“Mateo,” I continue, cutting him off. “Misplaced responsibility. He spoke quietly to make you lean in, mentioned how hard it must be carrying the weight of your mistake. Reminded you that you’re the one who let him in.”
Mateo’s face pales. He takes a step back.
“Kari, defensive posturing. He never approached you directly because you’re naturally suspicious. So he worked around you, making you feel excluded from private conversations. Now you’re compensating by attacking the outsider.” My eyes meet hers steadily. “Me.”
Kari’s lips pull back slightly, not quite a snarl. “I don’t need manipulation to be suspicious of you. That comes standard with anyone who isn’t pack. Call it a survival instinct I can’t afford to ignore.”
I don’t flinch. “You’ve been talking to him for weeks. Sharing information. Letting him get close. Today he walked in like he owned the place, and half of you nodded along. I’m not your problem.”
My gaze sweeps the room. “Phil is playing a long game. This was reconnaissance—testing who responds to what pressure. He’ll be back, and next time he’ll know exactly which buttons to push.”
I feel Dane’s presence behind me—close, but not aligned. He’s letting me speak, but he’s not backing me. The gap between us is deliberate, a clear signal to his pack: She’s not with me.
My wolf bristles, a flicker of heat crawling up my spine. Stupid animal instinct. I don’t need his protection.
Callum steps forward, arms crossed. “And we’re supposed to just take your word for all this? You’ve been here, what, one day?”
“You don’t have to take my word for anything,” I say. “But I’ve tracked fae manipulation patterns for years. This is textbook destabilization—find the cracks, widen them slowly, then offer a solution to problems he’s creating.”
“Convenient that you’re the only one who can see these patterns,” Marcus says.
I don’t waste energy responding to that. Instead, I turn to face the group directly.
“Phil touched the table seven times. Paused at the doorway. Adjusted his stance every time someone shifted position. He wasn’t here to help—he was mapping your reactions.” I gesture toward the spots where his scent lingers strongest. “The glamour is subtle, but it’s there. Emotional amplification.”
The silence stretches. I can feel doubt rippling through the room, but underneath it, recognition. They know I’m right, even if they don’t want to admit it.
I wait for Dane to speak, to add weight to what I’m saying. The silence from him is deafening.
Fine. I don’t need his validation.
“Check your wards tonight,” I say, moving toward the door. “And tomorrow, check each other. Ask what thoughts feel heightened, what certainties suddenly appeared. That’s how you’ll know I’m right.”
I pause at the threshold, hand on the doorframe. “Phil will be back. And next time, he won’t just be gathering intelligence.”
Without waiting for their response, I pull the door open and step outside. The cool night air hits my face, washing away the stifling tension of the lodge.
I don’t look back to see if Dane follows. I already know he won’t.
Chapter 7
Dane
The door closes behind Nova with a soft click. Every eye in the lodge turns to me, waiting. My silence is a vacuum they’re all rushing to fill with their own conclusions.
Kari crosses her arms. “So that’s it? She walks in here, accuses half the pack of being manipulated, then just walks out?”
“She has a point,” Ben says, voice low. His eyes meet mine across the room. “Phil was working angles. I felt it too.”
Marcus scoffs. “Of course you’d side with the outsider.”
Ben doesn’t take the bait, but I catch the slight tightening of his jaw.
Kari seizes the opening. “So she gets to walk around freely? Sit in on our meetings? Tell us how broken we are?”
“She’s providing intel we need.” I scan the faces watching me. “Until Phil is dealt with, she stays.”
“And after?” Kari demands.
