Chapter 44

The soft tapping at my window startled me from restless sleep. For a moment, I lay frozen, unsure if I had imagined the sound. Then it came again—more insistent this time, a deliberate pattern that couldn't be mistaken for wind or branches.

I rose cautiously, drawing a silk robe around my shoulders as I approached the window. The tapping came a third time, rhythmic and urgent. Steeling myself, I pulled back the heavy velvet curtains to reveal a sight that sent my heart racing.

Kane balanced precariously on the narrow stone ledge outside, three stories above the ground. His powerful form was silhouetted against the midnight sky, one hand braced against the window frame while the other prepared to tap again. Moonlight caught in his dark hair, highlighting the determination in his features.

Quickly, I unlatched the ancient iron window lock, allowing him to slide gracefully into my chamber with barely a sound. His movements had the fluid precision of a predator—controlled, silent, deadly.

"Are you insane?" I whispered harshly, though relief at seeing him overwhelmed my irritation. "The Swift River guards would shoot first and ask questions later if they spotted you."

Kane shrugged, seemingly unconcerned by the deadly drop he'd just navigated or the armed warriors patrolling below. "Worth the risk. I've identified the hooded figure."

My breath caught. "Who is it?"

"Darian," Kane said, his voice dropping even lower. "Lieutenant to the Rogue King himself."

The name sent ice through my veins. Darian was infamous among wolf packs—a ruthless enforcer responsible for raids that had left entire settlements in ruins. If he was working with Giana, the threat was far graver than I'd imagined.

"How certain are you?" I asked, hoping desperately that he was mistaken.

"Completely. I saw his face when he removed his hood at their meeting point. The scar across his left eye is unmistakable." Kane's expression turned grim.

"And that's not all. I've discovered multiple rogue scout positions surrounding Swift River territory—at least six encampments with four to five warriors each."

"That's far too many for a standard raid," I said, my mind racing with implications. "Twenty-five or thirty rogues... this is a coordinated force."

Kane nodded, his amber eyes reflecting the moonlight filtering through the window. "Exactly. This is coordinated, strategic positioning. These aren't random rogues—they're organized, disciplined, and clearly following someone's command."

He moved to the center of the room, unrolling several maps on the floor. I knelt beside him, our heads close together as he indicated vulnerable points in Swift River's defensive perimeter. The maps were meticulously detailed, with Kane's precise markings indicating rogue positions, patrol routes, and terrain features.

"Here, here, and here," he said, pointing to three specific locations. "These positions allow clear sightlines into the main compound while providing multiple escape routes. Whoever positioned these scouts knows exactly what they're doing."

I studied the patterns, recognition dawning. "These formations... they mirror classic siege positioning from the Eastern Territory Wars."

"You recognize it too," Kane said, impressed. "Most wolves today wouldn't know these historical tactics."

"Alpha Marcus insisted I study ancient warfare strategies," I explained. "He said Luna must understand defense as thoroughly as diplomacy."

"He was right," Kane replied. "This knowledge might save lives in the coming conflict."

"But what is Giana planning?" I asked, frustration edging my voice. "A direct attack would be suicide, even with these numbers. Swift River's warriors are too well-trained."

Kane's expression was troubled as he traced the pattern of encampments. "I'm not sure. But whatever it is, the Swift River visit was clearly designed to bring key pack leaders together in one location."

"A coordinated strike against leadership?" I suggested, the possibility chilling.

"Possibly. Or perhaps they're after something specific at Swift River that requires a distraction." He indicated additional markings on his map. "They've been avoiding traditional patrol routes with remarkable precision. Someone gave them detailed intelligence."

Our proximity as we examined the maps created a strange tension between us. In the silence of my chamber, with the rest of the compound sleeping, the awareness of our situation felt heightened—alone, hunched over contraband maps, plotting against our own Alpha's mate.

The subtle scent of him—pine and cedar mixed with something distinctly Kane—made my wolf stir with unexpected awareness. I found myself noticing details I'd overlooked before—the precise way he marked the maps, the strength in his hands, the intensity of his focus. A lock of dark hair fell across his forehead as he leaned closer to indicate a particular position, and I fought the unexpected urge to brush it back.

"I've been worried about you," Kane admitted suddenly, his voice uncharacteristically vulnerable. Looking up from the maps, I found his gaze fixed on me rather than the tactical markings. "When I realized how many rogues were positioned around the territory..."

"I'm fine," I assured him, though the concern in his eyes made my heart beat faster. "But this arrangement of ours—it's evolved beyond what we first agreed to, hasn't it?"

Kane's gaze met mine, something unspoken passing between us. "It stopped being just physical for me a long time ago, Aurora."

The weight of his confession hung in the air between us. I reached for him, drawn by something deeper than the mate bond's pain or physical attraction. My fingers brushed his cheek, the contact sending electricity through my skin.

"Kane, I—"

Footsteps in the corridor outside silenced me instantly. Kane moved with supernatural speed, sliding beneath my bed as the door opened without warning. I stood quickly, smoothing my robe with hands that trembled slightly.

Luna Elena entered, her silver hair loose around her shoulders, eyes scanning the room with deliberate attention. Her gaze lingered on the bed where Kane hid, but she said nothing about the obvious second presence.

"I apologize for the late intrusion," she said carefully, "but there's something you should know about Raymond's father."

"What is it?" I asked, struggling to maintain composure.

"He's been experiencing unusual symptoms—weakness, confusion, hand tremors." She stepped closer, her voice dropping. "His decline began shortly after Giana started joining family meals," she said meaningfully, her implication unmistakable.

My blood ran cold. "You think she's been poisoning him."

Luna Elena's expression remained carefully controlled. "I merely note the correlation. But it's unusual for a wolf of his strength to deteriorate so rapidly without obvious cause."

She moved toward the window, adjusting the curtain with studied casualness. "Alpha Marcus has held leadership for thirty-six years. No illness has ever affected him this way—not until she arrived."

"Have you confronted Raymond with your suspicions?" I asked.

She shook her head, a sad smile touching her lips. "He sees only what the mate bond allows him to see. But you—" her eyes flicked briefly toward the bed, "—are not so blinded."

After she departed, Kane emerged from hiding, his expression grim. "She knows I'm here."

"Yet she said nothing," I pointed out. "She's an ally, Kane. And I think she's right about the poisoning."

"The symptoms match certain slow-acting toxins," he agreed. "Particularly those derived from wolfsbane variants. They gradually weaken an Alpha's natural regenerative abilities."

We spent the next hour developing a detailed plan—switching food, monitoring drinks, establishing a rotation to ensure someone was always watching Alpha Marcus's meals, especially when Giana was nearby.

"We'll need to be subtle," Kane cautioned. "If she suspects we're onto her, she might accelerate whatever she's planning."

I nodded agreement. "I can use my position as Luna to implement taste-testing protocols—claim it's a traditional precaution during diplomatic visits."

As dawn approached, Kane reluctantly prepared to leave. "I need to get back to my position before the Swift River patrols change guards."

I followed him to the window, suddenly reluctant to see him go. "Be careful."

He turned back, his expression serious. "Aurora, when this is over—when we've dealt with Giana and the rogues—we need to talk about what's happening between us."

"Yes," I agreed softly. "We do." Kane reached out, his hand gently cupping my cheek.

The tenderness in his touch contrasted sharply with his usual confident demeanor. For a breathless moment, neither of us moved. Then he leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead with unexpected gentleness before disappearing into the predawn shadows.

I watched until he vanished among the trees, my fingers touching the spot where his lips had been, confused by the emotions swirling within me—fear for what lay ahead, determination to protect the pack, and something new and fragile growing between Kane and me that I wasn't yet ready to name.