"Breathe, Selene," I said.
She was shaking and gasping. I wasn't exactly sure what to do. Here was Selene in the middle of a panic attack, and just a few feet away, a soldier's dead body.
"Wait here," I told her once she stopped shaking. "I have to go fetch the healers."
Selene nodded, still visibly shaken but at least breathing better.
I ran back to the den, heart racing.
By the time I returned with the healers minutes later, Selene was gone. Only the dead soldier remained.
Now it was my turn to panic.
Where did she go?
Did someone — or something — take her?
"SELENE!!" I yelled.
No response.
One of the healers knelt beside the soldier and gently placed two fingers on his neck, confirming what I already knew.
He was gone.
"What happened?" one of the healers asked.
"I don't know. We just found him like this."
"We?" another healer asked, raising a brow.
"Selene was with me. I told her to wait while I called you, but now she's gone." I scanned the woods. No sign of her.
"Carry the body back to the den," the lead healer ordered the others.
Then he turned to me. "You're coming with me. We need to report to the Alpha."
Aidrac opened the door when I knocked. At first, he smiled—he looked happy to see me—but that quickly vanished when he saw my grim expression and the healer behind me.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"We wish to speak with the Alpha," the healer said.
"Of course," Aidrac replied and led us inside.
Rohan and the Alpha were seated in the living room.
"What happened?" Rohan asked as we walked in.
I told them about the dead soldier.
The Alpha was already on his feet.
"Where is he?"
"In the den, sir. Though I'm afraid it's too late. I'm certain he's dead, he'd lost too much blood," the healer said.
"Blood?" Aidrac asked. "But you said there were no injuries."
"Well, yes. That's the puzzle. No wounds. But he was pale, white as snow. Almost like something sucked the life out of him."
I shuddered, remembering his paper-white skin and dead eyes.
"Let's go to the den. I need to see him for myself," the Alpha said, then turned to Rohan. "Begin an investigation immediately. Assemble the soldiers. We must hold a meeting."
"Yes, sir," Rohan said.
The Alpha and the healer left, leaving just Rohan, Aidrac, and me.
"Are you okay, Rhea?" Aidrac asked. "I know this shook you."
"I'm fine," I lied with a weak smile. I didn't want to seem weak in front of Rohan. Not again.
"Good. Because I've been ordered to investigate," Rohan said. "And I'd like to start with the witness—you."
"She's clearly not okay, Rohan. Give her some time," Aidrac snapped.
"Sit," Rohan said, gesturing to the couch across from him.
"I said give her some time."
"Sit down, Rhea."
I sat, suddenly feeling small under Rohan's cold gaze. Aidrac looked furious, but Rohan's attention was locked on me. With something like fascination in his eyes.
"Two strange incidents in just a few days," he said. "And you witnessed both."
My feet went cold.
Where is he going with this?
"Isn't that odd, Rhea?" he asked.
"Or just a coincidence," Aidrac cut in.
"Maybe. Except she had a dream about the first attack. And maybe even the second."
"I haven't had a dream since the first attack," I said.
"How do I believe you?"
"I don't care if you do."
Rohan let out a dry laugh. "You don't realize what this could mean, do you?"
I shook my head.
"You can be held accountable, Rhea. People could start thinking you're behind all this."
"That's ridiculous," Aidrac snapped. "Why would she attack her own pack? Her friend?"
"Why wouldn't she? An omega hated and bullied since birth? That's the perfect villain origin story, if you ask me."
"How could I have done it? I'm just an omega, remember?" I said, hoping my rank would be good to me this time.
"A cursed one, yes," Rohan said flatly.
"She's not cursed!" Aidrac snarled.
Rohan glared at him. "And since when did you become her knight in shining armor? You seem to know her well now."
Aidrac clenched his fists but said nothing.
Rohan looked between us.
"Interesting," he muttered.
I looked down, focusing on the floorboards. But I still felt his amused gaze on me.
"Look, I swear I wouldn't hurt anyone," I said, trying to steer the conversation back. "You can ask Selene. We both found the body."
"And where is Selene?" he asked.
"I don't know. She disappeared. I told her to wait while I fetched the healers. When we returned, she was gone. I think she went back to her cabin."
"Go check and bring her here," Rohan told Aidrac.
"I'm not leaving Rhea alone with you," Aidrac said, arms crossed.
"I'm not going to bite her. If anything, I should be scared of her," Rohan said mockingly.
Aidrac didn't move.
"Please," I said. "I need to know she's okay."
He hesitated but eventually left.
"Look at that," Rohan chuckled. "He only listens to you."
I clenched my jaw.
But then his face turned serious again.
"Okay, Rhea. Playtime's over. What really happened?"
"I've told you everything I know."
"This is too strange to be a coincidence."
A pause.
"I know," I whispered. "But I don't understand what's happening."
"You may not be doing it on purpose, but you're part of it," he said. "And if we're going to stop it, you can't keep hiding things."
He was right. I took a deep breath.
So I told him.
About the voice in the woods.
What it said.
"It's not just you they seek to break, but the ones who tether you to life."
"They will fall one by one."
"And you will watch—helpless, cursed, and broken."
Rohan stared, stunned.
His mouth opened but no words came.
"What do you think it means?" I asked.
"It means exactly what it says. The ones who tether you to life... are the ones you love. Your friends. Your family."
My breath hitched.
Dexter.
Selene.
Selene.
I bolted out of the cabin, running as fast as I could toward her house, ignoring Rohan's shouts behind me.
I didn't slow down until I spotted Aidrac heading back.
Alone.
"Where is she?" I gasped.
"She's not there. Her mom said she hasn't seen her since she left for the healing den this morning."
I could barely breathe. Aidrac held me, afraid I might collapse. His face was pale, almost as scared as I felt.
"Rhea," he said quietly, "where is Selene?"