THE ROGUE ALPHA’S FORSAKEN MATE

Chapter 14

Kael and I spent the morning in the clearing.

Neither of us had slept. The weight of Ilsa's letter hung between us, but we didn't talk about it. There was nothing to say yet. Tomas was still on his way to the settlement. It would be days before we heard anything back.

So we sat on the fallen log and watched the sun rise through the trees.

"You should eat something," Kael said.

"I'm not hungry."

"You need to keep your strength up."

I looked at him. "You sound like Mara."

"She sounds like a wise woman."

I almost smiled. Almost.

We sat in silence for a while longer. Then I heard footsteps behind us. I turned, and my stomach dropped.

Declan and Wren were walking toward us.

I hadn't seen them since the night of the Claiming. Not together. Not like this. Wren was walking close to Declan, her hand resting on his arm, a satisfied smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Declan walked beside her, his expression blank. He didn't look uncomfortable. He didn't look guilty. He just looked like he belonged there.

They stopped a few feet away.

"Nova," Wren said.

I stood. "What do you want?"

"To talk."

"We have nothing to talk about."

Wren laughed softly. "That's not true. We have plenty to talk about." She looked at Kael, her eyes moving over him slowly. "So this is the stranger. The one who marked you."

Kael didn't respond.

"I have to say," Wren continued, "I expected more. A fallen Alpha with no pack and no territory. That's the best you could do?"

I felt my hands clench. "You don't get to judge anyone."

"I'm not judging. I'm just surprised." Wren smiled. "I thought you'd have better taste. But then again, you always did settle for less."

I looked at Declan. He said nothing.

"You want to talk?" I said. "Fine. Let's talk. You betrayed me. You knew what that night meant to me, and you still did it. You smiled at me while you did it. So don't stand there and pretend you have any right to say anything about my life."

Wren's smile didn't waver. "You're still angry. That's sweet. But you should really be thanking me."

"Thanking you?"

"If I hadn't taken Declan, you never would have ended up with your precious stranger. You never would have known what it felt like to be chosen by someone." She glanced at Kael. "Even if he is a disappointment."

Kael spoke for the first time. "You don't know anything about me."

"I know enough. You're a rogue. You have nothing. You're no one." Wren tilted her head. "And yet, somehow, you're standing here like you belong. That's almost impressive."

I looked at Declan again. "Do you have anything to say?"

He met my eyes. There was nothing in them. No guilt. No regret. No shame.

"Well," he said, "I agree with her."

I stared at him. I had loved him for two years. I had believed in him. I had built my whole future around him. And now he was standing beside the wolf who had destroyed me, and he didn't even have the decency to look away.

"You agree with her," I repeated.

"Yes." He continued.

"you should be smart." He shrugged. "Garrett is powerful. He has territory. He has influence. What does your rogue have? Nothing."

I felt something inside me go cold.

"You're pathetic," I said.

He didn't flinch. He didn't respond.

Wren smiled. "He's not pathetic. He's just honest. Something you've never been good at."

I stepped forward. "Get out of my sight. Both of you."

Wren's smiles. "You're making a mistake."

"No. I'm making a choice. There's a difference."

She stared at me for a long moment. Then she turned and walked away. Declan followed without a word.

I watched them go. My hands were shaking.

Kael touched my arm. "Ignore them."

"I can't." I looked at him. "Did you hear what he said?"

"I heard."

"He agreed with her. He actually agreed with her."

"He's not worth your anger."

I stared at him. "How do you know?"

"Because I know you." He met my eyes. "You're not the kind of wolf who gives up. You're the kind who fights."

I didn't know what to say.

We walked back to the clearing and sat down. Neither of us spoke for a while. The pack was divided. Some supported me. Some didn't. And now Declan and Wren had made it clear which side they were on.

The rest of the day passed slowly. We walked through the pack together, letting people see us. Some wolves nodded. Some smiled. Others looked away. But no one confronted us again.

That night, I went back to the house. Mara was waiting for me.

"You look tired," she said.

"I am."

"Did something happen?"

I told her about Declan and Wren. She listened without interrupting.

When I finished, she said, "Declan was never worthy of you."

"I know."

"Do you?"

I looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you spent two years believing he was your future. You built your whole life around him. And now you know the truth." She paused. "That's not a loss, Nova. That's a gift."

I didn't know what to say.

Mara reached across the table and took my hand. "You have something now that you didn't have before."

"What?"

"Someone who actually sees you. Someone who came back for you. Someone who is willing to fight for you." She smiled. "That's worth more than anything Declan could have given you."

I felt something loosen in my chest.

"You're right," I said.

"I know."

That night, I slept better than I had in days.

The next morning, I woke to the sound of voices outside. I walked to the window and saw a group of wolves gathered near the elders' hall. They were talking in low voices, their expressions tense.

I dressed quickly and went outside. Kael was already there, waiting for me near the edge of the grounds.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"The elders have postponed the meeting."

I frowned. "Why?"

"They didn't say. But I heard one of them mention Garrett's name."

I felt a chill run down my spine.

"What does that mean?"

Kael looked at me. "It means Garrett is making moves. And the elders are scared."

I stared at the crowd. The pack was divided. The elders were uncertain. And Garrett was working from the shadows.

"We need to be ready," I said.

Kael nodded. "We will be."