DANE'S POV
Beta Ivar's words had taken me by surprise and struck me deeply, sending a wave of emotion crashing over me.
It was someone I knew; the realization that the person responsible for my father's death wasn’t so far away sent a chill down my spine.
Whoever it was had been within arm's length all along, silently watching my suffering unfold.
Such great audacity.
I had been drowning in despair for far too long, consumed by grief and confusion for reasons I now realized were unfounded.
The thought of revenge simmered within me, but first, I needed to uncover the truth. Who on earth could it be?
Who had the audacity to murder my father and continue to live among us, hidden in plain sight?
But then, the Bluestone Pack—who could it possibly be? What motives could they have?
The questions flooded my mind as I grappled with the enormity of it all. Why would they bring such tragedy to our doorstep? What on earth could have compelled someone from
Astrid’s pack to commit such a heinous act? The connections felt overwhelming.
Nothing ever really ended well for me regarding this situation, and I knew I had to take action. Irritation coursed through me like a constant ache; I could barely contain my impatience to uncover who had been behind everything.
Suddenly, a voice cut through my thoughts. “What do you think?”
I raised my gaze, pulled back to reality as I slowly scanned the room, taking in the faces of the council members around me. I cleared my throat, sitting up straighter and intertwining my fingers to steady myself.
That’s right; I was in the middle of a meeting with the council, and here I was, lost in my own turmoil.
“What do I think about what?” I asked, my voice dripping with irritation. My disdain was clear not only in my words but also in my posture and the way I narrowed my eyes at the elder who had interrupted my thoughts.
“Well, what do you think about the plans laid out? Should the orders for the guards be arranged?” one of the elders asked, his tone steady despite my obvious frustration. I ran my hands through my hair, feeling the weight of responsibility settle heavily on my shoulders.
“Really?” I scoffed, unable to hide my annoyance.
My mind was a whirlwind, filled with racing thoughts and confusion. I couldn’t focus on what to do or think; everything felt like a hazy fog enveloping my senses.
“Is there anything going on with you, Alpha Dane? Your mind seems to be in another place entirely,” Beta Edmond asked, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my skin crawl.
I felt my irritation rise sharply as I noticed the awful smirk playing at the corners of his lips, as if he found my distress amusing.
“You know what? I’m not in the right state of mind for any meeting right now; just reschedule or something. I have more important things to do than this,” I blurted out, my frustration boiling over as I rose to my feet, ready to walk away from the suffocating atmosphere.
“Such disrespect! You can’t just walk out of the meeting because you wish to!” Edmond retorted, his voice rising with indignation. I shot him a glare that could have burned a hole through steel.
His bravado faltered slightly, and he pressed his lips together, silencing whatever retort he had in mind as he glanced away from me, unwilling to meet my furious gaze.
The room felt stifling, and I fought the urge to storm out entirely. I needed to gather my thoughts, but the pressure from the pack elders felt suffocating.
“Reschedule; I am in no mood for any of this,” I blurted out again, my voice sharp with irritation before I stormed to the door, away from the council members.
As I walked away, I could hear their pleas, mumbles, and grumbles behind me, but I chose to ignore them.
My mind was racing, and I headed toward the manor, letting out a loud sigh of frustration.
The weight of the situation felt heavy on my shoulders, and I craved some peace and quiet away from the prying eyes and incessant chatter.
Ivar approached me slowly, his expression uneasy and his eyes wavering. It was clear something was troubling him, and I could feel a tension in the air.
“What is it? And please, get straight to the point,” I blurted out, my patience wearing thin. I felt like things couldn’t get worse than they already were, and I needed some time for myself—some time to think and to bear the heavy weight of my thoughts without anyone’s pesky disturbances.
“I know who killed your father; a reliable source gave us all we needed,” Ivar announced, his voice steady but low, as if he feared the walls might be listening.
My gaze widened as his words registered in my mind. The room seemed to spin for a moment, and I turned fully to face him, closing the space between us.
“Finally, we’ve found out the truth! Now tell me who this fool is; tell me, Ivar! Who murdered my father?” I demanded, my voice rising to a yell as the urgency of the moment took hold.
“It’s Alpha Safiya; it’s Astrid’s father. He is the one who murdered your father,” Ivar announced, his tone grave.
In an instant, fury ignited within me. I grabbed him by the throat, squeezing tightly as my eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. My wolf raged within me, ready to unleash its wrath.
“What do you mean, Alpha Safiya? Must I remind you that he is dead and that he is the father of my mate? So what on earth are you bickering about?” I shot back, glaring intently at him, searching for a hint of truth in his eyes.
Beta Ivar shrugged slowly, struggling to breathe as he tried to wriggle free from my grip. I released him, and he stumbled backward, coughing violently as he gasped for air.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he raised his gaze to meet mine, a mix of fear and urgency reflecting in them.
“Go on; you have a lot of explaining to do,” I said, my voice low but simmering with anger. “I will not stand around and listen to such jokes, so how about you spill? Who really murdered my father?”
“I’m Alpha Dane, but that is the truth; we found out from a very trusted and reliable source,” Ivar insisted, his voice steady despite his previous distress.
“That’s the truth; Alpha Safiya is dead. He was once a friend of your father; they had a dispute, and it led to that. I would never lie to you; those are the results of my search.”
He didn’t seem to be lying; Ivar wouldn’t lie to me or make such silly jokes. I could sense the gravity of his words, and deep down, I knew he was telling the truth.
Yet doubt lingered in my mind—could I fully trust him? Could I believe what he had said about Alpha Safiya?
“Wait! How am I to trust any words from some source? I will find out the truth; I will get to the bottom of this!” I snapped, my frustration boiling over as I stormed toward my car, determination fueling my steps. I had to confront the Bluestone Pack.
It didn’t make sense; the odds of what he said being true felt nearly impossible. My mate’s father being responsible for my father’s death? Both men were dead now, leaving me with nothing but questions and a deepening sense of betrayal.
The only way to uncover the truth was to confront Astrid’s mother.
She would be the one with the answers, the only person who could shed light on the dark shadows surrounding this situation.
Beta Ivar and I drove in silence, the weight of unspoken words heavy between us.
Tension filled the air, thick and suffocating, as we both contemplated the gravity of the situation we were stepping into.
Once we arrived, we exited the car and made our way toward the mansion. The grand structure loomed before us, but my focus was elsewhere.
“You say nothing of this to Astrid,” I warned, my voice low but firm. Ivar nodded in response, understanding the seriousness of my request.
Astrid was beginning to suspect something was amiss, and I didn’t want her to find out about the storm brewing beneath the surface. It would only cause her to become more anxious and distressed.
As I pushed open the door, my fists clenched tightly at my sides, my heart pounding in my chest. I scanned the interior, searching for Astrid’s mother, desperate to find her and demand answers.
But as my eyes swept the room, they froze, landing on something shocking—a pool of blood spread across the floor, dark and ominous.
Panic surged through me as I took a step closer, my mind racing. What had happened here? Where was Astrid’s mother? The sight of the blood filled me with dread, and I could feel the anger and fear bubbling beneath the surface, threatening to explode.
“Alpha Dane?” Ivar gulped as he called out to me. Turning to see him, I noticed he was staring in one direction.
“Oh moon goddess!”