Mystery of the Rejected Alpha ✔

Chapter Sixty-Five

Alina

Another murder took place in the Dark Moon pack. A patrol guard was shot dead near the territorial border, two nights ago. He had ropes wrapped around his neck that suggested he was strangled as well. The news of the murder spread like wild-fire, and it almost seemed like the shifters were mocking James by recreating the exact method that was used to slay Drake and Hailey.

James had enforced a tight defence, assured no evidence of trespassing, yet still, one of his patrol guards got murdered right under the bridges of our nose. After Hailey and Drake got killed, James tripled the border patrol and closed off all the routes that could allow shifters and abandoned wolves to possibly sneak in. He ensured the security of the pack by making active decisions and running patrol rounds himself at times. We were impressed at his skilful gestures and none of us was expecting another murder so soon.

The confrontation with James at the library happened exactly two weeks ago. He tried to come up and talk to me a few more times after that but I scurried away, leaving him alone. I didn't want any nasty confrontations. I told him exactly how I felt that day and I knew he wouldn't be able to change my mind regardless of how hard he tried. I could tell that the current situation was only going to deteriorate with time. Unless we figured out what the shifters were looking for, we had no way of winning or driving them out of the pack.

"I have a really strong feeling that the shifters found what they have been looking for," Ron said.

The three of us were sitting inside the room that was assigned to Neil, verbalising our thoughts on the murder. It almost felt like a game where we tried to read and predict the pattern of the attacks.

"Is that so?" I asked Ron. I knew he was right. Even someone with little to no knowledge about the current predicaments would be able to put the two and two together.

"Yes, I know you see it too, Alina." Ron started. He moved a little in his chair and continued. "The fact that no new pack got attacked so far is alarming. Before several members from the Dark Moon pack got killed, all the other targeted packs got burnt down in a short period of time. Have you noticed how prior to the incidents in this pack, every other day or two we would hear about the demise of a new targeted pack?"

Neil and I nodded at the same time.

"It almost felt like a vicious cycle and every other day a new pack got burnt to ashes, done and dusted," Neil said. "Things have significantly slowed down since then as—"

"—as all the incidents are now happening here in the Dark Moon pack." I completed the sentence for Neil. "This clearly means that the shapeshifters have found what they were looking for."

"And it's in this pack," Ron said.

"I still can't stop stressing about leaving our pack vulnerable." I voiced out my concerns. I didn't want to take any chances and I certainly didn't want the Red Blood pack to face any attacks.

"I am certain nothing is going to happen to our pack. I did send some of the members we brought here along with us back home, just to be on the safe side." Neil pointed out.

Neil brought along twenty pack members with him including Ron. After keeping them close for nearly a month and a half in the Dark Moon pack, Neil decided to send ten of our members back home for an extra added protection against the shifters if they were to attack.

"Yeah but —" I started.

"— I don't think they will come after the Red Blood pack but I did take all the precautionary measures needed to dodge off any attacks. Don't worry about that. Our main concern is to find some lead on Luke." Neil said.

I nodded. I really wanted to see Luke again.

"How is Alpha James?" Ron asked. "He must be devastated after seeing his pack members getting killed like a bunch of mosquitoes."

I shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't talked to him in a couple of days. We are both focusing on our priorities."

"You are not going to forgive him, right?" Neil said, glaring at me.

"No, why?" I asked.

"The way you have been sulking over the last few days had me thinking." He looked at me intently. "I know you want him back and I don't want you to think that Ron and I are pressurising you to leave your mate."

I sighed.

"In the end, it's completely your choice. You do what you think is best for you." Ron said looking at me straight in the eye.

"The thing is I'm tired. I'm really tired of being treated second. I never asked him to leave Hailey for me, I couldn't stoop that low. I'm just tired of all the uncertainty. I gave him time, ample of time. I would have appreciated him giving me an exact answer, even if his final decision was Hailey. I hate the feeling of hanging in uncertainty." I explained. I felt drained even thinking about how exhausted James had me feeling lately.

"We just don't want you to regret your decision later in the future and then blame us for separating the two of you," Neil mumbled under his breath.

I chuckled. "I would never do that."

"I swear Jace is way better than Alpha James," Ron said leaning back in his chair. "He seems a lot mature and composed, not abrasive as James."

Neil laughed and nodded his head. "I totally agree with you. Jace has a soothing demeanour and I like it. I'm amazed how he didn't get the position seeing how he is the perfect fit to be an Alpha. He is older than James, isn't he? The eldest son of the former Alpha Wellington?"

"Speaking of Jace, have you seen him around the pack?" Ron asked looking at me.

I shook my head. "No, I haven't seen him around lately, why?"

Ron frowned. "I wanted to talk to him about something. I think I might have noticed a similar pattern in the last few murders."

Author's Note:

Let me know what you think about this chapter.

The next update will be on Monday.

Till then—
Stay safe and take care.