Chapter 84

Lucius ran his fingers over the aged pages, his expression thoughtful. "Vincent also documented strange occurrences within the factions during these cycles. Unexplained deaths, mysterious disappearances, and sudden power shifts."

"Like what happened to that Hawkins pack leader?" Shea asked, remembering how his head had exploded mid-sentence.

"Precisely." Lucius's blue eyes narrowed. "According to Vincent's notes, similar incidents occurred during previous blood awakenings. He suspected there were forces at work beyond the typical faction rivalries."

Achilles leaned forward, his arm brushing against Shea's. "What kind of forces?"

"That's where things get complicated." Lucius flipped through several pages covered in Vincent's hurried scrawl. "He mentioned a group that operated in shadows, one that had existed for centuries. They weren't aligned with any faction, but they took great interest in these blood awakenings."

Marcus crossed his arms. "You think they're still active?"

"More than active," Lucius replied. "Vincent believed they had infiltrated multiple factions. He was close to identifying key members when..." He trailed off, glancing at Shea.

"When they killed him," she finished, her voice steady despite the pain that flashed across her face.

Lucius nodded solemnly. "The journal entries become more frantic in his final weeks. He knew he was being watched, but he continued his research anyway. There's a passage here about a prophecy tied to the blood awakenings, something about a union that could either bring peace or destruction to all werewolf kind."

Shea's hand found Achilles' under the table, squeezing it as she processed the weight of her father's words through Lucius's reading.

"A prophecy?" Marcus paced the room, his boots echoing against the hardwood floor. "Did Vincent write down any specifics?"

Lucius shook his head, carefully turning another weathered page. "Most of it is in fragments. He was careful with what he committed to paper, knowing the wrong eyes might find it."

"But why didn't he tell anyone?" Achilles asked, his thumb tracing circles on Shea's palm. "If he knew he was being watched, why keep it all to himself?"

"Protection," Lucius replied. "The less people knew, the safer they'd be. Vincent was always like that - shouldering burdens alone to shield others."

Shea's throat tightened. That matched exactly with her memories of her father, always putting himself between his family and danger. Even at the very end.

"There's more," Lucius continued. "He tracked lunar cycles against major events in faction history. Found patterns that suggested these shadow operators became most active during specific astronomical alignments."

"Like now?" Marcus asked sharply.

"Exactly like now." Lucius closed the journal carefully. "The next blood moon is in three weeks. According to Vincent's calculations, it's not just any blood moon - it's the convergence of multiple cycles that only happens once every few centuries."

"Which means whatever they're planning, it's happening soon," Achilles concluded, his grip on Shea's hand tightening protectively.

"And we still don't know who they are or what they want," Marcus added, frustration clear in his voice.

"We know more than they think we do," Lucius said. "And thanks to Vincent's foresight, we have time to prepare. But we need to be strategic about this. If they realize we're onto them..."

"Vincent's research points to something else," Lucius continued, spreading out several loose papers from the journal. "He discovered ancient texts describing a ritual that could only be performed during a convergence of lunar cycles."

Marcus leaned over the documents, his brow furrowed. "These symbols - I've seen them before, in the old archives."

"The ritual requires specific conditions," Lucius explained. "The blood of particular bloodlines, performed at precise locations during the height of the moon's power."

Shea felt a chill run through her. "That's why they want me."

"Yes," Lucius confirmed. "Your bloodline carries unique properties. Vincent knew this, which is why he went to such lengths to protect you."

Achilles stood, pulling Shea up with him. "Then we need to move fast. Three weeks isn't much time to prepare."

"Agreed," Marcus said. "We should start by mapping the potential ritual sites. Vincent's notes mention several sacred locations in the territory."

Lucius gathered the papers carefully. "I'll have Alaric bring the old territory maps from the vault. We'll cross-reference them with Vincent's research."

"What about the other factions?" Shea asked. "Should we warn them?"

"Not yet," Lucius replied. "We don't know who we can trust. For now, we keep this between us and continue gathering intelligence."

Marcus pulled out his phone. "I'll contact my sources, see if there's been any unusual movement around the old sites."

"Good," Lucius nodded. "Achilles, you and Shea should review these ritual descriptions. Look for any details we might have missed."

"The symbols here," Shea pointed to a particular page. "They remind me of markings I saw in my father's study when I was young."

"Your memories might be key to understanding all this," Lucius said. "Try to recall everything you can about those symbols."

Shea traced her fingers over the ancient symbols, trying to recall more details from her childhood memories. The faded ink on the yellowed pages seemed to pulse with hidden meaning.

"Here," she said, pointing to a particular sequence. "This pattern was carved into my father's desk. I used to trace it while he worked."

Achilles leaned closer, his warmth steady against her side as he studied the markings. "The curve of these lines - they match some of the boundary stones in the old territories."

"Vincent was methodical in his research," Lucius said, spreading out another set of papers. "These calculations track lunar cycles going back centuries. He was looking for a specific pattern."

Marcus paced behind them, his boots silent on the thick carpet. "The convergence he predicted - it's not just about the moons aligning. The ritual needs something more."

"Blood and power," Lucius confirmed. "The texts speak of channeling energy through specific bloodlines during the height of lunar influence."

Shea felt Achilles tense beside her. "That's why the Hawkins faction is so desperate to claim her. They want to control that power."

"But they're missing crucial pieces," Marcus added. "Vincent's research suggests the ritual requires willing participation. Force would negate the effect."

Lucius gathered some of the papers into neat stacks. "Which means we have an advantage they don't know about. Even if they managed to capture Shea, they couldn't complete the ritual without her cooperation."

"Unless they found a way around that requirement," Achilles said darkly. "We can't assume they haven't discovered something we don't know about."

Shea picked up another page covered in her father's precise handwriting. "These notes mention something about resonance between bloodlines. Could that be important?"

"Very," Lucius said. "Vincent believed certain bloodlines naturally amplified each other's power. It's why some packs are naturally stronger when they work together."