Chapter 66: Chapter 66

Adelie

I woke up, my head pounding like a drum. It felt as if it was filled with stones. I’d hoped that sleep would help, but it only seemed to intensify the throbbing pain.

I forced myself to stand, only to be hit with a wave of nausea. I barely made it to the bathroom before emptying my stomach. It provided some relief, but the headache persisted.

I stumbled back to my room, the light piercing my eyes. I stood still, holding my breath, praying for a moment of respite.

It didn’t come, but I managed to find some clarity amidst the pain. There were voices, so many voices. At first, I thought they might be lost souls, but they weren’t.

Madeline’s voice rose above the rest. ~“Our wolf is waking up,”~ she announced with a hint of excitement.

I couldn’t make out the other voices, but I could hear the howls of wolves in my mind. Who were they? Why were they here? I only needed Madeline. She was my wolf, not them.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice strained with pain, hoping for an answer.

~“They will bring us our wolf,”~ Madeline’s voice echoed in my head, louder and clearer than I’d ever heard before.

“How?” I managed to ask.

~“Esty put them in your head,”~ she replied.

“But who are they? Why are they talking?” I questioned.

~“They are wolf souls,”~ Madeline explained. And just like that, the pain vanished, and the room stopped spinning.

Why were these souls in my head? How did she get them?

Kairos

Melanie Perkins and ~guarding the mythical~ were the only things I knew at the moment. That, and the fact that she belonged to a clan called Serenities.

I knew the clan wasn’t far, and I’d heard of them before. I just never thought I’d have a reason to visit.

The clan was mostly women. They were rumored to be witches, but there was no proof, and they never confirmed nor denied it. They were a secretive bunch.

They preferred to stay under the radar—guarding whatever they needed to guard without drawing attention. Yet, they’d never done anything noteworthy.

They’d been around for a long time, but I’d never heard of them helping werewolves or anyone else for that matter.

They considered themselves heroes, but if they vanished, I doubted they’d be missed.

Perhaps that’s why they needed Adelie: to finally make a mark. But whatever they were up to couldn’t be good if it was causing Adelie so much pain.

They were doing something that even she couldn’t explain to me.

Serenities might call themselves a clan, but they were just a group of women living under one roof, under the illusion of purpose.

Their home was about sixty miles from my pack's border. It was close enough for me to reach in my wolf form.

A car might have been a more convenient choice, given the accessible road, but I didn’t want to draw attention.

I needed to investigate, to understand what they were about. This was my only clue to Adelie’s secret. And since she wasn’t sharing, I had to find out on my own.

I found myself running through unfamiliar territory. I don’t think I’d ever ventured this far in that direction.

I was never fond of leaving my pack, or of traveling in general. Raphael usually handled any errands outside the pack, simply because I detested travel.

Even now, the forest felt different. It was dark and gloomy, unlike the familiar and welcoming woods back home.

Or perhaps it was just the unfamiliarity. I despised change. If I had my way, I’d stay in the same moment forever.

Kye and I needed a breather. He was just like me, not a fan of unfamiliar territories, except for that one time…

That one time when I found Adelie dancing under the night sky. That was the only time I embraced the unknown.

I was torn, unsure if I wanted to proceed or retreat, but I kept moving until I reached my destination.

It wasn’t a forest anymore, just a barren patch beside the road. The grass was yellow and crunched under my feet.

The road was there, but it was clear that it was seldom used. The house was well-maintained, with neatly trimmed front bushes.

It had the potential to be grand and luxurious. They just needed to see the bigger picture, not just their immediate surroundings.

The house was large, almost like a housing complex.

In the center, there was a garden with a modest fountain—nothing too extravagant, but even a simple fountain could enhance a property’s value.

There were two floors and balconies all around, offering a bird’s eye view.

I stood by the grand entrance, unnoticed by the women bustling around.

They were engrossed in their tasks, or maybe I just didn’t make my presence known.

I decided to step into their secret garden. Perhaps it wasn’t that they didn’t see me. Maybe they chose not to ~see~ me.

As I entered the gate, I felt as if I had walked into a mist, an energy field.

They were isolating themselves, deliberately ignoring their surroundings. But what good did it do to be oblivious to their environment?

Eventually, they noticed the stranger who had intruded into their territory. But their reaction was unexpected.

A middle-aged woman approached me, her face lit up with a broad smile. “Hello, sir. How can I assist you?” she asked enthusiastically.

I guessed they didn’t receive visitors often, as all the women were now staring at me. Six were around me, but I noticed others peeking from behind the windows.

The place had an odd vibe. There was an almost magical elegance and sweetness to it. It could easily ensnare a weak man.

“I found something in my pack from one of your kind,” I said, trying to sound as non-threatening as possible.

“I just want to return it to its rightful owner.”

The woman’s interest piqued even more, as if my presence wasn’t strange enough.

“Your pack? You’re an Alpha, aren’t you?” she asked, almost too quickly for me to catch.

I nodded. “Alpha Kairos Garcia,” I introduced myself.

The woman nodded, as if recalling something.

“Night Walkers pack, right?” she asked, and I nodded again.

“Well, what a pleasant surprise. I don’t think any Alpha has ever visited us before.” She giggled, her voice unnaturally high.

“But oh, how kind of you to visit us. Could you tell me what you found? So you can return the item to its owner?” she asked.

It seemed it would be easier than I thought to meet the woman who owned the bracelet.

I pulled the bracelet from my pocket, and she instantly recognized it.

“Melanie’s, isn’t it?” she asked, as if I would know. She touched her cheek thoughtfully.

“I wonder how it got there… hmm… But I’m sure she’ll explain. The women here are all well-behaved. I doubt she would intrude without reason.”

She started walking, and I followed.

“I think Melanie will be pleased you came,” she said, smirking at me.

“Not many women here receive such chivalry from men,” she said, eyeing me.

I chose not to correct her. I figured it would lead to more questions and wasted time.

Women were emerging from their rooms, casting glances my way. Some fluttered their lashes, coy smiles playing on their lips, and adjusted their hair as if I was invisible.

The woman leading me paused at a staircase that ascended to a balcony.

“Melanie’s room is at the end,” she murmured, her voice a sultry whisper, before she turned to leave.

Was she truly indifferent, or did she simply not see me as a threat? She must have assumed I was here to woo Melanie.

I made my way to Melanie’s room and rapped lightly on the door, waiting for her to answer.

She didn’t keep me waiting long, but when she opened the door, I was met with a young woman whose eyes were wide with terror—she recognized me.

She attempted to slam the door shut, but I blocked it with my foot, causing her to stumble backwards into the room.

I stepped inside and shut the door behind me. In the dimly lit room, I spotted a red coat draped over a mannequin.

It was hers.