THE MISSING PAGES
1273 Words
The castle had gone quiet by the time Harel finally returned to his study.
But he could not shake the feeling that he was being watched.
He locked the door behind him and stood in silence, listening.
Nothing.
Only the faint sound of the wind moving through the trees outside.
Harel walked to his desk and placed the physician's report beneath the light.
Something was wrong with it.
He was certain.
He read it again, carefully examining every line.
His father's condition had supposedly deteriorated gradually. According to the report, Dominic had been unconscious for several hours before his death.
But Harel knew that was impossible.
He had spoken to his father shortly before he died.
Dominic had been weak, but he had been conscious.
He had spoken clearly.
He had given Harel instructions.
He had warned him about a traitor.
None of that appeared in the report.
Harel turned the pages.
Then he noticed something unusual.
The final page was slightly thicker than the others.
He held it toward the light.
There was something beneath the paper.
A second sheet.
Harel carefully separated the pages.
A thin piece of paper slid onto the desk.
His heart began beating faster.
It was not part of the official report.
It was handwritten.
Harel recognized the handwriting immediately.
His father's.
He read the first line.
If you are reading this, the official report has already been altered.
Harel froze.
He continued.
I could not tell you everything because I did not know who I could trust. But there is one person who has been helping me investigate the corruption within the royal administration.
Harel's eyes moved quickly across the page.
Then he stopped.
The next sentence had been torn away.
Only the beginning remained.
His name is—
Nothing.
The rest was missing.
Harel clenched his fists.
Someone had removed the most important part.
Again.
He examined the torn edge.
It was fresh.
Someone had deliberately removed the section.
But when?
Harel had only discovered the hidden page minutes ago.
That meant someone had accessed the document before him.
Someone knew about his father's secret message.
Someone inside the castle.
He placed the paper inside his coat.
Then he heard footsteps.
Harel immediately extinguished the lamp.
The footsteps stopped outside his door.
A shadow appeared beneath it.
Harel reached for his dagger.
The door handle slowly moved.
Then stopped.
Harel waited.
A few seconds passed.
The shadow disappeared.
He opened the door.
The corridor was empty.
But something lay on the floor.
A small silver key.
Harel picked it up.
He recognized it.
It belonged to his father's private study.
The study had been sealed after Dominic's death.
Harel had not been given access.
He closed his hand around the key.
Someone had just given him a way inside.
But why?
He looked down the corridor.
Nothing.
Harel returned to his room and waited until midnight.
Then he left.
The old study was located at the far end of the castle, beyond the council chamber.
Two guards stood outside.
Harel approached.
“I need to enter.”
The guards immediately bowed.
“Alpha, we were ordered not to allow anyone inside.”
“By whom?”
The guards hesitated.
“Minister Damon.”
Harel's expression hardened.
“I am the Alpha. Move.”
The guards stepped aside.
Harel unlocked the door.
The room was dark.
Dust covered the furniture.
Everything had been left untouched since Dominic's death.
Harel closed the door behind him.
He lit a lamp.
His father's desk stood in the center of the room.
Harel walked toward it.
He opened the drawers one by one.
Most were empty.
Then he found a locked compartment.
He used the silver key.
The lock clicked.
Inside was a small black book.
Harel picked it up.
There were no markings on the cover.
He opened it.
The first page contained a list of names.
Harel recognized several.
Damon Ravencroft.
Victor Ashford.
Two royal officials.
Three Blackthorn warriors.
And one name he did not recognize.
Selene Veyra.
Harel frowned.
Who was Selene Veyra?
He turned the page.
There was a short note.
She knows the truth about the Blackthorn bloodline.
Harel's eyes narrowed.
Bloodline?
What did his father's investigation have to do with their family's bloodline?
He turned another page.
Most of the writing had been covered with black ink.
But one sentence remained visible.
The royal family cannot be allowed to discover—
The rest was unreadable.
Harel closed the book.
Suddenly, a noise came from behind him.
He turned.
A woman stood in the doorway.
Harel immediately reached for his dagger.
“Who are you?”
The woman did not move.
She was dressed in a dark cloak, with her face partially hidden.
“I should be asking you the same question.”
“This is my father's study.”
“And yet you were not supposed to be here.”
Harel stepped forward.
“Remove your hood.”
The woman remained silent.
“Now.”
Slowly, she lowered the hood.
Harel stared at her.
He had never seen her before.
But something about her face seemed strangely familiar.
“What is your name?”
“Selene.”
Harel's heart stopped.
Selene Veyra.
The name from his father's notebook.
“How do you know my father?”
Selene looked at him carefully.
“He trusted me.”
“Why?”
“Because I was one of the few people who warned him.”
“Warned him about what?”
Selene glanced toward the door.
“We don't have much time.”
Harel moved closer.
“My father is dead. I deserve answers.”
Selene's expression softened.
“Your father is dead, Harel.”
“I know.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You don't understand.”
Harel frowned.
“What don't I understand?”
Selene lowered her voice.
“Your father's death was only one part of the plan.”
“What plan?”
“The plan to control the Blackthorn Pack.”
Harel stared at her.
“Who is behind it?”
Selene looked at him.
Then she whispered:
“Someone you already trust.”
Before Harel could respond, footsteps sounded in the corridor.
Selene's eyes widened.
“They're coming.”
“Who?”
She stepped toward the window.
“Harel, listen to me. Do not trust Damon.”
Harel's expression changed.
“You're saying Damon is involved?”
Selene shook her head.
“I'm saying you don't know who Damon really serves.”
The footsteps grew louder.
Selene opened the window.
“Wait!”
She climbed onto the ledge.
“Where are you going?”
“To find the person your father was trying to protect.”
“Who?”
Selene looked back.
For the first time, fear appeared in her eyes.
“Your mother.”
Then she disappeared into the darkness.
Harel stood frozen.
His mother.
The woman he had always believed was far away from the affairs of the pack.
Why would his father have been protecting her?
And why had Selene mentioned her now?
The door suddenly opened.
Damon entered with two guards.
He stopped when he saw Harel.
Then he looked toward the open window.
His expression changed.
“Who was here?”
Harel stared at him.
“No one.”
Damon's eyes narrowed.
For several seconds, the two men simply watched each other.
Then Damon said quietly,
“Harel…”
“Yes?”
“You have no idea what you have just uncovered.”
And for the first time, Harel realized that the mystery surrounding his father's death was far bigger than he had imagined.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD