Chapter 26: Whispers in the Dark
The halls of the packhouse were eerily quiet as Rowan paced near the hearth, the flames casting flickering shadows along the stone walls of his chamber. It was well past midnight, but sleep hadn’t even tried to visit him. Not with the weight of Sylah’s words echoing in his ears. Elder Malric. Elia. Rhea’s name whispered in the dark.
He hated this.
He hated the suspicion, the knot of uncertainty that coiled in his gut. But he had to know. If Rhea was part of something—if Elder Malric had involved her, knowingly or not—he needed the truth now.
Without hesitation, Rowan sent a pulse through the pack-link.
‘Rhea. My chambers. Now. Please.’ The last bit was added as an after-thought in the hopes of softening his waking her up.
She responded almost instantly, not with words, but with a gentle mental nudge of acknowledgment. Within minutes, a soft knock echoed at his door.
“Come in,” he called, already bracing himself for what he had to do.
Rhea stepped in wearing a long, pale robe, her hair slightly tousled from sleep, but her eyes were sharp and alert. “You summoned me, Alpha?”
Rowan gestured toward the chair by the fire. “Please, sit.”
She studied him for a beat, perhaps sensing his unease, before moving gracefully across the room and settling into the chair. “Is something wrong?”
“I’m not sure,” Rowan admitted, dragging his hand through his hair. He remained standing, unable to stay still. “There have been… developments.”
Rhea tilted her head, and scooted closer to the edge of her seat. “About Giselle?”
“In a way. This is about Elder Malric though. And Elia.”
A flicker of confusion passed across her face. “What about them?”
Rowan studied her closely, watching for any sign of duplicity, but she only looked puzzled. “Sylah mentioned seeing them together. More than once. She overheard your name spoken between them on one occasion.”
“My name?” she echoed, brows rising. “Why would—?”
“That’s what I intend to find out,” Rowan cut in, voice low. “I know this is sudden. And I don’t want to believe you're involved. But something’s not adding up, Rhea. And I need to rule out every possibility.”
Rhea’s eyes narrowed, not in offense, but in focus. “You think Elder Malric and Elia are plotting something?”
Rowan nodded. “It’s a strong possibility. And after Sylah’s reassignment during the rogue attack, and how things have unfolded... I’m beginning to think someone is setting Giselle up. If Elder Malric is manipulating things behind the scenes, I need to know who he’s working with, and why.”
Rhea didn’t speak for a moment. When she did, her voice was calm. “I appreciate you being honest with me.”
“You’re not angry?”
She shook her head. “No. If I were in your position, I’d be suspicious too. Especially with everything that’s happened. And Rowan...” Her gaze softened. “I swear to you, I’ve never had any dealings with Elder Malric. Beyond the formal meetings required of my station. I certainly haven’t had secret conversations with him—or with Elia.”
Rowan exhaled slowly, relief loosening the tight coil in his chest. “I believe you,” he said.
“Good.” Rhea leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees. “Because if someone’s working to take Giselle down—or sabotage your leadership—I want to help you stop them.”
Rowan studied her for a long moment. “You still want to help me… even knowing it means helping protect Giselle?”
“I’m not a jealous woman, Rowan,” Rhea said with a small smile. “I might have hoped things would turn out differently at one time, but the moment I saw the way you looked at her, I knew.” Her voice softened. “You belong to her. And I respect the bond. More than anything, I care about this pack. If there’s corruption threatening it from within, I’ll do whatever it takes to help you root it out.”
Rowan’s chest tightened with gratitude. “That means a great deal, Rhea. Truly.”
She nodded once. “What do you need me to do?”
“For now?” he said, finally sitting across from her. “Keep doing what you’ve always done. Be observant. Keep your distance from Elder Malric and Elia, but note everything you can—without raising suspicion. If they think no one’s watching, they might slip.”
“Understood.”
He paused before speaking again, this time more softly. “You didn’t have to say yes.”
“I know,” she said simply, rising to her feet. “But I did.”
She moved to the door, her silhouette framed by the firelight. Just before stepping out, she glanced back at him. “I trust you, Alpha. And I trust that you’ll do what’s right. For all of us.”
Then she was gone, leaving Rowan alone with the fire and the growing storm of uncertainty that now burned hotter than ever.
He was standing there, staring at the door, when his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
But he knew that number by heart—it was his sister’s, and she had always kept it private for emergencies. Relief washed through him as he snatched it up and pressed it to his ear.
“Charlie,” he said, his voice low, tired—but steadied by her presence, even through the line.
“Rowan,” came her voice, warm and familiar despite the distance. “Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. The pups had me running all morning and then there was an issue with our eastern patrols. You know how it is.”
“I do,” he said, managing a faint smile. “Thanks for calling.”
“What’s going on? You sounded… tense in your message.”
Rowan exhaled slowly. “I need a favor.”
There was a beat of silence, followed by her gentle, “I figured. What do you need?”
“There are three rogues,” he said carefully. “They need shelter… a place to start over. Somewhere far from here.”
He didn’t mention Giselle. He couldn’t—not yet. Not with how delicate everything was.
Charlie, to her credit, didn’t press him. “Are they dangerous?” she asked instead, calm but clear.
“No,” he answered without hesitation. “They’ve been through enough already. I trust them.”
Another pause. Then, “Alright. Send them our way. We’ll make room.”
“Thank you, Charlie,” he said, a knot loosening in his chest. “Truly.”
“I don’t know what’s going on over there, Rowan,” she said gently, “but I know you. And if you’re going out of your way like this, it matters. Just promise me you’re not doing something reckless.”
He smiled faintly, though she couldn’t see it. “Define reckless.”
She laughed lightly. “Just take care of yourself, okay?”
“I will.” The call ended, the line going quiet. Rowan leaned back in his chair, his thoughts already racing ahead.
One less burden. One step closer..
He already felt steadier than before.
He had an ally. He had a plan to keep his mate and her family safe. And he had pieces of a puzzle that were finally starting to form an image.
And now?
Now he would work to find the truth—no matter who stood in his way.
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