The Alpha's Secret

Chapter 7

The pale light of dawn barely touched the horizon as Selena sneaked out of her room, her cloak drawn tightly around her shoulders. The cold morning air shook her cheeks, but she didn’t slowdown her pace. The eastern border was miles away, and she wanted to reach there before anyone could notice her absence.

Her footsteps were silent on the frost-covered ground, her senses on high alert. She looked over her shoulder more than once,expecting if Darian or Caleb will appear with another cryptic warning or a demand for answers.

I’m not running away— I’m taking control. If the council doesn’t trust me then, I’ll prove them wrong by protecting the pack myself.

By the time Selena had reach the eastern border, the sun had fully risen, causing a pale golden light over the forest. The area was quiet—too quiet. Normally, the border patrols would be visible, their presence a reassuring sign of order. But today, the space felt abandoned, the silence oppressive.

Selena knelt by a patch of disturbed soil, her sharp eyes noting the tracks Brynn had mentioned. They were human, faint but unmistakable, leading deeper into the forest.

“Why would rogues move on foot? Unless they’re meeting someone…”

This thought, sent a chill down her spine. She followed the tracks carefully, her dagger ready for attack.

After several minutes of tracking, Selena came across a clearing hidden deep in the forest. At first glance, it seemed empty, but at closer look,she saw signs of recent activity: a smoldering fire pit, discarded scraps of fabric, and the faint scent of unfamiliar wolves.

Her breath caught as she spotted a piece of leather armor lying near the fire pit— the type worn by the pack’s patrol.

Someone from the pack was here. But were they captured, or were they meeting the rogues willingly?

Selena muttered under her breath, “This isn’t just rogue activity. Someone’s helping them.”

As she bent down to examine the armor, a twig snapped behind her. She whipped around, her dagger raised, her heart pounding.

A rogue wolf stepped into the clearing, its yellow eyes gleaming with malice. It was larger than the one she and Darian had encountered before, its matted fur bristling as it growled low in its throat.

Selena postioned her stance, gripping her dagger tightly.

“Alright,” she said, her voice calm despite her fear. “You want to fight? Let’s fight.”

The rogue leaped, and Selena dodged, her dagger cutting through the air. The wolf growled as the blade sliced through its shoulder, but it didn’t backdown. They circled each other, Selena’s movements fast and precise as she calculated her next move.

The rogue charged again, and this time Selena met it head-on, driving her dagger into its side. The wolf howled in pain, but before Selena could deliver a finishing blow, a second rogue appeared from the shadows, its teeth snapping inches from her arm.

Two of them. This isn’t random—they were waiting for me.

Selena fought fiercely, her agility and training keeping her one step ahead. But she knew she couldn’t hold them off forever. Just as the second rogue leaped at her, a blur of motion swept past her, slamming into the wolf.

Darian, in his wolf form, snarled as he pinned the second rogue to the ground. His gray fur was streaked with dirt, his eyes blazing with fury. Selena barely had time to process his arrival before he turned his attention back to the first rogue, hitting it with brutal force.

Transforming back to his human form, Darian cleaned the blood from his hands and fixed his sharp glare at selena.

“You wish to die, don’t you?” he said, his tone a mix of anger and exasperation.

Selena straightened, her breathing heavy. “I didn’t ask for your help.”

Darian scoffed. “You wouldn’t be standing if I hadn’t shown up. What were you thinking, coming out here alone?”

Selena’s temper rised, but she bit back a little. She couldn’t deny that his timing had saved her life.

“I was investigating,” she said instead. “I found tracks—human tracks—and signs of a meeting here. Someone in the pack is working with the rogues.”

Darian’s expression darkened. “And you thought you’d just stroll into rogue territory and solve the mystery by yourself? You’re lucky they didn’t tear you apart.”

As the two of them surveyed the clearing, Darian knelt by the discarded armor, his jaw tightening.

“This belongs to one of your patrols,” he said grimly. “Whoever was here wasn’t just meeting the rogues—they’re arming them.”

Selena’s heart sank. “Why would anyone betray their own pack like this?”

Darian looking at her, his eyes cold. “Power. Revenge. Fear. Take your pick. But whosoever it is, they’re playing a very dangerous game— and you’re caught right in the middle of it.”

The weight of his words weighed her down as she realized the full extent of the threat. The pack wasn’t just facing rogue attacks— they were being attacked from within.

As Selena and Darian prepared to leave the clearing, a distant howl echoed through the forest. It wasn’t a rogue— it was a warning call from one of the pack’s patrols.

Selena’s blood ran cold. The howl was coming from the direction of the pack grounds.