Helios

Chapter 3

The smell of blood clung to the air, a metallic scent that turned my stomach as I approached the scene. My eyes fell on the lifeless bodies scattered around, the brutality of their deaths evident in the deep gashes that marred their flesh. The cuts were precise, too clean to be the work of anything but claws.

Kneeling beside one of the bodies, I traced the edge of a wound with my finger, feeling the jagged edges. The damage was unmistakable. Wolves had been here. I couldn't ignore the knot forming in my gut—something was terribly wrong.

"Rei," I called out, not taking my eyes off the body. "How often do you see something like this?"

Rei, standing a few feet away, surveyed the carnage with a grim expression.

"Minimal to rare," she replied. "These incidents only happen if there are issues within the pact. But as far as I know, everything has been stable."

Her words offered little comfort. Stability meant nothing if there was a rogue out there, someone acting on their own, without regard for the rules that bound us all. I couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than just a random attack. The precision of the wounds, the ferocity—it felt personal.

"This wasn't just any wolf," I murmured, half to myself. "This was a rogue, acting outside the pact."

Rei's gaze snapped to mine, concern darkening his eyes. "Are you sure?"

I nodded, standing up and brushing the dirt from my hands. "I've seen wounds like these before, and they don't happen by accident. Whoever did this had a reason, and it wasn't a good one."

Silence hung between us, the weight of my words sinking in. We both knew what this could mean—trouble for the packs, and possibly something much worse.

"We need to find out who's responsible," I said, my voice firm. "Set up a meeting with the pack in charge of this area. I want to hear what they have to say."

Rei hesitated for a moment, then gave a curt nod. "I'll arrange it."

As she walked away, I glanced back at the bodies one last time, a chill running down my spine. This was just the beginning, and I had a sinking feeling that things were about to get much worse.

---

As the car rolled over the uneven terrain, I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my mind racing with questions. Rei was beside me, her face illuminated by the soft glow of the dashboard lights.

"White Stone is ruled by Alpha Francis," Rei said, breaking the silence. "He's been the alpha for almost thirty years now. The pack has been relatively stable under his leadership."

I nodded, absorbing the information. Alpha Francis had a reputation for being both fair and firm, but that didn't guarantee he would be forthcoming. My thoughts turned to the connection between the recent killings and Helios. Was there a link? Could Alpha Francis be involved, or was he as much a victim as the rest of us?

"How well do you think Alpha Francis knows about Helios?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. "Is there a possibility he could be connected to this incident?"

Rei's brow furrowed slightly as she considered my question. "Alpha Francis is known to keep his pack's issues close to his chest. He may know more than he lets on, but I can't say for sure. His pack has always been discreet about internal matters."

My mind turned over the possibilities as I drove deeper into the territory. The forest around us grew denser, the trees casting long shadows under the moonlight. As we neared the pack's borders, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. The silence in the woods felt heavy, almost oppressive.