The Chosen One •

13

🐺 Kun 🐺

The next morning, Jacob and I were led to the eastern border by one of Alpha Derrick's betas, a lanky wolf named Miles. The tension between us was palpable as we navigated the wooded area where the traps had been set. The sun struggled to break through the dense canopy, casting everything in a muted gray light.

Miles gestured to the nearest trap, a simple but effective snare hidden among the undergrowth. "This is one of the traps they avoided," he said. "We checked the area thoroughly, but there were no tracks, no signs of how they got through."

I crouched down, studying the ground carefully. The earth was undisturbed, no paw prints, no broken branches—nothing to suggest movement. Jacob knelt beside me, his brow furrowed.

"This doesn't make sense," Jacob murmured.

"No, it doesn't," I agreed, scanning the area with my heightened senses. The faint scent of wolfsbane lingered in the air, but there was something else—something bitter and metallic.

Jacob and I exchanged a glance, unspoken understanding passing between us. This wasn't normal.

As we moved further along the border, we stumbled upon a small patch of blood smeared across the leaves. The scent hit me immediately—wolf blood, but mixed with something acrid and foul.

"What the hell?" Jacob muttered, crouching to examine it more closely.

I stood still, focusing on the smell. It was faint, but there was something unnatural about it, something that sent a chill down my spine.

Jacob leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "Kun, I've seen this before. Back when we were dealing with rogue packs near the southern borders." He paused, his face grim. "I think they're being controlled."

"Controlled?" I repeated, my stomach twisting.

He nodded. "By vampires. That smell—it's faint, but it's there. And..." He hesitated, glancing around as if to make sure no one else could hear. "I think they're getting help from a witch or warlock. No rogue pack gets this organized without some kind of magic involved."

My heart dropped like a stone. The word "witch" immediately brought Isabel to mind. Did she know about this? Could she be involved? No. That was ridiculous. Not every witch knew the plans of others. But the thought still gnawed at me.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to push her out of my mind. This wasn't the time.

"Let's keep moving," I said, my voice sharper than I intended.

Jacob shot me a look but didn't press. Together, we scoured the area, finding more faint traces of blood and subtle signs that something—or someone—had been here. Whoever they were, they were careful. Too careful.

By the time we returned to Alpha Derrick's pack house, the weight of what we'd discovered hung heavy in the air. The other alphas and betas were already gathered in the main hall, their voices low and serious as we entered.

Alpha Derrick raised an eyebrow as we approached. "What did you find?"

Jacob and I exchanged a glance before stepping forward. "We found traces of wolf blood near the traps," Jacob began, his tone measured. "But the blood wasn't pure. It smelled... tainted. And there was something else—a faint scent of vampires. It's possible the rogues are being controlled."

The room fell silent, every eye fixed on us.

"And," Jacob added, "we suspect they're working with a witch or warlock. The traps were avoided too perfectly, almost as if someone was guiding them."