Chapter 237

DEREK’S POV The whispers reached me before the truth ever did. At first, I ignored them, brushing them off as just another round of idle pack gossip that would die as quickly as it was born. There were always whispers these days—about the kidnapping, about the so-called miracle of Aurelia’s return. None of them had the slightest clue what really happened, of course. No one suspected it was me who orchestrated the abduction. No one would ever find out. That secret was buried too deep, hidden even from those closest to me. And yet, for all the risk, for all the careful planning and secrecy, it hadn’t been a waste. The attempt had given me something I hadn’t expected—a chance to meet my mate. To see her up close, to feel the undeniable pull of the bond, and, most of all, to learn the truth about her. To see what kind of person she really was. But then my scout returned, breathless, his eyes wide with disbelief, and with every word that left his lips, fury ripped through me so violently th