Chapter 10
1227 Words
Selena starring at the parchment pinned to her window, the rough letter glowing faintly in the moonlight: “TRUST NO ONE.” Her fingers trembled slightly as she unpinned the note, her eyes scanning every corner of the darkened forest outside her window.
They’re watching. Always watching. But who are they, and how close are they really? She thought.
Darian’s voice startled her as he entered the room.
Darian: “You’re not the type to be scared easily. What is it?”
Selena turned, holding up the note.
Selena: “Another message. They’re taunting me.”
Darian crossed the room, taking the note from her. His jaw tightened as he read the words.
Darian: “They’re not just taunting you. They’re trying to isolate you. Divide and conquer.”
Selena: “They’re doing pretty good job at it. The pack is on edge, and every decision I make feels like a gamble.”
Darian: “Then stop playing their game. Make them come to you.”
Selena’s gaze sharpened. Darian’s words stirred something within her— a determination to take control.
The council chamber was full of tension the next morning. Selena standing at the head of the table, the note tightened in her hand. The elders murmured among themselves, their unease palpable.
Elder Ruth: “More cryptic warnings? And yet no progress in finding the traitor?”
Selena’s voice cut through the room like a sharp blade.
Selena: “We’re closer than you think. The traitor is slipping, leaving behind breadcrumbs. But while we waste time arguing, they’re getting stronger.”
Elder Marcus leaned forward, his expression skeptical.
Elder Marcus: “And what exactly have you discovered?”
Selena placed the amulet and vial of wolfsbane on the table.
Selena: “These. The rogues left them behind as messages. This amulet—” she pointed to the symbol engraved on it, “— It matches the markings found near the eastern border. Someone is working with them, feeding them information and supplies.”
The elders exchanged uneasy glances.
Elder Ruth: “And who do you think it is? Are you still accusing Brynn?”
Selena: “No. I don’t believe it’s Brynn. Someone framed him, and I intend to find out who and why.”
The room fell silent, tension so thick in the air.
Later in the day, Selena, Darian, and Caleb followed a faint trail from the eastern border where the amulet had been found. The forest eerily quiet, the usual sounds of birds and rustling leaves absent.
Caleb: “This doesn’t feel right. It’s too quiet.”
Selena: “That’s because they want us to feel afraid. Stay sharp.”
As they moved deeper into the woods, Darian stopped all of a sudden.
Darian: “Look.”
In front of them, partly hidden underneath a pile of leaves, was a campsite. Selena approached carefully, her senses on high alert.
Selena: “Whoever was here left in a hurry.”
Caleb picked up a torn piece of fabric from the ground. “This looks like a pack uniform.”
Selena examined the fabric, her heart sinking as she recognized the patterns which are used for patrol uniforms.
Selena: “This proves it. The traitor isn’t just working with the rogues—they’re one of us.”
Later at the pack grounds, news of the discovery spread quickly. The pack was restless, whispers of mistrust spreading across the ranks.
“What if it’s one of the patrol leaders? They’d have access to all the routes.”
“Or someone on the council. They’d know even more.”
Selena called for a gathering in the central square, standing before the pack with Darian and Caleb at her side.
Selena: “I know many of you are scared. You have every right to be. But pointing fingers without evidence will only help our enemies to conquer us. We must stand together, or we’ll fall apart.”
The crowd murmured, but Selena’s words seemed to quiet some of the unrest.
Selena decided to question Brynn directly, hoping to clear his name and uncover more clues. She found him in the training yard, sharpening his blade.
Selena: “Brynn. We need to talk.”
Brynn looked up, his expression down. “Still think I’m the traitor?”
Selena: “No. But I think you might know more than you realize.”
Brynn’s shoulders relaxed slightly, though his gaze remained cautious.
Brynn: “I’ve told you everything I know. I’ve been on every patrol, followed every order—”
Selena interrupted. “Think, Brynn. Has anything unusual happened on your patrols? Anyone acting out of character?”
Brynn hesitated, then frowned.
Brynn: “Now that you mention it... a few weeks ago, I noticed someone near the northern border. They claimed to be hunting, but something felt off.”
Selena: “Who was it?”
Brynn: “Jared. One of the newer patrol members.”
Selena’s mind raced. Jared was quiet and unnoticed — exactly the type of person who could work under the radar.
That night, Selena and Darian staked out the northern border, hoping to catch Jared in the act. The moonlight cutting through the trees, casuing eerie shadows on the forest floor.
Darian: “Are you sure about this? If Jared’s the traitor, he won’t go down without a fight.”
Selena: “I’m sure. And I’m ready.”
Hours passed before a figure surfaced from the shadows. Jared moved quietly, a satchel slung over his shoulder. Selena and Darian watched as he approached a hidden stash, pulling out a bundle of supplies.
Selena: “That’s enough.”
Jared froze as Selena and Darian stepped into the clearing, their weapons drawn out.
Selena: “Care to explain what you’re doing out here?”
Jared’s eyes confused between them, panic flashes across his face. “I... I was just—”
Darian cut him off. “Spare us the lies. We’ve been watching you.”
Jared dropped the satchel and bolted, but Darian was faster. He tackled Jared to the ground, pinning him with a growl.
Darian: “Talk. Now.”
Jared: “Alright! Alright! I was leaving supplies for the rogues. But I swear, it’s not what you think!”
Selena knelt beside him, her gaze cold.
Selena: “Then tell me exactly what it is.”
Jared: “They’re blackmailing me. They threatened to kill my entire family if I didn’t help them.”
Selena’s heart clenched. The rogues weren’t just sowing chaos— they were exploiting the pack’s weaknesses.
After detaining Jared, Selena and Darian went back to the pack grounds. Selena’s thoughts were filled with anger, guilt, and determination.
Darian: “What are you going to do with him?”
Selena: “Interrogate him. If he’s telling the truth, we’ll find a way to protect his family. If he’s lying…”
She didn’t finish the sentence, but the weight of her responsibility was clear.
The pack is counting on me to make the right decision. But what if there are no right decisions?
As Selena prepared for the interrogation, another note was delivered to her room. This one was more direct, the words written in bold, angry strokes:
“YOU’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.”
Selena’s gripping the notes tightly, her resolve hardening.
If they want to play games, they will regret underestimating me.
- Writer
