Page 36 of The Alpha's Fallen Spell
Elina lowers her voice. “This girl—She’s not like Maya. There’s something…off about her. All the soldiers think so. She is something new, Erik. We don’t know the kind of changes she will bring to our kingdom. Her and others like her. Like it or not, she’s not a proper shifter. We don’t know how her wolf behaves. Nobody has seen her shift. What are you going to do when otherslike her start flooding the kingdom? Are we going to be replaced by her kind?”
My jaw tightens. “She’s an anomaly, but she’s not a threat.”
“You say that now.” Elina looks displeased. “But she seeks out the soldiers, tries to spend time with them. There have been rumors going around, Erik. What if she’s a mole for the enemy? You don’t know. You just brought her here and planted her in the middle of us all. She could be part of the Silver Ring Organization. She might be spying on us for them!”
Her voice rises enough for the others around us to hear. Their curiosity is clearly piqued, and I let out a low growl. Before I can say anything, however, I feel a pair of eyes on me. When I turn my head, I meet the gray eyes of my fated mate. She’s standing at a distance, watching me, her expression blank. She looks thinner than normal, and her arms are clutched tightly around the books she’s holding. I take a step toward her, but Elina moves into my path.
“Where are you going?”
I give Elina an irritated look before glancing at Fiona again. She’s hurrying away now.
“Fiona is not a threat, Elina,” I snarl. “She’s under the protection of the kingdom. You should know better than to spread meaningless gossip.”
She stiffens. “You are blinded by your wolf’s feelings for her—”
“Excuse me?” I stare at her, stunned. “What the hell does that mean?”
From the look on her face, it’s obvious she didn’t mean to say that. “I–I—” she begins to stammer.
“What do you know?” I snap. I’ve never been harsh with Elina like this before. But I feel an odd pressure in my chest.
One of the soldiers and Elina’s friend, Rafael, steps forward. “Someone overheard the two of you a couple of weeks ago,Commander Wild. They heard you rejecting the artificial wolf. Word has spread that she has been trying to pose as your fated mate, but you found her lacking.”
A cold feeling spreads within me. “Who was it who overheard us?”
Elina looks uneasy. She exchanges a look with Rafael before shrugging. “I don’t know. But it’s obvious that she’s not good enough for you—”
“No one can pose as someone’s fated mate,” I hiss. “And I did not reject Fiona because I found her lacking.”
Elina rolls her eyes. “Sure.”
“I mean it, Elina,” I snap. “Stop these rumors right now or I’m going to remind you all why I’m your commander.”
Elina doesn’t look very threatened, but she nods. “Fine.”
As I walk back toward the palace, my wolf growls in warning. If word has been spreading throughout the palace that I rejected Fiona and that she was pretending to be my fated mate, no wonder the noble families are trying to make an example of her.
Crap. How did I not anticipate this?
My feet carry me back through the palace corridors, back to Fiona’s door. This time, I don’t hesitate.
I knock firmly, resolute.
No answer.
I knock again, louder. “Fiona? It’s Erik. I need to speak with you.”
She must have overheard my conversation with Elina. I have to tell her…I don’t know what, but I have to talk to her.
Silence greets me. I press my ear to the door, listening for any movement inside. Nothing. I try the handle. Locked.
My wolf’s unease grows, pushing against my control. Something is wrong. I can feel it.
A passing servant notices my concern. “Are you looking for the young lady, Commander Wild? The one with the pale hair?”
I nod, keeping my expression neutral despite the anxiety churning inside me.
“She just left.”
