Page 34 of Shapeshifter's Vengeance

I nod. “Then we move on. We need to find the killer before they strike again.”

Mark leans forward. “What’s our next step?”

“I met someone at the café. She said her name is Rachel, but there’s no record of her in the town database. She’s new, but something felt off.”

Ana frowns. “Can you describe her?”

I think back to the café. “She had mismatched eyes, very piercing. One brown, one blue.”

Ana freezes, her face draining of all color. She hurries to a drawer, pulling out an old photo album from her younger years. Flipping through it quickly, she stops at a page and hands me the picture. “Look at this girl. Can you imagine her older?”

I study the photo, my breath catching. “That’s her. That’s Rachel.”

Ana’s voice is grim. “Her name is Cassandra. She was a shapeshifter. Vanished when we were teenagers, before the war. No one knew where she went.”

The room goes silent. Teresa is the first to break it. “So, we are dealing with a shapeshifter. This confirms our theory.”

Ana nods. “Cassandra is as brutal as any shapeshifter can get. If she’s back, we need to brace ourselves.”

Linda looks around, worry in her eyes. “How do we find her?”

I take a deep breath. “We start by tracking her movements. She’s been spotted at the café. We set up surveillance, see ifshe returns. And we need to question anyone who might have interacted with her.”

Mark stands. “I’ll handle the surveillance. I’ll get a team together to keep an eye on the café.”

Teresa chimes in. “I’ll talk to the locals, see if anyone knows anything about her.”

Ana glances at me. “We need to be careful. Cassandra is dangerous. She could be watching us right now.”

I nod. “We need to stay vigilant. Let’s meet back here tomorrow night to review what we’ve found. In the meantime, if anyone sees her call me immediately”

The team disperses, each with their assigned tasks. Ana and I stay behind, the silence heavy between us.

“Do you think we can stop her?” Ana asks quietly.

“We don’t have a choice if we’re going to save Alexei and Harmony Grove,” I say, half of a smile, both wistful and hopeful, slowly stretches my lips.

I leave Ana’s place, my mind racing. The thought of Cassandra being back, a shapeshifter with a possible vendetta, chills me to the bone. But I can’t let fear paralyze me. Too much is at stake.

Chapter 15: Zara’s Passing

EVELYN

I arrive at Alexei's house just after sunset, the sky painted orange and purple. The deputies at his door nod as I walk past, their presence a constant reminder of our precarious situation. Inside, Alexei is pacing the living room with a look of frustration on his face.

"Evelyn," he says, relief washing over his features as he sees me. "I was starting to worry."

"I'm here now," I reply, stepping closer for a hug. "We need to talk."

He nods, and we sit down on the couch. I take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "The council has given us two more weeks. They want us to find the shapeshifter."

Alexei's brow furrows. "A shapeshifter? Do you know who it is?"

I nod. "Her name is Cassandra. She was at the café, posing as a woman named Rachel. We confirmed it earlier."

He leans back, shock evident on his face. "Cassandra... I haven't heard that name in years. She disappeared before the great war, when Ana and I were teenagers."

"She's back now. And she's dangerous," I say, my voice steady. "I need you to tell me everything you remember about her."

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