By the time she woke up, the night had faded away into the soft hues of morning light.
The throbbing pain in her side served as a cruel reminder of the chaos that had unfolded. Wounded but alive, she summoned every ounce of strength and determination to make her way back home. She pushed herself up, using the tree as assistance.
Her steps were slow and unsteady, a testament to the toll the night had taken on her body. As she stumbled through the familiar paths, their questions hung in the air, but she couldn't find the words to answer them.
She had witnessed something beyond their comprehension, something that words couldn't adequately describe. Instead, she remained silent, her eyes glazed with a mix of fear and bewilderment.
Reaching the secret passage at the back of the pack house, she pushed open the creaking wooden door covering it and entered the sanctuary of the pack.
She hid herself back into her room. Immediately, she got inside; she sank herself deep inside the bathtub, her mind still reeling from the events that had unfolded.
Images flashed before her eyes—the snarling beasts, the fierce battle, and the enigmatic Alpha. She struggled to make sense of it all, to grasp the enormity of what had transpired.
Just as she began to gather her thoughts, a knock echoed through the quiet room. Startled, she jumped to her feet, wore her bathrobe, and hurriedly opened the door. A maid stood on her threshold, breathless and wide-eyed, her face etched with a mixture of urgency and sorrow.
"Alpha Alex and his men," she breathed heavily, "They're all dead. The battle took its toll, but the Alpha's body is still missing."
The words hit Mia like a physical blow, stealing the air from her lungs. The gravity of the situation consumed her.
A surge of determination overcame her. She couldn't afford to wallow in confusion and despair. She had to act. Without a moment's hesitation, she sprinted through the hallway of the pack house, her wounds forgotten in the face of the looming threat. Her destination was clear—the elders' chamber.
As she burst through the chamber doors, her eyes darted around, seeking the familiar faces of the council members. But to her surprise, it was Hendrix—he was the one that brought the message, the same person she had seen bowing to Alex in the forest. His eyes met hers, revealing a mixture of sorrow and resolution, but deep down, they both knew what happened, and Hendrix wasn't saying the truth.
"Where is the Alpha?" She demanded, her voice trembling with urgency. All eyes turned to a figure standing among the council members, a figure she had known to always stand behind Alpha Alex—Hendrix.
His weathered face bore a mix of sorrow and determination as he stepped forward to address what happened.
"The Alpha's body remains missing," he admitted, his voice tinged with regret. "I've searched tirelessly, but it has eluded thus far."
Her heart sank at the confirmation of her worst fears.
The full moon was close; Alex has been overtaken by the demon, but she couldn't say this to anyone. Shrouded in mystery and darkness, a sense of foreboding settled over her as she realized that the battle was far from over.
Hendrix locked eyes with her, a silent threat passing through his gaze. A chill ran through Mia's spine, and the elders mistook it that she couldn't handle the news that just came in. They called in Mia's chambermaid and asked her to take Mia back to her room, assuring that she would be called when everything had been settled.
Mia, knowing fully well what happened, blood drained out of her face, and she instantly looked pale and weak.
"What if Alex never comes back to me? What if he's killed by the demon?" Too many thoughts ran through her mind.
That instant, she tried fighting the elders' decision to take her back to her room.
"I'm not going back; I want to hear what really happened to my husband!" Mia shouted with tears stinging her eyelids. "If my husband, your Alpha, and the rest of his men are dead, where were you when these took place?" Her questions were directed to Hendrix.
Hendrix bowed his head down so everyone could show some emotions and pity towards him.
Mia made her way towards him to look him in the eyes to question him, but immediately Heartman walked in. He signaled a guard to take Mia back to her room.
Heartman walked close to Mia and told her to stay calm that he'd handle everything. Mia looked sad but respected Heartman's order; Alex was first his son before he became her husband.
Heartman walked back to where Hendrix was standing and repeated the same question Mia asked. "If your Alpha and the other men are dead, how come you're the only one alive?" Heartman asked. Standing up to face Hendrix, Heartman questioned again, "Aren't you supposed to protect your Alpha with your life? Or isn't that the oath you took? So, explain this council what happened to the Alpha and the other men?"
Hendrix, who had predicted this, came prepared and showed his arms full of claw marks and removed his shirt to show them his back, full of injury.
He knelt down before everyone with a somber look. "I fought with my strength, I defended every single warrior till my Alpha came. I was weak and overcrowded by these unknown rouges."
"He helped me but was also outnumbered by them."
"One of the rouges hit me hard, and I collapsed, Alpha Heartman. I didn't know what happened there onwards. I woke up to meet my brothers lying lifeless on the ground this morning," Hendrix explained. Heartman and the elder council saw the marks on Hendrix's body and believed all what he had said.
Heartman stood up and walked out of the elders' council and so did everyone of the elders.