Chapter 9

I was shocked when I woke up, my body drenched in cold perspiration, and my heart pounding. The nightmare seemed vivid and genuine. Alec's words were still ringing in my head, and his dark eyes were haunting me. With a tone that blended wrath and hatred, he murmured, "You'll pay for betraying me, Corrigan."

I sat up in bed, panting nervously. The soft morning light seeping through the drapes cast a shadow across the room. I was in Lucien's quarters, a place that should have felt secure, but recently, it seemed like a prison. I was stuck between two terrible men: Alec, the renegade who had once rescued me and was now out to destroy all that Lucien had created, and Lucien, my mate and alpha.

The sensation of being stuck in the centre persisted. I could sense the growing tension between the packs and knew that a renegade assault was on the horizon. The pack members were tense as rumours of insurrection began to circulate like wildfire. Alec was sure to make his move at some point.

I flung off the covers and swung my bare feet to the chilly floor by swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. I could feel the familiar tingle of worry creep up my back as I stood. I had to leave this place. Not right now. I was breathing.

Moving gently, I pulled on my robe and walked onto the balcony, throwing wide the door to allow the fresh morning air to touch my face. A tiny relief from my anxiety came from the cold wind. I sat on the railing and gazed out at the far tree line. Somewhere out there, Alec was waiting, preparing his retribution.

My wolf, Crystal, whispered to me, "I know you're scared." But we must maintain our strength. For the benefit of Lucien. For the group.

I repeated to myself, for Lucien. But was I helping him, or was I simply trying to avoid getting in trouble with Alec?

I tried to ignore the memories, the remorse, and the ongoing sense of being ripped apart as I closed my eyes. However, it was useless. Alec used to be a buddy and an ally of mine. He was a danger now, and I had no idea how to stop him.

My thoughts were interrupted by voices. They were muted yet near. My eyes sprang awake, and I paid close attention. Lucien was having a serious, low-pitched conversation with someone in the next room. I approached the slightly ajar door discreetly and peered through.

With his back to me, Lucien added, "We need to act soon." He was talking to Serena, a tough warrior Lucien trusted with his life and one of his lieutenants. Alec won't have much more time to wait as the rogues get closer. I want the pack ready for any unexpected assault.

With a sombre gaze, Serena nodded. "Alpha, we'll be prepared. What about Corrigan, though? Is she aware of this?

Lucien paused. When I waited for his response, my pulse raced. Does he think I'm guilty?

Finally, in a tense voice, Lucien remarked, "She knows enough." Nevertheless, there's more. A task that I must do alone.

My stomach turned over. A covert mission? What did he have planned?

Lucien went on, "We can't let Alec gain any more ground." "This pack may come to an end if he does."

I retreated from the doorway, my thoughts spinning. Lucien was preparing a significant and risky project. And I was stuck between two guys who could do as much damage as the other, more stuck than before. The worst aspect, though? I couldn't decide which one of them scared me more.

I froze at the sound of footsteps. The door opened as I hurried back to the bed and slipped beneath the covers. As he entered, Lucien fixed his steely gaze on me. He paused and looked carefully at me.

"Dreams gone bad?" In a gentler tone than usual, he inquired.

I swallowed the knot in my throat and nodded. Simply a bad dream. Nothing grave.

As usual, Lucien occupied the edge of the bed, his presence imposing. His eyes never left mine as he calmly murmured, "You've been on edge lately." "Are you withholding something from me?"

I mustered a grin, but it was fake. "Lucien, I'm all right. Just, just now, everything seems so overwhelming.

He didn't look any closer, but his eyes became gloomy. "Corrigan, we are very close to going to war. You must be ready.

I nodded, but on the inside, I was feeling even less prepared.

I couldn't help but remember back to when all of this insanity had started when Lucien had been banished from the pack as he was leaving the room. I knew the truth, though no one spoke it publicly, about why he had been expelled. Everything had started because I had rejected him as my mate.

Lucien has endured a cruel banishment. He had been forced to live in the forest among outlaws on his own, without support from friends or allies. There, beyond the bounds of any pack, he formed relationships with dangerous individuals, rogues who lived by their own rules. He could only survive in this manner.

I recollected the rumours I had heard, murmurs about how Lucien had used cunning and pure power to get to the top of a rebel camp and win their admiration. He had been cold-blooded, merciless, and motivated only by vengeance.

And now our pack was in danger from the same outlaws who were involved in the uprising. The insurrection was personal as well as being about power. I was being pulled down by Lucien's history as it was finally catching up with him.

Now that I saw it properly, Alec wasn't the only one responsible for the uprising. The ones who had formerly followed Lucien were the outlaws. They felt betrayed when he returned to the pack, forsaking the life they had shared. They now want his death.

My spine tingled with cold. I had underestimated the strength of the bonds between Lucien and the outlaws. This insurrection was a struggle for survival as much as for territory. And at the heart of it all was Lucien.

Once again, I heard footsteps getting closer. Lucien re-entered the room, his look inscrutable. He came to a halt at the door and gave me a narrowed glance.

With a penetrating glance, he continued slowly, "You seem... distracted."

I forcefully swallowed, attempting to suppress the terror building inside of me. I lied and said, "I'm fine."

With his eyes fixed on mine as if he could see right through me, Lucien remained still. Finally, he answered, "Good," yet his voice was suspicious. "Corrigan, I need you to be focused." We cannot afford to be sidetracked.

I nodded, even though what I had just learned was making my head spin. I was caught amid Lucien's risky game: the revolt, the rogues, the covert mission.

Lucien turned to go out the door, then stopped. "I'll find out if there's something you're hiding from me," he said in a hushed voice.

Then he was gone, leaving me to carry the unbearable weight of my secrets.