Chapter 348: Chapter 348

I stormed away from the argument, my boots crunching against the forest floor. My pulse raced while my thoughts swirled in frustration. “Why now? Why does it always have to come to this?” I muttered under my breath.

I stopped near a large tree and spread out another piece of paper from the cache we’d found.

My eyes scanned over the symbols and coded text, the faint moonlight barely showing the fine markings.

Rowan was the first to catch up with me, his voice softer now. “Piper, wait.”

I didn’t look up. “Rowan, I don’t have time for this.”

“You don’t have time to let Warrick’s insecurities ruin your focus,” he replied. “We’re on the same side here.”

I sighed but said nothing, my attention fixed on the document. That’s when my eyes caught a phrase buried in the code:

‘Inside trust is the easiest weakness to manipulate.‘

“What is it?” Rowan asked, leaning closer.

I steeled myself and pointed to the words. “This… It’s talking about someone inside the pack. Someone close.”

Rowan’s jaw clenched. “A spy.”

Before I had time to reply, Warrick called out from behind us.

“What now? Another secret you two are sharing?”

I turned abruptly, my patience thin. “Warrick, this isn’t the time.”

“It never is, is it?” He crossed his arms, glaring at Rowan. “Funny how he’s always the one you confide in.”

Rowan stepped forward, his voice icy. “You’re exhausting, Warrick. If you stopped sulking for one second, you’d see there’s more at stake here.”

“Enough!” I snapped, holding up the paper. “We have a bigger problem than your egos!”

Warrick frowned, stepping closer. “What do you mean?”

I pointed a finger at the text. “This is a coded message about someone inside the pack. Someone who’s feeding information to Orion’s forces.”

I folded the paper neatly and tucked it into my pocket. My heart pounded as I looked between them.

Warrick’s voice came softer. “What do we do now?”

I met his gaze, my face set. “I don’t trust either of you to handle this. I’m taking it to Aurora. She needs to know.”

“Piper,” Rowan was going to protest. A look from me silenced him.

“No arguments. This is not about us.”

I turned and began to pace in the opposite direction, toward the packhouse, clinging tight to the document.

The truth was out there, and it had to find the right hands before it was too late.