Chapter 3

When we were kids, our parents would read us stories, and we totally believed in them. But as we got older, we started to see that they were just stories after all. The world isn't quite like the fairy tales we hear; there's no happily ever after, just what comes next.

You know, one thing those stories nailed is that the wolves are definitely dangerous.

Just like in the tales, werewolves are definitely the hunters. They enjoy the thrill of the hunt, the excitement of the chase, and, above all, they take pleasure in the kill. They do not follow the moon's schedule; they can transform into beasts whenever they feel like it. The only thing, or maybe I should say person, that has control over them is the Alpha. Every pack has its leader, the one who takes charge.

You know, it is not really about democracy here. Being an Alpha is not something you can just choose; it is something you are born into. They really have that natural leadership vibe, don't they? It seems like they're meant to take charge. Lunas are right there with Alphas, as their other half. Werewolves think that everyone has a mate out there, someone who's just right for them. Most of the time, their soulmates are other werewolves, but every now and then, they find them in humans as well.

The Alpha and Luna sit at the top of the food chain, with the Betas right below them. They are like the right-hand person, having a lot of influence, but they will never take the top spot like the Alpha. The Betas are kind of like the Alphas; they also come into power from the start.

Once the Beta is chosen, the warriors come next, but they're picked by the Alpha. Each pack has a different number of warriors, but they all follow the same system when it comes to werewolves. People in the Alpha, Luna, or Beta's families are pretty high up there too. They don't have an official title, but their status is a bit above the pack warriors.

Alessandro Aristov is the leader of the nearby pack. Alphas can be pretty harsh, but Aristov takes it to another level. He is known for being ruthless and seems to get a kick out of causing others pain—a real sadist.

His cousin was dead, and once Aristov learned about it, he would go after vengeance, not stopping until he felt satisfied.

We had our own laws and rules to stick to, and they had theirs too. Even though our rules felt more like suggestions for werewolves, we had to stick to theirs as if we were part of their pack. It's like no one would come to our rescue if we found ourselves in a tough spot.

If it had been some random werewolf, we probably could have gotten help. There would have been a report, evidence collected, and then both human and werewolf leaders would have made a decision together. That is how things typically go, and this system has been in place for years. But when it comes to high-ranking pack members, sometimes the human leaders just turn a blind eye. It really comes down to the Alpha of the pack, how they see humans, and the overall relationships between werewolves and humans in that area.

In some areas, humans and werewolves get along just fine and are treated equally, while in other places, it's a tough situation where humans are seen as second-class citizens. We are really lucky to be here with Alpha Elias. He is a fair leader who genuinely tries to treat everyone equally, and you can see that reflected in his pack.

But honestly, even Alpha Elias would not be able to help us out here. We had to take care of it on our own.

I finished my list while Cami took a break. I mentioned that she should catch some sleep before we got started, but I could see the fear in her eyes. She was too anxious to head upstairs, so I suggested she rest in the living room while I worked on the plan.

I had everything set up and felt really good about our chances of getting this done. Once we took care of the body, we'd need to scrub every corner of this house, just to be safe, get rid of our clothes, and toss out anything we used.

If we just stick to the plan, this is going to work out just fine.

"Hey Cami, it is time to wake up!" I gave Cami a gentle shake, making sure not to surprise her. "Let us get this done right away."

Cami opened her eyes and blinked a few times. "I really thought this was just a bad dream."

I gave a weak smile and helped her get back on her feet. I have got a plan for us. Let us just wrap him up in this rug. I pointed to the rug in the room we were heading to with my foot and said to her, "So, just make sure to tape it up nice and secure. After we take care of that, we will just slide him into the back seat of the car.

"So, how are we going to get him in the car?"

Let us lift him up. I will just pull my car into the backyard, and then we can take him out through the back. It is pretty dark, and nobody's around to notice. I went over the plan, and Cami just kept shaking her head.

"I just can not touch him!"

"Cami, I really need your help to lift him up." If I had the choice, I would not be asking you for help. Plus, he will be all wrapped up in the carpet, so you will not even have to touch him.

Cami nodded, and I breathed a sigh of relief. We quietly carried the big rug to the kitchen. Cami did not look down at the guy while I crouched and started pushing him onto the carpet, leaving his trousers as they were.

Once I got him on the rug, I gently began to roll it up so it covered his body. It took way longer than I thought it would. His legs were sticking out, so I had to get him into a fetal position, but I finally managed to make it work. Once we wrapped that up, Cami and I got to work taping the rug down really tight, ensuring it was all secure and nothing was visible. If anyone happened to catch a glimpse of us, all they would notice is us shifting a rug around. Nothing to worry about.

I parked the car at the back of our house, and Cami went ahead and unlocked the garden door. We carefully lifted the rug with the body, trying to be as quiet as we could, and made our way to the car. My arms were aching from the weight of the body and the rug, but we just could not stop; we had to get it in the car. After we finished that, we tossed the shovel and torch into the trunk and locked up the house.

We drove quietly, both of us feeling anxious and scared. My head was just buzzing with all these thoughts, questions swirling around, and honestly, a lot of doubt creeping in.

Do you think we are making the right choice? Do you think it is too late to just turn around and go to the police?

Saddleworth Moor was just a quick 40-minute drive from our place. It was a vast moorland with an amazing view, and folks came here every day, even with its history. About 60 years back, a man and a woman tricked five young kids, took their lives, and buried them in the moors. One of the victims is still missing, but there are whispers about more bodies possibly buried around here.

Back when I was a teenager, my friends and I used to come here for Halloween. We were just trying to freak each other out, you know? We strolled around here at night, and it was one of the eeriest feelings I have ever experienced. I had this feeling like I was treading on someone's grave, and honestly, I might have been. I said I would never return, and I really stuck to that, but here I am now.

The moors would be such a great spot to stash something away. It is so vast that no one would ever stumble upon it, even if they were looking hard.

"Looks like we need to carry the body for a little while before we can bury it." I said to Cami as we came to a stop.

"Why can't we just do it right here?"

I just shook my head. "We can not do it here; it is just too close." We need to ensure it is totally out of sight.

"We really don't have to go through with this; we can just head back." It is still not too late! Cami was really begging me.

"Let's go." I said with conviction. Sure, let us head out. We will look for a place, dig the hole, and then come back for the body to bury it.

I hopped out of the car, strolled around to the back, and popped open the boot. I hurriedly picked up the shovel and torch and kicked the boot door open. We wandered around for a while, looking for the perfect spot to start digging. Eventually, we stumbled upon a spot.

"Here you go!" I passed my torch to Cami. "Let us do it right here."

You know how in movies, when someone digs a hole to hide something or bury a body, it seems so easy? They just break the ground and finish in a matter of minutes. It took me way longer than I expected—almost an hour—to dig a hole that was big and deep enough for a large man. I definitely was not done in just a few minutes! By the end of it, I was totally soaked in sweat, my arms shaking from the pain, and my body just begging for a break, but we could not stop now.

"How about taking a little break?" Cami said, glancing down at the big hole.

"No, let us wrap this up."

Carrying a dead body wrapped in a rug, with a torch clenched between my teeth in the dark? Yeah, definitely not something I would suggest. We made a few stops along the way, almost had a little mishap, but in the end, we got the body to his final resting place.

He came crashing down with a loud thud, making us wince at the noise. I picked up the shovel once more, but this time, instead of digging a hole, I filled it in.

"It is all set." I let out a sigh of relief as I glanced down. "Let us tidy up and keep things low-key for a while." We are going to be okay.

The drive back home felt almost like therapy, which was such a contrast to how I felt on the way to the moors. I felt like a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders, and even though I probably should have been horrified by what we just did, I couldn't help but feel a bit happy about how smoothly it all went.

Oh man, I really sound like a psychopath!

I pulled up in front of our house and just leaned back in my seat for a moment. "Let us get started on the cleanup now." We have got some cleaning products at home, so we will just use those. If we run out, we can just grab some tomorrow morning. I will swing by to get the car washed, and we can just toss the phone out while we are at it. I will give the college a call and let your tutors know you will be out for a few days.

Cami just stared out the window, not really reacting to anything I said.

"Hey, Cami!" I spoke gently. "It is all done now, you are safe."

Cami looked at me with tears in her eyes. "So, why am I not feeling safe?"

I swallowed the big lump in my throat. "I swear I will not let anything happen to you."

If it comes down to it, I'll take the hit.

"Hey, do you feel like chatting with someone about it?"

"No way!"

I raised my hands. Sure, that is totally fine. Hey, I have a little suggestion for you. "Hey, let us head inside."

We were standing at the front door when it hit me that I had left the torches and shovel in the boots. "Alright, I will just grab what I need real quick."

I dashed to the car and grabbed everything, but in my hurry to get inside, I totally missed something.

I could feel a pair of dark eyes watching me closely.