Chapter 164 The Puppet Virus
Fernando stood beside the large wooden table while his hands rested against its surface. The room carried a quiet tension as several candles flickered along the walls and filled the space with a dim glow. Lucia stood across from him while Rowan leaned slightly against the far side of the table with his arms folded. Gilat remained near the window where he could see the courtyard outside.
The air inside the room felt heavy with worry.
Fernando looked down at the rough map spread across the table before him. Several locations had been marked with charcoal lines and circles as they tried to guess where Maleek might be hiding Alberto.
Lucia pointed toward one of the darker markings.
“If Maleek truly has Alberto then he will not keep him somewhere obvious,” she said while her finger traced the edge of the map slowly. “He will choose a place where no one expects him to hide.”
Fernando lifted his gaze toward her.
“And where would that be?”
Lucia inhaled slowly while thinking.
“A location far from the pack’s territory but still close enough for him to move his forces easily.”
Rowan straightened slightly as he studied the same map.
“There are several abandoned outposts scattered through the eastern forest,” he said while tapping one section lightly with his finger. “Maleek might use one of those.”
Fernando frowned while looking at the spot Rowan had indicated.
“That area borders the old war routes.”
Rowan nodded once.
“Exactly.”
Lucia crossed her arms.
“That would give him several escape paths if anyone tried to attack.”
Gilat stepped closer to the table while his eyes examined the markings carefully.
“For a man like Maleek, escape routes are always necessary,” he said quietly.
Fernando turned slightly toward him.
“Have you encountered him before?”
Gilat nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
Fernando waited for him to continue.
Gilat kept his eyes on the map as he spoke.
“Maleek is not the kind of enemy who acts without planning several steps ahead.”
Rowan glanced toward him.
“Which means he already anticipated that we would search for Alberto.”
Lucia exhaled softly.
“Then we must move faster than he expects.”
Fernando rubbed his chin while thinking.
“If Alberto is being used for something then Maleek will not kill him immediately.”
Gilat’s expression darkened slightly.
“That depends on what he wants from the boy.”
Fernando looked at him.
“You believe Maleek intends to use Alberto’s blood?”
Gilat lifted his head slowly.
“It would not surprise me.”
Rowan nodded.
“Maleek has always been obsessed with power.”
Lucia’s voice carried a firm tone.
“Then we cannot waste any more time discussing possibilities.”
Fernando straightened his back.
“I agree.”
He looked at Rowan.
“Can you track Maleek’s movements through the forest?”
Rowan considered the question carefully.
“It will not be easy,” he admitted.
Fernando raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
Rowan rested his hands on the table while leaning forward slightly.
“Maleek’s men know how to erase their tracks.”
Lucia spoke again.
“Even the smallest trace could lead us closer.”
Rowan nodded.
“That is true.”
Gilat watched them quietly for a moment before speaking.
“If Maleek truly has Alberto then he will not keep him in a crowded camp.”
Fernando looked toward him.
“You believe he hides him somewhere isolated?”
Gilat nodded once.
“Yes.”
Lucia’s eyes moved between them.
“Then we should divide our search.”
Fernando opened his mouth to respond but the sudden sound of hurried footsteps interrupted the conversation.
The door burst open.
A guard rushed inside while breathing heavily.
Fernando turned sharply toward him.
“What is it?”
The guard struggled to steady his breath.
“Alpha,” he said quickly.
Fernando stepped closer.
“What happened?”
The guard looked from Fernando to Rowan and then to Lucia before speaking again.
“There is someone at the border.”
Fernando frowned slightly.
“Who?”
The guard hesitated for a moment before answering.
“It is your beta.”
Fernando stiffened immediately.
“Darius?”
The guard nodded.
Fernando stepped forward quickly.
“What about him?”
The guard swallowed before speaking.
“He was spotted near the border.”
Lucia’s eyes widened slightly.
“Where exactly?”
The guard answered.
“He collapsed near the southern watch point.”
Fernando’s voice grew tense.
“How bad is he?”
The guard shook his head slowly.
“He looked barely lifeless when we found him.”
The words caused the room to fall silent for a moment.
Gilat glanced toward Rowan.
“Who is Darius?”
Rowan answered calmly.
“He is Fernando’s beta.”
Gilat listened carefully.
Rowan continued.
“He is also the son of Dreg.”
Gilat nodded slowly after hearing the name.
“I remember Dreg.”
Fernando had already begun moving toward the door.
“We need to see him.”
Lucia followed immediately.
Rowan stepped away from the table while Gilat moved behind them as they all hurried out of the room.
Their footsteps echoed through the corridor as they moved quickly toward the courtyard.
Fernando’s thoughts raced as they walked.
Darius had left earlier to escort Alberto.
Now Alberto was missing and Darius had returned barely alive.
The connection between those events made his chest tighten with worry.
They stepped outside into the cool night air.
Several guards had already gathered near the gate where torches illuminated the area with flickering light.
Fernando pushed through them without slowing.
“Move aside.”
The guards stepped away immediately.
Darius lay on the ground near the entrance.
His clothes looked torn and stained while his body remained completely still.
Mira knelt beside him while one hand rested gently against his neck as she checked his pulse.
Fernando approached quickly.
“How is he?”
Mira did not look up immediately.
She kept her fingers pressed against Darius’s throat while concentrating.
Fernando crouched beside her.
“How did you get here so quickly?”
Before Mira could answer, one of the guards standing nearby spoke up.
“I informed her first.”
Fernando glanced toward him.
“Why?”
The guard shifted slightly.
“I saw the beta’s condition and knew he needed help immediately.”
Mira finally looked up at Fernando.
“He was right to call me.”
Fernando studied Darius carefully.
His face looked pale under the torchlight and his breathing sounded uneven.
Lucia stepped closer.
“Can you tell what happened to him?”
Mira gently lifted Darius’s arm while examining several small marks on his skin.
Her expression changed slightly as she studied them.
Gilat moved closer while watching carefully.
“What is it?”
Mira released Darius’s arm slowly before standing up.
“He seems poisoned.”
Fernando’s eyes narrowed.
“Poisoned?”
Mira nodded.
“Yes.”
Lucia frowned.
“What kind of poison?”
Mira glanced down at Darius again.
“If I am not mistaken he has been injected with the puppet viral.”
Fernando felt a chill move through him.
“The puppet virus?”
Mira nodded again.
“And something else.”
Rowan stepped forward slightly.
“What else?”
Mira looked at him calmly.
“Wolf weakening liquids.”
Fernando’s jaw tightened.
“Both?”
Mira nodded once more.
“Yes.”
Lucia crossed her arms while looking down at Darius.
“Who would do that to him?”
Rowan answered quietly.
“Maleek.”
Gilat remained silent for a moment before speaking.
“Can he survive?”
Mira knelt down again while checking Darius’s breathing.
“He still has a pulse,” she said carefully.
Fernando watched her movements closely.
“But?”
Mira hesitated slightly before continuing.
“If the poison spreads too far then it will suppress his wolf completely.”
Fernando clenched his fists.
“We cannot allow that to happen.”
Mira looked up at him.
“I will do everything I can to stabilize him.”
Lucia glanced toward the guards standing nearby.
“Bring him inside.”
Two guards stepped forward immediately and carefully lifted Darius from the ground.
Fernando remained beside them as they carried his beta toward the infirmary.
Gilat walked beside Rowan while watching the scene quietly.
“This is not a coincidence,” Gilat said under his breath.
Rowan nodded slightly.
“No.”
Gilat’s eyes followed Darius as he was carried through the gate.
“If Maleek did this then he wanted him to return here alive.”
Rowan looked thoughtful.
“You believe this was intentional?”
Gilat nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
Lucia overheard their words and turned toward them.
“You think this is a message?”
Gilat answered calmly.
“Perhaps.”
Fernando stopped walking briefly and looked back at them.
“Whatever it is, we will learn the truth once he wakes up.”
Mira glanced toward him while continuing to guide the guards.
“That depends on whether he survives the poison.”