Blood And Silver:Rise of the Alpha’s Rejected Mate
Chapter 21

Chapter 21 1/6 AURORA Dane lifted a hand and carefully traced the place three pages had been torn from the book .

The surrounding pages were splotched with an old , rust colored liquid .

Blood .

I had flipped through this book hundreds of times , trying to figure that out myself .

But I thought I knew .

The Reeds gave me this book because they said it was full of old scribbles .

They didnt think it was important .

I dont remember much about when they gave it to me because I was young .

That was only part of the reason .

So much of my life before marrying Dane was lost to me .

But I think I remember Esther Reed saying she tore them out .

Now I touched the torn places .

The book had been written hundreds of years ago .

Someone might have been able to translate it , if it was written in a language .

Instead , it was written in a code made of strange symbols .

As I got older , I discovered the symbols were revealing themselves to me .

Its an old gift that runs in our pack , my grandmother says a gift of magical interpretation .

From what Ive been able to read , the pages beforehand describe the setup for a ceremony .

The pages are the ceremony , itself .

Chapter 21 A ceremony ? Dane asked .

I nodded .

The ceremony is to reveal the moon goddesss chosen .

2/6 Why would Esther Reed take these pages if she couldnt read the book and didnt know how important they are ? Dane asked .

I dont know .

I spent almost twenty two years thinking I was their biological daughter .

Everything they ever told me was a lie .

Except that I couldnt trust the Montagues .

I did remember them saying that .

Over and over again .

Then they made me Danes wife and tried to control him through me .

But hed won , in the end .

Hed driven them into the shadows in the deepest parts of the forest .

Then Id freed him from me , too .

Do you think she kept them ? Dane asked .

He leaned close , looking over my shoulder .

It would have been easy to lay my head on his shoulder and relax against him .

Goddess , I hated that part of me still wanted so badly to do that .

I laughed without humor .

Probably .

Esther keeps everything .

Shes always been a hoarder .

Dane rubbed his chin .

It was a familiar gesture one he made when he was deep in thought .

The old Reed pack house is on my land .

I remembered .

Hed chased them out in a raid a year after our 3/6 Chapter 21 forced marriage .

It had been the win that turned the tide of the pack war against the Reeds .

After that was the first time he went to the Council asking to end our marriage , and the first time the Council had forbidden it .

What are you saying ? I asked , dread rising in the pit of my stomach .

I hadnt been back to the place Id been raised since they poisoned me with silver and left me for Dane to find .

I never intended to go back .

Im saying we need to search the house , Dane said .

I snapped the book closed .

We dont .

The book will guide us to the relics location .

Thats all we need .

Then why is this ceremony in here ? he asked .

I hesitated .

Dane and I hadnt had a civil conversation this long … ever .

It was strange .

I wasnt sure how I felt about it .

The chosen is required to undo the magical locks that keep the relic safe .

But I believe we can figure it out .

At least , we could if my grandmother was right , and the prophecy on the first page of the book talk me being the chosen .

In the few years Id known her , shed never been wrong .

And if there was no need to find the chosen , there was no need for me to face my past and visit my abandoned childhood home .

Chapter 21 4/6 But Dane shook his head .

My grandfather knows a little about messing with ancient magic .

One thing is certain , you do everything required , or people die .

We need to go into the Reed pack house and find those pages .

My heart chilled at his words .

No we dont .

Dane stalked toward me suddenly , all the rage and threat hed been missing back in his voice .

Yes .

We do .

And we will .

Meet me there the day after tomorrow .

The next night , I dreamed of the night my family killed my wolf .

The night I met Dane .

Everything hurt .

My veins were on fire .

I crawled through the forest .

Inside , my wolf had curled up into a tiny corner of my mind , whimpering and crying .

Its all right , I told her .

Please hang on .

Please , dont leave me ! Even in the dream , my childhood was no more than a dark shadow , but I knew my wolf was the reason I had survived .

I knew we had to keep living .

I fell to the ground , face down .

Help … please … My voice was so weak I could barely form the words .

Even as I called out , I despaired .

Chapter 21 No one would come for me .

No one ever had .

Then there was a warm hand on my face .

Shh .

Whats your name ? His voice was kind .

And there was something … my wolf … she reached for him ….

And in that moment , she died .

I didnt know what happened after that , only that he was carrying me .

His heartbeat was steady against my ear .

Safe , it seemed to say .

Safe , safe , safe .

5/6 But it had been wrong .

Instead of curling into his chest , I started to cry .

DANE I woke in a cold sweat from the dream .

My clock read 2 am .

I hated that fucking dream .

Every time I had it , I woke up feeling like a knife had been twisted in my heart .

Like I was in love with the woman whod ruined everything .

Like I should protect her , even now .

Chapter 21 6/6 In a way , I was .

Thats why Id sent my sister Piper and my best pack warriors .

As if my name summoned her , my phone started to ring .

It was Pipers name .

I answered .

Piper ? Dane , she sounded panicked .

The Reeds are here .

Broken Forest wolves have us surrounded .

They want Aurora .