Chapter 293

So Rowan acted.

He reached out to the edges instead of the center, slipping coins and promises into the hands of border guards along Silver Fang’s territory. Men, he assumed, were overlooked. Underpaid. Hungry enough to listen.

He underestimated them.

Unlike most alphas, Nolan took his warrior training seriously. He respected the sacrifices that his warriors made in the name of the pack, and he never sent them into danger without being right there by their side.

He also paid well, rotated the guard often, and ensured the well-being of his men. There was no one among his warriors who would turn on their alpha.

The attempt was exposed within hours.

The evidence was undeniable. Messages. Coin. Witnesses.

And it was delivered directly to Kieran. Nolan sent it to him to handle the situation, with the unspoken understanding that this was Kieran’s opportunity to protect his reputation and prove to Nolan that he had been serious about his apology after the incident at the debate.

The confrontation was brief-and decisive.

Rowan was summoned, his protestations cut short by Kieran’s expression alone. Gone was the hesitation, the careful politicking. What remained was something hard and resolute, forged in the aftermath of Alaric’s warning and the knowledge of how close everything had come to catastrophe.

Kieran had seen the reports, he’d spoken to the Silver Fang guards, and he’d seen the messages himself. There was no doubt about what happened, no denying it.

Not only had the men he tried to bribe told them everything, but the Silver Fang liaison had come forward with evidence that Rowan had attempted this sort of bribery before. It was damning and ensured that Kieran had only two options. Risk war with Silver Fang by backing Rowan, or disavow him completely.

He was caught red-handed. The fact that Rowan would even attempt to justify it filled him with a cold rage.

Rowan stood defiantly before Kieran’s desk, his chin held high.

+25 Bonus

Chapter

203

“How dare you have me dragged here like a common criminal. I am an elder-” “Enough.”

Kieran didn’t raise his voice; he didn’t slam the desk. He walked in front of Rowan and looked at him steadily. His normally charming facade was gone, leaving only a man who was tired and profoundly disappointed.

Not only in Rowan, but in himself, for his poor judgment.

“This ends now,” Kieran said coldly. “You acted without my knowledge, against my explicit stance. I told you, this feud with Nolan is over. He dropped out of the campaign; there’s no reason for this.”

“Don’t be naive,” Rowan scoffed. “This may be the best opportunity we have to—”

“To what?” Kieran demanded. “Humiliate him? Attack him? What exactly is it you hoped to accomplish by bribing his guards?”

“Having access to Silver Fang now would be politically beneficial. Being able to pass across the border freely would allow us to gather intel.”

“To what end?” Kieran demanded. “You’re ignoring my questions. This personal vendetta you have against Nolan has gone too far. You’re risking the reputation of Pine Ridge with these underhanded games.”

Rowan sneered. “You’re letting fear dictate your loyalty. Nolan is dangerous—”

“So are you,” Kieran interrupted. “And unlike Nolan, you have proven that you can’t be trusted.”

The verdict was immediate.

Rowan was stripped of his position, his influence severed, his name formally disavowed. Banished from Pine Ridge with a clarity that left no room for appeal.

Kieran stood before the council and made it unmistakably clear.

“There will be no more hatred between our packs,” he said. “Not while innocents are at risk. Not while children are being targeted. Anyone who attempts to continue this conflict in my name will share his fate. Silver Fang is not our enemy. My personal feelings about Nolan may be well known, but that doesn’t justify this kind of underhanded behavior. Pine Ridge has more honor than this, and it’s time we show

it.”

The message rippled outward fast.

The kingdom was shifting-not toward unity, not yet-but toward something colder and more honest. Kieran’s words struck home for many.

Nolan’s redemption hadn’t softened the attitudes that many had about him, but this was about more than personal feelings. It had to be. The lives and well-being of too many people were hanging in the balance. Those in power couldn’t allow themselves to fall victim to petty differences and ego.

Lines were being drawn.

Some in defiance.

Some in loyalty.

And some, quietly but irrevocably, in love.