As Ella neared the perimeter of the Blackwood Pack, the moon was already at its zenith. This side of the forest felt heavier, as if the betrayal laid upon her when she had been forced to leave had become its share of weight. Towering pines guarded it, their limbs dancing to the cold night wind.
She drew her cloak closer around her shoulders, the tips of her fingers touching the dagger Kael had given her. The blade was small but deadly, meant to be concealed and used only in the most desperate of situations.
"You know the plan," Kael's voice whispered in her brain. "In. Proof of Lila's betrayal. Out."
Yet, something with all of this felt less than uncomplicated.
She stumbled over the line, her hands shaking. That circle, once protecting her and binding her, shook with menace. Her wolf senses went on high alert—it warned her this was no longer home.
Ella took a great breath and forced her legs to move her forward.
She moved stealthily through the forest, her senses tuned high. Ahead of her, the Blackwood Pack's central compound came into view, situated in a clearing surrounded by heavy foliage. The long log buildings shimmered in the soft radiance of lanterns, their stretched shadows meandering across the earth.
She swathed the periphery, being most cautious at every step not to get near the patrols stirring in the distance. With every crunch of leaves beneath her foot, her heartbeat went faster and faster. Undaunted, she continued ahead, her intent clear.
Finally, she found her weakness—an uninhabited storage house—the poorest guard at the edge of the grounds. Cloaking herself in the shade, she breathed shallowly, pressing her body against the rough wooden wall.
Memories of times shared here, within this heart of warmth from her pack and the innocence of the trees ringing with the sounds of merriment, slammed through her brain. It was a time as though we lived in another life.
But now, those are tarnished memories.
She shook her head, turning her attention to what she had to do.
Inside the storage building, it was damp, and it smelled of old wood and herbs that had dried up. Ella wove through the shelves while her silver eyes scanned for anything useful.
A sudden noise—a creak of footsteps—froze her in place.
The figure filling the doorway had her hand flying to her dagger in an instant.
"Who's there?" a growl of a voice fumed from behind the figure, low and threatening.
Her heart jumped with the recognition of the voice.
Jared.
Beta Wolf Jared stepped into the room, his muscular frame silhouetted against the glow of the lantern, his sharp features as threatening as ever, his eyes scanning the room suspiciously.
Ella held her breath, sinking further into the shadows.
Jared's nose twitched, and his eyes narrowed. "I know you're here," he said, his voice falling to a dangerous whisper. "Show yourself."
Ella's mind raced. She could attempt to fight, but Jared was stronger and faster. Running wasn't an option either.
Before she could gather her wits, Jared launched himself forward. Sure and confident, his gait rounded around the corner of the shelf, his gaze locking onto hers.
"Ella?"
There was surprise, a hefty dose of shock, lacing his tone as his face twisted in incredulity.
A whole second passed with just complete stillness until, in a flash, Jared's hand shot out, his fingers closing around her wrist in an iron-like vice.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he snarled.
She struggled with him, her voice cutting through the tense air. "Let go of me!"
"Not until you explain why you are lurking around like a thief," Jared returned, eyes deepening with intensity as his grip drew tighter. "You are not supposed to be here."
Ella's fiery glare met his, her anger welling from within. "Since when do you care about what happens to me? You stood there and watched Damon throw me out."
Jared winced under the grip, but his fingers did not let go. "That doesn't mean you can just dance your way back in. If Damon finds out—"
"Finds out what?" A voice, cold as ice, cut in.
Ella and Jared turned toward the door to see Damon standing there, his amber eyes ablaze with all sorts of anger.
Damon strode into the room, commanding, a little different from before, as his gaze darted between Ella and Jared, unreadable.
"Explain," he growled; the word was low, a menacing whisper.
Jared released Ella, stepping back but placing himself between her and Damon. "I found her here," he said. "She hasn't explained why."
Damon's eyes held steady on Ella, and for just one second, she saw something in those eyes—perhaps surprise or perhaps regret. It disappeared as quickly as it had come.
"You shouldn't have come back," Damon said icily.
Ella didn't flinch; she held his gaze. "I didn't come back for you."
Damon's face twisted, and at his sides, his fists bunched. "Then why are you here?"
Ella hesitated as her brain scrambled for an excuse. She couldn't tell him the truth, not yet. "I... I needed some things to survive."
"Survival?" Damon goaded, stepping forward with predatory violence. "You've survived this long. Why would you come here?"
Ella's hands fisted at her sides, her anger blowing like a storm within. "Because I have no choice! You took everything away from me—my pack, my home, my dignity. I'm just trying to survive in the hell you threw me into."
Damon blinked once with icy steel in his eyes. "You chose to be weak, Ella. That's not my fault."
The words cut deeper than Ella had expected, and her breath caught in her throat. Then, just as she was about to respond, another voice cut through the stillness.
"She's lying."
Lila swept into the room, her hair shining gold in the soft light of the lanterns. She was every inch the self-assured Luna, her piercing blue eyes narrowing critically.
"She's not here for supplies," Lila said, her tone as smooth as venom. "She's here to stir up trouble. Isn't that right, Ella?"
Ella's heart quickened as Lila's gaze bored into hers. This wasn't at all going according to how it was supposed to be.
She was dragged toward one of the smaller buildings that were well-maintained by the pack to a sparsely furnished room with a cot and a barred window. The clang of the door shut with the ring of finality that ran a chill down her spine.
She began to pace in jerky motions. Kael's plan was unraveling already, and she had nothing to show for it.
Time ticked by until finally he let him in, and Damon entered, closing the door behind him, his face inscrutable.
"You need to tell me the truth," he whispered.
Ella folded her arms, looking right into his face in pure defiance. "Why should I care? You have made it crystal clear that I mean absolutely nothing to you."
Damon blew out a sigh, running a hand over his hair. "You're right. I did. But things are different now."
Ella's frown deepened, her suspicion eating away. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Damon faltered, his amber eyes tender. "There's something happening in the pack. Something I can't explain. Lila—"
He didn't go on, his jaw clenching.
"What about Lila?" Ella pushed on, her pulse quickening.
Damon's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I don't trust her. She's been off lately. And then you show up, sneaking around. That's no coincidence."
Ella's breath hitched in her throat. Finally, Damon was beginning to see Lila as she really was.
But before she could answer, a loud crashing noise echoed through the compound. Yelling was seconded by the distinct cacophony of fighting.
Damon's head snapped toward the door. "Stay here," he commanded, his tone cutting through the air.
Ella seized his arm before he could step away. "What's happening?"
Damon shook her off, his face etched with concern. "Rogues. We're under attack."
As Damon hurried out, Ella's heart raced within her chest. Kael's words reverberated in her mind: "You're not just a pawn in this game, Ella. You're the queen they never saw coming."
She turned back to the barred window; the sounds of fighting grew louder. Her wolf stirred inside of her, wanting out, wanting to fight.
Taking a deep breath, Ella reached for the dagger under her cloak. Now was a time of choice—where her loyalties lay.