Chapter 8
Chapter 8
The body was still warm.
His throat had been ripped open, the armor bearing the sigil of the Red Fang split like paper. His eyes, pale green, stared skyward-wide with terror.
Beta Zane didn’t speak at first. Neither did I.
We just stood there, staring at the corpse nailed to the tree.
Then my eyes found the words burned deep into the bark.
“WE FOUND YOU.”
My breath caught in my throat.
“This wasn’t wolves,” I whispered, stepping closer despite my instincts screaming to run. “They wanted to send a serious message.”
Beta Zane’s jaw tightened. “It wasn’t Silverclaw. And Red Fang wouldn’t kill one of their own an leave him like this.”
“Then who?” My voice trembled as I scanned the forest. “Who would do this?”
Zane knelt beside the body, examining the wounds. “Whoever did this… they weren’t trying to kil him clean. They wanted to send a message.”
“To me,” I murmured.
I took another step forward.
There it was-a scent. Faint, but terrifyingly familiar.
“Do you smell that?” I whispered.
Zane’s head tilted slightly, his nostrils flaring. “Cedar oil. Mixed with… rotting fruit?”
My blood went cold.
“That scent-my mother used to mention it. Said it always came when something terrible was about to happen. She called it the Omen’s Breath.”
“Omen’s Breath?” Zane stood slowly. “That’s just an old wives’ tale.”
“That’s what others believe,” I whispered. “But she believed it. And now… now it’s here.”
We both turned at the same time, our eyes sweeping the woods.
“We need to leave,” Zane said. “Now.”
We moved fast, slipping through the trees.
kept glancing over my shoulder, expecting to see glowing eyes or a shadow moving through the underbrush. But there was nothing.
By the time we returned to the healer’s camp, it was already dusk.
I collapsed beside the fire, my breath shaking.
Zane paced the floor, muttering under his breath. “This changes everything. If there’s a third force moving, neither Red Fang nor Silverclaw may be in control.”
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“What kind of force kills like that?” I asked. “What does ‘We Found You’ even mean?”
Zane sat down heavily beside me. “It could mean anything. A threat. A warning.”
I rubbed my arms, feeling the old fear rise again.
“When my mother died,” I said softly, “it wasn’t rogues. At least, that’s not what I believe anymore. I think… someone was after her.”
Zane’s eyes met mine. “And now they’re after you.”
I nodded.
“I just wish I knew why. Do you think it’s related to my identity?” I turned to him.
Beta Zane sighed. “The Red Fang Alpha won’t take it lightly if something happens to you.”
“I still don’t acknowledge him. Alpha or not, he doesn’t have a right over me,” I said, my tone cold
That night, sleep didn’t come easily.
I kept the jade pendant clutched in my hand beneath the blankets, like a child afraid of the dark.
I dreamt again-only this time, it wasn’t fire.
It was a face, with eyes like mine. A woman cloaked in smoke, whispering words I couldn’t understand. Reaching out-but just before I could grab her, she turned to ash.
I woke drenched in sweat, my heart thundering.
And then I heard it-a voice. Soft and familiar.
“Alice…”
I sat up straight, my heart slamming in my chest.
The voice came again, barely audible, like it was being carried on the wind.
“Alice… run…”
Zane was still asleep across the room. I didn’t want to wake him.
Instead, I crept to the door and pushed it open.
The wind howled through the trees.
Snow flurried gently down. The fire outside had burned low, only embers glowing faintly.
I stepped outside, holding the pendant tightly, scanning the woods.
“Alice…”
The voice came again-closer this time.
And that’s when I saw it.
A figure. Standing at the edge of the forest. Cloaked in white. Face hidden beneath a hood.
I blinked, my heart pounding.
I blinked again-and the figure was gone, like it was never there.
“A hallucination?” I whispered to myself. “Am I losing it?”
By morning, Zane was gone.
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I found a note on the table.
I had to check the trail. Something felt off. Stay inside. Don’t open the door to anyone. Not even
I reread the last line twice.
Not even me.
Why would he write that?
What could he possibly be expecting?
I spent the day restless.
Late afternoon came. The sun sank behind the trees.
And Beta Zane didn’t return.
I stared at the fire, cold sinking into my bones.
That’s when the knock came.
Three soft taps.
I held my breath.
Then the voice: “Alice. It’s me. Open up.”
Zane.
But the voice was… off.
“Zane?” I called back. “Say the word.”
He hesitated. “What word?”
My blood turned cold.
Included in the note was a word-like a password-he asked me to use before opening the door.
In case anything ever went wrong.
“The word we agreed on,” I said again.
“Luna.” The voice replied.
There was a pause. He spoke again. “Silverclaw.”
That was when I knew. This was definitely not Beta Zane.
I took two steps back.
“Leave,” I said aloud.
The person continued to knock.
“Come on, Alice. Don’t be stupid. Open the door.”
My hand moved toward the dagger by the table.
First, there was silence.
Then, slowly, the door handle turned.
Thankfully, the door was locked.
I stood frozen, dagger in hand, my breath caught in my throat.
Suddenly, there was no noise anymore. I waited a while before opening the door-and nothing
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was there.
No one.
I rushed outside, scanning the trees.
Nothing but snow.
But right there, etched into the ice at the foot of the door, were the same three words:
“WE FOUND YOU.”
And this time… they were written in blood.
