CHAPTER17
The First Crack
“You sure about this?” Jonas asked, keeping his voice low.
Adrian didn’t look at him. His gaze was fixed ahead, his jaw set. “I’ve never been surer of anything.”
They stood in the centre of the pack’s large, open meeting hall with its walls lined by torches. It wasn’t a meeting but a full
assembly, which meant that everyone who was anyone was present, awaiting the former Alpha to have his say.
Alice sat on the far side of the room, her posture composed, but Adrian knew better. He saw the tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers clenched subtly at her sides. She knew something was coming.
Adrian stepped forward, and the room fell silent
“I won’t waste anyone’s time,” he began, his voice sure, carrying through the hall. “For too long, I let myself be blinded by things
that weren’t real. I trusted the wrong people. Made the wrong choices. And because of that, I lost something–someone–who
actually mattered.”
He let the words settle. He wasn’t naming names, but everyone knew.
Alice shifted, her lips parting slightly, but she didn’t interrupt.
Adrian went on, “That ends today. From this moment on, I am cutting all ties with those who manipulated me. Who used me.
Who made me believe things that were never true.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd. The meaning was clear.
Alice sprang to her feet, a smile frozen on her face. “Adrian, I think we should-
“No,” he said curtly, turning fully toward her. “You don’t get to talk your way out of this. Not this time.”
Silence. Thick. Suffocating-
Alice’s smile didn’t falter, but her eyes did darken. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but let’s not make a spectacle of
personal matters ”
Adrien gave a short laugh, mirthless. “You already did that, Alice.” He moved in, his voice taking on a confidential tone that was for her ears alone. “I know what you’ve done. I know what you’ve lied about.”
A flicker of something–fear? Irritation? -crossed her face.
“You don’t want to do this,” she whispered.
“Yeah,” Adrian said. “I really do.”
He turned away from her, back to the pack. “From this point on, I will not be associated with Alice or anyone who has helped her
1/5
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deceive me and this pack. That’s all.‘
And just like that, he walked out, leaving Alice standing there, eyes burning holes into his back.
The first crack had formed.
“Captain, you’re being considered for command of the Shadow Division.”
Flora blinked. “Come again?”
General Whitaker wrapped his hands behind his back. “A leadership role in the most elite unit in the military. It’s a rare opportunity.”
Flora slowly exhaled to gather her thoughts. The Shadow Division was no joke; only the very finest were handpicked. It wasn‘ only prestige but the power to, at last, come fully into one’s own–the role that she had struggled so hard to achieve.
“And I’d be leading it?” she clarified.
Whitaker nodded. “You’d be their captain. It means a transfer, of course. You’d be stationed at the northern border.”
Far from here. Far from him.
Flora forced herself not to react.
“This is a decision that requires careful thought,” Whitaker continued. “You’d be leaving behind your current unit. You’d be leaving behind… unfinished business.”
Her jaw tightened. She hated how easily people could see through her.
“I’ll need time to think about it,” she said,
Whitaker gave a small nod. “Take the time you need, Captain. But not too long.”
She saluted, turning on her heel before he could say anything else.
Her mind was racing
A clean break. A chance to start o
over. No more
more tangled emotions.
Then why did it feel like she was hesitating?
“You look pissed.”
Flora barely glanced at Dawson before slamming her locker shut. “I’m fine.”
Dawson snorted. “Sure, you are.” He leaned against the row of lockers, arms crossed. “What’s eating you?”
Flora hesitated, then exhaled. “I got an offer to lead the Shadow Division.”
Dawson whistled low. “Damn. That’s big.”
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“And let me guess,” he continued, “you’re not jumping at the chance because of a certain brooding werewolf.”
Flora shot him a look. “You love making assumptions, don’t you?”
“Only when they’re true.”
She rolled her eyes, but the comment hit a bit too close than she wanted to admit.
Dawson’s smirk didn’t quite go away. “Look, Flora. You don’t owe him anything. If this is what you want, take it.”
Her fingers curled into fists. “I don’t know what I want.”
There was silence for a moment. Then Dawson shrugged. “Well, you better figure it out fast. Because I doubt Adrian’s just gonna
sit back and let you go without a fight.”
Alice paced her quarters, her nails digging into her palms.
That bastard.
He had humiliated her. Publicly.
Her mind spun, looking for an angle. A way to turn this back in her Favor.
And then it hit her.
A slow, wicked smile curled her lips.
Fine. If Adrian wanted to make a statement, she’d make one of her own.
And she knew exactly where to strike.
Flora wasn’t prepared for the staring. The whispering. The sideways looks when she walked across the base.
She frowned. Something was wrong.
She caught Ramos at the edge of the training grounds. “What the hell is going on?”
Ramos hesitated. “You… haven’t heard?”
Flora crossed her arms. “Obviously not.”
A grimace. “Word is… you used Adrian. That you manipulated him, climbed ranks by playing the victim.”
Flora stared at him. “What?”
Ramos rubbed the back of his neck. “People are saying you never cared about him. That you’re just trying to get close to the higher–ups. That’s why you’re getting the promotion.”
Flora’s blood ran cold.
Alice.
Of course.
Flora forced a breath, keeping her expression neutral. “Let them talk,” she said.
Ramos frowned. “You sure?”
“Yeah.” Her voice was steady. “I don’t have time for rumours.”
She turned and walked away, ignoring the whispers that followed.
But inside?
Inside, she was burning.
Adrian found her by the barracks that evening.
“I heard,” he said simply.
Flora didn’t look at him. “Let me guess–now you’re wondering if it’s true.”
His jaw clenched. “I know it’s not.”
That made her pause.
Adrian took a step closer. “I’m sorry.”
Flora huffed loudly. “You don’t have to—”
“Yeah, I do.” His voice was low, but certain. “This is happening because of me.”
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, finally, Flora sighed. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does.”
She turned to face him. “Then what do you want me to do, Adrian?”
He didn’t say anything for a while. But his eyes said it all.
He wanted her to stay.
She wasn’t so sure she could.
And that?
That was the real problem.
