Fifty Three

Fifty Three
Warren’s P.O.V.

The next morning, I woke up with a knot in my stomach that hadn’t been there the night before. After my conversation with Aria, it became clear that pushing my plan to expose Carden was only making things worse. Her words echoed in my mind—“Carden isn’t the enemy here, Kane is.”

But how could I forget what I’d seen, the way Carden looked at her? The fact that his mind wasn’t fully on the pack or the threat that loomed over all of us? If I didn’t stop him from becoming a bigger distraction, then Kane wouldn’t have to divide us—we’d do it ourselves.

I couldn’t let that happen. I had to protect Aria, and I had to protect the pack. But I knew my plan to make Carden look reckless was falling apart. No matter how much I hated to admit it, he was still playing his role well—at least on the surface. And Aria had too much faith in him. The pack, too, was starting to lean on Carden more and more for guidance.

I had to let go of the idea that Carden was going to slip up, because at this rate, it seemed like I was the one more likely to. But there had to be another way to remove him from the equation without tearing the pack apart. I just needed to think of it.

\---

Later that day, as the pack gathered for another strategy meeting, I couldn’t help but notice how Carden had begun taking a more central role in the discussions. He stood beside Aria, his posture commanding and confident as he reviewed our latest patrol routes with the other warriors. His voice was steady, his tone decisive, and even I had to admit that he seemed to have the respect of the pack.

I hated it.

But more than that, I hated the way Aria seemed to gravitate toward him—like she couldn’t help it. Like part of her wanted to be near him. And the worst part was, he was too good at keeping his distance. No one would have suspected that there was anything going on between them. No one except me.

I tried to stay focused on the meeting, but my mind kept drifting. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Caleb had said—about my jealousy clouding my judgment. I knew he was right, at least to some degree. I was letting my feelings for Aria get in the way of what was important, but it wasn’t just about her. It was about the pack, about leadership, about keeping everyone safe.

“Kane’s movements have been erratic,” Carden was saying, his voice pulling me back to the present. “He’s not following the usual rogue patterns. We need to be prepared for an attack from any direction.”

I forced myself to pay attention, knowing that this was more important than anything else right now. Kane was the real threat, and we couldn’t afford to lose sight of that.

“The scouts reported seeing some suspicious movement near the southern border,” Carden continued, pointing to a spot on the map. “We should reinforce patrols there tonight.”

Aria nodded, her expression serious. “Agreed. We’ll send out an additional team to cover that area. We can’t take any chances.”

I glanced at her, noticing how focused she was—how much she trusted Carden’s judgment. It made my chest tighten with frustration, but I kept it in check. Now wasn’t the time for personal feelings to interfere. I needed to focus on the task at hand.

“I’ll lead the patrol to the southern border,” I volunteered, my voice steady.

Aria turned to look at me, her eyes meeting mine. For a moment, I saw a flicker of something—concern, maybe—but she nodded. “Alright, Warren. Make sure you keep in communication with the main group. If anything seems off, we need to know immediately.”

I nodded, determined to prove that I could stay focused on the mission. This was about keeping the pack safe. That was all that mattered.

\---

As the sun began to set, I gathered my team of warriors and prepared for the night’s patrol. The air was cool, the sky tinged with shades of purple and orange as we set out toward the southern border. The forest around us was quiet, the only sound the soft rustle of leaves beneath our feet.

I walked in silence, my mind still swirling with thoughts of Aria, of Carden, of everything that had happened over the past few weeks. I knew I needed to let go of my resentment, but it was easier said than done. Carden was too close to Aria, and it felt like I was losing her, even though we had never been more than partners.

I didn’t love her the way Carden did, but that didn’t mean I didn’t care. I wanted to protect her, to keep her safe, and I didn’t trust Carden to do that. Not when his own feelings were clouding his judgment.

As we neared the southern border, I signaled for the group to spread out, keeping a close eye on the surrounding area. The forest was dense here, the trees casting long shadows in the fading light. I listened carefully, my senses on high alert for any sign of movement.

For a while, there was nothing—just the sound of the wind through the trees and the occasional call of a bird. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of something moving in the distance.

I raised my hand, signaling for the others to stop. My heart raced as I peered through the trees, trying to make out what I had seen. It had been fast, too fast to be one of the regular patrols.

“Warren,” one of the warriors, Marcus, whispered as he stepped up beside me. “What is it?”

“I’m not sure,” I muttered, my eyes scanning the trees ahead. “But stay sharp. I think we might have company.”

We moved forward cautiously, our steps quiet as we made our way through the underbrush. The air was thick with tension, and every nerve in my body was on edge. Whoever it was, they were moving quickly—and they were trying to stay hidden.

Suddenly, a figure darted out from behind a tree, heading straight for us. I barely had time to react before Marcus lunged forward, tackling the intruder to the ground.

“Hold him!” I shouted, rushing over to help restrain the man.

As I reached them, I realized that the figure wasn’t a rogue—it was one of our own scouts, his face pale and his breathing ragged.

“Let him go,” I ordered, my voice tense. Marcus released him, and the scout struggled to his feet, gasping for breath.

“What the hell are you doing out here?” I demanded, my heart still racing.

The scout shook his head, his eyes wide with fear. “It’s Kane,” he panted. “He was here. I saw him.”

My blood ran cold. “Where?”

“He was heading north,” the scout said, pointing in the direction we had come from. “I tried to follow him, but he was too fast. I barely got away.”

I swore under my breath, my mind racing. Kane had been here—right under our noses—and now he was heading back toward the main camp.

“We need to warn the others,” I said, my voice urgent. “Marcus, take the scout back to the camp and let Aria know what’s happening. The rest of you, follow me. We’re going after him.”

Marcus nodded, grabbing the scout’s arm and pulling him to his feet. The rest of the team fell in behind me as we set off at a run, heading north through the forest. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline surging through my veins. This was our chance—our chance to catch Kane before he could strike again.

We ran for what felt like hours, but no matter how fast we moved, there was no sign of Kane. The forest around us was still, the shadows deepening as the night wore on. I pushed forward, refusing to give up, but eventually, I had to admit that we had lost him.

“Damn it,” I swore, stopping to catch my breath. The others came to a halt around me, their faces filled with frustration.

“We’ll find him,” Marcus said, his voice reassuring as he caught up. “We just need to keep searching.”

I shook my head, anger and disappointment boiling inside me. Kane had slipped through our fingers again, and it felt like every time we got close, he managed to disappear. But this wasn’t over. We would find him—and when we did, I’d make sure he never escaped again.

“We need to get back to the camp,” I muttered, turning to lead the group back through the forest. “Aria needs to know what happened.”

As we made our way back toward the camp, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. Kane was out there, watching, waiting. And until we found him, none of us were safe.

\---

By the time we returned to the camp, the sun had already begun to rise, casting a pale light over the trees. Aria was waiting for us, her face tight with worry as she hurried over.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice urgent. “Did you find him?”

I shook my head, my frustration evident. “He was here, but he got away. We tried to follow him, but he was too fast.”

Aria’s expression darkened, but she nodded. “At least we know he’s still close. We’ll keep searching.”

I met her gaze, feeling a renewed sense of determination. Kane might have escaped for now, but I wasn’t going to let him win.