#Chapter 100 A Certain Retrayal
#Chapter 109: A Certain Betrayal
(Raiden POV)
I tap my fingers against the ancient desk, feeling the smooth wood worn by generations of Alphas before me.
The folder beneath my hand contains information that burns like fire–Zion’s greatest failure, neatly documented and verified. My wolf stirs restlessly beneath my skin, urging action that’s been days in coming.
“It’s time,” I mutter to myself, inhaling the rich scent of pine and earth that permeal the Alpha quarters.
Outside my window, pack members move through their morning routines, unaware of how everything will change before
sunset.
The pup’s laughter drifts upward from the training grounds, mingling with the rhythmic sounds of daily life, which have continued despite the growing tension between leadership factions.
The sound twists something inside me–a reminder of what’s truly at stake beyond personal feelings.
I lift the folder and rise, my decision made.
The documents inside detail Zion’s catastrophic negotiation failure five years ago–a diplomatic blunder that led to the Silver Pack conflict and hundreds of displaced wolves.
The very refugees Siena now protects, never knowing that her trusted new ‘friend‘ played a role in their suffering.
The irony tastes bitter on my tongue.
“Alpha?” Marlan’s voice interrupts my thoughts as he appears in the doorway, his weathered face serious beneath his gray- streaked hair. “The council is gathering as requested.”
I nod, feeling the weight of what I’m about to do. “I’ll join them shortly.”
The council chamber hums with low conversation when I enter, the scent of ceremonial sage burning in copper bowls at each corner.
Twelve pairs of eyes turn to me, curiosity and concern evident in their expressions. I place the folder at the center of the polished table, letting my hand rest on it for a moment.
“I’ve called you here regarding a matter of trust and leadership,” I begin, my voice carrying to every corner of the stone room. “Information has come to light about Zion that bears directly on his judgment and fitness to advise our Luna on settlement matters.”
I open the folder, revealing the Northern Territory’s official documentation.
“Five years ago, Zion led negotiations for the Silverfang Pack that collapsed catastrophically. His failure to recognize clear warning signs resulted in the very conflict that displaced hundreds, including many who now reside in our settlement under Luna Siena’s protection.”
The shock ripples through the room like a physical wave, council members leaning forward to examine the evidence. The scent of their surprise and growing concern fills the air, sharp and immediate.
“This information must be shared with the pack,” One of the Elders, Aaliyah Bloodstone, says finally, her fingers tracing the official seals. “Especially with those directly advising the Luna on matters affecting our security.”
I nod, satisfaction warming my chest despite my carefully neutral expression. “I believe transparency serves the pack best. Distribute copies through proper channels–the pack deserves to know who shapes our policies.”
By midday, the news spreads through the pack like wildfire.
From my vantage point near the training grounds, I watch the ripples move through every conversation, every gathering.
Wolves cluster in small groups, heads bent together, voices lowered but emotions running high. The scent of confusion and betrayal hangs in the air, almost tangible.
My resolve hardens once more.
I will win this as long as hot blood is pumping in my veins and by whatever means necessary.
Siena is mine.
I track Siena’s movement through our bond, whatever is left of it, mixed with how well I know her.
I feel her storm across the settlement toward 7 on’s quarte
Successfully unlocked!
Her anger burns hot enough that I can almost asset on the unexpected hollow sensation spreading beneath my ribs.
ek of my tongue. Rather than satisfaction, I feel an
This isn’t triumph–it’s necessary protection, I remind myself firmly.
Against my better judgment, I want to see her. I want to know that she now understands what I’ve been saying all along.
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#Chapter 109 A Certain Betrayal
Zion is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
I find her in the stone circle–a sacred place where generations of our pack have sought clarity in times of trouble.
Massive granite boulders rise from the earth in a perfect ring, their surfaces covered in moss and lichen that release a musty fragrance when disturbed. Siena sits with her back against the central stone, knees pulled to her chest, copper hair falling forward to hide her face.
She doesn’t look up when I enter the clearing, though I know she senses my presence. Her voice, when it comes, is rough with emotion.
“Did it give you satisfaction to destroy this, too?”
“The pack deserved to know the truth about someone wielding significant influence over our policies, I reply, keeping my voice even despite the storm of emotions churning beneath the surface.
Siena raises her head finally, amber eyes locking with mine. I nearly step back from the raw pain I see there.
“The truth?” She laughs, the sound devoid of any humor. “You mean a carefully selected piece of history presented without context to cause maximum damage to my relationship with Zion.”
I move closer, stepping into the circle despite her obvious wish for solitude. “He failed to recognize clear warning signs that led to conflict and displacement. The very refugees you protect suffered because of his diplomatic blunder.”
“And you waited until now–until the exact moment he and I were building something real–to reveal this information.” She rises in one fluid motion, facing me with her chin lifted in defiance. “Don’t insult me by pretending this was about pack security too.”
The setting sun catches in her copper hair, turning it to living flame. Even angry and hurt, she takes my breath away–my mate, my Luna, slipping further from me with each passing day.
“His judgment affects pack security,” I insist, though the words sound hollow even to my own ears. “His past failures-* “We all have past failures, Raiden,” she interrupts, stepping closer until I can feel the heat radiating from her skin. “The difference is whether we learn from them or use them as weapons against others.”
Her scent surrounds me, making my wolf strain toward her despite the anger vibrating between us.
“He should have told you himself,” I say, changing tactics. “If he truly valued your trust, why hide something so significant?”
A flash of uncertainty crosses her face, and I know I’ve struck a vulnerable point. Through our bond, I feel her momentary doubt–the wound still fresh from discovering Zion’s secret through pack gossip rather than his own confession.
“Perhaps because he feared exactly this reaction,” she replies finally. “People using past mistakes as evidence that growth and learning are impossible.”
The forest around us has fallen silent, as if the trees are listening to our confrontation. Shadows lengthen across the stone circle as twilight approaches, and the air cools rapidly with the setting sun.
“He’s not worthy of your trust, Siena.” The words emerge more desperate than l’intended, revealing too much of the fear driving my actions. “Not after hiding something this significant.”
“And you are?” she challenges, her eyes flashing dangerously. “After deliberately setting out to sabotage whatever happiness I might find because you can’t bear the thought of me moving forward without you?”
“That’s not “I begin, but can’t finish the lie. Through our bond, she would sense the falsehood immediately.
“It is,” she says softly, and somehow her certainty is more devastating than her anger. “You’d rather see me alone than with someone else.”
I struggle to find a response that doesn’t reveal the possessiveness still burning through my veins despite months of conflict and separation.
“I’m trying to protect you,” I manage finally, the words inadequate against the depth of emotion swirling between us. “No, Raiden. You’re trying to control me–my choices, my relationships, my future.” She steps back, creating physical distance between us. “And you’ve used pack politics and your Alpha authority to justify it every step of the way.” “I couldn’t bear to see you turning to him,” I admit, the confession torn from somewhere deep and vulnerable I rarely acknowledge. “Watching you build something with Zion that we’ve lost-”
“That you destroyed,” she corrects, though her voice has lost some of its edge. “With every choice to undermine rather than support, to control rather than trust, to dominate rather than partner.”
Each word strikes with perfect accuracy, naming failures I’ve refused to acknowledge throughout our escalating conflict. The forest around us grows darker as night approaches, and the stone circle is now illuminated only by faint starlight filtering through the canopy overhead.
“The bond is still there,” I say quietly, reaching for the one connection that remains despite everything. “You feel it too.” Siena’s expression softens slightly, the first crack in her armor. “The bond never disappeared, Raiden. But a bond without
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#Chapter 109 A Certam Betrayal
trust, without respect, without equality it’s just a chain.”
Chains break
We broke
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#Chapter 110 Pushback
