Chapter 19: Whispers of Unrest

Beyond the boundaries of the Redwater Pack, a calm breeze rustled through the trees, filling the night air with the aroma of damp earth and pine. My mind was racing as I stood by my room's tiny window and gazed out at the moonlit clearing. Since the battle, sleep had eluded me, and Derek's caution was still fresh in my mind.  

Remain alert. There is still danger.  

I was aware of that. Lila was not one to give up easily. However, something about Derek's actions unnerved me more than the impending threat of mercenaries. He wasn't the icy, aloof Alpha I had anticipated. I saw flashes of something else beneath his hardened exterior, but they were fleeting moments.  

And no battle ever frightened me more than that.  

I was startled out of my reverie by a loud noise.  

A gentle tap.  

My fingers automatically curled as I tensed. It was long after midnight. Unless Derek, or worse, one of his enforcers, was wondering why I was here, there was no reason for anyone to come see me at this hour.  

I paused, then moved forward.  

One more knock. Quieter this time. Immediate.  

After taking a deep breath, I unlatched the door and slightly opened it to look outside. My throat tightened with breath.  

"Sophia?"  

With her hood pulled low over her face, the young she-wolf crept inside. She had dark hair and pale blue eyes that were wide with urgency, and the faint candlelight flickered across her familiar features.  

Whispering, "Close the door," she said.  

Locking it behind her, I did.  

"Why are you in this place?" I hardly raised my voice above a breath. "How were you able to avoid the border patrols at all?"  

Her face was grim, and she drew back her hood. "My time is limited. You need to know something, so I had to see you."  

With caution, I folded my arms. "I assumed you were in favour of Jared."  

Sophia winced, her eyes glimmering with guilt. "Yes, I did. However, Claire, things have changed. She shifted on her feet and hesitated. "Midnight Moon Pack is disintegrating."  

My heart twitched.  

I had endured years of humiliation and exclusion under Jared's leadership in that pack. Hearing that they were in turmoil should have made me feel nothing but satisfaction. But I sensed something else instead.  

Fear.  

I took a deep breath. "What do you mean?"  

Sophia's eyes shot to the door as though she was worried someone might hear. "Lila is no longer merely attempting to seize you. She is swaying the group against Jared.  

I tensed up. "That isn't feasible."  

"Is it?" Sophia lowered her voice. "Claire, you were a constant danger to her. However, she is now pursuing Jared.  

I shook my head, trying to figure it out. "She was chosen by Jared. For her, he turned me down. What would make her turn on him?  

Sophia gave a sharp exhale. "Because being a Luna was never her dream. She desired *power.* Additionally, Jared's weakness is that he makes it simple for her to accept it.  

I balled my fists up. Weak, Jared? He had always been a vicious, domineering wolf who would sooner break someone than display any sign of weakness. Now, though?  

I inquired, "What happened?"  

Sophia paused, a distressed look on her face. "The pack expected Jared to move on after you left, to show that he had made the right decision by turning you down. However, things didn't work out as expected. The connection—" she swallowed. "—had a greater impact on him than anyone anticipated."  

I went cold.  

The bond between mates.  

That night, I experienced the intense agony of rejection that almost broke me. Jared, though, had always seemed to be unaffected. He had made his decision without regret or hesitation.  

Was I mistaken?  

Sophia went on in an urgent tone. "He has changed since then. Unstable. He barely leaves the packhouse before lashing out at his warriors. He's losing control of his wolf, according to some.  

A shiver went through my body.  

I had been hankering after Jared's love for years, and here it was. The mate bond was now punishing him for it.  

However, I wasn't particularly afraid of that part.  

Lila was the one.  

She had manipulated people all her life, using deceit and wordplay to achieve her goals. And now she was taking advantage of Jared's weakness.  

Sophia muttered, "She's mobilising supporters behind her." "The pack is split up. While some people continue to follow Jared, others think he's not a good leader. "And they think you should be brought back to face punishment for abandoning the pack," she said after hesitating.  

My blood froze.  

That was her strategy, then.  

She wasn't just pursuing me out of spite or jealousy. To keep people from questioning her true motivations, she was using me as a distraction by placing the blame for the pack's shortcomings on me.  

I should have anticipated this.  

"What's the reason behind this?" My voice was quieter now as I asked. "You could have avoided getting involved."  

Sophia's mouth formed a thin line. "Because I am aware of Lila's potential. Additionally, I don't want to see you die. She gave a sharp exhale. "Jared's treatment of you was foolish. Now I see that. And Redwater will pay the price if you remain here."  

I bit my lip.  

She was correct. Lila no longer only pursued me. She was directing the wrath of an entire pack towards me. And I wouldn't be the only one who would suffer if I didn't figure out what to do next.  

I said, "What do you want me to do?"  

After a moment of hesitation, Sophia took a folded piece of parchment with the Midnight Moon crest wax-sealed on it from her cloak.  

She pressed it into my hands and said, "Read this when you're alone." "And Claire—" Her face was a mess when she looked at me. "Never allow Lila to win if you ever loved our pack."  

She pulled her hood back up and slipped towards the door before I could reply.  

Sophia—"  

However, she had already left, disappearing into the darkness.  

My heart was racing as I gazed down at the letter in my hands.  

I had a feeling that whatever was written inside...  

Everything would be different.

With the Midnight Moon crest staring back at me like a ghost from my past, I gazed at the letter in my shaking hands. My gut told me to tear it open and find out what secrets were inside. However, my brain told me otherwise.  

Sophia's visit was risky enough on its own. Derek would lose his already shaky faith in me if he discovered that I had spoken to her, much less accepted a letter from her.  

I forced myself to think while taking a trembling breath. I had to exercise caution. I had to be intelligent.  

I tucked the parchment into the folds of my cloak and curled my fingers around it. Later, somewhere safer, I would read it. A place where I could be by myself.  

My mind racing, I paced my room. I should have been ecstatic to think that Lila was using the pack against Jared. Instead, it made me uncomfortable. Lila was ruthless and cunning in addition to being power-hungry. To ensure her control, she would do whatever it took.  

Furthermore, it was only a question of time until Midnight Moon fully targeted me if she had already portrayed me as a traitor.  

I froze when I heard a sharp knock on the door.  

"Claire," called a deep voice. Derek.  

I rushed to gather my thoughts and pushed Sophia's visit to the back of my mind. After taking a deep breath to regain my composure, I unlocked the door and slightly opened it to reveal his face. His intense eyes scrutinised me intently.  

"Is something wrong?" I asked, maintaining a steady tone.  

Derek's face grew serious. "I was going to pose the same query to you. An hour ago, the patrols reported movement close to the eastern border. Someone managed to get past them. His eyes grew piercing. "Are you familiar with that?"  

Despite my nausea, I made myself shake my head. "No," I told a falsehood. "I've spent the entire night here."  

Derek's jaw tightened, and I briefly believed he was seeing right through me. He rubbed a hand down his face and exhaled.  

"We'll handle it," he whispered. "But it means they're getting bolder if it was someone from Midnight Moon." He gave me a stern look. "And that's dangerous for you."  

I took a deep breath. "I understand."  

After examining me for a moment more, he sighed quietly. "Claire, get some sleep. In the morning, I need you to be alert.  

As I watched him turn and leave, I nodded.  

I pressed a hand to my chest and exhaled slowly as the door clicked shut.