Chapter Fourteen
"Thank you all for joining us," Alpha Hendrix announced, his voice echoing through the crowded room.
The low hum of chatter faded as heads turned, attention sharpening at yet another semi-formal gathering in the overcrowded Council season calendar. The room barely held the crowd, bodies packed tight as guests milled about with drinks in hand.
"It's been an eventful few days and I'm happy to see so many taking the steps to work together and see our plans come together."
A polite round of applause rolled through the room followed by a few giggles when drinks were sloshed by some overeager guests who may have started the celebrations earlier than the rest of the room.
Talia stood next to me, perfectly made up in a pale blue shift dress with her hair braided and pulled over one shoulder.
In her heels, she stood inches taller than me, shoulders squared and chin lifted, like she was the one guarding me.Since the training session earlier that morning, she had been coddling me as though I was a precious doll about to shatter if handled wrong.
"We're eager to progress the Unity Initiative given the recent successes that have been reported from our trial packs. However, we are aware of the concerns some have raised around security and confidentiality."
Alpha Hendrix opened his palms as he surveyed the room, eyes trailing over each person with a warm scrutiny.
I stood straighter next to Talia, my spine felt as though it was going to snap. Something in his words felt pointed, targeted, and there was only one incident being whispered through the halls.
My fight.
I hadn't missed the wary glances and heads dipped in whispers when Talia and I had entered. Only flickers of conversations had reached my ears.
"I heard she froze his arm so badly it snapped clean off."
"Was it on purpose or an accident? Honestly, I don't know which is worse."
"Do you think every part of her is that cold?"
I wanted to tune out the comments after the first one but my curiosity got the better of me. I supposed I was just a glutton for punishment. Each jab threatened to crack the mask that I had worked so hard to freeze over my face.
The door to the right of Alpha Hendrix opened, drawing the crowd's watchful gaze to Lyra walking in with a politely sheepish smile.
I expected her to melt into the crowd but instead, she lingered at the front of the room, looking so composed and perfectly in place being the centre of attention.
Something crawled across the skin on my arms, like a sudden, itching awareness of the sleeves on the dove grey dress I wore.
"Excuse me, Alpha Hendrix," Lyra spoke up, a tight lipped, apologetic smile on her terracotta painted lips. "I'm afraid I have an issue to share on the topic of security and confidentiality."
The older man blinked a couple of times before he took a step to the side and motioned for Lyra to take the microphone.
"Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that a confidential document has gone missing from Eclipse Hollow records." Her sickly sweet voice was firm with a powerful confidence.
A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd, glances darting as questions passed in hushed tones.
"This document contained confidential training formations and battle plans that were key to our pack tackling this rogue threat. Of course, with the Unity Initiative, we would have been happy to share this with the Council and our allies but this wasn't taken with any permission."
Another round of whispers crept through at the small pause she took and the disappointed look she gave the room.
"Thankfully, Eclipse Hollow warriors have recovered this document near the guest quarters of the Northern Circle delegates."
Ice flooded my veins as eyes began to shift toward us.
"The scent of Talia Pascque was found at the scene."
Talia stiffened next to me. Her mask wavered, threatening to fall as the fear seeped into her eyes. I could feel her eyes on me but I couldn't look back at her, not when the room was waiting, when she was relying on me.
"What proof do you have that it was Talia?" I asked, forcing my voice to remain level as I raised it loud enough to be heard across the room. "Our scents would be all around the halls leading to our rooms."
Lyra's lips tilted in an almost smile, her head tipping slightly to the side. "She was seen leaving Dax's office."
It hit like a sucker punch, knocking the air from my lungs. I couldn't breathe - couldn't even think about breathing as I fought to keep my face still.
Talia was seen leaving Dax's office. She was with him. I could barely get a second glance from him and she was in his office.
My subconscious knew where he was standing, my eyes finding him on instinct alone only for his chocolate eyes to be staring straight back.
Heat hummed beneath my skin, clashing with the icy weight pressing down on my chest.
I wanted him to say it wasn't true, that he hadn't seen her, hadn't spoken to her. I wanted him to say that nothing had gone missing and this was all a huge misunderstanding. I needed him to speak up for me for once.
"She came on Chief Designate Brione's behalf asking for a different document. Nothing more." His velvety voice was formal and detached when he looked away from me to address the room of desperate vipers.
I hadn't sent Talia to Dax's office.
My brain was stalling and stuttering. Something wasn't adding up but I didn't know who was telling the truth. I wanted to believe that Talia was being set up, that this was all some elaborate scheme but I couldn't see a reason why Dax of all people would be in on it.
"I only raise this concern because trust is the foundation of peace," Lyra continued, the picture of earnest duty. "I understand it must be difficult for Kiera given the personal element of the situation but I know we all believe that transparency is paramount."
Personal element.
The words struck like venom, puncturing my stomach with a churning nausea that burned its way into my heart.
The unsaid words clung to the air like rot, undeniable and festering.
I was unwanted, unwelcome. Rejected.
"Thank you, Miss de Silva, for reminding us of the importance of trust and transparency with each other as we move forward with the Unity Initiative," Alpha Hendrix said in his booming voice, trying to get the attention back on him but any chance of that was long gone.
The whispers started again, biting comments and barbed words now laced with something far worse: sympathy.
Bile churned in my stomach as my heart hammered in a dizzying thrum. I could feel Talia standing next to me but I couldn't look at her. I didn't know how.
The room had moved on, the conversation ended. I'd lost my chance to fight for her, to speak up and defend her and demand her innocence all because I'd questioned her. I'd questioned my own pack and there was only one reason why.
Jealousy.
The ugly feeling had coiled its way around my chest, invaded my mind in inky tendrils of doubt.
My emotions had gotten the best of me and I had failed her. I'd failed my pack.
"Kiera," Talia muttered, her voice barely audible. "Kiera."
I couldn't look at her. I couldn't face the pain on her face, the disappointment and betrayal that would be etched in her eyes.
"I have to go," I murmured back, keeping my eyes down as I dragged my mask into place and weaved through the whispering room as the air became too heavy to breathe. My feet dragged, my legs leaden as I forced a normal pace.
The doors shut behind me, and the weight began to lift. My feet moved faster and faster until I was sprinting through the halls.
My lungs burned, my chest heaving as I turned the corner. The wall felt rough against my hand as the hallway spun.
The floor shifted underneath me and my knees struck the ground.
Everything felt constricted. My chest was too tight, my heart was squeezed.
Something wet brushed my cheeks, trails of lava down my face as the world faded into a blur.
I needed to be strong, contained. That was what Northern Circle wolves did. That's what leaders did.
But I had failed. I had shown my cards, shown my weakness and Talia had paid the price.
I didn't deserve to be here, didn't deserve to lead. He needed a strong mate, a true leader, someone his pack could trust.
Of course he had rejected me. Why wouldn't he?
The pain! The heartbreak! The betrayal!
Lyra's trap, Kiera's humiliation - it was hard to put her through that.
Lyra knows how to play the game but do you think she's telling the truth? Do you think Kiera's doing the right thing or does she need to step up and beat Lyra at her own game?