Chapter 4

OCTAVIA

I kept my head lowered, pretending to be shy… or scared. Honestly, I didn’t even need to pretend much. Dorian’s presence made it hard to breathe.

“He’s intense,” Zara my wolf muttered in the back of my mind. “Too calm. Too quite...... I don’t like it.”

"Neither do I,"  I replied silently.

He didn’t move. He didn’t even blink. Just stood there, towering over me, as if he was trying to peel back my skin and look at whatever truth was hiding underneath.

“Octavia,” he said again, his voice low and dangerous, as if he was tasting the name on his tongue. “That’s not a name I’ve heard around here.”

My fingers curled slightly at my sides, so I clasped them together and forced my voice to sound weak. “I’m not from around here. We lived in the mountains near East Hollow.”

Colton cleared his throat behind me. “Alpha, we found her just past the border. She’s injured and says rogues killed her entire pack. She asked for shelter just for the night. She’ll leave tomorrow.”

I never planned to leave tomorrow but they didn't have to know that.

Dorian didn’t respond to Colton. His eyes were still on me.

I felt like a bug pinned under glass.

“Let me out. Just once,”  Zara growled. “I’ll snap that stare right off his face.”

"That would defeat the whole mission, Zara. Stay calm."

“Did you see the rogues who attacked?” he asked suddenly.

I hesitated, slightly caught off guard by the question. “No. Everything happened too fast. I just ran. I think… I think some of them had markings. Maybe on their necks. But I was too scared to really look.”

That wasn’t true, of course. But I needed to throw him something. A hint. Something he could grab onto while I bought time.

He studied me a moment longer, then finally stepped back.

“She can stay in the east wing,” he said. “Put her in the small room near the end of the hall. And keep a guard outside.”

Colton nodded, and I followed him as quickly as my aching legs would allow.

But as we walked away, I could feel Dorian’s gaze still burning into my back.

He didn’t trust me. Not yet. But he also didn’t turn me away.

That meant I still had a chance.

The room was small but clean enough. There was a bed with white sheets. A small table. And most importantly, a door that locked from the outside.

I was a guest… but also a prisoner.

“Homey,” Zara snorted. “Maybe if you’re a pet.”

I sat on the bed, staring at the floor, waiting for the sound of footsteps to fade from outside. After a while, I lay back on the bed and closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion settle in.

But sleep didn’t come easy.

I kept replaying everything in my head. My slip-up with the name. The way Dorian looked at me like he already knew I was lying.

This mission was already on shaky ground, and I hadn’t even begun the real part yet.

“Maybe we should just come clean.”

"Zara—" I frowned.

“Kidding. Mostly.” she giggled.

****

The next morning I was awakened by a knock on the door.

A woman with short curly hair entered carrying a tray of food.

“You should eat,” she said softly. “Beta Colton said you need strength.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, sitting up slowly and pretending to wince in pain.

She gave me a quick smile before turning to leave. But then she paused at the door. “By the way… I’m Elara. I work as a house keeper here, I also help in the infirmary some days ”

“Elara,” I repeated with a nod and a fake shy smile.

“If you need anything, ask for me.” She hesitated again, lowering her voice. “And just a word of advice… stay out of the Alpha’s way. He doesn’t trust easily.”

I gave her a grateful nod, and she left.

I stared at the food. Eggs, fruit, and toast. There was also a glass of orange juice beside the plate.

“Ugh. Human food again.”. Zara groaned.

"We can’t exactly demand a deer leg right now, Zara." I rolled my eyes.

“Still. Some bacon wouldn’t kill them.”

I ate slowly, more out of habit than hunger. My thoughts were on Dorian and the rumors I’d heard about him growing up.

The Beast of Shadow Crescent.

Some said he killed his own father for power, and his own mother just because he felt like it. Others said he once tore through an entire rogue camp alone and came back without a scratch. No one really knew what made him so feared… but they all agreed he was dangerous.

And here I was, trying to deceive him. Trying to lure him into a trap.

Smart.

I stood and looked around the room for anything useful. Nothing.

Just a window too small to fit through and a locked door with a guard standing right outside.

I needed to figure out the layout of the territory, the security patterns, and most importantly, I needed access to the Alpha’s office.

I had a feeling I would need it in the nearest future.

A few minutes later, Elara returned with a clean set of clothes and fresh bandages.

She helped clean the wound on my thigh in silence before finally speaking.

“Are you feeling a little better?”

I nodded. “Thank you, Elara. You're too kind."

She gave a small smile, but her eyes were tired. “I’ve seen too much suffering lately around here. Too many bodies showing up with no answers. I try to be kind where I can.”

That caught my attention again. “The guards who found me yesterday mentioned something about that as well as some missing kids?” I asked.

She looked startled for a second, then nodded. “Yes. Three kids gone in two weeks. All orphans from the pack orphanage. Then we found over seven bodies near the river. Torn apart. Like… animals had done it. But I don't think it was normal animals.”

I sat up straighter, pretending to be scared. “Has the Alpha done anything about it?”

She hesitated, then sighed. “He’s working on it, I’m sure. But Alpha Dorian isn’t like other alphas. He doesn’t show much. He prefers to keep things close.”

“Sounds like he’s hiding something,” Zara whispered.

"Or he just doesn’t trust anyone."  I added

I smiled a little, just enough to seem innocent. “He must have a lot on his shoulders.”

Elara nodded, then stood. “You should rest. Maybe you’ll feel strong enough to walk around a bit. Get some fresh air before you leave.”

That was exactly what I wanted.

Later that morning, Beta Colton himself came to check on me.

“You look stronger,” he said, folding his arms. “You able to walk?”

I nodded.

He nodded. “Good. Come with me. The Alpha wants to speak with you again.”

I didn’t show any emotion as I followed him through the halls. This time I kept count of the doors, the windows, the staircases. I noted where the guards stood, how many they were, and which hallways were quiet.

Every detail mattered if I wanted to succeed in this mission.

“Maybe check if they have an emergency exit. Or better—cake.”

"Focus, Zara."

When we entered the office, Dorian was sitting behind the large desk. A few maps and papers were spread in front of him.

His eyes lifted the moment I stepped in.

“Sit,” he said simply.

I did, placing my hands on my lap.

“You said your pack was wiped out,” he began. “But there’s been no word of any rogue attack in East Hollow. No smoke, no survivors, no signs.”

I felt my heart skip. “It was a small pack. We didn’t register officially with the Council. My Alpha didn’t trust them.”

Dorian leaned back in his chair, watching me.

“And what was your pack’s name?”

“Red Mist,” I said quickly. It was a lie. But it was the first thing that came to my mouth and I just let it out without thinking it through.

“Really?” Zara groaned. “Red Mist? That’s the best we had?”

"I panicked, okay?!"

He didn’t react. Just nodded slightly.

“You’ll stay here until we can confirm your story. That means staying close, and under watch.”

I kept my face calm. “I understand, Alpha.”

He stood slowly, walking around the desk until he was in front of me again.

“You’re hiding something,” he said.

I blinked. "Sir?"

He leaned in slightly, his voice low. “I don’t know what it is yet. But I will.”

Then he turned and walked back to the window.

Colton gestured for me to follow him out.

As the door closed behind me, my heart finally started beating again.

“He’s onto us,” Zara said.

"I know."

“Still… part of me wants to see what else he’s hiding too.”

"That makes two of us."

This wasn’t going to be easy.

But I hadn’t come here for easy.

I came on a mission.

And no matter what Dorian thought he knew…

He had no idea what I was really here for.

Not yet.

But he would.

Soon.

When it was too late for him to do anything about it.