Chapter 43
Chapter 43 The Truth In The
Ashes
Rowan’s POV
The scent of charred wood and old leather filled Alpha Rowan’s study, mixing with the musty smell of aged books that lined the mahogany shelves. Though the flames had never touched this wing of the estate, ash had crept through every crack and crevice, leaving gray streaks on the windows and coating the heavy ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ.net
curtains in fine dust.
Beta Nick stood near the massive oak desk, clutching a thick document against his chest. His usually composed demeanor showed cracks of strain around the edges. “Alpha, the inventory report from the fire,” he announced, his voice steady but tight.
Rowan barely glanced up from the patrol schedules scattered across his desk. He gestured dismissively toward an empty corner of the workspace. “Leave it there p>
The Beta complied without hesitation, setting the parchment atop a growing mountain of unread reports. His movements were precise, but Rowan caught the slight tremor in his hands.
The Alpha continued studying troop movements and border assignments, his pen scratching methodically across the pages. The fire damage was inconvenient, but the western territories demanded his immediate
focus. The Raven Deons wouldn’t wait for him to sort through property losses.
Minutes passed in tense silence before Rowan spoke again, his eyes never leaving the documents. “Where is the Luna p>
“The Luna is at the medical facility,” Nick replied. “She’s been treating the injured since dawn p>
The pen in Rowan’s grip stopped moving.
Nick cleared his throat and continued. “We’ve encountered a significant problem with our medicinal supplies. The majority of our healing herbs were stored in the eastern supply rooms, directly in the fire’s path. The flames consumed everything before
our guards could mount a proper rescue effort p>
Rowan’s jaw tightened as he finally set down his pen. Those herbs had cost a fortune and taken months to acquire through his trade networks. Replacing them would be neither quick nor cheap, and he knew exactly what would happen once word of their vulnerability spread.
“Has this information been contained?” Rowan demanded, lifting his gaze to meet Nick’s eyes directly.
“Absolutely, Alpha,” Nick responded with conviction, straightening his shoulders. “Only the inner circle knows about the shortage. If the Raven Deons discover our medical supplies are compromised, they’ll strike again within days. I’ve already reached out to our allied packs for emergency assistance p>
Rowan leaned back in his leather chair, the old material groaning under his weight. He studied his Beta carefully, noting the tension that hadn’t been there earlier.
“Acceptable p>
But Nick remained planted in place, his posture rigid
and his eyes darting toward the door before returning to his Alpha’s face.
“Speak,” Rowan ordered, recognizing the hesitation.
“Alpha, our scouts have confirmed Lord Hardy’s current location. He’s operating within Scarlet Howlers territory.” Nick paused, gauging his leader’s reaction. “Intelligence reports indicate several of his top lieutenants suffered severe injuries in the recent assault. His forces took substantial casualties as well p>
For the first time that morning, Rowan’s expression brightened. A cold smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Excellent news. Are our own preparations complete p>
“Every detail has been executed according to plan, Alpha. Fresh patrol teams have replaced the exhausted units. The eastern and southern checkpoints are fully staffed with alert guards. Alpha Marcus confirmed his cooperation yesterday. Everything is proceeding exactly as we designed p>
Rowan nodded approvingly and waved his hand in dismissal. “Maintain vigilance on all fronts. Our guards
cannot afford to become careless now p>
Nick bowed respectfully and strode from the study without another word.
Alone again, Rowan planted his elbows on the desk’s edge and stared down at the territorial map spread before him. While he had indeed provided Hardy’s coordinates to the Raven Deons, he harbored no illusions about their partnership. The arrangement was purely transactional, not built on trust or shared
values.
The Raven Deons were savage creatures, driven by nothing but hunger and violence. They served his purposes for now, but he understood their true nature. They were wild animals that could never be truly controlled, only temporarily directed. Eventually, all dangerous beasts needed to be either contained or eliminated.
Sharp knocking interrupted his contemplation, echoing against the study’s heavy wooden door.
“Enter,” Rowan called, his tone carrying an unmistakable warning.
43 Chapter 43 The Truth In The Ashes
Casper stepped inside and approached the desk with measured steps. He offered a brief bow before straightening to meet his Alpha’s penetrating stare.
“What did your investigation reveal?” Rowan asked.
Casper’s composure wavered slightly as he began his report. “Your suspicions were correct, Alpha. The
holding cells weren’t empty when the fire started.” He paused, swallowing hard. “But the charred remains we discovered weren’t children. They were our own pack members p>
The satisfaction vanished from Rowan’s features, replaced by a dark intensity that made the temperature in the room seem to drop. His hands clenched into fists atop the scattered papers.
“Do you have the records,” he asked slowly, “identifying who was scheduled to be in that facility p>
“Unfortunately, no,” Casper replied, shaking his head. “The fire obliterated everything inside. Whoever orchestrated this attack planned it meticulously. They set multiple ignition points to ensure complete destruction. Every document, every trace of the
experiments, completely eliminated.” He reached into his jacket and withdrew a folded sheet of paper. “However, I do have a list of our missing personnel p>
Rowan extended his hand, but Casper’s reluctance to release the document made him freeze.
“What else?” Rowan demanded harshly.
Casper’s throat worked as he struggled with the words. “Beta Nick’s son, Zeke, was among those stationed in the facility p>
The silence stretched between them like a taut wire ready to snap. Rowan’s outstretched hand slowly lowered as he absorbed this information. His eyes locked onto Casper’s face, and his expression grew even more dangerous.
“Their sacrifice will be avenged,” Alpha Rowan declared, his voice carrying the weight of an
unbreakable vow. “We will hunt down everyone
responsible and ensure they suffer for what they’ve done p>
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.