Asher
The past few days have been nothing short of unbearable. Ally is nowhere in sight, and Kaidos has been on edge, blaming me for not marking her when I had the chance.
“You’re nothing but a selfish, egotistical fool,” he snarls in my head. “You let them take her away from us because of a fear that never even existed!”
“Oh, shut up, Kaidos,” I snap back, my frustration boiling over. “You don’t get to open your damn mouth and talk to me like that.”
“Yes, I have every-”
I don’t let him finish. I slam the mental link shut.
This has been his constant rant for days, and for fuck’s sake, I’m exhausted. His accusations claw at my mind, draining what little patience I have left. I don’t need him reminding me of my failures. I already feel them pressing down on my chest.
Based on the information we got from Selena, we now know that Ally’s uncle and his so-called pack no longer exist, not in the way we thought.
Their pack went extinct years ago due to some internal power struggle. But now, they’re trying to bring it back.
And Ally’s blood is the key.
A ritual will use her blood to awaken the long-dead pack, giving life to something that should have remained buried.
But that’s not even the worst part. The alpha who marks her during the ceremony will gain full control, not just over that revived pack, but over every surrounding pack as well.
A weapon. That’s what they see her as.
But they don’t know who they’re messing with.
The only problem? We still don’t know where her uncle is hiding. Without a pack to track, it’s like searching for a ghost. And time is running out.
I mutter under my breath when I realize I’ve reached a dead end. Panic sets in, and I call out for Liam and Ryder, hoping they’ll have a solution.
I search through all the small packs that might need help and send word to them, offering Redwood’s support.
Ryder looks at me, clearly skeptical, not buying into my plan. But at this point, I don’t have any other ideas. This is the only option left. “Do it,” I say, dismissing them both.
I link to Liam through the mind link. “Call me Selena,” I tell him, my voice firm but controlled. He nods slowly, his presence still nearby.
Once they’re out of sight, I rise from my chair, my body feels heavy as I walk to the window. I look out over the pack, my gaze drifting into the distance.
Memories flood my mind. I remember the day she came to drop off her resignation before the accident.
Her scent surrounded me, wrapping around me in a way I can’t explain. My heart races and a familiar heat stirs in me, making my body react in ways I can’t control.
I let out a breath, trying to calm my rapidly beating heart and the chaos in my mind.
Turning back to the room, I see her standing there. I can tell, by the way, she exhales, that she’s struggling to focus, her thoughts distracted. It’s strange, but it comforts me, knowing the feeling is mutual.
Just as I think I’m imagining things, I turn around again. There she is, standing right in front of me, concern written all over her face.
“Alpha, is everything okay?” Selena’s voice rings out, with genuine worry.
I blink, still surprised to see her. “Yes, Selena… I didn’t know you were here.”
“I’ve been standing here for more than five minutes,” Selena says.
I motion to the chair opposite me.
“Sit, Selena.” She settles down, and I can’t help but notice the dark bags under her eyes. It’s clear she’s been having trouble sleeping, something weighing on her more than she’s willing to admit.
I don’t have the patience for small talk right now, so I go straight to the point. “That alpha you talk about… he’s your uncle, right?”
Selena nods without hesitation. “Yes.”
“And if I may ask,” I continue, narrowing my eyes, “your pack seems to be off the radar. Is there something I need to know?”
I watch as she shifts slightly, a trace of sadness passing over her face.
“Glad to know you’ve looked me up. Yes, our pack was once one of the most feared packs around, but recently, it’s all but extinct. A curse broke out, and everything changed.” Her tone shifts slightly, more detached now.
“Of course, I take pleasure in getting to know the people I work with, so that should be the least of your worries.”
I lean forward, my curiosity piqued. “What’s the name of your pack? It sounds familiar.”
“Greyhill Pack,” she says, but the name hangs in the air.
I blink, stunned. “Greyhill? That was once a powerful pack. Known for their wealth, both in resources and money. Rumor had it that they were cursed and eventually went extinct.”
A realization hits me, and everything starts to fall into place. “Ah, now it makes sense. Your uncle wants to use an ally’s blood to break the curse.”
Selena looks at me, her gaze intense. “Exactly. It’s why he’s been trying to form alliances.”
I pause for a moment before asking the question that’s been on my mind. “And by the way, what’s the name of the alpha? Your uncle?”
Selena looks at me for a brief second. “It’s Alpha Craig.”
At the mention of his name, my eyes snap up, locking onto Selena. The shock must be clear on my face because she notices and looks at me warily.
“Is there a problem?” she asks, her voice tight with caution.
I rake my hand through my hair, trying to process what I’m hearing. I had allowed Ally at that meeting that day, and now I’m questioning why.
She had been uneasy, and I remember Alpha Craig’s accusations from that day. It all starts to make sense now, he recognized Ally and came back for her.
The thought sends a cold wave through me, my heart clenches with dread. I should’ve been more careful. I should have seen it coming.
“Yes,” I say, my voice a little strained. “I know Alpha Craig. He was here some weeks ago during the investigation into Maya.”
Selena’s eyes widened in surprise, her expression almost comical in its shock.
“Yes, he was here?” she repeats, her voice rising in disbelief. “That was when he saw her… and I wasn’t in Redwood at that time,” she says quickly, almost as if she’s trying to convince herself.
“I should have done something…” she trails off, guilt thick in her voice.
I raise an eyebrow, my voice icy. “Something like what, Selena? Let me guess, you would have left the pack with my mate?”
Selena lowers her head, and in that moment, I know I’ve got her cornered. And I can sense her discomfort.
“Now, back to the solution,” I say, trying to focus. “How can we get to his pack? And you know we need spies, just in case he really does have Ally, we need to be prepared.”
Selena gives me a sly smile as if she’s been waiting for this moment. She reaches into her pocket and hands me a scroll. I eye it cautiously, not sure what it contains or what she expects me to do with it.
“Take it, Alpha,” she says.
I take the scroll from her, slowly unrolling it, and peel off the paper wrapping. As I unfurl it, my heart leaps with joy when I see what’s inside.
It’s the blueprint of Greyhill’s pack.
A sense of triumph floods through me, the realization that we’re one step ahead in our plan. This could be the key to everything.
I smile softly, genuinely grateful. “Thank you, Selena. This… this is exactly what we needed.”
Her smile widens just a little, the corners of her eyes softening. “I knew you’d appreciate it, Alpha.”