Page 98 of Alpha's Rejected Warrior
Her hand shoots out, grabbing the front of Haron’s robes. Haron stumbles back against the garden wall, her face blanching with terror.
I grab Rhiannon’s arm. “Commander.”
We still don’t know where Holden is. I throw the thought at her.We still need her.
Rhiannon’s muscles are coiled steel beneath my grasp. For a heartbeat, I think she might shake me off and rip into Haron anyway.
Then slowly — so slowly — her fingers release their hold on Haron’s robes.
“Where is he? Your brother,” Rhiannon growls.
Haron blinks innocently at her. “I-I don’t know—”
“The hell you don’t,” Rhiannon snaps. “He bolted after trying to murder your father. Where would he have run?”
Haron looks as though she’s about to explode into tears before she finally gives in. “Osorin Temple. There’s nowhere else for him to go. Our lives in the mountains are solitary. The temple is like a second home to him.”
“Do you know where this place is?” I ask Rhiannon.
“Yes, I’ve been there once before.”
Seething distrust flares in Rhiannon’s eyes. “How do we know this isn’t another setup? That you’re not leading us straight into a trap?”
“It’s not. I swear it.” Haron’s voice cracks. “I know you have no reason to trust me, but I’m telling you the truth.”
“You’ve done nothing but lie since you arrived!” Rhiannon fires back.
Haron flinches like she’s been slapped. For a long moment, she just stands there, staring at the ground. Then, her expression changes. Determination replaces the desperation.
“You’re right. I have lied. But I can see now that my brother is wrong.” She looks toward the infirmary, where her father lies unconscious. “Wrong to do this to our father. Wrong about what it would mean to have peace with Lycans.” Her fingers move to her nape, unclasping the delicate crystal pendant. “Here.”
She holds it out to me, the crystal catching the afternoon light.
“What is it?” I ask, not reaching for it yet.
“My personal protection charm. All Shaman wear them. It’s the only reason why Jayme couldn’t kill me.” She presses it into my palm, her fingers cold against mine. “It won’t stop you from getting hurt, but it should shield you from the worst of Holden’s magic. Physical blows that would ordinarily kill a human...you might survive.”
I stare at the necklace in my hand. The crystal gleams like trapped moonlight, translucent with faint veins of silver threading through its core. Its polished surface catches every angle of light, creating fractured rainbows across my palm. It’s warmer than Haron’s skin, alive with some kind of energy I’ve never seen. The chain hangs long enough to slip over my head. It’s woven from some pale metal — not quite platinum or silver — with intricate knots forming each link.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“Because I need you to believe me.” Her hazel eyes dart from my face to Rhiannon’s. “The Commander understands. A Shaman’s protective charm is their lifeline, and I’m vulnerable without it. But I’m done protecting my brother. I need you to end this.”
Rhiannon studies Haron for another moment, then tilts her head. “That reminds me. If all Shaman wear protective charms, where’s your father’s?”
Haron blinks. “What do you mean?”
“Olcan said he wasn’t wearing his,” I say.
“That’s impossible. My father would never remove it. Especially not here at Kortan with everything that’s been happening.”
“Are you sure?” Rhiannon’s tone sharpens.
Haron nods. “Our protective charms are sacred. Removing one is like— like walking into battle naked. My father knows how dangerous it is for us here. He wouldn’t take that risk.”
I glance at Rhiannon. “Then someone took it from him.”
“Holden must’ve taken it before he. . .” Haron’s voice trails off.
