The Alpha Rejected Me, But I Carry His Heir

Chapter 8: The Test

Breakfast in the great hall is a battlefield with cutlery.

I bring the twins down myself. It's a calculated risk – if I hide them away, it only feeds the already curling whispers throughout Ravenscliff regarding the mysterious Silvercrest heir's brats. Best to bring them out in the open, and boldly, just like there's nothing to hide. A hidden secret is one that's easy to steal.

Aria prances in like she owns the mountain and Rowan clings my hand while taking in every face he passes. His fingers automatically point out a dozen escape routes – that I implicitly asked him not to, yet have to watch him do anyway.

Kaelen already seated at the head of the long table his eyes lock on the kids the second we come into his sight and I have to watch the controlled rage build in his attempt to school his features. I see him have to look at his own two children standing right across from him and pretend that they are strangers. His knuckles turn white on the sides of his mug.

But he holds.

He gave me a subtle little nod, the kind of vow that says 'Your terms Nova.

Your word.'

To Kaelen’s right, exactly where I sat two nights ago, sits Seraphine without Luna mark but has stolen position; wearing it as a crown she neither earned nor rightly possesses.

" The little ones sit with us" she says sweetly as we sit "How utterly adorable. What names do these strays go by, or does Silvercrest have a specific numbering system for foundlings?"

"They're called Aria and Rowan" I say easily " And I'm sure you'll understand when I inform you they're my children. Not strays."

"Of course."

Her smile is a blade hidden by velvet. She turns to Aria with all that falsified warmth they use for children they plan on corrupting.

" Such precious little eyes you have," she coos, "Such an unusual grey-like silver, almost.

And that color.." her gaze flicks sharply, deliberately, surgicaly at Kaelen, and back again, "... Can only come from one bloodline."

The hall abruptly becomes silent. Rurik, three seats down, stills.

This is the game. That’s the trap spring and whosoever wants it out either put the words in Seraphine's mouth, or that damn woman figured out a whole new thread to pull on her own; it doesn't matter in this moment what. She just called me a thief for my own babies, tied my son’s silver eyes directly to Kaelen’s by claiming one other bloodline owned them and then watched wolves with centuries of history turn their heads-everyone at this table knows where the Silvercrest blood runs through...or will now, at least.

I don’t panic. Panic is a feeling I've put on hold since the sackcloth floor of the whorehouse five years ago.

"It’s my mother’s side of the family" I say coolly smooth as a calm lake "My mother's is full of northern blood. Enough silver eyes to have seen straight through the Silvercrest borders-that’s something, isn't it Lady Seraphine, if the East looked beyond itself for once. What have I earned tonight - flatter or concern, for my having looked into my children’s history so closely?"

Seraphine’s jaw clenches, then she turns her gaze back to Kaelen-awaiting him to take the bait she's laid out for him, awaiting him to push. He has it. All of it.

It’s literally on the table right between us- His pride, and his decision.

With one word from him; Let me confirm the lineage Kaelen, let me claim my children today publicly, in front of my entire pack-I can see in his eyes he wants them bad enough and he's waited far too long, Seraphine has just thrown him the door.

He places his cup down gently.

" The Silvercrest heir's children's lineage," his voice is as cold and Alpha sharp as it could possibly get. "are not for discussion at this table. Nova is a guest. As guest she holds rights under treaty. The next wolf to speak of their bloodline will answer to me," his grey eyes rake the room, "Do I make myself clear?"

A hush falls over the table, then heads bow to the floor. He chose the secret. He chose me over the one thing he wants in his world.

I asked him to claim it slowly.

I told him to earn it, and he just earned me the right to one damn thing that I hadn't even realized I was waiting to witness. He publicly shamed his own betrothed and essentially closed the door on his own children all for me… all because of me.

He looks across the table for half a beat; I look away. What I feel somewhere in the deepest, coldest, section of my gut shifts one molecule to the left.

"Excuse me" she says spitting, the silk wrapping ripped from her mouth as she sweeps out of the hall. Rurik gives me a sideways look and a dip of his head after her...do I go? Tiny little shake of my head for him not to.

The meal ends easily and without incident.

Servants clean, and right as I'm ushering myself and the kids out for safety; one servant presses something into my hand without a single whisper-folded parchment, without a seal. I don't unfold it until I'm back behind the eastern wing door with the children nestled securely away. The note has only three lines written in a hand unknown:

I know their bloodline. Lady Seraphine has no right to the throne and isn't the true enemy. Meet me at the ancient chapel at the north wall, at moonrise.

Alone.

I can assure you that I will give you what you want to know about the gate.

I stare at it until the words seem to run together. It’s a trap. Plain and simple.

Only a complete fool walks out into enemy territory without an escort, at night, in an unknown's arms.

But he knew what to say, because only a complete i***t believes Seraphine was clever enough to have plotted something this intricate, alone. And because the note contained something I didn't think anyone on god's green earth knew. And since it's my secret that's out, I think it’s only fair the two of us share the burden. I fold the note and slide it into my sleeve as I start, carefully, to plan.