Chapter 52: Pattern Uncovered.

Alessandro’s POV
I was in my office, buried in documents, when a knock at the door interrupted my focus.
Before I could answer, Marcus stepped in, a familiar smirk on his face as he dropped a fresh stack of papers onto my desk.
“Alessandro, did you hear the latest news?” he asked, his tone annoyingly casual.
Without looking up, I continued reviewing the documents in front of me. “What latest news?
You know I’ve been tied up dealing with all the issues in the pack.”
“Yeah, I know. But this might interest you,” he said, leaning against the edge of my desk.
“I heard your father and Lena’s father are already planning to get Leonardo and Lena married before the next full moon.”
That made me stop. Slowly, I looked up at him, my expression unreadable.
“Listen, Marcus, I don’t want to hear anything about my brother or his… arranged mate. 
I have more important things to deal with. So unless you’ve got something worthwhile to contribute, clock out for the night and get out of my office.”
I clenched my fist under the desk, ensuring my growing irritation didn’t show on my face.
Marcus, however, lingered, studying me as if trying to gauge my reaction.
After a moment, he nodded and turned to leave. But before reaching the door, he paused and looked back over his shoulder.
“Do you think Aurora—your stepsister—would approve of this new development?
I mean, she’s clearly—”
“Marcus.” My voice was low but sharp, a warning.
“It’s none of your damn business what happens to that thing. Focus on your own affairs and leave my office before I lose my patience.”
“Yes, sir,” he muttered, his smirk fading as he quickly opened the door and left, shutting it behind him with a soft click.
The room fell silent again, but my mind was anything but calm. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples as exhaustion washed over me.
Nothing I did ever seemed to matter. No matter how much I sacrificed, no matter how hard I worked, my father refused to see me.
All he cared about was Leonardo. The golden boy. The heir to the Alpha title. The one who could do no wrong.
Meanwhile, I was the one handling all the affairs of the pack, managing crises, and cleaning up the messes left behind by others.
I had earned the right to be Alpha. I was the eldest, the one who had given everything for this pack. But none of that mattered to him. To my father, I was invisible.
And Leonardo? He didn’t even want to be Alpha. He was too busy enjoying his privileges, indulging in his whims, and breaking every rule including the one about Aurora.
I slammed my fist onto the desk, the sound reverberating through the room.
“Why does he get to become Alpha and I don’t?!” I roared, the frustration boiling over.
The stack of papers on my desk suddenly felt like a mockery, a tangible reminder of the endless work I did without recognition.
With a growl of anger, I stood up and swept them all to the floor in a single motion.
Documents scattered everywhere, the sound of them hitting the ground drowned out by my own shout of rage.
“Ahhhhh!” I yelled, my voice raw with emotion.
Breathing heavily, I sank back into my chair, my chest heaving. My mind raced with thoughts of betrayal and resentment, but one name kept surfacing, unbidden: Aurora.
That girl was trouble. She was reckless, defiant, and far too good at pulling attention toward herself attention that should have been mine. And yet, she had power.
Not the kind of power one earns through rank or duty, but something else, something that could disrupt even the most carefully laid plans.
If Leonardo was willing to jeopardize his future for her, then she wasn’t just a distraction. She was an opportunity.
And perhaps, a weapon.
I sat there in the chaos of my office, a plan slowly beginning to take shape in my mind.
If my father wouldn’t see me, if Leonardo insisted on standing in my way, then maybe it was time for me to create my own path one where I was finally in control.
And Aurora? She would play her part in it, whether she wanted to or not.
******
While I was gathering the scattered files in my office and placing them back on my desk, a folder caught my eye.
It was one I didn’t even realize had been there all this time. Curious, I opened it and was met with a collection of photographs, images of female victims from the pack who had died under eerily similar circumstances.
Each one had been brutally assaulted before their lives were taken.
A chill ran down my spine as I flipped through the pages. Details of the cases were neatly outlined: dates, times, autopsy reports, and personal profiles of the victims.
My heart began to race as I noticed something that hadn’t stood out before, something the investigation had missed.
There was a pattern.
The killer wasn't choosing victims randomly. Every person they killed was a strong and important beta female in the pack.
These women had power and influence, and they were all connected to important people in the pack's leadership.
As I tried to understand what was happening, my heart beat faster. This wasn't just a random attack. Someone was deliberately targeting these women for a reason.
But why?
The bigger question was: who had the information and access to do this without anyone noticing?
As I thought about it, I realized how serious the situation was. The pack was so focused on how brutal the crimes were that we missed the bigger picture.
This wasn't just a series of tragic events. It was a planned attack on our pack's strength and leadership.
As I looked at the pictures, I had a disturbing thought: the victims might not be the only ones in danger.
If the killer was targeting strong female betas, then Aurora, Lena - who is soon to be Leonardo's wife - and Muna, my strong and capable beta who handles various matters for me, could all be potential targets.
I dropped the folder onto the desk, my mind racing. I needed answers, and fast. If I didn’t act now, more lives could be lost.
But first, I had to figure out how this information had gone unnoticed for so long. And who had left this folder in my office?
Whoever it was wanted me to find it.
The sudden commotion outside my office pulled me from my thoughts. I stood, the tension in my chest growing as I walked to the door.
The voices became clearer as I opened the door, and one in particular sent a jolt through me.
Marcus.
“I didn’t do it! She’s Lying!” he shouted, his tone defensive.
My curiosity turned to unease. What the hell is going on?
I walked towards the scene, staying far enough back to observe without drawing attention to myself. The hallway was thick with tension, and pack members were beginning to gather, murmuring among themselves.
Leonardo stood at the center, his posture tense, while Aurora clung to his side, trembling uncontrollably. Her face was pale, and tears streaked her cheeks as she pointed a shaking finger at Marcus.
“He…tried to rape me.” she accused, her voice uneven but filled with raw emotion.
My eyes moved to Marcus. His expression was filled with desperation and un-remorseful as he looked around at the crowd.
Leonardo’s jaw was clenched, his eyes darting between Aurora and Marcus, his face unreadable. For a moment, it looked as though he was struggling to process what he was hearing.
Aurora’s mother suddenly stepped forward, her voice cutting through the air like a knife. “Oh, for Goddess’ sake, Aurora! Stop this nonsense!” she spat, glaring at her daughter with disdain. “You always do this. Playing the victim, stirring up trouble. It’s pathetic!”
Aurora flinched and moved closer to Leonardo, trying to hide. Her mother's words were filled with hatred, and it made me feel sick to my stomach.
I couldn’t fully comprehend what was happening, but one thing was clear—Aurora was the victim here.
The sight of her on the floor, trembling and tear-streaked, filled me with an unexplainable rage.
She looked so vulnerable, so utterly alone. And yet, Leonardo stood there, hesitant, torn between belief and doubt.
Why didn’t he believe her? Didn’t he love her? How could he take Marcus’ side over hers?
The thought burned me inside. Marcus had always been a troublemaker, a smooth talker who could manipulate any situation to his favor.
Yet here was Aurora a woman who, despite everything, had no reason to fabricate something so horrifying.
Leonardo’s silence grated on me, his indecision like a slap to my own sense of justice.
"I didn't like Aurora, and I thought she caused trouble in our pack. But I knew she wouldn't lie about something like this.
Before I knew it, I was moving towards Marcus, my anger taking control. I grabbed his neck, and all I could see was his scared face
“You son of a bitch!” I roared, tightening my grip as he gasped for air.
“I caught you red-handed!”
Marcus clawed at my hands, his face turning red, but I didn’t care. The bastard deserved worse for what he had done or tried to do.