Moon's Redemption

Chapter 6

Revelations

Lyra woke to the antiseptic smell of the pack infirmary and the low murmur of concerned voices. Her shoulder throbbed with a deep, burning pain that meant the silver had been removed but was still working its way out of her system. She kept her eyes closed and listened.

"Blood work confirms he was a hybrid. Human mother, werewolf father, probably from one of the eastern packs that were hit early in the attacks." That was Sarah, the pack healer. "But his scent signature is all wrong. He's been masking his true nature for years."

"How is that possible?" Derek's voice, tight with worry.

"Scent blockers. Military grade, probably developed by humans who know about our kind." Sarah's tone was grim. "This level of sophistication suggests government involvement, or at least access to government resources."

"Any identification on the body?" Kieran's voice was carefully controlled, but Lyra could hear the rage simmering beneath the surface.

"Nothing. Professional work, all serial numbers filed off, no distinguishing marks, even his dental work has been altered." Derek sighed. "But I did find something interesting in his belongings. A communication device with an encrypted signal. Our tech specialist is working on breaking the encryption now."

"And Lyra?" Kieran's voice softened. "How is she?"

"Stable. The silver missed anything vital, but she lost a lot of blood. She'll need a few days to fully recover." Sarah paused. "She saved your life, you know. That blade was aimed directly at your heart."

"Why would she do that?" The question came from someone Lyra didn't recognize, a female voice, young and confused. "I mean, after everything that happened between you two, why would she risk her life for yours?"

"Because that's who she is," Kieran said quietly. "It's who she's always been. I was just too blind to see it."

Lyra decided she'd heard enough. She opened her eyes and tried to sit up, immediately regretting it as pain shot through her shoulder.

"Easy," Sarah said, moving to help her into a more comfortable position. "The silver's almost completely out of your system, but you need to take it slow."

"How long was I out?" Lyra's voice was rough from disuse.

"Eighteen hours," Kieran answered from beside her bed. He looked like he hadn't slept, dark circles under his eyes and his hair disheveled. "You had us worried."

"Takes more than a hybrid assassin to put me down permanently." Lyra tested the range of motion in her shoulder, wincing at the stiffness. "Did you find anything useful on the body?"

Derek filled her in on what they'd discovered, including the encrypted communication device. As he spoke, Lyra's mind began working through the implications.

"Military-grade scent blockers, professional assassination training, access to pack intelligence..." She looked around the room at the assembled wolves. "This isn't just about destabilizing packs. Someone's building an army of hybrids, using them to infiltrate and eliminate supernatural communities."

"To what end?" asked the young female voice. Lyra looked over to see a petite blonde she didn't recognize.

"Control," Kieran answered grimly. "If you eliminate enough alpha bloodlines, you create power vacuums. Territory disputes, pack wars, chaos. And in the chaos..."

"Someone steps in to restore order," Lyra finished. "Someone with the resources to field an army of hybrid soldiers and the inside knowledge to strike at exactly the right moments."

"But who has that kind of reach? That kind of planning capability?" Derek asked.

Before anyone could answer, the door burst open and Thomas Carlisle strode in, his face flushed with anger. "This is ridiculous! We're wasting time chasing shadows when the real threat is sitting right here in this room."

"Thomas..." Kieran's voice carried a warning.

"No, I'm done being polite about this." Thomas pointed an accusing finger at Lyra. "She shows up, rogues attack. She claims to have special insight into their tactics. She conveniently 'saves' the children, making herself look like a hero. And now we're supposed to believe some mysterious hybrid assassin tried to kill her? How convenient that there's no way to verify her story since the supposed assassin is dead."

"Are you seriously suggesting I stabbed myself in the shoulder with a silver blade and killed an innocent human to maintain some elaborate cover story?" Lyra's voice was dangerously quiet.

"I'm suggesting that everything that's happened since you returned has benefited you and made you look like a hero instead of the rogue traitor you actually are."

The silence that followed was so complete that Lyra could hear her own heartbeat. Then Kieran stood, his alpha power filling the room like a physical presence.

"Thomas Carlisle," he said formally, "you are making a direct accusation of treason against a wolf under my protection. Are you prepared to back up that accusation with proof?"

Thomas's face went pale, but he held his ground. "I'm prepared to demand a formal investigation. Pack law gives me that right as a beta."

"Fine." Kieran's smile was all teeth. "You have twenty-four hours to present evidence of Lyra's supposed treason to the pack council. But Thomas? If you can't prove your accusations, you'll face charges of bearing false witness against a pack ally. And that carries a penalty of exile."

Thomas's bravado cracked slightly. "You can't be serious."

"Try me."

After Thomas left, muttering threats under his breath, the room fell into uncomfortable silence. Finally, Sarah cleared her throat.

"I should check your stitches," she said to Lyra, clearly trying to change the subject.

But as Sarah examined the wound, Lyra's mind was elsewhere. Thomas's accusations were bold, even for him. Dangerously bold. The kind of bold that suggested either desperation or...

"Sarah," she said suddenly, "when you examined the hybrid's body, did you check for defensive wounds?"

"Of course. Standard procedure." Sarah looked puzzled. "He had several cuts on his arms and hands, consistent with knife fighting."

"What about under his fingernails? Any tissue samples, blood, hair?"

Sarah's expression grew more curious. "Some skin cells and a few strands of hair. Why?"

"I want them tested. DNA analysis." Lyra met Kieran's eyes. "I have a theory about our traitor, but I need proof."

"What kind of theory?" Derek asked.

"The kind that explains how someone knew exactly where to find me last night, exactly when I'd be alone and vulnerable." Lyra's voice was grim. "The kind that explains how the rogues knew about our defensive protocols and the location of the children's shelter."

Understanding dawned on Kieran's face. "You think Thomas is the traitor."

"I think Thomas is desperate to discredit me because he knows I'm close to figuring out who's really behind all this." Lyra struggled to sit up straighter, ignoring Sarah's protests. "And I think our hybrid friend got a little too close to his handler before I killed him. Close enough to leave evidence."

"If you're right," Derek said slowly, "then we're dealing with more than just a traitor. We're dealing with someone who's been planning this for years. Someone with access to pack records, defensive plans, bloodline information..."

"Someone who's been systematically weakening the pack from within while appearing to be a loyal beta." Kieran's expression was murderous. "Someone who saw Lyra's return as a threat to years of careful planning."

The pieces were falling into place, forming a picture that made Lyra's blood run cold. But they still needed proof. And they needed it before Thomas could make his accusations stick.

Because if she was right about who was really behind the attacks, then the entire pack was in more danger than they knew.