Julian POVWhen I woke up this morning, I glanced over to see Cecilia sleeping soundly beside me. The morning light caught the peach fuzz on her face, giving her a golden glow. Her steady breathing was gentle, and the gentle rise and fall of her chest bore a red mark. I carefully lifted the blanket and saw her body dotted with hickeys. A mischievous satisfaction bubbled up inside me, like a child reveling in a well-played prank.I never realized how mesmerizing it could be to watch a woman sleep.Though the usual morning desire tempted me to wake her, I knew she needed rest more than anything else right now, so I didn't wake her up.I headed to the hotel lobby and inquired about the best boutique nearby, hoping to buy her a dress. I chose a fiery red one, thinking of how I always cleaned up and dressed well for my mother after a battle. I wanted Cecilia's mother to see her looking radiant and vibrant.After buying the dress, I walked back to the hotel, my thoughts turning seriou
Cecilia POVI listened to Julian and slid into the passenger seat, acknowledging that his driving skills were a bit better than mine.As we drove home, my mind kept drifting back to the creature we had seen. Pearly wasn't the only one who had never seen anything like it.When I was younger, my father and brothers had taken me all over the mountains near the Lotus Pack. We had encountered all sorts of bizarre animals—giant glowing blue snakes, massive worms with hammer-shaped heads, and many more. But something like that? If it really lived here, I would have seen it before.A nagging unease settled over me, so I decided to call my mom. I tried twice, but she didn't pick up."Why isn't Mom answering?" I muttered, frowning as I prepared to dial a third time."She's probably in the kitchen making something delicious for us and didn't hear her phone," Pearly said from the back seat, handing me a bottle of lemon juice."But—""Pearly's right," Julian chimed in. "You're just getting
Julian POVI thought I had become desensitized to the horrors of war—the screams, the bloodshed, the fallen bodies. Yet, the scene before me was profoundly disturbing.Cecilia's grief left me at a loss.I immediately called for an ambulance. Upon their arrival, the medics confirmed that there were no survivors of the 19 wounded. Among the victims was a child, horrifically decapitated. Pearly identified him as likely being Aaron Shore, the youngest son of Norman, just 13 years old. His silver spaceship toy lay next to his bed, drenched in his blood.Most victims had either their throats slit, or daggers plunged directly into their hearts. The blades were coated with lethal wolfsbane, rendering even the most adept witch doctor powerless to save them.Strikingly, there were no signs of struggle at the scene. It appeared as if the victims had been assassinated in their sleep, their faces eerily serene. Only Norman's body was in a horrifying state. He sustained multiple wounds, his
Cecilia POV Aria's scent, like her body warmth, was fading.This was what happened when a werewolf died.After our first shift, we each developed a unique scent. Upon death, that scent vanished from the world.Aria had always smelled of lilies. Now, all that lingered in this room was the metallic scent of blood.I cleaned her body gently, as though I were tending to a withered lily. Aria was meticulous about cleanliness; she would have hated for anyone, even the forensic specialist, to see her blood-stained.In the morning, the forensic specialist transported her and the other 18 bodies to the hospital for autopsies. We expected results by night at the earliest."She died instantly, so she probably didn't suffer," the forensic specialist offered, perhaps in an attempt to comfort me as he carried her away.Stepping out of my mother's room, I instinctively raised my hand to shield my eyes from the harsh sunlight, which stung. Now, it was just me and my shadow that remained of th
Cecilia POVJulian drove Pearly and me to the hospital. Ben and the forensic specialist, Daniel Larson, were already awaiting our arrival at the entrance."It's faster than I expected," I commented to Ben as we got out of the car."Cecilia, Daniel came with me from Black Stone. He's the best forensic specialist in the country and a member of the royal special forces. You can trust his judgment," Ben assured me, likely sensing my apprehension."Thank you for your help," I said, recognizing Daniel as the one who had offered me comfort earlier that morning. I was surprised to see such a young Omega male achieve so much. In the eyes of many, especially male werewolves, Omega males were often seen as the lowest rank and frequently rejected by their mates.At that moment, I found myself wondering how Daniel had carved out his own 'path.'Reflecting on this, my respect for him grew."It is my duty," Daniel responded with a nod before gesturing for us to follow him. "Please, follow me
Cecilia POVI requested that the hospital director access the sedative usage records for the past month, yet the records were conspicuously blank."There haven't been any entries for sedative usage in the past month. However, the hospital inventory shows a significant decrease—nearly half compared to last month. Can you explain this discrepancy?" I pressed."I'm not sure. Dr. Hudson oversees the pharmacy, and he's on his way here now," the director replied, his tone uneasy as he frantically called the doctor to hasten his arrival.Within ten minutes, Lance Hudson entered the hospital. He was a middle-aged man with a balding head."I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't know where those sedatives have gone!" Lance insisted, his denial unwavering under the weight of questions from Julian and me."Lying won't help you. I have many ways to extract the truth, and I assure you, the pain involved would be excruciating," Julian warned, stepping closer to Lance. With a swift mo
Cecilia POVI instructed the soldiers to imprison Leanna and Lance in the dungeon. After the funeral, they would be publicly executed.As Julian, Pearly, and I exited the hospital, Leanna's daughter managed to break through the soldiers' barrier, clutching a tiramisu. Tears streamed down her face as she implored, "Where is my mother? She asked me to buy this cake."Observing her, I noticed her left pinky was missing a piece, now wrapped in a bandage. My eyes filled with tears, and I turned away, unsure how to respond."What's your name?" Julian kneeled to meet her eye level."Alisha Jones.""Alisha, this man will take you home later. He will protect you," Julian reassured her, gesturing to the soldier by her side."I don't want to go home. I want to stay with Mommy. She hasn't eaten anything all day!" Alisha sobbed."I promise to give your mother the cake, but you need to promise me that you'll go home and be good, okay?" I said, gently wiping her tears.Reluctantly, she nodde
Cecilia POV"Now that the autopsy results are out, it's time to prepare for your mother's and Norman's funerals," Hogan said. "We'll hold the ceremony in two days. I'll have Ben invite the Alphas from various packs to attend. Let me know if you need any help."It was then that I realized Hogan, Ben, and Julian were all dressed in black suits, a somber uniform that seemed to officially mark the beginning of the mourning period."Thank you, My King. I'm quite familiar with funerals, unfortunately. I've attended more funerals than weddings in the past two years," I responded, trying to inject a bit of dark humor.The joke didn't quite land as I hoped, and their expressions turned awkward.I managed a smile and added, "Just focus on solving the case. I'll handle the funeral arrangements."The Lotus Pack Alpha family's funerals involved special ceremonies, including unique coffins, special burial sites, and memorial practices distinct to our tradition.I reached out to Jack, who co