across my room. I hadn't slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw t

ether what little I knew, but all I ended up with

he packhouse. Whatever was happening, I needed answe

eakfast, briefings-seemed subdued, as if the entire pack was holding its breath, waiting for th

ing the curious glances and the whispered convers

y now. No, this was something more. The pack was on edge, and I cou

blonde hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and there was a smudge of flour on her c

ulling me into a quick hug. "I've been looking for you ev

my voice steady. "Something happened l

ed, the concern deep

packhouse. It wasn't one of ours. Its eyes... they were yellow, like nothing I've ever seen before. An

closer. "A rogue, maybe? But how did i

at's what scares me. I've never felt anything like it before. It wa

nd clearly racing through the poss

fresh wave of pain. "No. After everything that hap

ll part of this pack, whether he rejected you as Luna or

ce Marcus again, not after what he'd said. But Lysa was right. If th

filling the doorway. His dark hair was tousled, and there was a deep

he said, his vo

gauge his mood. "Have you hear

olid. Just rumors. But everyone's on edge. There's

a of the Bloodstone Pack was ruthless, known for his ambition and disregard for an

hest. "But there's no proof yet. Marcus has ordered in

felt. "We need to find out what's really going o

d, his eyes narrowing.

kipped a b

han surprised. "Word gets around, Sera

rse," I said, my voice defensive

firmly. "Next time, you

rotective, especially since our parents had died, but sometimes it felt l

don't stop until we find out who or what is behind these attacks. If it's Alar

words settling over me like a heavy

oftening slightly. "Just... be careful, Sera

o this. For the pack, for myself. And maybe, just maybe, to prove to M

might have seen or heard something unusual. But despite my best efforts, I came up with nothing. No one el

I had been that morning. Frustration gnawed at me, but I couldn't

ejection and the fruitless investigation pressing down on me. The forest was eerily quiet,

st off the path, was a small scrap of paper, half-buried in the dirt. It wa

n an old journal or a book. There was something scrawled on it, the handwriting jagge

is, Sera. Or y

down my spine as I scanned the surrounding woods, half-expecting to see some

lves in my mind, but I knew one thing for certain-this was no idle threat. Someone didn't

h possibilities. I had to tell Damian, but even as I thought it, I hesitated. What if t

ion, more proof. But one thing was clear: someone was w

ery creak of the branches, sent my heart racing. By the time I reached m

ow hard I tried, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The attacks, the st

ote and reading it again. The words seemed to pul

is, Sera. Or y

as behind this thought they could scare me into submission. They thought I was we

were

. I had been underestimated my entire life-by the pack, by Marcus, and now by whoever