Chapter 22 — Rhiannon
After we leave Xander’s study, the guard members and Ethan walk back to my quarters with me to hash out a plan, but I can’t stop thinking about what just happened at the meeting.
The way I lashed out at Lady Gemma is haunting me. She’s the pack’s matriarch and the wisest woman I’ve ever known. I’ve challenged Xander before, when duty demanded it, but never her. And never with such venom. All because someone dared question Ethan’s word.
I cringe inwardly as I recall standing there, positioning myself between Xander and Ethan like a living shield. When did protecting him become more important than respecting my Alpha?
The thought of anyone doubting Ethan or questioning the value of his place here makes my wolf feral.
It feels comparable to his very existence being threatened.
Yet, that intensity of protectiveness has no business surfacing in front of anyone.
Certainly not a subordinate, and especially not the Alpha.
Being with Ethan has introduced me to something entirely new. It’s like I’ve tapped into a part of myself I didn’t know existed.
Somewhere beneath the noise of my own thoughts — even amidst the chaos the pack is enduring — I swear I can still feel him: his heartbeat, in step with mine.
A rhythm I never asked for. I’ve heard the old stories, the ones about mates whose hearts lock together like a promise sealed in blood.
I always dismissed that as folklore wolves told their whelps to make the bond sound grander than it is.
This pull toward Ethan couldn’t come at a worse time. Our pack has never faced an internal crisis as serious as the charges against Jayme. Despite Stasio’s gesture of peace in coming to this summit, there’s still no love for the Shaman among most of our people.
If Jayme is convicted and executed for crimes against them, there’s no telling how the pack will react.
We could face civil unrest within Kortan.
Wolves turning against wolves over grudges that refuse to fade.
And, despite our attempts to appease them, the Shaman could remain our enemies, making it even more dangerous for Ethan to stay.
Even if we somehow navigated this crisis successfully, the Alpha King still has to decide Ethan’s fate. That reality sits like a stone in my chest, growing heavier with each passing day.
Deep in my soul, I recognize that I won’t be able to stand by and watch if the Alpha King decides that Ethan must die.
And that terrifies me more than any enemy we’ve ever faced. This goes beyond simple desire now. This could destroy everything I’ve built — my position, my pack, my very identity as Commander.
The truth demands acknowledgment: I can no longer maintain a professional distance. Does this mean I’m compromised? What if whatever this is between Ethan and me is clouding my judgment? I could be jeopardizing this investigation — and Jayme’s life.
I sit down on my bed and Akila claims the only chair while Branson, Conan, and Ethan find positions against the wall. The team waits for my direction.
“How are your injuries?” Ethan’s emerald eyes cut to the bandages around my arm and shoulder. “Shouldn’t you rest a bit more?”
“Lycans heal very quickly.” I shrug. “I imagine it’s a product of our lifestyle. There always seems to be something, or someone, trying to kill us.”
He nods with a look of resignation in his eyes. “Still, you shouldn’t push yourself too hard.”
“You heard Xander,” I say, shifting my focus to address the entire room. “We have two days, and to be honest, things aren’t boding well for Jayme, especially now that Holden has been attacked and is accusing him as well. All the evidence is pointing to Jayme’s guilt.”
“It just doesn’t make sense,” Akila says. “I can’t believe that he would do any of this.”
“None of us believe Jayme did this,” Conan says. “But someone wants us to think he did.”
“The timing is too convenient.” Branson nods in agreement. “Haron and Holden show up and suddenly violence is rampant. Both blame Jayme, but he can’t even remember what happened.”
“Speaking of Holden, I still don’t understand how he was able to go see Jayme in the first place.
” Ethan looks at me. “Didn’t you tell the guard on duty that only Branson was allowed to visit him?
Anyone else should have been escorted by you.
Why did the guard let Holden get close enough to Jayme to be attacked? ”
I nod. “Yes, it’s a massive security breach.
I’ve already relieved that guard from duty.
Until I can question him properly, he’s not going back near the dungeons.
” I turn to Akila and Conan. “I need you both monitoring Jayme in shifts. No one aside from Branson gets access without my direct authorization. And I mean no one.” I fix them with a hard stare.
“Not Stasio, not his children, not even other pack members. If Xander himself wants to see Jayme, he goes through me first.”
Akila straightens. “Understood, Commander.”
Conan nods. “Yes, Commander.”
At this point, I can’t do much more than ensure my most trusted guards watch over him.
“Commander,” Branson speaks up. “I haven’t seen Jayme since before the attack on Ethan, and now Holden. May I check on him?”
The concern in his tone cuts through my tactical focus. Of course, while we’ve been strategizing, Branson’s been worried sick about Jayme.
“Yes, of course.” I don’t hesitate. “But I’m also reassigning you to oversee training while I focus on this investigation. If we’re only getting two more days, I need to make the most of them.”
Relief loosens the strain in his face and he nods. “Yes, I’ll handle the training.” He heads toward the door, pausing briefly. “Thank you, Commander. I know you and the Truth Seer will figure this out. Jayme and I are counting on it.”
As Branson steps out, Akila turns to me. “Commander, what about consulting the other seers?”
I pause, considering. The pack seers rarely involve themselves in day-to-day affairs, preferring their mystical pursuits to political intrigue. Typically, only Xander and his immediate family seek their counsel.
“They’re always willing to share their knowledge with whoever asks,” Akila continues. “Maybe they’ve had a vision that could help.”
“The problem is their visions,” Conan interjects. “Sometimes they’re crystal clear, but sometimes they’re complete riddles that make no sense until after everything’s already happened.”
“But we should try,” I decide. “At this point, we’re running out of options.”
Someone’s orchestrating this whole debacle from a hidden vantage point, using Jayme as a scapegoat while the real threat moves unchecked through our territory. We need to find them before they strike again.
The Moon Goddess might have revealed something to the seers through their spiritual link. Even fragments might provide the missing piece we need.
I straighten, my mind made up. “We need every advantage we can get. I’ll visit them next.”
“I can speak with Dr. Olcan,” Ethan says, drawing my attention back to him. “Like Branson suggested, if Jayme has any type of condition that could explain his memory loss or a sudden loss of control, Dr. Olcan would know about it.”
“Good idea,” I agree. “Olcan’s treated every wolf in this pack at some point. If anyone knows something about Jayme’s condition that we might have missed, it’s him.”
Ethan moves toward the door, then pauses. His green eyes meet mine with that quiet intensity I’m learning to recognize. The look that means he wants to say more, but can’t because we’re not alone.
“Rhiannon...” His voice drops lower, more intimate despite Akila and Conan standing nearby. “That wound needs proper healing time. Even twenty minutes of rest would help.”
The concern in his tone spurs a quiet flutter in my chest. He’s trying to take care of me without overstepping boundaries in front of my guards.
“I’ll rest when we find answers,” I reply, but my voice lacks its usual edge.
He nods, understanding me well enough not to push further. “I’ll report back as soon as I learn anything from the doctor.”
After Ethan leaves, the room becomes as still as a held breath. Akila shoots Conan a pointed look, her chin jutting slightly toward me. Conan responds with a subtle shake of his head, his jaw tightening as he glances away.
She tilts her head in my direction again, clearly trying to communicate something urgent that Conan seems reluctant to address with me directly. Their awkward glances bounce between each other and me, a silent conversation I’m not privy to.
“Just spit it out.” I level them both with a glare. “What’s going on?”
Akila clears her throat. “Commander, we’ve noticed a change in how you and the human interact. The two of you seem different.”
Every muscle in my back stiffens. “Different how?”
Conan steps forward, his expression serious. “Are you having a relationship with Ethan?”
The question hovers in the air like a guillotine blade waiting to fall. I open my mouth to deny it, to deflect with rank and authority, but the words won’t come. They deserve honesty, or at least, not an outright lie.
The silence stretches on too long, and I watch understanding dawn in their eyes.
“Rhiannon,” Conan says, using my name instead of my title, something he rarely does even as my cousin. “I can’t believe you’d do this. What has gotten into you?”
“Your reputation within the pack is already under scrutiny.” Akila sits next to me on the bed and places a hand over mine. “The nobles whisper about your loyalty, about your past with Xander. This will only give them more ammunition.”
Heat flares in my chest. My wolf threatens to emerge. “My personal life—”
“Affects all of us,” Conan interrupts, his tone gentle yet stern.
“You’re not just breaking the law. You’re our Commander.
If you’re compromised, the entire pack suffers.
And what about Alpha Xander? He’s already walking a tightrope with the Alpha King by harboring a human for his Luna.
If word gets out that his right hand is fraternizing with the human... ”
“You’re putting our Alpha’s position in jeopardy,” Akila finishes.
“And Ethan,” Conan continues. “Even if the Alpha King grants him sanctuary in Clarion, what kind of life could he have here? The pack will never truly accept him. All it would take is one single misguided whisper into the Alpha King’s ear. Ethan will always be a simple decree away from death.”
“He’ll be in constant danger here,” Akila adds with genuine concern. “He’ll be perpetually vulnerable in this world without Lycan abilities to protect himself with. This is no place for a human at the end of the day.”
“I understand—” I start.
“Do you?” Conan interrupts, holding my gaze. “Because from where we’re standing, it looks like you’re willing to risk everything — your position, your pack, even Ethan’s life — for something that can’t possibly end well.”
Their words sting because they echo every fear I’ve been trying to suppress, every logical argument against letting myself care about Ethan like I do.
“Both of you have my appreciation,” I say. “And I know it comes from a place of compassion.”
Conan sits down on the other side of me. “We just want what’s best for you, cousin. We’ve watched you build yourself into one of the finest Commanders this pack has ever seen. Don’t throw that away for—”
“I know,” I cut him off. “I have a lot to think about. But right now, I need to focus on this investigation. Jayme’s life depends on it.”
They exchange another look, recognizing the dismissal for what it is.
“Understood, Commander,” Akila says, falling back into formal address, as she rises to her feet. “We’ll head to the dungeons now.”
“Guard him well,” I instruct. “No one goes near him without my explicit authorization.”
“Understood,” Conan says, standing.
They both file out, leaving me alone with daggers in my heart.
They’re right. About all of it.
I collapse backward onto my bed, covering my eyes with my forearm. Each point they raised, I’ve already tortured myself with in the quiet moments between crisis and action.
Beyond the political ramifications and my own fragile reputation, there’s the simple, brutal truth that Akila pointed out: This world is no place for a human.
Even if by some miracle the Alpha King allows Ethan to stay, he’ll always be an outsider — vulnerable and at risk.
No matter how strong I am, I can’t change that.
I’ll always be torn between protecting him and fulfilling my duties as Commander.
The deeper this goes, the more we both risk. It would be better to end it now, before it destroys us both.