9: The Alpha's suspicion

"I am telling you, Alpha. She purposely struck me," Scarlet said, and her hand was still pressed against her cheek.

Darius barely looked up from the parchments on his desk. "What did you do to her, Scarlet."

"I did not do anything," she said. "I just wanted to see her, but she refused and slapped me across the cheek."

Then it hit him.

A sharp pull went through his chest, and his hands clenched while his breath stopped.

His vision blurred as his heart beat hard and fast.

Something was wrong.

Before Scarlet could react, Darius was gone. He moved with speed, and his body twisted as he went out the window. In the air, his bones broke and his muscles expanded, and in a moment his wolf emerged.

He was a beast of dark fur and deadly speed.

By the time Scarlet understood what had happened, he was already a blur in the woods.

---

Lena barely had time to scream before the rogues lunged at her.

Then a large black wolf crashed into the clearing from out of nowhere.

It moved with speed, and it hit the first rogue before the rogue could reach her. The rogue yelped and was thrown aside.

The other rogues stepped back and growled low in their throats.

Lena scrambled back, and her chest heaved as she breathed.

The wolf stood above her, and its thick fur blended into the darkness while its red eyes glowed. It was large, and it was larger than any wolf she had seen before. Its muscles were tense with anger.

The rogues moved back and made sounds of fear.

One of them lunged again, and the black wolf struck with force. Its claws cut through the rogue, and its teeth went deep. The rogue made a sound, and blood sprayed on the leaves.

The other rogues ran and disappeared into the trees.

Silence fell over the clearing.

Lena lay still, and her breath came in ragged gasps.

The wolf turned its head toward her, and she stared at it while her heart pounded.

It had saved her.

It stepped toward her, and its large form blocked out everything around her.

She tried to move back, but the wolf lowered its head and breathed in near her neck.

Lena clenched her fists and forced herself to stay still. Running was useless because she had no chance against something this fast and this strong.

Then the wolf crouched and lifted her onto its back with ease.

A gasp came from her as her hands grabbed its thick fur.

The next moment, it ran.

Wind rushed past her ears as the wolf moved through the forest and went between the trees. The world blurred around her, and her body was pressed against the wolf's strong form.

Branches scraped against her arms, and her legs ached from the force of the wolf's movements.

Panic rose in her chest as she wondered where it was taking her and why it had saved her.

The wolf reached the clearing and did not slow down. The force of its speed had already taken the air from her lungs.

Lena barely saw Darius's castle in the distance before darkness took her.

---

"Why are you suddenly quiet," Darius said through the mind-link as he paced and kept his gaze on Lena.

"Nothing," Draven said.

"There is something you are not telling me."

"What use would it be if I did. You will not like it," Draven said.

Darius clenched his jaw. "Stop it. Just tell me."

"Figure it out yourself, Darius."

Then Draven was gone from Darius's mind.

"Draven," Darius said under his breath.

Footsteps came through the hall, and Cedric walked in while he left the door open. Outside, Milicent stood with her head bowed, and she did not step inside or meet the Alpha's gaze.

"Your wife was seen running out of the gate," Cedric said. "The guards said she escaped into the woods."

Milicent knelt on the floor. "The Luna and I were hiding from the mob on our way back. I stepped out to check if the roads were clear, but when I returned, she was gone. Forgive me, Alpha."

Darius scoffed and stepped aside, and Lena was on his bed.

Milicent gasped. "Luna."

Darius looked over his shoulder. "She was trying to escape when this happened. It is her fault." His voice showed no concern as he walked out, and Cedric followed him.

---

"There is something wrong with her," Cedric said, and his voice was low but firm.

Darius said nothing, and his gaze was sharp on Cedric.

Cedric stepped closer. "She is not the same arrogant and reckless girl that I remember. The Kara Voss that everyone knew was impulsive and selfish, and she never thought before she acted."

Darius's jaw tightened. "What are you suggesting."

Cedric held his gaze. "That she is not who you think she is."

Darius scoffed. "If that is true, then why has she not said anything. Why is she silent."

Cedric exhaled. "Because she cannot. Have you not noticed that every time she tries to speak, something stops her. It is not hesitation, but it is restraint. Someone or something has control over her."

Something crossed Darius's face, and his hands became fists.

"Find out everything," he said. "I want the truth."

Cedric bowed. "Yes, Alpha."

From the shadows, a maid who had been listening slipped away. She went into a dark corner of the hall, and her breath was quick. She whistled sharply, and a raven came down from the rafters. She tied a small scroll to its leg and sent it into the night.

---

The three Park Leaders of the werewolves were High Lord Alistair Morvain, who was known for his cunning, and High Lord Garrick Valehart, who was a warrior with a strong will, and High Lord Rhovan Duskbane, who was the most feared among them. Together, they held authority over the werewolf clans, and their word shaped the laws and fate of their kind.

Rhovan Duskbane had spies in nearly every werewolf clan, and nothing escaped his notice.

His personal guard took the raven that arrived at his chamber, and the raven's talons scraped against the polished wood as it landed. The other High Lords sat with him, and their faces showed nothing.

Lord Alistair poured tea into his cup. "I heard that the Alpha of the Shadow Fang Pack has agreed. It seems there is some fear in him after all."

Lord Garrick smiled. "I wonder what made him change his mind after he rejected us for three years."

"What else," Lord Alistair said as he set his cup down. "He knew he would be punished for his insult against the Park Leaders."

Their leader, Rhovan, spoke, and his voice was smooth but heavy. "Have you noticed that ever since that night when he woke from his sleep, he has not caused trouble or crossed us again."

Lord Alistair leaned forward. "Are you suggesting that it means something."

"I am saying," Rhovan said, "that there is more happening in that pack than we know."

Lord Garrick exhaled. "That could be cause for concern, especially since he is of the ancestral royal bloodline."

Silence filled the room.

Lord Rhovan's fingers tapped against the armrest of his chair. "It is a concern, High Lord Garrick. We just have to watch and see what other changes come."

After they left that night, Varian, Rhovan's personal guard, stepped into the chamber.

"He is beginning to suspect that the bride he received was not real," Varian said, and his voice was low.

High Lord Rhovan did not turn at first, and he let out a quiet laugh as he moved the dark liquid in his goblet. "Why would he not suspect. Lydia has never been careful with her schemes."

Then he turned, and a slow smile appeared on his lips. "Tell Lydia to come up with a better plan, something that will truly convince him."

Varian bowed his head.

"As you wish, High Lord," he said. Then he paused. "But if she fails again, should I remind her what happens to those who disappoint you."

Rhovan's smile grew. "No need. She already knows."