Jake’s POV
The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. After my words, no one dares to move. Instead, the elders settle back into their seats, eyes on John and me, waiting for the next steps. But before any more arguments can start, the door swings open, and a guard steps in, bowing quickly.
“We found something,” he announces, a strange edge to his voice that piques my interest.
John’s eyes snap toward the guard. “What is it?” he asks, his voice sharp and commanding. There’s an intensity in his gaze, as if he’s bracing for whatever news the guard might bring.
The guard straightens, his gaze meeting John’s. “It’s better if you come and see for yourselves, Alpha. It might… change things.”
Without wasting a moment, John gives a slight nod, signaling for me and the elders to follow. We move swiftly through the stone corridors, our footsteps echoing as we make our way down to the main hall. As we approach, I can hear a hushed murmur from a few of the other guards, but they quickly fall silent as we enter.
There, on the ground, is a tattered piece of parchment-a letter by the looks of it, aged and worn but carefully preserved as if it were recently retrieved. A chill runs down my spine as I step closer, catching sight of the rough handwriting on the page. John reaches down and picks it up, his eyes scanning the words, his face growing more grim with each line.
“What does it say?” I ask, my voice barely more than a whisper.
John doesn’t look up as he reads, his jaw tightening. “It’s a message from… someone within our ranks.” He glances up, locking eyes with me, and I can see the anger simmering just beneath his controlled expression. “This traitor isn’t just spying. They’re actively working to undermine every move we make, feeding information to our enemies.”
Lord Filipe steps forward, his face twisted in outrage. “This is an insult to the pack! Whoever did this is risking all our lives.”
I glance at John, waiting for his command. This discovery is no small thing-it’s a threat, a direct challenge to his leadership. And from the look in his eyes, John isn’t planning on letting it slide.
“Search every corner of the pack grounds,” he orders, his voice cold and unyielding. “I want every guard, every scout, and every warrior on this. No one rests until we find this traitor.”
The guards nod and begin to disperse, but I stay rooted beside John, watching him as he stares down at the letter. There’s something else in his expression-something that tells me this isn’t just about the pack. It’s personal.
He finally looks at me, a hint of vulnerability flickering in his eyes. “Jake,” he says quietly, “I need you to watch my back. If they’re coming after me, they’ll try to make it personal.”
I nod, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You don’t even have to ask. We’re in this together. Whoever’s responsible will pay.”
He grips my shoulder briefly, then lets go, his expression hardening once more. “Good. Let’s make sure they know just how big of a mistake they’ve made.”
—
The search begins immediately. Warriors and guards are deployed to every corner of the pack grounds, their eyes sharp and their senses alert. No one can afford to let their guard down, not with a traitor lurking among us. John and I take the lead, moving through the dimly lit corridors, checking every room, every shadowed corner. As we pass by a small group of pack members, I notice a few nervous glances cast our way. Word travels fast, and it’s clear that everyone knows something is wrong.
The silence stretches as we search, a tense, stifling silence that wraps around us like a shroud. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I catch a flicker of movement-a shadow slipping down one of the lesser-used corridors. I signal to John, and we both move quickly, silent as predators, following the shadow’s path.
As we turn the corner, we come face to face with a young pack member, one I recognize immediately. Her name is Lena, a timid wolf with a reputation for keeping to herself. She looks up, her eyes wide with fear as she realizes she’s been caught.
“Lena,” I say, my tone gentle but firm. “What are you doing here?”
She glances nervously between John and me, her hands twisting in front of her. “I… I heard something,” she stammers, her voice barely above a whisper. “I thought it was strange, so I… I followed the sound.”
John steps forward, his gaze piercing. “What did you hear?”
Lena swallows, her face pale. “Voices. Someone talking… about you, Alpha. They said… they said something about… taking you down.”
The words hang in the air, heavy and ominous. John’s expression hardens, and I can feel the shift in his energy-the controlled rage simmering beneath the surface.
“Where did the voices come from?” he asks, his voice a low growl.
Lena points down the corridor, her hand shaking. “They were coming from the old storeroom… the one no one uses anymore.”
Without another word, John and I exchange a glance, and we head in the direction she pointed, leaving Lena behind. As we approach the storeroom, the air grows colder, the shadows deeper. I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, the anticipation building as we near the door.
John pushes it open, and we step inside, our eyes scanning the room. It’s empty at first glance, the dim light casting eerie shadows across the dusty shelves. But as we move deeper into the room, I catch sight of something-another piece of parchment, pinned to the wall.
John pulls it down, his expression darkening as he reads the words scrawled across the page.
“They’re here. They’re watching. And they’re waiting for the perfect moment to strike.”
We exchange a tense glance, the gravity of the situation settling heavily around us. This isn’t just a traitor. It’s a threat. A warning. And whoever is behind it is determined to see it through.
John folds the note, slipping it into his pocket. “We’re dealing with more than just a spy,” he says quietly. “This is a full-blown betrayal. And it won’t end until they get what they want.”
I nod, my jaw clenched. “Then we’ll stop them before they get the chance. They don’t know who they’re dealing with.”
John’s eyes meet mine, a fierce determination burning within them. “We’ll root them out, Jake. Every last one of them. No one betrays the pack and gets away with it.”
As we leave the storeroom, I can feel the resolve settling deep within me. We’ll find this traitor, whoever they are. And when we do, they’ll pay for every ounce of fear, every moment of chaos they’ve tried to sow within our ranks.