Chapterb91
The day started off normal, deceptively so. The sun was shining, the pack house was buzzing with activity, and for once, it felt like a fleeting moment of peace had settled over us. I had almost let myself believe it.
Almost.
But the gnawing feeling in my stomach wouldn’t go away. Something was wrong. I could feel it like a shadow lurking just out of sight, a chill that clung to my skin no matter how warm the sun felt on my face.
“Are you alright?” Fatima asked, stepping into the room with a cup of coffee in hand. Her expression was cautious, as if she could sense my unease.
I forced a smile. “Just nerves, I guess. I can’t shake the feeling that we’re missing something.”
“We’ve been following every lead, Priscilla,” Fatima reassured me. “We’re doing everything we can.”
I nodded, but I couldn’t ignore the tension in my chest. “I know, but what if it’s not enough?”
Before she could respond, the door swung open, and Selena rushed in, her face ashen. “You need to come with me,” she panted, her voice tinged with panic.
“What happened?” I asked, already feeling the knot in my stomach tighten.
Selena’s eyes darted around the room before she met my gaze. “It’s one of our own. He’s dead.”
The words sent a shockwave through me. Dead? That didn’t make any sense. Who? How?
We hurried outside, following Selena as she led us to a clearing just beyond the pack’s territory. A small group had already gathered, their faces twisted in horror and confusion. I pushed my way through, and there, lying motionless on the ground, was Tim.
Tim, the heartbroken boy who had told us about the girl who had changed, who had been devastated by her loss. Now, he was gone too.
My breath hitched, and I dropped to my knees beside him, feeling for a pulse even though I knew it was futile. His skin was cold, his eyes staring lifelessly at the sky.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “Not Tim. He was just a kid.”
Fatima crouched beside me, her hand on my back. “Priscilla, we need to figure out what happened. Look.”
She pointed to his neck, and that’s when I saw it. A deep gash, clean and precise, as if it had been made by a knife or a claw. There was no sign of struggle, no evidence that he’d had time to fight back.
“He didn’t see it coming,” Selena said quietly, her voice thick with sorrow.
I clenched my fists, anger surging through me like wildfire. “This was a message,” I spat. “Whoever did this wants us to know they’re watching. That they can strike whenever they want.”
Selena nodded, her jaw set. “He knew something. He must have figured out who it was, or at least gotten close.”
“Which means we were close too,” Fatima added. “Close enough that they felt threatened.”
A heavy silence fell over us, punctuated only by the sound of the wind rustling through the trees. I looked up and saw the faces of our pack members, the fear and uncertainty in their eyes. This was exactly what the enemy wanted—to divide us, to make us question our safety and our unity.
I stood up, my voice firm despite the tremble in my hands. “We need to get everyone back to the pack house. Now.”
Selena and Fatima moved to guide the others away while I stayed behind for a moment, staring down at Tim’s lifeless body. I knelt down once more and gently closed his eyes, whispering a silent promise. *We will find out who did this. I swear it.*
When I returned to the pack house, Jake was already there, his face twisted in pain as he spoke with a group of warriors. He looked up as I approached, his eyes locking onto mine.
“Who?” he asked simply.
“Tim,” I said, my voice breaking. “They killed Tim.”
Jake’s expression darkened, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought it might break. He turned away, slamming his fist into the nearest wall. The sound echoed through the room, a raw, physical manifestation of his rage.
“Damn it!” he roared. “How many more lives will this bastard take?”
I moved closer, laying a hand on his arm. “Jake, we need to stay calm. This is what he wants. He wants us to react, to lose control.”
Jake took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before nodding. “You’re right,” he said, his voice a strained whisper. “But I can’t just stand by and let this happen.”
“We won’t,” I assured him. “We need a plan. And we need to find out who’s been talking to Andrew.”
Jake glanced at me, his expression softening with a glimmer of something like regret. “I called Andrew in for questioning.”
“What?” I stared at him, shocked. “Jake, we agreed we needed to keep this under wraps. If he knows we suspect him—”
“I had no choice, Priscilla,” Jake snapped, then softened. “Tim’s death changed everything.”
Before I could respond, the doors swung open and Andrew strolled in, flanked by two guards. He had that infuriating smirk on his face, the kind that made me want to punch him.
“Ah, the lovebirds,” Andrew drawled. “You called for me?”
Jake stepped forward, his fists clenched. “We know you’re involved, Andrew. Don’t play games with me.”
Andrew raised his hands in mock surrender. “Whoa, calm down, Alpha. I’m here, aren’t I? But you’re mistaken if you think I had anything to do with this poor boy’s death.”
“Cut the crap,” I snapped. “We found your ring, Andrew. At the lodge. The place where *he* was staying.”
Andrew’s smirk faltered for just a fraction of a second before it returned. He looked almost amused. “My ring, you say? Well, it must have been stolen then. I’d never be careless enough to leave evidence behind.”
“You expect us to believe that?” Jake’s voice was low and dangerous.
Andrew shrugged. “Believe what you want, Alpha. But you have no proof. And if you accuse me without proof, you’ll have the whole pack questioning your judgment. Isn’t that what you’re trying to avoid?”
I gritted my teeth, hating how he was right. We had nothing concrete, just suspicions and circumstantial evidence. And if we pushed too hard without solid proof, it would only make things worse.
“Get out,” I spat. “But know this, Andrew—we’re watching you.”
He gave a mock bow, grinning like a cat that had just caught a mouse. “Of course, Luna. I wouldn’t dream of misbehaving.”
As he sauntered out, I felt the tension in the room thicken. The pack members who had overheard our exchange were whispering, their eyes darting between us with a mixture of fear and doubt.
“This is bad,” Fatima muttered as she joined me. “He’s turning them against us.”
“I know,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “We need to tread carefully. The more we push, the more it plays into his hands.”
Jake came over, his expression weary but resolute. “We’re not giving up. We keep watching him, and we keep looking for leads. He’s going to slip up, and when he does…”
“We’ll be ready,” I finished.
He nodded, pulling me into a tight embrace. I buried my face in his chest, breathing in his familiar scent. For a moment, I let myself be held, let myself believe that everything would be okay.
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