Shadow In The Forest

While Daniella, Lucas, and Alpha were caught up in the extravagance of a high-end boutique in San Francisco, trying on suits and gowns for Alex Wong's gala, far away in the dense, mist-laden forests of Mariposa, a sinister conversation was taking place.

Beneath the towering redwoods, a group of men huddled together. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, and their hushed voices blended with the distant rustle of leaves in the evening breeze.

The man at the center of the group, lean and wiry, spoke with a tone that barely concealed his glee. "Good. I'm glad you managed to take care of Dominic before his twenty-first birthday. It's crucial he didn't live long enough to find his wolf. If he had, he would have been too powerful, unstoppable, even. His bloodline is pure Lycan, and their wolves only surface at 21. Once that happens, no one could rival him."

A gravelly voice from the shadows asked, "And what about your wolf? Has it shown up yet?"

The wiry man frowned but quickly composed himself. "Not yet," he admitted. "My birthday is the day after New Year's, same as Dominic's. His is January 1 st, mine is the 2nd . But that's irrelevant. With Dominic gone, I'm next in line. Uncle Jenson won't have a choice but to name me Alpha."

A skeptical voice chimed in, "You sound pretty confident. But Alpha Jenson's been sending out search parties everywhere. He's determined to find Dominic. What makes you so sure he'll pick you?"

The wiry man's eyes gleamed with arrogance. "He's desperate. He's old and knows he doesn't have much time left. He needs a successor soon. And once Dominic is confirmed dead, I'm the only viable candidate. He won't last past Valentine's. Mark my words, I'll be Alpha before spring."

A man with a raspy voice chuckled darkly. "You're ruthless, I'll give you that. But you've got guts, turning on the family that raised you like their own."

The wiry man's expression hardened. "They stole what was rightfully mine. Did you know my father was supposed to be Alpha? He was the eldest son, but my grandfather by passed him and handed the title to Uncle Jenson. Why? No one knows. But I'm just taking back what should've been ours. Dominic's death is justice."

The raspy voiced man leaned closer. "Maybe you should've asked why your grandfather skipped over your father. There must've been a reason."

"I don't need to know the reason," the wiry man snapped. "All I need to know is that with Dominic gone, the Alpha title is mine. Speaking of which, you're absolutely sure he's dead, right?"

Another man, bulkier than the rest, stepped forward. "Dead for sure," he said with confidence. "The wounds he got from that silver blade coated in wolfsbane? No way he could've survived that. Add the fact that he fell from a cliff into the ocean? Yeah, he's gone. No blood trail, no body. Nothing. He's either at the bottom of the ocean or shark food by now."

The quietest of the group, who had been leaning against a tree, finally spoke up. "Don't forget, Lycans don't need their wolf to heal. Their bodies are born with heightened healing abilities. Sure, without their wolf, it's slower, but it's still there. You better hope those injuries were enough."

The raspy voice waved his hand dismissively. "I'm sure. We checked the entire area below the cliff. Not a single trace of him , not even a drop of blood. He's gone."

 The wiry man spoke again " don't worry. I remember my promise. Once I'm Alpha, you'll all have your places in the pack as my Beta, Delta, and Gamma."

The others murmured their approval, their trust tenuous but bolstered by the promise of power.

"Now," the wiry man continued, a sly grin spreading across his face, "let's head back and pretend to help with the search. Uncle Jenson must suspect nothing. Especially Nick, Dominic's lapdog. He's already too suspicious for my liking. I'll have to keep him off my scent."

He glanced at his co-conspirators, his grin turning into a smirk that oozed malice. Together, they disappeared into the shadows, their sinister intentions masked by a pretense of loyalty.

++++

Alpha POV

Meanwhile, back in San Francisco, the atmosphere couldn't have been more different.

Daniella twirled in front of the boutique's mirrors, inspecting herself in a sleek emerald green gown that shimmered under the store's soft lighting. "What do you think, Lucas?" she asked, striking a mock-dramatic pose.

Lucas tilted his head, pretending to consider. "Hmm. It's almost perfect. It screams 'powerful attorney,' but where's the 'I'm here to win a contract and break hearts while I'm at it' vibe?"

Daniella groaned. "I'm not trying to break hearts, Lucas. Just secure the contract."

I laughed from where I was awkwardly adjusting a tie. "You're definitely breaking hearts, Daniella. You broke mine, and I'm not even wearing the tie right yet."

She rolled her eyes, but I caught the faintest blush creeping up her cheeks. "Alpha, it's a tie, not a Rubik's cube. Here." She crossed the room to fix it for me. Her hands brushed my neck lightly as she worked, and I tried not to shiver under her touch.

Lucas smirked at the two of us. "You two are disgustingly adorable. Like a rom-com couple who doesn't realize they're already dating."

"Shut it, Lucas," Daniella shot back, though her lips twitched with a smile.

Just as the tension eased, my mind drifted again, this time to Mariposa. I didn't know why, but something about that place tugged at me, like a memory just out of reach. And for reasons I couldn't explain, I felt a chill crawl up my spine, as if someone had just whispered my name in the dark.