Chapter 63

"There are several dead bodies are scattered all across the woods. We managed to seal any pathways leading into the woods and have warned the residents to remain inside their homes until the situation is resolved. But, there hasn't been any communication with the rival pack wolves. Their intentions remain unclear, whether they are leaning toward a negotiation or planning on prolonging this conflict."

It was the early hours of the morning. I grew lost in my own thoughts while hearing Malik talking to Nicholas behind, in the garden outside the house. Cold air brushed against my cheek and my gaze wandered around the sky, taking in the morning light that started to peak through the thick, dark clouds.

"You mean by my father doesn't intends on leaving my territory." Nicholas' voice was filled a simmering anger, I could hear it from a distance.

"I suppose that is what it is."

"Does he have any idea where I am? Or does he believe I'm dead?"

My heart clenched tight and I turned my neck around a little, glancing at them both talking in the garden while everyone else was resting.

"I can't be certain, Alpha," Malik replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "There are a few rumors about you dying last night, but those are from clueless rival wolves that have no idea. Some of them saw you injured and assumed the worst."

"I will handle my father, in my own way, but I want you to handle everything else. Not now. We'll stay here for another night, wait to hear from my father and then decide the next move. I don't want anyone to die so send message to warriors to steer clear of any direct confrontations for the time being. I don't want any unnecessary bloodshed."

"Understand," Malik nodded and I turned my head back around to the large gates that surrounded the garden. "We'll lay low and maintain our defenses."

"Good."

My emotions tangled. I didn't know what to expect from here, or what was going to happen. There was no clear plan and until one couldn't be developed, we were walking on a tightrope, with uncertainties on either side.

A gust of wind swept through the garden, causing the trees to shudder and leaves to whirl. I shivered, pulling the thin shawl tighter around my shoulders. Just at the same time, I heard something else.

Steps. Several steps. And whispers.

There was someone approaching the gates, or there was someone near to the house.

I turned, my eyes meeting with Nicholas. His gaze flicked to the gates before returning to mine. We understood each other without words.

Malik, who still stood by his side, opened his mouth to say something but Nicholas' stopped him by raising his hand in the air.

As the footsteps got closer, Nicholas went ahead to the front of the house. I followed him and we waited for what was to come, not knowing what it was. With every second, the tension grew. Until we heard a bell ringing inside the house.

Someone had surely found us.

Someone from the rival pack.

The other men from Nicholas' pack were resting after the long night they had spent. The echo of the bell faded into an eerie silence, only heightening the tension that hung in the air. I stepped near to the gate, smelling the wolves.

"You should not let them know—"

Before I could finish, Nicholas placed a hand over my mouth. I wanted to warn him. The longer he stayed unknown, the better it was for him. We didn't want his father to know about his whereabouts or one of the rival pack's wolf to run back to his father and tell him where Nicholas was.

I drew his hand away from my mouth and stepped forward before opening the small gate myself. There was already a key in the keyhole, one Sheryl must've left for us to leave or come in whenever we wanted to.

There were two men outside, reeking of the rival pack.

"Apologies for disturbing you at this time of the day," The taller one stepped forward and said. Only I appeared in front of them as this was Sheryl's house, a woman's house. "We are searching the grounds for someone and we've been sent here to search the house. From the knowledge we have gained, this is a whorehouse, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," I confirmed, keeping my voice steady. "But at this house, everyone's asleep and I can assure you the person you're looking for isn't here."

The two men exchanged a glance, the shorter one shifting uncomfortable. "We've orders from the Alpha to search every place and we cannot wait until later. So, if you don't mind, please step away."

Taking a deep breath, I stepped away from the gate and let them inside. Just as they were inside, I closed the gate behind and locked it, letting Nicholas confront them from here.

"I hope it isn't me who you're looking for," Nicholas smiled, stepping in front of them. They moved back in caution but were unable to escape. "Because it would be a pity for your alpha to never where I am."

Without another word, Nicholas moved. It was a swift motion, a blur to the human eye. One moment, the two men were standing, the next, their bodies crumpled to the ground, heads separated from their bodies. Blood stained the ground beneath them, soaking into the dirt and the nearby grass.

I held my breath back. A grim realization dawned on me. This wasn't just a game of power or territory. This was a war, a bloody, ruthless war. And we were in the middle of it.

"Holy hell, not my front yard!" Sheryl snapped while making her way out, wearing nothing but a robe. "What is wrong with the two of you?" She glanced at me and then at Nicholas.

"Would you rather have preferred if these two men came into your house and searched among your girls? I thought not."

"You could've gotten some information about your father from them." I said, interrupting them both.

"It doesn't matter. Whatever information I get is only going to infuriate me. I don't want to know what my father has been up to, or which room of my house he has been resting in, or how many of my wolves he has slaughtered to win this," Nicholas replied, his voice taut with restrained anger. His hand, partly covered in blood, went behind my waist. "We should go inside and rest. I'll wait for the night to gain all of my strength and then we'll plan onto something."

I nodded, agreeing with him.

"I'll get this cleaned up." Malik said, glancing at the two dead bodies in the front yard.

We headed inside the house and Sheryl returned back to her room. The morning light poured in through the windows, filling the house with warmth.

"When you bought me here, I was wearing a shirt. Where is that?" Nicholas asked me while rummaging through the house.

"In the laundry," I said, following him with furrowed brows. "I suppose. It was covered with blood."

He nodded and we went into the laundry room after searching for it for a few minutes. The house was large, filled with many, many rooms. There was one hallway leading to another and then to another. When we finally found the laundry room, I sifted through the clothes and found his shirt, reeking of his blood.

He reached forward and grabbed something from one of the pocket's of the shirt. It was a bracelet. My mother's silver bracelet.

I grew surprised, "How—you had this with yourself?" I asked, taking the bracelet from him.

"I had to leave the house when I knew my father was coming. The house was among his precious possession and he was going to take over it first, before anything else. I promised to guard this for you and I couldn't leave this there."

A smile stretched over my face as I stood up from the ground. "Thank you." My gaze fell over the bracelet and the silver glistened under the morning light that streamed in through the small laundry room window.

"Malik told me about your resistance to silver."

"He did?" My head rose and I met with his eyes. "I thought it's a pretty good trait."

"It is," He nodded and smiled along with me as we left the laundry room and headed up stairs. "I can't help but wonder if the bracelet was reason why you never shifted. Silver keeps a wolf from shifting, usually, and you wore it for most of your life, didn't you?"

I glanced at the bracelet once more, which was in my hands. "I did, for long."

One question led to another and I couldn't stop wondering about the bracelet and what effects it had bought upon me.

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