Chapter 18

• Amara sat in the quiet safety of her quarters, the weight of the letter in her hands pressing heavily on her chest. She had read it several times, each word carving deeper into her soul. The carefully chosen phrases confirmed what she had long suspected but had never fully uncovered: her stepmother, Rita, had not only played a role in her mother’s death but had also aligned herself with Joshua’s family to gain power.
• Her heart ached, not only for the loss of her mother but for the betrayal that ran deeper than she had ever imagined. The confirmation in black and white made her blood boil, yet she knew she couldn’t let emotion cloud her judgment. This wasn’t just about her past—this was about the future of every pack and her role in protecting them from the schemes brewing around her.
• She clenched the letter tightly, willing herself to think rationally. A confrontation with Rita now would only tip her off and give her time to cover her tracks. Amara needed a strategy, one that would expose Rita and Joshua’s family publicly, leaving them no way out. She folded the letter carefully, tucked it into her jacket, and left her quarters, heading straight to her cousin Asher.