Traces

Chapter 13

Traces

Jade had never seen so many armed wolves in one place.

The patrol moved through the forest in near silence, lantern light flickering across tree trunks and fallen leaves. Silverwood and Blackthorn warriors spread through the woods in a disciplined formation, searching for anything that might explain the mystery at their border.

At the front walked Alpha Rowan, Alpha Gideon, Beta Garrett, and Beta Knox.

Devin and Todd stayed close behind them.

Jade found herself beside Ryker.

Not because anyone assigned it.

It simply happened.

Neither seemed interested in changing it.

The deeper they traveled into the forest, the more uncomfortable Jade became.

Something felt wrong.

The woods she knew so well seemed unfamiliar tonight.

Like they were hiding something.

"You alright?"

Ryker's voice was low enough that only she could hear.

"I think so."

He studied her for a moment.

"You don't sound convinced."

"I'm not."

Surprisingly, that earned a small smile.

"Fair."

Ahead, Garrett raised a hand.

The patrol immediately stopped.

Several wolves crowded around something on the ground.

The body.

Jade felt her stomach twist.

She wasn't prepared for the sight.

The wolf looked young.

Male.

Perhaps only a few years older than Devin and Ryker.

His clothes were torn.

Scratches covered his arms and neck.

Yet what disturbed Jade most wasn't the injuries.

It was the scent.

Or lack of one.

Every pack had a unique scent signature.

Silverwood.

Blackthorn.

Even rogues.

This wolf had none.

Almost as though he'd been traveling alone for a very long time.

"What do you think?" Rowan asked quietly.

Knox crouched beside the body.

"Not Blackthorn."

Garrett nodded.

"Definitely not Silverwood."

The answer they already knew.

And the answer nobody wanted.

Because it meant someone unknown had crossed into their territories.

Someone they hadn't detected.

Someone who had died before explaining why.

For the next several hours, the patrol searched.

They found tracks.

But not enough.

Broken branches.

But nothing conclusive.

A damaged boundary marker.

Several strange scents.

Then they found something else.

A second trail.

Not fresh.

Days old.

The scent Jade remembered.

Immediately every head turned toward her.

"This is it."

She crouched beside the narrow game trail.

Her pulse quickened.

"This is the scent I found."

Garrett and Knox exchanged a look.

"Can you follow it?"

Jade hesitated.

Then nodded.

The trail took them nearly half a mile through dense forest.

Only to end abruptly near a rocky outcropping.

The scent disappeared there.

Completely.

As though whoever left it had vanished into thin air.

"No blood."

"No signs of a struggle."

"No camp."

Knox looked irritated.

"I hate mysteries."

"That's because you're terrible at solving them," Gideon said.

The Blackthorn Beta glared.

Gideon appeared delighted by this.

Despite the tension, a few warriors chuckled.

Unfortunately, that was the most progress they made all night.

By the time the first hints of dawn appeared through the trees, they had more questions than answers.

The dead wolf remained unidentified.

The scent trail remained unexplained.

And the disturbances along the border remained unresolved.

---

The meeting afterward was held in a temporary command tent near the border.

Jade wasn't supposed to be there.

At least she assumed she wasn't.

Then Alpha Rowan told her to stay.

So she did.

Maps covered the central table.

Patrol reports were scattered everywhere.

Every leader looked exhausted.

"We know someone crossed through here repeatedly."

Garrett pointed toward the map.

"We just don't know who."

"They weren't working alone," Knox added.

The Blackthorn Beta tapped a nearby section of forest.

"Multiple tracks."

Gideon nodded.

"Agreed."

Rowan crossed his arms.

"Which means increased patrols."

That earned immediate approval from both Betas.

Then Vivienne's earlier words came back to Jade.

Choice mattered.

Partnership mattered.

Watching the leaders work together, she could see exactly what she'd meant.

This wasn't a competition anymore.

It was two packs solving a problem together.

"We should schedule regular meetings," Garrett suggested.

"At least until we understand what's happening."

Rowan nodded.

"Agreed."

Gideon looked toward Knox.

"Every few days."

Knox nodded.

"And alternating territories."

The decision was made.

Just like that.

A series of joint meetings.

Joint patrols.

Shared reports.

Whatever was happening at the border, both packs intended to face it together.

As the discussion continued, Jade quietly stepped away from the table.

Her part was over.

Or so she thought.

"You helped."

She turned.

Ryker stood nearby.

The early morning sunlight filtered through the trees behind him.

"You found the trail."

"We didn't find much."

"We found enough."

His smile softened.

"And now we know where to start looking."

When he put it that way, it sounded meaningful.

Jade wasn't entirely convinced.

Still...

It felt nice to hear.

The meeting gradually ended.

Silverwood wolves began preparing to head home.

The Blackthorn delegation would leave shortly after.

A realization that sank heavily into Jade's chest.

Ryker was leaving.

Again, she had known that.

Yet knowing something and liking it were very different things.

Apparently Ryker felt something similar.

His expression became unusually serious.

"I'll be back."

Jade blinked.

"What?"

"The meetings."

He gestured toward the command tent.

"The patrol reports."

A slight grin returned.

"My father just volunteered me."

That sounded entirely believable.

"And?"

"And I was going to volunteer anyway."

The honesty in his voice made her heart skip.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

Ryker stepped closer.

Not enough to be improper.

Just enough that she noticed.

"I'd like to see you again."

The forest suddenly felt very quiet.

Jade looked away.

Then back.

"I'd like that too."

His smile appeared immediately.

That smile was becoming a problem.

A very attractive problem.

"We'll be back in three days."

"Three?"

"You sound disappointed."

"I am."

The answer escaped before she could stop it.

Ryker's grin widened.

Jade immediately regretted everything.

"There it is."

"What?"

"Evidence."

"Of what?"

"That you might actually miss me."

She rolled her eyes.

"You are unbelievably annoying."

"And yet."

"And yet nothing."

His laughter followed her as she turned away.

For the first time all night, the tension in her chest eased.

Not completely.

The dead wolf still bothered her.

The mysterious scent bothered her.

Whatever was happening along the border bothered her.

But for the first time since the investigation had begun, she had something else to think about too.

Three days.

Ryker would return in three days.

And for reasons she wasn't ready to examine, she found herself looking forward to it.