Chapter 173

Mabel Rowanfall stood quietly.

Her return had unsettled the pack. She could smell it. They were all wondering why she returned.

Mabel walked calmly through the corridor anyway with one gloved hand resting lightly against the dark fabric of her dress.

The Rowanfall estate remained exactly as she remembered, with tall black pillars standing tall, moonlit marble floors, and black wolf statues lining the halls with cold elegance.

Nothing warm existed here except the man waiting for her beyond the final chamber doors.

The guards outside immediately lowered their heads.

“Lady Mabel.”

She gave a single nod, and smiled at them. They returned her smile warmly, and one guard pushed the doors open for her.

Alpha Rowanfall stood near the enormous windows overlooking the forests below. One hand rested behind his back while the other held a crystal glass loosely.

Mabel stepped inside quietly.

The doors shut behind her.

“You allowed her to unmask you.” her father began the moment the doors closed behind her.

Mabel’s expression did not shift.

Her father still faced the windows.

Rain fell softly beyond the glass tonight, and distant thunder rolled far across the mountains. The rain would settle down, or even, slow down.

It’s been days now.

Mabel removed her gloves slowly.

“Aire was emotional,” she answered calmly. “She saw one thing, and acted like I am the most evil for doing such.”

Alpha Rowanfall finally turned toward her. “Did she humiliate you publicly?” he asked softly. Mabel haven’t told him the full story of what transpired.

Mabel walked toward the fire instead. “Do I look humiliated?”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “You tell me.”

Mabel lifted one shoulder lightly. “Even if she tried it, the court would only see a frightened girl accusing someone stronger than herself.”

That answer made him smile.

“She is becoming accepted, regardless of what we think,” Alpha Rowanfall observed quietly. “I was sent out of court because of her.”

Mabel said nothing.

Her father studied her carefully now.

Most wolves feared him. Mabel never had. Not because he lacked cruelty, but because she had always understood one truth better than most people. Alpha Rowanfall loved his daughter beyond reason.

It was perhaps the only uncomplicated thing about him.

Even now, support sat beneath his gaze instead of anger.

“You should have handled it better,” he said finally.

Mabel lowered herself gracefully into one of the chairs near the fire. “Perhaps.”

That single word told him enough. She was thinking, calculating, and rearranging pieces already.

Alpha Rowanfall moved toward the table slowly before placing his untouched drink down.

“She grows stronger faster than expected.”

Mabel’s fingers paused briefly against the armrest.

Barely noticeable.

But he noticed.

He always noticed with her.

“She touched the fae current directly,” he continued. “That should not have happened yet.”

Mabel finally looked at him fully. She haven’t heard that before leaving the castle. “Who told you?”

“Ashmere.”

The room went still for half a second.

Mabel’s expression remained perfectly composed.

Inside however, her thoughts sharpened instantly.

Mabel crossed one leg slowly over the other. “You seem unusually informed lately.”

Her father gave a faint humorless chuckle. “That,” he said quietly, “is because I am with Alpha Ashmere now.”

Mabel blinked once. “What does that mean?”

Alpha Rowanfall walked slowly toward the fire. His gaze darkened faintly beneath flickering light.

“It means,” he answered calmly, “that this kingdom is already moving toward war whether Elijah realizes it or not.”

Mabel watched him carefully now.

“Ashmere understands that.” He added.

Alpha Ashmere rarely involved himself openly in kingdom affairs unless absolutely necessary.

Which meant whatever was happening beneath the surface had already become dangerous.

Mabel tilted her head slightly. “War with whom?”

Her father looked at her strangely then.

“Everyone.”

Alpha Rowanfall continued quietly.

“The humans are organizing faster than expected, and border attacks have already increased. Suppression weapons exist now. Silver engineering has evolved.” His eyes sharpened. “And Ashmere is feeding them informations, while I fund the war,”

Mabel remained still. Not even surprise crossed her face. Though internally, her mind had already begun connecting threads.

“Ashmere has planned this for years now.” her father continued.

That finally surprised her slightly.

Still not enough to show outwardly.

“He has been preparing quietly while Elijah focused on the wolves politics and council unrest.”

Mabel’s fingers tapped lightly once against the chair arm.

“Ashmere planned the military reallocations. The eastern supply movements. The hidden border patrols. He is the mind behind the human operation.” He lowered his voice before adding. “He fell the veil.”

That stopped her fingers.

Mabel’s eyes lifted slowly toward him. “Explain.” to everyone, Aire fell the veil. Why would Alpha Ashmere put the wolves at jeopardy?

“A controlled war benefits him.”

Mabel watched her father carefully now. “Humans fear wolves.”

“Yes.” Alpha Rowanfall nodded faintly. “Ashmere believes the current structure of power is weak.”

Mabel leaned back slowly into her chair.

Now this was dangerous. Not because Ashmere wanted war. Men always wanted wars, but because Alpha Ashmere was intelligent enough to orchestrate one patiently.

“This would destroy thousands,” Mabel said quietly.

Her father looked unsurprised by the statement. “Wars do. You’ll be fully protected.” He promised.

Mabel’s gaze lowered briefly toward the fire.

She remembered Alpha Ashmere clearly. She never forbonce in her wildest dream seebthis coming from someone like himself.

“What does he gain?” she asked finally.

Her father’s expression darkened faintly. “A new kingdom. Kingship.”

Silence swallowed the room afterward.

Rain struck harder against the windows now.

Mabel’s thoughts moved dangerously fast beneath her calm expression. So Ashmere had finally decided to move openly.

But why involve her? Her father had sent for her, saying it was urgent.

That question mattered most.

Alpha Rowanfall seemed to read the thought immediately. “He requested your presence tomorrow.”

Mabel looked at him quietly. “At his territory?”

“Yes.”

Alpha Ashmere did not summon people casually. Especially not women like her.

Mabel rose slowly from her chair. “And why exactly,” she asked softly, “does he want me there?”

Her father watched her for a long moment before answering.

“Because,” he said quietly, “he believes you understand Aire better than anyone else alive.”

The fire cracked sharply beside them.

Mabel’s expression remained smooth yet her pulse slowed dangerously.

Alpha Rowanfall moved closer carefully now. “You do understand her, don’t you?”

Mabel smiled faintly then. “Aire,” she murmured softly, “is more complicated than any of us realize.”

Her father’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Mabel walked slowly toward the windows overlooking the storm.

Far beyond the forests, lightning split the sky apart briefly. For one second, the entire kingdom illuminated silver.

And deep inside herself, Mabel finally admitted something she had avoided for weeks.

She no longer knew whether she wanted to save Aire, or use her.

Behind her, her father picked up again. “After what happened, Ashmere believes,” he said quietly, “that the fae realm is already trying to reclaim her.”