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Bianca's POV

The air in the pack house was suffocating, laden with tension so thick it was nearly tangible. Finn’s death had cast a dark shadow over everything, and it was a matter of time before accusations and suspicions boiled over. My hands trembled as I paced my room, my mind racing.

This wasn’t part of the plan.

Jenny sat on the bed, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her face pale but defiant. “Bianca, this is getting out of hand. Lia knows something. She practically accused us in front of Benedicta.”

I whirled on her, my voice sharp. “And what exactly do you think we should do about it? Go to the elders and confess? Because that’s what your panicking sounds like.”

Jenny flinched, her composure cracking. “No, but if Alina starts digging, we’re finished. She’s furious. She’ll turn over every stone to find out who killed Finn, and when she does, we’ll be the first ones she looks at.”

I clenched my jaw, staring out the window. The moonlight illuminated the pack grounds, tranquil and deceptive. Inside, chaos brewed.

“Let her look,” I said finally, my voice cold. “Let her throw her tantrums and hurl accusations. We didn’t kill Finn, and she won’t find anything linking us to his death.”

“But we—”

“Enough!” I snapped, my patience fraying. “We aimed for Lia, not Finn. And now Finn’s dead. That complicates things, yes, but it doesn’t mean we fold. We stick to the story, keep our heads down, and let this storm blow over.”

Jenny hesitated, uncertainty written all over her face. “And what if it doesn’t blow over? What if Alina gets to the truth?”

I turned to her, my eyes narrowing. “Then we make sure she doesn’t. We’ve come too far to let everything unravel now.”

The silence that followed was heavy, but Jenny nodded reluctantly. I knew she was scared. Hell, I was too. But fear was a luxury I couldn’t afford. Not now.


---

Alina's POV

The crackle of the fire in the library offered no comfort as I sat across from Dean. His face was a mask of quiet fury, his sharp features illuminated by the flickering flames.

“My brother is dead,” I said, breaking the silence, my voice heavy with barely contained rage. “And no one is telling me anything. Not the elders, not the sentinels—no one. It’s like they’re trying to sweep this under the rug.”

Dean leaned forward, his intense gaze locking onto mine. “They won’t. Not if we don’t let them.”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “I can’t believe this is happening. Finn... he was supposed to recover. He was supposed to lead this pack again. And now...” My voice broke, and I looked away, swallowing the lump in my throat.

Dean reached out, his hand covering mine. “I know how much he meant to you, Alina. We’ll find out who did this. Whoever they are, they won’t get away with it.”

I nodded, grateful for his steady presence. “I need your help, Dean. I can’t do this alone.”

“Of course,” he said firmly. “But we need to be smart about this. Whoever killed Finn isn’t going to just confess. They’ll cover their tracks, and we’ll need to dig deep to uncover the truth.”

I sat back, trying to piece everything together. “The maids said his oxygen was turned off. That means whoever did it was in the room. They had to be someone who could get close to him without raising suspicion.”

Dean frowned, his mind clearly working through the possibilities. “You think it was someone from the pack?”

I hesitated, the thought twisting my stomach. “I don’t want to believe it, but who else could it be? An outsider wouldn’t have had the opportunity. Someone here killed my brother, and they need to pay for it.”

Dean nodded slowly. “Then we start with the obvious suspects. Who would have had something to gain from Finn’s death?”

“Lia,” I said immediately, bitterness lacing my words. “She’s been nothing but a thorn in our side. She was in the room right after it happened, and she’s been causing problems since the moment she arrived.”

Dean considered this, but his expression remained neutral. “Lia has been a source of tension, yes. But killing Finn? That’s a bold move, even for her. We can’t let personal feelings cloud our judgment, Alina.”

I bristled, but he was right. As much as I despised Lia, we needed evidence, not just suspicions.

“Bianca and Jenny,” I said after a moment. “They’ve been scheming for weeks. They hated Lia, and they might have seen Finn as collateral damage.”

Dean’s jaw tightened. “If they’re involved, we’ll find out. But we’ll need to tread carefully. Accusing them outright could backfire. They’ll close ranks if they feel threatened.”

“Then we don’t accuse them,” I said, a plan forming in my mind. “We watch them. We listen. If they’re guilty, they’ll slip up eventually.”

Dean’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Now you’re thinking like a leader.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, his words warmed me. Finn had always been the leader, the one everyone looked to for guidance. Now, it was up to me to step into that role.

“Where do we start?” I asked determination, hardening my resolve.

Dean leaned back, his eyes glinting with a mix of determination and something darker. “We start by making them think we’re not looking. Let them believe they’ve gotten away with it. People get careless when they think the heat is off.”

I nodded, a grim smile forming on my lips. “And when they slip, we’ll be ready.”


---

Bianca's POV

The tension in the air was palpable as I entered the pack’s main hall. The elders were speaking in hushed tones, their faces etched with concern. The weight of their scrutiny was suffocating, but I kept my expression neutral.

“Bianca,” one of them said, gesturing for me to approach.

I stepped forward, inclining my head respectfully. “Elder Markus, how can I help you?”

His sharp eyes bore into mine. “There have been... troubling developments regarding Finn’s death. The pack is in turmoil, and we need answers.”

I forced a look of concern onto my face. “Of course, Elder. I’ll do whatever I can to assist.”

Markus studied me for a moment before nodding. “See that you do. The pack’s stability depends on it.”

I nodded and excused myself, my heart pounding as I left the hall. Jenny was waiting for me outside, her expression anxious.

“What did they want?” she asked.

“Nothing we didn’t already expect,” I said tightly. “They’re looking for answers, and they’re watching everyone closely. We need to be careful, Jenny. One wrong move, and we’re done.”

Jenny swallowed hard, her fear evident. “What if they find out, Bianca? What if they figure out that we—”

“They won’t,” I interrupted sharply. “We didn’t kill Finn. Let them investigate all they want. They’ll find nothing.”

But even as I said the words, doubt gnawed at me. Alina was relentless, and Dean’s quiet intensity was unnerving. They wouldn’t stop until they uncovered the truth.

And if that truth led back to us...

I shook the thought away, forcing myself to focus. I couldn’t afford to let fear cloud my judgment. Not now.

“We stick to the plan,” I said firmly. “No more mistakes. No more slip-ups. We see this through, no matter what.”

Jenny nodded reluctantly, but I could see the cracks forming in her resolve. I just hoped those cracks wouldn’t bring everything crashing down around us.


---

Alina's POV

Dean and I stood in Finn’s room, the oppressive silence heavy with unspoken grief. The maids had cleaned up, but the lingering scent of antiseptic couldn’t mask the memories of what had happened here.

“This is where it started,” I said quietly, my eyes scanning the room. “Whoever killed Finn was in this room, Dean. They stood right here and...” My voice faltered, and I clenched my fists. “They took him from me.”

Dean placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’ll find them, Alina. And when we do, they’ll pay.”

I nodded, my jaw set with determination. “They think they’ve won. They think they’ve gotten away with it. But they haven’t. We’ll make sure of that.”

Dean’s eyes gleamed with fierce resolve. “Together.”

As we left the room, a sense of purpose settled over me. Finn’s death wouldn’t be in vain. I would uncover the truth, no matter what it took. And when I did, justice would be served.