THE ALPHA'S HIDDEN MATE

SHADOWS OF TRUST

Chapter 13

The lodge stood quiet under the waning moonlight, its walls still faintly aglow from Aria’s power, a fragile shield against the night. Aria sat inside by the fireplace, her sneakers discarded, her scorched hoodie replaced with a borrowed flannel that smelled faintly of pine and Zane. Her crescent-shaped birthmark pulsed softly on her wrist, its heat a steady reminder of the bond she’d forged with him—sealed with that fierce, moonlit kiss. Zane stood nearby, his green eyes scanning the pack as they tended to wounds and reinforced the doors, his black shirt patched but still stained with blood. The pack link hummed in her mind, a warm thread tying her to him, to Lyra, Sienna, and the others, but the traitor’s shadow—Clara’s betrayal—cast a chill over their unity.

Zane approached, his hand brushing her shoulder, sending a spark through her. “You okay?” he asked, his voice low, rough with concern.

Aria nodded, her heart fluttering at his touch, her wolf purring softly. “I think so,” she said, meeting his gaze. “That kiss… it felt like more than just us.”

“It was,” Zane said, his eyes softening, a rare vulnerability showing. “The mate bond. It’s rare, powerful. The mark chose you for me, and that fight proved it.”

Before she could respond, Torin’s voice cut through, sharp from the window. “Movement outside,” he said, his scarred face grim, club in hand. “Not wolves—something else.”

Aria’s stomach tightened, the mark flaring, heat surging. She stood, Zane beside her, as Lyra joined Torin, her knife gleaming. “Mira’s magic,” Lyra muttered, sniffing the air. “Ash and rot. She’s not done.”

Sienna limped over, her bandage fresh, her braids swaying. “Clara might know more,” she said, her voice steady despite her pain. “We need to question her.”

Zane’s jaw clenched, his alpha presence hardening. “Agreed. But we do it carefully. She’s scared, not just guilty.”

Aria’s heart ached, pity for Clara warring with anger. The young woman’s confession—her brother held by Rourke—haunted her. “I’ll go with you,” she said, the mark glowing brighter. “Maybe I can sense if she’s lying again.”

Zane hesitated, his hand tightening on her arm. “You’ve done enough tonight. But… your wolf might help. Let’s go.”

They moved to the back room where Clara was held, a small space with a locked door. Torin unlocked it, revealing Clara huddled in a corner, her blonde hair disheveled, her eyes red from crying. The scent of fear and ash clung to her, faint but unmistakable.

“Clara,” Zane said, his voice firm but not cruel. “Tell us everything. Who else is involved? Where’s your brother?”

Clara shook, her hands trembling. “I don’t know who else!” she sobbed. “Rourke contacted me alone, said they’d kill Jake if I didn’t weaken the wards. I didn’t want to—”

Aria closed her eyes, focusing on her wolf senses, the pack link guiding her. Clara’s heartbeat raced, her scent sour with panic, but there was no deceit—just raw terror. “She’s telling the truth,” Aria said, her voice soft. “She doesn’t know more.”

Zane nodded, his eyes narrowing. “Where’s Jake now?”

“Somewhere in Blackthorn territory,” Clara whispered. “Rourke said they’d send proof he’s alive if I cooperated. I got a note—torn, bloody—but that’s all.”

Lyra cursed, pacing. “A trap. They’re using her brother as bait.”

Aria’s mark burned, her wolf growling. “We can’t leave him,” she said, looking at Zane. “If we save him, maybe she’ll trust us again.”

Zane’s face darkened, weighing the risk. “It’s dangerous. But you’re right. We need the pack whole.”

A loud crash outside interrupted, the lodge shaking. Torin shouted, “They’re here!” The pack scrambled, weapons drawn, as ash swirled through a broken window, Mira’s red eyes glinting in the dark. Rourke’s howl followed, deep and menacing, wolves pouring in.

Zane shifted, his silver-gray wolf charging, and Aria followed, pain sparking as she transformed. Her silver wolf leaped at a Blackthorn, jaws snapping, the mark flaring. She sent a shockwave, scattering wolves, but Mira’s ash burned her side, making her yelp. *Stay with me!* Zane’s voice roared in her mind, tackling Rourke.

Aria focused, guiding the heat, and unleashed another pulse, pushing Mira back. The witch snarled, roots erupting, trapping Lyra. Aria shifted back, human, gasping, and ran to her, pressing her hands to the vine. The mark glowed, heat flowing, and the root withered, freeing Lyra.

“Thanks, kid,” Lyra grunted, slashing at another wolf.

Mira laughed, her ash reforming. “Your bond won’t save you,” she sneered, blasting toward Aria. Zane shifted back, shielding her, the ash grazing his arm. “Channel it!” he urged, his hand on her waist, steadying her.

Aria closed her eyes, feeling the pack link—Zane’s strength, Lyra’s grit, Sienna’s resolve. The mark blazed, a surge of light erupting, shattering the ash and roots. The Blackthorns retreated, Mira’s scream fading as she fled with Rourke.

Aria collapsed, breathless, Zane catching her, his arms strong around her. “You’re incredible,” he whispered, his lips brushing her forehead, the bond thrumming.

“We need to find Jake,” she said, her voice weak but firm. “For Clara. For us.”

Zane nodded, his eyes fierce. “We will. But rest first. We’re in this together.”

The pack gathered, weary but united, the lodge’s glow fading. Aria’s mark dimmed, her energy spent, but the mate bond with Zane burned bright, a promise of love and war. The night held more battles, and their trust—newly mended—would be tested again.