Chapter 2
As Zayron and the Shadow Caster continued murmuring, Alpha Ethan lifted his head and saw two Ashokan men advancing toward them.
Zayron quickly pushed the Shadow Caster behind him to shield her from harm.
The Shadow Caster grabbed Zayron’s arm. “Do not kill them,” she said in a low voice. “They are our friends. They helped me get here.”
Zayron hesitated, but Ethan understood the game the Shadow Caster was playing. He didn’t believe her.
Without a second thought, he shifted into his wolf form and lunged at the two men. Before they could react or shift, Ethan’s sharp claws tore through them, ending their lives instantly.
Zayron turned sharply, fury flashing in his eyes as he watched Ethan shift back into his human form.
Zayron took one step toward Ethan, then slapped him across the face so hard that Ethan staggered and fell back, landing on his buttocks.
Zayron’s voice was cold. “Did I instruct you to fight?” He took another step forward, towering over Ethan. “Who is the commander here, Ethan? You or me?”
Ethan didn’t answer.
Zayron’s anger flared. He kicked Ethan in the ribs, sending him rolling across the dirt. Ethan coughed but didn’t make a sound of protest.
He knew better than to challenge Zayron. Fighting back would mean death. Instead, he scrambled to his feet and ran.
He didn’t stop until he reached the pack house they had chosen as their camp.
The other alphas were gathered in the pack arena, waiting for breakfast. The aroma of roasted meat and fresh bread filled the air, making their stomachs growl.
Ethan burst into the pack, breathing heavily. He didn’t stop to explain himself.
He rushed to a corner, and a she-wolf quickly unzipped his bag, pulled out a pair of knickers, and handed them to him. Ethan snatched the clothing and put it on, his hands shaking.
The alphas turned to him with curious eyes. They were eager to know what had happened outside. Why had he run as if someone was chasing him?
One of the alphas stepped forward. “Where is Zayron?” he asked, his voice firm.
Ethan didn’t answer. He was still catching his breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
Another alpha frowned. “Ethan, speak! What happened out there?”
Ethan remained silent. He didn’t know how to explain what he had just seen. He didn’t know if they would believe him.
The alphas exchanged glances, growing impatient. Some of them couldn’t wait any longer. They stood up and walked toward the exit, determined to go outside and see for themselves what was happening.
Alpha Ethan sat heavily on the ground, his face pale. “I think our commander is gone,” he muttered under his breath.
The alphas turned to him sharply. “What?” one of them asked and quickly rose to his feet.
“Alpha Zayron is dead?” another said, almost in unison with the rest.
The she-wolves sitting behind them froze. The tension in the courtyard thickened. But Samira didn’t flinch. She remained still, as if she already knew what had happened.
Ethan shook his head. “Alpha Zayron is not dead,” he said. “But a dead man is no better than him. He is as good as dead.”
The alphas frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?” one of them asked.
Ethan exhaled deeply before speaking. “His mind is gone,” he said grimly. “A Shadow Caster has cast her darkness over him.”
A heavy silence followed his words.
“That’s impossible,” one of the alphas finally said, shaking his head. “A Shadow Caster can only be activated with the blood of the First Blood.
Apart from the messenger from the Moon Goddess who just arrived for the Continental Healing, no wolf in the world has ever been born with that cursed blood. The Shadow Caster became nothing but history. I don't think that shit exists anymore!”
“Then maybe someone in our midst stole the messenger’s blood and activated the Shadow Caster. I know what I saw.”
Another alpha’s eyes widened. “That’s absurd! Who would do such a thing?”
Ethan shrugged. “It had to be someone with access to the kitchen. Maybe while preparing the potion, someone stole the blood and used it to activate the Shadow Caster,” he said.
Then, his expression hardened. “I need to call Alpha Denzel immediately. He’s the organizer.
He knows exactly who he assigned to the kitchen.
He needs to check the CCTV footage. If he finds anyone who wasn’t supposed to be there, he must send us their picture.
Then, we’ll compare it with the people we came here with. ”
The room fell into an eerie silence as they processed the possibility of a traitor among them.
“What if the person stole the blood, got here before us, and activated the Shadow Caster?” one of the alphas asked cautiously. “I mean, what if none of us is the traitor?”
“No,” Ethan said suddenly, shaking his head.
“The Shadow Caster I saw was just activated now. That means the people who activated her saw us in the woods. They saw Alpha Zayron and figured out that he was the commander. And they also saw that he hadn’t come with his mate.”
“Perhaps they overheard him saying that we need to recover packs in seven days and return home because his mate is pregnant,” Ethan added.
“Alpha Ethan, I think you’re right. When that she-wolf ran away while we were observing the pack, I suspected something was off. Perhaps that was when the exchange happened. But who was behind it?”
Slowly, they turned their heads to the back of the arena, where the she-wolves sat quietly. Their eyes were wide with innocence.
They looked so harmless, so loyal. None of them seemed like they could betray the mission. But one of them had to be guilty.
“Heir, what’s your name?” Alpha Ethan pointed at Samira.
Samira frowned, sharpening her tongue, ready to defend herself if he was calling her out to accuse her of being a traitor.
“Samira,” she responded.
“You came from the same pack as Alpha Zayron, right?” Ethan asked. Samira nodded.
“Do you know his mate?”
“Of course, I do,” Samira replied.
“Come with me,” Alpha Ethan ordered.
“What do you want to do?” another Alpha asked.
“I want her to confirm that the she-wolf Alpha Zayron is treating as his mate is not actually his mate. Once she confirms it, we will plan how to force the Shadow Caster to release our commander,” Ethan said.
“They never release anyone they’ve captured,” an Alpha warned. “They’d rather die than undo their spell.”
“Then we’ll call the Moon Lord and find a way to set Alpha Zayron free,” Ethan said. He turned back to Samira. “Come with me!”