Chapter 76
They locked eyes for a few seconds and Janet reacted first. She jumped at him, kicked off his knife, and tackled him to the ground. Kass let out a painful gasp as Janet twisted his arm to his back.
âJanet! Itâs me!â Kass cried.
âI know itâs you!â Janet hissed, âWhat are you doing by my bedside with a knife!â
Kass stared back at Janet with shocked eyes, âWâWhat are you talking about? Itâs your knife! You always keep a knife under your pillow while sleeping. Remember?â
Janet glanced at the knife that had dropped to the ground.
Kass was right. It was indeed her knife. It was an old habit of her to keep a weapon nearby when she was asleep.
âOK. But what were you doing with it? And what were you even in my tent?â Janet snapped.
Kassâs body shivered.
At first, Janet thought he was shaking in fear, but then she discovered that it was because of shock and anger.
âAre you suspecting me?!â Kass snarled with a hurtful voice, âYou think I wasâwas trying to do something to you with that knife? Are you f**king crazy Janet? Doubting
me like that? Do you have any idea how ridiculous that is?!â
He sounded generously mad.
Janet loosened her grip slightly but still kept him kneeling on the ground, âThen why did you come into my tent?â
âI was taking my switch off the night watch! I passed by your tent and wanted to check on you. I saw you asleep and that dagger was only an inch away from your face. I was afraid that it might cut you in your sleep, so I took it and wanted to put it somewhere else!â
Janet froze on her spot for a few seconds and finally released Kass.
Yet Kass didnât stand up from the ground. He looked up at her with a deeply traumatized look.
âI canât believe you actually thought I would kill youâ¦â he murmured in astonishment.
Janet didnât feel so good about this either, âSorry. IâI have been edgy for too long and I overreacted. I thought you were going to do something after I decided to tell Daran about your identityâ¦
She met with Kassâs sad eyes and stopped talking.
âThâThis is absurd. Before I told you my secret, you would trust me with your back on the battlefield. Yet now you canât even stand me standing by your bedsideâ¦â Kass choked, âIs your trust completely gone? Is there nothing I can do now?â
Janet let out a long sigh.
Her heart wanted to believe in Kass, yet her mind urged her to do the opposite. She was not simply Janet Manning. She was also the Gamma of the Blood Moon Pack,
responsible for thousands of soldiersâ lives
responsible for thousands of soldiersâ lives.
If she trusted the wrong person, she couldnât bear the consequences.
âI am fine, and you saw it already, Kass. Now go back to your night watch,â she said exhaustedly.
Yet Kass didnât listen to her this time.
He grabbed the knife on the floor hastily. Instead of pointing it at her, he directed it at his belly region.
âNone of these would happen if I werenât a rogue right?â he hissed, clenching the knife, âDo you want me to gouge out the brand they left with me? Will that make you trust me again?â
âDrop the knife!â Janet bellowed.
Yet he cut himself with that knife instead. His shirt soon became red with blood.
âI didnât want to lie to you. But I hate it more when you look at me with those doubtful eyes,â he choked. âMaybe it was a mistake coming to the Blood Moon Pack. Maybe I should let the rogues kill me years ago..â
Janet felt her chest contract with grief. Her vision became blurred with tears.
Just then, a series of footsteps came from outside the tent. Before any of them could react, a tall figure burst into the tent hastily.
It was Daran..
âWhat the hell happened!â he growled, his eyes scanning the room.
With the blood and the knife, it sure looked like a crime scene.
âWe were just talking-â Janet said weakly.
âTalking with Blade?â Daran walked up to Janet with one step and examined her face closely, âAre you hurt?â
Janet shook her head. She looked towards Kass and sighed, âGo back to your shift.â Kass stood stiffly on his spot, staring at them with gloomy eyes. Blood was still dripping down from his fingertips.
Janet took out a roll of bandage from her back and placed it in Kassâs pocket, âGo wrap yourself up.â
He still didnât move.
âLeave us. Now,â Daran spoke up eventually. His voice was deep with majesty, making Kass quiver and caving into his Alpha aura.
Dropping the knife, Kass turned and left the tent holding his head down.
âSo,â Daran turned to Janet with his gaze turning soft, âYou want to tell me what happened?â
âCan we not do it here?â Janet said with a muffled voice. The tent smelt like Kassâs blood, which was making her feel blue.
âCome with me.â
Daran took her hand and led her out of the tent.
They crossed the camping area, made it through the dark forest, and eventually arrived at a small hill.
The night breeze was cool and gentle up there. And without the blocking of tree branches, they got to see the silver moon hanging in the sky.
âWow,â Janet let out a gasp of amazement.
Daran stood by her side and looked up to the sky with her, âI have always wanted to do this with youâ¦Bathed under the silver moonlight on a peaceful night with
nothing but the sound of birds and wind around us.â
Janet felt her heart swell and she smiled, âToo bad we are not back at the packhouse.â
They stood there quietly for a long time, taking in this beautiful scenery in silence.
And Janet spoke up eventually, âThere is something about Kass I havenât told you.â
âWhat about him?â Daran asked.
Taking in a deep breath, Janet told him the secret about Kass, âI know I might be acting naïve here but I really do trust him. I donât think he is the mole.â
Daran stayed in silence for a while and said slowly, âWell, me neither.â
âNot even after you know that he is a rogue?â Janet asked in disbelief.
She thought Daran would react much stronger towards this.
âNo. I donât think he is capable of harming you,â Daran glanced at Janet. âHe cares about you maybe a little too much.â
Janet let out a long sigh of relief.
Having Daran here to back her up really eased off her stress.
âThen who is it then? The mole?â Janet rubbed her hair frustratedly, âI canât believe we are starting this internal fight even before the actual war breaks out. That Rogue King really does have a few cards up in his sleeves. Frankly, I canât trust anyone right now but you.â
Daran gazed into the distance. After a long pause, he said slowly, âI have a guess about the mole.â
âWhat?â Janet gasped looking up at him.
Daran was a steady person. When he said that he had a âguess,â good chances were he was already 90% sure of this.
âWell, who is it?â Janet demanded eagerly.
Daran lowered his upper body and whispered a name into Janetâs ear.