A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Maya sat stiffly on the stool opposite her father, her head bowed, hands folded tightly in her lap as if bracing herself for an inevitable storm. Gerald leaned against the table, arms. crossed, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. He had spoken already, but Maya had not

moved.

“I said,” Gerald repeated slowly, his voice edged with irritation, “you are going to take this ring and put it in Luna Faye’s purse. Did you not hear me?”

Maya’s lips parted, but no words came at first. When she finally spoke, her voice made it clear she was afraid. “I heard you, Father… but what if the consequences aren’t serious enough? What if Luna Faye isn’t… removed? Then she’ll know. She’ll know it was me. I’m the only staff with full access to her room and her belongings. She’ll figure it out in a heartbeat, and when she does–she won’t spare me.”

Gerald’s eyes flashed with disappointment, almost disgust. He slammed his palm flat against the table, making Maya flinch. “Do you hear yourself? Do you even understand what we are dealing with?” He leaned forward, his shadow falling over her. “The discovery of this ring on her person will not lead to something as mild as suspicion. It will not be a matter of her scolding you or demanding answers. No.”

Maya blinked rapidly, her breath caught in her throat. Gerald’s voice dropped, as though he wanted each word to etch itself into her bones.

“According to the laws of the Blood Crescent Pack, such offense is not taken lightly. Do you know what it means if it’s found in her possession? Treason, Maya. They will call it treason against the Alpha, against the entire pack. Do you understand the weight of that?”

Maya shook her head slowly, her hands trembling.

“Execution,” Gerald continued sharply. “That is the penalty. Unless, by some miracle, they choose leniency. Then–banishment. Stripped of her title, her place, her honor. Cast out like a dog, and if she dares return…” He dragged his thumb across his throat, his eyes never leaving hers. “She loses her head. That is the consequence.”

Maya felt her stomach twist. She stared down at her hands, her throat tightening until she thought she would choke. “Execution…” she whispered.

Gerald straightened. “And yet you sit there, quivering like a leaf, talking nonsense about her finding out you planted it. Do you think she’ll be alive long enough to figure anything out once it’s discovered? Do you think anyone will even care about your involvement when she stands condemned by the laws of this pack?”

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Chapter to

Claim

Maya pressed her lips together. Her mind raced. She had grown up under her father’s authority, learning to obey, to never question, but this–this felt like stepping into fire. She looked up, her eyes glistening. “But Father, what if–what if something goes wrong? What if someone sees me? What if…” She stopped herself, biting her lip.

Gerald spun around, his gaze sharp enough to cut. “If something goes wrong, you’ll fix it. If someone sees you, you’ll deny it. You’ve been serving in that house long enough to know how to move unseen. Or have I raised a coward?”

Maya swallowed hard. The word stung more than she cared to admit. “I’m not a coward,” she whispered, almost too softly for him to hear.

“Then prove it,” Gerald barked, slamming the ring down on the table between them. Its dark silver gleam caught the reflection of the light, the carved crest of the three–eyed wolf glaring up at her as if mocking her fear. “Take it, and do what you’re told.”

For a long moment, Maya just stared at the ring. It seemed heavier than it should, carrying with it all the weight of her father’s schemes and her own dread. She wanted to push it away, to tell him she couldn’t, but Gerald’s eyes bored into her.

Her fingers shook as she reached out, brushing the cold metal before finally curling her palm

around it. The touch chilled her skin.

Gerald exhaled, though it was not relief–it was impatience. “Sometimes I truly wonder if you are my daughter at all,” he muttered bitterly. He turned away, his voice dripping with disappointment. “You are not sharp, not cunning. You second–guess, you hesitate. A wolf who hesitates is already dead, Maya. Do you understand that?”

Maya lowered her gaze again, clutching the ring in her hand until it pressed painfully into her skin. “Yes, Father,” she murmured, though her voice cracked.

Gerald shook his head, muttering to himself as he poured a drink from the table behind him. “ Not smart at all, nothing like me. Sometimes I wonder if the blood that runs in your veins is even mine…” He took a long gulp, shaking his head again, almost speaking more to the room than to her. “A daughter who fears shadows instead of wielding them is no use to anyone.”

The words cut deeper than she could let him see. She stood, bowing her head as though his disappointment were a physical weight pressing her down. “I’ll do it,” she whispered, though her chest tightened. “I’ll plant it in her purse.”

Gerald turned sharply, setting his glass down. “Good. That’s the spirit. When the ring is found, everything falls into place. Faye will be removed. And then…” He smirked, a shadow of

triumph flashing across his face. “The way will be clear for the rightful Luna to take her place.

”

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Chapte 96

Maya glanced up at him, but didn’t say anything.

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