CHAPTER FORTY NINE - The Price Of Tomorrow's Peace

She paced her office, mind racing. Gabriel would take that note to Lucas tonight, and once Lucas saw it, he'd be impossible to control. He'd launch a full investigation, turning the pack inside out looking for the traitor. Looking for her. Panic threatened to overwhelm her, but she forced it down. There was still time. Still options. In her bedroom later that evening, Vanessa paced the floor, weighing possibilities. Gabriel would be busy with patrol duties until the council meeting. That gave her hours to act, to salvage what she could. She could run—disappear before Lucas learned the truth. But that meant abandoning everything she'd worked for, everything she deserved. She could try to discredit the note—claim it was forged, a manipulation from their enemies. But Gabriel's suspicions were already too strong. Or she could go on the offensive. Take control of the situation rather than reacting to it. Vanessa stopped pacing, a dangerous idea forming. If Aria was communicating with