CHAPTER 13 : A SUSPICIOUS BETA
1169 Words
The Silver Crest pack grounds felt oddly empty that evening. The wind pushed through tall pine trees, carrying the smell of rain and distant wolves. Warriors roamed the outer borders. Servants rushed through the main halls, hurrying to finish before the darkness took hold.
Inside the training grounds, you could practically taste the tension.
Liana felt it, heavy in her chest, ever since her awkward run-in with Alpha Kael that morning. Just a glance. That’s all. One second of eye contact—then he looked away, like she was invisible. Her wolf hated it.
He’s avoiding us.
Liana wrapped her hands, maybe a little too tight.
“I noticed,” she mumbled.
“What was that?”
She jerked her head up. Jared stood by the weapon racks, holding two practice staffs.
“Nothing,” she said.
He gave her a look, but threw one of the staffs her way. Liana caught it without thinking, which made him blink in surprise.
“You’re getting faster,” he said.
“I’ve noticed that too.”
It was obvious now—her senses grew sharper every day. She was stronger, faster, and her wolf ached to be unleashed. Honestly, it scared her. Nobody could explain what was happening.
Jared stepped into the center of the clearing. “Alright, again.”
Liana sighed.
“You like watching me suffer.”
He grinned. “Very much.”
She rolled her eyes and took up her stance. The second they started sparring, instinct kicked in.
Jared attacked—quick and precise. Liana blocked without thinking. Wood cracked as they traded blows, her body moving way too fast for her mind to keep up.
Something was off. Jared saw it, too—she caught the concern on his face. Not pride, not admiration. Just worry.
He swept at her legs. Liana leapt right over him, barely breaking a sweat. Before he could reset, she twisted behind, knocked his staff right out of his hand. It hit the dirt several feet away.
Silence. Jared just stared.
Liana lowered her weapon. “I’m sorry.”
“You have to stop apologizing every time.”
“That wasn’t normal.”
“No,” Jared said, voice low. “It wasn’t.”
Her wolf shifted inside her. The way people watched her lately, like she was a threat, made her bristle.
Then a different scent rode in—one sharp, in control, dominant. Liana stiffened. Not Kael—but close. Jared’s posture shifted.
Heavy boots crunched down the stone path. Damien, the Alpha’s Beta, strode in.
Liana had seen him before, but unlike Kael, his presence wasn’t loud. It was icy: cold, sharp, always watching, always judging. He wore the pack’s insignia. Dark hair slicked back, gray eyes taking in everything, landing on Liana.
She fought the urge to step back.
“Training late?” Damien asked, casual as anything.
Jared crossed his arms. “She needed practice.”
Damien’s gaze stayed fixed on Liana. “Clearly.” His eyes flicked to the splintered staff on the ground.
Interesting.
Liana’s pulse sped up. He noticed too much.
Damien stepped closer. “You’ve improved quickly.”
It sounded innocent, but it didn’t feel that way.
“I’m trying,” Liana said.
Damien just made a low sound and kept staring at her. She hated it.
Jared edged between them. “Did you need something?”
Damien finally looked away. “Alpha wants patrol reports.”
“I’ll send them tonight.”
Damien nodded, then looked back at Liana. “You’ve become popular lately.”
Her stomach clenched. “What does that mean?”
A thin smile tugged at his mouth. “Rogue attacks. Elder meetings. Extra guards.” He tilted his head. “That’s a lot for an ordinary pack member.”
Liana gripped the staff tighter. “I didn’t ask for any of it.”
“No,” Damien said quietly. “But it found you anyway.”
He studied her wrist, the one with the mark hidden under her sleeve. Liana folded her arms, but it was too late—he’d seen.
A strange expression crossed his face. Not shock. Recognition.
Unease shivered through her. Damien turned away, almost casual.
“Be careful during training,” he said, voice light. “Accidents happen.”
He left. But the conversation left Liana rattled.
She watched him disappear into the darkness. When he was gone, she let out her breath.
“I don’t like him.”
Jared frowned. “Damien isn’t a bad person.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
She stared at the path. “He watches people too closely.”
Jared just nodded. “That’s his job.”
“No. That felt personal,” Liana said.
Jared didn’t argue.
“Do you trust him?” she asked.
He hesitated, long enough to make her nervous. Finally: “I trust his loyalty to Alpha.”
“That’s not the same.”
Jared shrugged. “It’s not.”
The uneasy feeling in her belly wouldn’t go away. Something was stirring inside the pack. Something hidden—and somehow, she was tangled up in it.
Night weighed heavy over Silver Crest. Wolves slipped to their rooms, but Damien stayed awake.
He moved quietly through the old hallway, stopping outside a locked office deep in the building. One glance around, then he slipped inside.
Candles flickered. Someone waited in the shadows.
Damien closed the door.
“Well?” asked the hidden figure—calm, older, serious.
Damien stepped forward. “She’s getting stronger, faster than expected.”
Silence. Then, “How strong?”
Damien’s jaw tensed. “She disarmed Jared in seconds.”
The figure leaned back, thinking. “Interesting.”
Damien folded his arms. “It’s more than strength.” He hesitated. “She’s adapting. Fastest I’ve seen.”
A beat.
“And the mark?”
Damien’s eyes darkened. “I haven’t seen it myself.”
“But?”
“He’s hiding her.”
The room chilled. Fingers drummed on the desk.
“The Alpha’s behavior confirms our suspicions.”
Damien’s expression hardened. “If Kael keeps shielding her, the other packs will notice.”
“They already have.”
Damien snapped to attention. “What?”
A chuckle floated out from the shadows. “News travels fast among Alphas.”
Damien’s face grew grim. “We’re running out of time.”
“Exactly.”
The figure stepped forward, letting candlelight touch pale fingers and silver rings—still hidden, still mysterious.
“We need certainty before rumors spread.”
Damien looked unsettled. “And if she’s the heir?”
The figure smiled, slight and cold.
“Then the Alpha Queen must never rise.”
Far away, Liana woke abruptly, gasping. Her heart hammered wildly.
Her wolf growled, restless. Something was wrong.
The room was dark, silent, but something felt off—really off.
Suddenly, the glowing mark on her wrist started to burn.
Deep inside the pack house, someone was hiding secrets she couldn’t even begin to guess.
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