THE ALPHA'S FORSAKEN SECRET

's

ere, in a location that had once been my house but now felt like a far-off memory, was unusual. Five years h

asleep; the only sound that calmed me down was their gentle breathing. But it was just temporary solace, one eclipsed by t

tarting to

is rejection still loomed large, a wound never quite healed. I had made mine; he had made his decision back then. Now, thou

d open. Though his voice was difficult to und

d as he entered.

indowsills and crossed

before talking once more. "I have been digging a little

ind ran. "What are

rn is being fed information by someone inside the pack. The rog

he pit in my gut

ustrated. But someone close is involved he

g was odd, hearing it verified it all the more real. Someone we

orant?" I asked, my voice calm

suspects something. He is unduly preoccupied with the

thinking he could do things on his own, this was different. This transcended him or the pa

's voice sliced into my ideas,

ch a delicate thing, and Jackson broke mine years ago. Right now, th

ce almost above a whisper. But

We have limited time, Ava. It gets more risky the more long this continues.

y second that went by drove us closer to a breaking point as we were borrowing tim

se existed.

"I'll talk to Jackson." If we want

e was a flickering of something-doubt, maybe. "Be

as collided at once in my rushing brain. Riley's comments hung around the room like an unspoken threat

und them. Holding her blanket closely, Lily shifted over and murmured something incomprehensible in her sleep. Caleb was

e, a life free from continual danger hiding around every corner. No

d Jackson's so much that it caused emotional tightening in my chest. How could I ever justif

sp. I would nonetheless fight for the

the twins then turned to face me. Though his face was inscrutable, there

he said, "We

g with crossed arms

tor," the twins said. We cannot continue functioning under darkness

side me ablaze. For so long, I considered the twins to be mine. My responsibility is t

more steady than I could have felt.

ve no time for this. Blackthorn's close in is underlined by whoeve

following all we had gone through, trust did not come naturally anymore. But I noticed a flutter of

h, I said, "I'll tell you everything.

?," I

ed, looking toward the twins. "You w

the first time in a long time, I bel

scending on me. This was it. < the instant t

sounding steady. "someone close to you. B

d and tightened

Riley has been looking into this. He believes it to be som

cing the room and swore under his breath. "I ough

not your fault," I said. But we have to exercise

d with piercing eyes. "

gressive anymore. At last we agreed and started coopera

igsaw not fitting. And as I observed Jackson, I couldn't get ri

Riley strode inside with a

ackson asked wit

t. "One of the scouts came upon something close to the ea

he weight of what was abo

y?" With a beati

s familiar with the twins. A

y. Ava and Jackson have to decide who to trust and how to defend Blackthorn's