The Ruthless Alpha's Hidden Mate

Chapter 3

The forest was quiet.

Too quiet.

Nora stood at the edge of the western grounds with a small basket in her hands, staring between the trees.

She had come to gather herbs, but she couldn't bring herself to take another step.

That feeling had returned.

Someone was watching her.

"Nora!"

She turned quickly.

Lily was hurrying toward her.

"What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Mrs. Hilda sent me for herbs."

Lily glanced toward the trees.

"Then let's get what we need and go."

Nora nodded.

Neither of them mentioned the strange silence.

They worked quickly.

Nora crouched beside a patch of feverleaf and began pulling the herbs carefully from the soil.

Then she heard something.

A branch snapping.

She froze.

"Lily."

"What?"

"Did you hear that?"

Lily stopped moving.

They listened.

Nothing.

Then another sound came from deeper in the forest.

A low growl.

Lily's face changed.

"That wasn't an animal."

Nora stood.

"We should go."

They turned toward the castle.

A shadow moved between the trees.

Nora's breath caught.

For one brief second, she saw a pair of pale eyes.

Then they vanished.

"Run."

Lily didn't argue.

They hurried back toward the castle.

Kaelan was in the training yard when a guard approached.

"Alpha."

Kaelan turned.

"What?"

"We found fresh tracks near the western grounds."

His expression hardened.

"The western grounds?"

"Yes."

"How recent?"

"Very."

Kaelan glanced toward the forest.

"Any sign of the rogues?"

"None."

Darian walked over.

"Could be the same group from the eastern border."

Kaelan shook his head.

"Why move from east to west?"

Darian frowned.

"Maybe they're trying to confuse us."

"Maybe."

Kaelan looked toward the servants' quarters.

"Or they're getting closer to whatever they're looking for."

Darian followed his gaze.

"Nora?"

Kaelan didn't answer.

He didn't need to.

Nora returned to the kitchen with Lily.

Mrs. Hilda was waiting.

Her eyes immediately went to the basket.

"Where did you get those?"

"The western grounds."

Mrs. Hilda's face tightened.

"Who told you to go there?"

"You did."

"I told you to stay close to the walls."

"I did."

Mrs. Hilda looked at Lily.

"Did you see anyone?"

Lily hesitated.

Nora noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Mrs. Hilda's eyes narrowed.

"Nora."

Nora looked at her.

"We heard something in the forest."

Mrs. Hilda went still.

"What did you hear?"

"A branch."

"And?"

Nora swallowed.

"A growl."

Mrs. Hilda immediately took the basket from her.

"You won't go outside again."

"But—"

"No."

Her voice was sharp enough to silence the room.

Nora stared at her.

"What are you afraid of?"

Mrs. Hilda looked away.

"Nothing."

"That's not true."

Mrs. Hilda's hands tightened around the basket.

"You don't understand."

"Then explain it to me."

For a moment, Nora thought she would.

Instead, Mrs. Hilda lowered her voice.

"Some things are safer when you don't know them."

Nora's chest tightened.

"That's what you always say."

She turned and walked away.

Mrs. Hilda watched her go.

A tear gathered in the corner of her eye.

"Forgive me, child."

Kaelan stood outside the dungeon.

The guards opened the door.

He stepped inside.

The captured rogue looked up.

"Alpha."

Kaelan stopped in front of him.

"You know why I am here."

The rogue smiled.

"I assume you're curious."

"I don't have patience for games."

"Then ask your question."

Kaelan's eyes narrowed.

"Why did you come to Silver Crest?"

The rogue leaned back against the wall.

"I didn't come for your territory."

"Then what do you want?"

The rogue remained silent.

Kaelan stepped closer.

"You crossed our borders. You avoided our villages. You left your camps empty."

He lowered his voice.

"You're searching for someone."

The rogue's smile returned.

"Perhaps."

"Who?"

The rogue looked directly into his eyes.

"You already saw her."

Kaelan's stomach tightened.

"Nora."

The rogue said nothing.

That silence was enough.

Kaelan grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him closer.

"What do you know about her?"

The rogue didn't resist.

Instead, he whispered:

"More than she knows about herself."

Kaelan released him.

"Explain."

"Not yet."

"Why?"

The rogue smiled.

"Because you haven't asked the right question."

Kaelan stared at him.

"What question?"

The rogue leaned forward.

"Why was she hidden?"

Kaelan froze.

The rogue watched the realization settle over his face.

Then he laughed softly.

"Now you're beginning to understand."

Outside the dungeon, Darian was waiting.

"What did he say?"

Kaelan walked past him.

"He knows Nora."

Darian's expression changed.

"How?"

"I don't know."

"Did he explain why the rogues are looking for her?"

"No."

Darian followed him.

"What are you going to do?"

Kaelan stopped.

"Find out who she really is."

Nora sat alone near the kitchen window.

She kept thinking about the rogue.

Why had he looked at her that way?

Why had Mrs. Hilda reacted so strongly to the forest?

And why did everyone seem to know something about her except her?

Lily sat beside her.

"You've been quiet."

Nora looked at her.

"Do you think Mrs. Hilda is hiding something?"

Lily hesitated.

"Probably."

"That doesn't help."

"I know."

Nora looked down at her hands.

"Sometimes I wonder if I really belong here."

Lily frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't remember my parents."

"You were young."

"I know."

"But?"

Nora looked toward the courtyard.

"I don't even know where I was born."

Lily's expression softened.

"Maybe Mrs. Hilda knows."

"She does."

"Then ask her."

"I did."

"And?"

"She wouldn't answer."

Lily reached for her hand.

"Whatever it is, you won't face it alone."

Nora smiled faintly.

"Thank you."

Neither noticed the figure standing beyond the courtyard wall.

Watching.

That evening, Kaelan entered the pack archives.

Dust covered the old shelves.

He pulled out the servants' records and began searching.

One name.

Nora Ashwood.

He found it.

His eyes narrowed.

The record was almost empty.

No parents.

No birthplace.

No date of arrival.

Only one name appeared beneath her details.

Guardian: Mrs. Hilda.

Kaelan stared at the page.

Someone had gone to great lengths to erase Nora's history.

He turned the page.

Nothing.

He checked the next record.

Still nothing.

Then a folded piece of parchment slipped from between two old pages and landed on the floor.

Kaelan bent down.

He picked it up.

The parchment was old.

Very old.

He unfolded it.

A silver wolf beneath a crescent moon was stitched into the center.

Kaelan stared at the symbol.

He had seen it before.

Not in a book.

On something else.

His thoughts went back to Mrs. Hilda.

Then to the prisoner.

Then to Nora.

His fingers tightened around the parchment.

"Who are you?"

Far beyond the castle walls, the rogue who had been captured was not the only one watching Silver Crest.

Three figures stood beneath the trees.

One of them looked toward the castle.

"She is there."

Another asked:

"Are you certain?"

The first figure nodded.

"The girl has the mark."

Silence followed.

"And the Alpha?"

"He has noticed her."

The three exchanged uneasy looks.

One finally spoke.

"Then we don't have much time."

They turned toward the castle.

"Find her before he does."