Page 11 of Alpha's Heir

My vision blurred momentarily as anger and panic surged within me. I gripped Cora’s shoulders. "Did someone take him?"

She shook her head, strands of her hair sticking to the sweat on her forehead. "No other scents, West. Just Luke’s.”

I tried processing what she said, but my mind felt fogged with disbelief. "You're saying… Luke did this?"

Damien’s eyes darted between Cora and me, his expression unreadable. “Are we sure he didn’t just...hurt himself? Maybe he was delirious?”

Cora’s face hardened, her voice steady. "The room was wrecked. Furniture smashed, claw marks everywhere. The bodies… they wereshreddedThis wasn’t just an accident."

I ran a shaky hand through my hair, trying to force my racing thoughts into order. “But why? Luke wouldn't... he wouldn't turn on us."

Damien's fists clenched. "Could he be under someone else's influence?"

Cora’s gaze dropped, her fingers fidgeting. "Maybe. But we've never seen anything like this."

Silence fell between us, the weight of the situation pressing down, making it hard to breathe. I could hear the distant murmurs of the pack members, but all I felt was a vacuum of sound and emotions, leaving me disoriented.

The compound felt too small, the walls too close. I felt trapped, the suspicion and confusion suffocating.

“West, I’m scared,” Cora whispered, her blue eyes meeting mine, searching for answers I didn’t have.

I took a deep breath, forcing down the tumult of emotions, trying to find some semblance of clarity. "Look, we'll figure this out. We need to rally the pack, strengthen our defenses, and—”

“And?” Damien probed.

“And find Luke," I finished, my determination firming.

The gravity of the situation was palpable, the atmosphere thick with tension. I could sense the shared uncertainty between us, but there was a silent agreement—a shared determination to protect our own.

As darkness crept in, swallowing the remnants of the day, Cora and I stood there, locked in a silent gaze, waiting for the conversation to continue, hoping against hope that our fears were unfounded.

Just as I was about to step away from the compound's edge with Cora, a strong grip on my arm stopped me. I turned to find Winnifred, her usually rosy face ashen and her eyes fierce.

“Weston,” she breathed, glancing toward Cora before pulling me further away. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but it sounds like Luke did this. It’s him.”

I pulled my arm away, frustration bubbling up. “I grew up with Luke, Winnie. He’s not capable of this.”

She raised an eyebrow, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Sometimes, it’s not a matter of choice.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” My voice had a bite to it, my patience thinning.

Without answering, she glanced towards the darkening forest beyond the compound, then held up her hand, fingers shadowing her face, mimicking the movement of a wolf.

I felt a chill, understanding immediately. “You think Luke's been turned... into a shadow wolf?"

Winnifred nodded slowly. "It’s the only thing that makes sense."

Cora, who had been waiting at a distance, approached us, her face etched with concern. “What’s going on?”

I shook my head, trying to make sense of it all. “Let’s get inside. We need to talk.”

Once inside my house, the dim light from the lamps creating a muted glow, Cora and I sank into the worn-out couch. The room felt cold, the air thick with tension.

“I saw something in the woods," I began, my voice hesitant. “It was a shadow wolf.”

Cora's eyes widened, her fingers gripping the edge of the couch. “The Unseen Pack?”

“There’s more. We also saw something… horrifying. It was this… rabbit creature.”

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