Hay Creek

Chapter 17.

"You should have seen the room for yourself. It's so strange to discover all these things now. I've lived in that house for so long, and it's only now that I'm starting to realize what was hidden there. My father was much better at keeping secrets than I ever imagined." I leaned against the wall next to the door, while Kai stood in his usual spot by the window, arms crossed and watching me intently.

"You should show me when you get a chance. I'm really curious about that room," he replied, pushing himself off the wall. "Do you guys use the same supplies? You know—the potions and powders?"

"Yeah, we use those too. It's essential for a pack to have them. They're tools for protecting your pack, at least in my case. Some people, however, misuse them," he explained.

I nodded, realizing my father must have used those items for the same purpose. After all, he was definitely one of the good guys.

"Have we set a date for visiting Gabriel yet?" he asked, taking a seat behind his desk.

"You mentioned the weekend, but I don't think this one will work," I replied.

"How about next weekend?"

"That sounds good. Will it just be the two of us?"

"Yep, just us." He smiled, and I returned the gesture. "Isaac really enjoyed the run. He missed it more than he realized."

"That's great to hear. Do you think he'll join us?" Kai tilted his head slightly.

"I think so. We're making progress. You're doing great, Alpha." I smiled shyly, feeling warmth spread across my cheeks as his icy gray eyes sparkled with delight.

"I love seeing you blush like that. It's nice to know I'm the one causing it," he said, grinning.

I giggled. "You can take note of that." I played with an annoying curl that had fallen into my face.

"Oh, I already did," he replied, raising an eyebrow playfully.

I shook my head, rolling my eyes. "Let's head downstairs."

Kai.

"So, how long are we staying here, Alpha Dashawn? We need a territory of our own. I'm grateful for Alpha Kai's assistance—don't get me wrong—but we're not exactly in a strong position right now."

"Having a territory doesn't make you an Alpha or define your strength. It's the pack that truly matters. A territory is merely a place to call home, something to protect and defend. I don't have that right now, and I've accepted it. I will fight to reclaim what's mine, but I need a solid plan and backup. I believe in Alpha Kai's strength and our alliance. Together, we will take back what belongs to us."

It was Alpha Dashawn speaking, and I was walking down the hallway when I overheard their conversation. Normally, I wouldn't eavesdrop on his meetings, but I couldn't resist this one.

"We still don't know much about the hunters," a girl's voice chimed in.

"But we do know some things." That was Cayson, Dashawn's third-in-command. Then Boyd spoke up, someone I recognized from our encounter in the kitchen after the run.

"Yes, we've identified who is encroaching on our territory, and they're not acting alone."

"It's the Bounty Wolf Hunters. The leader of that group is Lorna Sia. She's collaborating with Niklaus, the most dangerous hunter out there. His faction is called the Devil Wolf Hunters. Lorna's group is also targeting lone wolves, and for some reason, she's hunted me down as well as another pack in town. This puts not only us at risk but also Alpha Kai's pack and Alpha Roman's pack. I'll leave it at that for now. I still need to discuss this with Alpha Kai, as it's crucial information. I want to dig deeper, so for the moment, this stays between us. If I hear any leaks from the outside, there will be consequences. Am I clear?"