A Warrior's Second Chance (Faye and Alexander) novel Chapter 218

Chapter 218

FAYE

1425 Points

The way Cole sat there–arms crossed, jaw shifting slightly, eyes fixed on the table instead of on me–told me he was either trying to say something… or trying very hard not to.

I sighed. “Alright,” I said, leaning back in the chair. “Say it.”

Cole’s eyes finally lifted. He didn’t hesitate after that.

“I’m not trying to question your authority” he started, which was funny, because whenever someone began with that line, questioning authority was exactly what they were about to do. But it was Cole.

He continued, “But ignoring Patrick’s threat completely? Faye… are you sure?

”

I let him speak. Cole wasn’t like Mathias–he wasn’t trying to belittle me or undermine what I’d said. Cole’s concern came from loyalty, the kind that had teeth, the kind that had almost gotten him killed more than once.

ft to him,

I knew he hated Patrick. Everyone knew that at a point

Alexander would have marched straight into North R e moment he

recovered and torn Patrick’s head off his shoulders for stabbing him in the

back–literally and figuratively. And honestly? I wouldn’t have stopped him.

But now that things had spiraled into the political realm, into council meetings and alliances and High Circle implications… Cole understood why Patrick’s threat couldn’t be laughed off as easily as we wished.

“So what I want to know is…” Cole continued slowly, “Do you actually have a plan? Or are we just hoping the gods favor Blood Crescent this month?”

I pressed my lips together. A plan. I didn’t have one. Not a concrete one at least. But something had crossed my mind while the council argued earlier.

Chapter 218

A spark–not solid, but promising.

+25 Points

However, it wasn’t my place to present that to the council. It wasn’t even my place to initiate anything regarding it. That responsibility sat squarely on Alexander’s shoulders whenever he walked out of that healer wing.

Still, I needed clarity. I trusted Cole’s political sense even more than some of the elders. He wasn’t emotional about things like that–just dangerously

practical.

So I asked him.

“Tell me something, Cole… if Patrick actually takes this before the High Circle, what is the one thing that could give Alexander the upper hand? In a legal and political sense.”

Cole blinked, taken aback by the directness of the question. But he recovered

quickly.

“The only way,” he said, “is if Alexander can provide a valid reason- something concrete–as the basis for what he did. Closing borders, withdrawing alliances, freezing trade lines… those actions must have a foundation. And not just that.” He leaned forward a little “He must also prove Patrick was aware of his own fault in the mat

I nodded slowly. That was exactly what I needed to hear.

And Cole must have noticed something shift in my expression, because he narrowed his eyes at me.

“You’re thinking about something.”

“I’m… remembering something,” I corrected quietly.

“Which is?”

I hesitated for a moment–not because I didn’t trust Cole, but because I wasn’t sure how solid this idea was, or whether I was reaching too far. But he

Chapter 218

waited patiently, as he always did when he sense

coming.

+20P

thing important was

“When Alexander killed Alpha Draco in a fight,” I began, “he became the

Alpha of Moon Claw by law.”

Cole nodded immediately. “Yes. Draco had no heirs to challenge it. Alexander’s kill was recognized. Everyone accepted it.”

“Right,” I said.

I paused, letting Cole connect the dots or at least start to.

When he didn’t jump in, I continued.

“Patrick betrayed Alexander on Moon Claw grounds. He stabbed him and left him to die.” My hands folded on the table, fingers lacing together. “And Alexander didn’t return to Blood Crescent immediately. Someone must have seen something. Someone from Moon Claw.”

“Ah…” Cole breathed out slowly. That was the first hint he understood where I was going.

‘d be willing to

ck before the

“There must be at least one witness,” I said. “Someone score points with their new Alpha by testifying agains High Circle. Whether they saw it happen… or saw enough to be useful.”

Cole straightened. His eyes sharpened with interest–no, something worse. Something like satisfaction.

“If that happens,” I added, “Patrick’s attempt to drag Blood Crescent through the mud would backfire immediately. He’d bury himself with his own complaint.”

“Hm. But what if they assumed it was Draco himself who stabbed Alexander during the fight?” Cole said.

I hadn’t thought about that, but all the same… “It doesn’t matter what they

< Chapter 218

assumed. What matters is what they say.”

+25 Pants

Cole didn’t bother hiding his reaction this time. His lips parted, a dark grin

slowly forming.

“Luna…” he said, shaking his head with a soft laugh. “I like that. A little too

much.”

Of course he did. It didn’t matter whether a witness saw the exact moment Patrick stabbed Alexander. They might have seen him arrive, or flee, or act suspiciously, or carry something bloody, or they could simply be willing to lie

if it benefited them.

In politics, truth was flexible. Influence was not.

“I see,” Cole said, voice low with excitement. “Someone will talk. Someone will want to be on Alexander’s good side. And if that’s the leverage we need to bury that son of a b***h Patrick…” He shrugged. “Then so be it.”

I couldn’t help it. A smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth, slow and sharp. The smirk was still on my face when the room suddenly tilted–just a little at first, like the floor dipped beneath me. I blinked hard, waiting for the moment › abruptly that the to pass, but instead a wave of dizziness washed ove edges of my vision pulsed.

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