Where Is She?

Alpha Morgan's POV

My claws sliced through her throat, warm blood gushed out, soaking my palm.

I looked across the riverbank; Charlotte had disappeared into the dense woods, leaving no trace behind.

"Alpha, should we continue to chase her?" Collins, one of my loyal soldiers, asked.

I sniffed the air; Charlotte's scent had vanished.

I shook my head, signaling to Collins, "No need. Clean up this place. It won't be long before the rogues come following the scent of blood."

I carried Catherine's cold body and headed back. A hundred meters to the east, Gamma Marcus was leading a group of warriors in search of Alpha King. When they spotted me, they quickened their pace to meet me. Upon seeing Catherine in my arms, they all stopped in their tracks, frozen in place.

Marcus approached and asked what had happened.

"Charlotte escaped while we were away searching for Alpha King. Luna went after her..." My voice choked, and tears streamed down my face. "Charlotte killed Catherine. When I arrived, it was too late..."

"Alpha, please accept our condolences," Marcus comforted me. "We will capture Charlotte and avenge Luna Catherine."

He clenched his fists, knuckles white, and his lips trembled with anger.

"Capture Charlotte! Avenge Luna Catherine!" the people behind Marcus echoed, their faces turning red with fury, their eyes burning with rage.

What a bunch of fools; they were so gullible. I secretly rejoiced inside while maintaining a mournful expression on my face.

Upon returning to the Packhouse, I gathered all the tribe members, totaling 486. The hall was filled with mourners for Catherine, some with tear-stained faces, others openly weeping, and a few who fainted upon seeing her corpse. The news of Charlotte killing Catherine had spread like wildfire, and everyone was outraged, eager to tear Charlotte apart.

I walked to the center of the crowd, raising my hand to quiet them.

"My dear subjects, I regret to inform you that our Luna Catherine has tragically passed away," I said sorrowfully, "I believe some of you already know, Catherine was... taken from us by Charlotte."

At this point, tears welled up in my eyes, preventing me from continuing.

The entire audience held their breath, their eyes fixed on me. No one dared to make a sound until I finished my sentence.

"I promise," I took a deep breath and continued, "that one day, I will capture Charlotte and bring her to justice for Catherine!"

"For Luna Catherine! For Luna Catherine! For Luna Catherine!" The crowd chanted with fervor, raising their fists and shouting.

I nodded in approval. The crowd gradually quieted down.

"But I ask you to help me keep this matter a secret, do not let anyone outside the tribe know," I said, noticing their confusion, I continued, "If news of Charlotte murdering Catherine gets out, it will severely damage my family's reputation, and I believe Catherine wouldn't want that. So, I ask you all to maintain a unified front and publicly state that Catherine passed away due to illness."

"We will follow Alpha's orders," they replied in unison.

I nodded in satisfaction and instructed Collins to cremate Catherine's body that night.

In the central square, Catherine's body was laid over a pyre. As Collins lit the pyre with a torch, the tribe members crowded around, kneeling on the ground, hands clasped together, eyes closed, reciting prayers. I followed suit, closing my eyes and muttering words of prayer. The sounds of prayer, weeping, and crackling flames filled the entire square. The smell of Catherine's burning body wafted through the tribe. I opened my eyes and watched as the woman I had shared a bed with for 25 years was consumed by the flames, feeling an unexpected pang of sorrow.

"She was a pitiful woman. You killed her mate, killed her five children, and finally killed her. You are truly cold-hearted!" Edward, my wolf's voice, rang in my ears.

"I had no choice; she knew too much," I defended myself.

"I despise you," he sneered.

"What right do you have to despise me?" I retorted. "I've done all the dirty work, and you've reaped all the benefits. You should despise yourself! Now get lost!"

What a hypocrite! Why does he have the audacity to accuse me? If it weren't for me, continuously siphoning power from my kids for him for these twenty-five years, with his innate potential, how could he become the second most powerful werewolf in the world?

Back when I was eighteen, I learned dark magic from the wizard Joseph. Joseph swapped my pheromones with my brother Hayden's, granting me the mate, Catherine, which originally belonged to Hayden.

Catherine bore me two boys and three girls. I fed on their blood to nourish my strength.

Finally, at the age of twenty-four, my abilities far surpassed my brother Hayden, the designated heir of the Crescent Tribe. I replaced him as the Alpha of the Crescent Tribe, and within a year of my succession, I orchestrated Hayden's death. From that point on, no one could challenge my rule.

Eighteen years ago, on a full moon night, Catherine gave birth to Charlotte, my last child. I carried the swaddled Charlotte into the woods, intending to sacrifice her. Joseph stopped me, saying that Charlotte, born with two tails, was the most powerful werewolf in the tribe's history. He advised waiting until her powers peaked to drain her, which would be far more advantageous.

When Charlotte first shifted at sixteen, Joseph spread rumors among the tribe, claiming that a double-tailed wolf was a cursed being. The foolish people believed him, demanding that I kill Charlotte. I played along, using it as a pretext to strip her of her wolf powers.

In theory, after having her powers taken, she should have wasted away and died. But luckily for me, she committed a grave crime, injuring Liam, yes, you heard it right, Liam wasn't dead, just injured. I, along with the tribe, announced Liam's death, and I was able to sentence Charlotte to death without arousing suspicion.

Charlotte managed to escape right under my nose. I couldn't rest until I caught her.

"Alpha Morgan, the cremation is complete," Collins' words brought me back to the present.

The flames had died down, and Catherine had turned to ashes. The people gathered around the pyre looked at me, waiting for my instructions.

"It's late now; everyone should go home and rest," I ordered.

The crowd dispersed. I followed Joseph to his small hut.

The time had come, and it was already midnight. The full moon in the night sky emitted an eerie, bluish light, creating a sense of foreboding.

Joseph's house was located at the tribe's border, only twenty meters from the cliff. The house was small, barely 40 square meters. The doorway was low, and I had to stoop to enter.

Joseph turned on the lights. The room was filled with the scent of herbs and ink. On the left side of the room were five rows of bookshelves, while on the right were various alchemical apparatus and cabinets filled with herbs. In the middle was a single bed. The already small room felt even more cramped.

Joseph went to a cabinet, opened the lowest drawer, and took out a miniature parchment map and a silver knife. He unfolded the map and placed it on the bed, next to the knife. I noticed that this map was ancient, with significant differences from the current ones.

"This is the most primitive map of the werewolf world, dating back three hundred years," he said, smoothing out a bulge in the parchment with his finger. "Perhaps it looks very different from the current maps to you, but to me, they are the same."

"Cut to the chase; I need you to help me locate Charlotte," I urged.

"Don't be hasty," he replied, a smile playing on his lips with a hidden meaning. He picked up the silver knife and said, "Extend your left hand."

I did as he said. He grabbed my hand, made a small cut in my palm with the silver knife, and a few drops of blood oozed from the wound. Joseph then turned my hand over, palm down, and suddenly flicked my hand upward, letting my blood drip onto the map.

Joseph pointed to the bloodstain on the map and said, "Charlotte is right here."

I followed his pointing direction, and it was at the border between the Crescent Tribe and the Howling Tribe, beside the Lacey River. She hadn't run far. I was overjoyed. I stood up, ready to go after her, but Joseph grabbed my sleeve, warning me, "Don't act recklessly. I sense another person with her, and his power is very strong, even stronger than yours."

Stronger than me? Then that man could only be Alpha King.  I felt deeply puzzled, how could Alpha King be together with Charlotte?

Joseph seemed to sense my confusion and said with amusement, "Perhaps they are mates."

What?! I was filled with unease, and my legs suddenly gave way, causing me to fall to the ground with a thud.