Page 58 of Alpha's Forbidden Fate

Liam

Iapologize to Rosa for leaving early, and ask her to close and lock up the restaurant this evening. She nods, looking a bit concerned. Then she promises to swing by Marco’s place to check in on him and hopefully find out why he missed work. I appreciate her taking care of things, even though I’m still disappointed about Marco’s absence. This behavior is not like him.

On my way to the sheriff’s office, I can feel the tension building in my body. When I arrive, Alyssa is waiting for me, and her expression is grim.

“Hey, Liam. Thanks for coming.”

I can hear the exhaustion in her voice, and I nod. “What do we know?”

Alyssa sighs, running a hand through her hair. “One of the bodies had ID on him,” she says, low-voiced. “Elias Davenport.”

Elias Davenport? I’ve heard that name before, but I can’t place where. “The name sounds familiar, but I can’t place it.”

“Hmm? Well, I’d like you to take a look at the coroner’s reports. Are you up for that right now?”

“I am as ready as I’ll ever be. Lead the way, Sheriff.”

As soon as we walk into the Coroner’s Office, I can smell the stench of death in the air. It’s overpowering and makes my stomach churn.

The coroner shows me her reports and photos, detailing the injuries and noticeable markings on the bodies. She tells us that the bodies were drained of blood and badly dismembered.

I shoot Alyssa a wary glance. “Excuse us for a moment, will you?”

“Of course,” she says and steps out of the office.

Speaking in a low tone, I say, “These were wolves.”

“Yeah, I noticed that too,” she says grimly. “They were found at the edge of the forest, which is primarily wolf territory. Whoever did this wanted the bodies to be found.”

I feel a chill run down my spine at her words. This is very bad.

As we leave the coroner’s office, Alyssa turns to me expectantly.

“I think I have a lead,” I say, my voice tight with anticipation.

Alyssa nods, her eyes hard. “Follow it. The council will need to meet soon and discuss what to do about these murders. It would be good if we had more information to give them.”

I nod, my mind already racing with possibilities. Whoever did this is still out there, and it looks as though all the answers lie with one person.

Selene.

I pull up to Selene’s apartment building, feeling a knot of tension in my stomach. I can’t shake the feeling that something is seriously wrong.

I knock on the door, but there’s no answer.

“Selene? Are you in there? It’s me, Liam.”

Again, there is no response. Panic starts to rise in my chest as I realize something might be seriously wrong. I pace back and forth for a minute, and without thinking further, I pick the lock (a skill I learned from my father) and step inside.

The apartment is dimly lit, and I can hear movement coming from the living room. I skulk slowly toward the sound, my heart pounding in my chest.

And then I see her—Selene, standing in the middle of the room, her eyes wide with surprise. Without a word, she lunges at me.

I barely have time to react before she’s on top of me, her fists flying.

I can feel the heat of her breath on my face as we struggle, our bodies entwined in a chaotic dance.

Her punches rain down on me, each one landing with a force that sends shockwaves through my body. I can taste blood in my mouth as I try to fend her off, my muscles straining with the effort.

---