CHAPTER 5

Elena's mind was racing with the threats and the secrets surrounding Lucas. That call had her pretty jittery, and things were getting way too crystal clear. She wanted answers, and she wanted them fast. The girl kept returning to thoughts of Marcus's information and that mysterious pack of werewolves she had heard about in town rumours as she drove home.

That night, she could not concentrate on anything else. She still had Lucas and his forest in her mind. If the pack he affiliated with was behind the threats she received, then what if Lucas were part of something big and secretive? Maybe the werewolf pack was connected too.

She ended up doing some investigation of her own. Flipping through old newspapers and bits of local gossip, she discovered a long history of werewolf legends in this town. Stories often blurry, yet all indicative of some great and powerful pack that had kept their existence hidden from public view.

Further needling, Elena called on a local historian—a hairy old gentleman by the name of Mr. Thompson, who was rumored to know everything about the town's history, allegedly eccentric but of unquestionable knowledge concerning local lore.

The next morning, Elena was standing in front of Mr. Thompson's very little shop: a dusty bookstore with old records and historical artifacts. As she came in, a bell above the door rang out; Mr. Thompson looked up from behind the counter, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Hello, Miss," he said with a warm smile. "What can I help you with today?"

Elena walked up to the counter, then fumbled out an awkward introduction: "Hi, Mr. Thompson. I was looking for some information regarding the history of this place. Particularly whatever might pertain to werewolves or, you know, the local legends."

Interest narrowed into Mr. Thompson's squinting eyes. "Werewolves, eh? Not too many people are interested in asking about that. What got you interested in those old tales?"

She was greatly torn with what to do, then finally resolved to tell him the truth. "I've been getting some threatening messages, and they seem to be about some mysterious man I met in the forest. I've heard that there might be a connection with a werewolf pack."

Mr. Thompson's expression changed to one of concern. "Well, you came to the right place for old stories. This town has its legends, some of which may be more than just stories."

Swept off to the back room, whose walls were lined with dusty tomes and stacks of yellowed manuscripts, he came forth with some old journals and turned through them. "The pack you speak of is called the Moonshadow Clan. Its lore is intertwined within this town's very fabric, centuries weaving the lore into this town. Most consider it tales of myths, though there are records that prove its existence."

Curiosity overpowered Elena. "What can you tell me about them? What do they do?"

Mr. Thompson looked at her grimly. "The Moonshadow Clan is said to be mighty and secretive; their tradition for defending what's theirs is always talked about. There are rumours of ancient traditions and a tight hierarchy. If Lucas's connection comes out to be authentic, then you are dealing with something way more complicated than what you might have thought."

Mr. Thompson continued, and Elena learned the Moonshadow Clan was not only famous for their ruthless code of secrecy but also for their might in assimilating with human society while remaining werewolves. These were rumoured to be very powerful people, closely bound with the land, whose past had been one of fighting against threats to existence.

That was both fascinating and terrifying. Elena felt the first stirrings of unease as the implications began to sink in. If Lucas belonged to this clan, then the threats she had received were not idle.

Thanking Mr. Thompson for his help, Elena stepped out into the street. Her mind was heavy from all she had learned, and she knew she needed to be very cautious from then on. As she walked back to her car, that strange sensation—like she was being watched—returned.

Later in the afternoon, Elena met up with Marcus at their usual bench in the park. They took their seats on the bench as the sun was already stretching its rays across the lawn. Elena told him everything she had learned about the Moonshadow Clan and their history with werewolves within their town.

Marcus listened intently; he was very serious. "This is starting to make sense. If Lucas belongs to this clan, then the threats have to be from somebody who wants to keep secrets unknown to the world."

Elena nodded. "I feel like we are getting into something huge here. I don't know whether to forge forward or back off. The warnings are clear, and I don't want to put a life in danger."

Marcus frowned. "We need more information. Talking with Lucas directly may be the only way we're going to get answers. But we've got to be very careful; if he belongs to this clan, he may not be so welcoming."

The air grew heavy with urgency, as their words began to talk back and forth. The secrets of Lucas and the Moonshadow Clan had started to get very dangerous. Elena felt they should be very careful, but at the same time, curiosity and the need for answers pressed forward.

Elena's phone vibrated with an incoming message. She turned toward it; her heart raced. It read, "You are getting too close. Tonight, you will see what happens when you cross the line."

The message was indeed chilling, and Elena did feel a cold shiver down her back. They were being watched, and the consequences were starting to get very real for their investigations.

Elena and Marcus exchanged worried glances. To them, the message was a personal threat. The timing couldn't have been much worse. They had just sat down to discuss what their next moves should be when Elena's phone buzzed again. There was a photo attached: a dark figure standing in the shadows of the forest, watching.

That indefinite figure, the sight did give Elena the blood running cold. Neither the message nor the photo created the impression; both of them combined gave a sense of danger about to strike. They were investigating not just a mystery; they were entering a world wherein any of their lives could be at risk.