Chapter Twelve
~Kalo~
Sharing the story of Akkara with Leo should have made me feel as ridiculous as it always did when I thought about it.
It should have left me feeling hollow and exposed.
Instead, as Leo and I walked side by side down the hall towards the Alpha’s office, my body felt lighter than it had in some time.
Not by much; hardly a shift at all, really, but enough to notice it.
I’d expected the werewolf to think I’d been naive to be so blinded by love that I put not only my life but my freedom in someone else’s hands.
However, against all my expectations, Leo hadn’t judged me at all.
As he listened, his expression held nothing but sympathy, and perhaps something even gentler than that.
Not pity, and definitely not disapproval.
I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but rather than feeling vulnerable, I felt more comfortable beside him than before, even though neither of us spoke a word.
At the end of the hall, we stopped outside a heavy wooden door, and Leo nodded once before pushing it open.
Four heads swivelled towards us, but my gaze didn’t immediately go to them.
Instead, my eyes swept over Vaughan’s office, taking in the surprisingly inviting space.
I’d anticipated something like Amanda’s office back at the Ravenstone pack, rather austere and intimidating, but here, a large fireplace crackled softly on one wall while tall windows lined the opposite one, letting in the dim afternoon light.
Bookshelves filled with worn spines and framed photographs gave the space a lived-in feel.
Finally, I took in the room’s inhabitants. The Alpha himself sat behind a broad desk looking alert but calm. Felix, Calista, and Darius were arranged in a semi-circle before him with one empty chair next to Darius, clearly meant for Leo.
They weren’t expecting me, and I instinctively took a small step backwards. “I don’t need to stay.”
Before I could even turn to go, though, Leo’s hand closed around my wrist, and we both instantly froze.
Sparks crackled beneath my skin, as warm and bright as the fire’s glow, and Leo’s blue eyes flicked up to meet mine. For several heartbeats, the world seemed to narrow around us as everything else faded into the distance.
Logically, I knew it must be the mate sparks I’d learned about during my werewolf knowledge acquisition, but knowing about it and feeling it were two completely different things. My body burned with a sudden need stronger than anything I’d felt in millennia.
Finally, Leo blinked, seeming to remember himself and where we were. He dropped my arm, clearing his throat as he turned to the others. “Kalo needs a seat.”
No one argued. In fact, Felix immediately stood and dragged over another chair while Calista and Darius both shifted to make space in the circle.
With the weight of everyone’s eyes on me, I slipped through the space between the chairs and sank into the new one, still keenly aware of the ghost of Leo’s touch tingling along my wrist.
Leo took the seat next to mine, flexing his hand in a way that made me think he must still feel it too, and bowed his head towards Vaughan. “Alpha, I’d like to formally introduce you to Kalo.”
The Crimsontooth Alpha assessed me as frankly as only those born into power could do. “You’re Leo’s mate.”
Word had gotten around, apparently. “So it seems.”
Leo’s hand clenched next to me, and Felix cleared his throat. “Right. So, for Leo and Kalo’s sake, I’ll summarize what we’ve briefed Vaughan on so far.”
He ran through the events of that morning: the strange scent the werewolves detected during our walk, the way it didn’t match any species they recognized, and the possibility of a being only visible to certain people.
As soon as he’d finished, Darius jumped in with his report.
“I checked the area again after Felix and Leo filled me in. The smell’s still there, but not as strong as they described it.
If I hadn’t been looking for it specifically, I would’ve missed it.
Whatever left it behind is probably long gone. ”
Probably didn’t comfort me much, and based on the way Vaughan’s lips tightened, I could guess he didn’t find it very reassuring either.
Leo leaned forward. “While Darius was doing that, I recalibrated the alarm. Based on the thresholds that set it off last night and again this morning, we now have a rough idea of the temperature drop and energy surge the intruder gives off.”
Calista’s expression brightened. “Excellent. That gives us real data to work with.”
Felix pulled a folded sheet of paper from his pocket, also leaning forward. “Calista and I have been cross-referencing her database based on the other information we had, but if we compare it to Leo’s criteria, we can almost certainly narrow it down further.”
“Hold on,” Vaughan cut in, raising a hand. Though his tone wasn’t severe, it commanded attention all the same. “Before we get to the list, I want to hear about what Kalo saw this morning.”
Once again, all eyes turned to me, and I drew a breath to keep my voice steady.
“I saw a dark, cloaked figure. It came out from behind a tree and just stood there, unmoving. I couldn’t see a face, so I don’t know if it was even facing in our direction.
Calista couldn’t see it at all, so it’s possible it was just my imagination. ”
I offered the suggestion in the hopes that someone would echo the sentiment and agree that I was blowing things out of proportion.
No one did.
At my side, Leo shifted. “You think it was real though, don’t you?”
With all the werewolves watching me carefully, I nodded. “I believe I did really see it, yes.”
Vaughan’s expression remained unreadable as he considered what I’d said. “Is there anything else we should know?”
I hadn’t intended to share anything else, but as I went to shake my head ‘no’, I hesitated just enough that Leo once again stirred beside me. “What is it?”
“It sounds crazy,” I had to warn them.
Felix shot Calista a smile. “We’re used to crazy around here. It’ll fit right in.”
When they all nodded in agreement, I swallowed my misgivings and spoke the words out loud. “The same kind of figure has appeared in my dreams. Sort of. It’s shadowy and dark, but the feeling I got from it was the same.”
The others exchanged glances while Leo went stock still at my side. “When did that start?”
“Only in the last few days. Since Amanda freed me.”
Concern flickered in his eyes, but before he could press further, Felix and Calista both began to speak, talking over each other in their eagerness.
“Manifesting in dreams might be…”
“...the shadows could be a projection, or a manipulation…”
“...and they only appear to those they’ve come for…”
“...matches the chill and the smell…”
Heads ping-ponged between the two, trying to catch every word. Eventually, Vaughan held up a hand again, but Leo was the one who interrupted, his voice tight with urgency.
“What is it? What species are we dealing with?”
Felix and Calista exchanged a heavy, worrying look, their enthusiasm fading away as the thrill of discovery gave way to the reality of the situation. By silent agreement between them, Calista got to be the one to break the news to the rest of us.
“It sounds like we might be dealing with a reaper.”