Aurelia's POV
They didn't look at me the same after that.
I felt it as we moved through the pack grounds under escort—warriors flanking us, not quite guards, not quite protection. Their eyes followed every step I took, cautious now, measuring. Not fear exactly. Not respect either.
Uncertainty.
The most dangerous thing of all.
Lucien stayed close enough that his arm brushed mine with every step, a quiet reassurance he didn't put into words. Raffyn walked a few paces ahead, fire simmering just beneath the surface, daring anyone to test him. Talon brought up the rear, silent and watchful, already mapping angles and exits.
Silvara moved like a shadow at my side.
"Someone is going to talk," she murmured without looking at me.
My stomach tightened. "About me?"
"No," she said. "About access."
We stopped near the council lodge. The building buzzed with hurried voices inside—elders arguing, advisors scrambling, fear leaking through every crack in the stone.
"They're divided," Talon said quietly. "That makes them predictable."
"And vulnerable," Raffyn added.
Silvara's eyes flicked toward the outer ridge. "Jarek will move before dawn."
Lucien stiffened. "You're certain?"
"Yes," she said. "Because he already has what he needs."
A chill crawled down my spine. "What?"
Silvara finally met my gaze. "Confirmation."
Before I could ask what she meant, a sharp cry rang out from the western watchtower.
The sound was wrong.
Too panicked.
Too late.
Raffyn was already moving, fire flaring as he sprinted toward the alarm. Lucien's wings snapped open as he followed Talon right behind him. I didn't wait for permission—I ran too.
The watchtower door hung open, splintered.
Inside, a single scout lay slumped against the wall, blood darkening the stone beneath him. His chest still rose—but barely.
Lucien dropped to his knees beside him. "Who did this?"
The scout's eyes fluttered open. He coughed weakly.
"Not… Nightfall," he rasped.
My heart lurched. "What do you mean?"
"From inside," he whispered. "One of… ours."
The words hit harder than any blow.
Talon's expression hardened instantly. "A leak."
Silvara closed her eyes briefly. "As expected."
Raffyn's fire burned brighter, uncontrolled. "Who?"
The scout swallowed, struggling. "Elder… Bram's runner. Sent me to—" His breath hitched violently. "—to open the east ward."
Silence fell like a blade.
Lucien's hands curled into fists. "Bram authorized this?"
"No," Silvara said sharply. "Not intentionally."
"Then why?" I asked, voice shaking.
She looked at me, unflinching. "Fear makes people desperate. Desperation makes bargains."
The scout gasped once more. "They promised… safety."
Then his eyes went still.
Lucien bowed his head slowly.
Raffyn swore viciously, flame licking up his arms and scorching the air. "I'll burn Nightfall to ash."
Talon's voice was grim. "This wasn't a Nightfall force. This was the Nightfall influence."
I felt something crack inside my chest.
"They're already inside," I whispered. "Not physically."
Silvara nodded. "Jarek doesn't conquer packs with armies alone. He rots them from the inside."
A horn sounded again—different this time. Shorter. Sharper.
Talon turned toward the sound. "East ward breach."
Lucien looked at me urgently. "We need to move you. Now."
"No," I said, surprising even myself. "If I run now, the fear wins."
Raffyn rounded on me. "This isn't the time—"
"This is exactly the time," I snapped. "Someone died because they were afraid of me. Because they thought giving me away would save them."
Silvara studied me, something like approval flickering in her eyes. "Then you must answer fear with certainty."
Talon inhaled slowly. "Which means showing the pack what side she's on."
Lucien met my gaze, searching. "Are you sure?"
I nodded. My hands shook—but my voice didn't. "I won't be hidden. Not anymore."
The ground hummed faintly beneath my feet, responding—not surging, not exploding.
Listening.
Raffyn grinned fiercely. "Then let's make it clear."
Another horn blared—closer now.
Talon turned sharply. "They've opened the ward."
Silvara's voice cut through the rising chaos. "Then this is where she draws the line."
I took a breath, stepping forward into t
he open space of the courtyard.
The pack would see.
Jarek would hear.
And whatever came next—
It would be because I chose it.