Chapter 2: Unsettling Signs

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting long shadows across my room. I hadn’t slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw those glowing yellow eyes, felt the icy chill of that whispered warning.

I had spent the night pacing, trying to piece together what little I knew, but all I ended up with were more questions and a growing sense of dread.

I finally forced myself to get dressed and head to the packhouse. Whatever was happening, I needed answers. And I wasn’t going to find them hiding in my room.

The packhouse was buzzing with activity when I arrived. The usual morning routines—training, breakfast, briefings—seemed subdued, as if the entire pack was holding its breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I could feel the tension in the air, a quiet, underlying current of unease.

I made my way through the crowded hallways, ignoring the curious glances and the whispered conversations that seemed to follow me wherever I went.

It wasn’t just because of the rejection; everyone knew about that by now. No, this was something more. The pack was on edge, and I could sense that whatever was going on, it was only going to get worse.

I found Lysa in the kitchen, her hands busy preparing breakfast for the warriors. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and there was a smudge of flour on her cheek. She looked up as I entered, her eyes lighting up with a mix of relief and concern.

“Sera,” she greeted, wiping her hands on a towel before pulling me into a quick hug. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Are you okay? You look like you haven’t slept.”

“I haven’t,” I admitted, trying to keep my voice steady. “Something happened last night, Lysa. Something… strange.”

Her expression shifted, the concern deepening. “Strange how?”

I glanced around, making sure no one else was close enough to overhear. “I saw a wolf, just outside the packhouse. It wasn’t one of ours. Its eyes… they were yellow, like nothing I’ve ever seen before. And then I heard this voice, like a thought in my head, warning me that something—or someone—was coming.”

Lysa’s brow furrowed, and she leaned in closer. “A rogue, maybe? But how did it get so close without anyone noticing?”

“I don’t know,” I said, frustration creeping into my voice. “And that’s what scares me. I’ve never felt anything like it before. It wasn’t just a rogue, Lysa. There was something… unnatural about it.”

She was quiet for a moment, her mind clearly racing through the possibilities. “Have you told Marcus?”

I shook my head, the mention of his name bringing a fresh wave of pain. “No. After everything that happened last night… I don’t think he’d believe me.”

Lysa sighed, her expression softening. “Sera, you’re still part of this pack, whether he rejected you as Luna or not. If something’s going on, you need to tell someone.”

“I know,” I said, though the words felt hollow. I wasn’t ready to face Marcus again, not after what he’d said. But Lysa was right. If there was a threat to the pack, I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

Before I could reply, Damian walked into the kitchen, his broad frame filling the doorway. His dark hair was tousled, and there was a deep frown etched into his features. He looked like he hadn’t slept either.

“Morning, Sera,” he said, his voice gruff. “Lysa.”

“Damian,” I nodded, trying to gauge his mood. “Have you heard anything about the attacks?”

He shook his head, his frown deepening. “Nothing solid. Just rumors. But everyone’s on edge. There’s talk that the Bloodstone Pack might be behind it.”

“Alaric Draven,” I murmured, the name leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. The Alpha of the Bloodstone Pack was ruthless, known for his ambition and disregard for anything that stood in his way. If he was involved, things were worse than I’d feared.

“Yeah,” Damian confirmed, crossing his arms over his chest. “But there’s no proof yet. Marcus has ordered increased patrols, but so far, no one’s found anything.”

I glanced at Lysa, who looked just as uneasy as I felt. “We need to find out what’s really going on, Damian. Something strange happened last night—”

“I know,” he interrupted, his eyes narrowing. “I heard about the wolf.”

My heart skipped a beat. “How?”

He shrugged, looking more frustrated than surprised. “Word gets around, Sera. You should’ve come to me right away.”

“I didn’t want to make things worse,” I said, my voice defensive. “I wasn’t even sure what I saw.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said firmly. “Next time, you come to me first. Got it?”

I nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and guilt. Damian had always been protective, especially since our parents had died, but sometimes it felt like he was more of an Alpha than Marcus ever was. “So what do we do now?”

“Now,” Damian said, his voice dropping to a low rumble, “we investigate. And we don’t stop until we find out who or what is behind these attacks. If it’s Alaric, we’ll deal with him. But if it’s something else… we need to be prepared.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of his words settling over me like a heavy cloak. “I’ll help. Whatever you need.”

“I know you will,” he said, his expression softening slightly. “Just… be careful, Sera. We don’t know what we’re dealing with yet.”

I nodded, feeling a flicker of determination amid the fear. I had to do this. For the pack, for myself. And maybe, just maybe, to prove to Marcus—and everyone else—that I wasn’t the weak link they thought I was.

As the day wore on, I threw myself into the investigation, speaking with warriors, patrollers, anyone who might have seen or heard something unusual. But despite my best efforts, I came up with nothing. No one else had seen the strange wolf, and the attacks, though terrifying, had left no trace of who was behind them.

By the time the sun began to set, I was no closer to answers than I had been that morning. Frustration gnawed at me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something—something important.

After a long, fruitless day, I found myself wandering back to my cabin, the weight of the rejection and the fruitless investigation pressing down on me. The forest was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of birds and animals muted, as if the world itself was holding its breath.

I was about halfway to my cabin when I noticed something strange. There, just off the path, was a small scrap of paper, half-buried in the dirt. It was so out of place that I almost didn’t notice it, but something made me stop.

I knelt down, picking it up carefully. The paper was rough, the kind you might find in an old journal or a book. There was something scrawled on it, the handwriting jagged and hurried. I held it up to the fading light, my heart pounding as I read the words.

Stay out of this, Sera. Or you’ll regret it.

The breath caught in my throat, my heart skipping a beat. A cold shiver ran down my spine as I scanned the surrounding woods, half-expecting to see someone watching me. But there was nothing. Just the silent trees, the empty path.

Who had left this? And how had they known where I’d be? The questions tumbled over themselves in my mind, but I knew one thing for certain—this was no idle threat. Someone didn’t want me digging into the attacks, and they were willing to go to any lengths to stop me.

My hands trembled as I folded the note and shoved it into my pocket, my mind racing with possibilities. I had to tell Damian, but even as I thought it, I hesitated. What if this was just the beginning? What if telling him made things worse, put him in danger too?

No, I couldn’t risk it. Not yet. I needed more information, more proof. But one thing was clear: someone was watching me. And they were closer than I’d ever imagined.

As I hurried the rest of the way to my cabin, every rustle of leaves, every creak of the branches, sent my heart racing. By the time I reached my door, I was practically shaking, my mind a whirl of fear and adrenaline.

I locked the door behind me, leaning against it as I tried to calm my racing heart. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The attacks, the strange wolf, the note… they were all connected. I just had to figure out how before it was too late.

I sank onto the edge of my bed, pulling out the note and reading it again. The words seemed to pulse on the page, a warning that echoed in my mind.

Stay out of this, Sera. Or you’ll regret it.

But even as the fear gnawed at me, a part of me bristled at the threat. Whoever was behind this thought they could scare me into submission. They thought I was weak, that I’d just back down and let them get away with whatever they were planning.

They were wrong.

I wasn’t going to let fear control me. I wasn’t going to back down, not now, not ever. I had been underestimated my entire life—by the pack, by Marcus, and now by whoever had sent this note. But they didn’t know me. They didn’t know what I was capable of.