The Enemy Within

Kieran POV

 I couldn’t get the message carved into Alpha Morrison’s chest off my head. Those three words — “She was never worthy”—haunted me even in my dreams. 

I stood behind my desk in my office, staring at the crime scene photos spread across my mahogany desk like a jigsaw puzzle. I looked down at the coffee in my mug that had now gone cold. My wolf had been restless, agitated by the scent of violence that seemed to cling to everything lately. Everything inside of me screamed that this was just beyond random murders; it was personal.

The door opened without a knock. I knew it was Aria even before her smell hit my nose. No one would dare open my door without knocking, not even Sophia.

"You look like hell," Aria said, setting a fresh cup of coffee beside the photos. Steam rose from the ceramic mug. It was black coffee, no sugar, exactly how I'd always taken it. She remembered. 

She’d changed from her hunter gear into casual jeans and a fitted black sweater that emphasized her lean frame. Even dressed down now, she radiated the same predatory grace she always carried with her hunter dress. I understood better then, that the weak girl the pack elders had scorned was gone, replaced by something far more formidable.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she said, passing me the coffee with grace, and our fingers brushed lightly for a split second. The small contact sent electricity up my arm. The mate bond was still there, despite the careful walls we’d both built. My wolf whined softly at the brief touch, wanting more.

Aria pulled up the leather chair across from my desk, positioning herself close enough to study the photos but far enough to avoid accidental contact. The calculated distance stung more than I cared to admit. "I've been thinking about the pattern." 

"And?" My voice came out rougher than intended. I hadn't slept in thirty-six hours, and having her so close while maintaining a professional distance was slowly driving me insane. 

She took out a small notepad covered with her precise, analytical handwriting. I caught glimpses of crime scene sketches, timeline notations, and suspect profiles. She’d been working while I was ruminating on my thoughts. "Four murders, all alphas, all connected to inter-pack politics. But look closer."

She arranged the photos in order. Her movements were tactical and coordinated, nothing like the hesitant girl who used to always doubt herself.

“Alpha Thorne was at the council meeting three years ago, where they discussed how our mate bonds would affect pack stability. Alpha Blackwood wrote an editorial about bloodline purity for the Pack Tribune, specifically citing the dangers of weak mates diluting alpha genetics. He…”

"He was one of the elders who pressured me to reject you," I finished quietly, the memory hitting like a physical blow. 

Morrison's voice echoed in my mind. “An alpha's mate reflects his judgment. Do you want the pack questioning your every decision because you chose poorly?”

“Bingo!” Aria's voice remained steady, but her pen snapped in her grip. The sharp crack made me flinch. “This is beyond killing pack leaders, Kieran. They’re killing everyone who opposed our bond. 

I took a little time to ponder it before the realization came down on me like cold water. I sank into my chair, mind racing through the implications of my realization. I didn’t know what had become of me in the past year, even my hand trembled as I let down the coffee mug. “So, I…”

“You are the last target,” she said, her brown amber eyes meeting mine directly for the first time since she walked in. “I’m afraid their intention is beyond just killing you; they have something else great in mind.”

The way she said it, strategically, like she was discussing a chess move, made my wolf snarl within me. I studied her face, looking for any crack in her professional facade. Her control was unmatched, and somehow it terrified me that I might not be able to go beyond what was already between us. 

"How are you so calm about this?" I asked, still curious about how she was doing it. “This is actually about us and our past situation.”

Her eyes turned darker as she tried to quickly suppress the flash of old pain that flickered through them. “Because I’ve spent the past three years of my life knowing exactly how people felt about me, Kieran. It’s just that now, people are dying over it.” 

The fact she stated sliced through me. She’d lived with that for three years, that weight of being unwanted, while I tried to convince myself that the rejection was necessary for peace and stability. I told myself it was temporary, that somehow we’d figure it out. But, she, on the other hand, had been building protective walls around her heart, preparing for whatever hatred towards her was coming with. 

I wished things were much better between us. So, I could comfort her and promise that no one would hurt her again as long as I was still alive. But the distance she maintained was a deliberate one, so I forced myself to focus on the investigation instead, even though every fiber to the bone in my body was screaming to pull her close for comfort. 

“We should be able to narrow down our suspects now since we have this many clues.”

Aria nodded, flipping to a new page with steady hands. “Though I have a feeling it might not be that easy,” she said, looking at the page intently. “I’ve tried to compile the names of the people that were most vocal about our rejection, who had access to the pack genealogy records, who knew about the private council meetings.” She slid the list across to me. 

I clenched my fist as I read. Elder Blackthorne’s name topped the list; he was one of them. Several elders from the pack council followed, including my uncle Marcus, who’d abstained from the original vote but made his disapproval clear in private conversations. 

“I should leave now,” she said, bringing me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see that she was on her feet already. We weren’t even done yet. Why was she ready to leave? 

I dropped the list she handed to me earlier. “We are not done trying to figure out who the suspect is, yet.”

“It’s not that simple, Kieran,” she said, placing her hand on her waist. “The person ruling out today might actually be innocent, and that would only give the actual perpetrator a chance to hide their tracks more.”

“So, what are you suggesting?”

“Let’s start with the pack record tomorrow,” she said, her jaw now in between her thumb and index finger.

“Alright.” I was going to thank her for coming around and making me brood less, but she was out of the door before I could speak.

I looked down at the photos and the list she left arranged on the table and released a deep sigh. I wondered why the killer was so desperate to get rid of everybody.