“I didn’t write the message,” he blurted. “I didn’t—I was told to pass it. That’s all.”
My eyes narrowed. “By who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Try again.”
“I don’t know!” His voice cracked. “It was left in my room, by my bed. No name. Just—just said to deliver it. Said they’d hurt my little sister if I didn’t.”
The air went still.
Brand moved, pulling the note from his pocket, and passed it to me. It was folded tight, sealed in wax. No insignia. I cracked it open. Reading the simple message that gave coordinated timings, the pattern of the eastern patrol. Shifters listed by name.
Names I recognized. Names I’d selected. Blueridge and Stonefang both.
“Who knows about this?” I asked.
“Just me,” Brand said, his voice low. “He didn’t have time to hand it off.”
I nodded, barely hearing him. My pulse had dropped low and steady—alpha rhythm. The kind that always came before blood.
“I didn’t mean to—” Aren tried again, but I raised my hand.
He went silent instantly.
“When did you get the note?” I asked Aren.
“It was there when I went to bed last night,” he told me. “It said I was to be at the ridge today and to pass the note.”
“So you got two notes?” I asked. “This one and the one to you personally.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
I nodded. “And you’ve hadbothnotes all night?”
He nodded again. “Yes, Alpha. I couldn’t sleep for worrying.”
I crouched in front of him, resting my elbows on my knees. “You were scared. I get that.”
He nodded too quickly.
“But fear doesn’t excuse betrayal,” I said. “You didn’t come to me. You didn’t come to anyone. You had time. But you sat—actually, you went to bed and tried tosleep. Then this morning”—I watched him closely—“you ran there, didn’t you? You didn’t come to me. You obeyed.”
He was shaking his head as he looked at me. “No…it wasn’t like that. I didn’t want them to hurt her.”
“And what about the wolves they would’ve hurt if that note got delivered?”
His face crumpled, and I saw it—the guilt. Real. Heavy. But not enough. “She’s only ten.”
“Where is she?” He looked confused at my question. “Your sister? Where is she?”
“At—at home.”
I stood. “Lock him down. No visitors. No contact. Until I decide what happens next.”
Brand grabbed his arm again, hauling him to his feet. Aren didn’t fight it. He just whispered something I barely caught.
“I didn’t want to do it.”
