Chaos

Kaiden’s POV

The pack house was heavy with tension as I and Jack entered the infirmary where the bodies of the fallen guards lay.



The scent of blood and wolfsbane hung thick in the air, a bitter taste to the mouth that reminded me of the violence that had been done. The healer, an older woman, Elara, looked up as we approached, her face was drawn with worry.



“Alpha,” she greeted, her voice solemn. “I’ve prepared the bodies for your examination, but I must warn you, what you’ll see is… disturbing.” she said a warning beforehand.



I nodded, bracing myself for what lay ahead.


“Thank you, Elara. I’ll handle it from here.” I said to her and she nodded her head.


She stepped back, and gave me space as I approached the first body. The guard’s name was Marcus, a seasoned warrior who had served the pack faithfully for years.


Now, he lay lifeless, his eyes were closed as if in sleep, but the deep, precise wounds on his body told a different story.



The cuts were clean, almost surgical, as Jack had described. No sign of a struggle, no indication that he had even seen his attacker before it was too late.


It was as if life had been drained from him in an instant.


“This wasn’t an accident,” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else. “Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing.” I said.


Jack stood beside me and crossed his arms.


“It’s not just the precision, Alpha. The wolfsbane… it’s almost like it was used to weaken them before the attack. But why?


It doesn’t make sense. If this was a rival pack, why not just attack outright? Why go to such lengths to avoid detection?” Jack noted.



“That’s what we need to find out,” I said, moving to the next body. The same precise wounds, the same lack of struggle.


“We’re dealing with someone who’s trained, someone who knows how to kill without leaving a trace. This wasn’t just a random act of violence; it was a message.” I said.



Jack nodded grimly.
"A message to you,” he said.


As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. This was personal, and it was directed at me as the Alpha. Whoever was behind this wanted to send a clear signal that they could strike at any time, without warning, and they wanted me to know it.




“Prepare the patrols,” I ordered, my voice came out steely with determination. “We’re doubling the guard around the wolfsbane territories.


I want every inch of our land scouted, every potential weakness secured. And I want to know if any other packs have had similar incidents.” I said commanding them.



“Yes, Alpha,” Jack replied, already moving to carry out my orders.


As I turned to leave, I heard footsteps approaching. I looked up to see Lilian, her expression was a mix of both concern and curiosity. Her cheeks were still slightly flushed, the remnants of whatever had been troubling her earlier, but now her eyes were focused and determined probably on what we were talking about.



“Kaiden,” she called softly, stopping just a few feet away. “What happened? I heard there were deaths in the pack.” she enquired.



I hesitated, not wanting to burden her with this, but I knew she wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less than the truth.



"Three of our guards were killed near the wolfsbane territories,” I said, keeping my voice calm and measured. “We’re investigating the cause, but it looks like it was a deliberate attack. We’re dealing with a trained killer, likely from another pack.” I told her.



Her eyes widened in shock, and I could see the wheels turning in her mind.



"Another pack? But why? Who would do something like this?” She asked.


“That’s what we need to find out,” I replied. “But I don’t want you to worry about it, Lilian. I’ll handle this."I told her, hoping she would take the hint.



She frowned, clearly not satisfied with my answer.


“I want to help. I know I’m not a warrior, but I can be useful. Let me come with you when you go to the wolfsbane territories.” she said and that got me riled up in that instant.


Not now Lilian.
I shook my head, already anticipating her stubbornness.



“It’s too dangerous, Lilian. I can’t risk your safety.” I told her, still shaking my head.



“Kaiden,” she said firmly, stepping closer. “I’m your mate. I’m part of this pack, and I won’t just sit by while you put yourself in danger. I’m going with you.” she said.



I opened my mouth to argue, but the look in her eyes stopped me. She was determined, resolute, and I knew there was no talking her out of this.



“Fine,” I said as I relented, my voice softening. “But you stay close to me at all times. If anything happens, you get out of there, understand?"I ordered her.



She nodded her head, a small smile of satisfaction playing on her lips.
“I understand.” she said.



The next day, we set out for the wolfsbane territories. The sun was low in the sky, shining out on the woods long shadows over the forest as we approached the area where the bodies had been found. Lilian walked beside me, her eyes scanned the trees with a mix of curiosity and caution.




Jack and a group of guards followed closely behind, their senses were on alert for any sign of danger.



As we reached the site, the scent of wolfsbane grew stronger, mingling with the fresh scent of pine and earth.


The area was eerily quiet, as if the forest itself had been silenced by the violence that had taken place here.


“This is the spot,” Jack said, pointing to a patch of ground where the grass had been stained dark with blood. “This is where we found Marcus.” He said.




Lilian’s eyes widened as she took in the scene, her hand instinctively reaching for mine. I squeezed her hand reassuringly, keeping my own emotions in check.




“Stay close,” I reminded her.
We moved further into the forest, following the faint trail that led deeper into the wolfsbane territories. The trees grew thicker here, their branches heavy with leaves that blocked out most of the sunlight.



The scent of wolfsbane was overpowering, making my head swim slightly as we continued on.



Then, we saw it—a figure standing just ahead, partially hidden by the shadows. My heart skipped a beat, and I immediately tensed, my hand moving to the hilt of my blade.



"Who’s there?” I called out, my voice echoed through the trees.


The figure stepped forward, and I felt a surge of recognition. It was a werewolf, but not one from our pack. His scent was different, foreign, and there was a cold, calculating look in his eyes that sent a chill down my spine.




“Who are you?” I demanded, taking a step forward. “What are you doing in our territory?” I asked him. Whoever he was, his time began now, he had better start talking and fast. My eyes shot to Lilian and I could feel my heart beating even more louder and faster.




The werewolf smiled, a slow, sinister grin that made my blood boil.


“Just delivering a message,” he said, his voice was low and mocking. “Your pack isn’t as secure as you think, Alpha. And this is just the beginning.” he said.




Before I could react, he turned and disappeared into the trees, moving with a speed and agility that was almost inhuman.



I cursed under my breath, ready to give chase, but I felt Lilian’s hand tighten around mine, pulling me back.



“Don’t,” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “It’s too dangerous. He’s trying to lure you away.” she begged. I watched her for a beat, trying to decide whether to go or not to.



She was right. As much as I wanted to tear after him, to demand answers, I couldn’t risk leaving Lilian and the others unprotected.



“He won’t get far,” I said, my voice hard with determination. “We’ll track him, find out where he came from. But for now, we need to get back to the pack house and strengthen our defenses.



Whoever that was, he’s not working alone.” I said.


Lilian nodded her head, her eyes were wide with a mix of fear and something else. Was that....? Shock?



"I’m with you,” she said, her voice steady. “Whatever happens, I’m with you.” she said to me and I held her hand. It felt really nice to hold her hand.



As we made our way back to the pack house, my mind was racing. The attack on our guards, the appearance of the mysterious werewolf, the threat hanging over our pack—it was all connected, I was sure of it. But I didn’t yet know how.



One thing was clear: this was only just the beginning, and whoever was behind this wasn’t going to stop until they had gotten what they wanted.

And I wasn’t going to let them take another life. No, not again.
Not as long as I was Alpha.