BLAISE In the dimly lit confines of my study, Agatha's voice, tinged with desperation, floated towards me. "Alpha, I'm certain he's not the culprit. He might have been threatened by Lila's brother. Have you considered the possibilities?" Her words were a plea, laced with concern and conviction. She had trailed me persistently, from the door of my room to the confines of my library. Her relentless determination to free Erick from prison perplexed me. She had been relentless in her pursuit, even going as far as to weep and threaten to die if I did not intervene. In her heart, she believed in Erick's innocence, that he posed no threat to our pack. Her room had become her self-imposed exile since Erick's capture, and she refused any replacement for her guard. But this was not time to be sentimental or time to please anyone, not even Agatha or Lila. I had witnessed the crumbling of everything I had worked tirelessly to build, consumed by the unforgiving flames of t
AUTHOR'S P.O.V. In the shrouded shadows of the night, a formidable black wolf, with fur as dark as the abyss, prowled stealthily through the underbrush. Its eyes, glowing with a fierce, infernal red, were fixed intently on the men stationed outside the building. Despite its lupine form, it exuded a commanding presence over the armed men in their human guise. The wolf, driven by a singular purpose, was here for one individual – a target it was resolutely determined to eliminate this very night. A guard, unwittingly standing closest to the lurking predator, began to twitch his nose as an unfamiliar scent permeated the air, tinged with the wild, primal aroma of the hidden wolf. His eyes, searching, eventually locked onto the ominous glow of the wolf's eyes, like crimson embers peering out from their leafy hideaway. “We're under attack!” he shouted, a note of panic in his voice. But his warning came too late. In a blur of shadow and fury, the massive black wolf burst from its cov
LILA I observed with a keen eye as Richard tended to Blaise's battered body. Blaise had regained consciousness, but he remained tight-lipped about his whereabouts and the details of his harrowing experience. Dr. Richard, with his usual calm authority, diagnosed his injuries as the result of aggressive wolf bites and deep scratches, and an apparent impact from an unknown source. Once the doctor had departed, I settled beside Blaise on his bed, stroking his hair, my touch gentle, unwilling to bombard him with questions until he had recovered fully and was ready to speak. Time passed in a tender silence until Blaise finally spoke. "I paid an unexpected visit to Drax's park, but he managed to escape," he confessed in a hushed tone, his voice heavy with emotion, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. Puzzlement creased my forehead. "Why would you go alone? You should have taken some warriors with you." He shook his head before responding, his eyes distant. "Bringing others along w
LILA Blaise had received strict instructions from Dr. Richard to rest until he fully recovered. However, I knew Blaise all too well to believe he would heed that advice. He was keen on dealing with his enemies and so was I to unmask them. Following a thorough sweep of the entire packhouse, we discovered concealed listening devices in both Blaise's study and the room he had allocated to me. Leo proposed that these bugs might have been the tools intruders employed to siphon information from the pack. Yet, I harboured doubts. I sensed that the truth lay beneath the surface, and I prayed that my solitary quest to unmask the mysterious 'Ghost' wouldn't lead me astray. My only wish was that my plan would unfold seamlessly. With unwavering determination, I informed Blaise that I intended to visit Randolph and Teresa at the vineyard. In truth, I had a different destination in mind. My true objective was the Water Side neighbouring pack, where I aimed to meet with a woman known to Teres
LILA The following day found me once more standing before Mrs. Green's doorstep, this time alone and imploring. Tim, my bodyguard, was not with me today. I thought that perhaps presenting myself alone would engender a greater sense of comfort and empathy from the woman. "Hello, Mrs. Green," I greeted, infusing my voice with a touch of desperation and plea. "Could you spare a moment to listen to me?" As she remained silent and motionless, I decided to appeal to her conscience. "Mrs Green, please understand that I'm a mother, and I've been separated from my two-year-old since yesterday. If you could kindly grant me access to complete my job and return to my waiting child, I would be immensely grateful. I cannot leave until the task is done—." Before I could complete my plea, the door swung open abruptly, revealing Mrs. Green's stern countenance. I met her gaze, silently pleading for entry. She scanned her surroundings before stepping aside, permitting me to enter. Initially
LILA As Tim drove me home in the dimming twilight, my mind swirled with thoughts of my earlier discussion with Mrs. Green. She had been evasive with her words, and it was evident that she possessed knowledge she wasn't willing to divulge. The only way I saw forward was using illegal means to obtain information, so, I contemplated enlisting Tim's help to infiltrate her abode, scouring for hidden secrets, while I confronted Dr. Richard regarding his involvement with Hart, who was from a pack two hours away from his own. "Tim," I began, my voice firm yet tinged with apprehension, "I need you to visit Mrs. Green's apartment tomorrow, discreetly, when she's absent. Search diligently for any trace of evidence—photographs, letters, tapes, whatever you can find." "Roger that, Luna," Tim acknowledged with determination, stepping down on the accelerator. Upon reaching home, I was greeted by Blaise, who was on the porch, waiting. His slung arm and sombre countenance hinted at
AUTHOR'S P.O.V. Tim, dressed in the shadows with his all-black attire, stealthily navigated through the dense underbrush, determined not to alert the ever-watchful Mrs. Green. Fortunately, the moon had chosen to hide its luminous face that night, shrouding him in obscurity. His silent footsteps led him closer to the backyard of the house, which lay veiled in profound darkness, with only a faint glimmer from a lantern casting feeble light into the hallway. With deft carefulness, Tim picked the lock of the kitchen door, and within moments, the door yielded to his skilled touch. As he entered, he closed the door with painstaking care, but it let out a faint, protesting creak. A sudden crack from within the house prompted him to hide himself, holding his breath. Moments later, Mrs. Green emerged, gripping a shotgun, and sweeping it vigilantly from one corner of the house to the next. Tim knew that her senses were keen, and she could recognise his scent in an instant. Drawing
LILA Blaise stormed into our room. "You keep giving me reasons not to trust you!" he barked, his voice echoing with a mixture of anger and betrayal. I followed Blaise into the room. We had just returned from the hospital where Tim was admitted. He was unconscious and in a bad shape, but he was still alive, which was a glimmer hope for me. "I'm sorry, Blaise, but—" "But what?" He spun around, his gaze piercing into mine. The muscles in his jaw twitched in barely contained frustration. "You made me promise to tell you everything going on, but you went ahead to do this on your own." His fingers raked through his hair, a gesture of sheer exasperation. He turned away momentarily, as if gathering his thoughts, then faced me again. His voice softened, tinged with worry, yet the undercurrent of irritation was unmistakable. "Lila, what if you were in that car? What if this tragedy had struck while you were returning from the Autumn Pack?" "I'm sorry." My words were a