Dagger and Wolfsbane

Eirlys Lumi,

Moon lifted her head and released a powerful howl that tore through the silent forest. The sound echoed across the trees, rolling deep into the darkness and bouncing from trunk to trunk. Birds that had been resting in the branches burst into the air in frightened flutters, while small animals hidden in the undergrowth scattered hurriedly through the dry leaves.

"Let's go," she purred, quickly grabbing my clothes with her jaws before tossing them over her back. We could not risk leaving them behind.

Then she ran.

The forest rushed past us in a blur of shadows and broken moonlight. Dry leaves cracked sharply beneath her paws while low branches scraped lightly against her fur. The wind had begun to howl more violently now, pushing cold gusts through the trees and rattling the tall pines above us.

Moon's white fur shimmered faintly in the darkness as she moved with fluid speed between the trunks, her body gliding through the forest like a pale ghost slipping through the night.

Barely a minute passed as she followed the scent trail. We had strong restraint over scents. It was one of the reasons why we could hunt Killer Alphas despite being an Omega. Years of training had forced us to master that control. However, this scent was different. It slipped past our discipline and struck directly at our instincts. It shook our core in a way that made Moon's ears twitch uneasily.

Along the way, she quickly grabbed several herbs growing along the forest floor with her sharp jaws. These were plants I often used during emergencies to slow bleeding. Their bitter scent mixed with the damp smell of soil and fallen leaves as she carried them carefully.

Soon we arrived near a small stream that connected to the deeper forest area beyond the park boundary. The water moved quietly across the stones, reflecting faint pieces of moonlight between the shadows of the trees.

The scent of blood was now overwhelming with the wind blowing past us. It was thick and metallic, carried directly into our lungs with every breath.

"It's coming from here," Moon said as I shifted back into my human form.

"I know."

My eyes darkened as I carefully scanned the surroundings.

The forest had grown dangerously quiet.

Even the insects seemed to have stopped their constant chirping, leaving behind an eerie stillness that made the back of my neck prickle.

I lowered my body slightly and hid behind a thick bush, reducing my presence as much as possible. The cold earth pressed against my bare feet while the damp leaves brushed against my knees as I crouched.

The scent here was extremely strong.

Moon whispered inside my head, her voice tense.

"The scent is powerful. An Alpha?"

"No."

My nerves reacted differently.

This scent carried something far heavier than an Alpha's dominance.

It pressed down on my instincts, commanding and demanding obedience in a way that made my spine stiffen involuntarily.

It was something my wolf did not want to challenge. Something far more dangerous than the ones we had crossed paths with before.

My fingers curled slightly against the ground as I tried to control the sudden tension building inside my chest.

"Fuck."

A deep voice suddenly came from behind the bushes near the stream. The figure was leaning against a tree.

"Who the hell dared to send a spy?"

The voice was deep and rough, vibrating with raw authority even though it was slightly weakened. It carried a low growl beneath the words, the kind of tone that naturally demanded submission.

It sounded strangely familiar.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I finally noticed the figure properly.

Even sitting against the tree, he looked enormous.

Judging by the width of his shoulders and the length of his neck, he was easily over six feet nine. His frame alone carried a suffocating presence. The silver hair bloomed under the faint moonlight peeping through the leaves, reflecting pale light like threads of metal.

I could not see his face clearly, but the sight of his broad back alone made my breathing hitch slightly.

My heart started hammering inside my chest.

"Don't fall in love," Moon warned.

"I am not," I whispered quickly, though my pulse refused to calm down. My attention immediately shifted to his wound.

A dagger had been driven deep into his back shoulder. The blade glinted faintly beneath the moonlight.

Even from this distance, I could recognize the dull gray coating along the metal.

My brows drew together slightly as realization hit me.

"Silver and wolfsbane," I muttered quietly, the words slipping out almost under my breath. "Wow. Whoever did it wanted him to die slowly."

"Do we have any antibiotics with us?" Moon asked.

Ignoring the tension rising in the air, I quickly began gathering the herbs we had collected during the run. My fingers moved swiftly, crushing a few leaves lightly to release their juices.

But suddenly my instincts flared.

The man moved.

Despite the dagger lodged in his shoulder, he pushed himself slightly upright. The muscles across his broad back tightened visibly as he shifted his weight against the tree.

His footsteps were slow, but deliberate. Each step carried an unmistakable weight and that was power.

Even injured, his presence felt like standing before a storm barely being held back. The air itself seemed to thicken around him as he moved.

He approached the bushes cautiously. Then his voice came again, cold, sharp and... terrifyingly dominant.

"Come out." The command rolled through the forest like thunder. "Whoever you are… show yourself."

My eyes widened in shock and disbelief. My body froze instantly, every muscle locking in place as I held my breath.

"Did he just notice us?" I muttered, forcing myself to remain still while trying to control my scent even more, although I was already using a scent blocker.

"Yes. The movement is approaching us," Moon whispered back in my mind, her voice tight with alarm.

My heartbeat began pounding louder in my ears as I slowly moved myself, careful not to disturb the dry leaves beneath me.

I quickly grabbed my jacket and placed it over my head to hide my scent better. The fabric brushed against my hair as I lowered my body even further.

I could not let Moon take over.

Wolves tended to release more scent when they were anxious.

Just as I almost reached the next bush, something suddenly sliced through the air.

A sharp whooshing sound rushed past my ear before I could react.

The object flew toward me and shot past my face, the sudden force of it making my hair whip slightly across my cheek.

The jacket was instantly pinned against the pine tree behind me.

The blade had gone straight through the thick fabric and buried itself deep into the bark with a heavy thud.

A soft gasp escaped from me before I could stop it. My hand instinctively flew to my chest as my heart slammed violently against my ribs.

The cold realization settled in immediately. He had thrown it without even seeing me.

"Who is there?" His voice cut through the darkness again. "Come out or else—"

He took a deep breath, his chest rising heavily as if the effort itself caused him pain. The silver and wolfsbane were clearly beginning to take action against his body.

But the threat in his voice did not weaken. It only grew darker. "I will rip you apart."