Helios

Chapter 4

The sun peeked through the curtains, a soft, golden light pulling me from sleep. For a moment, I lay still, letting the warmth soothe my body. The events of the previous day played in my mind—the meeting with Alpha Francis, the tense conversation about the rogue attacks, and, of course, the figure in the forest.

I pushed the blankets aside, stretching as I rose from the bed. The encounter from last night felt more vivid now, replaying in sharper detail. Those golden eyes—they were burned into my memory. But there was no use dwelling on it. I had to focus on today. The truth about the rogue attacks was buried somewhere in this pack, and I had to dig it out.

After a quick shower, I dressed and headed downstairs. The halls of Alpha Francis's house were eerily quiet, the pack still seemingly at rest from the night. Rei was nowhere to be seen, likely up early and scouting for more information on the situation. Typical. I couldn't help but smile at her efficiency.

As I made my way toward the dining hall, I spotted Sarah down the corridor. Her expression was unreadable, but there was an intensity to her presence. She greeted me with a nod, her movements brisk as usual.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked, her voice polite but distant.

"Well enough," I replied, stepping closer. I decided to address the issue directly. "That figure I saw last night. In the forest. Do you know anything about it?"

Sarah's eyes flickered with a brief hesitation before her mask returned. "It's not uncommon for rogues to lurk at the edges of the territory," she said carefully. "We've had to deal with a few over the years."

Something about her tone felt... off. She was holding something back, just as Francis had done. I wanted to press further, but I knew pushing too hard might only make them close off more.

Before I could respond, Sarah added, "Alpha Francis is waiting for you in his office. He's expecting you shortly."

I nodded, letting the matter drop for now. The real conversation would happen with Francis.

As I approached the Alpha's office, my stomach knotted slightly. He had been cordial last night, but there was an underlying tension between us—something unspoken that made me wary. I knocked, and a moment later, his voice called for me to enter.

Francis sat behind his desk, his hands folded neatly in front of him. He looked up as I stepped in, offering me a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Naomi, good morning," he greeted, his tone light, but there was a guardedness beneath it. "I trust you slept well?"

"Well enough," I echoed my earlier response, taking a seat across from him. "I wanted to continue our conversation from last night, if that's alright."

Francis's smile faltered slightly, and I noticed the same tapping of his fingers on the desk that I had observed the night before. A tell.

"Of course," he said, though his posture tensed. "What more would you like to know?"

I decided to get straight to the point. "You mentioned last night that rogue attacks happen about once or twice a month, but from what I've observed, it seems like there's more to it. These attacks—are they more frequent than you're letting on?"

Francis's fingers stilled on the desk. His eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might deny it again, but instead, he leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply.

"It's true," he admitted, his voice low. "The attacks have been... more frequent lately. But they're not something I want to advertise. It would cause panic within the pack."

"More frequent?" I pressed, sensing I was finally getting closer to the truth. "How many have there been in the last few months?"

Francis's jaw tightened. "Six. Perhaps seven."