CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
Silvana's Point Of View

I almost cursed the shit out of his beta, Lachlan for interrupting us. But judging from his furrowed brow and tightly set of his jaw, something was terribly wrong. A wave of nausea churned in my stomach, a knot tightening with each passing second.

"Speak," Garrick instructed, his voice a low growl. Irritation radiated off him in waves, a palpable force field stemming from the intrusion. A blush crept to my cheek, I leaned in a bit closer to him, craving the familiar warmth that always seemed to soothe my anxieties. 

"Alpha...." Lachlan began, his eyes darkening, a flicker of fear dancing within their depths. "Alpha Zephyr is dead."

"What?!" The word exploded from my lips, laced with disbelief and a sudden sharp pain that ripped through my chest. My eyes shot wide open, my vision blurring with unshed tears. My arms fell to my sides, my mind reeling.

No, no, NO!

Zephyr couldn't be dead.

He wasn't just a leader, he was a pillar, a protector....a friend too. The news hit me like a physical blow, stealing the air from my lungs. My heart felt like it was being squeezed.

I looked up to Garrick, his face was a canvas of stormy fury, his eyes were dangerously flickering, their usual shade deepening to black, then flashing to gold- something I had never seen before, not on him or any other person. The air crackled around him, filled with suppressed rage and grief, I could feel his hurt. 

I reached out and held his arm, hoping to offer a silent piece of comfort. Immediately, the storm clouds in his eyes receded a bit.

"What happened?" He asked Lachlan, his voice devoid of any emotion.

Lachlan shook his head, his gaze fixed on the floor. "I...I don't know, Alpha. I just received the news a few moments ago. However, someone is here for you," he stepped aside, revealing a young girl who walked into the office with confident steps. She couldn't have been more than ten years old, she was a beautiful child, her skin was a deep rich ebony, a stark contrast to the long, flowing silver hair that cascaded down her back like a shimmering waterfall.

"Alpha Garrick," the little girl bowed, her voice surprisingly clear and steady.

"Ravenna," Garrick said in a dark tone.

My breath hitched at the mention of that name. Ravenna? The dark witch? The name conjured images from ancient texts, whispers of dark magic, shadowy deals and a woman who dared to walk the line between all realms.

Immediately, the air in the light shimmered, distorting the light. The little girl glowed, her youthful form dissolving like smoke, and in her place stood a woman of imposing height. Dark cloaks billowed around her, obscuring most of her figure, but glimpses of pale smooth skin and wickedly sharp nails. She seemed beautiful, even more than the legends said. Her most striking feature was her eyes, piercing silver orbs that seemed to see straight through you, dissecting your soul with a single glance. They were cold, calculating and utterly devoid of warmth.

She let out a sigh, her voice echoing with an eerie resonance that sent shivers down my spine as she stared up at us, her eyes narrowed at me, her gaze lingering on me for a beat too long. A prickle of unease crawled on my skin. Just then, the silver necklace on my neck given to me by Zephyr emulated a faint, ethereal light. I glanced down, shocked, but it had already faxed, leaving no trace.

I looked back at Ravenna, and she smirked, then turned her gaze back to Garrick.

"May we be alone?" She asked, her tone leaving no room for argument. Her eyes narrowed at Lachlan and me, dismissing us as insignificant obstacles.

I looked up to Garrick who seemed to consider the thought, his gaze flickering between Ravenna and me. Finally, he looked down at me, his expression softening. "This won't take long, Morgana. Just wait for me."

"Okay." I murmured quietly, my voice barely a whisper. My heart hammered against my ribs.. Slowly, I began to walk away. When I walked past Ravenna, she turned and smiled, a chillingly beautiful expression that did nothing to ease my unease.

"Cute necklace." She purred, her voice like velvet laced with poison.

A shiver ran down my spine, but I refused to let it show. "I know, thanks." I said and continued to walk away.

When I reached the door, Lachlan bowed his head and opened the door. Together, we walked out, leaving Garrick alone with the witch. The moment we got outside the office, my legs buckled making me fall to my knees.

Immediately Lachlan rushed to my side."Luna? Are you okay?"

"No," I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes. "What happened to Alpha Zephyr? How could he just...die?" From the moment I heard the news the tears had been threatening to fall but because of Garrick I held it in, and now I no longer could.

I may have only known Zephyr for a short time but it was more than enough to know he was an amazing person. I didn't even need to dwell on everything I read about from books, Zephyr was a righteous man. What could have possibly happened to him? Wolves just don't die like that, not especially a powerful one like him!

I heard Lachlan let out a sigh. "I'm sorry Luna, but I don't have an answer to that. Alpha Zephyr's death is a rude shock to us all, one we hadn't expected to hear at all, not now, and I don't even think later. There were no signs of struggle, no indication of foul play, from what I heard he just......passed in his sleep,"

"How is that even possible?!" I asked, my voice cracking with grief and disbelief. I hadn't been aware that tears were steaming down my face until I felt them tracing cold oaths down my cheeks. To lose Zephyr so suddenly....it felt so wrong and unfair.

"That's not even the worse news," 

I raised my head up. "What do you mean?"

"Eryk will take over as the next Alpha of the Moonwhite Pack."

I gasped, my eyes widening in horror. No-