Unearthing truth

Lilian’s POV

The next morning dawned with some sort of urgency in me, the previous day’s events pressed heavily on my mind. The unsettling encounter, the mysterious werewolf, and Kaiden’s determination all haunted my thoughts as I dressed in silence, careful not to wake him. The air in our room felt thick, as if it, too, had absorbed the tension that now gripped the pack.
But today, I needed answers. And there was only one place I could think to go: Yuria.
As I made my way through the pack house, the morning was still young, the sun barely peeked over the whole pack. The guards were already at their posts, more alert than usual. Kaiden’s orders from the night before were clearly being taken seriously, and the atmosphere around the pack house was one of controlled anxiety. Everyone was on edge, and frankly, I couldn’t blame them.
The forest path to Yuria’s dwelling was familiar, a trail I’d walked many times before, but today it felt different. There was a chill in the air that had nothing to do with the temperature, a sort of feeling that something was watching me, something unseen. I shook off the feeling and quickened my pace, eager to reach Yuria’s place and get the answers I so desperately needed.
Her small cottage came into view, nestled in the shadows of the towering trees, its stone walls covered in ivy that had grown wild over the years. I paused for a moment at the edge of the clearing, my heart pounded in my chest. I wasn’t sure if it was from the brisk walk or from the uncertainty that gnawed at me.
With a deep breath, I approached the door and knocked lightly. It swung open almost immediately, revealing Yuria standing there as if she’d been expecting me. Her sharp, dark eyes appraised me for a moment before she stepped aside, allowing me to enter.
“Lilian,” she greeted me, her voice wass calm and measured as ever. “I wondered when you might come to see me.” she said and I watched her. Why was she being this way.
There was something in her tone that made my skin prickle.
“I didn’t know if you’d heard about what happened yesterday,” I began, unsure how to start. “But I need to talk to you.” I said.
Yuria motioned for me to sit at the small wooden table in the center of the room. The space was dimly lit, the only light coming from the hearth where a small fire crackled softly. The scent of herbs hung in the air, mixed with the earthy smell of the forest that seemed to seep into everything here.

“I’ve heard,” Yuria said, and she took a seat across from me. Her expression remained neutral, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes, something I couldn’t quite place. “The news travels fast in this pack.” she said and I nodded my head. That may be true, even though no one other than the pack members knew this.
I studied her, trying to gauge her reaction.
“Then you know about the bodies we found? The attack on our patrols?” I asked her.
She nodded slowly.
"Yes, I know. The pack is in turmoil, and Alpha Kaiden has taken steps to protect you all.” she said ever so accurately.
I frowned, and leaned forward slightly.
“Yuria, something’s not right. This attack… it wasn’t random. It was calculated, and the werewolf who confronted us seemed to know more than he should. Almost as if he was… familiar.” I said.
Yuria’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she remained silent, waiting for me to continue.
“I’ve been thinking about it all night,” I went on, my voice dropping to a near whisper. “What if this attack wasn’t just about the pack? What if it was aimed specifically at Kaiden, at weakening him?” I said.
Yuria’s eyes didn't shake, but there was an unsettling calmness in her demeanor that made my heart race with suspicion.
“You’re not wrong to consider that possibility,” she said quietly. “But you must understand, Lilian, there are forces at play here that go beyond what you can see. This is not just about Kaiden or the pack. It’s about something much bigger.” she told me and that prickled my skin even more.
I blinked, taken aback by her words.
“What do you mean? What forces?” I asked her.
Yuria sighed, leaning back in her chair as she regarded me with a mix of pity and caution.
“There are old alliances and ancient rivalries that have shaped the world of the wolves, Lilian. Some of those rivalries have not been forgotten, and some alliances… have been broken. What you witnessed yesterday was the result of one such broken alliance.” she said.
Her words sent a chill down my spine.
"Are you saying that this attack was orchestrated by someone who has a personal vendetta against Kaiden?” I asked, you know who, coming to my mind.
“Perhaps,” Yuria said, her voice careful, “or perhaps it is simply the outcome of long-standing enmities that have resurfaced. But what you must understand is that these forces are not just about power or territory. They are about survival.” she said.
I felt a growing unease.
"Why didn’t you tell us this before? If you knew something like this could happen, why didn’t you warn us?” I asked her.
Yuria’s expression remained unreadable, but her eyes bore into mine with an intensity that made me want to look away.
"Because some things are better left unsaid, Lilian. Knowledge can be a burden, especially when there is little you can do to change the course of events. I knew that this day might come, but I did not know when or how. Now that it has, all you can do is prepare.” she said.
I stared at her, disbelief mingling with anger.
"Prepare? How can we prepare for something we don’t even fully understand? You’re telling me that Kaiden and the pack are being targeted by some ancient grudge, and we just have to wait for the next attack?” she said.
Yuria’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I am telling you that there is more to this world than what you see, Lilian. And you would do well to heed my words. The past has a way of catching up with us, and not all enemies are as obvious as they seem.”
Her cryptic response only fueled my frustration. “You’re talking in riddles, Yuria. We need clear answers, not more mysteries. If you know something that could help us, you need to tell me. We can’t fight this if we don’t know what we’re up against.”
For a moment, Yuria’s facade cracked, and I saw a flash of something—fear? Regret?—cross her face. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by her usual calm.
“I’ve told you all I can, Lilian,” she said, her voice soft but firm. “The rest, you will have to discover on your own. But be careful. The path ahead is fraught with danger, and not everyone you meet will be an ally.”
I wanted to argue, to demand more from her, but I knew it would be futile. Yuria had given me what she was willing to, and no amount of pleading or prodding would change that. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was holding something back, something crucial.
“Thank you,” I said finally, rising from my seat. “I appreciate your guidance, Yuria. But I hope you understand that I can’t just sit by and do nothing. I’ll find out who’s behind this, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect Kaiden and the pack.”
Yuria nodded, though there was a sadness in her eyes that I didn’t fully understand.
"I know you will, child. Just… be careful. And remember, not everything is as it seems.”
With those final, enigmatic words, I took my leave, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. As I stepped out into the forest, the chill in the air felt even more pronounced, and the shadows seemed to cling to me like a second skin.
What was Yuria hiding? And why did she seem so resigned, as if she knew more than she was letting on? My heart ached with the weight of unanswered questions, but I knew I couldn’t let that paralyze me. There was too much at stake.
As I made my way back to the pack house, my resolve hardened. No matter what secrets Yuria was keeping, I would find the truth. For Kaiden, for the pack, and for our future. Because whatever was coming, I needed to be ready. And I would be.
But as Yuria’s words echoed in my mind, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was already too late.