Chapter 42

The Brutal Truth Twirling the aluminum arrowhead between my thumb and forefinger, I refrain from hissing out in pain as it burns and peels my delicate flesh off. Yep, wolf’s bane. Even if I was turning to a Lycan, that thing could still hurt me like a b***h.

I let the weapon go and it falls down to the wet forest floor beside my feet. Even though it’s no longer near my sight, I could still see the crest of the werewolf hunters, which was a tiny wolf’s bane, at the fletching.

So, it means everyone was right to judge the hunters. Somehow, their weapons are being used in ambushing smaller packs and kidnapping she-wolves. Either they have a hand in it, or they have traitors in their midst.

Thave been helping Reagan in the past few weeks with the investigation, and so far, we still aren’t able to catch any of the invaders. We had doubled the security in almost every pack with everyone being on alert, but those sly bastards are still able to outsmart us.

Eclipse pack, which is one of the smallest in Los Angeles, recently got ambushed in the middle of the night. The same cycle was repeated, where warriors are injured with some killed, and she-wolves kidnapped. But this time, something is different.

Eclipse Pack isn’t isolated like the other packs that have been ambushed for the past few months. It was small, yes, but accessible. Most pack members live in the city and only a few stay at the packhouse. Maybe that’s why it was an easy target.

Either way, the attackers were getting bolder. For them to attack a pack in the open, and one that’s closer to my former pack, the Lunar pack, which is one of the largest in California, goes to show they weren’t scared.

First, they had stopped for a few weeks, not ambushing any pack. And all our guards had been let down, giving them the advantage they needed. They started to strike once more last week, and in just a week they had attacked three packs, with Eclipse being the third.

We haven’t been able to even find the she-wolves that are being kidnapped. There’s no trace of them, and their scents are masked perfectly enough for even a Lycan to not be able to detect them. It’s always a dead end with us wasting time. This rogues are experts, it seems and the hunters helping them only makes it worse.

Even now, I couldn’t pick a whiff of the attackers’ scent, nothing. We had been alerted too late about the ambush as it was in the middle of the night, and the pack members were busy protecting and defending themselves rather than call us. It was unexpected as no one thought they would attack an open pack. We were all focused on the isolated ones.

promised, seven days later. He wasn’t happy with me, that much I could tell from the death glare he gave me after picking up his mate. I had helped in hiding Lana from him, so he was pretty pissed.

Anyway, I guess the rogues would be stupid to attack a pack like Red Moon. They would be taken down in a few minutes and clawed to pieces. So, it made sense that they picked Eclipse pack, despite being an open one, it was still small, weak, and vulnerable to attack.

“Found anything, Princess?” I roll my eyes at the annoying nickname, not even turning around as I know there’s only one person who could call me that.

Danny has been in a pretty good mood, at least ever since Janet left. After Reagan and! moved out, she just disappeared, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She didn’t seem like the type to give up, but she was gone, just like that. I’m still not buyingit. She will be back, that much I know. But now, I’m more prepared for her and won’t let her manipulate or trick me.

“We’re wasting our time, there’s nothing here. Just another dead end.” I sigh, staring around the empty forest in dismay. The arrows used in the attack were the only useful things here, but they only worked as a lead to the hunters, so not really a good lead. We’ve all scouted the entire forest but came up empty-handed.

There were paw prints, though, but even they were untraceable. The rogues must have divided themselves into two groups.

Those wielding the arrows and those in their werewolf form.

The ones with the weapons had hidden in trees to shoot at unsuspecting pack members, and those who shifted had entered the pack and attacked physically, taking advantage of the ambush.

Such a shame.” Danny comes to stand beside me. “Janet was good with sighting the tiniest detail. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I wish she was here. She would have picked something up.”

Tfeel a pang of hurt at his statement even though he doesn’t mean to direct it at me. It’s sad to know that I was useless in helping my mate out while Janet would have done a better job than lam right now. I’ve heard she was good at tracking. Her father was an expert tracker, and she had learned from him. But the she-devil had fled right when we needed her. Even though she was a pain in the butt, I would prefer she was here and helped solve the case. At least innocent she wolves would be saved.

“I thought you hated her.” I quirk an eyebrow at him while he continues to look ahead.

He shrugs, “I still do.”

“Why is that anyway?” I decide to ask even though Lexi had once mentioned she tried to, but didn’t get a response. I guess there’s no harm if I try my.

He purses his lip as if deep in thoughts before letting out a sigh. “I haven’t really told anyone before, especially Reagan.” He combs his fingers through his full brown hair with his blue eyes scanning the forest in case anyone was listening.

I furrow my eyebrows at his words and wait patiently for him to continue, c’****g my head up at him in interest.

“It was during one of the times she came back after a long time. We had all gone out to have dinner one night at a new restaurant. There was this waitress, a human to be precise, openly trying to flirt with Reagan. But of course, he didn’t give her much attention.” He quickly might’ve been long ago, but I still didn’t like to hear some other female tried to sink her claws into my mate. Even if this one had no claws.

“Anyway,” he continues with a sigh, “Janet hadn’t even reacted much to it and just laughed it away. Like everyone else, I thought she was just fine, with no jealous bone in her body.” He purses his lips takes a deep breath, deep in thoughts before continuing form. But along the way, I heard this sickening sound of flesh being torn and bones cracking. I followed it and was shocked to see the lovely and innocent Janet, mutilating the poor waitress from the restaurant. I don’t even think that mutilate’ is the right word for it. She tore her head away from her body with her bare hands and then slashed every part of her remains with her claws. She just kept going and going while I stared in horror. And I’m a Lycan, Ellie, but it still sickened me.” He spits with a look of disgust on his face.

I’m a bit shocked by the image he painted as I resist the urge to throw up my breakfast.

“I’ve seen a lot of people murdered in front of me. But we beasts have this unspoken rule, which is we don’t attack defenseless humans for silly reasons. It’s wrong in so many ways.”

Yes, it was. We could challenge each other to duels, but not harmless humans that can’t properly defend themselves. As long as they don’t overstep their boundaries.

But to think a female Lycan had murdered a human in such a brutal way over just one emotion, jealousy, was pure evil.

“After I saw her in the drenched in the blood of that girl, and the image of the human’s guts on the forest floor accompanied with her dismantled limbs, bloody head, gouged eyeballs..

“I think I’m gonna be sick.” I interrupt him before turning to puke the sandwich I had eaten earlier this morning. Luckily nothing came up, just me heaving.

I feel bad for the unsuspecting human. Her life had been taken in such a brutal manner.

And the culprit was still roaming free amid other naive humans.

“I guess I shouldn’t have been so vivid.” Danny sighs behind me, but I send a reassuring smile at him. “Anyway, what really pissed me off was how she turned back to her usual self the next day, playing the lovely girl everyone thought her to be. I don’t know, but after that day, couldn’t see her the same way, and I have despised her ever since. She does nothing but disgust me just with her mere presence.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone about it?” I ask in curiosity. If the council heard about what she did, she could be in a cell for a long time.

“And who would believe me?” He shrugs, “Have you seen her acting?”

True. She was really good. If I hadn’t been cautious of her from the start, I wouldn’t have even been able to believe Danny’s story.

I can’t help think that if she had done that to another girl just because she thought Reagan hers, why hasn’t she done anything to me besides taunting me?

I’ll have to be careful and look over my shoulders from now on. I should be able to defend myself from her since I’m turning into a Lycan. And it would be best not to bother Reagan as he’s busy with this whole case.

Alphas are on his neck right now, pressuring him to get results, or else they were going to go after the hunters, seeing as their weapons are being used in the ambushes. Alot is happening, and I can’t bug him with more of Janet’s issues right now. So when all is settled. I’ll have a nice chat with him about all that Danny just said. She needed to face the law for what she had done. And I was gonna make sure she doesn’t escape it.

“Come on, let’s get back.” Danny nods his head towards the direction of the pack.

We both walk back, side by side, our eyes still scanning the forest in case we missed something We arrive at the wrecked pack a few seconds later. Houses had been destroyed during the fight, along with some other buildings. Some had even caught fire but has been put out now. Smoke still drifts in the air, though.

I can see the sadness on some of the pack members’ faces as they take in the destruction caused to their homes. It would take some time to rebuild and get over their losses.

In the midst of it all stands a group of angry warriors, Betas, and Alphas. They had all rushed here when they heard what happened and were now hollering their anger to my mate, trying to persuade him to let them strike back at the hunters. But that was wrong.considering they weren’t the real culprits here.

I can see the irritation on Reagan’s face as they kept on pestering him. I had left him a long time ago to go check around and see if anyone needed help before venturing into the forest for clues. But now I wish I hadn’t left him alone with this annoying group of werewolves. They weren teven using their heads to think and just wanted to attack wrongly.

Reagan is massaging his temples with his fingers, with his eyebrows furrowed in deep thinking as he tries to assess the situation. But when he stares up his eyes clash with mine and all his worries seem to fade away.

I can feel his emotions from afar as the air around us gets thick with sparks of electricity flowing from both of us. I’m drawn to him just as he is to me.

“...if we attack now, we have the element of surprise as they won’t suspect... A Beta was saying when Reagan cuts him off with a loud growl.

“Enough!” Everyone keeps quiet then, to bare their neck open in submission as his aura shifts through the air. “We‘re not starting a war with the hunters, and that’s final. This discussion is closed. If you want to lend a hand to the Eclipse pack and help them recuperate then do so. Otherwise, leave.” His booming voice is enough for everyone to hold their tongue and nod in understanding.

And without any further interruptions, he makes his way towards me with his eyes still pinned on me.