Chapter 23 Alaric Her scent lingers on my skin - honeysuckle and rain , with an undertone of something ancient that calls to my wolf . I force my attention back to the council meeting , where raised voices echo off stone walls . " Three more attacks in as many days , " Garrett reports , pointing to marked locations on the territory map . " The pattern is clear - they're testing our defenses . " " Then we strengthen them , " Elder Marcus growls . " Double the patrols , set more wards- " " And stretch our resources thinner ? " Another council member interrupts . " We're already- ' " Enough . " I don't raise my voice , but the authority in it silences the room . My lycan paces beneath my skin , agitated by the threats to our territory , to our mate- I clamp down on that thought . Hard . Movement at the door catches my eye . Ms. Winters , our ancient librarian , hovers at the threshold , her wire- rimmed glasses glinting in the morning light . Her gaze holds mine with unusual intensity . " The wards along the northern border , " I say , turning back to the council . " Have they been breached ? " " No , Alpha . " Our head warlock spreads his hands . " But they're ... different . The magic feels corrupted somehow . Twisted . " Like the wounds that won't heal . Like the mutant wolves that speak with human voices . Another piece of a puzzle I can't quite solve . 1 My grandmother's voice echoes in my memory : Watch for the moon's chosen one , little king . When darkness spreads across our lands , she will bring healing . 1 I'd dismissed it as another bedtime story . Now ... it certainly feels like darkness is spreading . If there is such a thing as a " chosen one " I hope they show themselves soon . I could use the help . The council meeting drags on , but Ms. Winters doesn't leave . When I finally dismiss everyone , she approaches with the silent grace that makes younger wolves nervous . " My King , " she murmurs , bowing slightly . " A word , if I may ? " I nod , catching Garrett's eye . He positions himself near the door - close enough to hear trouble , far enough to give privacy . " The girl , " Ms. Winters says without preamble . " The one you brought from Blackthorn . She was in the library this morning , " " I know . " The image of Sage with that ancient book , violet eyes wide with wonder , flashes through my mind . " Her eyes . " The librarian's voice drops lower . " Touched by the moon herself . Just like the old stories of the blessed ones . " Phantom surges forward , suddenly alert , protective . " What do you mean ? " ! never know when to take her seriously or chalk up her words to the ramblings of an old lady . This certainly seems like the latter , but I need to hear her out . Sage doesn't even have a wolf . The last thing she needs is Ms. Winters spreading ridiculous ideas about her to the pack , setting her up to fail . Chapter 23 +25 BONUS " The book she found - it called to her . The histories of the lost healing packs . Such things don't happen by chance , my King . " I only just manage not to roll my eyes . Maybe I need to give the old lady more to keep her busy , less time to indulge her fanciful imagination. But before I can respond , running footsteps approach . The door bursts open , revealing a breathless scout . " Alpha ! Attack at the northeast border . They've got Marcus's son cornered . " I'm moving before he finishes speaking , my wolf rolling beneath my skin . " Garrett , with me . Ms. Winters- " But the old librarian is already gone , as silently as she appeared . The forest blurs around us as we race toward the border . Four of my best warriors fall into formation behind me , our paws eating up the distance . The scent hits us before we reach the scene - blood and fear and something else . Something wrong . Cain , Marcus's youngest , is backed against a cliff face . Three wolves circle him , but they're ... wrong . Their fur is patchy , with scales showing through in places . Their movements are jerky , unnatural . I launch myself at the nearest one , my larger size bowling it over . Up close , the wrongness is worse . Its eyes are clouded , like cataracts , but glow with a sickly yellow light . When it snarls , I see rows of teeth like a shark's . The fight is brutal but brief . We drive them off , but not before one of them gets its teeth into Cain's shoulder . The wound immediately turns black around the edges . " Fuck , " Garrett breathes , examining it in human form . " This is worse than the others . " Cain's eyes are glazed with pain . " They ... they said to give you a message , Alpha . " My blood runs cold . " What message ? " " They said ... ' Everything burns . " " We rush Cain back to the pack house . The wound is spreading , black lines creeping from it like poison in his veins . Our healers crowd around him in the medical wing , their expressions grim . Then I catch her scent . Sage stands in the doorway , arms full of fresh herbs . She's been helping here , I realize . Learning our ways , making herself useful despite having every reason to hide away after what she's been through . She takes one look at Cain's wound and moves forward , her small hands sorting through herbs with surprising confidence . " Yarrow won't work on this , " she says softly to the head healer . " But if you mix nightshade with silver - leaf ... " She trails off , biting her lip . " I'm sorry , I shouldn't interfere . " The head healer stares at her for a long moment , then nods . " Show me . " I watch from the doorway as she works , her movements sure despite her obvious nervousness . When they apply the poultice she helps prepare , the black lines stop spreading . My beast rumbles with pride . " Our mate . Strong Wise . " But she's not ours Not yet . Maybe never , if she can't forgive my deception . If I can't be what she needs . The thought sends a shard of pain through my chest . Chapter 23 +25 BONUS Hours later , in my office , Garrett brings the day's reports . " Cain will live , " he says without preamble . " Thanks to your little omega's suggestion . " I growl at his knowing tone . " She's not mine . " " No ? " He raises an eyebrow . " The way you watch her says different . She may be wolfless , but she has gifts . " " She's been through enough . " I turn to the window , where I can see her walking in the garden below . The setting sun turns her silver - blonde hair to fire . " I won't pressure her . " " And if Cassius decides he wants her back ? " My lycan snarls , my eyes bleeding to amber . " He'll die trying . " Garrett sighs . " You're stronger with her here . Iris and I both see it . Maybe it's time you did too . " Before I can respond , a young scout bursts in . " Alpha ! This was found at the border . " He holds out a small package wrapped in black cloth . The scent of dark magic rolls off it in waves . Inside , I find a single page torn from what looks like an ancient book . The illustration shows wolves with glowing fur, healing the sick . Below it , written in what appears to be blood : Did you really think you could hide her forever ? Hide who ? I crush the paper in my fist , my beast howling for blood . Below in the garden , Sage lifts her face to the rising moon , her violet eyes seeming to glow in the gathering dark . Surely they can't mean a little wolfless omega . But if they think she's someone she's not , she won't be safe . Everything burns , they said . Over my dead body .