Chapter 8: The Enemy within

Lucien's silver eyes burned with fury.

"Who gave the order?" he demanded.

The Black Fang general dropped to one knee.

"No one knows, Your Majesty. Witnesses said warriors wearing the Crimson Moon crest attacked before dawn. They burned homes, killed guards, and kidnapped children."

The hall erupted into angry shouts.

"Crimson Moon would never attack innocent children!" Beta Rowan protested.

Lucien's jaw tightened.

"Yet someone did."

Kael stepped forward and lowered his sword.

"I swear on the Moon Goddess, I never ordered such an attack."

Lucien studied him carefully.

For the first time, he sensed no deception.

Before he could respond, another guard burst through the doors.

"Alpha Kael!"

"What now?" Kael snapped.

"The eastern village has been attacked!"

"By whom?"

The guard hesitated.

"...Black Fang warriors."

Lucien's fists clenched.

"I never sent anyone there."

The room fell silent.

It was now obvious.

Someone was using both packs as pawns.

Lyra stepped into the middle of the hall.

"Enough."

Her voice wasn't loud.

Yet everyone stopped talking.

She looked first at Kael.

Then at Lucien.

"If both of you continue blaming each other, the real enemy wins."

Neither Alpha spoke.

She continued.

"Someone forged my handwriting."

"They spread copies of a fake letter."

"They attacked both packs while wearing stolen symbols."

"This has been planned for years."

The Moon Oracle smiled faintly.

"The Moon Goddess chose wisely."

Kael looked at Lyra with new eyes.

The woman standing before him wasn't broken.

She was leading.

And he realised how much he had underestimated her.

Suddenly, a scream echoed from outside.

A servant stumbled into the hall.

"Selene!"

Everyone turned.

Selene was gone.

Her seat was empty.

The servant pointed toward the forest.

"I saw her leaving with a cloaked man!"

The Oracle struck her staff against the floor.

"I knew it."

Lucien turned to his warriors.

"Track them."

"Alive."

Twenty Black Fang warriors disappeared into the forest.

Kael looked at Rowan.

"Take my best scouts."

"We're ending this tonight."

For the first time since Selene returned...

The two Alphas were fighting on the same side.

Deep inside the forest...

Selene ran through the trees.

Her breathing was ragged.

The hooded man waited beside a ruined stone shrine.

"You were followed," he said coldly.

"I tried to lose them."

"You failed."

He slowly removed his hood.

Moonlight revealed the face beneath.

Selene's knees almost gave way.

"You..."

"You told me you were dead."

He smiled.

"Dead men are often the most dangerous."

His face was handsome but cruel.

A long scar stretched across one eye.

His silver hair matched Lucien's.

"Lucien..." Selene whispered.

"...he'll recognise you."

The man laughed.

"He already believes I died twenty-four years ago."

He reached out and gripped Selene's chin.

"My dear..."

"I am Lucien's older brother."

"The rightful King of Black Fang."

"My name..."

"...is Cassian Blackthorne."

Selene gasped.

"I've done everything you asked."

"I lied."

"I forged the letter."

"I came back to the pack."

"When will this finally be over?"

Cassian's smile turned icy.

"When Lyra is dead."

"And Lucien and Kael have killed each other."

He released her.

"Then I will rule every werewolf pack on the continent."

Hidden among the branches above them...

A pair of golden eyes watched everything.

The figure silently reached into a pocket and activated a tiny recording crystal.

Every word...

Every confession...

Had just been captured.

End of Chapter 8

Cliffhanger:

Who is the mysterious spy in the trees, and will they escape with the evidence before Cassian discovers them?