checked surrounding patrol routes and there was nothing that suggests the madness is spreading across pack borders now.¡± +25 Bonus I felt relieved hearing that, but notpletely. ¡°Then how did Viki get it?¡± I asked. ¡°We do not know yet,¡± Marco answered. ¡°Starting today, we need to ramp up warrior training and double border patrols. The moment anyone catches a scent that matches what we sawst night, I want it reported immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Marco said. Nn looked at De. ¡°And you stay close to Talia at all times.¡± De crossed her arms. ¡°I was going to do that anyway.¡± Marco and De left a few minutester. Nn sat on the edge of the bed and fell silent. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± I asked. ¡°It is a pity that you did not truly get to enjoy your Luna ceremony,¡± Nn answered. ¡°So, I¡¯m thinking of holding a return party for you. What do you think?¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. Let Maggie organize it,¡± I suggested. P Support Share ! +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 215 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTEEN Talia¡¯s POV Three dayster, De stood behind me, tugging the zipper of my dress up with more force than necessary. ¡°If you keep yanking at it like that, you¡¯re going to tear it,¡± I told her and De stepped back to sit down on my bed. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you allowed this,¡± she muttered. ¡°This is a really bad decision to let Maggie organize again.¡± ¡°She will not try anything,¡± I said. ¡°She cried and apologized to me at the hospital. She knows how close she came to losing everything.¡± De snorted. ¡°Crocodile tears. She only cried because she got caught. If Viki never revealed it was Maggie helping her, do you really think she would¡¯ve told the truth?¡± ¡°I think she would,¡± I replied as I looked at my reflection. The dress I chose was a shade of soft blue. It was long, simple, and flowed easily when I moved. It wouldn¡¯t slow me down if I needed to move quickly. ¡®Are you concerned that something would happen tonight?¡¯ my wolf asked. ¡®No,¡¯ I replied, but it was still better to be prepared. ra stood near the wardrobe, carefully putting away the dresses I didn¡¯t choose. She hesitated before speaking, as if weighing whether she should say anything at all. ¡°Maggie really was distraught when she came back from the hospital,¡± ra interjected. ¡°Only because Alpha Nn is upset with her,¡± De muttered. ¡°She locked herself in her room for almost a full day,¡± ra continued. ¡°When meals were brought to her, she was crying all the time and barely touched her food.¡± ¡°She should be miserable,¡± De snorted. I rolled my eyes. ¡°What did she do after that?¡± ¡°She threw herself into preparing the party,¡± ra continued. ¡°She has worked all morning, and all night to make sure everything is perfect.¡± ¡°Are we supposed to be impressed?¡± De asked. ¡°That is her job. So, she should take it seriously.¡± ¡°She has been kinder with the other omegas too, Beta De. I think Luna may be right about her,¡± ra replied. I remembered how she was unting her authority over the other omegas, ¡®She is learning her ce so far,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®But it¡¯s changing nothing. She is still not to be trusted.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she has you fooled too, ra. She is only doing this to get back in Talia¡¯s good graces. She is not sincere,¡± De snapped. ¡°I think she understands what is at stake,¡± I countered. ¡°This is herst chance.¡± De sighed and crossed her arms, ¡°I hope you are right. Shouldn¡¯t we be heading to the banquet hall? We don¡¯t want Nn thinking something is wrong.¡± ¡°Maggie moved the party to the central square, like you asked,¡± ra said. ¡°The guards have screened everyone in advance She insisted on it.¡± That caught my attention. +25 Bonus ¡°She did?¡± I asked. ra nodded. ¡°Yes. She said she did not want you to feel unsafe again.¡± ¡°Good¡± ¡°You are pleased too easily,¡± De scolded. ¡°I am pleased that she followed instructions,¡± I corrected. ¡°Nothing more.¡± When we made it to the square, there were tables set up and people could sit anywhere. Pack members were dressed in casual clothing. Children wereughing and people were dancing. The pack was very rxed. This was exactly what I wanted. Nn stood near the center. He was speaking with an Elder. Maggie stood a few feet away, overseeing the bar setup. Nn noticed me almost immediately and walked over to me quickly. He pulled me into a tight hug and I leaned into him. Nn pulled back just enough to look at me. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Nn asked. ¡°You look better.¡± ¡°I feel better,¡± I replied. Nn leaned forward to kiss my forehead, but I raised up on my toes and kissed him on his lips. He smirked and whispered into my ear, ¡°Don¡¯t do too much or you¡¯ll pay for it tonight.¡± I blushed as I saw what he nned on doing to me through the mind link. Maggie approached carefully. ¡°Luna Talia,¡± she said as she bowed to me again. ¡°Everything is ready. If there is anything you would like changed, please tell me.¡± I looked around once more before answering, ¡°It looks good. Thank you.¡± ¡°I am d,¡± Maggie said. De leaned in toward me. ¡°It is fine,¡± she muttered, as if the word tasted unpleasant. ¡°I am going to go find Marco.¡± De red at Maggie before she headed off toward the far side of the square. ¡°Go and enjoy the party, Maggie,¡± Nn ordered. ¡°You too, ra.¡± Maggie hesitated only for a second before her shoulders dropped in disappointment. Nn was still treating her coldly ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Maggie said and quickly left with ra. Nn didn¡¯t give her a second nce and took my hand. His thumb brushed lightly against my knuckles. ¡°You have Maggie¡¯s loyalty now.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Just because she did this correctly doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s loyal.¡± Nn smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s a start, but that caution is exactly why you are Luna.¡± Before I could respond, he guided me toward the center of the square. The conversations around us gradually softened and the music lowered to a soft hum. Attention shifted to us. ¡°My pack,¡± Nn said, his voice carrying, ¡°Thank you for being here tonight.¡± The square quieted fully. ¡°Three days ago, Luna Talia was taken from us,¡± he continued. ¡°Today, she stands here alive and strong as the Lama of Bloodmoon should be.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°I know the past days have shaken this pack,¡± I said. ¡°They tried to break us. To break me. But I am still here and I am not going anywhere. I will stand with you. I will fight for you. And I will protect this pack beside Alpha Nn.¡± I raised my ss. ¡°To the Bloodmoon Pack,¡± I said. The response was immediate. ¡°To the Bloodmoon Pack!¡± P Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 216 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTEEN Talia¡¯s POV The bedroom door shut behind us, and the sound cut off the noise from the party like a switch. I turned to Nn immediately. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him down into a kiss. He froze for half a second, and then he kissed me back. His hands came up to my shoulders like he was trying to slow me down without pushing me away. I kept my mouth on his and my body pressed to him. When I finally broke away, gasping, Nn¡¯s voice was a strained rasp. ¡°We should go to bed. You need sleep.¡± ¡°What happened to making me ¡®pay for it¡¯ tonight?¡± I teased, my voice dropping an octave. ¡°You¡¯re still recovering,¡± he insisted, though his eyes were dark with hunger. I stepped back, spinning in a slow, defiant circle. ¡°I¡¯m fine. See? Not a scratch left.¡± ¡°Talia.¡± His warning tone was there, but it was wavering. ¡°I¡¯ve rested for days, Nn. I¡¯m not spending another night lying there like a porcin doll while you sit across the room watching me like you¡¯re waiting for me to stop breathing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I was doing,¡± he muttered, turning away to kick off his shoes. He pulled his shirt over his head in one fluid motion. I forced myself not to gawk at the y of muscles across his back, focusing instead on the wall he¡¯d built between us. ¡°It is,¡± I challenged, walking up behind him. ¡°You haven¡¯t touched me the same since you brought me back. It¡¯s like you think I¡¯ll break if you hold me too tight.¡± ¡°You were poisoned, Talia,¡± Nn snapped, spinning around. The raw fear in his eyes stopped me cold. ¡°I watched the color leave your face. I watched you almost die.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m here. I¡¯m recovered.¡± I stepped into his space, my hands sliding up the hard nes of his chest, tracing the familiar maps of his scars. ¡°I want you. Don¡¯t you want me?¡± I could see the internal war raging behind his eyes. My wolf stirred, pacing with predatory intent. ¡®Show him,¡¯ she urged.¡¯ Remind him who we are.¡¯ ¡°Stop treating me like I¡¯m fragile,¡± I whispered, my fingers curling into his skin. ¡°I am not some weak female.¡± ¡°You need rest,¡± he grumbled, but his hands had already found my waist, his grip tightening instinctively. I silenced his protests with another kiss-this one deeper, slower, demanding a response. Nn¡¯s control snapped. He cupped my face with both hands and kissed me hard. His hands moved from my face to my waist, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. ¡°You¡¯re going to regret starting this tonight,¡± he growled. ¡°Never,¡± I breathed, a triumphantugh escaping me. Nn¡¯s mouth dropped to my neck. The mate bond red to life as he kissed the mark on my neck. I moaned and then Nn stopped. I pulled back enough to look at him. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong now?¡± ¡°Every time I close my eyes, I see your blood on my hands. I keep thinking about how you were struggling to breathe and how the doctors were going to tell me I was toote.¡± I reached up, cradling his face just as I had the moment I first woke up in the hospital. ¡°Nn, look at me. I¡¯m right here I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± I leaned in, nipping at his jawline. ¡°Nn¡­¡± ¡°If I lose you,¡± he rasped, his eyes dark with a lingering shadow, ¡°I lose everything.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°Then don¡¯t let me go,¡± I breathed against his skin, my voice a softmand. ¡°I¡¯m right here. But you¡¯ve been acting like I¡¯m already gone. Don¡¯t you miss me? Don¡¯t you miss this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he choked out. I leaned forward and kissed his neck before biting down. It caught him off guard. ¡°Then show me, my mate,¡± I coaxed. My hand slipped beneath the waistband of his pants, my fingers finding him, stroking him with a slow, wicked deliberation. That was the breaking point. In a blur, Nn picked me up and carried me to the bed. He set me down and then he was on top of me, removing my clothes faster than he ever had before. His kisses were hungry as if all his restraint had left him. I wasn¡¯tining. When he finally entered me, my breath hitched and I clutched his shoulders, my back arching. ¡°Nn!¡± I gasped. Even now, I still wasn¡¯t used to howrge he was and how he stretched me. Nn cursed under his breath, and his forehead dropped to mine for a second. ¡°Goddess¡­ I could stay like this forever,¡± he groaned. After a few agonizing seconds, he began to thrust slowly to allow me to adjust to him before he pushed deeper and harder. I wrapped my legs around him and pulled him closer, allowing him to go deeper. I rocked my hips up to meet his thrusts. Pleasure kept building after each thrust until I was screaming his name and finally came in a shivering mess. Nn followed quickly after, gripping my waist so hard I knew there would be bruises. Eventually, he rolled onto his side and hauled me back against his chest, his skin slick and hot. I rested my head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. I moved backwards to get closer to him and Nn let out a warning, gravelly growl. ¡°You keep doing that and neither one of us will sleep tonight.¡± ¡°You say that like it¡¯s a bad thing,¡± I teased. The room was quiet for a long moment before Nn¡¯s arm tightened around me, his voice turning somber. ¡°You cannot do that again.¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t put yourself in danger again like that, Talia. I can¡¯t survive another scare like thest one.¡± ¡°I promise,¡± I murmured, sealing the vow with another kiss. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share (get it +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 217 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTEEN Maggie¡¯s POV I gripped my ss so hard it cracked. Nn was walking Talia back towards their room. He leaned down and kissed her, not caring who watched. Talia¡¯s smile widened as he whispered something in her ear. The pack was still celebrating her return, but the sound only made my loneliness worse. I had tried so hard to be his Luna. I had convinced myself that if I proved I was useful, he would eventually look at me the way he looked at her. Tonight was thest nail in the coffin. Nn would never love me. 1 ¡®You should have listened to me,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®It will be okay.¡¯ ¡®How will it?¡¯ I snapped. ¡®I am all alone now.¡¯ At twenty, I was still without a mate. It just made me want to lie down and cry. Instead, I maintained myposure as best as I could but seeing Nn and Talia so romantically with each other was my breaking point. I turned toward ra and the other omegas. ¡°We will clean up tomorrow. Stack the tes and cups and clean the bar.¡± ¡°Maggie, where are you going?¡± ra asked. ¡°I just need some space,¡± I said. ¡°It iste,¡± she whispered. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be wandering off on your own.¡± ¡°I am just taking a walk. It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± I said, and I hated how defensive I sounded. ra took a step closer. ¡°After everything that happened, you should not walk alone.¡± ¡°I will be fine,¡± I insisted. ¡°I just need a moment to myself.¡± One of the younger omegas nced toward the guards at the edge of the square. ¡°Maggie, we can just ask one of the guards. They¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± I snapped. ¡°Please. Just do what I asked. I will not be gone long.¡± ra hesitated and then said, ¡°Then, don¡¯t go too far. Stay near the pack house.¡± ¡°I will,¡± I lied. I walked away before anyone could say anything else. The square¡¯s music faded behind me as I moved down the path and away from the lights. ¡®Don¡¯t give up hope. We will find our mate,¡¯ she said, trying to sound gentle. ¡°That is not what I want,¡± I whispered. ¡®It should be what you want,¡¯ she snapped. ¡®You are not his mate. You need to let this go. You betrayed the pack and Nn. Nn sparing you was a mercy. He should have killed you for what you did.¡¯ The memory of Nn¡¯s face when he ordered me to apologize still made me grimace. He had humiliated me, but it was better than being exiled or worse being executed. I walked until the path opened onto a quieter corner of the district, where a small bar sat tucked between two closed shops. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. It was dimly lit and there were not a lot of people inside. +25 Bonus A few men nced up at me and then looked away. I sat at the bar and the bartender asked, ¡°What are you having?¡± ¡°Something strong, please.¡± He filled and then slid a ss toward me without questions. I drank it down quickly. I ordered another and enjoyed the burn. I had just lifted the third ss to my lips when two men approached me. One leaned his elbow on the bar to the right of me and the other sat down to the left of me, blocking me in. ¡°Alone tonight?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, staring into my drink. The second man chuckled. ¡°Well, so are we. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had a rough day. I don¡¯t feel like talking,¡± I said before finishing my drink. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Let us cheer you up,¡± the second man said. I ced a twenty down on the bar and slid off my stool. The first man stood up and blocked my path. ¡°No need to rush. We are just talking,¡± he said. ¡°Well, I¡¯m done talking,¡± I said. He grinned like my words were a joke. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I said. I attempted to sidestep out of his way, but he caught my wrist. His grip tightened. ¡°It matters to me,¡± he said. I pulled my arm back. ¡°Do not touch me,¡± I growled. The second man moved behind me. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of attitude for someone alone.¡± ¡°It would be better for you if you left me alone,¡± I said. ¡°Oh yeah? And why is that?¡± ¡°I am Maggie. I am Alpha Nn¡¯s maid!¡± For a second, they looked worried and I thought they would leave me alone. Then the first manughed. ¡°You expect us to believe that?¡± he asked. ¡°It is true,¡± I said. The second man scoffed. ¡°If you are Alpha Nn¡¯s maid, then I am the Alpha King.¡± The first man grabbed my wrist again. ¡°Come on. You can stop lying.¡± His grip tightened and I couldn¡¯t remove his hand from my wrist. ¡°Let go,¡± I said, and my voice rose. ¡°Let go of me.¡± He leaned closer. ¡°Or what?¡± I tried to jerk free, but he yanked me toward him. ¡°Come on. I know the perfect way to cheer you up back at my ce.¡± ¡°Let her go,¡± a voice said from behind them. Both men turned. 1 +25 Bonus A stranger stood a few steps away. He was tall and built like a linebacker. He red at the two men as he walked over The first man snorted. ¡°Mind your business.¡± ¡°She already refused your offer,¡± the stranger said. ¡°Let her go.¡± The second man stepped toward him. ¡°And who the hell are you?¡± The stranger did not answer. He hit the first man so hard it sounded like thunder. The man staggered, shocked, and the stranger followed with a second punch that sent him stumbling into a table. The second man lunged, but the stranger grabbed him by the cor and mmed him into the bar. The bartender backed away fast. ¡°Leave,¡± the stranger snarled. ¡°Now!¡± The two men bolted for the door, cursing under their breath as they fled into the night. I turned toward the stranger. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, finally catching my breath. As the light hit his face, I realized he was strikingly handsome. My heart raced and I hated it. ¡°Maggie,¡± he said, his voice softening. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 218 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTEEN Maggie¡¯s POV ¡°You know me?¡± I asked. ¡°How do you know me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen you with Alpha Nn. It¡¯s hard not to notice the people around him,¡± he exined. That made sense, but his answer seemed to be too convenient. He could have overheard me say I was Alpha Nn¡¯s maid. I¡¯d already been too careless tonight. ¡°So, you¡¯re a guard?¡± ¡°Mostly a warrior,¡± he said. ¡°I rotate to the border patrol from time to time.¡± ¡°Alright. What are you doing here tonight? Did Alpha Nn tell you to bring me back?¡± I asked. ¡°No. Tonight was a long shift, so I came here to rx,¡± he exined as he sat down on the stool beside mine, and I settled back into my seat to finish my drink. ¡°Bartender, old fashioned,¡± he ordered. I watched him as he drank his drink. He let my gaze travel from his face down to where his shirt stretched across his broad chest. ¡°I have to say¡­ I¡¯ve never seen such a handsome warrior before,¡± I blurted, my cheeks burning. I wasn¡¯t usually so forward, but alcohol wasn¡¯t called liquid courage for nothing. A slow smile spread across his face. ¡°Are you flirting with me?¡± he asked. ¡°What if I am?¡± I shot back. His smile widened. ¡°You¡¯re ying with fire, Maggie.¡± ¡°I am not afraid of being burned,¡± I purred before finishing my drink. No man had ever looked at me with such obvious desire. My wolf growled within me, bringing me out of my lustful thoughts. ¡®Stop this right now. We need to go home,¡¯ she urged. ¡®We don¡¯t know him and you¡¯re not thinking correctly.¡¯ Normally, I would have listened as my wolf has always kept me safe, but tonight, safety was thest thing I wanted. ¡®I¡¯m just having fun. I deserve to have fun,¡¯ I told her. ¡°This isn¡¯t about fun, Maggie! We don¡¯t know him,¡¯ my wolf argued. I pushed her down until she was nothing more than a distant whisper. ¡°I¡¯m Mason, by the way,¡± he said.! ¡°Nice to meet you, Mason,¡± I replied. ¡°And thank you for saving me.¡± ¡°What are you doing out here alone sote, Maggie?¡± His gaze was intense, tracking the movement of my lips. ¡°The man I love chose someone else,¡± I said simply. ¡°I thought if I drank enough, it might stop hurting for a while. Maybe I could forget how stupid I was to believe I actually mattered to him.¡± Mason ced his hand over mine. ¡°Goddess, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No need. With you around, I feel safe. So my ns weren¡¯t fully ruined by those jerks,¡± I said. Mason touched my cheek, causing me to look at him in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re gorgeous, Maggie. Anyone who didn¡¯t choose you was a fool.¡± He leaned closer and kissed me. The kiss was gentle at first, but when I slid my hand into his hair, he deepened it. When we pulled apart, I could see my own desire reflected in his eyes. ¡°We should find somewhere more private,¡± he suggested. +25 Bonus I nodded before my mind could catch up with my body. My pulse raced with anticipation and fear. I¡¯d never done anything this impulsive, but I didn¡¯t want to stop. ¡®Maggie!¡¯ my wolf snarled. ¡®You need to stop this right now!¡¯ ¡®Stop talking and let me enjoy myself,¡¯ I growled back as I forced her down again. Mason took my hand and led me to the back of the bar where there were a few rooms for private meetings. Mason found one that was unlocked and empty and pulled me inside. His hands tangled in my hair as he kissed me again. Mason pressed me up against the door. One hand gripped my waist while the other grabbed my breast. I gasped. It was intoxicating, being wanted like this. It was better than any of my fantasies. When Mason pulled back, he asked, ¡°Are you sure about this? We can stop.¡± Instead of answering, I reached for the hem of his shirt and tugged it upward. Mason understood immediately, pulling it over his head and letting it fall to the floor. I¡¯d thought he was handsome before. Seeing him like this stole my breath. His chest was broad and defined, muscle shifting beneath golden skin. ¡°Goddess, you¡¯re so sexy,¡± I breathed, tracing the lines of his body with my fingertips. He shivered under my touch, a sound somewhere between a groan and a sigh leaving his throat. Mason¡¯s hands moved to unbutton my shirt. When he pushed it off my shoulders, his gaze darkened as it settled on the ck bra beneath. He guided me toward the small couch in the corner. We both sat down. When his hand slid between my legs, I had to mp my mouth shut to keep from crying out. I was already so wet. ¡°Touch me too,¡± he murmured against my neck as he guided my hand to his hard length with his free hand. I wrapped my hand around him, startled by how hard he already was. I slowly began to stroke him and Mason began to pump his finger in and out of me in time with my hand. As the pleasure began to build, I couldn¡¯t focus on anything and held onto Mason. Mason pulled away abruptly to pull his pants fully off as well as mine. He climbed on top of me. I felt him pushing into me and I gripped his shoulders as panic began to rise within me. ¡°Mason,¡± I gasped. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked, looking down at me ¡°I should tell you¡­ I¡¯ve never¡­ I mean, I¡¯m still¡­¡± ¡°A virgin?¡± he finished in a low whisper. I nodded, heat rushing to my cheeks. I nodded, my face burning with heat. Mason didn¡¯t pull back. Instead, he leaned in and captured my lips in a deep kiss. ¡°I¡¯ll be gentle with you, Maggie,¡± Mason whispered into my ear before he thrusted into me. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share (get it ?? +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 219 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & NINETEEN Talia¡¯s POV I joined Nn for breakfast earlier than usual. He had already finished working through a stack of documents, though several more were arranged neatly beside his te. I could tell he was trying not to work too much while I was there. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stop working because I¡¯m here,¡± I said, reaching for my cup. ¡°I¡¯m not stopping,¡± Nn replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯m pacing myself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you rearranging your entire routine because of me,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m just adjusting to the new norm, that¡¯s all,¡± Nn replied. The new norm should be me sharing the responsibility with him, not me sitting around in our residence but waiting for him to ¡°I don¡¯t want to sit idle anymore,¡± I told him. ¡°You have only just recovered. There is no reason to rush into anything,¡± Nn replied and gave me a soft kiss. ¡°No, I want to take on my Luna duties officially. I want to help manage pack affairs,¡± I said. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been kidnapped, I would¡¯ve been doing it already.¡± Nn smiled and said, ¡°Honestly, I was waiting for you to say that.¡± ¡°And I have experience,¡± I continued and winked at him. ¡°I assisted Solon in Silverfang, remember? And I managed Shadoww on my own for a while. I am well prepared to do this.¡± A faint smile curved his mouth. ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to convince me, Talia.¡± He turned slightly toward Maggie, who stood at a respectable distance near the doorway. ¡°Is everything ready?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Maggie answered with a smile. I frowned. ¡°Ready for what?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Nn said as he stood and extended his hand to me. I took it. He guided me down the corridor toward the Alpha¡¯s office. The guards nodded as we passed. When Nn opened the office door, I stepped inside and stopped. There were now two desks. His remained where it always had, facing the window that overlooked the central square. But beside it, positioned close enough that we could speak without raising our voices, stood a second desk. Several books I often read were stacked neatly along one corner. ¡°This office isn¡¯t mine anymore. It¡¯s our office,¡± Nn exined. I turned to him. ¡°You did this?¡± ¡°I had help,¡± he replied. ¡°Maggie oversaw the setup.¡± I nodded. Maggie was really trying to make amends. I still wasn¡¯t at the point of trusting her, but I appreciated the gesture, even if she had been ordered to do it. I walked to the desk and ran my hand over the smooth surface. ¡°You trust me this much?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my mate. My Luna. Of course I trust you,¡± he said. +25 Bonus I didn¡¯t want Nn to trust me only because we were mates. I wanted him to trust me because he knew I was capable. ¡®Then we will prove to him that we are worthy of our position,¡¯ my wolf stated. ¡°Thank you. I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± I told him. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to,¡± he answered. Nn walked over to his desk and gathered a stack of reports. ¡°Start with these. These are patrol summaries, border activity, and pack member concerns. The moreplex matters, we will review together.¡± I took the stack from him and sat down with a confident smile. The reports were organized by region. Most of them detailed rogue sightings along the outer borders. Some viges reported livestock stolen. A few mentioned attempted intrusions at night. Nothing too aggressive, but there was a persistent consistency of rogue activity. ¡°This has been happening for a while,¡± I said as I scanned the fifth patrol summary. ¡°It has,¡± Nn admitted. ¡°The terrain near the outer borders is overgrown. It makes it easier for rogues to approach unnoticed. I have increased patrol rotations since your kidnapping.¡± ¡°We cannot keep expanding patrols forever,¡± I said. ¡°It drains manpower and leaves other areas exposed.¡± Nn leaned back in his chair. ¡°What would you suggest?¡± I set the reports down and thought through the terrain in my mind. ¡°We build a wall,¡± I suggested. ¡°A defensive wall along the most vulnerable stretch of the outer ins border. We establish limited entry points that are heavily guarded. Anyone entering must pass through those checkpoints.¡± He listened without interruption. ¡°With defined entry points,¡± I continued, ¡°we reduce the number of guards needed to maintain security. It would be a stronger defense.¡± Nn considered the idea for a moment. ¡°It would change how we operate,¡± he said. ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°But it would also force rogues to confront us directly and seek sanctuary properly. It would keep rogues from sneaking in anything that could harm us. ¡°It¡¯s a solid n,¡± Nn said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to review cost, materials, andbor distribution, but I agree with the direction.¡± Relief settled in my chest. For a moment, I had been concerned that I might have been overstepping. ¡°This is our pack now. You have as much a say in how to protect it as Nn. Start thinking like this is our pack,¡¯ my wolf scolded
¡®You¡¯re right,¡¯ I agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll call a meeting with the high-ranking wolves. Marco will want to hear this. The elders as well,¡± Nn continued. ¡°I can exin the proposal to them,¡± I offered. ¡°Are you ready for that now?¡± Nn asked. He looked genuinely concerned. ¡°I stood before Shadoww as Luna,¡± I reminded him. ¡°I can stand before Bloodmoon.¡± A proud smile returned to his face. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go!¡± 2 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 220 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWENTY Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus High-ranking pack members were assembled in the central meeting room. The room sat near the heart of the pack house. It wasrge enough to hold a full council and still left space for warriors to stand along the walls. As Nn and I stepped inside, all conversations ended. The pack members walked toward the table. I had seen several of them at the return party, but this was the first time I would speak to them as their Luna. ¡°Alpha,¡± several greeted. ¡°Luna,¡± others added. All eyes were on me. I kept my hands rxed at my sides. I refused to look uncertain, even for a second. ¡®You belong here,¡¯ my wolf said firmly. ¡®Don¡¯t forget that.¡¯ Nn walked with me toward the head of the table. He sat at the head, and I sat to the right of him. De took the seat to the right of me and Marco took the seat to the left of Nn. ¡°Sit,¡± Nnmanded. Everyone sat down and one pack member said, ¡°It is good seeing the Alpha and Luna. I hope you have called us here for good news.¡± ¡°This meeting is convened to discuss the safety of Bloodmoon,¡± Nn exined. ¡°Luna Talia reviewed the recent patrol reports. She noticed a pattern.¡± He turned to me and asked, ¡°Would you like to borate on what you found?¡± I stood up, and walked to the other end of the table, so everyone could see me. ¡°I went through patrol summaries, border reports, and pack member concerns,¡± I began. ¡°There is a consistent pattern in the documents. Rogue incursions are bing more frequent.¡± A few of them exchanged looks, but no one spoke. ¡°Right now, we are responding to the issue,¡± I continued, ¡°but we are chasing the problem when we need to be proactive. Increasing rotations helps in the short term, but it burns out our warriors and makes us weaker in the long term.¡± An old pack member leaned back in his chair and asked, ¡°We are aware, Luna. This is a known concern; however, we don¡¯t have any other choice.¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± I said. ¡°The outer ins are too open, and it gives rogues too many ways to approach without being spotted. We can change the structure of the border. My proposal is to build a defensive wall along the most vulnerable section of the ins border.¡± ¡°That would be cutting us off,¡± one of them blurted out. ¡°How would we get supplies or help if we need it?¡± ¡°No, it would only block that area. It would connect using the forest edge and the mountains as anchors,¡± I exined. ¡°We would create only a few controlled entry points with permanent gates. With limited entry points, we do not need dozens of scattered patrols. That frees the rest of our warriors to train, reinforce viges, and respond quickly if rogues appear elsewhere.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this an overreaction? They are only stealing a few livestock,¡± another pack member asked. ¡°They haven¡¯t done anything that would warrant this.¡± My wolf bristled within me. ¡®Is our abduction not enough for them?¡¯ she growled. ¡®Would it be an overreaction it their loved one was taken from them?¡¯ ¡°This is not just about stopping rogues from stealing livestock,¡± I said firmly. ¡°This is a situation where it will escte. What happens when a rogue is caught? Will they be violent to get what they want? That is a reality that our pack should not have to face. By building the wall, it will prevent them from bringing in anything that can be harmful, prevent dangerous rogues or rogues with bounties being able to enter and cause damage before we find out about it.¡± +25 Bonus I did not need to bring up my kidnapping. It was still fresh on everyone¡¯s mind. It shouldn¡¯t happen and with stricter entryways this shouldn¡¯t happen again. ¡°I want your assessment,¡± I said. ¡°If you see ws, say them. If you see improvements, speak.¡± No one said anything for a few minutes. Marco was the first to speak. He leaned forward, forearms on the table, and looked down at the table. ¡°It¡¯s practical and I think it could work,¡± Marco said. ¡°When are you proposing to get this done?¡± ¡°In a month,¡± I said. A pack member on the left side of the table spoke. ¡°A month is fast.¡± ¡°It is fast if you expect only the warriors to build it,¡± Marco replied. ¡°It¡¯s not fast if we rotate construction shifts and use vigers for hauling, digging, and basicbor. Warriors handle security and the heavy lifting.¡± Another pack member asked, ¡°What about emergencies? If the wall forces movement through gates, it slows travel.¡± ¡°It only slows travel in that area. Of course, Bloodmoon pack members will be able to move freely,¡± Marco said. ¡°It forces any rogues moving through that border to be seen, recorded, and challenged. They will be forced to do that if they enter any other area. That is the point.¡± A few wolves nodded, while others remained stone-faced, watching Nn. Then, a cold scoff cut through the silence. To my right, a stern man sat rigid, his gaze hard with disgust as if I had said the worst thing imaginable. ¡°A wall,¡± he huffed, voice dripping with disdain. ¡°So, is this what Bloodmoon has be? A pack that hides because its new Luna is afraid of rogues?¡± Support Share ¥·¥Ã¥¯ SOWEND ONE +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 221 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWENTY ONE Nn¡¯s POV Talia did not react with anger when Walden spoke. I saw the surprise in her eyes, but she did not let it show beyond that first flicker. My wolf growled within me. He did not like how Walden was talking to Talia, but Talia had to hold her own in front of them. ¡°Luna,¡± I said evenly, ¡°this is Walden. He is my Chief Warrior.¡± Walden inclined his head a fraction in acknowledgment. ¡°Chief Warrior Walden,¡± Talia said calmly, ¡°There is no need for the jab. If you have an issue with my proposal, this is what you¡¯re here for. Exin your reasoning.¡± Walden raised an eyebrow at Talia¡¯s reaction as if he didn¡¯t expect Talia to respond in a professional manner. ¡°Winter is approaching,¡± he said. ¡°The harsh season always weakens supply lines and strains manpower. Construction of a wall across the ins will require significant warrior presence for at least a month. During that time, our fighting force will be divided between defense andbor.¡± Some of the pack members began to nod their heads in agreement. He did make a good point. ¡°If another pack chooses that window to challenge us,¡± Walden continued, ¡°or if rogues gather in greater numbers, we will not have our full strength avable. Even with vigers assisting, issues will arise. That is part of construction. On top of that, conflicts between vigers and warriors are inevitable when food and resources be limited.¡± Walden turned his full attention back to Talia. ¡°For those reasons, I oppose beginning construction now.¡± No one said anything. The room remained quiet as everyone digested his words. De was fuming but she couldn¡¯t argue against Walden¡¯s point. ¡°There is truth in what Walden is saying,¡± I said. Talia didn¡¯t look at me, but I could tell she was upset by how rigid she became. ¡®I thought you agreed with my n,¡¯ Talia said through our mind link. ¡®I do, but Walden is not opposing you because he doesn¡¯t like you. I left him in charge of Bloodmoon while I was in Silverfang. He handled border pressure, internal disputes, and patrol rotations without incident. I have never doubted his loyalty or his judgment when ites to our military strength,¡¯ I exined. ¡®Walden does not know everything,¡¯ Talia responded. That was true. He did not know about the resurgence of mad rogue blood. I had kept that information contained to prevent panic from spreading through the pack. ¡°I acknowledge the concern. You make valid points,¡± Talia said after a moment. Walden looked pleased until Talia continued.¡± However, the wall is not being built out of fear. It is a preemptive measure.¡± Walden frowned and looked as if he was about to say something, but Talia didn¡¯t give him the opportunity. ¡°I will not force every warrior to participate,¡± she said. ¡°But at least half must.¡± A murmur rippled through the room at that number. ¡°We offer structured rotations,¡± she went on. ¡°Increased rations during shifts.¡± Walden¡¯s expression did not change. ¡°If we are attacked during that month,¡± Talia said, ¡°I will call on Shadoww¡¯s elite warriors. I will also request reinforcement from Silverfang.¡± TWIND +25 Bonus Walden exhaled through his nose. ¡°Shadoww and Silverfang are too far. By the time either pack responds, we would have sustained major casualties. And the area you¡¯re concerned with is over six miles. Six miles! Even with one thousand wolves working in rotation, that is an enormous undertaking. It is not possible for the wall to bepleted in a month.¡± ¡°With that mindset, it won¡¯t be possible,¡± Talia argued. Walden then stood up, angrily sliding his chair back. ¡°You may have governed Shadoww, but Bloodmoon¡¯s terrain is different. Let the wolves who know what they¡¯re doing handle the safety of the pack.¡± My wolf snarled inside me. ¡®How dare he talk to our mate like that!¡¯ Anger rose up in me, not because he questioned logistics, but because he questioned her authority in front of the council. Walden had always been blunt, but never disrespectful, not until today. ¡°That is not an option,¡± Talia snapped. ¡°If there are structural challenges, we address them. But do not dismiss the n because you assume I cannot understand.¡± Walden opened his mouth again, but I cut him off. ¡°Enough.¡± Talia returned to her seat next to me. ¡°You are allowed to question feasibility,¡± I said to Walden. ¡°I expect that of you. But you will not mock my Luna in this room.¡± ¡°It was never my attention, Alpha. L¡­¡± ¡°The wall construction is urgent,¡± I said, interrupting him. ¡°This is not optional. Our temporary fixes are not long term sustainable. If no one has an alternative, the wall will be built.¡± ¡°Alpha, please see the reason,¡± Walden pleaded. ¡°All eyes have always been on us. If anyone notices reduced patrols, we will be sitting ducks.¡± ¡°Walden, you are my Chief Warrior,¡± I said. ¡°I value your judgment. But you will apologize to Luna Talia for questioning her authority in this manner.¡± Walden¡¯s shoulders stiffened. For a moment, I thought he would resist, but then he said, ¡°My words were blunt. I should have chosen them more carefully. I apologize, Luna.¡¯ ¡®He is not sincere,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®We need to make an example out of him.¡¯ ¡®If Talia doesn¡¯t ept, we will. If she does, this will be his one and only warning,¡¯ I told him and he huffed in agreement. ¡°epted,¡± Talia said and Walden visibly rxed. ¡°Are there any alternatives to the rogue problem?¡± I asked. No one said anything. I expected more, but I also understood how people can becent. I was back and I would make sure the pack knew better. After a few minutes of silence, I said, ¡°We will move forward with building the wall. Half the warriors will be assigned in rotation. Marco will coordinate gate security nning. Walden will oversee construction logistics and ensurebat readiness is notpromised.¡± Walden did not argue again. ¡°This begins immediately,¡± I finished. ¡°That is my final order.¡± +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 222 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWENTY TWO Nn¡¯s POV Talia loosened the sp at her cor as soon as we stepped inside our bedroom. I removed my jacket and set it over the chair. For a moment, neither of us spoke. ¡°We should be there when construction begins,¡± Talia said atst. I nced at her. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He was opposed to the proposal, and he was not happy with you ordering it to still bepleted,¡± Talia replied. ¡°I want to see how he¡¯s organizing the warriors. And how the vigers are reacting.¡± ¡°You think he¡¯ll mishandle it?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t believe so but there are different ways to mishandle things while still seeming innocent,¡± Talia answered. ¡°We¡¯ll go in the morning,¡± I agreed. We were preparing to go to bed when there was a loud knock at our door. I exchanged a look with Talia before crossing the room and opening it. Marco and De stood in the doorway. Both looked panicked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. ¡°There¡¯s a disturbance at the border,¡± Marco said. ¡°Warriors and vigers are arguing,¡± De added. ¡°We have broken up a few fights, but it is only escting.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± I said. I turned to Talia. ¡°You¡¯re staying here.¡± Her expression changed immediately. ¡°No, I¡¯m going with you.¡± ¡°This could turn violent,¡± I said. ¡°You were just injured.¡± ¡°And I am Luna,¡± she shot back. ¡°If the conflict is over the wall, then it concerns me directly.¡± ¡°It concerns the pack¡¯s security,¡± I corrected. ¡°Which means I go.¡± She stepped closer. ¡°You cannot keep sidelining me every time something bes dangerous.¡± ¡°This is about your safety.¡± ¡°No, this is about control,¡± she said angrily. ¡°You think you are protecting me. You are not. You are isting me. What will the pack think if I am not there? No one will respect me as Luna.¡± I frowned. There was no time to discuss this. ¡°Talia,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You are staying.¡± Her eyes shed with anger. ¡°You do not get to order me like I am a child.¡± ¡°De,¡± I said, turning away from Talia, ¡°you and two guards remain here. Do not let her leave.¡± De hesitated for half a second and then nodded. I stepped out with Marco before the argument could continue. Behind me, Talia yelled, ¡°You cannot treat me this way, Nn!¡± ¡®You shouldn¡¯t have done that. You are disrespecting our mate,¡¯ my wolf growled. I ignored him and did not turn back. The border was already lit with torches by the time we arrived. I could hear the shouting when we were about a mile away. +25 Bonus Warriors and vigers were clustered near the first marked stretch. Some were pushing each other. Others were shouting over one another. Toolsy abandoned in the dirt. At the center of it stood Walden. He was not interfering. Walden was just watching. ¡°Enough!¡± I shouted. Pack members flinched at my voice before turning to face me. ¡°What is going on?¡± I demanded. Walden stepped forward. ¡°I issued the construction order,¡± he said. ¡°Asmanded.¡± ¡°I can see that.¡± ¡°The warriors are unhappy,¡± he continued. ¡°The vigers are more so.¡± A viger shouted from behind him, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be doing this work! This is not our job!¡± Walden did not look back. ¡°I exined the incentives,¡± he said to me. ¡°It did not help.¡± ¡°What did you tell them?¡± I asked. ¡°The truth,¡± he replied. ¡°That half the warriors would be assigned. That each household must send at least one able member to assist. When they learned it was Luna¡¯s proposal, tempers worsened.¡± I felt my wolf bristle. He did this on purpose. What point was he trying to prove? ¡°How is that relevant?¡± I asked quietly. ¡°I told them where the idea originated,¡± he said evenly. ¡°I thought they needed to know.¡± ¡°It is your job to control them and make this work,¡± I pressed. ¡°I have controlled patrol disputes and border skirmishes,¡± Walden responded. ¡°But this is not a rogue threat. This is internal resistance.¡± ¡®We need to put him in his ce. He is overstepping,¡¯ my wolf growled and now I agreed. Walden was purposely causing issues, so this would fail. ¡°You havemanded this pack¡¯s forces for years. You expect me to believe you cannot handle a riot?¡± Walden did not flinch. ¡°This is not a riot. This is distrust.¡± I stepped closer to him. My Alpha aura began rolling off me, but Walden didn¡¯t back down. ¡°You will not incite hostility toward my Luna.¡± ¡°I am not hostile to her,¡± Walden replied. ¡°I am concerned about you.¡± ¡°Choose your next words carefully,¡± I warned. Walden held my gaze. ¡°Since you brought her back,¡± he said, ¡°your focus has not been the welfare of the pack. You have expanded patrols. You have adjusted guard rotations. You have nowmitted half the warriors to construction to keep rogues away instead of addressing the major issues happening within the pack.¡± Marco stiffened beside me. ¡°That is enough,¡± he said sharply. Walden ignored him. ¡°There is no need for the wall. Rogue incursions have been manageable.¡± ¡°And yet, my Luna was still captured,¡± I said. ¡°And recovered,¡± Walden countered. ¡°Because you acted decisively.¡± WENT TWO +25 Bonus ¡°No, she recovered because she escaped on her own,¡± I growled. ¡°The mate bond is clouding your judgment,¡± Walden finally said. Silence settled around us. Even the vigers had stopped shouting. ¡°You believe my judgment has weakened.¡± ¡°I believe you are acting out of protectiveness rather than strategy.¡± ¡°The rogues are changing,¡± I said. ¡°You do not know everything I know.¡± ¡°Then inform your Chief Warrior,¡± Walden replied. ¡°What am I missing?¡± ¡°You insist the previous patrol method has no issues?¡± I asked. ¡°It functioned,¡± he said. ¡°It maintained bnce. It did not provoke internal division.¡± ¡°And what do you suggest?¡± I asked. ¡°Reconsider the scale of the wall,¡± he said. ¡°Dy until after winter. Reassess manpower distribution. Do not push the pack into resentment.¡± The vigers behind him murmured approval. I looked at the warriors. Some avoided my eyes. Others looked conflicted. This was no longer a debate about logistics. Whether Walden meant to or not, he was challenging my authority. Even if I wanted to go along with his n, I could not now. ¡°The wall construction stands,¡± I said firmly. ¡°You are free to disagree in council. You are not free to undermine me or my Luna in front of the pack.¡± ¡°I have done no such thing,¡± Walden said defensively. ¡°You disagree with my decision, so gave the pack enough information to cause panic and tension,¡± I used. ¡°I am trying to protect Bloodmoon,¡± Walden defended. ¡°And what do you think I am doing?¡± I asked. ¡°I believe,¡± Walden replied, ¡°that since Luna was kidnapped, you have not managed the pack with the same rity before. You put her above the safety of the pack. Please reconsider this, Alpha!¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share get it NWENTY +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 223 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWENTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV How dare he just leave while I was still talking? ¡®Please calm down. He is doing this for our benefit,¡¯ my wolf said in an attempt to calm me down. ¡®You¡¯re supposed to be on my side,¡¯ I growled. ¡®I am, but he¡¯s right. We just recovered. Let him handle this,¡¯ my wolf urged, but I ignored her. I was not going to allow him to treat me like a child. I allowed my ex to take control when he returned, and the pack turned on me. I would not allow that to happen again. ¡®But Nn is not like that. He¡­¡¯ I pushed my wolf down midsentence. I quickly moved to leave the room, but De stepped in front of the door. ¡°De, what are you doing?¡± I asked. ¡°You can¡¯t leave,¡± De said. ¡°Move,¡± I told her. ¡°No.¡± ¡°There is a riot at the border. I need to be there,¡± I told her. ¡°And Alpha Nn ordered you to stay here,¡± De argued. ¡°De! You are my Beta not his,¡± I snapped. ¡°I made a promise to protect the pack just like you did. Nn is now my Alpha too, and it is my responsibility to keep you safe,¡± De countered. ¡°You¡¯ve been recklesstely trying to prove yourself. You just need to rx and let Alpha Nn handle this.¡± I scoffed. ¡°I am not a child that needs to be protected.¡± ¡°No one is treating you like a child, but you were poisoned less than a week ago. You almost died. You don¡¯t need to exert yourself,¡± De shot back. ¡°Alpha Nn is trying to protect you.¡± ¡°I do not need protection from my own pack,¡± I argued. ¡°Listen to me, Talia. You weren¡¯t here seeing how Nn nearly lost his mind when you disappeared,¡± De exined. ¡°He didn¡¯t sleep; he barely ate. He med himself for everything. At least try to understand where he¡¯sing from.¡± ¡°I understand why he is worried,¡± I said. ¡°But I am Luna of Bloodmoon. If there is unrest because of my proposal and I hide in a room, what message does that send?¡± ¡°That you are recovering.¡± ¡°No, the pack would see me as weak. They already see me as a distraction.¡± ¡°No one would dare say that.¡± ¡°Maggie did. Walden did.¡± ¡°Maggie doesn¡¯t count and it¡¯s Walden¡¯s job to be an asshole,¡± De countered. ¡°Everyone loves you.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know me like you do, De,¡± I answered. ¡°Yes, they would never dare say it aloud, but they already think it. It they didn¡¯t, there wouldn¡¯t be fighting right now.¡± ¡°That is not true,¡± De argued. ¡°I am sure they are fighting for different reasons and if anyone ever disrespected you like that, I would handle it.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°It is not your responsibility to defend me every time someone challenges me,¡± I said. ¡°I am Luna and I have to take control¡± De didn¡¯t move from blocking the door. She looked conflicted but she wasn¡¯t backing down. ¡°Please, Talia, just stay here Nn can handle this on his own.¡± I sighed and ran a hand over my face. ¡°Don¡¯t make me order you to stop blocking me, De. I don¡¯t want to do it, but I will if you don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°Talia! Are you really going to use rank on me?¡± ¡°I will if I have to!¡± De¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and hurt. I had never pulled rank on De before, and I didn¡¯t want tomand her to obey if I didn¡¯t have to. Finally, she stepped aside. ¡°Goddess, Talia, you don¡¯t have to be so stubborn all the time,¡± she pouted. ¡°Thank you for understanding,¡± I told her. De rolled her eyes and said, ¡°It¡¯s not like I had a choice. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re not going by yourself. I would rather have Nn not throw me in a dungeon,¡± De replied. We reached the border within minutes. Warriors and vigers were arguing in clusters. Marco was trying to break up a fight while Walden and Nn were arguing. I could feel his anger through our bond. ¡°This is utter chaos,¡¯ my wolf scoffed. ¡®We need to handle this right now.¡¯ ¡°Enough!¡± I shouted. My voice carried farther than I expected, but not everyone stopped arguing. Then, Imanded, ¡± Silence!¡± The Lunamand wasn¡¯t as strong as an Alphamand, but it was enough to make them think twice. All eyes turned toward me. Nn looked at me in surprise. ¡°Talia, what are you doing here? I said I would handle it,¡¯ he said through our mind link. ¡®You will not deal with this on your own,¡¯ I told him. ¡°I understand that you are angry about the wall,¡± I began. ¡°You believe it is unnecessary because you believe our warriors are strong enough to handle rogue incursions.¡± ¡°They are,¡± Walden said firmly as he cut in. Nn had begun growling due to Walden¡¯s constant challenges to his authority. ¡°I agree,¡± I said. Murmurs rippled through the crowd. ¡°Normal rogue invasions have never broken this pack.¡± ¡°Then why change our system?¡± a viger demanded. ¡°Why force this when it is not needed?¡± ¡°Because what attacked me was not normal,¡± I admitted. There were more murmurs of confusion. Even Walden looked shocked by my admission. None of the warriors truly understood the horror of the mad rogues; only Nn, Maggie, De, Marco, and I had witnessed the nightmare firsthand. A warrior near the front frowned. ¡°Rogues have attacked before. They use wolfsbane sometimes. This is nothing unusual ¡± ¡°But they weren¡¯t just using wolfsbane,¡± I responded. Walden folded his arms. ¡°But the doctor said¡­¡± ¡°The wound that nearly killed me was not from wolfsbane alone,¡± I answered, cutting Walden ott. ¡°The rogues that kidnapped me were mad rogues. That is why I almost died.¡± The reaction was immediate. The color drained from people¡¯s faces. Fear reced anger. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 224 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWENTY FOUR Talia¡¯s POV Chaos erupted within the crowd. Pack members began to panic. ¡°Why are we out here if there are mad rogues around?¡± someone yelled. ¡°I have a family!¡± ¡°Everyone calm down,¡± Nnmanded and the crowd silenced again, but fear was still wafting from them. ¡°Is the Mad rogues¡¯ blood as poisonous as the legends?¡± Walden asked, looking directly at me. ¡°It is said that even being near is dangerous.¡± I could tell from his tone he was implying that it couldn¡¯t be true. My wolf growled in annoyance as a few pack members were exchanging looks and muttering that it was just an urban legend. ¡°You are correct. Those who are afflicted lose reason,¡± I continued. ¡°They do not distinguish between enemy and ally. They react like rabid animals, biting at anyone nearby.¡± Walden frowned. ¡°Then, how did you survive, Luna?¡± ¡°I was only scratched by one infected wolf and that one scratch nearly cost me my life,¡± I responded. Walden frowned, visibly appalled by this new information. The crowd of pack members began to visibly panic. ¡°Alpha, why didn¡¯t you inform me of this?¡± Walden asked. ¡°We did not announce this immediately because we did not want panic spreading through the pack without proof,¡± Nn exined. ¡°We wanted to make sure that this was the Mad Rogue poisoning.¡± ¡°After extensive testing, we confirmed it was true,¡± I said. ¡°Luna, you recovered. Does that mean it can be cured?¡± a warrior near the front of the crowd asked. ¡°Only because we had a healing herb prepared in advance. I required two full days of treatment before my condition stabilized. And even then, if Alpha Nn hadn¡¯t gotten me to the doctor in time, I would not have made it,¡± I answered. ¡°Two days?¡± Someone repeated in rm. ¡°I was not hiding away in my room because I was embarrassed by being kidnapped,¡± I said. ¡°I was still recovering. You all know how quickly normal wounds heal. Three hours at most for most of us. Even with wolfsbane poisoning, it would not take a full day for a wound to heal.¡± I pulled down my cor to reveal the scar on my shoulder. ¡°This is what the Mad Rogue poisoning did to me.¡± Walden¡¯s expression changed. The challenge faded from his face. He finally looked remorseful. ¡°If a group of infected rogues crossed the border at once,¡± I continued, ¡°and several of our warriors were wounded, we would be dealing with an outbreak. If enough warriors were weakened at the same time, our defenses would copse.¡± ¡°This is why the wall is needed. The wall would give us time for Silverfang and Shadoww toe to our aid,¡± Nn added Walden bowed low to us. ¡°I understand now, Alpha. Luna, Alpha, I apologize for doubting.¡± The crowd remained quiet as they processed the information. The earlier anger had disappeared and was reced with tear ¡°Are there any objections?¡± I asked. No one spoke. Walden stepped forward and bowed his head slightly. ¡°There will be no more dys. We will have the wallpleted within a 173 month.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°All of you for understanding.¡± Several hourster, Nn and I finally returned to our quarters. Nn chatted about Walden and how he would reprimand himter, but I wasn¡¯t paying attention. I was still upset that he didn¡¯t trust me. I took a shower to clear my head. ¡°You handled the situation well today,¡± Nn said quietly. ¡°I did what any respectable Luna would have done,¡± I said as Ibed my hair at the edge of the bed. He crossed the room and stood in front of me. ¡°You did more than that. You squashed a potential riot before it even began. The pack will remember this.¡± I did not respond. Nn studied my face before saying, ¡°You¡¯re exhausted.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend with me. Did you overexert yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not pretending,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m frustrated.¡± ¡°About Walden?¡± ¡°About you.¡± He blinked. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still upset about me ordering you to stay behind?¡± Nn asked. ¡°Yes, and you forced my own Beta to go against me,¡± I replied. ¡°I was trying to protect you,¡± Nn argued. ¡°No, you were trying to control me because you¡¯re afraid of losing control again,¡± I countered. ¡°When there is unrest, you cannot leave me behind again. I am your Luna and I am a warrior. I am not someone you ce in a room for safety.¡± ¡°Talia, I know that, but sometimes there isn¡¯t a need for you to get involved. I could¡¯ve handled it on my own,¡± Nn exined. ¡°You can not shield me from every conflict, the pack will see it and Walden picks up on it,¡± I said. ¡°We cannot have the pack thinking I am weak.¡± Nn frowned. ¡°You think I see you as weak?¡± he asked. ¡°I think you see me as someone you cannot lose,¡± I said. ¡°But protecting me by excluding me is not the same as trusting me.¡± Nn sat down next to me and grabbed my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t ever think that I don¡¯t trust you, Talia.¡± ¡°Then, act like you do.¡± ¡°What do you need me to do to show you that I trust you?¡± ¡°Promise me something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That we face issues together. That I will not be left behind while decisions are made or conflicts are handled. I don¡¯t want the pack thinking that I am a coward.¡± +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 225 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWENTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Are you still upset with me?¡± Nn teased. ¡°No, but you better be on your best behavior,¡± I said as I sat down for breakfast. Only a few minutester, De and Marco strolled in. ¡°So, you two seem okay. That means Talia probably didn¡¯t have you sleep on the couchst night,¡± De teased. ¡°No, but I have my eye on him,¡± I said. ¡°What are you two doing here?¡± ¡°We thought we could eat breakfast together,¡± De suggested. ra had just ced thest te in front of us. Breakfast has just started, so it was fine with De and Marco joining us.¡± ra, please bring two more sets of utensils.¡± ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± she replied and hurried back toward the kitchen. De dropped into the chair across from me. ¡°It¡¯s much livelier to eat together,¡± she said as she nced at the spread on the table. ¡°And this looks good.¡± ¡°It does,¡± Marco added, taking his seat beside her. I smiled. ¡°You¡¯re both wee to join us more often.¡± Nn looked at me in exaggerated disappointment. ¡°I preferred when breakfast was just the two of us.¡± De gave him a look. ¡°You¡¯re stingy.¡± ¡°I am not stingy,¡± Nn replied calmly. ¡°I simply enjoy quiet mornings with my mate.¡± ¡®And other things,¡¯ Nn said through our mind link before showing lewd ideas of what he wanted to do with me at breakfast. I nearly choked on my water before I blocked him out of my mind. Marco chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ll survive sharing her for one meal.¡± ra returned with utensils and set them down. We began eating. After a few moments, Nn turned to Marco and asked, ¡°Is there anything to report?¡± Marco wiped his hands and nodded. ¡°Walden is making sure everything is going as nned.¡± ¡°How is the wall looking? Have they started construction?¡± I asked. ¡°They¡¯ve begunying out the foundation line along the outer ins,¡± Marco said. ¡°Temporary grain storage is being set up near the construction site, so supplies do not have to be transported repeatedly. They¡¯re also building rest areas for those on rotation. So far, everything is going smoothly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Nn said. ¡°I was beginning to doubt Walden. I thought maybe leaving him in control had gone to his head ¡± ¡°I was surprised by his response,¡± Marco agreed. ¡°But Walden always thinks about the pack first.¡± Nn nced toward Maggie, who stood a short distance away near the wall. Maggie was still very attentive since my return I didn¡¯t feel any animosity from her, but De still didn¡¯t trust her. ¡°Maggie.¡± She stepped forward immediately. ¡°Yes, Alpha?¡± ¡°Instruct the pack chefs to prepare protein heavy meals for the wall builders,¡± Nn ordered. ¡°Make sure they increase the 173 +25 Bonus portion. The workers will need to keep up their strength If we¡¯re going to get this wallplete within a month.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± she replied, bowing slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll inform them at once.¡± When she left the room, De asked, ¡°Why do you still keep her around? It is only a matter of time before she tries to stab you in the back again.¡± ¡°She is genuinely trying to make amends, De. You have to let go of your grudge,¡± Marco replied. ¡°I¡¯ll let it go when she faces real justice for what she did.¡± ¡°Enough of that. If you¡¯re going to argue about this, you two can eat breakfast elsewhere,¡± Nn said. ¡°Absolutely not. The breakfast isn¡¯t as nearly as good for us,¡± De said, causing Nn tough. We continued eating, and conversation returned to lighter matters. Deplimented the food again. Marco teased her about always judging meals. Nn responded dryly that if she hadints, she could cook for herself. When breakfast was almost over, Maggie returned with an envelope. She approached the table and bowed slightly toward me.¡± Luna Talia, this was delivered at the gate. It is addressed to you personally.¡± I frowned and took the envelope from her. On the front, written clearly, were the words: ¡°To Luna Talia, personally.¡± Nn frowned and asked, ¡°Who delivered it?¡± ¡°The guards do not know,¡± Maggie answered. ¡°It was handed over and the person left immediately.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t recognize him?¡± Nn asked. ¡°No, Alpha.¡± ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ I asked Nn through our mind link. ¡®Last time we received an anonymous envelope like this, it was a letter demanding me to go alone to save you,¡¯ Nn replied. That sent a chill up my spine. What if one of Viki¡¯s allies was looking for revenge? ¡®Only way to find out is by opening the letter,¡¯ my wolf urged. ¡®Or we could burn it to be safe.¡¯ I hesitated only for a moment and then opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside. Congrattions, Luna Talia, for gaining Bloodmoon¡¯s approval. I was delighted to hear you are living up to expectations. Looking forward to meeting you soon, Your Dear Friend ¡°What does it say?¡± De asked and I handed her the letter. She and Marco read it and then sniffed it. ¡°There¡¯s no scent on it. And who is ¡°your dear friend¡±? Nn extended his hand, and De passed the letter to him. He read it silently. ¡°Do the guards know who delivered it?¡± he asked Maggie again. ¡°They do not,¡± she repeated. ¡°He did not give a name.¡± De turned to me. ¡°Do you have any friends I don¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°No,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Anyone I consider a friend would not hide their name.¡± Marco shrugged. ¡°It could be a prank.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± I said. CHARD & Hung me that dad¡¯s big #sch te than Thayy testpet mom te ververs them chup my wat dat se dis ¡°You¡¯ve got corned To aw sangz fignored that It¡¯s good, she added. You were ing ¡°I was foolish,¡± I said. She hummed And now ¡°Now I focus on my dunes.¡± I replied I was better My wolf was quiet for a moment before speaking agai ¡°That man from the bar was handsome, she ad I nearly ripped through the paper I was holding care been an embarrassing mistake ¡®No, we should talk about it,¡¯ my wolf arvated ¡°Net o I felt heat rise to my face despite being alone I rea cleared my throat, bringing mysell out of thoughts ¡°It was just a one time situation.¡± I said tra ¡®You didn¡¯t regret it,¡¯ my wall pointed out Youcan ¡°I regret the recklessness,¡± I quickly ad She gave a low, amused sound ¡®Says the perses whe ¡°I was drunk,¡± I muttered ¡®If you wanted to see him agath. I wouldn¡¯t beck ¡°That is never going to happen. The bartender dive ¡®You don¡¯t know that,¡¯ she replied Bellylead agliy make sure we see him again sm ¡°It was a one-night stand, that¡¯s neat¡¯s . They My wolf went quiet, but sons, dsakofised eat disa sometimes thought about hum u harm, ut he was Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 226 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWENTY SIX Maggie¡¯s POV Recently, I have been deliberately keeping myself busy. +25 Bonus Since the riot and the decision to build the wall, there has been no shortage of work. As head maid, I oversee supplies, coordinate with the kitchen, manage cleaning schedules, and ensuremunication flows between the main house and the border teams. The other maids have been more cooperative than ever. There is no tension now. They respect me and I have made sure to treat them fairly. ¡®You¡¯ve changed,¡¯ my wolf observed one afternoon as I reviewed inventory logs. ¡°I¡¯ve matured,¡± I replied silently. ¡®You¡¯ve let go,¡¯ she corrected. ¡®You¡¯re not staring at Alpha Nn every time he walks into a room anymore.¡¯ I ignored that. ¡®It¡¯s good,¡¯ she added. ¡®You were hurting yourself back then.¡¯ ¡°I was foolish,¡± I said. She hummed. ¡®And now?¡¯ ¡°Now I focus on my duties,¡± I replied. It was better to act as if the past never happened. My wolf was quiet for a moment before speaking again. ¡°That man from the bar was handsome,¡¯ she said. I nearly ripped through the paper I was holding. I carefully sat it down and said, ¡°We are not talking about that.¡± That night had been an embarrassing mistake. ¡®No, we should talk about it,¡¯ my wolf insisted. ¡®Not our destined mate, but still¡­ handsome. Strong. Confident.¡¯ I felt heat rise to my face despite being alone. I remembered when Mason took his shirt off and how he hovered over me. I cleared my throat, bringing myself out of thoughts. ¡°It was just a one-time situation,¡± I said firmly. ¡°I was drunk and upset. I shouldn¡¯t have done it.¡± ¡®You didn¡¯t regret it,¡¯ my wolf pointed out. ¡®You can¡¯t lie to me.¡¯ ¡°I regret the recklessness,¡± I quickly said. She gave a low, amused sound. ¡®Says the person who muted me when I told you not to be reckless.¡¯ ¡°I was drunk,¡± I muttered. ¡®If you wanted to see him again, I wouldn¡¯t object,¡¯ my wolf added. ¡°That is never going to happen. The bartender hadn¡¯t even seen him before,¡± I pouted. ¡®You don¡¯t know that,¡¯ she replied lightly. ¡®If we are meant to see him again, the Moon Goddess has a way of changing fate to make sure we see him again.¡¯ ¡°It was a one-night stand, that¡¯s it. There¡¯s nothing more to it than that,¡± I stated. My wolf went quiet, but I sensed faint disappointmenting from her. Yes, Mason was attractive and I couldn¡¯t deny that t sometimes thought about him. But he wasn¡¯t my mate. +25 Bonus ¡°There are chosen mates,¡¯ my wolf whispered. ¡®But why rush into that? Let¡¯s have fun. He made you happy.¡¯ Mason said he was a warrior from Bloodmoon. With most of Walden¡¯s warriors deployed to the border for wall construction, it was reasonable to assume he might be there. ¡°No, that doesn¡¯t matter. I have a job to do,¡± I told myself and went back to checking schedules. Later that afternoon, I found myself walking toward the border. I couldn¡¯t focus. My thoughts kept going back to Mason. I needed to get outside and clear my head. ¡°I am going to check on meal distribution at the border,¡± I told the other omegas. It was not a lie. The wall builders required steady supplies, and as head omega, it was within my responsibility. Once at the border, I saw peaceful activity. Warriors were hauling timber. Vigers carried baskets of tools and rope. Guards stood posted at intervals. Near one section, several maids were distributing water and packed meals. I walked over to them. ¡°Do you need help?¡± I asked. One of the younger omegas nodded quickly. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re short on hands.¡± I took a basket and began handing out portions to the warriors rotating off their shifts. The work area was loud but orderly. No one paid special attention to me beyond polite nods. As more time went on, I became more and more disappointed at not seeing Mason. ¡°Idiot,¡± I muttered to myself. I was foolish toe here, hoping to see him. After delivering thest portion from my basket, I stepped away to retrieve another supply crate that had been left near a stack of timber. As I turned into a narrow space between two storage structures, a hand suddenly closed around my wrist. Before I could react, I was pulled quickly into a shaded gap behind a supply cart. My back hit solid wood nullifying my first attempt to scream with a yelp. I opened my mouth again to shout, but the sound died in my throat as lips pressed hard against mine. I struggled against the warrior, pressing hard against me. He finally pulled back and then I saw his eyes. ¡°Mason!?¡± ¡°You took your time,¡± he said quietly. My breath caught. He was actually here in front of me. My heart pounded in my chest at how close we were to each other. Mason moved closer, but not in a way that trapped me. His voice dropped lower. ¡°You don¡¯t know how painful it was waiting to see you again.¡± ¡®He wants us,¡¯ my wolf hummed. I swallowed hard. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be working,¡± I said weakly. ¡°I was working,¡± he replied calmly. ¡°And now I¡¯m on break. I was prepared to hunt you down and make sure every inch of you remembered me.¡± My pulse refused to slow. I had convinced myself we would never see each other again. Yet here he was. And I could barely form words beyond his name. 2.3 +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 227 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWENTY SEVEN Maggie¡¯s POV Mason closed the distance between us and kissed me again. I kissed him back earnestly. His hands roamed my body before resting on my waist. My hands moved to his shoulders. His grip tightened at my waist. I knew that anyone could turn the corner and see us behind the supply crates, but I did not pull away. When he broke the kiss, we were both breathing heavily. ¡°Why did you leave without saying goodbye?¡± Mason asked. I stepped back, putting space between us. I blushed at the question. ¡®See¡­he did like us. We should never have left like that,¡¯ my wolf muttered within me. ¡°It was a one-night stand,¡± I said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was anything more than that.¡± ¡°It meant more to me,¡± Mason responded. I shook my head. ¡°We were both drinking. I was upset. We rushed into things. That is not the right way to start a rtionship.¡± ¡°You decided that alone. You didn¡¯t even take my feelings into consideration,¡± Mason said. I didn¡¯t know what to say. He was right. To be honest, I wanted to leave before him so I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with waking up alone. I hadn¡¯t even considered that he may want to continue our rtionship. ¡°I woke up and you were gone,¡± he continued. ¡°No exnation, nothing. You could have at least left a note.¡± ¡°And say what? Thanks for the sex? There was nothing to exin,¡± I said. ¡°There was to me,¡± Mason said angrily. Silence settled between us. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I finally said. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt this way in a long time,¡± Mason said. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to ignore how I feel.¡± I didn¡¯t answer. ¡°I asked to be assigned to the wall construction,¡± he added. ¡°I thought I might see you again.¡± ¡°You volunteered for this?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Just for that? Just for an opportunity to see me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mason¡¯s answer came without hesitation. ¡°None of this makes any sense,¡± I said. ¡°You don¡¯t even know me.¡± ¡°I know what I felt when I was with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡± ¡°It is for me.¡± I took a breath. ¡°We aren¡¯t fated mates.¡± ¡°I know.¡± WIN¡¯S SEATS +25 Bonus ¡°You should care about that. You should want to find your fated mate,¡± I argued. ¡°My fated mate left me,¡± Mason said. ¡°She chose someone else.¡± I stared at him in shock. ¡°That doesn¡¯t happen. How could anyone do that?¡± I knew from experience that it was hard for someone to turn away from their fated mate. Nn was the perfect example of that. ¡°It does happen. And it happened to me,¡± Mason confirmed. ¡°She just walked away? Did she choose someone else?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, she did,¡± Mason said tly. There was no self-pity in his tone. He said it as if he was discussing the weather. ¡°But the mate bond¡­wasn¡¯t it painful for her?¡± I asked. ¡°The mate bond meant nothing to her. She didn¡¯t feel any pain at all,¡± Mason replied. I didn¡¯t know what to say to that. ¡°I¡¯m asking for a chance,¡± Mason said. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve someone who¡¯s unsure,¡± I said. ¡°Then let me be certain enough for both of us.¡± ¡°If I agree,¡± I said slowly, ¡°it won¡¯t be because I¡¯m treating you like a rebound. You don¡¯t deserve that.¡± Mason nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not treating me like a rebound. I am pursuing you.¡± The words stayed with me. After a long pause, I nodded once. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance,¡± I finally said and Mason¡¯s shoulders rxed as if he had been preparing for me to reject him. ¡°I live near the forest,¡± Mason said quickly. ¡°A small cabin. My shift ends at nine tonight. Come see me then.¡± I hesitated but my wolf urged, ¡°Trust him. This could be good for us.¡¯ Before I could respond, Mason stepped away. ¡°I need to get back.¡± Then he turned and left. When I returned to the meal station, I handed out food without really seeing anyone. His words repeated in my mind. Why would he be so infatuated with me? He was allowing me to choose him, but it still made me worry. If I went to him, I would be choosing him. ¡®We crossed paths with him again,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®This has to be a blessing from the Moon Goddess.¡¯ ¡°It could be,¡± I answered. I was worried though. Even if his mate left him, his mate coulde back. What if he changed his mind and abandoned me? ¡®You are worrying too much,¡¯ my wolf stated. ¡®You don¡¯t have to agree to be his mate. He is pursuing us. You are allowed to live your life and enjoy yourself.¡¯ ¡°I know,¡± I told her and pushed her down. I checked my watch and realized it was almost 9. I didn¡¯t return to the main house as I didn¡¯t want anyone to ask me where I was going. ra had been keeping a watchful eye on me and thest thing I needed was her informing Talia. Even though she was giving me a chance to prove myself, I couldn¡¯t help but feel she could be vengeful. The path toward the forest was quiet. A few guards passed, but no one stopped me. The cabin stood a short distance from the tree line. Light showed through the window. 7492 TAMENTY SEVEN +25 Bonus I stopped at the door. If I turned back now, I could forget all this happened. If I knock, I could start a new chapter in my life. ¡®It couldn¡¯t hurt to start something new,¡¯ my wolf said. I knocked once. The door opened immediately. Before I could speak, Mason caught my wrist and pulled me inside. The door shut behind me. His mouth found mine again, harder this time. I forgot every reason I had given myself to stay away. Support Share CHA Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 228 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWENTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Today was one of the most boring days of my life. I should have been happy for the downtime, but I was restless. There was nothing for me to do, and I didn¡¯t have the patience to read. De suggested that we take a walk. Even though it was a beautiful day, I was still bored out of my mind. ¡°Why is today so boring?¡± De groaned. ¡°I have no idea, but it is driving me crazy,¡± I replied. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be working on the wall?¡± ¡°No, my Luna. My job is to keep youpany,¡± De replied and winked. Nn was still protective of me, so he was not allowing me to go into the city just yet. All we had left to do was to walk around or perhaps go swimming, but that didn¡¯t sound fun either. ¡°Maybe we have been dealing with chaos so long that normal days just feel weird now,¡± De replied with a shrug. ¡°Well, Nn told me something interesting this morning that we can go investigate,¡± I said. ¡°That he wanted you to stay in your room today where you¡¯re safe?¡± De teased. ¡°No,¡± Iughed. ¡°Nn told me he had a surprise waiting for me at the central garden.¡± ¡°Alpha Nn doesn¡¯t seem like the ¡®surprise¡¯ kind of a guy, but let¡¯s investigate anyway,¡± De said as she looped arms with
We passed through the stone archway and stepped inside. Both of us stopped. The original flowers and greenery that once filled the Alpha¡¯s private garden were gone. In their ce stretched rows of roses in different shades: deep red, pale pink, ivory, and soft peach. The beds were evenly spaced, trimmed neatly, and arranged with clear walking paths between them. It looked almost identical to my garden back at Silverfang. De let out a low whistle. ¡°He is much more attentive than I thought.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said quietly. I felt a mixture of surprise and happiness. My wolf huffed, ¡®Why are you surprised? He wants you to be happy. That is his responsibility. He should know everything about us just like you should know him.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m really d he¡¯s your mate, Talia,¡± De said. ¡°He really cares about you.¡± I nodded. ¡°I am too.¡± I had been lucky enough to be blessed with a second chance mate, and I was so happy that it was him. ¡°I have to admit; he¡¯s bing more and more romantic. He might even surpass Marco at this rate,¡± De added. Iughed softly. ¡°Don¡¯t let Marco hear you say that.¡± ¡°He can handle it. Maybe it will incentivize him to do more.¡± We walked deeper into the garden. The soil looked freshly turned. The stems had been trimmed properly. Whoever arranged this had put in time and care. ¡°I want this garden to be in the same shape as the one in Silverfang,¡± I said. ¡°Roses require a lot of attention. I don¡¯t want them to be neglected. They need¡­¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± De said, interrupting me. ¡°Trust me, I have spent enough time with you to know what roses need. I¡¯ll make sure the omegas take great care of them when you¡¯re not able to.¡± I bent slightly to inspect one of the lower branches and adjusted a stray stem. CHAI +25 Bonus After a moment, De looked around and asked, ¡°Where is Maggie?¡± 1 straightened, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Thest time we entered this garden, she tried to stop us,¡± De said with a small smirk. ¡°I almost expected her to appear again and remind us it was restricted.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m Luna now, so she wouldn¡¯t do that again,¡± I said. ¡°And if she dared, I¡¯d be right there to p the audacity out of her,¡± De dered. ¡°You¡¯re never going to forgive her, are you?¡± ¡°Not until I am able to spend five minutes pping her. So, no, never,¡± De replied and I couldn¡¯t help butugh. I turned toward the group of maids near the entrance. Maggie was indeed not among them. This was unusual because Maggie had been my shadow after the Viki incident. ¡°ra,¡± I called. ra approached immediately. ¡°Yes, Luna?¡± ¡°Where is Maggie?¡± ra hesitated briefly before answering. ¡°She went outst night and hasn¡¯t returned yet.¡± I frowned. ¡°She has been out all night?¡± ¡°Yes, Luna. I checked.¡± I frowned. ¡°That¡¯s unusual. She has not missed her duties before.¡± ¡°This is the first time she has been absent without notice,¡± ra added. ¡°I am a little concerned, but I didn¡¯t want to say anything just yet in case I was overreacting.¡± De crossed her arms. ¡°Ugh, I hope she isn¡¯t foolish enough to put herself in danger again. Or she could be plotting against you.¡± ¡°She was terrified after what happened with Viki,¡± I argued. ¡°She won¡¯t repeat that mistake.¡± ¡°Then, it could be something positive,¡± De suggested. ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Maybe she found her mate.¡± I blinked. ¡°A mate?¡± ¡°Is it so hard to believe?¡± De replied. ¡°She¡¯s 20 and it is not impossible. Perhaps she has caught up with her mate right now. The idea of Maggie finding her mate wasforting. That would solidify that she would nevere for my position or Nn again. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it. She would have told me,¡± I said. ¡°Would she?¡± De countered. ¡°After everything that happened, I don¡¯t think she would share that information. It¡¯s not like you two are friends.¡± Before I could respond, I noticed movement along the path leading from the main house. Maggie was speed walking toward us. Her posture wasposed. However, her hair was in a messy bun and her clothing looked hastily put on as if she had woken upte. 213 CHAPTER TWC HUNDRED ANWENTVIRT When she reached us, Maggie lowered her head in a respectful bow. ¡°Luna, sorry I¡¯mte.¡± De¡¯s eyes flicked over her, whispering to me with a smirk. ¡°Told you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Maggie asked, looking up in confusion and worry. I smiled, stepping closer. ¡°Maggie¡­ Did you find your mate?¡± Support Share +25 Bonus 202 +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 229 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & TWENTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV Maggie¡¯s eyes widened before she began blushing. She looked away and said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call him my mate just yet.¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± De eximed. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you werete.¡± Maggie nodded as she nervously twisted her fingers in front of her. ¡°Yes, but I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t care about all that. Who is he?¡± De said. ¡°What is his name? What is his rank?¡± I asked. De leaned forward slightly. ¡°Bring him over. We want to see the man that has captured your heart.¡± I nudged De in the side for being sarcastic. Maggie¡¯s cheeks flushed deeper. ¡°He¡¯s just an ordinary warrior. He is busy working on the wall right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± De replied. ¡°We just want to see him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­I¡¯m not ready to introduce him,¡± Maggie said quickly. ¡°Maybe once the wall has been built.¡± I studied her expression. She looked nervous but happy. This was not my reaction when I met my fated mate. ¡°Is he your fated mate?¡± I asked. Maggie shook her head and said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± De asked in confusion. ¡°We aren¡¯t fated mates,¡± Maggie exined. ¡°But we¡¯ve decided to take things slow. We n to mark each other at the next full moon.¡± ¡°If that is your definition of taking it slow, I would hate to see what you thought rushing was,¡± De said. For a moment, I did not speak. Among werewolves, even those who were not fated mates could establish a bond. It was not unheard of. Still, I felt bad for Maggie. This was her second time attempting to tie herself to a man that wasn¡¯t her mate. Was she that starved of love? ¡°It¡¯s your choice,¡± I said carefully. ¡°But why not wait until you can find your fated mate?¡± Maggie lifted her head slightly with a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m twenty, Luna,¡± she said. ¡°I grew up here, but I haven¡¯t found my fated mate. I don¡¯t believe he¡¯s in Bloodmoon.¡± De crossed her arms. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he doesn¡¯t exist nor does it mean you just give up.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to wait for someone who may nevere.¡± She hesitated before continuing. ¡°He was rejected by his fated mate¡­ and he loves me now.¡± 1 I felt my stomach tighten slightly. So, they were both starved of love. ¡°And you think you¡¯re a good match?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Maggie said without hesitation. ¡°We understand each other.¡± There was no doubt in her voice, but I doubted it. This was infatuation at best, but who was I to tell her what to do? ¡°You seem certain,¡± I said. ¡°I am,¡± she replied, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. De nced at me but did not interrupt. +25 Bonus Maggie¡¯s expression softened. ¡°If I can, I want to bring him to see you after the next full moon. I¡¯d like your blessing, Luna.¡± ¡°This is good. She will no longer be a threat to us,¡¯ my wolf said. If Maggie hade to this decision on her own, there would be no reason for me to interfere in her life. ¡°I will meet him,¡± I said. ¡°And if he treats you well, you¡¯ll have my blessing.¡± Relief spread across Maggie¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you, Luna.¡± De gave her a look. ¡°You¡¯d better have chosen well. We don¡¯t need any additional drama because of you.¡± ¡°I promise I did,¡± Maggie replied quietly. We did not press her further. Maggie excused herself to return to her duties. After she left, De looked at me and shook her head, ¡°You care too much about someone you really shouldn¡¯t care about.¡± ¡°I just want to make sure she¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re pitying her,¡± De corrected. ¡°She¡¯s an adult. She will have to live with the consequences of her decisions. Your interfering only dys the inevitable.¡± I did not answer. Later that evening, when Nn returned from his duties, I told him while he was undressing to shower. ¡°Maggie found a mate,¡± I said. He paused. ¡°She did?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nn smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s good. I am happy for her.¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t fated mates though,¡± I added. ¡°But she has pretty much decided to be his mate.¡± Nn¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What? Who is he?¡± ¡°A warrior in Bloodmoon.¡± Nn frowned slightly. ¡°Which one?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for a name.¡± ¡°I should talk with her,¡± Nn suggested, his voice dropping an octave. ¡°For what?¡± I asked. ¡°To find out more about this mystery wolf,¡± Nn replied. ¡°She already made her decision.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I shouldn¡¯t know more.¡± I stepped closer. ¡°Nn, she¡¯s not a child.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the head maid and works in the Alpha¡¯s residence,¡± Nn argued. ¡°If someone intends to mark her, I need to know who She shouldn¡¯t make a rushed decision-¡± ¡°She looked happy,¡± I said, interrupting him gently. ¡°We should respect her choice.¡± Nn hesitated, the worry still etched deep in his expression. +25 Bonus ¡°She asked for my blessing after the next full moon,¡± I continued. ¡°She is not hiding it from you if that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking.¡± ¡°Fine. But when we do meet him, I¡¯ll make it clear that if he hurts her, he¡¯ll have to deal with me.¡± I raised a brow, a yful smirk tugging at my lips. ¡°You sound overprotective.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. I see her as a sister and you know how gullible she is.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said lightly. ¡°I only meant that you¡¯ll make a strict father one day.¡± I said andughed. Nn¡¯s worried expression shifted to a smirk. ¡°A father?¡± he repeated. ¡°Yes,¡± I nodded. Nn stepped into my space, wrapping his arms around me and guiding me toward the bed with effortless strength. ¡°I look forward to it.¡± ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be showering?¡± I asked as heid me back onto the bed. Nn leaned down, his kiss searing against my skin. ¡°The shower can wait,¡± he murmured against my lips. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to be a father.¡± Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 230 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY Talia¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Days went by and I adjusted to my new normal. After breakfast with Nn that morning, he would go to the training grounds to train the warriors, and De, Marco, and I went to the border to check the progress of the wall. It had been a week since construction started, and we were making good progress. The wall was not finished, but it was already impossible to miss. The wall was much higher than it was only a few days ago. Walden was observing the construction. Warriors moved in organized lines as they hauled supplies from trucks and stacked materials where they were needed. Vigers carried lighter loads and worked in smaller groups. When Walden noticed us, he began walking towards us. ¡°Good morning, Luna,¡± Walden greeted respectfully. ¡°Beta Marco. Beta De.¡± ¡°Good morning, Walden,¡± I replied. ¡°Checking progress, again?¡± Walden asked. Marco nodded to him. ¡°Yes, we want to make sure you¡¯re fully supported out here.¡± ¡°How are the warrior shifts going?¡± I asked. Half of the warriors being assigned to wall construction meant fewer warriors training under Nn each day. I wanted to know if that gap was causing resentment or weakness. Walden nodded once. ¡°I had to work out a few kinks in your n to rotate warriors with Alpha Nn, but so far it has been working.¡± ¡°That is good,¡± I said. ¡°Honestly, the warriors are fighting with each other to work on the wall,¡± Walden added. De gave a shortugh. ¡°Fighting?¡± ¡°They want to be here instead of training with Alpha Nn,¡± Walden exined with a chuckle. I looked at the warriors working on the wall. This was simpler workpared to dealing with Alpha Nn. I¡¯ve heard Nn had created a more rigorous training schedule in response to my kidnapping. Marco chuckled and said, ¡°That sounds urate. Alpha is a stickler when ites to training. He¡¯ll make you do something over and over until he approves.¡± De scoffed. ¡°They act like he is going to bite their heads off for missing a step.¡± ¡°He might,¡± I said, and that made Marcough. ¡°They are only prolonging the inevitable. The warriors will have to train. There is no escaping it,¡± Walden added. ¡°But for the time being, we are getting too many volunteers everyday.¡± That surprised me. ¡°Too many?¡± ¡°Yes. We have a surplus list every morning. People keep registering for construction shifts and it¡¯s not just warriors,¡± Walden said. ¡°Why?¡± De asked. ¡°Weren¡¯t they against it before?¡± ¡°Because they want to help and feel the urgency now. Now that everyone knows that Mad Rogues are a real threat, everyone is pitching in to get this wall up as soon as possible,¡± Walden replied. ¡°Today there are even more people registered finished organizing them before you arrived.¡± He pointed toward a group of warriors standing off to the side. Some were already in armor. A few shifted their weight like they +25 Bonus were impatient to leave. ¡°That group is being sent back to the training grounds,¡± Walden said. I scanned the group and that¡¯s when I saw him. One of the warriors stood among them like he belonged there. His armor fit him the same way it always had, like it was part of him and not something he wore. He was speaking to a warrior beside him, and then he looked directly at me. For a second, everything in my body locked up. The memories came flooding back. I remember how he discarded me, how he attempted to force his mark on me, and how I had him gagged to bring him to justice in Shadoww. ¡®Is that Jason?¡¯ I thought. 1 ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± De asked, causing me to jump. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost. I forced myself to turn away and look at De. I cleared my throat and gave De a weak smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I said too quickly. I did not give De an opportunity to question me and asked, ¡°Walden, how are we looking on our timeline?¡± ¡°At this pace, I am confident the wall will be finished within a month, perhaps sooner if we continue to get a surplus of volunteers,¡± Walden answered confidently. De looked toward the wall again and then back at him. ¡°That is great!¡± ¡°It helps that the vigers are cooperating,¡± Walden replied. ¡°They want the wall too. It is definitely unifying the pack more.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve handled this well, Walden,¡± Iplimented. Walden dipped his head to me. ¡°I am just doing my job.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t downy your achievements, Walden,¡± Marco lightly teased. ¡°This would not have gone as smoothly without your leadership. ¡°Thank you, Beta.¡± Marco nced toward a cluster of workers struggling to reposition a heavy section of material. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go help with that.¡± Walden nodded and followed Marco. De stayed with me. We began walking along the length of the wall while staying out of the way of the work crews. I watched my footing as the ground was uneven. De was talking about something, but I wasn¡¯t focused. I kept thinking about that warrior. De waited until we were far enough away so that no one could overhear us easily. ¡°What is wrong?¡± ¡°It was nothing really,¡± I repeated. De stopped walking. ¡°Don¡¯t lie. I saw that look. You looked scared.¡± I kept moving for another few steps before I finally stopped. De walked back up to me and said, ¡°Tell me what it is. I am your Beta and your friend. I¡¯ll protect you whatever it is.¡± There was no point in lying to her. De wasn¡¯t about to let this go or worse she¡¯d get Nn involved immediately ¡°The profile of that warrior,¡± I whispered, ¡°it looked too much like Jason.¡± ¡°What?¡± De¡¯s face darkened. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 231 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV De walked beside me along the unfinished stretch of wall. Her expression remained serious. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I could just be overreacting,¡± I replied. ¡°When you expelled Jason and Michael from Shadoww, did you send Henry to track them?¡± De asked. I shook my head. ¡°No. I strengthened the defenses and banned their return.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± De stopped walking. ¡°You didn¡¯t think you had to have someone watching them?¡± ¡°At the time, I believed removing them was enough,¡± I exined. ¡°I didn¡¯t think they would be stupid enough toe back.¡± De looked at me like she wanted to say more but was choosing her words carefully. ¡°What if Jason found another way in, like the way Viki did,¡± De suggested. ¡°He¡¯s not the kind of a man to just give up, especially with Michael breathing down his neck. ¡°No, this is different,¡± I exined. ¡°Walden is very thorough. He knows every warrior¡¯s background. Jason couldn¡¯t have walked in without someone recognizing him.¡± ¡°And yet, Viki was able to do it,¡± De countered. ¡°She got past his defenses. Who¡¯s to say Jason couldn¡¯t do the same?¡± ¡°No, Walden would¡¯ve noticed,¡± I said stubbornly. De didn¡¯t argue, but she didn¡¯t look entirely convinced either. ¡°I think you should listen to your instincts. You should be cautious and not dismiss it.¡± ¡°I know. I am going to tell Nn tonight,¡± I agreed. By the time we returned to the pack house, I had almost convinced myself I was overthinking it. The man at the border only resembled Jason. Things had just gotten resolved. It was natural that my mind would find his face in a stranger¡¯s. ¡®You haven¡¯t been doing that. Why would you see him now all of a sudden?¡¯ my wolf argued. ¡®It¡¯s called PTSD and it can show up at any time.¡¯ ¡®Contact Henry,¡¯ my wolf urged, unconvinced by my exnation. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make something out of nothing,¡± I replied. ¡®And what if it is something? Then you would be putting yourself and others in danger. Contact Henry.¡¯ I closed my eyes and reached out through the mind link. Henry responded quickly, ¡®Luna Talia, is everything okay?¡¯ ¡®Yes, everything is fine. I just wanted to check on Shadoww and see how things are going,¡¯ I replied. ¡®Has anything unusuale up in thest few days?¡¯ ¡®Nothing out of the ordinary,¡¯ Henry said. ¡°The pack has adapted well to the changes. Why? Why are you asking all of a sudden?¡± ¡®I saw a warrior today who looked like Jason,¡¯ I answered. ¡®I wanted to know if you have anyone check on his whereabouts or if he attempted to return to Shadoww.¡¯ ¡®No, Luna. Jason has note near Shadoww. Neither has Michael. I have eyes on every entry point, Luna. I would have told you the moment I suspected anything.¡¯ ¡®I know you would have. Just stay vignt.¡¯ ¡®Always.¡¯ ¡°Thank you, Henry.¡± +25 Bonus I ended the link. Talking to Henry had not been asforting as I assumed. If Henry hadn¡¯t seen Jason, there could be a chance that the warrior was Jason. ¡®No, I am overthinking things. He wouldn¡¯t be that stupid,¡¯ I told myself. At dinner, Nn sat across from me. ra and the maids moved quietly around the table. Nn watched me pour my water absent-minded. ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± Nn asked. ¡°You¡¯ve barely touched your food.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just thinking about the wall,¡± I said. ¡°Walden expects it to be finished within the month.¡± Nn frowned and then turned to ra, ¡°Leave us, please.¡± She and the others bowed and exited the room. When the door clicked shut, Nn asked again, ¡°What is wrong? Just tell me, Talia.¡± ¡°I thought I saw Jason today,¡± I said. Nn put down his fork. ¡°What?¡± ¡°At the border, I saw one of the warriors in the group being sent back for training. He had the same build, the same way of standing,¡± I exined. ¡°Did you see his face?¡± Nn asked. ¡°I did, but only for a second. I know how it sounds,¡± I said. ¡°I already contacted Henry. He confirmed that Jason hasn¡¯te anywhere near Shadoww.¡± ¡°Then it wasn¡¯t him.¡± But Nn still looked bothered, and he wasn¡¯t reaching for his fork. He was staring at the table like he was working through something. ¡°But I can¡¯t shake it, Nn. The way he looked at me wasn¡¯t the way a warrior looks at his Luna,¡± I added. ¡°Are you sure it wasn¡¯t him?¡± Nn asked. ¡°That¡¯s the point, Nn, I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know if my mind is ying tricks on me, but something about that warrior wasn¡¯t right,¡± I said. Nn exhaled slowly. ¡°If there is any chance, any at all, that Jason found a way into Bloodmoon, we don¡¯t need to dy. We need to investigate now. I won¡¯t risk him harming our pack or you again.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you.¡± ¡°If it is him, I will kill him,¡± Nn growled. ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from doing what is best,¡± I said. There is only so many times you can give a person a chance. I was too lenient with Viki, and I was not about to make the same mistake twice. Nn nodded slowly, but the tension didn¡¯t leave his face. He opened his mouth to speak again when the dining room doors flew open. Maggie rushed in, her face pale and her breathing uneven, as if she had been running for a long time. ¡°Alpha. Luma. We have an emergency!¡± Nn was already on his feet. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A supply depot is on fire at the border!¡± 1 169 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 232 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY TWO Nn¡¯s POV +25 Bonus When Talia and I arrived at the border, two of the three supply depots had already burned down. The ground around the depots was ckened and wet from the effort to put the fires out. Smoke still clung to the air in thin streaks, and the smell of burned grain and scorched wood was strong. ¡°This is awful. Who would have done this?¡± Talia muttered as she surveyed the damage. Warriors moved through the burnt remains. They stepped over broken beams and copsed shelving while they checked for anything that could still be salvaged. The third depot remained standing, but guards had formed a tight perimeter around it. ¡°Alpha,¡± Walden said as he approached us. There were ash smudges on his face and armor. ¡°We put the fire out as fast as we could.¡± ¡°Did you catch who started it?¡± I asked. Waldon frowned and said, ¡°No. Whoever did it used the chaos to put out the fire as a means to escape.¡± ¡°Start an immediate investigation,¡± I ordered. ¡°Right now.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± I turned to Maggie, who had followed us. She didn¡¯t look guilty, so for now, I would assume she had nothing to do with this. ¡°Maggie,pile a full list of every warrior who worked on the wall today,¡± I ordered. ¡°I want names, assignments, shift times, and where they were stationed. Oncepleted, give the list to Walden.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Maggie said quickly. ¡°I will have it within the hour.¡± I shifted my focus to Marco and De. ¡°Marco, De, confirm the whereabouts of those assigned to the training grounds,¡± I ordered. ¡°I want to know who was present, who was absent, and where they were during the time the fire started.¡± Marco nodded once. ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± De¡¯s eyes narrowed at Maggie. She looked back at the burned depots and then she looked at me. It looked as if she wanted to say something, but she finally said, ¡°We will get it done.¡± ¡°You will all report to me within an hour,¡± Imanded. ¡°This needs to get resolved immediately. If someone is trying to sabotage us, we need to know as soon as possible.¡± Maggie moved toward the path back to the pack house. Marco and De headed toward the training grounds route, already speaking quietly as they nned how to confirm the information. ¡°What would you have me do, Alpha?¡± Walden asked. ¡°You will continue to monitor progress over the wall. We can¡¯t let this distraction derail us,¡± I answered. ¡°Talia and I will inspect the damage ourselves.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Walden answered. Talia and I walked through what had been the first depot. The roof had copsed inward, and the interior was a mess of charred timber and melted metal brackets. The storage racks had fallen, and what had not burned had been soaked beyond use Even the stone foundation had darkened where the heat had pressed into it for too long. ¡°How could a fire get so bad so fast without anyone noticing?¡± Talia asked quietly. ¡°And there¡¯s no smell of gasoline or anything,¡± I added. 173 +25 Bonus The border was already difficult to resupply. Supplies had to travel far, and every trip required guards, nning, and timing. The wall construction had already stretched our distribution system. Two depots lost in one night meant we would need to reroute transport, push stock toward the third depot, and find temporary storage quickly. An hourter, Maggie had returned with her report. ¡°Alpha, all wall construction warriors have been ounted for,¡± Maggie reported. ¡°Walden had already verified every name. None of them were missing, and none of them left their posts without authorization.¡± Marco and De arrived next. Marco looked calm, but his eyes were more alert than usual, and De still red at Maggie. ¡°Training grounds are clear,¡± Marco said. ¡°We confirmed the full roster. We didn¡¯t find any discrepancies.¡± De added, ¡°Nobody at the training grounds left their assigned areas during the time window.¡± ¡°So, we are nowhere close to finding out who caused this or what caused this,¡± I said angrily. ¡°Could rogues have done this?¡± Talia suggested. Walden¡¯s head turned toward her. ¡°No,¡± he said sharply. ¡°We would have smelled them from a mile away. On top of that, there were no rogue scenes in our vicinity. I already checked with our scouts.¡± Talia brows furrowed and she nodded. She looked like she was doing the same thing I was doing. Talia was going through every possibility of what could have happened. ¡°This was not idental,¡± I finally said. ¡°I think we need to heavily consider that someone among the pack did this.¡± Walden nodded. ¡°I agree.¡± ¡®Could that bastard Jason have done this?¡¯ my wolf growled within me. ¡®Our mate said she saw him.¡¯ Through our mind link, I quickly asked Talia, ¡°You said you saw Jason. Show me exactly what you saw.¡± Talia quickly showed me the memory and said, ¡°It was a warrior in armor. I noticed his profile and the build but only saw his face for a few seconds.¡± I could see the memory as clearly as if I had been there with Talia. The warrior did look a lot like Jason, but only that brief nce at his face was not enough to confirm it was him. ¡°Talia noticed a warrior that looked like Jason. He was wearing armor,¡± I exined. ¡°All warriors have been cleared,¡± Walden confirmed again. ¡°I would have noticed an exiled former Alpha trying to infiltrate our ranks.¡± ¡°I know. If they are all ounted for, then I must have been mistaken,¡± Talia admitted. ¡°With the warriors eliminated as suspects, the only remaining variable was the group of vigers who had assisted with construction,¡± De interjected. ¡°They moved between supply areas more freely than warriors did. They also knew the border terrain well enough to slip away fast.¡¯ ¡°Walden,¡± I said, ¡°verify every viger who assisted today. Confirm who they are, where they were stationed, and where they went afterward.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± Walden turned immediately and began issuing orders to his men, already moving toward the vige line to start confirming names and households. Talia¡¯s posture changed as soon as Walden left. The stiffness in her shoulders became more obvious now that she was no longer focused on keeping up the appearance of a strong Luna. She looked pale and her eyes looked weary. De stepped closer to me, lowering her voice so only I could hear. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 233 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY THREE Nn¡¯s POV Back in our room, Talia refused to rest. The moment we entered, she removed her coat and sat on the edge of the bed without lying down. Her eyes stayed fixed on the door as if she expected someone to walk through it at any moment. ¡°You should try to get some sleep,¡± I said. ¡°I will after we hear from Walden,¡± she replied. ¡°You¡¯ve been on your feet since this morning.¡± ¡°Two supply depots burned down, Nn. I¡¯m not going to sleep while we¡¯re still waiting to find out what happened.¡± There was no reasonable argument to make against that. I sat beside her and waited with her instead. We sat in silence for a long time. The exhaustion showed in her posture. Her shoulders were tense, her jaw set, and her eyes had lost some of their usual sharpness. She was pushing through it rather than admitting to it. ¡®Don¡¯t try to get her to lie down again,¡¯ my wolf warned. ¡°That will only make her angry.¡¯ ¡®I wasn¡¯t going to. She had already made her position clear, and pressing the point would only create an argument neither of us needed,¡¯ I responded. Eventually a knock came at the door. I stood and opened it. A guard handed over Walden¡¯s report and stepped back without a word. I brought it back to the bed and read through it carefully. ording to the report, every viger who had been working construction that day was fully ounted for. Names, assignments, and movements had all been confirmed. No one had left the site unounted for during the window when the fires started, and nothing in the behavioral records gged anyone as suspicious. I read through it a second time before handing it to Talia to read. ¡°All the vigers are ounted for,¡± Talia said as she finished looking through the report. She exhaled and the tension in her shoulders finally gave way. ¡°How could someone slip past us like this?¡± ¡°We will figure out what happened,¡± I reassured her as I helped her out of her clothes. ¡°But you need to sleep.¡± Talia nodded slowly and finallyy back. She pulled the nket up without another word. Within a few minutes her breathing had slowed and steadied. I kissed her forehead, then moved to the chair by the window. The pack house was quiet now as no one was moving around 1 looked out the window and up at the night sky. ¡°Why is she so obsessed with this?¡± I asked my wolf. ¡°She¡¯s even more of a workaholic than I used to be.¡± ¡®It is an opportunity to prove to the pack she can protect them. She needs to see it through to the end,¡¯ my woll replied ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to do that. The pack already knows,¡± I replied. ¡®It is more about how she feels,¡¯ my wolf responded. Eventually I left the room and spent several hours in my office working through reports. When I returned to the roomter that night, Talia hadn¡¯t moved. I went to sleep without disturbing her. She was still asleep when I woke up the next morning. I dressed quietly, checked that she hadn¡¯t stirred, and left without making noise. +25 Bonus Breakfast was already set out when I reached the dining room. Maggie walked in shortly after I sat down. ¡°Alpha,¡± she said, setting a cup down in front of me. ¡°De and Marco are here. They¡¯re waiting in the hall.¡± I looked up in rm. We didn¡¯t need another disaster. ¡°Did something happen overnight?¡± I asked quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t believe so,¡± she said. ¡°Send them in,¡± I ordered. De and Marco entered a momentter. Their expressions were rxed, which told me this wasn¡¯t urgent. De nced around the dining room as if expecting to find Talia already at the table. ¡°We came for breakfast,¡± she said. ¡°And to check on Talia. Where is she?¡± ¡°Still sleeping,¡± I replied. That stopped both of them. ¡°Still?¡± De said with a frown. ¡°She was up most of the night waiting for Walden¡¯s report,¡± I said. ¡°She refused to go to bed until she had read it herself. She¡¯s exhausted.¡± De crossed her arm and rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course, she wouldn¡¯t and it¡¯s partly your fault.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°You see, Talia has not had a moment to rx since she got here. First it was Viki¡¯s kidnapping, and now this. She has been on high alert since she left Silverfang. At some point, that catches up with a person.¡± Marco said nothing, but he didn¡¯t look like he disagreed. ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to push her this morning. She can sleep as long as she needs to.¡± De nodded, but the concern didn¡¯t fully leave her face. ¡°What about after she wakes up? She¡¯s going to want to go straight back to the wall. You know she will.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll need something ready for her before she has the chance. At least today, I want her to rest well,¡± I said. Marco thought for a moment. ¡°We could take her into town to go shopping.¡± De shook her head. ¡°She would spend the whole time thinking about what the pack needs and what still has to be done. She wouldn¡¯t be able to separate it from work.¡± Maggie, who had been refilling cups, looked up carefully. ¡°If I may say something, Alpha.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± I said. ¡°The roses in the central garden came into bloom,¡± she said. ¡°If you wanted to arrange a lunch date out there today, I could have it set up within the hour. It would give Luna somewherefortable to sit outside.¡± De red at Maggie for a brief moment and then nodded. ¡°Actually¡­ that¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°Careful, De. You¡¯re actually agreeing with Maggie,¡± Marco teased with a chuckle. De cut her eyes at him and hissed, ¡°And what is that supposed to mean?!¡± Ignoring the love birds¡¯ bickering, I turned back to Maggie and ordered with a smile, ¡°Set it up.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha.¡± +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 234 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY FOUR Talia¡¯s POV My wolf woke me close to noon. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling before the time registered. The lighting through the curtains was too bright for morning. I sat up and looked at the other side of the bed. ¡®Why did you wait so long to wake me?¡¯ I asked. ¡®Because you needed more rest,¡¯ my wolf replied. ¡®Now, let¡¯s get up and find our mate.¡¯ I could not remember thest time I had slept this long. My body clearly needed it more than I had thought. I still felt tired but not as much as before. I got up, washed, and dressed before heading down to the dining room. Breakfast had been kept warm for me. I sat down and ced a roll on my te. I had taken only a few bites when Maggie walked in, and she was grinning from ear to ear. ¡°You look like you¡¯re having a good day,¡± I said as I took another bite of my roll. ¡°Luna,¡± she chirped. ¡°Alpha Nn is waiting for you in the central garden. He said toe whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± I set the bread down. ¡°Did something happen?¡± Maggie shook her head. ¡°Nope, just a surprise I think,¡± Maggie replied. ¡°He said to tell you toe when you are ready.¡± Intrigued, I grabbed another roll and headed out. As I approached the central garden, the air carried the scent of roses. My wolf caught the scent and became curious. ¡®The roses are in bloom,¡¯ my wolf said in surprise. ¡®Not possible. It is the wrong season,¡¯ I replied. The moment I stepped through the entrance, I saw the rose bushes. They were full and open despite the cold. How was that possible? ¡®There is something on them,¡¯ my wolf added. ¡®A fertilizer, or a potion maybe. Something was used to bring them out early.¡± I looked at them for a moment longer before continuing down the path. At the far end of the garden stood the central greenhouse. The ss was fogged slightly from the warmth inside. I pushed the door open and stepped in Nn stood beside a table that had been set up in the center of the room. It was the kind of table you would expect in the main dining room, not a greenhouse. It was properlyid out with several covered dishes, two sses, and an open bottle of wine ¡°Good morning,¡± Nn said. ¡°It is noon, Nn.¡± He stepped closer, a small smile ying on his lips. ¡°You just woke up, so it¡¯s morning to me ¡± ¡°What is all of this?¡± ¡°A date,¡± he said simply, pulling out the chair nearest to me ¡°Sit down¡± ¡°You nned all of this?¡± I asked as I walked over ¡°I did. Since you came to Bloodmoon, I have not given you the time I should have. We never had a proper honeymoon We have +25 Bonus barely had an afternoon to ourselves without something pulling one or both of us away. I wanted to change that.¡± Nn gestured toward the chair again. I sat down and Nn took the seat across from me and poured the wine. ¡°It is perfect,¡± I told him. Nn chuckled and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t tried the food yet.¡± ¡°That is not what I meant,¡± I said. ¡°Being here with you is enough.¡± Nn reached over and lifted the cover from one of the dishes. The smell reached me before I saw it clearly. It was pepper chicken stew, prepared the way it was made in Silverfang. I recognized the color of the broth and the way the herbs had beenid across the top before I even lifted the spoon. ¡°De made it,¡± Nn said, watching my face. ¡°She said it was your favorite.¡± I pulled the dish closer and served myself a generous portion without waiting. I had not eaten it since leaving home. It tasted exactly the way I remembered. ¡°She has been keeping this from me the entire time I have been here in Bloodmoon,¡± I said. ¡°I am going to get her back for this.¡± Nn smiled at my reaction and uncovered another dish on his side of the table. ¡°This one I made myself. Maggie told me what to do, but I did the cooking.¡± I served myself a portion of what turned out to be herb-crustedmb. It was well-seasoned and cooked through properly. ¡°This is delicious.¡± Nn raised an eyebrow. He picked up his own fork, cut a piece for himself, and chewed it slowly. His brows furrowed as he put his fork down. ¡°It is too salty,¡± he said. ¡°It is not.¡± Nn reached over and moved the dish firmly to his side of the table, away from me. ¡°Nn.¡± ¡°You are being kind,¡± he said. He refilled my ss and set the bottle back down. ¡°There is enough food here. Eat the rest.¡± Iughed, and he looked quietly pleased with himself. I stood up from my chair and moved around the table. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Nn asked, his eyes following my every move. I didn¡¯t answer. I simply sat on hisp and wrapped my arms around his neck. Nn pulled me closer, feeding me another piece of chicken with a low chuckle. ¡°Why did you move the dish?¡± I pouted, my lips brushing his jaw. ¡°Because you would have suffered through it just to spare my feelings,¡± he murmured, his thumb tracing a slow circle on my hip. ¡°Maybe I actually liked it.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡± I leaned closer, my breath hitching as our foreheads touched. ¡°Since I cannot have themb,¡± I whispered, ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to taste something else.¡± Then I kissed him. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 235 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY FIVE Maggie¡¯s POV Mason was waiting for me when I returned that evening. He crossed the room before I had even closed the door and pulled me into a hug. I had not realized how much I needed that hug. When Mason let go, he kissed me, and I felt the tension from the day leaving my body. ¡°How was your day?¡± he asked. ¡°Did they find out who started the fire?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, not yet.¡± I set down the small basket I had been carrying. ¡°It¡¯s strange, though. The way it started so suddenly, and the location doesn¡¯t feel like an ident to me.¡± Mason smiled. ¡°You are overthinking it. Who would be foolish enough to burn construction supplies when the wall is the most important project the pack has right now? It was probably an ident. Things like this happen all the time at construction sites. The culprit probably doesn¡¯t want to reveal themselves because of how important the wall is.¡± I considered that for a moment. He had a point. I would be afraid of what Nn would do if it was me. ¡°You are right,¡± I said. ¡°I am just worried, that¡¯s all.¡± Mason sat down on the edge of the bed. ¡°They¡¯ll figure it out. Nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Anyway, why did youe tonight? You told me you woulde tomorrow,¡± I asked. ¡°It is my birthday and I wanted to spend it with you,¡± Mason replied. I stared at him in shock. ¡°Today? Your birthday is today?¡± ¡°Yes, today.¡± ¡°Mason.¡± I rubbed my hand over my face in frustration. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? I¡¯ve been in the kitchen since early this morning. I could have made you a cake. I could have set aside time to find you a proper gift.¡± I looked at him, genuinely frustrated. ¡°You should have told me days ago.¡± Masonughed and said, ¡°And that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to tell you. I did not want to make a fuss.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your birthday. A fuss is appropriate.¡± I sat down beside him. ¡°I am an orphan too. I know better than anyone what it is like to have no one remember my birthday. You should have said something. I would have wanted to do something for you.¡± Mason wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close to him. ¡°You were busy. I did not want to add to it.¡± ¡°You are never an addition to my work,¡± I pouted. ¡°For you, I don¡¯t mind at all.¡± Mason kissed my lips before continuing. ¡°You said you were in the kitchen since this morning. Why? You are the head maid. You have staff for the kitchen chores.¡± ¡°I was helping with something specific,¡± I exined. ¡°Alpha Nn arranged a private date for himself and Luna Talia. I was the one coordinating everything and making sure everything was ready in time. It was not something I could hand off to my staff. It needed to be done properly.¡± Mason¡¯s expression changed. It was brief, but I noticed it. His jaw tightened slightly and he looked away from me toward the window. He did not say anything for a moment. ¡°Mason, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± he replied, turning back to me with a smile. ¡°I just do not like the idea of you being overworked. You give too much of yourself to this pack.¡± His answer seemed genuine; however, his tone was off. Mason still sounds like he was angry. CHARTER TWONGONDRED & THIRTYV +25 Bonus ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Mason asked. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°The Alpha and Luna,¡± he started. ¡°What is your rtionship with them like? You speak about them often.¡± ¡°They have been very kind to me. When I first came to Bloodmoon, I was not sure if this was going to be right. There were days when I questioned it. Alpha Nn especially made me feel like I belonged here and Luna Talia saved my life. I owe them both a great deal.¡± I looked down at my hands. ¡°I want her to meet you.¡± ¡°Luna Talia?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°I told her I had found my mate, and she was genuinely happy for me. She hugged me.¡± I was surprised by Talia¡¯s reaction. After everything I had done to her, she really was willing to forgive me. Mason reached over and took my hand in his. ¡°I understand,¡± he said. ¡°And I am not opposed to it. But the timing is not right yet. We agreed on this, Maggie. On the full moon, after I mark you, we will go to her together as mates. That is the right way to introduce ourselves to her.¡± Mates. It still felt unreal every time he said it out loud, like something out of a fairy tale. Even my wolf was excited about this. ¡°You are right,¡± I agreed. ¡°I just did not want her to feel like I was hiding something from her. She has been good to me, and I do not want to offend her anymore.¡± ¡°There you go worrying again,¡± he said. ¡°We are just waiting for the right moment. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡± Mason leaned in and kissed me again, but slower this time. When he pulled back, the smirk on his face told me the conversation was finished and his mind had moved on to other things entirely. His hands moved to the buttons at the top of my dress. ¡°Now,¡± Mason said, ¡°I believe there is still the matter of my birthday gift.¡± Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 236 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV The wall was finished within the month. Despite everything that had worked against it, the fire, the supply dys, the rotation disruptions, Walden had delivered exactly what he promised. Nn and I stood at the base of it the morning it was deredplete. ¡®You should be proud of yourself,¡¯ my wolf hummed. ¡®This is a huge step as Luna that no one will forget.¡¯ ¡®I think I am in shock that it actually worked well,¡¯ I replied. Even though I knew how much had gone into building it, seeing it fully standing was something different entirely. It was taller than I had imagined. It was exactly as the blueprints had specified and even better. The builders had even taken the time to weave in Bloodmoon¡¯s crest into the wall. Nn and I met with Walden afterward in Nn¡¯s office. ¡°Alpha, Luna,¡± Walden greeted with a widened smile. ¡°Walden, you did good work,¡± Nn praised. ¡°The wall would not have beenpleted on time without you,¡± I added. ¡°Both of us are grateful for everything you have done to see this through.¡± Walden epted the praise with a nod and immediately asked, ¡°What would you have me do next, Luna?¡± Nn chuckled and teased, ¡°What¡¯s got you so pumped Walden?¡± ¡°I am eager to continue working toward protecting our pack,¡± Walden exined and focused his attention back on me. ¡°Go ahead, Talia,¡± Nn added with a wink, signaling that I could give orders just as he would. I had been thinking about this for several days and had already prepared what I needed. I ced the blueprints on the desk in front of him. Walden picked up the blueprints and studied them. ¡°I need you to select approximately one hundred of your most trusted veterans. They need to be Bloodmoon born only and no new recruits,¡± I started. ¡°They are to construct ten hidden tunnels beneath the pack house.¡± ¡°Hidden from everyone?¡± Walden asked as he looked up. ¡°From everyone,¡± I confirmed. ¡°If the rogues ever breach the wall, those tunnels will be ourst refuge. The construction must be carried out inplete secrecy. Can you do this for our pack?¡± After a long pause, Walden looked up from the blueprints. ¡°A week,¡± he said finally. ¡°I can have this done within a week.¡± ¡°That fast?¡± ¡°Yes, Luna. We can use the maintenance staff routes under the guise that we are reinforcing them. That will keep anyone from questioning what we are doing and why they need to be closed off,¡± Walden exined. ¡°Good. Let us know how we can support in pivoting attention away,¡± I said. Nn had been watching the exchange without interrupting. He gave a single nod when Walden looked to him for confirmation. Nn already knew what I was nning and was on board. ¡°There is something else,¡± I continued. ¡°I want to propose that we invite the other packs here to see the wall.¡± Nn looked at me in surprise. ¡°Invite them here?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°You have already sent word to the other Alphas about the need to fortify their borders. I¡¯ve heard that only +25 Bonus Silverfang, Shadoww, and Colin¡¯s pack have begun building. The others have not moved at all,¡± I exined. ¡°So, you think seeing it will change their mind?¡± Nn asked. ¡°Of course. Standing in front of what we have built here and speaking with us directly about the threat we are preparing will make it real for them. It may be enough to push the ones who are still hesitating into action,¡± I exined. ¡°Luna makes a good point. Neighboring packs that fall to the rogues would be a liability as there would be more mad rogue wolves to deal with,¡± Walden agreed. ¡°It is worth trying,¡± Nn said. ¡°But only after the tunnels have been constructed. We need to make sure we are not stretched too thin.¡± ¡°Of course, but we must make sure we make it a priority right after,¡± I added. ¡°We read your report on the arson investigation. Did you find anything else out?¡± Nn asked, changing the topic. ¡°No, Alpha. We were not able to identify a cause with certainty and we were thorough,¡± Walden replied. ¡°Based on the evidence we have, the most likely conclusion is that it was an ident caused by a storagemp left unattended.¡± I said nothing. I had read Walden¡¯s report twice and I still was not convinced. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t believe Walden, but something about the situation felt wrong. The location of the fire, the timing, and the speed at which it had spread just did not sit right with me. However, I had no proof, and pressing the point would only make Walden think I did not trust his ability. ¡°Let¡¯s be extra vignt with the construction of the tunnels,¡± I finally said. ¡°Remember no one but who you have selected to work on the tunnels knows about them.¡± ¡°Understood, Luna,¡± Walden said without hesitation. ¡°You have my word.¡± ¡°I will help you choose the men,¡± Nn added. Walden¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise and then he smiled mischievously. ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face?¡± Nn asked. ¡°You know, Alpha,¡± Walden said, ¡°there was a time not so long ago when getting you to agree to anything that wasn¡¯t your own idea required an act of the Moon Goddess herself. Luna Talia has done something I genuinely did not think was possible in all my years serving this pack. You have be remarkably easy to work with.¡± I covered my mouth to keep from snickering. Nn looked at him with a t, unimpressed expression. ¡°Get moving, Walden,¡± he growled. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you ÈÕ Support Share C get it HON THIRTY SEVEN +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 237 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV Nn and Walden left together to begin selecting the warriors for the tunnel construction. I stayed in the office for a moment after the door closed behind them, thinking about what came next. The tunnel work was in motion. The invitations were not. ¡®Aren¡¯t you rushing this? Our mate said after the tunnels wereplete,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®No, we only have a week to prepare. I want to send the invitations out as soon as the tunnels areplete,¡¯ I exined. Sending formal invitations to every Alpha and Luna in the region was not something I could manage alone. De knew the other packs and their leadership well enough to know how each invitation needed to be worded to be taken seriously. I left the office and went to find her. I found her in the east corridor near the dining hall, speaking with one of the junior warriors. When she saw meing, she quickly dismissed him. ¡°What was that about?¡± I asked. ¡°I was giving him a pep talk. The young guy is way too anxious,¡± De replied. She paused and looked at me. ¡°You¡¯re walking differently.¡± I looked down at myself and then back at her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Like you own the ce. It suits you. You are finally starting to act like a true Luna of the Bloodmoon Pack,¡± she exined. I gave her a t expression. ¡°I have always acted like one,¡± I said. ¡°Are you saying I wasn¡¯t acting like a proper Luna before?¡± De raised both hands in mock surrender. ¡°Of course you have. Forgive me, Luna, I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± she said dramatically. I held her gaze for a moment longer before we bothughed. After a few seconds, I cleared my throat and then said in a serious tone, ¡°Beta De, we have work to do.¡± Her expression changed immediately and she gave me her full attention. ¡°What are your instructions, Luna?¡± ¡°We are going to Alpha¡¯s office,¡± I said. ¡°I need your help to prepare invitations for the other packs.¡± ¡°Sure. That¡¯s my pleasure.¡± She replied. When we reached the office, I pushed the door open and stepped back slightly so she could take in the room properly. Nn¡¯s desk was on one side and mine was on the other, both upied and clearly in regr use. I gestured toward my desk. De stepped in and looked around the room, taking in both desks before turning to me. ¡°He put a desk in here for you?¡± De asked and I nodded. She smiled and walked over to the desk. ¡°I knew he was a capable Alpha, but I am d to see he is a devoted mate. Not a lot of Alphas are like that.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I answered as I remembered that Nn made it a point that we didn¡¯t need to separate offices. It was nice feeling included and treated as we were on the same level. We got to work on the invitations, drafting one for every Alpha and Luna in the region. De knew the right tone for each pack. She took extra care of the ones that needed a more formal approach. De picked up the sheet marked for Silverfang, a small pout forming on her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think Leslie is going to show up for this.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°She has always dislikedrge gatherings. I can see her finding a reason to note,¡± De replied. She let out a small sigh. ¡°I miss her, though. No one else speaks their mind the way she does. You always know exactly where you stand with Leslie.¡± SRTY SEVEN +25 Bonus ¡°I miss her too,¡± I admitted. ¡°More than I expected after leaving Silverfang.¡±. ¡°You should ask Solon. He could convince Leslie,¡± De suggested. I nodded as I reached out to Solon through the mind link. Solon¡¯s presence came through slowly, which told me he had been asleep. ¡°Talia?¡± he murmured. ¡°What is it? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong,¡± I said quickly. ¡°I just have news. The wall is finished.¡± There was a brief silence. ¡°Finished? Already? It¡¯s only been a month.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°Walden kept his word and then some.¡± There was another pause. ¡°That is remarkable.¡± He sounded more awake now. ¡°What do you need from me?¡± ¡°We are sending formal invitations to every pack toe see it,¡± I said. ¡°I want you and Leslie toe to Bloodmoon. Walk the wall with us, meet with the other Alphas and Lunas, and talk about what needs to happen next across all our borders. We have proved it can be done in under a month. The packs that have not yet started building need to see that for themselves.¡± ¡°I think it is an excellent idea,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°Bring Leslie too. I need you both here, please,¡± I said. Solon was quiet for a moment. ¡°I cannot make that decision for her. You know how she is about these things.¡± ¡°Which is why I am telling you now that if she refuses, I will contact her myself every single day until she changes her mind. I have no intention of taking no for an answer.¡± I insisted. Solonughed. ¡°I will ask her,¡± he said. ¡°That is honestly the best I can offer you.¡± ¡°That is enough,¡± I said. ¡°For now.¡± He chuckled again before ending the link. When I opened my eyes, De had stopped writing. Her pen hovered above the page as she watched me expectantly. ¡°Well?¡± she asked. ¡°What did he say?¡± I leaned back slightly, a small smile tugging at my lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I said. ¡°Leslie wille.¡± 2,2 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 238 +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV A weekter, Nn and I were up before dawn. The pack house had been in preparation mode for days. Extra food stores had been brought in, and guest houses had been cleaned. Warriors had been briefed on their roles during the visit; the wall tour route had been confirmed with Walden. All that was left was to wait. We did not wait long. De came to find us while we were still finishing breakfast. She was dressed in a very professional suit. De bowed to us and Nn said, ¡°Why so professional? Sit down and have breakfast with us.¡± ¡°The first convoys have reached our border,¡± De said and sat down. ¡°Walden is already at the scene. He has taken the early arrivals directly to the wall.¡± ¡°Solon and Leslie?¡± I asked. ¡°Still on the way,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°Their convoy is close. Moonbrook is with them.¡± Nn set down his cup and I was already standing. ¡°Guess it is time to get started.¡± We made our way to the wall and found the visiting leaders gathered at the entrance, moving slowly along the base of it with their heads tilted back. I watched their faces as they took it in. Some of them had sent polite but nomittal responses to the invitation, responses that told me very little about whether they actually believed the threat was real or the wall was necessary. It was clear now that they underestimated the threat as well as the wall. ¡°This isrger than I imagined,¡± one of the Alphas said. Another Alpha gestured toward the eastern section. ¡°The reinforcements alone are extensive,¡± he said. ¡°How long did this take? ¡°Just under a month,¡± I responded. ¡°A month?¡± Another Alpha eximed. He looked at Nn and he nodded. No one spoke after that and I let the quiet satisfaction of being right settle over me. Henry¡¯s voice came through the mind link while the visiting leaders were still touring. ¡®Luna Talia, I have arrived.¡¯ ¡®I am d that you could make it. How is Shadoww doing?¡¯ ¡®All is well in Shadoww. There are no incidents to report,¡¯ Henry responded. ¡®Thank you, Henry,¡¯ I replied. Nn, De, and I moved to the outer entrance to wait for the remaining convoys. The morning was cold and clear, and the sounds of the visiting leaders talking among themselves carried from further along the wall. De stood with her arms folded against the cold and said nothing, which meant she was in Beta mode. Two convoys appeared on the road at nearly the same time. I recognized the Silverfang banners first and was surprised that I telt giddy at knowing my brother had arrived fast. Nn and I walked out to meet them. Solon stepped out of the car before it had fully stopped and crossed the distance between us in a few strides. I met him halfway and threw myself into his arms for a hug, feeling my wolf wag her tail in excitement too. ¡°I have missed you, brother,¡± I said. ¡°And I¡¯ve missed you too,¡± he said. He pulled back and looked at me. ¡°You look well, Talia. You look like yourself.¡± Before I could reply, a familiar hiss reached my ears. I smiled and turned toward the sound. +25 Bonus ¡°Goddess, Solon, you couldn¡¯t wait until the car stopped or are you trying to hurt yourself so I can take care of you,¡± Leslie scolded as she got out of the car. She looked me over and her expression softened. ¡°You look like a pack Luna, Talia,¡± Leslie finally said. ¡°A real one.¡± She nced past me to where De was standing. ¡°I see De hasn¡¯t driven you crazy yet.¡± De stepped forward with a wide smile. ¡°Oh, it is nice seeing you too, Leslie.¡± Leslieughed and then pulled De into a hug. ¡°How¡¯s Father doing?¡± I asked. ¡°He is well,¡± Solon replied. ¡°Busy, as always, and showing no signs of slowing down. But he misses you.¡± ¡°You know he could reach out sometimes,¡± I said. ¡°Yes, but he wanted to give you space to grow into your role. You know how he is.¡± I smiled at that. It was exactly the kind of thing our father would do. ¡®We should reach out to himter today,¡¯ my wolf suggested. ¡®I will. There is so much to tell him,¡¯ I agreed. ¡°Wee! Solon and Leslie. Thank you foring,¡± Nn formally greeted them. Nn then extended his hand to shake Solon. Solon stared at Nn¡¯s hand for a moment. I started to get ready to mediate an argument when Solon brushed Nn¡¯s hand away. He ced his hand on Nn¡¯s shoulder instead. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, Nn,¡± Solon said. ¡°We¡¯re a family. Act like it.¡± Before Nn could respond, Solon pulled him into a tight hug. Nn¡¯s shocked expression caused De and Leslie to burst outughing and I couldn¡¯t help but giggle. ¡°Are you guys having fun without me?¡± Colin asked as he exited his car. I moved toward him on instinct with my arms already open. Nn coughed. I stopped and extended my hand instead. Colin took it and shook it with a firm grip, but his eyes had already moved to Nn. He had a mischievous smirk on his face. ¡°Stingy,¡± Colin teased. ¡°Wee to Bloodmoon,¡± Nn said evenly, ignoring thement. ¡°What? I don¡¯t get a hug?¡± Colin asked. ¡°No,¡± Nn said firmly, but from the twitch at the side of his mouth I knew he was trying to hold back a smile. I thought I would never see the day where Nn would not want to maul Colin. ¡°Aw, don¡¯t be a wet sandwich, Nn,¡± Colin fake pouted. 1 Nn cleared his throat and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and start the tour.¡± Colin grinned and fell into step beside us as Nn turned and led the group toward the wall. TAKTY NINI +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 239 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & THIRTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV The Alphas and Lunas gathered at the base of the wall as a group after the tour. Some of them were still looking back at it as they settled into position. Others were speaking quietly among themselves. Nn and I moved to the front to stand in front of the group. Upon seeing us, the talking stopped and the group focused on us. ¡°Thank you all for making the journey,¡± I started. ¡°I know it was not a short one for many of you, and I am grateful that you came and that you took the time to see this for yourselves.¡± ¡°Building this wall was Luna Talia¡¯s idea,¡± Nn added. ¡°From the initial nning to the execution, she led this project. What you have seen today is the result of her work and the work of everyone in this pack who carried it out.¡± My wolf hummed with pride as Nn supported me. He didn¡¯t say he was going to speak. Iposed myself, but inside I was grinning from ear to ear. ¡°I am sure you all are wondering why I built the wall. Bloodmoon already had natural defenses on several sides,¡± I exined.¡± The Abyssal Forest covers a significant portion of our territory and is not something rogues can move through easily or quickly. Because of that, we only needed to build along the ins, which kept the scope of the project manageable. ¡°It still doesn¡¯t exin how this was possible in just a month,¡± one of the Alphas spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re right. Completing it in under a month during winter was not easy. It required our warriors and vigers working together consistently and without interruption,¡± I exined. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why this is necessary,¡± a Luna interjected. ¡°This feels like too much since we have patrols.¡± ¡°The wall changes how we handle border security,¡± I continued. ¡°Right now, packs rely on constant patrols to monitor their borders. That requires significant manpower and still leaves gaps because no patrol can be everywhere at once. With the wall in ce, we have ten controlled entrances. A small rotation of warriors can manage all ten effectively, which frees up the rest of our forces for other responsibilities. The pack is safer and we are using fewer resources to maintain that safety.¡± I looked across the group. ¡°We are prepared to share the blueprints with any pack that wants them,¡± I added. Maggie moved quietly through the gathered leaders, cing an instruction manual into each pair of hands. A few of them opened the covers immediately and began reading. Others held them at their sides and kept their attention on me. ¡°This is something that worked for us and we believe can work for other packs as well. The basic structure can be adapted to suit different terrains, and additional defenses can beyered on top depending on what each pack needs,¡± Nn added. A short, dismissive snort came from Alpha Landon of Lonefur on the far side of the group. It didn¡¯t surprise me that it was him who was opposed to it. Alpha Landon was notorious for being disagreeable for no reason at all. ¡°Do you have something to say, Alpha Landon?¡± I asked. ¡°With respect,¡± he said, though his tone carried very little of it, ¡°Lonefur is a small pack, and we are located far from the main rogue territories. We have not had a significant rogue incident in years.¡± He looked around at the Alphas beside him. ¡°I am not sure this is a problem that applies to all of us equally. Building a wall of this scale requires enormous resources. It seems to me like Bloodmoon may be overreacting to a threat that is not as widespread as they believe.¡± Several of the smaller pack Alphas murmured in agreement with what Landon had said. I bristled at his tone. She did not appreciate the dismissiveness any more than I did. ¡®He is challenging you. Make him regret it,¡¯ she growled. Solon spoke before I could. ¡°Every pack here makes its own decisions about how to protect its people. But safety measures like this are designed for the long term, not for conditions that already exist. The question is not whether you have faced significant +25 Bonus rogue activity recently, but whether you are prepared if that changes.¡± ¡°I want to be direct with you about why we built this when we did,¡± I said. Alpha Landon looked at me with impatience and said, ¡°Then by all means, exin.¡± ¡°Watch your tone, Alpha Landon,¡± Nn said firmly. I gripped his wrist, hoping my touch would calm him. There was no reason to be fighting about this. ¡°Earlier this year, I was kidnapped,¡± I said. ¡°During the investigation that followed, we encountered rogues who were not behaving like ordinary rogues. Their behavior was erratic and violent in a way that went beyond what we normally see. Testing confirmed that their blood showed signs of infection consistent with the mad rogue infection.¡± There were gasps and murmurs amongst the group. Alpha Landon scoffed again. ¡°How are you alive then?¡± I ignored his question and continued talking, ¡°One of them attacked me directly. I came very close to not surviving it. I am standing here today because I just got a small scratch and Healer Leslie of Silverfang once gave me her useful healing herbs,¡± I looked toward Leslie briefly and then back at the group. ¡°Without her, I would not be here.¡± Support Share 212 +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 240 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY Talia¡¯s POV The group went silent. Solon¡¯s voice came through the mind link. ¡®Talia,¡¯ he said. His tone was controlled but I could tell he was angry.¡¯ ¡®Solon, what¡¯s up?¡¯ I responded. ¡®This is not funny Talia. Nn told me your injuries were not serious. He said you recovered quickly and that there was nothing to be concerned about,¡¯ Solon said firmly. ¡®I am fully recovered,¡¯ I responded. ¡®You know what I am asking you,¡¯ Solon said. I did not answer immediately. There was no point in lying to him. I already told the truth. ¡®I asked him to keep the details from you,¡¯ I admitted. ¡®I did not want you to worry about something that was already resolved.¡¯ There was a pause. I know it wasn¡¯t for long, but it still made me anxious. ¡®We will discuss thatter,¡¯ Solon finally said and closed the mind link. ¡®I told you that you should¡¯ve told him,¡¯ my wolf huffed. ¡®Telling me I told you so isn¡¯t going to help the situation,¡¯ I said before I returned my attention to the group in front of me. ¡°Is this the same mad rogue blood that drove Alpha Lake insane?¡± Colin asked. I heard the name and nced at Nn without meaning to. He was standing still beside me with his expression unchanged, giving nothing away. ¡°Yes,¡± Nn confirmed. ¡°It is the same strain.¡± Then, Alpha Landonughed. Colin cut his eyes at him and demanded, ¡°What is so funny?¡± ¡°This charade is hrious to me,¡± Landon answered. ¡°Alpha Lake¡¯s madness has been exaggerated over the years. It was one isted case. I am not going tomit my pack¡¯s resources to building a wall over an urban legend.¡± I felt Nn¡¯s anger through the mate bond. Before I could respond, Solon spoke up. ¡°It seems that you still have not learned manners, Alpha Landon.¡± ¡°What did you say to me?¡± Landon asked, stepping toward Solon. ¡°You are standing here listening to the Luna of Bloodmoon tell you she was infected and nearly died, and your response is to call it an urban legend? That is shortsighted, Landon, and you know it,¡± Solon replied. ¡°That is enough,¡± I said, before Landon could respond. ¡°I think you have misunderstood the purpose of today. No one is forcing this on anyone. We are only providing an option. Every pack here makes its own decisions.¡± Landon still looked at me with disdain. ¡°You are not providing options. If you truly meant the wall to be optional, you could have given everyone a list of the healing herbs that cured you. That is a simpler solution. ¡°Don¡¯t you think Luna Talia would have provided them if it was that easy?¡± Leslie countered. ¡°No. She wants to force our hand because of her trauma,¡± Landon argued. Leslie rolled her eyes. ¡°They are difficult to source, time consuming to prepare, and we do not have an unlimited supply,¡± she exined. ¡°I spent years building the supply that I have, and it is not something that can be replicated quickly or distributed at scale. More importantly, Luna Talia was only scratched and she nearly died. We have no confirmation that the herbs could have cured a direct infection from a bite.¡± +25 Bonus Landon looked at her with open contempt. ¡°You are supposed to be the best healer in the region,¡± he said, ¡°and you are telling us you are not sure your own herbs work. That is a remarkable thing to admit.¡± Solon tensed beside Leslie. ¡°Are you deaf?¡± Leslie growled. ¡°That is not what I said.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± I said. The word came out with the full weight of a Lunamand behind it. It mmed into everyone, causing them to dip their heads in respect to me. Landon looked at me in surprise but quicklyposed himself. It seemed that he had forgotten I was the daughter of the Alpha King and had the rank to make even with him, an Alpha, submit to me if I wanted. ¡®Calm down, love,¡¯ Nn said through our mind link. ¡°Alpha Landon, I understand your concern. Lonefur is remote, but it is not as much of an advantage as you think,¡± Nn stated. ¡°If mad roguese to your borders, the nearest pack capable of sending support is at least two days out. A wall would buy your pack time.¡± Landon looked at him with a thin smile. ¡°With respect, Alpha Nn, I am not convinced you are offering an objective assessment here. It seems to me like you are here to support whatever your Luna decides, and that is not the same thing as giving sound advice.¡± My wolf snarled, ¡®Put him in his ce or our mate may end up killing him!¡¯ I interjected before Nn did. ¡°If mad rogues reached Lonefur¡¯s borders tomorrow, what would you do? What is your n right now, today, if that happens?¡± Landon opened his mouth and then closed it. His confidence had faltered only slightly. He had not expected the question to be turned back on him. ¡°This isn¡¯t about me. This is about you two causing panic about this mad rogue legend,¡± Landon argued. ¡°It is the truth,¡± I snapped. ¡°Then, prove it. Inject someone with the infected blood,¡± Landon suggested. ¡°Let every pack here witness what it does. If it is as dangerous as you say, we will all see it for ourselves. If what you say is true, I will return to my pack and begin construction of the wall immediately.¡± I hesitated. I hated how Landon was going this far to try to prove we were overreacting. All he had to do was just say he wasn¡¯t going to build the wall. There was no need to try to turn the rest of the packs against me which would lead to the other packs not respecting Bloodmoon. ¡°Why are you hesitating? This is a fair request. Or are you finally willing to admit you overreacted and lied about your kidnapping to save face?¡± Landon questioned. ¡°How dare you!¡± Nn growled as he stepped forward. I moved in front of Nn to block him from doing something we would regret. He did not push past me. Nn leaned into me, using my body to calm him. Landon was watching us as if he had already won. I looked at his smug expression and smiled. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll show you the proof.¡± ATORIVIONE +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 241 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV Nn leaned close to me. ¡°That proposal is insane,¡± he said, his voice low enough that only I could hear it. ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°Then, why are you agreeing to this?¡± ¡°Trust me. I know what I am doing,¡± I responded. If we didn¡¯t go along with Landon¡¯s proposal, then the other packs would agree with Landon that we were overreacting. I was against infecting something on purpose, but if it meant the other packs would do what they needed to do to protect themselves, it was worth it. ¡°I am sure you have a prisoner or two in your dungeon you could test the blood on,¡± Landon suggested with a sneer. ¡°No. We will not be using prisoners for your proposal,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Have you changed your mind, Luna?¡± Landon asked. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Testing on people who are already in our custody is not something we are willing to do, regardless of what they have done.¡± ¡°Then, what do you suggest, Luna Talia?¡± Landon asked. ¡°We propose testing the blood on hunted prey instead. The effect will be visible, and no person will be harmed in the process.¡± Several of the Alphas nodded immediately. A few took a moment to consider it, but none of them objected. My alternative was practical and it removed the argument about cruelty entirely. Landon¡¯s smug expression did not change, but his eye did twitch as he noticed that he was not getting any support as he originally thought. ¡°You have gone soft,¡± he said, looking at Nn. ¡°A few months with a Luna and you cannot bring yourself to be too cruel to prisoners. I did not expect that from the Alpha of Bloodmoon.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t let him rile you up. He¡¯s trying to provoke you to get what he wants,¡¯ I told Nn through our mind link. Nn smirked and said, ¡°Soft or cautious? You do not fully understand how quickly the mad rogue infection takes hold once it enters the bloodstream. Testing on a smaller prey animal limits the risk to everyone present, including your own people.¡± ¡°We can send one of our warriors to¡­¡± Landon scoffed, cutting me off. ¡°Hunting is my specialty. I can manage this on my own.¡¯ I looked at De and De stepped forward. ¡°Alpha Landon, I can take you into the forest and help you identify suitable prey. We can have something ready within the hour.¡± ¡°Ten minutes,¡± Landon said. ¡°I do not need more than that.¡± He turned and walked toward the tree line with two of his warriors behind him. ¡°Henry, Walden. I want both of you at the edge of the forest before Landones back out. Stay out of sight but stay close,¡± Nn ordered through our pack link. ¡°If whatever he brings out gets loose, I want you in position to restrain it.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Henry said through the mind link. Walden gave a short nod and moved without a word. Nn turned to Marco and said, ¡°Bring the mad rogue blood from storage, but keep it sealed until we are ready to use it. We will also need restraints.¡± Marco nodded. ¡°I will bring the chains.¡± He left, moving quickly back to the pack house. & PARTY AND +25 Bonus Colin walked up to me and said, ¡°You know he is not going toe back with something small.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I sighed in frustration. ¡°Landon has a point to prove. Whateveres out of that forest, it will not be a rabbit.¡± ¡°He is being foolish. I don¡¯t even know how he became an Alpha with how hot tempered and reckless he is,¡± Nn added. ¡°The same could be said about you, Alpha Nn,¡± Colin teased. ¡°And what is that supposed to mean?¡± Nn asked, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Just like you, he wants to prove he is not afraid of whatever is in that blood.¡± Colin paused. ¡°He also wants to prove he is better at this than everyone here.¡± ¡°That is where you are wrong,¡± Nn snorted. ¡°I have a healthy respect and fear of the infection.¡± ¡°Either way, whatever Landon has nned is going to produce something memorable,¡± Colin said. ¡°I am counting on it,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m hoping no one is harmed in the process.¡± We gathered outside the forest entrance. Walden and Henry were at the edge of the tree line in their positions. Marco returned with a sealed container and chains. He stood back and out of the way. Ten minutes passed. Then a few more and then we heard movement. Branches snapped. Something heavy was being dragged through the undergrowth, and the sound of it reached the group before anything came into view. Several of the Alphas near the front took a step forward to make a line to protect the Lunas who hadn¡¯t retreated just yet. Landon came through the tree line with his hand wrapped around a rope. On the other end of the rope, restrained at the neck and dragging its feet against the ground, was a gray bear. It was not a small one. It was fully grown and it was not happy about being dragged. It roared as it pulled against the rope with enough force that anyone less than an Alpha would have lost his footing, but Landon hauled it forward without visible difficulty. Landon stopped in front of the group and dropped the rope, cing his foot on it to keep the bear in ce. He folded his arms, a smug smile curling across his face. ¡°I think this makes the perfect prey for the test. Don¡¯t you agree, Luna Talia?¡± Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 242 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY TWO Nn¡¯s POV The bear was still pulling against the rope at Landon¡¯s feet. Its breath came out in hard bursts. Landon had his arms crossed. He was satisfied and he was not hiding it. His two warriors stood a few feet behind him, looking equallyposed. One of the visiting Alphas broke the silence first. ¡°How long did that take you?¡± ¡°Eight minutes,¡± Landon replied. ¡°Give or take.¡± The group reacted immediately. Several of the Alphas spoke at once. A few of them moved closer to get a better look at the bear. They were praising him for his hunting skills. I nced at Solon, who looked like I felt. He was watching Landon with disgust. To bring back a bear for this experiment was ridiculous and reckless. ¡®Just like we thought,¡¯ my wolf sneered. ¡®He¡¯s an idiot. That is more dangerous than someone who¡¯s actually malicious.¡¯ Landon had mocked Leslie less than an hour ago. If something went wrong today and that was a strong possibility, he would be the one who ended up hurt. The only healer that we had at the wall was Leslie. I did not know Leslie would help him if that happened and I was certain that I would not ask her to. I pped slowly and everyone¡¯s attention turned to me. ¡°Impressive, I mean that. Bringing down a bear of that size in under ten minutes. I do want to point out that it is a juvenile and is already naturally aggressive.¡± There were murmurs amongst the group. The novelty of Landon catching the bear had worn off. Now, the Alphas and Lunas were considering how dangerous this situation could be. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean, Alpha Nn,¡± Landon responded. ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t,¡± I responded, noting the slight frown on Landon¡¯s face. ¡°Exposure to the mad rogue blood would only make the bear more dangerous and fierce. A simple rope will not be able to restrain it. Before we proceed, we need to make sure it is properly secured. For everyone¡¯s safety, including yours, Alpha Landon.¡± Talia turned to Marco and said, ¡°Chains.¡± Landon did not respond, but I saw his jaw flex. ¡°It seems like you want to object, Alpha Landon. Are you not in agreement?¡± I asked. Arguing with me right now would only make Landon reveal himself as the bastard that he was. He was someone who would put his need to be right over his pack¡¯s safety. ¡°Of course not, Alpha Nn. Safety is of the utmost importance,¡± Landon replied through gritted teeth. Marco and two guards moved in with the chains. The bear pulled hard as they worked, and it took both guards holding the existing ropes taut while Marco secured each restraint. When thest chain was locked, the animal sagged slightly and then began pulling again in a different direction. It was testing each point of resistance one at a time. ¡®This bear is far too intelligent,¡¯ Talia said through our mate link. ¡®We don¡¯t have a choice. We have to do this to make sure no one can suspect our suggestions on the wall anymore,¡¯ I responded. ¡®I know, but this is cruel,¡¯ Talia sighed. Marco handed Talia the container of mad rogue blood. She took it and held it carefully. Talia opened the container. ¡°How are we supposed to know that blood is infected? It could be anything else,¡± Landon interjected. ¡°We¡¯re just going to have to find out, then,¡± Colin responded before I could. Landon opened his mouth to say something but closed it when I red at him. I had enough of his interruptions. +25 Bonus ¡°Everyone back,¡± Talia ordered. Most of them moved immediately and put ten feet or more between themselves and the bear. Landon took three steps back and stopped with a casual shrug. I shook my head. This fool was going to get himself killed. ¡®Let him. He doesn¡¯t deserve to be an Alpha,¡¯ my wolf huffed. It seemed Talia felt the same way as she did not address Landon. De took the open container of blood from Talia. Marco handed her a bow and then a single arrow. Talia took the arrow and dipped the head into the open container of blood. She made sure the tip was fully coated before she withdrew it. De quickly closed the container and handed it back to Marco. ¡°We need to be prepared for this to go left,¡± Talia told De. ¡°If the bear escapes, I need you and Marco to defend to get the group to safety.¡± ¡°Yes, Luna,¡± De said as she stepped back. Talia lifted the arrow. Her hands were steady. I could feel her anger through the mate bond. She was not happy about doing this, but she was not backing out. Talia raised the bow, held the draw for a moment, and adjusted her angle. ¡°Stay alert,¡± Talia said to the group. ¡°All of you. Whatever happens next, do not move toward the animal for any reason.¡± Then, she released. The arrow hit the bear in its left nk. The animal lurched at the impact and then copsed. Its whole body began to violently convulse and snapped all four chains taut at once. The sound of the metal pulling to its limit was loud enough that several people flinched. Every person in the group took an involuntary step back, including Landon. The convulsion passed. The bear sagged against the chains and went still. ¡°You just killed it,¡± Landon scoffed, starting forward. ¡°Nothing happened. Now, I-¡± He choked on the rest of his sentence. The bear¡¯s head snapped up, its eyes glowing a solid, terrifying red from edge to edge. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 243 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY THREE Nn¡¯s POV The first chain snapped at the rear left leg and then the second. ¡°Everyone get back,¡± Imanded, but my Alphamand came toote. The bear lurched forward and the remaining restraints tore loose all at once. ¡°Talia, get the Lunas back now,¡± I said but she and De were already moving to usher the Lunas back toward the packhouse. Henry and Walden moved forward to distract the bear. Walden was mmed hard into a tree. The bear crossed the clearing and went straight for the nearest group of Alphas. Most of the Alphas cleared out of its path. Landon stepped forward instead, dropped into a fighting stance with his arms out. ¡®What is that idiot doing? He¡¯s going to get himself killed!¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡°Landon, fall back!¡± I ordered, but Landon did not listen to me. He held his ground and waited for the bear to reach him. Landon avoided the first few swipes but then, the bear caught him on the left side and drove him hard into the ground. ¡°Damn it! Hold on Landon!¡± Landon got one arm up, but the bear was faster. It mped down on his shoulder with its jaws and began thrashing him. Landon screamed in pain as he punched at the bear¡¯s head, but the bear was not letting go. I reached the bear¡¯s right side. Solon came in on the left at the same moment. Colin jumped on its back and locked both arms around its neck. He pulled with everything he had. The bear released Landon to try to throw Colin off its back and that gave Solon and me the angle we needed to bring it down. Solon and I drove our ws into his neck, ripping as hard as we could. It finally copsed and Henry rushed over with a bucket of water to rinse the blood off our hands. ¡°Make sure to get all of it off,¡± I told them. ¡°You don¡¯t want to make a mistake and infect yourself.¡± Solon and Colin didn¡¯t have to be told twice as they began scrubbing their hands in the water. I turned to Marco after cleaning my hands and said, ¡°Burn it. Every single part of it. Do not touch it with your bare hands under any circumstances.¡± ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± Marco nodded before waving over two guards who already had gasoline and a torch ready. Landon was on the ground writhing in pain with his hand pressed against his shoulder. The blood had soaked through his fingers and was running down his arm. He looked up at me and for the first time all morning there was nothing behind his eyes except fear. ¡°Please,¡± he breathed. ¡°Help me. I cannot feel my arm.¡± ¡°I warned you, my Luna warned you and you refused to listen,¡± I growled. ¡°Your recklessness harmed one of my pack members. I should let you suffer.¡± ¡°I know.¡± His jaw was tight with pain. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. Please help me.¡± ¡°I am not a healer,¡± I said tly. ¡°You will need to ask Luna Leslie.¡± He turned to Leslie. She was checking Walden over who was concussed and then, Solon and Colin. Leslie did not move toward Landon at all. My wolf snorted in amusement. ¡°Luna Leslie, I¡­¡± Landon started but stopped in midsentence as another wave of pain hit him. ¡°I was wrong. What I said earlier was wrong. You are the best healer I have ever seen, and I knew that when I said it. Please help me,¡± he begged. Leslie finally looked at him. She looked at him as if he was an insignificant bug. Leslie turned her attention back to Solon. ¡°Please,¡± Landon begged. +25 Bonus Leslie still did not respond. Then, Landon turned to Talia. ¡°Luna Talia.¡± He gasped through the pain. ¡°I was wrong. I will build the wall. I swear it. Please, get Luna Leslie to help me,¡± he pleaded. Talia looked at him and said nothing. I could feel through the mate bond that she was conflicted. She was upset with him and believed he deserved this, but at the same time she didn¡¯t want him to suffer. ¡°I can¡¯t help you, Alpha Landon. I cannot force another Luna to do something that she does not want to do,¡± Talia finally said. ¡°Solon,¡± Landon choked out his name desperately. ¡°Please, please, I¡¯m begging you. Help me.¡± ¡°Leslie¡­¡± Solon started but stopped when Leslie red at him. ¡°There is one thing that would change my mind,¡± Leslie finally offered. ¡°Sign the Lonefur pack over to Solon right now.¡± Landon looked at Leslie as if she had grown a third leg. ¡°This is not a game. I need help,¡± Landon snapped. ¡°Clearly,¡± she replied. If you refuse, Solon will take the pack when you die from this anyway. You might as well agree now so you can at least have a fighting chance to start over.¡± Landon looked at Solon, who shrugged. ¡°Fine,¡± he rasped. ¡°Please take my pack. Just help me. I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Leslie did not move toward him, and Landon had begun to cry. Then, Leslie smirked. ¡°I was joking,¡± she told him. ¡°I have no interest in managing another pack with Solon. We are already too busy. I am not doing that to myself.¡± She walked over to Landon and kneeled down next to him. ¡°What I want from you is a genuine apology and from this point forward you will address me correctly. You will address me as Luna Leslie, not woman, not healer, but Luna Leslie. Do you understand?¡± Landon didn¡¯t hesitate and blurted out, ¡°I am sorry, Luna Leslie. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Leslie reached into her bag and produced a small pill. She ced it into his mouth and Landon swallowed quickly. Unexpectedly, he was unconscious a secondter. Leslie pressed two fingers to the side of his neck. She swore under her breath. ¡°Shit! This isn¡¯t good.¡± P Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 244 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY FOUR Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Leslie, what¡¯s wrong with him?¡± I asked. ¡°The toxins are spreading too fast,¡± Leslie replied as she stood up. ¡°The medicine I gave him is not working. His body is not responding to it the way it should and the infection has already moved further than I expected.¡± ¡°What is going to happen to him?¡± one of the Alphas asked. ¡°He¡¯s going to turn,¡± a Luna said frantically. ¡°We should put him down first,¡± another Alpha chimed in. ¡°No,¡± Leslie snapped, ending the discussion. ¡°He needs to go to the hospital now. There is an emergency method that may still help him, but it has to happen immediately.¡± ¡°Take him now,¡± Nn ordered. ¡°Leslie and Solon ride with him, keeping him stable. Do not stop for any reason.¡± The guards lifted Landon carefully and carried him toward the vehicles. Leslie and Solon followed behind them. ¡°After all this, I think I may demand his pack,¡± I heard Leslie mutter as she walked by. The group now turned to me. The skepticism some of them had carried waspletely gone. They had seen the infection take hold in seconds and what it did to a fully grown bear. All of them understood how serious the situation was now. ¡°I will return to my pack,¡± one of the Alphas said. ¡°Construction will begin immediately.¡± The group murmured their agreements. ¡°Yes, please. There is nothing left for you all to do here. Please head home and travel safely,¡± Nn said. ¡°I want you to know that we will do everything possible to save Alpha Landon. We will not give up on him,¡± I added. They nodded and began moving toward their convoys. Henry came to stand beside me. ¡°Luna Talia, I can stay,¡± he offered. ¡°Whatever you need, I can support you.¡± ¡°Likewise,¡± Colin added as he walked up. ¡°I have nowhere urgent to be.¡± ¡°You both need to go get looked over at the hospital. Walden probably has a concussion, so help him back to the hospital,¡± I said. ¡°After you both are cleared, go home. You have packs to run.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Are you doubting my ability to run my pack?¡± I asked, interrupting Henry. ¡°Of course not, but¡­¡± ¡°No buts. Go. I will reach out to you if I need you,¡± I ordered. ¡°That goes for you, Colin. Nn and I have this handled.¡± Henry looked like he wanted to argue but did not. Colin held my gaze for a moment and then nodded. I watched them escort Walden toward the vehicles. ¡°Landon better not turn. I want to kick his ass while he is able to understand and remember,¡± Nn grumbled. ¡°Look at the bright side. He made sure the rest of the packs will take the threat seriously now,¡± I said. ¡°At the risk of others. I should tell your father about this.¡± ¡°Trust me he already knows. I am sure Solon has already started the process of getting his rank removed.¡± When we reached the hospital, a nurse directed us to a waiting area outside Landon¡¯s room. Solon was already there, standing +25 Bonus with his arms crossed and his back against the wall. His brow was furrowed as he wasmunicating through the mate bond. ¡°Solon,¡± I said. He looked up when he heard my voice. ¡°How is Alpha Landon?¡± ¡°Leslie is treating him now,¡± Solon answered. ¡°If we had waited a secondter, he wouldn¡¯t have turned. He would have died.¡± ¡°Died? He was only bitten,¡± Nn said in rm. ¡°On top of the infection, the bear did serious damage. His shoulder was shattered and two of his ribs were broken. The injuries and the infection together are working against him. Leslie is giving him a blood transfusion now,¡± Solon answered. ¡°What? Why?¡± I asked. ¡°How would a blood transfusion help him?¡± ¡°Leslie spent years building up a resistance to all toxins that we were aware of, to the point that her blood has healing properties now. As the strongest healer, her blood can work as an antiviral or antibiotic,¡± Solon exined. ¡°Will it work?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it is the only chance he has.¡± Nn cursed under his breath. ¡°All of this because he refused to listen.¡± Part of me believed that we should let him die while the other told me we had to try to help. I didn¡¯t want to help if it was to the detriment of Leslie. ¡®We don¡¯t have a choice now. Leslie made the decision to help. Now we must wait,¡¯ my wolf said. After an hour, Leslie exited the room. She pulled the door closed softly before turning to us. ¡°It worked,¡± she said. ¡°He is stable and he is no longer in any danger.¡± I sighed in relief. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. ¡°Leslie, truly. Thank you for what you did for him today.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t deserve yourpassion, but thank you,¡± Nn added. Solon stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. She leaned into Solon and that was not like her. Leslie didn¡¯t like to be affectionate in public. That¡¯s when I noticed her face was deathly pale. She lookedpletely drained and was barely holding herself up. ¡°Leslie, you¡¯re white as a sheet,¡± I said, stepping closer. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she murmured, giving a weak smile. Before I could tell her she needed to sit down, Leslie¡¯s eyes closed and she dropped without any warning at all. ¡°Leslie!¡± Solon choked out, catching her just before she hit the floor. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 245 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Someone get a doctor!¡± I ordered, already moving toward the nurses¡¯ station. ¡°Stop,¡± Leslie said weakly. She tried to pull herself free of Solon¡¯s hold, but he kept her upright and tight against him. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Solon. I do not need a doctor. Let go.¡± ¡°What are you saying? You just fainted,¡± Solon responded. ¡°You are far from okay,¡± I added. Leslie rolled her eyes. ¡°You two are overreacting,¡± she huffed. ¡°I lost too much blood treating that idiot and my body responded ordingly. I do not need a doctor to tell me that. I need to rest.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Solon asked. ¡°I am fine. I just need to lie down and I will be fine,¡± Leslie said firmly. I was not entirely convinced, but arguing with Leslie when she had already made up her mind was not a productive use of anyone¡¯s time. I looked at Solon, but he was focused on Leslie. It made sense. She was his mate. I remembered how Nn was with me. It was a feat in itself that Solon hadn¡¯t carried Leslie off to the doctor anyway. ¡®Because he respects his mate¡¯s wishes,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®Or he knows he¡¯ll never hear the end of it if he goes against her wishes,¡¯ I countered and my wolf chuckled. ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± I asked. ¡°You can be quiet and let me rest,¡± Leslie replied. ¡°Nevermind. Leslie is just fine,¡± I joked and Leslie almost smiled. ¡°There is a lounge at the end of the hall. She can rest there for now,¡± Nn suggested. Solon lifted Leslie without asking her permission and carried her down the hall. The lounge was small but there was a long sofa along the far wall. Solon set her down carefully. Nn pulled a nket from a shelf in the corner and handed it to Solon, who spread it over her. Leslie had already closed her eyes before the nket touched her. Solon sat next to Leslie and stroked her head. ¡°You do not need to stay,¡± he said to me. ¡°If anything changes, let me know immediately. I don¡¯t care what time it is,¡± I said. He nodded. Nn and I stepped out into the hallway and pulled the door closed behind us. I stood there for a moment, not wanting to leave just yet. Nn ced a hand on my back and guided me away from the door. ¡°Leslie will be fine,¡± Nn reassured. ¡°She knows her own limits. Leslie would not lie to Solon about her own condition.¡± I knew he was right, but it did not make it any easier. I wanted to do something to help her. ¡°The best thing you can do is let her rest. Listen to our mate,¡¯ my wolf urged. ¡°Fine,¡± I mumbled as Nn led me away. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked, ncing down at where he held my hand. +25 Bonus ¡°We should check on Landon,¡± Nn said. ¡°And send him home as soon as he is able.¡± Landon had caused too much trouble for my pack and loved ones. He needed to go back to his pack and stay there. If I could find a reason, I¡¯d send him to the dungeon for a few days to teach him a lesson. Landon was awake when we entered his room. He was propped up against the pillows with his right arm immobilized at his side and his shoulder wrapped in thick bandaging. A doctor was carefully working on the outer dressing while Landon stared at the ceiling. Landon noticed us when we came in. His eyes dropped in embarrassment as he should be. Landon started to say something but I did not give him a chance. ¡°Are you proud of yourself? Are you happy with your show of dominance, Alpha Landon?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry, Luna Talia,¡± Landon replied. ¡°I don¡¯t care that you were sorry. You were warned multiple times before you went into that forest, and again when the bear charged. You were too busy trying to prove me wrong. Was it worth it? Are you satisfied with your performance?¡± I scolded. ¡°No¡­no, it wasn¡¯t worth it,¡± Landon said softly. ¡°If Leslie had not been there,¡± I continued, ¡°you would not be in a hospital bed right now. You would be a mad rogue. You would have lost everything that makes you who you are, and we would have had no choice but to put you down the same way we put down that bear. Do you understand that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Landon said quietly. ¡°I understand it.¡± I believed him. After going through the infection myself, I knew how terrible it felt, but it didn¡¯t make me any less angry with him. ¡°How is she?¡± Landon asked after a moment. ¡°How is Luna Leslie? Is she alright?¡± ¡°She copsed from exhaustion after saving you,¡± Nn answered and Landon¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°She gave too much of her own blood to heal you and her body gave out. She is resting now and she is not to be disturbed.¡± ¡°I want to thank her,¡± Landon said. ¡°When she is well enough.¡± ¡°I would think carefully about the timing of that visit,¡± Nn warned. ¡°Alpha Solon might kill you for putting his mate in danger, you know.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I know.¡± Landon nodded, his expression dimming. He shifted carefully against the pillows, wincing as the doctor secured the bandage. ¡°When I¡¯m discharged, I¡¯ll go straight back to Lonefur. I¡¯ll begin arranging the construction immediately.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good for you,¡± I said, already turning to leave. ¡°Luna Talia, please wait.¡± His voice stopped me. ¡°I want to thank Luna Leslie with a small gift. Could you give it to her for me?¡± ¡°Finally, a smart ideaing from you,¡± Nn scoffed. I paused, then reached out and took the small box from his hand. It sat quietly in my palm-small, yet something about it felt¡­ powerful. Curiously, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was inside. Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 246 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV Once thest of the visiting convoys had cleared Bloodmoon territory, Nn took Solon to see the tunnels. It made sense to do it then. Solon was one of the few people we trusted with that information and with the appearance of mad rogues again, it made sense to show him. De and I stayed behind and sat with Leslie in her room. She was still asleep even when Solon carried her back to their guest room. We kept our voices low and pulled two chairs close to the window, so we were not hovering directly over her while she rested. ¡°He deserved it,¡± De said. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± ¡°Landon, he deserved to be hurt by the mad bear,¡± De repeated. ¡°De, you can¡¯t be serious,¡± I said. ¡°I am serious. The bear should have finished the job,¡± De said firmly. She folded her arms and looked out the window. ¡°Do you know that the Lonefur pack has not grown in six years? Members have been quietly leaving for other packs for years. Landon has spent a lot of time and energy to cover it up, but Silverfang has epted so many of their own pack members for years.¡± ¡°I did not know that,¡± I said. ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t. It only became clear a few years after you left for Shadoww. He has coasted on his family name for as long as anyone can remember,¡± De exined. ¡°And today he almost turned into a mad rogue because he could not bring himself to take three steps back when someone told him to.¡± ¡°Normally, you wouldn¡¯t be this worked up about it.¡± I mentioned. ¡°He almost got people killed. Nn and Solon both had to intervene. What if they had gotten bit?¡± De said. I had not thought about that. I was confident in the fact that that would not happen. ¡°Solon or Nn should take it over,¡± De continued. ¡°It is not that simple,¡± I said. ¡°That pack has belonged to Landon¡¯s family for four generations. Stripping him of it over one incident would send the wrong message-every Alpha would start to wonder if they¡¯re next, if we could take their pack at any moment. The only person who could do that would be my father, the Alpha King. Right now, I am the Luna of Bloodmoon, not the one who makes that call.¡± De¡¯s eyes narrowed. She wanted to argue but with how red face was turning, I could tell she couldn¡¯te up with a counter to my argument. ¡°He showed real remorse today,¡± I continued. ¡°More than I expected from him, if I ampletely honest. He is not beyond redemption. And he left Leslie an apology gift before he was discharged.¡± De¡¯s frown vanished to a mischievous smirk. ¡°What kind of gift?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say. It was delivered to the room while you were out getting tea. It is on the side table.¡± ¡°What gift?¡± said a voice from the bed. We both turned. Leslie was awake, propped up on one elbow. She wasn¡¯t yawning. Her eyes were wide and clear of a person who had been awake for a while. ¡°You are supposed to be resting,¡± I said. CHATTA +25 Bonus ¡°I was resting,¡± she replied. ¡°Until the two of you started talking.¡± ¡°We were whispering,¡± De said. Leslie rolled her eyes and pushed herself upright against the pillows. ¡°I have been awake for at least thest ten minutes. You are not as quiet as you think.¡± She straightened the nket across herp. ¡°Where is Solon?¡± ¡°He went with Nn to see something,¡± I said. ¡°He will be back soon. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Better than I was,¡± Leslie responded. ¡°Which is not saying much.¡± She looked at the side table. ¡°What gift?¡± I picked up the small box from the side table and brought it to her. It was wrapped simply with a in ribbon, and there was a small card attached with Leslie¡¯s name written on it. Leslie looked at the card for a moment withoutment and then set it aside and opened the box. De had moved her chair several inches closer without appearing to notice that she had done it. The door opened before Leslie could say anything. Nn stepped in first, with Solon close behind. Nn came straight to me, a warm smile on his face as he took my hand. Across the room, Solon caught sight of Leslie sitting up in bed. His pace quickened. He reached her in a few strides, sat on the edge of the bed, leaned in and kissed her. ¡°Solon, you keep kissing her like that you¡¯re going to make her faint again,¡± De teased when the kisssted longer than a few seconds. Solon pulled back and cupped Leslie¡¯s face. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Better now,¡± Leslie said quietly with a blush. She held his gaze for a moment before looking back at the box in her hands. ¡°So, are you going to open it?¡± De asked. ¡°Open what?¡± Solon asked. ¡°Landon sent her an apology gift,¡± De replied. ¡°He should just give us the pack,¡± Solon sneered. ¡°See! Solon is on my side!¡± De eximed. Leslieughed as she opened the box. She gasped and lifted out the ne inside. It was a deep red stone set in a in gold chain. The stone was a deep rich red that seemed to hold the light rather than simply reflect it. Leslie held it up and went very still. ¡°It is the Lonefur Ember,¡± she said in excitement. ¡°I did not think he would part with this. I did not think he was capable of it.¡± ¡°What is the Lonefur Ember?¡± I asked. 212 IN +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 247 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV ¡°The Lonefur Ember is a gem,¡± Solon said. ¡°Clearly,¡± De huffed. ¡°But if it was just a simple gem, Leslie wouldn¡¯t have responded like that. So, what¡¯s so special about it?¡± ¡°There are only three in existence and all three have been protected in the Lonefur pack. The gem has properties that work on the bearer over time,¡± Solon exined. ¡°Can it heal her?¡± I asked. ¡°Better than that. It¡¯s the reason why Landon¡¯s family has held onto the pack for so long,¡± Leslie interjected. ¡°It calms the mind during stressful situations, offers protection, and it slows aging if worn consistently.¡± ¡°Giving one away is not a small gesture. These gems do not leave the Lonefur pack. That has been the rule for as long as the pack has existed. Landon gave this to Leslie to show his sincere apology,¡± Solon added. Leslie looked at the ne again. She set it carefully around her neck with a smile. ¡°I forgive him,¡± she said. De stared at her. ¡°You are forgiving him just like that?¡± ¡°Yes, just like that,¡± Leslie said. De sat back in her chair and looked at the ceiling briefly. ¡°I did not think Landon had that in him,¡± she said. ¡°Neither did I,¡± Leslie said. De snorted and crossed her arms. ¡°He should be giving one to Talia for causing all that trouble too,¡± she muttered. ¡°Now that Leslie is awake, we should get back,¡± Solon said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave so fast. Stay overnight. I know Leslie will appreciate the additional rest,¡± I offered. ¡°I told Father we¡¯d be back today,¡± Solon said. ¡°At least have dinner with us and see how you feel afterwards,¡± I suggested. ¡°Then we¡¯ll stay for dinner. I¡¯ll let Father know,¡± Solon responded. Solon looked at Leslie and she nodded. ¡°Why not?¡± Nn released my hand and stepped out to arrange it. He came back a few minutester and led us down the hall to one of the smaller dining rooms off the main hall. We sat down without much discussion about who sat where. Solon pulled Leslie¡¯s chair out before she reached it and sat beside her. He filled her water ss before his own and when the food came, he moved the dish closest to her slightly so she could reach it without stretching her arm. De leaned over to me at one point and said quietly, ¡°He is almost unbearable to watch.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. You should see how you and Marco are together,¡± I giggled. ¡°We are not like that,¡± De responded. ¡°Yes, you are. At least Solon isn¡¯t groping her underneath the table,¡± I added and De blushed. Nn almostughed and covered it with a cough. STRTV N +25 Bonus ¡°Where is Marco anyway?¡± I asked. ¡°Walden was more injured than we thought. Marco is filling in for Walden and will bete to dinner,¡± Nn exined. De nodded. She picked up her fork and began to eat without saying anything else. I watched her for a moment. She was looking at the empty chair next to her where Marco would have been sitting. ¡°You should stop being jealous,¡± I teased and De cut her eyes at me. ¡°Solon loves her. You should be happy for him.¡± ¡°For the record, I am not jealous,¡± De said. ¡°Just grossed out seeing him like that. Who wants to see their brother practically all over their mate?¡± She made a face, and Solon rolled his eyes at her before smirking. ¡°What did you think of the tunnels?¡± I asked Solon, changing the topic. ¡°The tunnels are well designed,¡± Solon answered. ¡°I will replicate them in Silverfang, and I will tell Father what you have done here. Not just the tunnels, but the wall, the gathering today, and the way you handled everything that followed. He should know the kind of Luna you have be.¡± ¡°I could not have done any of it without Nn,¡± I said. ¡°You need to learn to take apliment,¡± Nn stated. ¡°You came up with all of this on your own.¡± It felt good having a mate that supported me and not take credit for things that I had done. I hadn¡¯t realized how much Jason had taken advantage of me. There were so many things that I had overlooked. ¡®It is a good thing that the Moon Goddess blessed us with a second chance,¡¯ my wolf said and I agreed. The meal wound down slowly. We were nearly at the end of it when Leslie set down her cup and said, ¡°Right. I will leave my herbs with you before we go. They will help with mild cases of the infection if you encounter them.¡± Nn leaned back in his chair and drank some of his bourbon. ¡°Only for mild cases? What about full-blown infections?¡± ¡°They are not strong enough for a direct infection from a rogue-infected wound. What happened to Talia and what happened to Landon today, the herbs alone cannot handle that level of exposure. They would slow the progression in a minor case, but they would not be sufficient for anything more serious,¡± Leslie exined. I looked at my hands and thought about what that meant in practical terms. We were being reactive, not proactive. Every countermeasure we had was just that, a countermeasure. It wasn¡¯t a solution to the problem. ¡°It¡¯s better than nothing, right?¡± De asked, breaking the silence. Before I could respond, Leslie scoffed, ¡°Do you really think I am just going to stop with just the herbs?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked with anticipation. ¡°I will develop an antidote,¡± Leslie said firmly. ¡°It will be a proper one, something that works regardless of the level of exposure. I will start when we return to Silverfang.¡± Support Share 212 +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 248 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Do you genuinely believe it is possible?¡± I asked. Leslie was quiet for a moment before she answered. ¡°No,¡± she said tly. ¡°Wait, what?¡± De eximed. ¡°What do you mean no?¡± ¡°The mad rogue toxin is not like wolfsbane. It is not even close. I have spent years studying wolfsbane and its variants and I thought I had a reasonable understanding of how strong a toxin could get. What I dealt with today was dozens of times stronger than anything I had encountered before. Without the blood purification, Landon would have died,¡± Leslie exined, her voice tight with fear. ¡°I went in knowing what I was dealing with and I still nearly lost him.¡± ¡°So, you are still going to try?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course. This threat cannot be ignored,¡± Leslie replied. ¡°Every pack out there is now aware that the mad rogues are active again. If anyone is wounded and there is no antidote avable, people will die. So yes, I am going to try.¡± ¡°Then we will support you however we can,¡± Nn stated. Leslie turned to Nn and said, ¡°I will need a sample of the infected blood.¡± Nn nodded. ¡°I will have it prepared and ready before you leave.¡± The next morning, we gathered at the front of the pack house to see Leslie and Solon off. Leslie looked better than she had the day before. The color hade back into her face. ¡°You can stop staring, Talia. I told you I was fine,¡± Leslie said. ¡°I know, I know. I am d you stayed overnight,¡± I responded. ¡°Come back to Silverfang when you can,¡± Solon said. ¡°Everyone misses you.¡± ¡°I nned to. Just so many things havee up that kept me froming.¡± ¡°Dad misses you a lot. He talks about you all the time. He is still recovering from when you left Shadoww,¡± Solon added. My chest ached. My father had seen through Jason long before I had and yet I had still walked away from everything to follow a bond that turned out to be exactly what my father warned me it was. ¡°It¡¯s not like that this time. I am not going to disappear and nevere back,¡± I said. At the time, I never thought about what my leaving would do to Solon or even my father. ¡®You are his pup. Of course it would hurt him,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®I know that now. And it will never happen again,¡¯ I told her. I took a breath. ¡°I will make a trip back soon. I promise.¡± Solon pulled me into a hug and whispered, ¡°You better, or I¡¯ll drag you back home myself.¡± He released me, then immediately turned to De and pulled her in too. ¡°E, let go, let go,¡± De squealed as Solon tightened his grip. He finally released her,ughing at the face she made. But as Solon turned back toward the car, the smile disappeared from De¡¯s face. She watched Solon walk to the car, and for just a moment she looked like she was going to cry. Leslie stepped forward and looked between the two of us with a serious expression. ¡°What now, Leslie?¡± De asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°And you better keep it that way. Do not cause trouble, you two,¡± she said. ¡°And do not get into any, either.¡± De opened her mouth to argue. ¡°I am serious,¡± Leslie said sharply before De could get a word out. ¡°I do not have time to travel back and forth, keeping the two of you alive.¡± I nodded. De closed her mouth and frowned. ¡°Fine,¡± De whined. Beside her, Marco turned away to hide his smile. ¡°I will contact you the moment there is any progress on the antidote,¡± Leslie continued. ¡°Whatever I find, promising or not, I will update you.¡± Leslie waved as she walked to Solon¡¯s car. Solon was already there waiting. He stuck his arm out of the window and gave a single wave as they pulled away down the road. We stood at the front of the pack house until the car disappeared. There was something about watching people you love leave that never quite got easier, no matter how many times you did it or how certain you were that they would be back. Nn ced his hand on my back. I let myself lean into him for a moment. ¡°They¡¯ll be back,¡± he said. ¡°And we¡¯ll go see them soon. I promise.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I told him as he pulled me closer to him. De and Marco went back inside first. Nn and I followed a few steps behind her, and by the time we reached the office, I had pushed the sadness down. Walden arrived an hourter with his usualposed expression and a report ready. ¡°I am d to see you¡¯re doing better,¡± Nnmented as he entered the office. ¡°It would take more than getting slung into a tree to put me down,¡± Walden said confidently. ¡°Good to know,¡± I chuckled. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°All ten tunnels areplete,¡± he said, cing the updated map on the desk in front of me. ¡°Every tunnel has been marked with its ess points, depth, and load capacity. The map has been updated from the original blueprints to reflect the final construction. Any deviations from the original n have been noted in the margins with exnations.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ that¡¯s impressive,¡± I said, leaning in as I reached for the map. CHALTER PA +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 249 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FORTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Resume normal duties for now,¡± I said. ¡°Nn will confirm the patrol schedule and tunnel assignments.¡± Walden nodded and looked at Nn. ¡°Before you go,¡± Nn said. ¡°The men who worked on the tunnels did good work. Make sure they are rewarded well for it.¡± ¡°How would you like it handled?¡± Walden asked. ¡°Generously,¡± Nn replied. ¡°It was a huge task and they delivered withoutint and without anyone outside finding out. I want them to know that we appreciate their efforts.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Walden said. ¡°Starting tomorrow, reduce patrols,¡± Nn continued. ¡°We need two guards stationed near each tunnel entrance, but nothing obvious. They need to rotate every six hours. With the wall built, no one will think twice about the reduced patrols. Put the remaining guards into training.¡± ¡°I will have the full schedule to Marco before the end of the day,¡± Walden said. ¡°Good,¡± Nn said. ¡°That is all for now.¡± Walden bowed to me lightly and left. Nn was quiet for a moment after the door closed. He looked at the pile of documents on his desk and then at me. With everything that had happened, there was a lot that had been neglected. ¡°I can¡­¡± I started but Nn shook his head. ¡°No. You have done enough, Talia. You need to rest,¡± Nn said. ¡°We are a team, Nn,¡± I argued. ¡°Yes, and I am tagging in. I can handle this paperwork,¡± Nn responded as he picked up his pen. ¡°Take the map and lock it in the study.¡± ¡°What about Landon?¡± ¡°I will let him know that Leslie is fine and that she received his gift,¡± Nn answered. ¡°I will not be long,¡± I said. ¡°With the both of us, we can knock out this paperwork in a few hours.¡± ¡°I mean it, Talia. Go take a bath or go with De and rx. You deserve it.¡± Nn looked up at me. ¡°You have not stopped since before the gathering. The wall, the visit, Landon, Leslie. Let me finish this.¡± I could tell from the glint in his eye that he was close to Alphamanding me into rxing, so I nodded and left the office. The walk to our wing was uneventful. It felt odd that it was so quiet after the past two days. ¡®Do not jinx it,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®We need to rest. We do not need anything else today.¡¯ ¡®Just the map,¡¯ I told her. ¡°Then we are done.¡¯ ¡®Good,¡¯ she said. ¡°Then go take the bath Nn suggested.¡¯ The living room in our wing was empty. I went straight to Nn¡¯s study. I was about to open the door when I heard footsteps stopping behind me. I turned around. Maggie was standing in the hallway. She should not have been anywhere near this part of the pack house. ¡°What are you doing ARTY NINE +25 Bonus here, Maggie?¡± I asked. I had been very clear about Maggie never cleaning our wing again, so what was she doing here? Maggie¡¯s eyes went to the map in my hands before she spoke. ¡°I was passing by and saw you. I wanted to see if you needed help with something.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s okay,¡± I replied. ¡°Thank you, Maggie.¡± ¡°Are you sure? I can take that for you and store it away,¡± Maggie suggested. ¡°I know where everything goes in this wing.¡± ¡°I have it covered, Maggie,¡± I said firmly. Maggie nodded and stepped back. I pulled the study door closed and locked it from the inside. The shelving along the back wall was floor to ceiling and the lower shelves were deep enough to amodate storage boxes. There was one on the second shelf from the bottom, pushed back behind a row of reference texts that had not been moved in months. I pulled the box out, ced the folded map inside, and slid it back behind the books. I checked the spines were even and stepped back to look at it from a distance. From the doorway the shelf looked undisturbed. I left the study, pulled the door closed, and locked it. I turned around and almost bumped into Maggie. She was close enough to the door that she probably could hear where we walked and moved around in the room. ¡°Maggie, is there something else?¡± I asked. ¡°I was just wondering,¡± she said. Her hands were folded in front of her, and she was not quite meeting my eyes. ¡°About lunch. Whether you would be eating here today or in the main hall?¡± ¡°The main hall,¡± I answered. There was an awkward pause between us because it seemed like Maggie wanted to say more, but she thought better of it. ¡°Of course,¡± she said. She nodded once and walked away. The kitchen did not need advance notice for one person eating in the main hall. Maggie knew our wing was private and that the study was not a room anyone came to without being invited. Yet here she was, twice in the space of ten minutes. The first time could have been exined away. The second could not. My wolf growled within me. ¡®She wanted to know what the map was. She is going to try to look for it.¡¯ I went back into the study and moved the map to a different location entirely. If Maggie had seen which shelf I used, she would find an empty box. I locked the study again and stood in the hallway. My wolf was still growling quietly. I was not going to confront her about it. I would test her first and see. J Judith GW Author Hi my dear readers! Thanks so much for reading! Will she lose control again and hurt our Luna Talia? Drop your thoughts in thements 16 What do you think Maggie will do next? +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 250 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY Maggie¡¯s POV Mason was already in the room when I got back that evening. He came to me before I had even set down my bag, pulled me into a hug, and kissed me. We had been living together for a few days, and I was still getting used to it. The closeness was something I had wanted for a long time. Waking up beside him, having him there at the end of the day, all of it was exactly what I had hoped for. However, it still felt odd having someone around when I was sorting through my thoughts. ¡°You are quiet, tonight,¡± Mason said as he kissed my forehead. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You almost got me caught today,¡± I replied. ¡°That is what¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mason asked. ¡°I went to study and I was standing outside the door working up the nerve to go in when Luna came down the hall. I had to tell her I was asking about lunch.¡± I exined as I sat down on the edge of the bed. ¡°But she did not use you of anything,¡± he said. ¡°She didn¡¯t have to. I could tell from the way she looked at me. She knows I was up to something and she is just waiting for me to make a mistake,¡± I continued. ¡°You are overthinking it,¡± Mason reasoned. ¡°If she had used me I could have defended myself, but the silence is even worse.¡± I turned to fully face him. ¡°I want to know why you need that map. You have been asking me about the pack houseyout since you moved in. You asked me about the study specifically and now this. What is really going on?¡± ¡°I just need you to get the map,¡± Mason repeated. ¡°I know that, but why? Tell me why you need them,¡± I asked again. ¡°Why do you think she built those tunnels?¡± Mason asked, interrupting me. ¡°She built them for emergencies.¡± I frowned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± ¡°Do you think ordinary pack members will be able to use those tunnels? When something happens, the Alpha and Luna go first. The Beta and the senior warriors go next,¡± Mason exined. ¡°We will not be the first ones through those passages, Maggie. We will be thest, if we are let through at all. And by the time anyonees back for us, it may already be over.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Luna Talia is not like that. She would not abandon us.¡± ¡°She is still the Alpha¡¯s mate. She may not have a choice if the Alpha puts her life above everyone else,¡± Mason argued. ¡°People make decisions under pressure that they would never make otherwise. I am not willing to leave our safety to someone else¡¯s good intentions.¡± ¡°You do not know that,¡± I stammered. ¡°You saw what the mad rogue blood did to the bear,¡± Mason continued. ¡°It happened in seconds. We won¡¯t have time if we are waiting for the Alpha and Luna to go in order. If we know where those passages are before that happens, we have a chance.¡± I did not answer. ¡°I am not asking you to take it anywhere or hand it to anyone,¡± Mason reasoned. ¡°She already suspects me,¡± I repeated. ¡°She is going to catch me.¡± ¡°She suspects you of being too curious,¡± Mason countered. ¡°That is all. Luna does not have proof of anything. She has a feeling, +25 Bonus and a feeling is not enough to act on.¡± My wolf whined within me. ¡®I don¡¯t know about this. We shouldn¡¯t do it.¡¯ I wanted to believe Mason. Part of me did. Mason thought things through before he acted and he had never pushed me into something that put me at real risk. He was not a man who acted carelessly or without thinking about the consequences. ¡®But this is reckless, Maggie,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®We can¡¯t do this. You need to think this through, Maggie. We don¡¯t need to make the same mistakes,¡¯ my wolf warned. ¡°You could have told me that before asked me to do this,¡± I pouted ¡°Would you have gone if I had?¡± ¡°How could you ask me that?¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s a no,¡± Mason sighed. ¡°I am not saying you were wrong about the reason,¡± I argued. ¡°I am saying I do not like being sent in blind. If you want my help with something you need to tell me the full picture first.¡± Mason nodded. ¡°You are right. I should have been upfront with you from the beginning. I will be going forward.¡± ¡°I am just asking you to bring it out, let me see theyout, and put it back exactly where it was. Luna will never know it moved. I promise,¡± Mason continued. I still pouted and didn¡¯t look at him. All of this felt really odd. He was pressing so much that I still felt like he wasn¡¯t telling me everything. ¡°If you don¡¯t care about our safety, I don¡¯t know if we should move forward with marking each other,¡± Mason sighed. I whipped around. ¡°You promised to mark me tomorrow night,¡± I said. ¡°I want to,¡± he said. ¡°You know I want to.¡± Another pause. ¡°But I need to know we are safe first. I need to know I can protect you if something happens. Getting that map is part of that. Once I have seen it, once I know where the passages are and what our options are, then I can mark you knowing I have done everything I can to keep you safe.¡± He looked at me. ¡°That is what the mark means to me,¡± he said. ¡°That I am taking responsibility for you. I cannot do that halfway.¡± He had promised to mark me on the full moon. That promise had been made without conditions. Now there was a condition. I wanted to call him out on it, but I was hesitant. Mason began kissing my neck. ¡°Please Maggie. I want us to be mates. You have to trust me.¡± The thought of another man I cared about rejecting me was too much for me to bear. I could do this one thing, this one time. ¡°Alright,¡± I finally said. ¡°I will do it.¡± U Support Share 202 +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 251 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV Nn had finished showering when I woke. He was getting dressed, trying not to wake me, while I was enjoying the view. ¡°Good morning,¡± I yawned. ¡°What¡¯s going on that has you up so early?¡± ¡°Nothing. Just getting a jump on the day. I don¡¯t want to spend the entire day in my office today,¡± Nn replied. He kissed me on my forehead before heading to the door. ¡°Come to the office when you are ready.¡± ¡°It may be a while,¡± I responded. ¡°I have something to confirm first.¡± Nn paused in the doorway and turned around. ¡°Everything alright?¡± ¡°Yes, nothing for you to worry about,¡± I replied. ¡°When you say it like that, it makes me feel like I should worry,¡± Nn chuckled but I could tell he was concerned. ¡°I promise I will exin everythingter,¡± I reassured. Nn hesitated for another second, nodded, and left. ¡®Why didn¡¯t you tell him?¡¯ my wolf asked. ¡®Because we could be wrong about Maggie,¡¯ I replied. By the time I got to the dining room, breakfast was alreadyid out. ra poured my tea as I sat down. Maggie stood near the door to the kitchen, awaiting instructions. Maggie met my eyes briefly and smiled. She didn¡¯t seem nervous, but that didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t hiding anything. ¡°Maggie, I need you to do something for me,¡± I stated. ¡°Yes, Luna?¡± ¡°Nn rushed out this morning and I think he left the wall construction record in the study. You know, the bound one with the contractor notes. Can you go and fetch it for me?¡± Maggie¡¯s eyes widened slightly before sheposed herself. ¡°Luna, I am not permitted in the study,¡± she reminded me. ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°I am giving you permission now. It should be on the desk or on the shelf nearest the door. Go get it for me.¡± Maggie hesitated again, longer this time. Her hands moved slightly against each other. ¡°Maggie, is there something wrong?¡± I asked. ¡°No, of course not,¡± Maggie said quickly. ¡°I will get it.¡± She bowed and then left the dining room. ¡®She¡¯s going to take that map,¡¯ my wolf huffed. ¡®We don¡¯t know that for sure,¡¯ I said. ¡®What if she does? What are we going to do if the tunnel locations are leaked?¡¯ ¡®I won¡¯t let that happen. I n to catch her in the act and not miss her entirely,¡¯ I said. ¡®And if she does not take the map?¡¯ ¡®Then, we will chalk this up to an odd urrence. We will continue to watch her until we have determined she is worthy of our trust again.¡¯ I gave her two minutes. Then I set down my fork, told ra I would be right back, and walked to the wing 173 The door to the study was ajar. I frowned. ¡®Reckless,¡¯ my wolf growled. +25 Bonus Maggie couldn¡¯t even be bothered to close the door behind her. Anyone could havee in behind her. I pushed the door open slowly. Maggie was standing at the couch with her back to the door. She had pulled the storage box out from behind the couch where I hid it the second time. The lid was on one of the cushions. She was holding the box and was actively taking the map out of the box. ¡°Maggie.¡± She turned around quickly. The color left her face immediately. The box tilted in her hands. She caught it before it fell but the map dropped to the floor. ¡°Luna! I¡­um¡­ I was¡­¡± Maggie stammered. I walked in and picked up the map. ¡°I asked for the construction record,¡± I told her. ¡°Not this.¡± Maggie¡¯s hands were shaking. She looked at the map in my hands, then at me, and then she went down to her knees. ¡°Luna, I am so sorry,¡± she pleaded. ¡°Please, I am so sorry.¡± ¡°Get up, Maggie.¡± She did not move. She stayed on her knees with her head down and her hands pressed t against her thighs. ¡°Get up,¡± I growled. ¡°I am not going to speak to you while you are on the floor.¡± She rose slowly. She stood in front of me, but she looked down, refusing to look me in the eye. ¡°Look at me,¡± I ordered and Maggie did. ¡°Tell me what you were doing.¡± Maggie said nothing. Her jaw flexed. My wolf paced within me, her patience wearing thin. ¡°Maggie, I do not want to repeat myself again.¡± Still, Maggie said nothing. ¡°I could have easily let Nn execute you for what you did with the rogues,¡± I continued. ¡°I gave you an opportunity to regain my trust, and this is what you did with it. I don¡¯t believe you would squander your second chance for no reason. Are you being pressured again?¡± ¡®She is a traitor. Let¡¯s get rid of her. Our mate will understand,¡¯ my wolf urged. ¡°If you are working against this pack, you will be exiled, potentially executed as you are a repeat offender. I need you to understand how serious this is,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Luna, I swear to you I am not working against this pack. I am not a traitor. I would never do anything to hurt Bloodmoon,¡± Maggie eximed. ¡°Then exin this to me right now. This is yourst chance.¡± ¡°It was my mate,¡± Maggie finally admitted. ¡°He asked me to take it. He wanted to see where the tunnels were I told him I would not steal it. I said I would just bring it out and let him look at it and put it back before anyone noticed ¡± ¡®Goddess, how foolish is she?¡¯ my wolf scoffed as Maggie started crying. ¡°And you believed him?!¡± I asked. ¡°He said it was to keep us safe. He said ordinary pack members would not be allowed to use the tunnels first it something happened and he needed to know where they were. I did not think I was betraying anyone. I am so sorry, Luma. I am so sorry¡± +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 252 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV Maggie wiped her face with the back of her hand. She took a breath before she spoke. ¡°He saw what happened with the bear, what the mad rogue blood did to the bear. Mason has not been able to stop thinking about it since. He wanted to see the map because he wanted to know where the tunnels were. He said if something like that happened inside the pack, he needed to know how to get me out. Mason, my mate, is not a traitor, Luna.¡± I swore under my breath. Clearly, we had not been careful enough with hiding what we were doing. Maggie thought Mason meant well, but I did not think that was his real reason for wanting her to get the map. ¡°I want you to hear me clearly, Maggie. If something happens in this pack, I will personally see to it that every pack member has ess to those tunnels. I will not leave anyone behind. But I cannot disclose the location of those passages right now,¡± I finally responded. ¡°Why not?¡± she asked. ¡®Who is she to question us?¡¯ my wolf snarled and I pushed her down. ¡°If the wrong person finds out where those tunnels are, they be useless overnight,¡± I exined. ¡°I will not risk that.¡± ¡°I understand what you are saying,¡± Maggie said. ¡°But he is not a spy. He is a warrior who has served this pack for years. He just wanted reassurance.¡± ¡°Then he should havee to me himself,¡± I answered. ¡°Or to Nn.¡± ¡°He did not think he would be taken seriously,¡± Maggie argued. ¡°That is not a reason to send you into a restricted room to take something that belongs to neither of you,¡± I countered. ¡°Please Luna. I just need it for the night and I¡¯ll return it,¡± Maggie begged. ¡°Did you not hear what I just said?¡± I asked. ¡°I know, I know, but he¡¯s not a traitor. He¡¯s not a spy. This would ease his mind,¡± Maggie continued to beg. ¡®She is still begging for it to appease her mate. This feels wrong,¡¯ my wolf huffed. ¡°Maggie, I need to meet him immediately,¡± I said firmly. ¡°What? Why? I nned on introducing you to him after he marks me,¡± Maggie said. ¡°That is my condition. You want me to consider giving you ess to the map. Bring him to me first. If he is as trustworthy as you say, then this should not be an issue and I will happily show him the map,¡± I said. Maggie hesitated for a long moment before she looked at me with desperation. ¡°Luna, please,¡± she said. ¡°I am not asking you to give it to us permanently. I am asking for one night. He looks at it, we will return it tomorrow morning, and no one has to know it moved. I swear to you we mean no harm to this pack.¡± ¡°I understand that you believe that,¡± I said. ¡°But my answer is still the same. Bring him to me or no map.¡± Maggie hesitated. I watched her and I could see that she understood what the hesitation meant. ¡°He will not like that,¡± she murmured. ¡°And why would he not like it?¡± I asked. ¡°It is a reasonable request unlike what he asked of you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He asked you to walk into a restricted study and take a ssified document. He knew what you were risking and he asked you to risk it anyway,¡± I exined. ¡°If Nn had found you here instead of me, you would not be standing here right now. You would +25 Bonus be facing banishment. At best.¡± For a split second, I saw shame in her eyes before she dropped her head. Maggie knew this was wrong, but what I couldn¡¯t figure out was why she was still going through with it. Was Mason ckmailing her? ¡°A man who loves you does not put you in danger like that,¡± I continued. ¡°He finds another way. To me, what he asked of you is not the action of someone who loves you enough.¡± ¡°That is not fair,¡± Maggie shot back. ¡°He did it because he loves me. He wanted to protect us. You cannot hold that against him.¡± ¡°I am not holding it against him. I am telling you what I see. You nearly lost everything this morning because of a request he made. Would you have done that to him if you were in his position?¡± ¡°You are wrong. He loves me,¡± Maggie retorted but her voice came out weak and shaky. ¡°I know he does. I will not stand here and let you tell me otherwise. You do not know him, and you do not know us.¡± ¡°Then let me know about him,¡± I pressed. ¡°Bring him to me. Prove me wrong about him.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll¡­¡± Maggie stopped midsentence. She put one hand against the wall behind her. ¡°Maggie,¡± I said, noticing how pale she had be. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She did not answer. Her eyes went unfocused and her knees gave way. I caught her arm as she went limp. Iid her back on the couch as Maggie waspletely unconscious. ¡°I need someone now!¡± I called. Two guards entered the study within seconds. ¡°Luna, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Maggie copsed. Take her to the infirmary now.¡± The guards lifted Maggie up carefully and quickly walked out of the study. I followed them to the infirmary. When Maggie was being seen by the doctor, I turned to the guards and said, ¡°Do not speak of this to anyone.¡± ¡°Yes, Luna.¡± One guard left and the other stayed with me. After about ten minutes, I told him he could go. It was not a long wait after that. The doctor met me in the waiting room with a serious expression. ¡°Is she alright?¡± I asked. ¡°She is stable, but¡­¡± he said and paused before leaning forward to whisper. ¡°Lana, Maggie is pregnant.¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you P Support Share get it +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 253 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY THREE Maggie¡¯s POV I woke up dizzy. The ceiling above me was unfamiliar and it took me a moment to understand where I was or how I had got there. The first thing I heard was Nn¡¯s voice. He was speaking quickly and his tone was tight in the way it got when he was worried about something he could not control. ¡°What happened to her? Why did she copse?¡± ¡°Her body is under a lot of stress. She needs rest and time,¡± another voice responded. ¡°Stress does not cause someone to copse like that, doctor. It has to be more than that,¡± Nn responded. Iy still and listened and tried to work out what was wrong with me. My head ached and my mouth was dry. I felt weak and just did not feel right. Maybe Nn was right. Did I pick up a cold? Was the mad rogue infection airborne? ¡®Stop,¡¯ my wolf hushed. ¡®You are overthinking. You are fine.¡¯ I was not entirely sure I believed her, but I did not have the energy to argue. Then I heard Talia¡¯s voice. ¡°Nn, calm down. The doctor said she is fine. He wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡± I did not know what had caused me to copse. I remembered I had been so angry with Talia for saying Mason wasn¡¯t right for me. Then, suddenly everything went dark without warning. That was all I could remember. I turned my head. Talia was on the other side of the room speaking quietly with Nn. She noticed me move and broke off the conversation. She came over and pulled a chair beside the bed and sat down. ¡°You¡¯re awake. How do you feel?¡± she asked. ¡°Confused,¡± I said honestly. ¡°And weird, I guess, Luna.¡± ¡°I have something I need to tell you, Maggie. I want you to stay calm, but you are going to be a mother,¡± Talia said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, Maggie.¡± I gaped at Talia. I didn¡¯t know what to say. I felt excited and frightened at the same time and I could not decide which was stronger. Nn walked over and all the excitement faded away when I saw his expression. He looked disappointed and I understood why. By our tradition, a mate markes before anything else. It tells the pack who a she-wolf belongs to, and it tells her who is responsible for her. To be pregnant and unmarked meant one of two things. Either the she-wolf stepped out on the mate bond, or the male had not done right by her. Nn would be thinking about thetter. ¡°Who is he?¡± Nn asked grimly. I felt uneasy and I could not tell how much of it was about Mason and how much of it was about not knowing what Talia had or had not told him about what happened in the study. I looked at her quickly. Her expression gave me nothing back. I did not know if that meant she had stayed quiet or if she was simply waiting to see how I handled this first. Nn pulled up the second chair and sat down across from me. ¡°How could you allow this to happen?¡± ¡°Nn, calm down,¡± Talia interjected. ¡°No, Talia. She needs to hear this,¡± Nn said. ¡°Maggie, you have not been marked, and you are pregnant. I need to know who this man is. I think of you as a sister. I have been responsible for you over a long time. And I need to know he is treating you the way you deserve before I can let this go.¡± +25 Bonus I felt my throat tighten. The way he said it, without anger, made the situation worse. I couldn¡¯t believe that i almost betrayed his trust again. ¡°His name is Mason,¡± I finally said. ¡°He is a warrior and he has been with the pack for some time. He intends to mark me. It has just not happened yet.¡± ¡°I want to meet him today,¡± Nn said firmly. ¡°He ns on marking me on¡­¡± ¡°No, Maggie. This is not a request,¡± Nn interrupted. ¡°Bring him to the pack house this evening.¡± ¡°Or we can go to them,¡± Talia suggested. ¡°I think ordering him to the pack house maye off as a threat, don¡¯t you think?¡± Nn frowned. ¡°If he cared about Maggie properly, he would not be scared to meet with me.¡± Talia raised an eyebrow and Nn sighed, ¡°Fine. What did you suggest?¡± ¡°Maggie, will go home early today,¡± Talia said. ¡°Rest this afternoon. We wille to you for dinner tonight, Maggie, and we will bring gifts with us.¡± She held my gaze. ¡°I think you will be pleased.¡± Talia was watching me carefully and I understood what she was trying to imply. She had not told Nn about the map, and she still intended to give it to me once she met Mason. I reached forward and took her hand in both of mine. ¡°Luna,¡± I managed. My voice came out smaller than I intended. My eyes were filling and I stopped trying to hold back the tears. ¡°Why are you crying? Did you think I was going to run him out of the pack?¡± Nn questioned. ¡°No, I just¡­¡± ¡°Nn, every small thing is going to make a woman cry for the next several months. It rains, cry. A flower wilts, cry. That is just pregnancy,¡± Talia interrupted and Iughed despite myself. Nn stood and put his hand briefly on the top of my head, the way an older brother would. I leaned into his touch. ¡°ra will handle your tasks today,¡± he said. ¡°You are to go straight home and not to overexert yourself.¡± ¡°I understand. I will prepare a proper dinner, and I will have everything ready before you arrive.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°We will see you tonight.¡± 212 +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 254 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY FOUR Maggie¡¯s POV The doctor handed me a small bundle of herbs when he signed my discharge papers. ¡°Brew these into a tea before bed,¡± he said. ¡°Stay off your feet for the rest of the day.¡± ¡°I will do my best,¡± I told him. The doctor gave me a long look that said he had heard that before and did not believe it. ¡°I mean it, Maggie. You are in early pregnancy. Your body is already working harder than usual. You need rest tonight.¡± ¡°I promise I will rest,¡± I told him again. The doctor nodded and handed me a printed sheet with detailed care instructions. ¡°Come back in two weeks for a follow-up. If your condition is worse, I¡¯ll request Alpha to order you to stay here,¡± he warned. Back in my room I sat on the edge of the bed and put the pregnancy report on the bedside table. I had been thinking about how to tell Mason since Talia told me I was pregnant. Mason had talked about children before in the way people do when they want something badly enough, but too afraid to admit it. ¡®He will be happy when you tell him. Any mate would be,¡¯ my wolf said. 1 I pressed my hand over my stomach once and then I got up, went to the kitchen, and started on dinner. I started with his favorite soup and worked outward from there. Halfway through the second dish I felt dizzy, and I sat down at the kitchen table and waited for it to pass. ¡®Perhaps we inform Luna that we need to rest or get ra to help,¡¯ my wolf suggested. ¡®No, we need to do this on our own. I just need a moment,¡¯ I told her. I got up again when it passed and kept cooking. By the time six o¡¯clock came the table was set. It took longer than I should have, I was exhausted, but I was pleased with myself. My wolf spoke up while I was folding the napkins. ¡®You should tell him Talia and Nn areing,¡¯ she said. ¡®No, he will be upset about the change in ns,¡¯ I disagreed. ¡®He will understand,¡¯ she replied. ¡®Receiving blessings and gifts from the Alpha and the Luna on the night of your marking is the highest honor this pack can offer. Most wolves go their whole lives without it.¡¯ I folded thest napkin and set it down. ¡®You are right,¡¯ I told her. ¡®I will tell him when he arrives.¡¯ But when I thought about how that conversation would go, I changed my mind. I did not want to spend the first minutes of his evening managing his reaction. It was easier to let him see them at the door and exin after. He would understand once they were standing in front of him with gifts in their hands. Mason arrived thirty minutester. He came through the door and stopped when he saw the table. ¡°You have been busy for a wonderful dinner,¡± Mason said as he took off his shoes at the door. ¡°I wanted tonight to be perfect,¡± I told him. Mason smirked. ¡°You¡¯re very eager to be marked, aren¡¯t you?¡± He chuckled as he came over to kiss me. I blushed and yfully pushed him back with one hand against his chest. ¡°You act like that¡¯s a bad thing. Are you not excited?¡± Mason leaned forward and said huskily, ¡°I cannot wait, my love. I have been thinking about nothing else all day.¡± He nipped and kissed my neck causing pleasure to erupt and flow down my body. I pushed away from him before we forgot the meal and went straight to marking. ¡°Hold your horses,¡± I said. ¡°We eat first.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°Fine,¡± Mason fake pouted. He pulled out a chair and sat down. He looked around at the full spread on the table and then back at me with amazement. ¡°You did all of this today? I must say you are the best mate in the world!¡± His words warmed me, and I nodded softly. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± Mason smiled at that. ¡°So¡­ this was your surprise?¡± ¡°There is not the only surprise tonight,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s something else I think you will be thrilled about.¡± Mason¡¯s expression became serious. He set the ss down and leaned forward in his chair. ¡°Is it the map?¡± he asked. Before I could answer there was a knock at the door. Mason looked at the door and then at me. ¡°Guests?¡± ¡°It¡¯s part of the surprise,¡± I said, grinning. I hurried to the door and pulled it open. ¡°Wee!¡± Talia stood on the other side with Nn just behind her. She was holding a cake and Nn held two boxes, one in each hand. They were both smiling when I opened the door. ¡°Come in,¡± I said quickly, stepping aside, excited for them to finally meet my mate. But the moment they stepped inside and saw Mason, something shifted. Talia¡¯s smile dropped and the color drained from her face. Behind her, Nn went still, like he¡¯d juste face to face with someone he hated. ¡®Weird. It¡¯s like they already knew each other,¡¯ my wolf muttered. ¡°Luna, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked quietly. Talia didn¡¯t respond, her body went rigid. The cake slipped from her hands and hit the floor with a dull thud. I reached for it, but I was toote. When I looked back up, her gaze had locked past me, burning with pure hatred at Mason. ¡°Jason! Why are you here?!¡± Talia hissed. BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you Support Share (get it +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 255 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV I knew his face before my mind caught up with what I was seeing. Jason. He had changed his appearance but not enough. The moment our eyes met I felt rage build up in me. I had been right the first time I saw him when the wall was being built, but I had doubted myself. ¡°Jason, why are you here?!¡± I hissed. Maggie stood up and looked between Jason and I. ¡°Luna, you¡¯re mistaken. His name is Mason,¡± she said. The confusion in her voice was genuine, and it made my chest hurt. Maggie did not know about Jason¡¯s past and the horrible things he had done in the name of ¡®love¡¯. ¡®She¡¯s not going to listen to us. We need our mate tomand her to us,¡¯ my wolf advised. ¡®Order Maggie toe to us right now,¡¯ I told Nn through our bond. ¡°Maggie,e to me right now,¡± Nn ordered. ¡°He is my mate. I think you have mistaken him for someone else, Luna, Alpha, please,¡± Maggie continued as she began walking towards us. Jason pushed away from the table and Nn dropped the gifts. He lunged forward to subdue Jason, but Jason moved faster than I expected. His hand closed around Maggie¡¯s throat, and he pulled her back against him before Nn reached him. Nn stopped. ¡°Back,¡± Jason growled. ¡°Both of you. Step back or I will kill her!¡± ¡°Mason, what are you doing?¡± Maggie¡¯s hands came up to his forearm. ¡°Mason, please. Calm down. Whatever this is, we can talk about it. You are hurting me. Please calm down.¡± ¡°You are so stupid. Everything would have been fine if you hadn¡¯t invited them,¡± Jason growled. ¡°Just shut up!¡± ¡°Mason, please¡­¡± He squeezed her throat. Maggie choked and went silent. Her eyes found mine and what I saw in them made my chest ache. Confusion. Pain. She had trusted the wrong person again and she was just now realizing it. Nn¡¯s Alpha aura was rolling off him. His eyes were fixed on Jason with pure hatred and the veins in his neck stood out from the effort of holding himself back. ¡°You had the opportunity to move on and do better, but you just couldn¡¯t help yourself. I should have killed you when I had the chance,¡± Nn snarled. ¡°You should have,¡± Jason agreed. His grip on Maggie tightened. She made a small sound. ¡°She¡¯s carrying your child!¡± I blurted out. Jason froze. For a moment, he looked conflicted and his grip on Maggie¡¯s neck loosened for a second. Then, Jason¡¯s face hardened. ¡°That is a trick,¡± he said tly. ¡°You would say anything right now.¡± ¡°The doctor confirmed it today,¡± I said. ¡°Ask Maggie yourself if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°I do not care,¡± Jason growled. Maggie flinched as though she had been struck. Her eyes were still locked on mine. I saw as the tears began to slide down her face. +25 Bonus ¡®He needs to be killed. He hurts anyone he touches,¡¯ my wolf growled. I agreed. I could not let Maggie be harmed any further for his obsession with me. ¡°Take me instead,¡± I offered. ¡°Let Maggie go. I am the one you came for.¡± Nn¡¯s head snapped toward me. ¡°Talia, no!¡± ¡®Don¡¯t worry,¡¯ I told him through our mate¡¯s link. ¡®I know what I am doing.¡¯ Jason studied me for a long moment before saying, ¡°Walk to me. No sudden movements.¡± I did so. He grabbed my arm with his free arm before releasing Maggie and kicking her toward Nn. Nn caught Maggie as she stumbled forward. ¡°Get out of my way or I¡¯ll snap her neck,¡± Jason growled and Nn and Maggie stepped out of our way. Jason pulled me toward the door and out into the corridor. At the border gate the guards looked at Nn. Nn gave a short nod and they stepped aside. We went through and out onto the road beyond the pack border. ¡°You do not have to do this,¡± I said. Jason kept his grip on me. He kept walking, and I kept pace with him. ¡°It is over. Whatever you came here to do, it is finished. Surrender now and this ends without anyone else getting hurt.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. You have no control right now,¡± Jason responded. ¡°Maggie loved you,¡± I continued. ¡°Whatever you told her, she believed every word of it. She risked everything she had built in this pack for you. Does none of that mean anything to you?¡± ¡°I do not love Maggie,¡± Jason snapped. ¡°I loved you, but you didn¡¯t love me.¡± ¡°I did at one time, but you cheated on our mate bond because you thought I was an omega. You never loved me Jason,¡± I argued. ¡°I told you I was tricked! And you still chose Nn over me!¡± Jason retorted. ¡°I have only ever loved you and you betrayed me!¡± Jason¡¯s delusion was not ttering. It was chilling because I was sure Jason was insane. He had everything he ever wanted, a child, but he couldn¡¯t believe it. Behind us, Nn said, ¡°You are outside our territory now, Jason. Release her.¡± ¡°No, she and I are going to die here together,¡± Jason said as he pulled me closer like crazy. Then, Jason cried out in pain and his grip on my neck went ck. An arrow had caught him in the shoulder. He stumbled back and I stepped away from him. Nn reached me in seconds. His hands moved over my face and my arms checking for injury. ¡°I am fine,¡± I told him. ¡°I am fine.¡± Jason was on one knee on the road ahead of us. I pulled free of Nn¡¯s hands and moved toward him. ¡°Luna Talia!¡± Maggie¡¯s voice came from behind me. She had followed us through the gate. ¡°Please. Don¡¯t kill him.¡± I stopped. Jason looked up at me and lunged. He had a dagger in his uninjured hand. I did not step back fast enough. Maggie stepped in front of me to stop Jason. The dagger sank into her chest the next second. Maggie tell back into my arms and I lowered her to the ground. Blood began pouring from the wound and she began to choke. ¡°Maggie, NOOO!¡± I said as I pressed both hands against the wound. ¡°You bastard!¡± Nn snarled as he lunged for Jason. 213 +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 256 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV Maggie¡¯s breath was shallow and wet. I pressed harder on her wound, but she was losing blood faster than I could stop it. ¡°Stay with me,¡± I told her. ¡°Maggie. Please stay with me.¡± Maggie opened her mouth to speak but only more blood bubbled up. She coughed hard and I felt it warm against my hands. ¡± Don¡¯t try to speak.¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± she said. Her voice was barely there. ¡°I am so sorry, Luna. I let them deceive me again. I hurt you again.¡± ¡°Stop,¡± I said. ¡°You did not hurt me. You saved me. Do you understand that? You saved me!¡± Maggie attempted to speak again, but she began to gasp. She strained as she tried to get air in. Maggie¡¯s eyes were ssy, but she was still looking at me. ¡®No, no, she couldn¡¯t die, not like this!¡¯ I thought. ¡°The baby,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Maggie, you have to hold on for the baby. Help is on the way.¡± Behind me I heard Nn yelling. ¡°Where is the healer? What is taking so long?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay. You have to keep breathing. Think about the baby,¡± I told Maggie. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry,¡± Maggie muttered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep telling me you¡¯re sorry. You have to stay alive. Stay alive! That¡¯s how I will forgive you,¡± I yelled at her. Maggie nodded. Maggie¡¯s hand came up slowly and found my wrist. Her grip was weak, but she held onto me. ¡®She is strong. She won¡¯t give up,¡¯ my wolf reassured me. A few minutes passed and I felt Maggie¡¯s grip loosening. ¡°Maggie! Maggie, stay awake!¡± I said, ¡°Nn! Help me!¡± ¡°Hey, Maggie. Come on, Maggie. Open your eyes, it¡¯s me, Nn,¡± Nn said, dropping down next to me. He tapped Maggie¡¯s face and her eyes fluttered open. She focused on him smiling. ¡°Stay awake. The healer is on the way.¡± Maggie smiled faintly. Her eyes began to flutter. ¡°Come on, Maggie, stay with us,¡± Nn said before standing up to wave over the healer. Maggie¡¯s eyes closed. Her chest rose once more and then it did not rise again. ¡°Maggie, Maggie wake up!¡± I wailed. Nn pulled me up from the ground and held me and I let him. The healer arrived and knelt beside her, and I already knew there was nothing to be done. I turned into Nn¡¯s chest and cried. Nn held me and I could tell from his trembling breaths that he was crying too. We buried her the next day. Nn told the pack her funeral would be at noon. De immediately volunteered to help ra with the arrangements. I couldn¡¯t work. All I could think about was Maggie¡¯s blood on my hands. ¡°Luna, you don¡¯t have to do this,¡± ra said when I showed up to help. ¡°No, I have to¡­I need to do this,¡± I told her. ¡°Just tell me what to do and I¡¯ll do it.¡± ra nodded and began giving out instructions. All three of us moved quietly through the preparation. At one point she stopped and pressed her hand t against the table and stood there without moving for a few minutes. ¡°ra, are you okay?¡± I asked. ¡°I have done this for dozens of our pack members,¡± ra replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be this hard for her.¡± +25 Bonus I didn¡¯t know what to say. Only those close to us knew what Maggie had done. Even though I was giving her a chance, there were some that saw her as unredeemable and it seemed ra had been one of those people. ¡°She was hard on me when I first came to this pack house,¡± ra continued. ¡°She had high standards that she did not change for anyone. I used to think she was unkind.¡± She paused. ¡°I think now she just wanted to be loved. Maggie did not deserve to die like this.¡± ¡°No, she didn¡¯t,¡± De added. ra looked at De in surprise. ¡°You really believe that?¡± she asked. Everyone knew how much De hated Maggie from her past betrayal, so hearing her agree was shocking. ¡°She died protecting Luna Talia,¡± De exined. ¡°Maggie made things right and she paid the ultimate price. So, no, she didn¡¯t deserve to die like this.¡± ¡°De¡­¡± I started. ¡°Come on. Preparations areplete. We need to wee people in,¡± De said and I nodded. I was surprised to see so many pack members show up for Maggie¡¯s funeral. Warriors, kitchen staff she had trained, and the majority of rogues that she saved. They paid their respect, grieved for her, and told stories about her. The elders led the funeral. Nn kept hisposure, only speaking to tell everyone how she died bravely protecting me. When thest of them had gone home, it was just Nn and I at her grave. He finally allowed the tears to fall. I gripped his hand tightly. ¡°Maggie, thank you. You didn¡¯t have to do what you did and I¡¯ll be forever grateful,¡± I said. It still made me sick to my stomach that I doubted her. If I had known it was Jason, all this could have been avoided. I could have saved her. ¡°I am sorry, Maggie,¡± Nn said quietly. ¡°I didn¡¯t protect you.¡± I closed my eyes and sped my hands together. ¡°Moon Goddess, please give her peace and in the next life, let her find the love she couldn¡¯t find in this lifetime.¡± Nn and I walked back to the pack house. Grief was now gone and reced with anger. How did Jason get into the pack without us knowing? ¡°We should be happy,¡± I finally said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We should be happy, celebrating her pregnancy, not this. This is all Jason¡¯s fault. Everything he touches, he ruins,¡± 1 growled. Nn was quiet for a long time. ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°He even tried to convince Maggie to steal the map. Thankfully, he never got it,¡± I continued. ¡°From that to the burned supply point, it was all him from the very beginning.¡± Nn exhaled slowly. ¡°I was foolish.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°I was lenient with him, and it cost me my little sister.¡± ¡°Nn, this was not your¡­.¡± ¡°I will never make that mistake again,¡± Nn said, cutting me off. ¡°If hees back, nothing will stop me from killing him!¡± +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 257 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY SEVEN Jason¡¯s POV Maggie was kneeling in front of me with a dagger buried in her chest. She was looking up at me with her hands pressed over the wound. Her mouth was moving, but I could not hear what she was saying. The blood continued to pour from her chest. It pooled around her knees and kept spreading. Then I could hear her. ¡°Save me,¡± she said. ¡°Please, Mason. Save me.¡± ¡°Maggie!¡± Pain radiated from my shoulder as I jerked awake. I gasped in pain and automatically reached for my shoulder. It was bandaged with blood seeping through. I turned my head and found my father in the chair beside the bed with his arms folded. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake,¡± Father said. ¡°Don¡¯t try to move too quickly or you¡¯ll rip your stitches. I put in a lot of work to keep you alive.¡± ¡°How long?¡± I asked. ¡°How long have I been out?¡± ¡°Twb days. The arrow was deeper than it looked and you pulled it out yourself which cut an artery. You were lucky that they were focused on that girl instead of tracking you down. You would¡¯ve died from the blood loss if we couldn¡¯t go straight back to the safe house,¡± Father replied. ¡°Thanks,¡± I said. My father scoffed. ¡°I should have let you die. Do you know the problems you¡¯ve caused?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sneer. That was the Father I knew. He never did anything kind unless it benefited him. ¡°You nearly died because of a n that should never have been attempted in the first ce,¡± my father said with disdain as leaned forward in his chair. ¡°I told you that using the girl was too much of a risk. You assured me you had it under control. What do you have to say for yourself?¡± ¡°I did have it under control. I¡­¡± ¡°You did NOT have it under control, and the Rogue King is not a patient man,¡± my father snapped, interrupting me. ¡°He wanted those tunnel locations, and you came back without them.¡± ¡°I got inside the pack, didn¡¯t I?¡± I retorted. ¡°Watch your tone, boy,¡± my father growled. ¡°I had ess that no external agent would have had. I was there for months without being detected. That is much more than what you have done in years.¡± My father chuckled darkly. ¡°And yet here you are empty handed and injured. You did not get the map. That was the only thing that mattered. It was better that you died thane back empty handed.¡± ¡°Then, why did you save me? You could¡¯ve just left me there¡­¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re more useful to me alive than dead.¡± ¡°The n isn¡¯t aplete failure. Maggie is in love with me. She¡¯ll be upset with them for hurting me. She will get the map tor me,¡± I said. My fatherughed coldly and said, ¡°That ship has sailed.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°You killed that girl,¡± my father replied ¡°Died in the dirt like the useless trash she was.¡± +25 Bonus ¡®He shouldn¡¯t talk about her like that,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®She didn¡¯t deserve this. I told you we shouldn¡¯t have used her ¡® Hearing my father say Maggie died like it was an annoyance made me feel things that I had not expected. Anger. Grief. Regret. I had not loved Maggie, but I did like her. She had done everything I asked without question and took care of me in a way I had not felt since losing Talia. It was a shame that she had died. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have gotten soft for that little stray,¡± my father taunted. I bit my tongue and pushed down the emotions I was feeling. ¡°What is next then?¡± I asked, ignoring his taunt. ¡°Since Bloodmoon was a colossal failure, we will move on to the next stage,¡± my father said as he stood and walked over to the window to peer out. ¡°We are going after Silverfang.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± I asked. ¡°We will kill the Alpha King first,¡± my father replied. My eyes widened. Had he lost his mind? Talia would have already reported to her father and Solon about what happened. There was no chance of infiltrating Silverfang either. ¡°I had been working on a project with our doctors. Before we were expelled from Shadoww, the project had beenpleted. They had created a poison as lethal as the mad rogue blood but more discreet,¡± my father said. ¡°It is slower to kill, and it leaves no trace that a healer would recognize as anything other than organ failure.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to poison the Alpha King?¡± ¡°No, you are. When he dies, Solon loses his most powerful ally. The other packs will turn on him and Talia¡¯s title as Princess will mean nothing.¡± ¡®He is walking us to our death,¡¯ my wolf whined. ¡®He has gone insane.¡¯ ¡°There is a bounty on my head now. How would I even manage this?¡± I asked. ¡°You let me handle that,¡± my father replied. ¡°And if your n fails? What then?¡± ¡°It will not fail. I allied myself with the Rogue King once before. I have never failed with him backing me.¡± ¡°You never told me that.¡± ¡°I provided the Rogue King with the intelligence he needed to kill Nn¡¯s father, but I had not ounted for that bastard Rudolf. He survived and became the Alpha King. That was my miscalction,¡± my father exined. ¡°I¡¯ve taken years to get back to this point. I will not fail again.¡± ¡°But what about me? The Alpha King sent me out to kill his people. How could the Rogue King see me as an ally now?¡± I eximed. ¡°The Rogue King has not forgotten that I helped him get revenge against Nn¡¯s father. He understands that we had to do things to not raise rm with the Alpha King. An alliance with him still stands and with his backing you will have the leverage to take the throne.¡± I thought about Talia¡¯s face in Maggie¡¯s doorway. The way she had looked at me with contempt. She looked at me like the years between us and everything I had done to try to get back to her meant nothing at all. ¡®Why can¡¯t you understand?! You betrayed her,¡¯ my wolf snarled. ¡®We did not deserve another chancel¡¯ ¡®No! She betrayed us, tricked us. She should have given me another chance,¡¯ I argued. 1 thug And every me Than you they dies she wished not beach, the hay bar t day from 111 had om With this madhe happiat I was debelinda the Right King, Talis word wed to be with the cap the best m and to beg for my forgiveness ande bar to the I was going to take the throne thatter what the cost Tell me what I need to do,¡± d . ?? +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 258 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY EIGHT Nn¡¯s POV Talia had not been sleeping well this past week. Every night she would only sleep for a few hours before waking to stare at the ceiling. Talia did not want to talk about it and I didn¡¯t pressure her. At breakfast she sat across from me. Talia looked like a shell of her former self. She was pale with bags under her eyes. ¡®We will have to get the doctor involved. Our mate needs to sleep,¡¯ my wolf suggested. Talia turned to the maid standing nearest to her and said, ¡°Maggie, can you add sugar for my coffee?¡± The maid did not move. Talia registered what she had said and the remaining color that was left on her face drained away. ¡°Leave us,¡± I said as I stood and opened the door. They left without a word and I closed the door. I pulled my chair beside Talia¡¯s and put my arm around her. She turned into me and cried. She pressed her face against my shoulder, and I held her with my hand on the back of her head. ¡°She never got any of it,¡± Talia said. ¡°The marking. The child. Everything he promised her and told her she would have. She died on that road without a single one of those things.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said. I was still grieving Maggie as well. When alone, I allow myself to cry but I refuse to do it in front of Talia. Talia needed my support and one of us had to keep it together to keep the pack going. ¡°She was so happy in the infirmary when she found out,¡± Talia continued. ¡°You saw her face. She was frightened and happy at the same time. Maggie should be here right now discussing the baby.¡± ¡°This is not your fault, Talia. You can¡¯t keep torturing yourself like this.¡± ¡°How is it not my fault? He chose her because of me! He made her believe she was getting everything she had been waiting for and she was never anything to him except a way to reach me,¡± Talia eximed. ¡°She deserved better than that. She deserved someone who actually wanted her.¡± Talia wiped her face with her napkin and set her hands in herp. ¡°I should have told you sooner,¡± she said. ¡°When Maggie told me what Jason had asked her to do, I chose to handle it myself instead ofing to you. If I had brought you in immediately, we might have identified who he was before that dinner ever happened.¡± ¡°None of what you did was wrong, Talia. Why can¡¯t you see that?¡± I argued. ¡°You acted as a Luna should. You were protecting Maggie and you were right. I probably would have made the situation worse at the time.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°I do know that. Maggie betrayed us both and something like this I would not have been able to forgive, but you granted her mercy as a Luna should. You also told Maggie directly that a man who loved her would not put her in that kind of danger and you were right about that. The problem was that we did not know who we were actually dealing with.¡± ¡°I should have known better. All of this was too much of a coincidence,¡± Talia retorted. ¡°You can only say that now because of what we experienced. Jason spent months constructing a cover specifically so that no one would see through it until he was ready to act. You could not have identified him faster than you did and I would not have done better,¡± I argued. Talia sighed and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she relented, ¡°but Jason is not that smart nor creative. He didn¡¯t do this alone I am sure his father helped him, but his father would not have the resources for something like that.¡± ¡°The smoke bomb smelled of rogue,¡± I said. ¡°And I keep thinking about Viki. When she kidnapped you, she had enough rogues with her to carry it out.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°I thought that was odd too,¡± Talia added. ¡°Viki was not someone whomanded that kind of loyalty. She was reckless and she was not a leader Someone was supplying her with people and resources she had no way of building on her own.¡± ¡°Could it be the same person helping Jason and Michael?¡± I asked. ¡°Potentially. Both were aimed at the same target: me. That is not a coincidence I can ignore. Is there anyone who would have a grudge against you?¡± Talia replied. ¡°Not that I am aware. No one would dare go against me until now,¡± I answered. I had made sure my reputation was that of someone who was strict and merciless just so no one would dare do something like this. However, I had not gone out of my way to antagonize anyone. ¡°Either way, we need to be more careful moving forward until we find out the real culprit behind all of this,¡± Talia suggested. ¡°I have been thinking the same thing since the night Maggie died,¡± I agreed. ¡°I have already expanded the search and put every Alpha in this region on notice. Jason¡¯s name, his face, the name he was using inside this pack, and what he did here. The order is to take him alive. When we have him, we will find out who is behind all of this and make them pay for what they have done.¡± Talia nodded and took a sip of her coffee. She regained some color in her face after talking. The food on her te was untouched. ¡°Eat,¡± I said. ¡°I am not hungry.¡± ¡°I know, but you haven¡¯t been eating or sleeping properly. You¡¯re going to end up back in the infirmary like this. Eat something. Do it for me please.¡± Talia picked up her fork without another word and made the effort. She had managed only a few bites before the door opened hard. De came through it with her face flushed and her breathing fast. ¡°Something has happened,¡± De said. P Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 259 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV De was still in the doorway, catching her breath. She walked into the room and closed the door behind her De looked around to see if anyone else was in the room. ¡°No one else is in here but us,¡± I said. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Did we capture Jason?¡± Nn asked. ¡°Goddess, I wish that was what I wanted to tell you,¡± De said between gasps. Hearing that made a shiver run down my spine. ¡°De, you¡¯re scaring me,¡± I said. ¡°I contacted Leslie to ask about how the research was going and whether she had made any progress,¡± De began. ¡°Leslie was telling me about it and then she mentioned that the Alpha King had been unwell. Then she stopped herself mid-sentence and asked me not to repeat it.¡± ¡°Unwell? Like sick? What do you mean unwell?¡± I asked. It was rare for our species to get sick. It didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me anything else. She told me to not tell you to keep you from worrying, but I thought you needed to know this,¡± De replied. Nn frowned. I could feel his confusion from our mate bond. It was rare for us to get sick and now my father, the Alpha King, was sick. Had I angered the Moon Goddess somehow? ¡®Perhaps it is not that serious,¡¯ my wolf suggested. ¡®Maybe he ate some bad meat.¡¯ ¡°How unwell?¡± I asked, wanting to believe my wolf was right. ¡°She did not say exactly,¡± De exined. ¡°But the way she stopped herself told me it was serious. She was choosing her words carefully and you know Leslie never chooses her words carefully.¡± ¡°How long ago did you call her?¡± Nn asked. ¡°An hour ago,¡± De said. ¡°I came to you as soon as I could.¡± ¡°Thank you, De,¡± I said. ¡°You absolutely did the right thing by telling us.¡± De nodded and left, pulling the door closed behind her. ¡°Contact Solon, immediately,¡± Nn said. He didn¡¯t need to tell me twice. I was already reaching out through the mind link. ¡®Solon, we need to talk.¡¯ ¡®You know,¡¯ Solon said, answering within seconds. He had probably been expecting it since the moment Leslie let it slip to De ¡®I don¡¯t have all the details. Tell me what¡¯s going on with our father.¡¯ ¡°Talia, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡¯ ¡°Then, why did Leslie stop telling De about it?¡¯ ¡®Because she blows things out of proportion. You know this.¡¯ ¡®Solon, you¡¯re lying to me.¡¯ ¡®You need to focus on Bloodmoon. I have it handled here.¡¯ ¡®Do not talk to me like that. Do not tell me what to do. Even though I¡¯m the Luna of Bloodmoon, I am still a Princess and your sister,¡¯ I snapped. ¡®Tell me what is happening with our father right now!¡¯ +25 Bonus There was a pause. It felt like minutes before he spoke, ¡®Alright. He has been ill for a few days now.¡¯ ¡®Days?! When were you going to tell me?¡¯ I demanded. ¡®We made the decision not to tell you while you were still dealing with everything that happened with Jason and Maggie. We didn¡¯t want to add to your stress,¡¯ Solon exined. ¡®How many times am I going to have to tell you that I don¡¯t need to be treated like a child? That was not your decision to make for me again,¡¯ I snapped. ¡®You should have told me as soon as you found out.¡¯ ¡®You are right. I¡¯m sorry,¡¯ Solon replied. ¡°Tell me about the illness,¡¯ I said. ¡®ck marks appeared first on his arms, on the inside of his forearms, and they have been spreading since. Leslie has examined him thoroughly. It is not contagious. It does not appear to have originated from any known source of infection. But whatever it is, it is causing his body to deteriorate,¡¯ Solon exined and I covered my mouth in horror. Nn wrapped his arm around me to support me. ¡°Talia?¡¯ ¡®Has Leslie figured out what it is yet?¡¯ ¡®Leslie has not been able to identify the source. She has tried every treatment she knows, and she has been working on it every single day since it appeared. She has herbal remedies that slow the progression, but she has not found a way to stop it or reverse it,¡¯ Solon continued. I covered my face with my hands as I choked back a sob. How could he have gotten sick? Was it a poison? Was he allergic to something? Nothing was making sense. ¡®How long does he have?¡¯ I asked. ¡®Leslie estimated roughly three months. She has been monitoring him closely and adjusting his treatment as the illness progresses. She is not giving up, and neither is he. But three months is where we are right now,¡¯ Solon replied. I did not say anything for a long moment. I thought about the way my father carried himself, the way every room he walked into felt different because he was in it. I had grown up watching him stand at the head of every meeting, every gathering, every difficult conversation, and I had never once seen him look like he did not know what to do next. I had never once thought about what it would look like to lose him because it had never felt like something that could actually happen. ¡®We are going to do everything we can to cure him, Talia. You have my word. You don¡¯t have to worry,¡¯ Solon said after I had responded for a while. ¡®I aming,¡¯ I finally said. ¡®We will be there before evening. Have someone ready to meet us at the border.¡¯ ¡°Talia, please listen¡­¡¯ ¡®I aming, Solon. Have someone waiting at the border!¡¯ +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 260 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY Talia¡¯s POV Nn had been watching my face the entire time as I spoke to Solon. ¡°It¡¯s serious,¡± he said tly. It wasn¡¯t a question. He knew me enough to know. ¡°My father only has three months left,¡± I said. Nn cupped my face and said, ¡°Talia, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°It is a progressive illness. Leslie has not found a cure yet,¡± I continued. ¡°We¡¯re going today,¡± Nn dered. ¡°Right now? You¡¯re with me?¡± ¡°Yes. Right now. I will call the pack meeting, you will speak to them, and then we will leave. Can you do that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nn kissed my forehead. His eyes shed and I heard his order through the pack link. The pack gathered quickly in the courtyard. By the time I stepped out to face them the word had already spread that something was wrong. No one spoke. All eyes were on us. ¡°The Alpha King is ill,¡± I announced and there were murmurs of rm amongst the pack. ¡°It is serious. I need to go to him, and I do not know how long I will be away.¡± A warrior near the front spoke up. ¡°My condolences, Luna.¡± Another asked, ¡°Is there anything we can do, Luna?¡± ¡°Continue protecting this pack,¡± I replied. ¡°That is what I need from you.¡± ¡°Chief Warrior Walden will oversee Bloodmoon while we are gone. You answer to him the same way you answer to me,¡± Nolon announced. ¡°Yes, Alpha,¡± the pack responded. ¡°Dismissed,¡± Nolon said and the pack began to disperse. Walden walked up to us and bowed slightly. ¡°You can trust that I will make sure Bloodmoon is protected, Alpha and Luna. With the wallpleted and the border secured, I do not anticipate any emergencies,¡± Walden assured us. ¡°You have my word that Bloodmoon will be in order when you return.¡± ¡°Be vignte, Walden,¡± Nn cautioned. ¡°Anything that arises, no matter how small, you contact us immediately.¡± ¡°Understood, Alpha,¡± Walden acknowledged. As we were walking back to the pack house, De and Marco approached us. Before they could speak, Nolon instructed, ¡°One hour. We are leaving in one hour.¡± ¡°We will make the preparations,¡± De confirmed. We were at the border gate in under an hour. It was still morning when we left. The road to Silverfang was long and it was giving me too much time to think. I kept running the numbers. Three months. Twelve weeks. Ny days. It wasn¡¯t enough time no matter how I looked at it. ¡®Stop,¡¯ my wolf growled. +25 Bonus ¡®I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ ¡®Yes, you can. He is still alive. It is not over yet,¡¯ my wolf scolded. ¡®I know, I know. You don¡¯t have to yell at me.¡¯ ¡°Then, act like a Luna instead of a whimpering pup. Our father is strong!¡¯ my wolf huffed. I pulled my thoughts back and focused on the road in front of us. Nn reached over at some point and took my hand. I held it until we reached the border. We reached the border by early evening. The guards recognized me and stepped forward smiling. ¡°Luna Talia,¡± one of them called out. ¡°We did not know you wereing. We would have prepared.¡± For a moment, I looked at them in confusion beforeposing myself. Solon had not told them yet. I kept my expression easy and my voice even. ¡°I wanted it to be a surprise,¡± I replied. ¡°It has been too long.¡± ¡°Of course, Luna. We will send word ahead to prepare your room,¡± the guard said as he waved us through. Now that we were in Silverfang¡¯s territory, I was bing even more antsy. Marco and De stayed behind to bring our belongings to our rooms. Nn wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close to him as we walked to the hospital. ¡°He is still alive,¡± Nn murmured, low enough for only me to hear. ¡°Three months is a lot. A lot of time for Leslie to find a cure. Do not think about the end. Think about the time you do have.¡± I nodded. Of all the people who would understand what I was going through right now would be Nn. He didn¡¯t have time with his father. Solon and Leslie were waiting at the hospital entrance. Solon walked over and hugged me as soon as he saw me. He held on longer than he usually did. I could feel the tension in his body and held him tighter. ¡°How are you?¡± I asked when he released me. ¡°Better now that you¡¯re here,¡± Solon replied with a weak smile. I swallowed hard and finally asked, ¡°How is father?¡± ¡°Resting,¡± Solon reported. ¡°It has been a difficult few days, but he is stable this afternoon.¡± ¡°He knows you areing,¡± Leslie added. ¡°He has been asking about you since Solon told him this morning.¡± ¡°More like yelling at me for telling you,¡± Solon muttered. She led us through the corridors to the VIP ward. Solon pushed open the door to my father¡¯s room and stepped back to let me through first. I stopped in the doorway. My father was lying in the bed with tubes running from his arms and a monitor tracking his pulse beside him. His arms rested on top of the nket and the ck marks ran along the inside of both forearms in thin dark lines that had spread toward his wrists and up toward his elbows. He looked smaller than I had ever seen him. ¡°Breathe. It¡¯s okay,¡± Nolon said, rubbing my back. I walked over and sat in the chair beside his bed. I took his hand in both of mine. His eyes opened immediately at my touch and looked up at me with a smile. ¡°Talia? You are here.¡± He looked at me the way he always had, checking me over, making sure I was alright. I could not stop my tears. I did not try to hold them back. He reached up with his other hand to cup my face, and I leaned into his touch. 27 +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 261 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV My father looked past me at Solon, who was standing near the door with Leslie. He frowned slightly and said, ¡°You told her.¡± ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Solon replied without hesitating. ¡°I gave you explicit instructions not to.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Solon replied, ¡°but I couldn¡¯t keep this from Talia. She needed to know.¡± My father made a sound that was almost augh, but more bitter. It surprised me. He looked back at me and said, ¡°You should have told me yourself the moment it started, not dayster through Leslie identally letting it slip to De.¡± ¡°You had enough to deal with,¡± he answered. ¡°And you still should¡¯ve told me,¡± I insisted. ¡°There is no version of this where it was okay for you to keep that from me.¡± I stopped. I was not going to spend the time we had arguing about what should or shouldn¡¯t have happened. ¡°I am not here only to be with you. I think you were poisoned. Nn and I came back to find the antidote.¡± Father was quiet for a moment. He looked at Nn, who was standing on the other side of the bed. ¡°I thought the same thing once,¡± he admitted. ¡°In the beginning. I believed we would find the source quickly, but there was nothing. Leslie examined everything she could examine. There¡¯s nothing that points to sabotage. I am just sick.¡± ¡°Our strong wolves don¡¯t just allow us to get sick and especially not you,¡± I argued. ¡°There must be something you missed.¡± My father shook his head. ¡°My wolf has been weakening since the marks appeared. I can still feel him, but he is distant in a way he has never been before. It is as if he is being pulled away.¡± When my wolf was gone, it was like a piece of me missing. I couldn¡¯t imagine what it would feel like with my wolf still there, but just out of reach. This couldn¡¯t be an illness. ¡°I have had time to ept that my time is limited, Talia. I have made my peace with it,¡± Father continued. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I can¡¯t ept this.¡± ¡°I need to speak about arrangements. About what should happen to Silverfang after I am gone, about who takes responsibility for¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± I snapped, my voice breaking as I fought back the tears. ¡°Do not talk to me about arrangements. We are not there yet.¡± Nn walked over and ced his hand on my back. He did not say anything, but I could feel his support through the mate bond. His touch was enough to help me hold myself together. Father watched us for a second before saying, ¡°Nn, do you remember what you promised me?¡± ¡°Of course I do, Alpha,¡± Nn replied. ¡°You will protect her,¡± my father said. ¡°With my life,¡± Nn answered. ¡°You made a vow when you took her as your mate.¡± ¡°A vow that I never forgot.¡± ¡°Whatever happens to me, she does not face whates alone. Do you understand me?¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Nn affirmed. ¡°And I give you my word on it.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°Please stop talking like this. You¡¯re acting like you¡¯re going to die tomorrow,¡± I interjected. Father turned his attention back to me and said, ¡°Talia, this is serious. You are his Luna. You must stand with him. You can¡¯t make decisions on your own anymore.¡± I frowned. Did he really think that I ran off to see him without Nn¡¯s input? I wasn¡¯t that reckless. Before I could respond, Nn said, ¡°We made the decision toe here together. You do not need to worry about us, my king.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t take it to heart, Talia. He is just concerned,¡¯ Nn said through our mind link. ¡°Good,¡± my father said. ¡°Solon, Leslie,e here.¡± He called toward the door. ¡°Solon. Leslie. Come in.¡± They walked up to the foot of the bed. Leslie stood with her arms at her sides and her expression carefully neutral. Solon had his arms crossed. The slight frown on his face meant he already knew what wasing and had already decided how he felt about it. ¡°I have been thinking carefully about session,¡± my father started. ¡°No,¡± Solon and I said immediately. ¡°Talia is right. You can¡¯t give up,¡± Solon added. ¡°I have not finished.¡± ¡°You do not need to,¡± Solon retorted. ¡°I am not taking the title, not while you are still here and not until we have exhausted all options. I am not going to ept the title while you are still breathing. So, you can finish your sentence, but my answer is no and it will stay no.¡± ¡°Announcing a sessor now, while you are still Alpha King, will create instability. Other packs will read it as a copse of leadership. It will invite challenges and interference that we do not need while we are trying to focus on this,¡± Nn added. ¡°You are not wrong,¡± Father conceded. ¡°But time is short and I will not pretend otherwise.¡± ¡°We know,¡± I sighed. ¡°We are not ignoring the seriousness of the situation. Let Nn and I try to find a solution. With fresh eyes on the situation, we may be able to see something that you missed. If ites to the point where session cannot wait, we will face that then.¡± Father nodded and said, ¡°Then, we have no time to waste.¡± He pushed back the sleeve of his hospital gown and held out his arm. The marks had spread much further than Solon had described. They ran from his wrist all the way up past his elbow in branching dark lines. They were dense in some ces and thin in others, covering the inside of his forearmpletely. ¡°Goddess, they are worse than I thought,¡± I gasped. Nn went rigid beside me. I felt his hand on my back tighten on my shirt. ¡°Nn, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. ¡°ck spots?¡± Nn murmured softly. His voice trembled slightly, which was unnerving. His eyes narrowed as he was trying to put a puzzle together. Support Share Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 262 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY TWO Nn¡¯s POV +25 Bonus Seeing the ck marks felt like someone had poured cold water on me. They brought back memories I had buried because it made me think of my father¡¯s death. But this wasn¡¯t the mad rogue disease. This was something else. ¡°Have you seen them before?¡± Talia asked, bringing me out of my thoughts. ¡°Do you know what they are?¡± Solon demanded when I didn¡¯t immediately respond. ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡°But Gideon once told me about a man who died from something that sounded like this. Marks on the skin. Loss of wolf strength. He described it the same way.¡± ¡°Gideon? Who the hell is Gideon?¡± Solon questioned. Leslie smacked him on his back, causing him to flinch. ¡°Calm down,¡± she hissed. ¡°He was my father¡¯s servant,¡± I answered. ¡°He has been at Silverfang for some years now.¡± Rudolf¡¯s expression shifted from confusion to awareness. ¡°Oh, the rogue you asked me to release from the dungeon before you left Silverfang.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed. Rudolf opened his mouth, but Solon was already moving. ¡°I will have him brought here,¡± Solon said before Rudolf could give the order. It took an hour. I spent most of it thinking about what Gideon had told me. It had been a passing remark that I had not pressed him for more. I regretted not asking for more information. ¡®None of this is your fault,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®Easy to say that now because we don¡¯t know what Gideon knows,¡¯ I argued. ¡®Whether you asked then or now would not have changed this oue,¡¯ my wolf retorted. Talia sat with Rudolf while we waited and I gave them their privacy by moving away to stand near the window. She held his hand and they talked quietly. If I had been told a year ago that I would be friendly with the Alpha King and mate with his daughter, I would haveughed in that person¡¯s face. Solon popped his head into the room and said, ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± I left the room and saw Gideon standing down the hall. The moment he saw me, his eyes softened. Gideon approached me and then bowed low. ¡°That¡¯s not needed, Gideon,¡± I said. ¡°Alpha Nn, it is. It is good to see you,¡± Gideon greeted as he straightened.¡± ¡°Are you well?¡± I asked, noticing how he still seemed pale but there was life in his eyes, not like when I met him in the dungeon. He had his will to live back. ¡°Better than I was,¡± he answered. ¡°You kept your word. I did not know if you would be able to.¡± ¡°I told you I would,¡± I said. ¡°Honorable, just like your father. He would be proud,¡± Gideon answered. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at thepliment. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What did you call me here for? Is everything okay?¡± Gideon asked. +25 Bonus ¡°We need to ask you some questions. What you see in this room, you can not speak about this to anyone else,¡± I replied ¡°Of course, Alpha,¡± Gideon said and then I ushered him into the room. Gideon paused when he saw the Alpha King ¡°Come and sit,¡± I told him. He sat in the chair near the door. I pulled one across from him and leaned forward with my elbows on my knees. ¡°You told me once about a friend who died,¡± I said. ¡°He had marks on his skin. Dark marks that spread. You said he lost his connection with his wolf.¡± Gideon¡¯s face changed at that. The grief that came onto it was of someone who was remembering a painful memory that had been long buried. ¡°Yes,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Tell me everything you remember about it.¡± ¡°After the old Alpha was killed, after everything that followed, there wasplete chaos. Many of us fled. We did not know where it was safe.¡± He looked at his hands. ¡°Some of the servants were taken in by a man from Shadoww. He told them it was a refuge. That they would be protected and housed until things settled.¡± My wolf snarled within me. ¡®I know what you¡¯re thinking. Let us hear him out,¡¯ I told him as I pushed down his anger. I felt the re of anger from Solon as he gave me a knowing look. Leslie cursed under her breath. ¡°Of course, it wasn¡¯t a refuge,¡± she said and Gideon shook his head. ¡°My friend escaped from there after two weeks and found me. He told me they were being used. Tested on, he said, though he could not tell me exactly what was being done to them,¡± Gideon continued. ¡°But they had already injected him with something,¡± I said. ¡°Yes. He looked fine at first. A little pale, but he seemed alright. Then a few weekster the marks appeared on his arms first. Then, they began to spread toward his shoulders. He said it felt like something was pulling him and his wolf apart and he could not stop it no matter what he did,¡± Gideon stated. ¡°What happened to him?¡± I asked. ¡°He died,¡± Gideon replied. I offered him a tissue, and he wiped tears from his face. ¡°He died within three months of the marks first appearing. There was nothing anyone could do. No healer knew what it was or what caused it.¡± ¡°Michael,¡± Solon growled. ¡°He did this.¡± Rudolf didn¡¯t look surprised. ¡°We looked at Shadoww after Alpha Ryker died. There were serious questions about Michael¡¯s involvement in what led to that attack, but we found no evidence that we could act on,¡± he exined. That exined the tension I felt between Rudolt and Michael. Rudolf suspected him and just couldn¡¯t prove it. ¡°Of course there wasn¡¯t. Michael was in his prime at the time. He had everything at his disposal to ensure there was no evidence,¡± Solon said in disgust. Rudolf did not disagree. ¡°I want you to look at something,¡± he said as pushed back his sleeve and held out his arm for Gideon to see. ¡°Are the marks the same as the ones that were on your friend?¡± Upon seeing the marks, the color drained from Gideon¡¯s face. He stared without speaking. ¡°Gideon,¡± I said and he jumped as if I pulled him out of his thoughts. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 263 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY THREE Nn¡¯s POV After swearing his loyalty and secrecy, Gideon left the room. The air was thick with frustration and anger. Talia¡¯s brow was furrowed. Leslie was rubbing Solon¡¯s back as Solon was taking deep breaths to calm down. We were all thinking the same thing and waiting for someone to say it first. ¡°I think we can all agree that none of this is surprising,¡± I finally said. ¡°I knew Michael would not take the embarrassment of exile lightly, but this is insanity.¡± ¡°When you told us what happened, I figured it was Michael that saved Jason. No rogue would risk their neck for Jason,¡± Solon said. ¡°It made sense to attack Bloodmoon, but what does he get out of poisoning our father?¡± ¡°Because Bloodmoon wasn¡¯t the main target. When things didn¡¯t go to n, he moved on to his main goal: Getting rid of the Alpha King,¡± I exined. ¡°But why?¡± Talia asked. ¡°If the Alpha King dies without a clear sessor, the entire region bes unstable. Every pack within range starts calcting on making a bid for the throne. It is exactly the kind of chaos he would want,¡± I replied. ¡°The pce has been under heavy guard since the Alpha King became sick,¡± Leslie added. ¡°I can tell you with certainty that Michael has not set foot in Silverfang territory. I would stake my reputation on it.¡± ¡°Then, it is what I feared,¡± Talia said. ¡°Someone loyal to Michael has been hiding in Silverfang, maybe for a long time.¡± ¡°No way. Everyone loves our father,¡± Solon said. ¡°That is the only thing that makes sense, Solon. We have a traitor here. It has to be someone already inside and established with ess to our father that would not raise suspicion.¡± ¡°But who would that be? No one would dare to hurt him,¡± Solon asked. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised what people would do when misguided,¡± I replied and saw Talia flinch at my words. She was thinking the same thing as I was: Maggie. She was the perfect example of someone with good intentions being misguided and leading to a lot of harm. ¡°Right now, we are at an advantage,¡± Talia said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Solon asked. ¡°Whoever the mole is does not what Gideon told us and how we have connected the marks back to Shadoww. As far as they are aware, the Alpha King¡¯s condition is worsening,¡± I replied. Leslie smirked and said, ¡°Oh, I get what you¡¯re saying. Very smart, Nn.¡± ¡°Can you clue us in?¡± Solon asked impatiently. ¡°We¡¯ll spread the word that the Alpha King¡¯s health is improving. The mole will report back to Michael. Michael will not ept that. He will order them to try again, and he will want it done immediately,¡± Leslie answered. Solon nodded. ¡°And we¡¯ll be waiting to catch them.¡± ¡°That is a huge risk to take. Maybe too much of a risk,¡± Talia said as she looked at her father. ¡°It is a risk worth taking,¡± I countered. ¡°This gives us a path to Michael, and he is the only person who can provide us with the antidote.¡± I understood her hesitancy. We could be wrong or worse not catch the culprit and her father dies, but we were running out of options. This was our best option of getting the antidote as soon as possible. ¡°But what if¡­¡± +25 Bonus ¡°Do it,¡± Rudolf said, cutting off Talia. ¡°Father, let¡¯s talk about this.¡± ¡°It is my decision to make,¡± Rudolf said firmly. Talia¡¯s jaw flexed as she wanted to say more, but even in his weakened state, his Alpha aura rolled off him, letting us know his word was final. Talia relented and nodded. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get a n together,¡± Talia sighed. It was well into the night before we left the hospital. Talia said nothing, but I could tell she was still upset about the situation.¡¯ Give her space for now,¡¯ my wolf suggested and I agreed. Marco and De were waiting for us outside the hospital. De looked expectant but her expression became serious when she saw Talia. Before De could ask any questions, I said, ¡°I need you two to spread information. Speak to the guards, the maids, anyone who¡¯ll listen and tell them that the Alpha King¡¯s illness has been identified, and he is responding well to the treatment. He is expected to make a full recovery. Marco nodded immediately, but De looked between Talia and I. ¡°Is that true?¡± De asked, her eyes hopeful. Talia shook her head and whispered, ¡°We believe someone has been feeding information to whoever is responsible for father¡¯s condition. If we spread word that he is recovering, it¡¯ll get back to the culprit. They will order another assassination attempt, and we¡¯ll be ready to intercept.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re setting a trap.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And the bait is the Alpha King,¡± De said before eximing, ¡°Have you lost your mind? What are you thinking? Do you know how bad that will be if we make a mistake? Wait, Nn, was this your idea?!¡± ¡°Calm down, De,¡± Talia said. ¡°No, this is wrong!¡± ¡°Father agreed to the n. He understands the risk. There is no point in arguing about it now,¡± Talia said firmly. De looked between us for a moment. She looked conflicted. I didn¡¯t me her for thinking I nned this. It was something I would have done before, disregarding others¡¯ safety. ¡®Still, we are not that wolf anymore,¡¯ my wolf huffed. ¡°My apologies, Alpha, Luna,¡± De finally said. ¡°We will have it done before midnight.¡± She nced at Marco, who was already moving toward the pce gates and went after him. Talia stood beside me as we watched them go. I could tell she was worried no matter how she tried to hide it. Her mind was a jumbled mess of worry and what ifs. ¡®Reassure her,¡¯ my wolf urged, but I couldn¡¯t. There was nothing I could say to make this easier. Her worry was understandable and valid. And now we were using her father as bait. I was amazed that she wasn¡¯t hysterical. I kissed her forehead and pulled her into a side hug. ¡°This will work,¡± I said. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 264 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY FOUR Talia¡¯s POV Solon brought Ryan to us that same evening. Ryan was a trusted guard that had served Silverfang since we were children. He was not arge man, but he made up for it with speed and strength. ¡°Who is this?¡± Nn asked. ¡°This is Ryan. He is one of our senior guards. He can be trusted,¡± Solon answered. ¡°Tell him what you need.¡± ¡°Someone inside the pce has betrayed our father,¡± I said and Ryan¡¯s eyes widened. I saw anger sh in his eyes before heposed himself. He did not say a word, waiting for me to continue. ¡°We did not know who. We need you in my father¡¯s room, positioned where you will not be seen from the doorway. We need you to wait until you see the traitor.¡± ¡°What should I do when I catch the person?¡± Ryan asked. ¡°Restrain them,¡± I replied. ¡°Do not let them leave and do not let them destroy whatever they brought in. I need to know what it was.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± he said. We positioned him that night, behind the curtain near the far wall. The room¡¯syout worked in our favor. Anyone entering to tend to my father would have toe far enough inside before they would see him. By then, it would have been toote. The next morning, I arrived at the hospital wing as I always did. Two maids were already inside changing the linens. I greeted them by name and sat beside my father and took his hand. ¡°Did you get some rest?¡± Father asked. ¡°A little.¡± ¡°Good. You look better than you did yesterday. Tell me what is happening at Bloodmoon. Solon does not tell me anything useful. He keeps telling me to rest. It is boring being in this room day in and day out.¡± ¡°The wall is finished,¡± I said as I peeled an orange for him. ¡°Walden has the border patrols running on a new rotation every day, so no one can learn the patterns.¡± Father nodded and said, ¡°Smart, very smart. You paid attention to the books I gave you when you were a child.¡± ¡°I really did not have a choice. You made it mandatory reading,¡± I huffed. I hated reading those books, but I could see now how beneficial they were. ¡°What about Jason? Has he been found yet?¡± Father asked. ¡°Still no word. Nn has every Alpha in the region watching for him,¡± I replied. ¡°He will surface. Men like him will not stay hidden for long,¡± Father said. One of the maids moved to the far side of the bed to tuck in the sheet. I kept my eyes on my father, but I watched her out of my peripheral. ¡°The doctors are saying that you will only have to be here for three more days,¡± I said to no one in particr. ¡°Then, you will be back to normal.¡± ¡°Thank the Moon Goddess,¡± Father replied, ying along. ¡°Now, go on. I know you have things to do. I will see you tomorrow.¡± Neither maid looked up for more than a moment. I noted it and walked out. For the next two days, nothing happened. +25 Bonus On the third night, Solon¡¯s voice filled my mind, jerking me out of sleep. ¡°We have someone. Come to the dungeon.¡± ¡°Nn, wake up. Ryan caught the traitor,¡± I said, shaking Nn awake. We arrived at the dungeon in a matter of minutes. Leslie was waiting for us. She looked angrier than usual. ¡°Who is it?¡± I asked. ¡°Your father¡¯s personal servant, Robin,¡± Leslie answered. ¡°What?¡± I eximed. Robin had been one of my father¡¯s personal servants for eleven years. He had traveled with my father and held the responsibility of holding pack secrets. Robin was thest person I would have thought would betray us. Solon approached us. His sleeves were rolled up. His hands were stained with blood. ¡°Two hours,¡± he growled. ¡°I have had him for two hours and he has said nothing useful. Nothing.¡± ¡°Let Nn and I take over,¡± I offered. ¡°Can you really do this?¡± Solon asked. ¡°He attempted to kill our father. There are a lot of things I can do,¡± I replied. ¡°And Nn can do what I cannot.¡± Solon looked at me. The frustration on his face was barely held back. Then he nodded once, stepped past me, and walked away without looking back. Robin was in poor condition. One of his eyes was ckened and his lip was busted. The whipping had left marks across his back and shoulders visible even from the doorway. He was slumped forward in the chair with his wrists bound behind him. But his eyes were open and when I entered, he looked at me directly. Nn stepped forward. ¡°You are going to tell us who you are working with,¡± Nn said. ¡°You can do that now or you can do it after another few hours in this room. Either way the oue is the same. The only thing that changes is how long you spend here first.¡± Robin said nothing. ¡°Protecting whoever sent you does not protect you,¡± Nn continued. ¡°You are already in this dungeon. Staying silent does not improve your situation.¡± Robin looked at the wall behind Nn and did not speak. I pulled a chair across from him and sat down. ¡°Robin, talk to me. Why would you do this?¡± I asked. He looked at me with a nk expression before staring at the floor. ¡°My father trusted you,¡± I continued. ¡°He brought you into his household because he believed you were someone he did not have to think twice about. He told me that himself.¡± Robin still said nothing. I felt Nn¡¯s Alpha aura rolling off him. He began to growl low in his throat. This would be so much easier if he was the Alpha of Silverfang; then we could just Alphamand Robin intopliance. ¡®He is listening. Maybe talking to him will work since torture is not working,¡¯ my wolf rmended. ¡°When my father dies, Silverfang loses its Alpha, but that means the packs of this region lose their Alpha King without a named sessor. Alphas who have been waiting for exactly this kind of opening will use it. The pack you have served your whole lite gets pulled apart. People you care about will more than likely die in the chaos. Innocent people will die because of you. Are you okay with that?¡± Robin did not move. The silence stretched and I let it. Right when it felt like Nn was going to snap, Robin raised his head. For a moment, he looked conflicted before his expression changed to a nk expression. ¡°I betrayed the Alpha King. I betrayed Silverfang,¡± he finally said. ¡°That is all I have to say.¡± ¡°This does not feel right,¡¯ my wolf said. CHAR N +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 265 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY FIVE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°My wolf thinks he was coerced,¡± I told Nn once we were outside in the corridor. ¡°It would also exin why torture did not work,¡± Nn said. ¡°He is afraid of what Michael will do to whoever he is protecting, which is scarier than anything we could do to him.¡± ¡°We need to figure out who he could be protecting,¡± I replied. ¡°Does he have a mate?¡± Nn asked. ¡°To be honest, I am not sure. I never took the opportunity to get to know him as he was my father¡¯s personal confidante,¡± I exined. It felt odd saying that now. I would make it a point to get to know all pack members moving forward. ¡°Then we should review the servant records. If Robin has family, we will find it there,¡± Nn rmended. ¡°Yes,¡± I agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t have any time to waste.¡± The archive entrance was in the east wing of the pce, past a set of heavy doors with two guards posted at either side. One of them stepped forward when he saw Nn approach. The other gripped his shoulder to pull him back, but he shrugged him off. ¡°I am sorry, Alpha,¡± the guard said, stepping in front of Nn to block his path. ¡°But you are not permitted here.¡± The guard looked up at Nn, matching his gaze. He was young and foolish for defying Nn, but he was brave and loyal. ¡°It is of utmost importance that I ess the archive,¡± Nn responded. ¡°The Alpha King¡¯s standing order is that the archive is restricted to senior Silverfang members only. I cannot permit entry to anyone outside that designation,¡± the guard said firmly. Nn said nothing. I half expected him to toss the guard away from him, but he turned his head to look at me with a raised eyebrow. I stepped forward and said, ¡°With everything going on, I am d you¡¯re taking your job seriously. However, this is Nn, the Alpha of Bloodmoon and my mate. Seeing him is like seeing me and he has my father¡¯s full trust. I am asking you to extend the same courtesy.¡± The guard looked between us. Then he stepped aside. ¡°Of course, Luna Talia,¡± he said. ¡°My apologies for the dy.¡± We went inside. The archive was long and low-ceilinged, lined on both sides with shelved records organized by year and department. It smelled of old paper andmp oil. Nn found my hand in the dim light and stopped walking. ¡°Nn?¡± Nn leaned forward and kissed me passionately. I had to push him back to catch my breath. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked. ¡°What you said out there about trusting me,¡± he said quietly. ¡°It means a lot to me.¡± ¡°You are my mate, Nn. Of course I trust you,¡± I told him and kissed him on his cheek. ¡°Do you remember thest time we were in the archive?¡± Nn asked. I blushed and turned away. I remembered how I was all over him, begging him to mark me. I cleared my throat and said, ¡°Focus, Nn.¡± We found the servant records in the third row. Robin¡¯s file was not difficult to locate. It was thick from eleven years of service, and the personal information was near the front. His mate had died four years ago. They had a daughter named Annie. She was one year old when her mother died, which made her five now. ¡°Robin has a five-year-old daughter,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s see what else we can find. Check incident reports,¡± Nn suggested. CHATTLE WO +25 Bonus I went through the secondary file. Three pages in I found it. ¡®Michael took his daughter,¡± I said, passing the report to Nn. Annie had not been seen at the servants¡¯ quarters in over a week. Robin had told the guard she was staying with a rtive in the outer district. The guard had followed up once and epted the exnation. Then we have what we need to get him to talk,¡± Nn replied. We went back to the dungeon. Robin had not moved from the chair. I sat down across from him. ¡°I told you everything I am going to say,¡± Robin said. ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time. Just kill me.¡± ¡°Annie,¡± I said. Robin¡¯s head snapped up. His eyes filled with tears, and he turned his face away from me again. ¡°We know she is missing,¡± I continued. ¡°We know what Michael told you would happen to her if you did not cooperate. Robin, look at me.¡± It took him a moment, but he did it. Tears were now rolling down his face. ¡°I am going to get her back. That is not something I am telling you to make you cooperate. It is a promise as your Princess, but I need you to help me find Michael because if we cannot find him, finding her bes much harder.¡± Robin didn¡¯t respond and Nn walked up. He squatted next to Robin and said, ¡°Do you really think Michael would keep his word?¡± ¡°He swore on it,¡± Robin muttered. ¡°Do not fool yourself into believing that Michael will keep his word. You are an omega and to him you are less than the dirt under his shoe,¡± Nn argued. ¡°What do you think he is doing to your daughter while he has her?¡± ¡°He said he would never hurt a child and especially not a little girl,¡± Robin countered. ¡°Michael hates weak wolves. He once hurt me when I was his son¡¯s mate. He did it because he believed I was an omega,¡± I retorted. ¡°Once you are no longer useful, he will not keep her alive.¡± ¡°No!¡± Robin¡¯s hands trembled violently. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what else to do,¡± he said, voice cracking under the strain. ¡°He told me that if I helped him, he¡¯d give her a better life¡­ that she wouldn¡¯t have to live as an omega.¡± ¡°He is a liar, Robin. You¡¯re not the first person he¡¯s lied to get what he wanted,¡± Nn told him. ¡°You want what is best for her, right?¡± ¡°Yes, of course I do,¡± Robin said. ¡°Then help us get her back,¡± I said. ¡°Tell us where Michael is. I will make sure she is safe. Every day you stay silent is another day she suffers from him.¡± Robin didn¡¯t say anything. For a moment, I thought we hadn¡¯t gotten through to him. I stood up and motioned to Nn to leave. Nn stood, scoffing in disgust. Before we exited the cell, Robin said, ¡°Fine! I will take you to him.¡± Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 266 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY SIX Jason¡¯s POV Three days passed and there was still no word from Robin. My father was not concerned while I was all nervous. I chewed on my nails while fidgeting in my chair. My father mmed his book down on the table and snapped, ¡°Stop with that annoying tapping of your feet. You¡¯re giving me a headache.¡± ¡°How can you be so calm?¡± I asked. ¡°Because I know Robin will not betray us. We have his daughter. He¡¯d be even more of a fool if he believed I would not harm that girl if he disobeyed,¡± Father replied. ¡°But he has not reported whether the second attempt was a sess. Something could¡¯ve gone wrong,¡± I argued. ¡°He is being careful,¡± my father stated. ¡°The pce will be on alert after the first attempt. He cannot afford to move quickly.¡± ¡°Or he has been caught.¡± ¡°Enough of your delusions,¡± my father snapped. ¡°Robin will do what needs to be done.¡± The following day Robin arrived. Robin looked like a man who had barely escaped death. He was thinner than thest time I had seen him and there was a bruise along the left side of his jaw that had gone yellow at the edges. ¡°What happened to you?¡± I asked. ¡°I was interrogated,¡± Robin replied. ¡°I told them nothing.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Father said. ¡°Now, did everything go to n?¡± ¡°The Alpha King is dead,¡± Robin answered. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring that he offered to my father. ¡°His ring. I took it from his hand myself.¡± My father took the ring and examined it. He turned it in the light and went still. His serious expression morphed into a cruel smile. ¡°Finally,¡± Robin said quietly as he closed his hand around the ring. He looked at Robin with something approaching warmth.¡± You have done well. I did not think you had it in you.¡± ¡°My daughter, where is she? You promised me. I have done everything you asked. I need to know she is safe and I need you to release her,¡± Robin said. My father nced at me. The warmth that was there was not reced with the usual cruelness. I felt my wolf tense within me. ¡°You have been enormously useful, Robin,¡± my father said as he leaned back in his chair. ¡°But useful men be liabilities the moment their usefulness ends.¡± ¡®Shit. Robin is dead meat,¡¯ my wolf muttered, ¡°Kill him,¡± my father ordered. I did not move. My father turned to look at me. ¡°Did you hear what I said, boy?¡± ¡°Robin did what you asked him to do. Give him back his daughter and just let him go. He won¡¯t betray us because it would implicate him too,¡± I argued. My father snorted. ¡°Your mercy will get us both killed. I should not have to exin to you that Robin is a liability. He is a thread that leads directly back to us.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t betray us,¡± I said firmly. +25 Bonus ¡°Enough! Your softness is what cost us Shadoww. It is what costs us every time we havee close and failed. I will not let it cost us again,¡± my father responded. ¡°Kill him or I¡¯ll kill you both.¡± My wolf whined within me. ¡°This is getting out of hand.¡¯ As I moved toward Robin, the door went flying off the hinges. I dodged it as it mmed into the hall. Nn came through it first and Talia was directly behind him. Robin was between me and them. Before I could close the distance, Nn had put himself in front of Robin. His punchnded square in the middle of my chest, sending me flying back. My father caught me before I hit the wall. ¡°I told you,¡± I snarled. ¡°I told you something was wrong with this!¡± I had been right. It had been a trap from the beginning. ¡°Leave,¡± my father said to me as he pushed me away. His voice did not rise but themand was absolute. ¡°Now. Go.¡± ¡°Father¡­¡± ¡°I will hold them off. Now, go!¡± I ran through the back of the safehouse and into the tree line beyond it. I ran hard and kept to the shadows between the trees and let my wolf guide my footing in the dark. My shoulder ached as I had torn the stitches of my wound, but I let the pain drive me to run faster. Behind me I could hear nothing, which meant either my father had contained them or they were already past him and tracking me silently. Either way stopping was not an option. I had covered perhaps a mile when my wolf made a sound, I had never heard from him before. It was not a howl. It was something lower and more broken, a sound of pure loss that I felt in my chest before I understood what it meant. My father was dying. Even though I feared my father, I still loved him. I turned around, ready to run back to save him when his voice filled my mind. ¡®Keep running, Jason!¡¯ ¡®Father, I¡­¡¯ ¡®Do not look back, Jason. Don¡¯t ever look back!¡¯ Then, there was silence and I knew I would never hear my father¡¯s voice again. I bit into my arm to muffle my scream of anguish. I had lost thest person that truly cared about me. ¡®We have to go. They will be upon us soon,¡¯ my wolf urged. I didn¡¯t have to be told twice. The Rogue King was expecting me, and I was going to finish what my father had started. I had a direction and I had a purpose and I had nothing left to lose. That, at least, was something my father had always said made a truly dangerous man. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 267 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV Michael moved to put himself between us and the back of the safehouse with his arm raised. He was about to say something, but Nn was on him in minutes. Michael mmed hard into his wall with an audible crunch. At least three of his ribs were broken. Michael stood up slowly with one hand pressed to his side. His breathingbored through his gritted teeth. He tried to put on a brave face, but he was clearly in pain. No matter his experience, Michael was still an old man and could not withstand blows from Nn who was in his prime. ¡®No, no, he deserves this. Don¡¯t take pity on him,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®I¡¯m not, but if Nn kills him before we get the antidote, that defeats the purpose of finding him,¡¯ I said. ¡°Give us the antidote, right now!¡± I demanded. ¡°Why would you¡­¡± Confusion and then genuine surprise crossed Michael¡¯s face before he frowned. ¡°Alpha King is still alive, isn¡¯t he?! That bastard Robin dared to lie to me!¡± ¡°You have learned nothing from your decisions,¡± I told him. ¡°No one will ever be loyal to you if you always use pain and fear to control them.¡± ¡°Shut up. You know nothing,¡± Michael snapped. ¡°It is over, Michael. Give me the antidote,¡± I demanded again. Michael scoffed. ¡°You think I would give you anything? After everything you have cost me?¡± ¡°I cost you nothing. If you had been a better person, raised a better son, you would be a well respected Elder now, but you allowed greed to taint everything you touched. All of this is your fault,¡± I responded. Michael looked at me with contempt and said, ¡°I should have killed you when you were in Shadoww.¡± ¡°And you would¡¯ve failed. Just like you have failed now,¡± Nn interjected. ¡°Surrender. Give us the antidote and we will allow you to have an honorable death.¡± Michael looked between Nn and I before saying, ¡°I will never give you that antidote. The King is already a dead man. He just does not know it yet.¡± ¡°Enough of your bullshit,¡± Nn growled. He surged forward. Michael swung at him, but Nn caught his wrist and snapped it like a twig before snatching him up in the air and back against the wall by his throat. Michael¡¯s face reddened and his hand came up to pull at Nn¡¯s wrist, but he could not loosen Nn¡¯s grasp. ¡°The antidote,¡± Nn growled. ¡°Now.¡± ¡°No,¡± Michael spat. ¡°It won¡¯t change anything.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nn asked. ¡°The poison has been working for months,¡± Michael exined, ¡°Even if I gave you the antidote today, it would change nothing. ¡°His lips pulled back into a sneer. ¡°The damage has already been done. You are toote.¡± Then Michael shifted for attack. It happened in under a second. One moment Nn had him by the throat and the next his wolf was tearing tree of his clothes. Nn took a step back, unphased by Michael snarling at him. ¡°If you think shifting will save you, you¡­¡± Nn stopped in midsentence and I felt his rage m into me. It was so oppressive that it made me take a step back. ¡°Nn, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked and that¡¯s when I noticed Michael. 123 +25 Bonus As his wolf, Michael wasrge, ck with grey streaks from age, and had a scar across the muzzle. I saw it then on his forehead, unmistakable against his ck fur: three white streaks in the shape of w marks. It was him. Michael was the wolf that killed Nn¡¯s father. Nn shifted almost immediately. The roar that came out of him shook the walls. Nn drove straight into Michael. The impact sent them both crashing into the far wall hard enough to crack the ster. They tussled, both trying to get the upper hand on the other as they growled and snarled at each other. Finally, Nn caught Michael by the scruff. Michael iled, biting at Nn¡¯s legs to get free but Nn held on. Michael twisted and bit into Nn¡¯s shoulder. This gave Nn the opening he needed and released Michael¡¯s scruff. He mped down on Michael¡¯s neck instead. ¡°That¡¯s it. This is over!¡¯ My wolf said. Nn began to swing Michael around like a dog with a chew toy before I heard a sickening crunch. Michael¡¯s body went limp as Nn ripped his neck open. He copsed in a pool of his own blood with Nn standing over him. Nn watched coldly as the color drained from Michael¡¯s eyes. Robin was on the opposite side of the room with his facepletely white. He had not moved during the fight. ¡°Luna, I¡­¡± Hearing his voice made Nn whip around to look at him. Nn snarled as he approached him, lowering down in a striking position. ¡°Luna, please. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Robin begged. ¡°Please. Don¡¯t let him kill me!¡± I quickly stepped in between them before Nn pounced. Robin deserved to be punished but I couldn¡¯t allow Nn to kill him in a blood rage. ¡°Nn, stop!¡± I said firmly. Nn tried to sidestep me, but I made sure to block him from Robin. I could feel the grief and rage through the mate bond. ¡°Stop. This is over, Nn. Just stop.¡± Nn red at me, growling low in his throat, but he didn¡¯t move again. I maintained eye contact and then pointed at the exit. ¡°Robin,¡± I said quietly without looking away from Nn. ¡°Find your daughter and leave.¡± Robin didn¡¯t need to be told twice. I heard him flee the room with the door mming shut behind him. I never took my eyes off Nn. Eventually, he stopped growling and his shoulders slumped. Nn shifted back and came up on one knee on the floor with his head bowed. ¡°I failed you,¡± he said finally with red eyes. His voice was rough and low. ¡°I lost control and I let Michael provoke me. Now, we don¡¯t have the antidote.¡± I crouched in front of him. ¡°You have not failed me, Nn,¡± I said as I ced my hands on the side of his face to force him to look at me. ¡°You have never failed me.¡± ¡°He had the antidote¡­ and I killed him,¡± Nn replied, his voiceden with guilt. ¡°Jason was with him the entire time. I¡¯m sure he has it,¡± I said softly. ¡°You avenged your father¡­ that matters. Now we¡¯ll hunt Jason together, alright?¡± +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 268 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV A week passed and Jason hadn¡¯t been found yet. Every morning I woke up expecting to hear that one of the regional Alphas had caught Jason, but every morning I was disappointed. Where had he gone? Why couldn¡¯t we find him? Every day felt too fast and too long all at the same time. This time there was nothing my wolf could say to reassure me. When I visited my father on the seventh day I noticed his hair. His hair, which had been dark for as long as I had known him, had begun to go white at the temples. Not grey, but a stark, drained white that was not there yesterday. Nn and my father were talking casually as if Nn had not seen my father aging in real time. ¡°Solon told me the wall you had built is something to see,¡± my father said. ¡°Yes, it was all Talia¡¯s idea. They should hold for generations,¡± Nn responded. ¡°I would like to see them,¡± my father stated. ¡°You will,¡± Nn told him. ¡°When you are out of this room and back on your feet, we will take you ourselves. Talia, will escort you around.¡± My father smiled and settled back against the pillows. I bit my lip and fought back the tears. My father believed that he woulde to Bloodmoon when he recovered. He really believed he would recover. I felt my heart twist because I felt like we had given him false hope. ¡®Stop it,¡¯ my wolf growled within me. ¡®Leslie is still looking for an antidote and we will find Jason.¡¯ I wanted to believe her, but 1 couldn¡¯t help but second guess. Afterposing myself, I walked in. Nn stood up to give me his seat. ¡°Hey, how are you feeling today?¡± I asked as I took my father¡¯s hand into mind. ¡°Much better today. I don¡¯t know what Leslie is putting in my IV, but I feel better than I have in months,¡± my father replied. We talked about nothing important for about an hour until Leslie came to give him another painkiller. I kissed his forehead and left the room with Nn and Leslie, so my father could rest. Leslie closed the door to my father¡¯s room behind her. She then motioned us to go to an empty room three doors down. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked once we were in the room. ¡°You¡¯re making me anxious.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen his hair,¡± Leslie replied and we nodded. ¡°Once his hair has turnedpletely white it will mean the poison has reached the final stage,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°Leslie, what are you saying? Just say it,¡± I snapped. ¡°At the rate it is progressing, he has approximately two months. I have been adjusting his treatments, but the progression is elerating. Right now, all I can do is manage his pain,¡± Leslie exined. Nn wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close to him before I couldprehend what she was saying. I sat there, staring at her in a daze. ¡°What can we do? Is there anything we can do without the antidote?¡± Nn asked, but even though he was right next to me, he sounded like he was a mile away. ¡°I am doing everything that I can to stop the poison,¡± Leslie answered. ¡°I just wanted to inform you both.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nn stated and Leslie left the room. Two months. I had known my father was dying from the moment Gideon confirmed the marks but hearing it from Leslie made it more real +25 Bonus now Two months was not enough time. There was barely enough time to do what we needed to do even if everything went well, and nothing had been going well. ¡°Talia, baby, breathe,¡± Nn said, shaking me lightly. ¡°We cannot wait for Jason to surface on his own,¡± I said. ¡°We are running out of time.¡± ¡°I agree. We need to change our n today,¡± Nn agreed. I found Solon that evening. He was in the pce study with reports spread across the desk. Solon looked up when he noticed me. He had huge bags under his eyes. It was clear, just like me, he had not slept enough in thest week. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. ¡°Is father okay?¡± ¡°Leslie gave me an updated timeline. Father only has two months now. When his hair is fully white, it¡¯ll be over,¡± I replied. Solon stared at me with a nk expression before he cursed and punched a hole into the table. He covered his face with his hands and took slow, deep breaths to calm himself. I let him sit with it. When he brought his hands down, I said, ¡°I have a n to flush Jason out faster.¡± ¡°What do you propose?¡± Solon asked. ¡°We make it official that Michael and Jason are traitors and name them responsible for crimes against Silverfang, against the Alpha King, and against the stability of the region. We inform everyone that Michael is dead and Jason is on the run. His allies will turn on him now that Michael is dead. Anyone who finds him must take him alive and bring him here for judgment,¡± I continued. Solon was quiet for a long moment. ¡°Okay, we can make this public, but we still need to cover that Father is in a weakened state to avoid chaos among the packs,¡± Solon said. ¡°We have to hold that back to prevent panic. Other packs will see it as a weakness. There will be those who try to take advantage of it.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I agreed. ¡°Jason has the antidote form. He¡¯s the only one who can save Father, and every day he stays hidden brings us closer to losing him. We need to let all the packs know about his crimes and find him now.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Solon said as he stood. ¡°I¡¯ll send out the decree.¡± BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you U Support Share get it 25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 269 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SIXTY NINE Jason¡¯s POV I had been moving for four days when I reached the edge of Moonbrook¡¯s territory. My father¡¯s directions had been correct. The Rogue King¡¯s strongholdy northwest of Moonbrook, deep into terrain most wolves avoided. Cold, damp, difficult ground where the trees grew close. It was not afortable ce to build a stronghold. That was exactly why the Rogue King had chosen it. I had two routes. I could go the long way and skirt past Moonbrook entirely. It would add two additional days to the journey, but it was safer than the other route. The other route was to cut straight through Colin¡¯s territory. ¡®Through,¡¯ my wolf suggested. ¡°We go through his pack territory.¡¯ ¡®Have you lost your mind? That is suicide if we get caught,¡¯ I said. ¡®We are wounded and slowing down. Two more days is two days we do not have,¡¯ my wolf reasoned. He was right. My shoulder wound had reopened. It was not fatal, but it could be fatal if I didn¡¯t take care of it soon. ¡®Fine. We will go through,¡¯ I reluctantly agreed. I adjusted the mask on my face and pulled my hood up before moving toward the border. The walls were half-built, but they were already substantial. Guards were posted at the entrance points, two at each gap, and the gaps themselves had been positioned to funnel anyone entering into a narrow passage where they could be observed from multiple angles. I cursed under my breath and hid behind a tree. Damn you, Talia. Talia, somehow, once again had screwed me over with her stupid ideas. Why couldn¡¯t she understand that a Luna should stay in her ce and not concern herself about pack safety? Because of the wall, it was going to make it harder for me to sneak through. On top of that, Solon had named me a traitor and every Alpha in the region was now looking for me. I couldn¡¯t wait to kill him. ¡®Still think cutting through was the best idea?¡¯ I taunted. ¡®Focus on the guards,¡¯ my wolf huffed. There were six at the entrance, but I knew there were more nearby. There were too many to avoid and too many to engage as a group. We had to think of a n. I watched them from my ce behind the tree. They weren¡¯t paying too much attention. Perhaps I could just slip on through. As soon as I stepped forward, one guard saw me immediately. He motioned for another to follow him as he approached me, the other one angling to the side to cut off my retreat. ¡°You are on Moonbrook territory. Identify yourself,¡± the first guard said. I said nothing as I sized them up to see which one I would take first. ¡°Identify yourself,¡± he repeated. ¡°You do not pass without¡­¡± I moved before he finished the sentence. My hand closed on his throat. I mmed him into the stone frame of the gap. His neck snapped from the impact. The second guard lunged at me with his dagger. I stepped into him before he could extend his arm fully and drove my elbow hard into his face. He yelped in pain and instinctively reached for his face, dropping his dagger. ¡°Pathetic,¡± I growled as I used his dagger to slice open his neck. More guards came from the right. Four of them, moving fast and spreading out as they came so I could not take them one by one. This was not good as I was already. +25 Bonus The first guard reached me, and I deflected him but not cleanly. His dagger split open my arm. The second caught me across the ribs with his fist and the pain from my side red white and sharp, I kicked him back and away from me. The third guard swung hard for my head. I ducked under it and drove my elbow into his jaw, and he staggered into the wall. The first guard punched me on the side of my head causing my mask to fly off. I felt the cold air on my face before I could catch it. The guard directly in front of me stopped moving. ¡°You! It¡¯s Alpha Jas¡­¡± The moment his mouth formed my name I drove the heel of my palm hard into his throat. He gripped his throat, choking, as he copsed to the ground. The remaining guards scattered immediately. I heard one of them shouting my name into the interior of the territory, but I was already running. I went through the nearest gap and dodged the guards. I could feel my wolf adding to my strength. ¡®Keep running. Do not stop,¡¯ he urged. He didn¡¯t have to tell me that. I refused to be caught when I was so close to getting to the Rogue King. I did not slow until Moonbrook¡¯s border was well behind me and it felt as if my heart was going toe out of my chest. I took a moment to rest before I continued to move northwest. ¡®I will never listen to your suggestions again,¡¯ I said. ¡®If you had listened to my suggestions in the first ce, we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation,¡¯ my wolf grumbled. ¡®Get over it. You¡¯re stuck with me until death. We will get back to our former glory. I promise you,¡¯ I told him. My wolf huffed and went silent. I knew I was getting close as it was bing harder to navigate as the trees were not closer together. There was a musty mildew scent in the air. I stopped in a hollow between tworge roots and pressed my back against the trunk. It was a good enough spot to rest for the night. ¡®Get ready,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡®Rogues. Very close.¡¯ Not a momentter, I smelled them. Faint but unmistakable, the putrid stench that would make any pack wolf rigid. They were downwind of me, which meant they had not caught my scent yet. That would notst. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 270 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY Jason¡¯s POV The scent of them became stronger as I knew they had found me. Green eyes became visible one by one as they approached from the shadows. There were seven of them stalking towards me. ¡®Stay on your guard,¡¯ my wolf warned. ¡°What is a former Alpha like you doing out here?¡± one of them taunted. ¡°Stay out of my way,¡± I said firmly and they onlyughed. ¡°Silverfang¡¯s most wanted,¡± another taunted. He was stocky, had a crooked nose, and was missing part of his left ear. I knew him instantly from one of the rogues I had repelled. ¡°Word travels fast. There is a reward out for you. Enough to keep a wolffortable for a long time.¡± Another oneughed. ¡°Comfortable. He means enough to buy a territory.¡± ¡°Hand yourself over,¡± the first one ordered. ¡°Make it easy and we will not rough you up too badly before we deliver you.¡± I felt my fury building inside of me. It had been building for weeks now. Being hunted was one thing. Allowing rogues tough about the price on my head was another. I let my wolf take over. What happened next was him venting every frustration and resentment he had toward me. When it was over, six of the seven were dead and dismembered while the seventh was on his knees in the dirt with his hands up in fear. ¡°Please, please, don¡¯t kill me,¡± he pleaded. ¡°You know where the Rogue King is,¡± I growled I wed him across the face, cutting his eye. He screamed out in pain. ¡°Yes, yes, I know!¡± ¡°Take me to the Rogue King and I won¡¯t rip your head from your body,¡± I snarled. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll do it,¡± the rogue said as he got to his feet. We walked for two hours. The trees thickened until the canopy blocked most of the moonlight. ¡°You better not be leading me into a trap or you¡¯ll be the first one to die,¡± I warned. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not,¡± the rogue stammered. ¡°Look, it¡¯s not too far now.¡± We reached a small mountain. There were two guards who watched as we approached. The rogue stopped and said, ¡°See, it¡¯s right here. I¡­¡± I didn¡¯t let him finish and drove my elbow into the back of his skull, cracking his skull. The rogue fell and convulsed on the ground. I stepped over him and approached. The guards tensed but I spoke before they did, ¡°I am Jason, son of Elder Michael of Shadoww.¡± They looked at each other before one of them said, ¡°Wee Alpha Jason of Shadoww. The king has been expecting you t will escort you.¡± The underground pce was a series of chambers carved from rock and reinforced with timber so old it had gone ck Torches burned at irregr intervals and the shadows cast eerie shadows against the wall. Nothing about the ce had been built tor The Rogue King was in the deepest chamber. He was seated in a chair closer to a throne than anything else in the room The Rogue King was arge man,rger than I had expected. He looked like more of a mountain than a man. Scars ran from his hairline across his left cheek and down toward his jaw. His eyes were pale blue, t, and entirely without warmth. +25 Bonus The Rogue King did not speak immediately. He assessed me before gesturing for me to sit down. ¡°Michael is dead,¡± he said as he lit his cigar. My eyes widened slightly. How had he known? My wolf growled, He probably has eyes everywhere. Do not anger him¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± I confirmed as I sat down. ¡°A shame,¡± the Rogue King said as he took a long pull from his cigar. ¡°You should be mourning and yet, here you are. What do you want from me?¡± ¡°I want to finish what my father started. I want to be the new Alpha King,¡± I answered. ¡°I want Silverfang¡¯s throne and I want the resources to take it. In exchange I am offering two pack territories. Bloodmoon and Silverfang both, once I have consolidated control.¡± 1 The Rogue King gave out a heartyugh. ¡°You are like your father. Straight to the point. That¡¯s what I liked about him,¡± he said. ¡°Is it a deal?¡± I asked. ¡°I want three,¡± he countered. ¡°That is asking a lot.¡± ¡°And you are asking me to give you resources that would be more valuable with me than on the odds that you be the Alpha King.¡± My jaw flexed at the insult. I grit my teeth from growling. ¡®He is goading you. Do not¡­¡¯ ¡®I know!¡¯ I snapped at him. ¡°Three packs or no deal, boy,¡± the Rogue King stated. ¡°Fine. Three,¡± I said and reached out to shake his hand. The Rogue King smiled and shook my hand. On a different face it would have been a pleasant sight, but on his, it made the hair on the back of my neck rise. The Rogue King reached into his pocket and produced a pendant on a cord, blood-red and roughly the size of my palm and ced it on the table between us. ¡°Every rogue you encounter will recognize that. Show it and they will obey you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I told him. ¡°What is your n? What do you think you can do that your father couldn¡¯t?¡± The Rogue King asked. ¡°My father failed to see Talia and Nn as a unit. I am going to turn them against each other,¡± I exined as I picked up the pendant and ced it into my pocket. The Rogue King leaned back in his chair. He smirked and said, ¡°Wee to the other side, boy. Do not disappoint me the way your father did. Now, get out.¡± Support Share HAIL W +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 271 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV I was forcing myself to eat my oatmeal when De rushed into the dining room. The door mmed into the wall, causing me to jump. ¡°De! You¡¯re going to put another hole in the wall,¡± I scolded. ¡°Forget the wall. You have a letter from Alpha Colin. He personally sent a guard to deliver it,¡± De said as she walked over and offered the letter. I took the letter from her and read it. Then, I read it twice. They had found Jason. I jumped up, knocking over my ss spilling juice everywhere. ¡°Woah! What did it say?¡± De asked. I didn¡¯t answer her as I ran to my office and called Alpha Colin. As soon as he picked up, I blurted out, ¡°Tell me it is true.¡± ¡°Who is this? Talia?¡± ¡°Tell me you¡¯re certain that you found Jason,¡± I repeated. ¡°I am certain,¡± Colin replied. ¡°My guards saw him at the borderst night. He was wearing a disguise, but it was him. We confirmed his scent on the mask he was wearing.¡± Relief washed over me. It had been weeks and no news until now. I hated to admit that I felt glee at knowing he was caught, knowing that he would be put to death right after, but he deserved it. I gave him so many chances and each time he chose to do the wrong thing. ¡°Where is he now? Nn and I wille retrieve him right now,¡± I told him. ¡°We were unable to capture him,¡± Colin answered and like that, I was filled with dread and now anger. ¡°How did your guards allow him to get past?¡± I asked. ¡°Jason is still an Alpha, Talia, even while exiled,¡± Alpha Colin replied. I could hear the controlled anger in his voice. ¡°He killed the ones who tried to stop him. They were good people, my people.¡± ¡°I am sorry, Colin. They will be avenged. I promise you,¡± I told him. ¡°There¡¯s another issue. Jason is not hiding out in my territory. He fled into the forest and found a rogue camp there. My scouts found the campsite at dawn. There were no survivors,¡± Colin said. ¡°How bad was it?¡± ¡°It was a ughter. He ughtered all of them. Some of them look like they are surrendering or crawling away.¡± ¡°The death of his father must have made him lose his mind,¡¯ my wolf said. I didn¡¯t care. Jason had gone along with poisoning my father. He deserved to feel grief. ¡°He is unstable and out of control. We need to put a stop to him before he causes any more damage,¡± Colin continued. ¡°Do not go after him on your own, Colin,¡± I told him firmly. ¡°For now, tighten your defenses. Post double guards at every entrance and pull your patrols in closer to the pack houses. Do not send anyone into that forest until we have more information. Avoid engaging Jason unless you are sure that you can capture him alive.¡± ¡°Understood. What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Nn and I will send trackers into that forest. We will track him and build out a n from there,¡± I exined. ¡°If anything changes, I will inform you,¡± Colin stated. ¡°Thank you, Colin,¡± I said and then hung up. I ran my hands through my hair as I tried to self-soothe. All I could think about was what if Jason slipped away again or worse he found the Rogue King. +25 Bonus Nn came in from the adjoining room carrying two cups of coffee. He set one in front of me. He looked at my face and set his own cup down without drinking from it. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked. ¡°Colin¡¯s guards spotted Jason at the Moonbrook borderst night,¡± I reported. ¡°He came through in disguise and killed several guards to get inside.¡± Nn frowned. ¡°Has he lost his mind?¡± ¡°Colin believes so. He ran from the border and entered the forest. Jason didn¡¯t keep running. He ughtered rogues. They found their bodies this morning,¡± I answered. Nn was quiet. He looked at the table, working through it. ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t lost his mind. Jason is too proud and vengeful for that. He is searching for the Rogue King.¡± ¡°That is what I think.¡± ¡°Jason probably wants to use the Rogue King like his father was to take control over packs and the position of Alpha King,¡± Nn reasoned. ¡°With Michael dead, the Rogue King has lost his pawn and he will want a new one.¡± ¡°Which means if Jason reaches him, then we won¡¯t be tracking one person.¡± ¡°We will be preparing for war.¡± I had reached the same conclusion but hearing it stated inly made it more real. If Jason secured that alliance, we would not be dealing with regr rogues. It would be mag rogues. The situation was getting worse by the day. ¡°We have to stop him before that happens,¡± I urged. ¡°We will. Remember, we will Jason together. We¡¯ll take it one step at a time.¡± ¡°How do you always know what to say to calm me down?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s my job to know,¡± Nn said as he leaned down to kiss me. ¡°Solon and I will go to the border and see if we can get the wall built faster and tighten the patrols.¡± ¡°I will go to the hospital,¡± I said. ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± Nn asked. ¡°Yes, I can sit around and do nothing while you manage security,¡± I replied. ¡°Leslie is still working on an antidote, and I n to help her in any way that I can.¡± ¡°Good. We are going to be okay, Talia,¡± Nn said. He was halfway to the door when it opened from the other side. The guard who was in the doorway was breathing hard. He had clearly sprinted all the way here and had not stomped to catch his breath until now. ¡°Goddess, what has happened now?¡± I groaned. ¡°Rogues,¡± the guard managed to say in between gasps. ¡°Rogues have attacked.¡± We were toote. Jason had already found the Rogue King and made his move. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 272 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV ¡°Go,¡± I told Nn. Nn looked at me once and said, ¡°Stay inside the pce walls until I send word.¡± I nodded and said, ¡°I will go to the hospital with De, and we will see what Leslie needs.¡± Nn was out the door before I finished speaking and I heard him calling for Solon in the corridor. I found De in her room two doors down. She was already dressed and putting on armor. She had clearly heard themotion. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with that,¡± I told her. ¡°We¡¯re going to the hospital.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going to help them?¡± De asked. ¡°No. They¡¯ll handle it. We need to help Leslie, but first we need to get all the books on blood-based treatments and wolf healing we can find,¡± I exined. ¡°I know where they keep the older records and it is not in the library,¡± De said. ¡°Give me ten minutes.¡± She was back in eight with four volumes. We moved quickly through the pce and out toward the hospital. I could hear the border response clearly. There were shouts, guttural screams that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. ¡®Don¡¯t focus on it. Nn and Solon will get everything under control,¡¯ my wolf said. We arrived at the hospital to find Leslie already at my father¡¯s bedside. My father was asleep. ¡°Come in. He¡¯s had a sedative. He won¡¯t be awake anytime soon,¡± Leslie said and then, she noticed what we were carrying. ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°They are texts on using blood as a catalyst for healing,¡± I said, setting the stack on the side table. ¡°I need you to go through them.¡± Leslie picked up the first book and opened it. De and I both took a book and began reading. After twenty minutes, it was De who found it first. She had been working through the oldest of the four books, a volume with cracked binding and pages that had gone brittle at the edges, ¡°Leslie, look at this!¡± De said as she held the book out and pointed to a section near the bottom of the page. Leslie leaned over and read the page carefully. ¡°This could work,¡± she said. ¡°The blood of a direct descendant can act as a catalyst. It activates the patient¡¯s wolf when the wolf is too weakened to respond on its own. The wolf recognizes the bloodline and uses it as an anchor to pull itself back,¡± Leslie read out loud. ¡°What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s do this,¡± I said. ¡°It would not cure the poison on its own, but it could wake his wolf to support the healing process while the herbs work against thepound,¡± Leslie continued. ¡°Has it been done before?¡± De asked. ¡°There are three documented cases. All three showed improvement initially with two recovering fully. The third did not, but the circumstances were different. The patient had been infected longer.¡± ¡°How much longer?¡± I asked. ¡°Several months. Your father has been ill for only weeks, not months. This could work,¡± Leslie replied. ¡°Then let¡¯s do it,¡± I said, offering my blood. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to wait for Solon.¡± Leslie didn¡¯t argue further. She prepped my arm and drew blood from my arm. Then, she mixed it with healing herbs, testing MOON SEXENTY 4 +25 Bonus the reaction on a small sample of my father¡¯s blood. The first attempt produced no reaction, and the blood stayed the odd bluish tinge. The second attempt turned the sample ck and Leslie discarded it withoutment. The third attempt caused the blood to return to the normal color. ¡°This is the rightbination,¡± Leslie said. She quickly made the concoction and funneled into small vials before pouring some into a mug. The mixture was clear like water with the smell of lcs. ¡°I cannot promise this will work,¡± Leslie stated. ¡°I need you to understand that.¡± ¡°I know,¡± I said, taking the mug from her. I carried it back to my father. Leslie and De stayed near the door to give us space. My father was awake. He looked at me and frowned. ¡°You look terrible. Are you alright? Have you not been sleeping?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I told him as I sat down next to his bed. ¡°I mean it. You look like you should be in the bed next to mine.¡± My father studied my face for a moment. ¡°When did youst eat?¡± ¡°Father, I need you to drink this.¡± He looked at the mug. Then he looked at my arm where Leslie had put a bandage over where the IV was. ¡°You look like this because of what¡¯s in this mug, right? What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°Just a new treatment,¡± I answered. ¡°Leslie developed it today from an ancient remedy. It is designed to help your wolf respond to the healing herbs. Once you drink it, it will begin working. You are going to recover.¡± ¡°All right,¡± my father said without hesitation, and he took the mug from me. ¡°You¡¯re going to drink it, just like that?¡± I asked in surprise. ¡°Of course, Talia. I know you always have my best interest at heart,¡± my father said. He drank the mixture and handed the empty mug back to me, forcing a weak smile. ¡°You know you cannot stay in Silverfang indefinitely, no matter what happens to me,¡± he said. ¡°You have two packs to look after.¡± ¡°I am aware.¡± ¡°Bloodmoon needs its Luna and Alpha.¡± ¡°Bloodmoon has Walden. For now, Bloodmoon is fine.¡± ¡°Walden is a good warrior,¡± he said. ¡°But he is not you.¡± He shifted slightly against the pillow. ¡°Absence creates uncertainty and uncertainty creates problems.¡± ¡°Are you lecturing me on pack management from a hospital bed?¡± ¡°I am always lecturing you. You always need me to teach you things as you are my pup, no matter how old you get.¡± I snorted. ¡°Get better first and then, you can lecture me properly.¡± Heughed weakly. ¡°You are a capable Luna. I have always known that. I am so proud of you¡­¡± I finally exhaled, watching his chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm as he spoke. ¡®He¡¯s going to make it,¡¯ my wolf whispered. But then, his frame went rigid. A violent tremor racked his chest and he began to choke, crimson bubbling past his lips to stain the sheets. ¡°Father!¡± I screamed, the world shattering around me. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 273 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY THREE Talia¡¯s POV I lifted my father up and turned his head to allow the blood to rush out of his mouth to keep him choking. The convulsions stopped but he was still coughing. ¡°What is happening?!¡± I eximed. ¡°Talia, move!¡± De called and snatched me out of the way as Leslie and healers rushed into the room. My father was unconscious before the coughing stopped. He was struggling to breathe as he was still choking on his blood that had now stained his lips ck. Leslie checked his pulse and her jaw tightened. ¡°Purification agent, now,¡± she ordered to the healer behind her. ¡°We need to flush thepound out.¡± The healer moved immediately. Leslie stepped back just far enough to give him room to work and stood with her arms crossed. She did not look at me or De. When the healer stepped back Leslie examined my father again. She checked his pulse a second time and straightened slowly. ¡°Damn it,¡± Leslie growled. ¡°What? What is wrong? Tell me what is going on,¡± I begged. ¡°His body is not responding the way the book described. Thepound was designed to recognize external blood intervention and use it as fuel rather than resist it. Instead of the descendant¡¯s blood supporting the wolf, it gave the poison a new pathway to elerate,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°What does that mean? Are you saying that I almost killed him?¡± I demanded. ¡°Whoever created the poison must have studied ancient texts. I never considered it,¡± Leslie admitted. ¡°This is not your fault,¡± De said. ¡°There is no way you could have known that.¡± ¡°How much time does he have?¡± Leslie did not respond immediately. She would not meet my eye. It only made me more anxious. ¡°Leslie. How long?¡± ¡°A month at most.¡± The words hit me hard. I stumbled backward and De gripped my shoulders to keep me upright. I could see her mouth moving but I could not hear her. All I could hear was my own heartbeat. ¡°A month?¡± I repeated. Just like that, one mistake took two months off my father¡¯s life span. I pressed the back of my hand against my mouth and breathed. In. Out. I focused on that until the roaring in my ears quieted enough that I could think. ¡°Then we find another way,¡± I finally said. ¡°There has to be something we have not tried. Anotherpound, another approach, something we missed!¡± ¡°Talia, I think we need to begin preparing for whates after.¡± ¡°What? I beg your pardon.¡± ¡°I have gone through everything avable to me. I have tried everybination I know. I have contacted other healers and cross -referenced every text in three libraries. There is nothing I missed,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°You did not know about this remedy until today,¡± I argued. ¨C 13 ARTEN SEVENTY THREE +25 Bonus ¡°I am not saying this to hurt you. I am saying it because it is the truth and someone needs to say it,¡± Leslie pressed. ¡°I cannot believe you, Leslie. Are you telling me to n for my father¡¯s funeral? Are you telling me to give up now?¡± I questioned. I could hear my voice rising but I did not care. ¡°Talia, she did not mean it like that. She is just¡­¡± ¡°No, she meant it,¡± I snapped, cutting De off. ¡°Do not try to defend her. She wants me to give up on him.¡± ¡°I am only telling you what is true. It¡¯s time!¡± Leslie shot back. ¡°No, Leslie, shut up!¡± ¡°Talia, calm down,¡± De said as she ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You have to be reasonable about this, Talia,¡± Leslie stated. ¡°I do not ept it!¡± I snapped, shrugging De¡¯s hand off me. ¡°Jason has the antidote. We know he has it. We find Jason, we get the antidote, and my father does not die. That has always been the n!¡± ¡°And if Jason is not found in time?¡± Leslie asked. ¡°What then?¡± ¡°Then we try something else. We try everything else. We do not just give up!¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Leslie snapped, causing the healers behind her to jump and shrink back. I felt her Luna aura, and I pushed back with my own. I was not backing down from this. I wasn¡¯t going to give up on my father just because she wasn¡¯t as great of a healer as she imed to be. ¡®Calm down, Talia. You are going too far,¡¯ my wolf urged but I pushed her down. ¡°Do you think you are the only one hurting right now? Everyone cares about him. Have you ever thought about what this is doing to me? Stop being selfish and act like a Luna. You know I am right,¡± Leslie said. ¡°This is just like you to give up,¡± I spat. ¡°Talia, that¡¯s not fair,¡± De gasped, trying to pull me back before I could push it further. ¡°You always ran away from your problems, but I am not like you,¡± I continued. Leslie looked at me for a long moment. Her face was flushed with anger and for a moment she looked hurt. I expected her to argue back but she said quietly, ¡°I have done everything I can do. I am sorry.¡± She pushed past me, leaving a heavy silence in her wake. When De reached out to touch my shoulder, I flinched away. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I warned, my voice trembling. ¡°Not right now.¡± My knees finally buckled, the agony swallowing me whole as I slid to the floor. I didn¡¯t even try to stop the tears this time. When De wrapped her arms around me, I just let her. My eyes stayed locked on the door to my father¡¯s room, my mind a frantic scream. Moon Goddess, please. How can I save my father? Support Share DS SIMNIVID +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 274 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY FOUR Nn¡¯s POV ¡°That¡¯s thest one,¡± Solon said as I snapped the rogue¡¯s neck and his body copsed to the ground. I counted over a hundred in total by the time it was done. They hade in waves. The first wave hit before we had fully organized. The second arrived when we were already stretched thin. Solon had taken the left nk. I had taken the right. We held both, but not without cost. Fifteen of Silverfang¡¯s warriors were severely wounded and five were dead. ¡°Where did theye from?¡± Solon asked. ¡°The Rogue King¡­.Jason must¡¯ve sent them,¡± I answered. ¡°We need to check in on the other areas,¡± Solon stated. We found Marco and Derek near the southern gate. As Solon¡¯s Beta, Derek was directing two of his men to secure the gatetch where a rogue had damaged the mechanism during the fight. Marco was checking on the wounded warriors. He had a cut above his brow that had bled down the side of his face and dried there. ¡°Marco, Derek,¡± I greeted. ¡°Good to see that you two are not injured,¡± Marco stated. ¡°We are sending the wounded to the hospital and working on repairs as quickly as we can,¡± Derek advised. ¡°Clear the bodies,¡± Solon instructed. ¡°I want the ground clean before nightfall and a full count of how many we faced.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Marco confirmed. Solon and I began walking down the length of the wall, making our way back to the hospital. The rogues had not been disorganized. They had a clear direction and target. Three sections of the city wall had taken hits that would require reconstruction before they could be considered secure again. ¡°They are deliberately targeting the construction,¡± I added. Solon stopped to assess arge hole in the wall and frowned. ¡°At this rate the walls will not beplete before winter due to repairing the damage that has been done. And if more rogues attack, it will take longer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send reinforcements. Construction crews and additional fighters. We can elerate your build and strengthen the patrol rotations along the sections that have already been hit,¡± I suggested. ¡°What if they attack Bloodmoon?¡± Solon asked. ¡°I doubt it and even if they do, Bloodmoon is more secure than Silverfang right now. Our wall isplete and Walden has the border under control. We can spare the warriors for this,¡± I answered. ¡°How many can you spare?¡± Solon asked. I waved him off. ¡°Let me worry about that, Solon. I will have reinforcements here within three days.¡± Solon nodded and said, ¡°Thank you. You know, I would not have epted that offer six months ago,¡± he said. ¡°And I would not have offered my help then.¡± ¡°I misread you, for a long time. I assumed the worst about you. I thought you were using Talia for political advantage. I thought your anger toward my father would make you unstable and that being near you would put her in danger.¡± ¡°You were not entirely wrong about the anger,¡± I admitted. I have been blinded by my rage that I had not thought things through. I had made things hard for everyone involved for such a long time. It was one of things I regretted. +25 Bonus ¡°That doesn¡¯t excuse my behavior,¡± Solon said and I turned to look at him, shocked by what he was saying. ¡°I was too proud, hypocritical maybe.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say. I didn¡¯t expect to hear Solon admit this. I was fine with just letting bygones be bygones. ¡®We have fought at his side and protected each other. It only makes sense that he wants to clear the air,¡¯ my wolf advised. ¡®There may not be a chance to do itter.¡¯ That thought shook me. If we were heading to war, my wolf was right. There was a chance that one of us or both could perish before all was said and done. ¡°You have fought for this family at every step. You have stood beside Talia through everything she has faced since returning from Shadoww,¡± Solon exined. ¡°I am sorry for misjudging you.¡± ¡°And I am sorry for assuming that the Alpha King was my father¡¯s murderer and intended to hurt him before. I know now that it was not him,¡± I responded. ¡°Water under the bridge. You don¡¯t have to apologize,¡± Solon said. ¡°Yes, I do. I had misced anger for years. Michael was responsible for my father¡¯s death. I killed him. I avenged my father and now I will do everything in my power to do what I could not back then for my father, which is to save yours,¡± I told him. Solon turned away to look at the wall before letting out a bitterugh. ¡°I would have liked to kill Michael with my own hands for all the pain and suffering he has caused, but you deserved that kill more than me.¡± He looked back at me. ¡°So, we will deal with Jason together.¡± Before I could respond the pain hit me square in the chest. I gripped my chest and groaned as I doubled over. ¡°Nn? Nn, are you okay?¡± Solon asked. The pain hade out of nowhere. I had no chest wound, so there was no reason for it to be there. Another wave hit me and Solon had to keep me from falling. ¡®Our mate¡­she¡¯s in pain,¡¯ my wolf whined. Then, a secondter, through the mate bond, Talia¡¯s emotions hit me in a wave. I felt her grief. It was heavy, uncontrolled, and even brought me to tears. Beneath it, something worse. I felt chaotic and unstable as if I wanted to tear down everything around me including myself. ¡°It is Talia. Something is wrong with Talia!¡± ¡°Nn, tell me what is going on,¡± Solon pressed as I was now able to stand on my own. ¡°Stay calm,¡± I ordered. ¡°We need to get to the hospital right now.¡± I said nothing else and ran. Solon was right behind me. +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 275 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY FIVE Nn¡¯s POV The pain and emotions faded as quickly as it came when we were only a foot away from the hospital. This bothered me more than actually feeling Talia¡¯s pain. What happened? ¡®She¡¯s still alive. I can still feel her,¡¯ my wolf reassured me, but I was still panicking. De was pacing in the waiting room. Nothing was torn apart or destroyed. There wasn¡¯t the scent of blood in the air, so rogues hadn¡¯t broken through our defenses. Why was Talia in so much pain? When De saw us, she walked to us. ¡°What happened?¡± I asked before De could speak. De swallowed, her voice tight. ¡°We tried a new treatment but it failed. The King got worse. Leslie said there¡¯s nothing more she can do, but Talia wouldn¡¯t ept it. They argued. The healers had to sedate Talia before shepletely broke down.¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± Solon asked. ¡°She is in room 4. She is physically stable, but she donated a lot of blood for Leslie¡¯s treatment, and the breakdown took it out of her,¡± De replied. Soloh was already exiting the waiting room before De finished talking. I was right behind him. We went to room 4 and carefully opened the door. Talia was on the bed with a nket pulled over her. Her face was pale and her face was wet from the tears she had been crying. Her breathing was shallow and uneven. ¡°I should have been the one here. She shouldn¡¯t have had to deal with this alone,¡± Solonmented. ¡°She¡¯s going to be okay, Solon. I¡¯ll stay with her,¡± I said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you check on Leslie? Whatever Talia said, it came from a ce of distress.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Solon said. He left without another word, closing the door quietly behind him. I pulled a chair close to the bed and sat. Talia¡¯s face tightened slightly even in sedation. Her lips moved. I leaned forward to hear what she was muttering. ¡°Do not leave, father,¡± she murmured. ¡°Please. You can¡¯t leave me¡­¡± My heart twisted. She was dreaming about her father and begging him to stay. In some ways, I felt that it was merciful that my father died as quickly as he did. Seeing your father deteriorate and there was nothing you can do about it was something I wouldn¡¯t wish on my worst enemy. ¡°Lie with her,¡± my wolf urged. ¡°Use the bond to soothe her.¡± I moved carefully andy down beside her on the narrow bed. I pulled her against me and reached for her through the mate bond. Talia tensed at first, but slowly rxed. The tightness in her face eased gradually. After a few minutes, Talia seemed to be in a calm and deep sleep. I began to nod off when I was startled awake when Talia screamed, ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± ¡°Talia, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here,¡± I said, pulling her closer to me. Talia began to sob as she pressed her face against my chest. I held her and waited until she was ready to speak. I could teel the turmoil through the mate bond. ¡°He only has a month,¡± Talia finally said, breaking the silence. Her voice trembled as she was forcing back the sobs. ¡°We tried something new and it made it worse. Now he only has a month.¡± +25 Bonus ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± ¡°It is! A month¡­ It is not enough time.¡± Talia pulled back enough to look at me. Her eyes were red and her face was still pale. ¡°Library! We need to go to the library. There must be methods to save my father,¡± she said as she started to sit up. ¡°Talia, you need to rest.¡± Talia barely got to her feet before she swayed and almost crashed into the nightstand. I caught her before she fell outright and held her by the shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯m alright, Nn,¡± Talia said. ¡°I just¡­I need to get to the library.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re going to rest,¡± I said firmly. Talia red at me and growled, ¡°Don¡¯t try to control me.¡± I could feel her anger rise through the mate bond. Normally, I would back down, but not this time. Talia was acting reckless and I needed to reign her in for her own good. ¡°I am doing what is best for you as your mate and Alpha,¡± I responded. Talia opened her mouth to argue, but I continued. ¡°Due to the rogue attack, you have not eaten or drank anything all day. On top of that, you gave too much blood. You are not going anywhere right now.¡± ¡°My father¡­¡± ¡°Your father needs you to be functional,¡± I pressed. ¡°You are not functional right now. You cannot help him if you copse on us.¡± I kept my hands on her shoulders until she stopped trying to pull away. ¡°Eat something. Rest for one hour. Then we will go to the library together.¡± ¡°I told you I don¡¯t need to rest. I am not a child!¡± ¡°If you keep arguing with me, we can do this the hard way. I¡¯ll tie you to the bed and you don¡¯t do anything for the rest of the day.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°Try me. I¡¯m sure Solon would be okay with it.¡± Talia¡¯s brow furrowed and then her face rxed. ¡°An hour,¡± she relented. ¡°An hour,¡± I confirmed. Talia let me settle her back against the pillows. I requested one of the omegas to bring fresh bread and soup to her room. Talia ate slowly even though from her grimaces, I could tell she didn¡¯t want to sleep. When she was done with the soup, Solon knocked on the door and then entered the room. Leslie was right behind him with her arms crossed over her chest. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you two, but you need to sort it out. I can¡¯t have my mate and my sister angry with each other,¡± Solon stated. ¡°I know,¡± Talia said awkwardly, which caused Leslie to look at her. ¡°Leslie, what I said earlier, I did not mean it. I am sorry. I took my frustration out on you, and I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Leslie dropped her arms and walked over to sit in the chair next to Talia¡¯s bed. CHACIE PA +25 Bonus ¡°I am sorry too,¡± Leslie replied. ¡°I was¡­ too harsh. I just should have said it better.¡± Talia nodded. I could tell she was about to start crying and Leslie gave her tissue. ¡°Stop crying. There¡¯s no need for that now.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Talia asked. ¡°I believe I have found a solution,¡± Leslie announced. Support Share ! Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 276 +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY SIX Talia¡¯s POV ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked as I sat up even more. I couldn¡¯t help but feel hopeful. Leslie had resigned herself to giving up, but she was now saying she found a solution. That means she is very confident it would work. I knew I shouldn¡¯t get my hopes up too much, but I couldn¡¯t help myself. ¡°No discussion until you finish all of your food,¡± Solon interjected before Leslie could respond. I stared at the empty bowl on the tray and the half-eaten roll. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes, eat the rest of that roll and then we will continue,¡± Solon replied. I frowned and quickly shoved the roll into my mouth. I nearly choked as I tried to eat it as fast as possible. Nn coughed, trying to hide augh. He handed me a ss of water which I quickly drank. I ced the ss down on the tray and said, ¡°Okay, done, Leslie what do you mean you have a solution?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get excited yet,¡± Leslie warned. ¡°I want to be clear about what this is. I cannot cure your father. I can only buy time.¡± I frowned. ¡°But you just said you had a solution.¡± ¡°And I do. What I propose is to put your father into a dormant state,¡± Leslie said. ¡°Dormant state? What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°Like keeping him in aa?¡± ¡°Not quite. Think more¡­¡± ¡°Before we get to dormancy, are there herbs that could prolong his life more directly? Give him more time without putting him under?¡± Nn asked, cutting Leslie off. Leslie shook her head. ¡°His body has built a resistance to those treatments. They are no longer effective at any dose I can safely administer.¡± ¡°How does putting him in a dormant state help him? The poison would still be spreading,¡± I said. ¡°I am not talking about slowing the poison or buying time in the ordinary sense. I am talking about putting him in full suspension,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°Full suspension?¡± Solon repeated. ¡°You are talking about putting him into a sleep he cannot wake from on his own.¡± ¡°Correct. His heart rate drops to the minimum needed to sustain life and his wolf goes quiet. He will not be conscious, he will not age, and he will not deteriorate further. He will remain exactly as he is right now until we have what we need to cure him. And when we do cure him, we will be treating the poison at this stage, not at whatever stage it would have reached if we had left him conscious,¡± Leslie exined. This felt risky. I had never heard of something like this before. I had so many questions. What would happen if he was harmed while in this state? Was she sure he would stay in this dormant state? Feeling my trepidation through the mate bond, Nn asked, ¡°So, what happens when we get the antidote?¡± ¡°We administer the awakening potion,¡± Leslie replied. ¡°Hees out of dormancy and we treat him immediately.¡± No one spoke as we were all thinking this over. This was a better alternative than just watching him die while trying to get to Jason. However, I could not help but think about what would happen if we did not get the antidote. ¡®We can¡¯t worry about that now,¡¯ my wolf said, interrupting my train of thought. ¡®Even if he stays dormant for years, it is better than losing him in a month.¡¯ ¡°How do we do this?¡± I asked, breaking the silence. +25 Bonus ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we talk this out a little more?¡± Solon asked. ¡°What is there to talk about? It¡¯s this or try to get to Jason within a month. Jason already has the backing of the Rogue King. We are literally running out of time and options. If you have a better idea, Solon, I am open to it. If not, let¡¯s go with this,¡± I argued. Solon¡¯s brow furrowed as he was deep in thought. He rubbed his temples and said, ¡°Fine. Leslie, how does this work?¡± ¡°Lonefur pack has what we need,¡± Leslie replied. Solon¡¯s eyes went to the Lonefur ember pendant around her neck. ¡°Right! You said the ember has the ability to heal. Why didn¡¯t we think of that before?¡± ¡°No, the ember would not produce the right effect for your father and using it incorrectly could cause harm,¡± Leslie said. ¡°What we need alsoes from Lonefur, but it is a nt.¡± ¡°What kind of nt? I am sure we can get it here,¡± I said. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get this nt just anywhere,¡± Leslie continued. ¡°The Frostmoon vine only grows in Lonefur¡¯s territory. It specifically needs the cold of that region to work.¡± ¡°How do you know it works? What if it is like the remedy we just tried?¡± De questioned and I nodded. She made a good point. We could run into the same issue or worse kill my father if mistakes were made. ¡°This is different. This has been done multiple times by Lonefur¡¯s first Alpha during a war with rogues that threatened to wipe out Lonefur¡¯s bloodline entirely. The first Alpha of Lonefur had young heirs who were not old enough to fight. He could not protect them and wage war at the same time, so he used the vine to put them into dormancy and kept them suspended until the war was over. When he woke them, they were exactly as they had been before going to sleep.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great but if the nt only grows in Lonefur territory and dies if moved outside of the territory due to the temperature change, how are we expected to get it here?¡± Nn pressed. ¡°A potion can be made from it and transported in sealed containers,¡± Leslie answered. ¡°Two potions. One for dormancy. One for awakening. They will remain viable for several weeks if stored correctly at a low temperature.¡± I was already reaching for the mind link before she finished speaking. ¡°I need to contact Alpha Landon right now,¡± I said. P Support Share +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 277 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY SEVEN Talia¡¯s POV ¡°No need,¡± Leslie announced. ¡°I already contacted Alpha Landon. I knew that if you agreed there would be no benefit to waiting even a single day. Landon responded within the hour. He had the potions prepared and sealed by nightfall and his warriors departed before dawn.¡± ¡°When are they leaving?¡± I asked. ¡°They are enroute now. They left Lonefur territory this morning,¡± Leslie answered with a smile. Solon pulled her into a hug and kissed her, causing her to blush. I let out a sigh of relief and fell back on the pillows. ¡°Leslie, thank you.¡± ¡°No need. This is my way of fixing what I did,¡± Leslie replied. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°I should not have spoken about preparing for a funeral while you were in sorrow. You had just watched something we both hoped would work, make things worse instead,¡± Leslie continued. ¡°As a healer, I should have acknowledged what you were going through instead of allowing my own frustrations and pride take over. I am sorry.¡± ¡°You were telling me what you believed to be true,¡± I replied. ¡°I know that. And I should not have said what I said to you in response. I took things too far.¡± ¡°We were both not at our best,¡± Leslie agreed. ¡°Let us leave it there and move forward.¡± ¡°See this is how you handle conflict,¡± De added and then pointed at Nn and Solon. ¡°Unlike you too. It almost took near death situations before you two could have a somewhat decent conversation.¡± ¡°Our situation was moreplicated,¡± Solon said. ¡°Exactly,¡± Nn added. ¡°Oh Goddess, they are even backing each other up. Talia, what have you done?¡± De said in fake horror. I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Iughed so hard my sides hurt. De smirked, pleased that she could lift my mood. ¡°How long is the journey from Lonefur?¡± Nn asked. ¡°At least three days,¡± Leslie answered. ¡°Lonefur is far. The warriors are traveling as quickly as they can with the potions, but the potions need to be kept stable. They cannot be reckless or they will have to return to get recements.¡± ¡°Then, we will keep ourselves busy while we wait,¡± I said and everyone nodded. Nn put his hand on the back of my neck. ¡°And you will rest. You won¡¯t be worrying about anything but getting your strength back,¡± he urged quietly. I did not argue. Iy back against the pillow. Nn stayed beside me and I was asleep within minutes. The next morning, I arrived at my father¡¯s room before Leslie and sat with him for an hour. He had not woken up, but he wasn¡¯t getting any worse. That was a smallfort. Nn came to find me when I had been there for about twenty minutes. He did not speak when he came in. He sat beside me and took my hand. We sat like that for a long time without speaking. ¡°We are going to get him through this,¡± Nn assured me. ¡°I know you don¡¯t have to keep telling me that,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep telling you that until I stop feeling you second guess,¡± Nn said. ¡°Damn mate bond,¡± I muttered and Nn chuckled. +25 Bonus That evening Nn and I sat in our office with the tracker reports spread across his desk. We went through each one carefully. The northwest forest had yielded nothing conclusive. There were no confirmed sightings of Jason. It was as if he vanished. ¡®We will find him,¡¯ my wolf reassured me. ¡®We will make him pay.¡¯ On the second morning I arrived at my father¡¯s room. I pulled the chair close to his bed and took his hand. He still looked the same as before. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can hear me, but I wanted to let you know that we found a way to buy you time,¡± I told him. ¡°Leslie found out about a vine that grows only in Lonefur territory. I¡¯m sure you know about it. You know everything.¡± I expected him to respond, to tell me about the first Alpha of Lonefur, but there was only the soft beeping of the machines connected to him. I bit back the tears and continued talking. ¡°Leslie is going to use a potion made from the vine to put you into dormancy so the poison cannot advance while we find Jason. Once we have the antidote, we¡¯re going to wake you up and cure you.¡± On the third morning, I was bing increasingly anxious. My father should have woken up by now, but he was still unconscious and Alpha Landon¡¯s warriors still weren¡¯t here. ¡®This is the third day. They should be here today. Be patient,¡¯ my wolf urged. ¡®How can you stay so calm?¡¯ I asked. ¡®Because I trust that the Moon Goddess will not allow our father to die like this,¡¯ my wolf replied. Byte afternoon, I was at the window watching the road below while pacing in the office. I had chewed off all my nails, and my hair was a mess from me running my hands through it nervously. There was a knock at my door and Leslie entered. She looked at me and said, ¡°Stressing yourself out like this isn¡¯t going to make them arrive any sooner.¡± ¡°Today is the third day. Why aren¡¯t they here yet?¡± I demanded. ¡°Alpha Landon confirmed this morning that they should arrive today,¡± Leslie reported. ¡°What if something happened to them on the road?¡± ¡°You have to stop thinking of the worst-case scenarios,¡± Leslie scolded. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts. Alpha Landon¡¯s warriors are experienced, and they were selected specifically for this mission,¡± Leslie stated. ¡°They would not send anyone careless with something this important. Travel estimates are not guaranteed. They are moving carefully to keep the potions stable. Rushing and losing them would be far worse than arriving a few hourste.¡± Leslie was right. I did not argue with her further. I kept watching the road. An hourter De knocked and came in. ¡°The Lonefur warriors have arrived,¡± she reported. I started to stand with hope and then I looked at her face properly. She was not smiling. Her expression was careful and contained. My stomach dropped. ¡°What is wrong?¡± I asked. Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 278 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY FIGHT +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY EIGHT Talia¡¯s POV De still did not respond. It was as if she was trying to figure out what she wanted to say, which was unlike her ¡°Just tell me what is going on,¡± I urged. ¡°I think it will be easier if I show you,¡± De finally replied. ¡°I do not like the sound of that at all,¡± Leslie muttered as we followed her out of the office. I expected De to lead us to the entrance where arriving warriors would normally be received, but when I realized she was leading us out of the pack house and to the hospital, anxiety began to build in my chest. ¡®Do not panic. They could have run into aplication,¡¯ my wolf offered If that were the case, De would have just said that,¡¯ I answered. ¡®She is choosing her words carefully. When has De ever done that? This is far worse than aplication.¡¯ Before my wolf could respond, we were hit with the scent of blood in the hospital corridor. My wolf stiffened within me. All her reassurances left as quickly as the fresh air in the hospital. Someone had been brought in bleeding profusely. I could hear Nn, Solon, and Marco talking before we even reached the waiting room. ¡°This is a disaster,¡± Solon growled. ¡°What is taking so long?¡± ¡°You saw the state he was in. Let the doctors do his job. If you keep interrupting him, it¡¯ll only take longer,¡± Nn scolded ¡°And where are the rest of his team?¡± Solon demanded. ¡°Did Alpha Landon only send six warriors? That is not nearly enough.¡± ¡°Perhaps they got separated,¡± Marco offered. ¡°Stop being so optimistic. This situation is bad and you should be able to see that clearly,¡± Solon snapped. ¡°What is bad?¡± I asked as I pushed the door open to the waiting room. Nn and Solon stiffened the moment they saw me. Marco¡¯s expression fell. The scent of blood was strongest here. Mixed with pain and anger, it created a disgusting smell. I grimaced. Solon red at De. ¡°I told you not to tell her until we knew everything,¡± he snapped ¡°I never agreed to that. Talia is my Luna and it is my job to keep her in the loop,¡± De shot back. ¡°Everyone not being in the loop is how mimunication and mistakes happen. And we cannot afford to make any more mistakes. ¡° ¡°We weren¡¯t going to exclude her from this. We wanted to get all the facts before we told her what was going on,¡± Nn exined Before I could respond, the doctor entered the waiting room. ¡°How is the patient?¡± Solon asked. ¡°He is stable, but he will not be awake anytime soon,¡± the doctor answered ¡°Follow the We followed the doctor to the hospital room. On the bedy a severely wounded man. He was covered with bandage, and hus right eye was stitched closed. He looked like he got into a fight with a bear and lost *1 administered the inad four treatment as instructed Thankfully, he was ever infected to begin with,¡± the doctor e ¡°He is recovering slowly, but he¡¯ll recover. He suffered to rasa tu the head, so there¡¯s no telling when he will wake up ***Thank you, ductor Leave us.¡± Salut ordered. The doctor wooded as a tex CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY FIGHT ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me that is who I think it is,¡± I said. +25 Bonus ¡°He is one of the warriors Alpha Landon sent,¡± Nn exined. ¡°When he was still conscious, he told us he and five others were ambushed near the Silverfang border yesterday. I sent Marco and a small team to meet them because it was taking far too long. Marco found him in the tree line barely alive. The others were already gone.¡± ¡°This had to be Jason,¡± Solon concluded. ¡°He must have been waiting with rogues to ambush them.¡± My mind was not on Jason. All I could think about was the Frostmoon potion. Had they managed to hide it before the attack? Was there any chance it had survived the ambush somewhere along that road? ¡°We did not locate the Frostmoon potion or any sealed package, Luna Talia,¡± Marco reported as if he knew what I was going to ask. ¡°When I questioned him, he was not makingplete sentences.¡± ¡°I will give him some of my potions to speed up the healing process,¡± Leslie added. ¡°Give me ten minutes.¡± She left the room quickly. I dropped into a chair near the window and pressed my hands over my face. Nn sat beside me and began working the tension out of my shoulders with both hands. I leaned into his touch. ¡°We should discuss what we do if the potion cannot be recovered,¡± De suggested. ¡°Do we attempt the journey to Lonefur ourselves to bring back the vine?¡± ¡°That is not going to work. I already said the nt will not survive the transport,¡± Leslie answered as she entered the room. She walked over the warrior and began setting up his IV. ¡°We would help administer the dormancy potion there,¡± Marco suggested. ¡°That is not an option,¡± I countered. ¡°And why not? Jason wouldn¡¯t dare attack us if we were in a big enough envoy,¡± Solon retorted. ¡°One: We don¡¯t know how many rogues that Jason has at his disposal. Two: father¡¯s condition is unstable. Moving him could elerate the poison,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Then, our only option is to wait for Alpha Landon to send us another set of potions,¡± Nn stated. Before I could respond, a sharp cough came from across the room. The warrior was awake. He pushed himself uprigh and barred his fangs at Leslie. ¡°Easy. Easy now. I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± Leslie urged. The warrior looked around the room wildly. He seemed to recognize Nn and Solon and started to calm down. His bre slowed slightly but he still looked scared. ¡°Can you tell us your name?¡± ¡°Donald,¡± he said, his voice hoarse and strained. ¡°Ok, Donald. I¡¯m Healer Leslie. You are safe in Silvefang now. Can you tell us what happened to you?* ? Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 279 +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY NINE Talia¡¯s POV ¡°We were ambushed by rogues,¡± Donald managed to say after a long pause. ¡°There were dozens¡­ We had no time to prepare. They killed two of us before encircling us,¡± Donald replied, his voice breaking on thest few words. Leslie offered him water. He drank it, cleared his throat, and continued. ¡°It was as if they knew we would be there. Their leader practically told us so.¡± ¡°Tell us about the leader,¡± Nn said. ¡°He was an Alpha for sure. He gave us an ultimatum: hand over the package or die. He called himself Jason,¡± Donald said. Anger moved through me in a wave. Solon snarled and punched a hole into the wall. This meant one or two things. Either Jason had another spy within Silverfang or Jason was camping out watching us which meant getting potion recements was out of the question. ¡°What happened to the potions?¡± Leslie asked. ¡°When we refused, my friend¡­he¡­¡± Donald stopped. He frowned and his eyes began to tear up as he was reliving what happened. 4 ¡°It¡¯s okay. Take your time,¡± Leslie cooed as she rubbed his back. ¡°He made an opening for me. Our mission was to get the potions to Silverfang,¡± Donald continued. ¡°I didn¡¯t make it. Jason took it from me. Before he ordered the rogues to finish me off, he put something into my pack.¡± Leslie went into the blood covered bag, sitting on the floor. She searched through it before pulling out a letter. There on the back of it was my name written on it. I immediately stood up and took the letter from Leslie. I opened it, scanned it briefly and knew the handwriting immediately. It was from Jason. ¡°What does it say?¡± Solon asked. ¡°Talia, my father spent years designing the poison that is killing yours. He built it without a cure by design. I now hold ti Frostmoon Vine potion in existence. If you want it, you must agree to my terms and they are non-negotiable. Come al Fangvale tomorrow morning at ten. No guards. No warriors. Just you. If you bring anyone, if you are followed at any p road, I will destroy the potion.¡± Jason ¡°It is a trap,¡± Solon dered the moment I finished. ¡°Obviously,¡± Nn answered. He moved to stand in front of me and took the letter from my hands. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, and you are not going anywhere ¡± ¡°He has the potion,¡± I argued. ¡°If I do not go, my father will die soon. ¡°That is not true,¡± Leslie interjected. ¡°We can get Alpha Landon to create another¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time to watt. I have to go!¡± ¡°If you go alone you could die.¡± Nn said ¡°Jason has nothing to lose at this point. Do not repeat past mistakes. ¡°What happened with Jason before is not what is happening now,¡± I shot bak offended that Nn would even bring this ap Jason is still obsessed with me and that is the ortly leverage we have I intend to waw it *Talia.¡± Delle started CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY NINE +25 Bonus ¡°Talia, just be patient. We will contact Alpha Landon,¡± Solon urged, cutting across him. ¡°We request another set of potions and we wait.¡± ¡°Are you not listening to me? Ok, we get another set of potions and what? We just wait for Jason to ambush the next team? We are wasting precious time that we don¡¯t have arguing about this,¡± I said. ¡°You can¡¯t just walk into a trap like this. Nn killed his father. You don¡¯t know if he is still obsessed. He could kill you too,¡± Solon countered. ¡°How are you not on my side with this, Solon? Tell me honestly. If I were the one standing in your way right now, would you listen to me? Would you let anyone stop you?¡± I questioned. Before Solon could respond, Nn interrupted. ¡°Enough. You are not going. That is the end of it.¡± ¡°You do not have the authority to allow or disallow anything,¡± I replied. ¡°I am the princess of Silverfang. This is my father. This is my pack and my responsibility.¡± ¡°And you are the Lama of Bloodmoon. You have a responsibility to our pack toe back alive,¡± Nn shot back. ¡°If the situation were reversed and it was your father lying in that bed, Nn, you would not stand here and listen to anyone telling you not to go. You know I¡¯m right!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me Alphamand you to stay put, Talia.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°I will not let you be reckless. I made your father a promise that I intend to keep.¡± Nn held my gaze. I could feel his Alpha aura ring and knew that he was serious. My wolf paced within me and I closed my eyes, taking a calming breath. ¡°I need some fresh air,¡± I finally said. I pushed past Nn. He tried to catch my hand. I jerked away from him. ¡°Talia, don¡¯t storm out like this,¡± he pleaded. I ignored him, mming the door open. I ran out of the hospital room, out of the hospital, and to the tree line. I pulled my clothes off and shifted. I ran until there was nothing around me but trees and the sound of my own paws on the ground stopped in a clearing and stood there in the dark with my chest heaving. ¡°You overreacted,¡¯ my wolf said. ¡®I did not. He was going tomand us to stay like we are a coward. Of all people he should understa ¡®He does, but he is scared. He almost lost us twice. He does not want to fail us again.¡± ¡®I know,¡¯ I sighed. ¡®But I was not wrong about this. There is no version of this where I do not go to Fangvale ¡°Then, talk this out with our mate. Come up with a n. Do not keep running like a spoiled pup throwing 4 tantrum urged began to burn, I ¡°Fangvale is close to Silverfang. And we¡¯re stronger than before. I¡¯d try to negotiate withson, see it can get things ander control,¡± I suggested ¡®Now, tell our mate about your n, not just me, my wolf said *okay* ¡°But next time do not storm out of the room I you do not have has aber. You are better than that Nuss let¡¯s go back und persuade linn ? CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & SEVENTY NINE +25 Bonus I conceded, pouting. turned, I found Noniane Leslie talking in the corner of the room while Donald slept. The moment they hey saw me, they ir expressions tight an and measy, like they¡¯d been caught in the middle of something. e you two discussing Lasked. udith GW W AAuthor y lovely re reeders! Thanks for sticking with me this far! Talia knows fason is pure trouble, othom se stopping her from saving her father. How do you think she ¡®It cot convice Nn and thers Will they support her¡­ or not? What do you think? AA 10 4 Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 280 +25 Bonus CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTY Talia¡¯s POV ¡°It was nothing,¡± Leslie said. She said it too quickly and she was not meeting my eyes. I looked at Nn, but he met my gaze and I did not feel his emotions fluctuating through the mate bond. ¡°Actually, I have something to say,¡± Nn said. Leslie looked sharply at him. ¡°Nn, think about what we talked about,¡± she said firmly but Nn waved her off. ¡°I support you going to meet Jason tomorrow,¡± Nn stated. I had not expected that, especially after our argument. ¡°You do?¡± I muttered, narrowing my eyes in suspicion. ¡°Yes. I should have never threatened tomand you, Talia. You were one of the best things that have happened to me in a long time. I was, and am, afraid of losing you. I want to keep you home and safe,¡± Nn exined. ¡°But you are Silverfang¡¯s princess. It is your responsibility to think of Silverfang first before your own safety. I have seen what you are capable of. I trust you toe back.¡± I had not expected such honesty from him, especially not in front of Leslie. His vulnerability right now was unsettling. My wolf immediately pushed forward, annoyed by my shock. ¡®He is our mate. He should be vulnerable with us. Who cares who is around? You keep forgetting how hard our mate¡¯s life was before us. He has lost his father and now he has us. Make up with our mate or I refuse to talk to you,¡¯ my wolf scolded. ¡°You are not going to lose me,¡± I finally said. ¡°I am not going to Fangvale to die. I am going to get my father¡¯s medicine and I aming home. I promise you that.¡± Nn nodded once and said nothing further. His brow was still furrowed but he had said everything he needed to say. ¡°Is Solon angry with me?¡± I asked Leslie. ¡°No, he feels guilty that you have to do this,¡± Leslie replied with a shrug. ¡°Guilty? None of this is his fault,¡± I said. ¡°He knows that, but you know how he is. He is the Prince of Silverfang and the future Alpha King that he cannot protect his sister,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°He believes he should be the one putting h Jason.¡± ¡°Again, none of this is Solon¡¯s fault. Jason¡¯s hatred toward me started when I ended our bond and f This meeting was always going to happen in some form. Solon could not have stopped it, and he shou about this. Will you exin that to him? I do not think he will hear it from me right now.¡± ¡°¡®1 will,¡± Leslie agreed. Then she reached into her medical bag and pulled out a dagger. The de was short an The hilt was engraved with a name I recognized the moment I saw it ¡°That is Solon¡¯s dagger. Why do you have it?¡± I asked. Solon always had the dagger on him. It was a gift our mother ha made for him before she died. ¡°He wanted you to carry it,¡± Leslie exined. ¡°He said it would ease his mind knowing you had something of hus with wou f Fangvale¡± ¡°Thank him for the, I said as I took the dagger from her. ¡°Teli baru I will being it back to his Leslie nodded and left. Nn walked over and picked me op. He carried out of the other and retour bademark. ¡°Nn, put me down. I can walk, I said, but Noten igande te sert te do +25 Bonus bed. ¡°Do not run away like that again,¡± Nn said. ¡°You made my worry but I wanted to give you space.¡± ¡°I promise I will not do that again. My wolf would but allow it anyway,¡± I said, chuckling lightly. Nn still looked conflicted and had not moved to get into bed with me. ¡°Wiatike really wrong, Nn?¡± He did not answer right away. The pause stretchiedlonger than it should have for a simple question, and I watched him choose his words with more care than the moment seemed to require. ¡°I am sorry for not trying to understand were wou wereing from,¡± he finally answered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep apologizing to me, Wu. I know your heart was in the right ce. Thank you for trusting me. Not every Alpha would.¡± ¡°You are not every Luna,¡± he said. Nn was still holding something Hands could tell from how rigid he was standing. I had seen him like this before but not quite like this. ¡°What are you not telling me?¡± stort ¡°Nothing,¡± he answered as liedegan to take his clothes off. ¡°Sleep.¡± ¡°I am too wound up to sleep,¡± said as I reached for him. ¡°I need you.¡± ¡°You need rest, especially for what is going to happen tomorrow. Sleep, Talia.¡± ¡°Nn.¡± I pulled hunt toward me by the top of his boxers. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about tomorrow. I need you to help me sleep,¡± I ran my hand over distoxers and gripped his already hard cock. ¡°Please Nn.¡± ¡°Take your clothes oft,¡± he said huskily. He didn¡¯t have to tell me twice. I quickly removed my clothes, and he climbed on top of
Nn assermee stowly as I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him closer to me. He wasted no time into me. nothing else mattered to me at that moment. Support +25 Bonus Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 281 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTY ONE Talia¡¯s POV Nn was still asleep when I woke. We had spent hours making love until we fell asleep from exhaustion. Even so, I did not sleep soundly. My thoughts kept returning to what if scenarios causing me to wake up early. I took Solon¡¯s dagger from the table and hid it in my left pant leg. I kissed Nn on the forehead before leaving, making sure not to wake him. When I arrived in Fangvale, shops were just beginning to open. On a normal asion, I would have gone to my favorite coffee shop and got atte, but all I think about was meeting with Jason and how thest time I was here he tried to force me back as his mate. ¡®We won¡¯t let him do that again. We will drink and eat nothing,¡¯ my wolf said and I agreed. I decided to go to the park in the middle of Fangvale and wait. I sat on a bench and people watched. That was where Jason found me. He stepped out from where he had been waiting with his hands in his pockets. He was dressed in a green T-shirt and grey sweatpants and tennis shoes. It was unlike anything he had worn before. Jason always cared about his appearance, but it seemed that no longer mattered now that he was a rogue. ¡®Look at his neck. He wears the mark of the Rogue King,¡¯ my wolf growled and there it was: confirmation that Jason had gone to the darkside. The red pendant around his neck looked like an ugly version of the Lonefur ember. Where the ember brought healing, the Rogue King brought death at the hands of hundreds of rogues. ¡°You came alone,¡± Jason said. ¡°I am almost impressed by that.¡± ¡°You said toe alone,¡± I replied tly. ¡°Good that you¡¯re taking this seriously. Your father does not have long I guess,¡± he said casually as if he was discussing the weather. ¡°A week? Less? Even the Frostmoon potion may not save him at this stage.¡± ¡°Did you reallye here to taunt me?¡± I asked. ¡°If so, what are you going to do about it?¡± Jason replied smugly. ¡°I never thought I would have seen you like this. You were so proud to be a warrior for my father. And now look at you, you¡¯re an errand boy for the Rogue King. You traded one abuser for another,¡± I shot back and Jason frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my father. That is one thing I will not allow,¡± Jason warned through gritted teeth. ¡°What do you want for the potion?¡± I asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Jason answered. ¡°Stop ying games. What do you want?¡± I demanded. Jason smirked and he spread his hands in an open gesture. ¡°I have no conditions. I only want to ease the tension between us. We have history, Talia. It does not have to end in all this. We were something once¡¯ 14 ¡°Correct. We were something once,¡± I agreed. ¡°And then I found out what you actually were anything Jason always wanted something and it norinally was for me to be his Lunta again, I did not bebeve he didn¡¯t want ¡°I can give you territory,¡± I negotiated. ¡°I can give you border ess that connects Bloodmoon and Siberiang Thane rade agreements with three packs that Bloodmoon controls directly ** ¡°Talia, I can ess that anytime now. That means nothing to me,¡± Lason?t suklid ¡°Natue what you want in exchange for the potion, and I will tell you what is possible and what is just ¡°It is a shame that I didn¡¯t really know how well you negotiated. You worse the risk & been wai +25 Bonus ¡°Enough of thepliments, Jason. What do you want from me or I¡¯m leaving?¡± I pressed. Jason pulled a small container out of the backpack he was carrying. He yed around with it in his hand, steadily grinning at me. Jason lookedpletely unhinged as he faked like he was going to drop it to get a rise out of me. ¡®He is stalling,¡¯ my wolf growled. ¡°There are rogues here. I can smell them. He is waiting for something before he strikes. We need to contact our mate!¡¯ ¡®Not yet. I need to at least get the box from him first,¡¯ I told her. ¡°Then, you need to make a move soon. I will not allow him to harm us again,¡¯ my wolf responded. Jason beckoned me forward with two fingers. ¡°Come here, Talia. You¡¯re too far away.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t,¡¯ my wolf warned, but I ignored her. I stood and walked over to him. When I was close enough to see the detail carved into the red stone at his throat, Jason held out the sealed container. I could see the Lonefur seal on the wax. It was the right container. I reached for it, but he pulled it out of reach. ¡°Jason, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I need to know you truly came alone,¡± he pressed. ¡°That you have no allies waiting nearby.¡± ¡°I already told you I came alone. I would not risk my father¡¯s life by breaking that condition!¡± ¡°Then let us make a wager. If Nn does not appear in the next few minutes, the potion is yours. No further conditions. You take it and walk away.¡± ¡°What the hell is this, Jason? I already agreed to your terms and came here. Now, this?¡± ¡°I have no intention of harming you, Talia. I have never wanted that. I only want to know whether you kept your word. 18 Then, Jason lifted his hand, and the rogues came out of the trees. They had ropes and they moved fast. I reached for Solon¡¯s dagger and shed a few of the rogues before I was overwhelmed. ¡°Get off me!¡± I snarled as a hand closed around my wrist. It was wrenched backwards and I dropped the dagger in pain. The ropes went around my wrists and were knotted tightly. ¡°You swore no harm,¡± I snapped through my teeth. ¡°And you weren¡¯t,¡± Jason replied. He stood in front of me while his rogues retreated back up. ¡°Perhaps your pride was wou but no physical harm hase to you.¡± I nced at the dagger lying on the ground where I had dropped it. ¡°Damn you,¡± I cursed. Jason bent down, snatched the dagger, and pressed it to my neck. His whisper was icy, mocking ¡°Now, be a good girl and stay still. I know they¡¯reing.¡± D Support Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 282 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTY TWO Talia¡¯s POV ¡°This is not a game, Jason!¡± I growled. Jason scoffed and said, ¡°I know that, but do you?¡± That was when it hit me. There was never going to be a trade. Jason was going to keep stringing this along. ¡°You bastard,¡± I growled. ¡°Language, Princess,¡± Jason teased. ¡°There was never going to be trade, was there? You designed this entire thing so I would stand here and watch you destroy the only thing keeping my father alive.¡± Jason stayed silent. He simply waited, and that silence only fueled my anger. ¡°Say something! Say something, you bastard!¡± That¡¯s when I saw them and my heart sank. Nn and Solon were running towards me. ¡®What did you do? Did you reach out to them?¡¯ I snapped at my wolf. ¡®No, I didn¡¯t say anything to them,¡¯ my wolf answered. That meant they followed me here. They didn¡¯t trust me. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re not as good of a liar as you used to be,¡± Jason said. ¡°Release her!¡± Nn¡¯s roar split the air before he had fully crossed the distance between us. The sound rolled through the park. His Alpha aura mmed into everyone. Every rogue behind Jason shifted back a step and reset their stance. ¡°NOW!¡± Jason finally acknowledged Nn. ¡°No need for yelling. This is a peaceful park.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y with me, Jason,¡± Nn growled. Slowly, almostzily, Jason sliced through the rope binding my wrists in a single motion. I stumbled forward as the tension gave way. Jason caught my arm to keep me from falling. Nn and Solon surged past me toward him. The rogues rushed forward to intercept them, and the park MERGE GAME BECOMBA CHAMPION y now CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTY TWO exploded into motion. Bodies collided. Fists flew. Two rogues took on Nn and Nn tore them apart while Solon kept the rest off Nn to take on Jason. ¡°Stop!¡± I threw myself between them, both arms outstretched. ¡°Everyone stop now!¡± ¡°You heard thedy,¡± Jason chimed in and snapped his fingers causing the rogues to back off. Nn halted in front of me, breathing hard, blood running from a cut above his brow that he didn¡¯t seem to notice. Behind him, Solon had a rogue by the throat only seconds from crushing his neck. The rogue froze beneath his hand, eyes wide in fear. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Nn asked, ring at me. ¡°Move aside, Talia.¡± ¡°No. Not until I get what I came for,¡± I told him. ¡°Why are you defending him?¡± Nn demanded. ¡°Have you forgotten what I came here for? I am trying to stop this esction and you¡¯re making this worse!¡± I shot back. Jasonughed softly. ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re going to get them now? I told you my terms, Talia.¡± ¡°I had no idea that they followed me,¡± I said in exasperation. ¡°This is not my fault. I didn¡¯t trick you, Jason.¡± ¡°But the conditions were clear, Talia. What to do, what to do,¡± Jason stated as he yed with the container. He turned his attention to Nn and Solon. ¡°Is this how you trust your sister and your Luna? Disgraceful.¡± Nn¡¯s anger red and Solon tossed the rogue away from him. I knew they were about to lunge, so I quickly blurted out, ¡°Name your conditions, Jason. Territory. Safe passage. A guarantee that every pack stops hunting you. I can make that happen. I will personally ensure no Alpha harms you.¡± ¡°Talia, what are you doing? He¡¯s a murderer,¡± Solon¡¯s voice sharpened. ¡°He killed innocent warriors. You can¡¯t continue to negotiate with him like this.¡± ¡°What I am trying to do is fix the mess you made,¡± I said through gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯m trying to make sure you didn¡¯t squander thest chance to save our father. So shut up!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what happens today. You won¡¯t be able to catch me and bring me to ¡°justice¡±, Solon,¡± Jason added calmly, as if stating a fact that he had already proven. ¡°Stop hiding behind your rogues and let¡¯s put that to the test,¡± Solon retorted. Jason ignored Solon¡¯s taunt and turned his attention back to me. ¡°Since technically you didn¡¯t break the conditions, I¡¯ll give you one more chance.¡± BECOMBA MERGE GAME CHAMPION y now CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTY TWO ¡°What is it? Whatever it is, I¡¯ll consider it,¡± I told him. ¡°ept my mark again.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Let the bond reform. Do that, and the potion is yours,¡± Jason offered and held his hand out to me. Silence followed. No one spoke. No one moved. All eyes were on me. That¡¯s when I realized this was the trap. He had nned all along to give me an ultimatum that he knew I wouldn¡¯t ept. ¡°Damn you, Jason!¡± ¡°Come on, Talia. It¡¯s yes or no,¡± Jason said. Behind me, Nn surged forward. Solon caught him around the waist, keeping him in ce. ¡°Get off me!¡± Nn snarled. Solon tightened his grip. ¡°Don¡¯t. He already knows her answer.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, you know.¡± Jason¡¯s focus never left me. ¡°You should listen to him, Nn. Now, Talia, what is your answer?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. Isn¡¯t there anything else you want?¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s the only condition.¡± Jason dismissed Solon without even ncing at him. ¡°I told you I¡¯m not interested in territory or safe passage. I already have both.¡± My wolf snarled within me, pushing to break free to maul Jason. My hands were balled into fists so tight that my nails cut into my hands. I finally forced myself to speak, knowing that this was dooming my father. ¡°I will not ept your mark, Jason,¡± I finally said. ¡°A shame. I thought you cared about your father more than that,¡± Jason taunted. He lifted the sealed container high up in the air. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Prepare for your father¡¯s funeral, Talia.¡± I lunged for Jason, but I was seconds toote. Jason mmed them against the stone at his feet. ss shattered across the ground. Dark liquid spread through the cracks in the stone before disappearingpletely. ¡°No!¡± BECOMBA MENGE GAME! CHAMPION y now CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTY TWO I dropped to my knees, reaching for the shattered remains as if I could somehow gather the liquid back together. But there was nothing left. It had already soaked into the stone. BECOMBA MERGE GAMES CHAMPION y now Dust within ancient walls Miles Brooks 283 CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTY THREE CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTY THREE Nn¡¯s POV ¡°Don¡¯t be so upset, Talia. The potions probably wouldn¡¯t have helped anyway,¡± Jason told Talia. He smirked down at her, clearly enjoying her anguish. It made my blood boil. ¡°You bastard! What have you done?¡± I roared. Jason looked up and smirked at me. He turned and strode away while Talia was frantically trying to pick up the pieces of the broken potions. ¡°This is on you, Nn. If you had trusted Talia, she would have gotten the potions.¡± Jason called the words over his shoulder as the rogues closed ranks around him. ¡°Now it is gone. The Alpha King¡¯s death will be on your head.¡± I knew what Jason was doing. He was attempting to ce doubt in Talia¡¯s mind about me. It wasn¡¯t going to work. Talia knew my heart and she knew that the real culprit in all this was him and his putrid father. My wolf surged forward, and this time I didn¡¯t try to restrain him. I felt the shift starting, but Solon stepped directly into my path. His Alpha aura mmed into me as he caught me with both arms. The force of my momentum drove him back two full steps before he nted himself and held firm. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Solon warned. ¡°Get off me, Solon. I am not letting him get away,¡± I snarled as I iled against him. My wolf roared inside me, demanding that I rip Jason¡¯s throat out. ¡°This is what he wants. He wants you to chase him,¡± Solon advised as his grip tightened. ¡°We don¡¯t know how many rogues he has in waiting. You¡¯re strong, Nn, but not strong enough to take on dozens of rogues and Jason.¡± I stayed rigid in Solon¡¯s grip and forced myself to stop. ¡°Damn it!¡± I cursed. I knew he was right, but I still wanted to try my luck. Jason never looked back. He disappeared into the trees with his rogues. Their footsteps faded away. Then there was only the park, the dark stains on the stone, and Talia¡¯s sobs. Solon released me and stepped back. I red at him as I took a calming breath. I turned to look at Talia who was still kneeling in the dirt. ¡®Go to our mate,¡¯ my wolf urged. ¡®She needs us.¡¯ I raced over to Talia. She hadn¡¯t moved from where she had fallen beside the broken containers. Her hands were pressed t against the stone where the potion had soaked away. Tears were rolling down MERGE GAMES BECOMBA CHAMPION y now CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & EIGHTY THREE her face, but she was no longer sobbing. I knelt beside her. Aside from the marks around her wrists from where she was bound, she wasn¡¯t hurt. Talia continued to stare at the stain on the rock as if I wasn¡¯t even there. ¡°Talia, look at me.¡± Her head snapped toward me. Her expression stopped me cold. It was a mixture of anger, grief, and resentment. Seeing her like this made my heart twist. I rested my hands on her shoulders. Talia let me for exactly one second before stepping back out of reach as if my touch had burned her. Her hand struck me across the face. ¡°Exin yourself,¡± she demanded. Her voice was calm, which worried me more than the p she gave
¡°I know what this looks like and we do trust you. You have to believe that,¡± I told her. ¡°If that was the case, you wouldn¡¯t be here. Do you think saying that to me is going to make me feel better? The potions are gone, Nn. Do you understand that?¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t here because we doubted you. We were here because Jason had already ambushed six Lonefur warriors and killed five of them. We couldn¡¯t let you walk into that without making sure you were safe,¡± I exined. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep telling me that!¡± Talia finally eximed. ¡°You told me that you trusted mest night. Was that all a lie?¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t going to approach if Jason hadn¡¯t restrained you. We just wanted to be near in case things went south,¡± Solon added. ¡°You didn¡¯t think he nned for that? He had his rogues hidden everywhere,¡± Talia countered. ¡°We used Leslie¡¯s suppressive scent spray to hide our approachpletely. It should have made us impossible to detect,¡± Solon exined. ¡°We didn¡¯t know that Jason had a counter to that.¡± Talia studied him for a moment before turning back to me. ¡°You should have told me the n. Remember what De said. Keeping everyone out of the loop would cause mistakes we couldn¡¯t afford,¡± Talia said. ¡± This was a mistake. If you had told me, I could have warned you through the mind link what Jason was nning.¡± ¡°By then, it could¡¯ve been toote. We didn¡¯t want to take that risk,¡± I said and Solon nodded. Talia looked between Solon and I. The anger remained, but now exhaustion and defeat were written all over her face. BECOMBA MERGE GAME! CHAMPION y now CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED & FIGHTY THREE ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now. You went against my wishes, and everything is messed up now,¡± Talia sighed. Her eyes drifted to the dark stain on the stone. ¡°That was our only chance.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Talia. I really am,¡± I told her. I didn¡¯t think this would turn out like this, but I was never going to apologize for wanting to keep her safe. ¡°Good but I am still angry with you. You should¡¯ve listened to me.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Talia exhaled and finally let me pull her into my arms. She was still upset with me, but she didn¡¯t hate me. That was something I could work with. I would rebuild the trust in time. When Talia stepped back again, her expression wasposed. That was what I loved about her. She would refocus for the greater good. ¡°What do we do now?¡± she asked. ¡°I already sent word to Alpha Landon. Before we left this morning, I warned him about what we might be walking into. I asked him to search for alternatives. Anything that might buy us time while we figure out how to find Jason again,¡± I exined. BECOMBA MERGE GAMES CHAMPION y now