Chapter 38: Thirty Seven

*Your enemy hides in plain sight*

Those words had been running around in Eva's mind since Bethan uttered them. She had heard words very similar to these a few months before from someone close.

Eva hadn't spoken to Eshe since they had both left Silver Moon but she had heard that the former Alpha had reunited with her family and was enjoying retirement. Eva missed her and thought of her often with fondness but this time it was Eshe's last words to her that now preoccupied the she-wolf's thoughts.

She had struggled to sleep even after she and Daniel had made love in the shower. The intimacy with Daniel had thankfully distracted her for a few hours but her thoughts had eventually turned back to the warning.

Come dawn she was exhausted but sleep wouldn't come even if she could entertain it so Eva had forced herself to dress and head to breakfast with Daniel. The mood within the pack had started to lighten even if everyone was cautious and aware that restrictions had been put in place. There was a desire to relax a little and follow old habits as if the past events had never happened but Eva just couldn’t shake the gnawing in her gut warning her there was more to this than what they had already witnessed. The problem was, there was no pattern or obvious message as to who was behind this and why they had suddenly decided to attack the pack.

“Hey kiddo,” Kade chortled as he sat opposite Eva at the table, steel grey eyes flashing cheekily as he grinned crookedly. “All set for our patrol today?”

“You’re patrolling?” Eva narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “With me? I thought I was with Joe today.”

“Leah has gone into labour.” Daniel glanced at his sister as she waddled in with a rather stressed Joe behind her. “Shouldn’t you be in the infirmary?”

“This isn’t my first rodeo.” Leah grumbled as she sat down and began piling her plate with food. “I am making sure I get my fill here and the rest of my little demons to their nan’s before this little monster is allowed out.”

“Stop calling them demons and also I can take them to mum’s.” Joe sighed, black eyes giving away every bit of stress he was feeling.

“After the last time? No way.” Leah shook her head.

“So I’m stuck with Kade as my patrol buddy?” Eva raised an eyebrow.

“You say it like it’s a bad thing, princess.” Kade smirked from behind his coffee mug.

“I’d feel more comfortable if either Joe or Kade patrolled with you.” Daniel cut in, ever the voice of reason. “I don’t trust anyone else to protect you and also Kade hasn’t patrolled in a while.”

Eva was too tired to grumble or argue. She had nothing against Kade except that he had a habit of not taking things that seriously and disappearing at inappropriate times. However, Eva didn’t think she needed protecting. She was capable of patrolling and holding her own without a high ranking male wolf there to defend her. She wasn’t fragile like some lunas were known to be. Pretty clothes and being coddled was not her style.

Talk of the new arrival brought a welcome distraction for Eva. Her head was starting to throb as she tried to make sense of what she had been told. She hadn’t doubted Eshe’s words; however, Bethan practically repeating them made Eva all the more paranoid. It didn't take a genius to work out that it was someone close to the pack that was behind all of this, Eva just couldn't work out who.

Before Eva and Kade took off on patrol, they joined Daniel and his circle of high ranking wolves to witness the bodies of the fallen Emerald Pack members be carefully moved to a transport that had pulled in. Ethan and Bethan were there as well but stood away from the group. Bethan had trembled the whole time, her tears glistening in the morning light while Ethan remained stoic, eyes never leaving the procession nor giving anything away. Eva knew loss but couldn't imagine it as a beta or alpha seeing their pack members killed and helpless to stop it. Every pack member took the death of one of their own heavily. After all, the pack was family even if they didn't share blood.

As the truck carrying the five coffins began the journey back to the Emerald pack, Eva couldn't help but watch as Bethan pulled away from Ethan, her eyes hard with anger as her brother was speaking to her. They were too far away and too quiet for Eva to pick up what was being said but Bethan's distress radiated from her with surprising intensity. Whatever Ethan had said had clearly upset the young girl because she quickly stormed away, ignoring Eva as they passed each other.

"Everything okay?" Eva asked as she approached Ethan, his eyes a maelstrom of emotions as he watched his sister.

"She's upset and wants to go home." Ethan sighed, running a hand through his already messed up hair.

"She's been through a lot." Eva reasoned ruefully. "She will calm down."

"Hm." Ethan shrugged dismissively. "I hear you're patrolling today."

"Yup. Kade and I are going to do our part." Eva smiled. "Hopefully he doesn't get us into any trouble."

"I'm sure you'll be fine." Ethan chuckled. "I guess I will see you at dinner. Stay safe."

Parting ways with Ethan, Eva made her way towards Kade who was slumped on a garden lounger fiddling with his phone. The beta looked about as ready to hit the road as a bored teenager, chestnut hair a mess and eyes glued to the screen of his phone.

"What are you doing?" Eva asked as she stood over the beta.

"Playing angry birds." Kade mumbled, frowning in concentration before huffing in annoyance and shoving his phone into his pocket. "I hate that game."

"Then why were you playing it?" Eva raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Because I was bored waiting for you to quit talking to that pretty boy." Kade sighed as he stood. "He fancies you, you know?"

"Ethan?" Eva couldn't help wrinkle her nose. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Oh I've seen the way he looks at you." Kade smirked, taking a few steps ahead so he could turn and walk backwards. "His eyes are on you every chance he gets."

"Okay, did you suffer brain damage when that pup punched you?" Eva laughed. "Even if he did have a thing for me, which he doesn't, he wouldn't dare disrespect an alpha by making a move on their mate and also I don't care if he does. I'm mated to Daniel."

"True. He's too much of a coward to do anything about it anyway."

"Why have you got it out for Ethan?"

"Because I don't trust him." Kade replied simply. "There is something off about him and I can't put my finger on it."

"Or could it just be you're an asshole who doesn't like anybody?" Eva retorted.

"Not true. I like you and I tolerate Daniel." Kade teased. "Come on, we have a lot of ground to cover."

The sun climbed steadily into the sky to beat down onto the land in all its brilliance. Contrary to when Eva first stepped foot into the land owned by the Hellhounds, the dense woodland and rolling hills covered in fields were now literally blossoming under the eager rays of the sun. However, with it came a warmth that was almost stifling only for it to be snuffed out by the sharp winds coming from the east. It was all very different to the wild and untamed land that Eva had grown up in. The trees were taller and spread their branches like open arms. Leaves the colour of emeralds, jade and malachite fluttered in the wind, overlapping each other in a patchwork of colour and breaking the sunlight up into a kaleidoscope of patterns across the forest floor.

They had been walking for several hours, listening for anything unusual whilst also checking in with others also out on patrol. This far away from the packhouse made it difficult to imagine that anything was ever wrong and it was easy to get lost in the fresh air and peace under the canopy of trees.

Kade and Eva agreed that they would cover the first half of the trek in human form before letting the wolves out. While they could cover more ground on four paws, sometimes it was easier to pick up on things in their human guise.

“The next checkpoint is just up there.” Kade pointed ahead. “We’ll check in with the others and then we can shift.”

“Sounds good.” Eva nodded as she trailed along, ears always listening for something amiss while eyes trained on Kade, letting him take the lead.

"Hopefully they brought lunch." Kade sighed. "I am starving."

"Should have eaten breakfast then." Eva teased.

"I was busy." Kade faked innocence.

"Uh-huh."

Luckily the other two wolves patrolling the same area were waiting for them at the clearing. Both males were lounging on either a felled tree or a stump, skin slick with sweat despite their clothes looking clean and fresh.

"Hey guys." Kade spoke up as they stepped into the clearing. "Anything to report?"

The blonde one who was younger than his partner shook his head. He appeared more experienced with patrolling and held the typical confidence of a young male wolf. The older male seemed a little wary although he appeared familiar.

"Same." Eva replied, looking around.

Kade instantly fell into business talk with the blonde male while the older male listened in, offering no more than a nod as input. Eva found herself sticking close by but kept gazing over the clearing. Tuning out the chatter, Eva let herself focus on the sounds of nature or rather the lack of. The forest wasn't particularly busy but the sounds of birds fluttering and singing between the trees had been following them since they first entered. Even the wind had been whistling through the trees on occasion just to remind them of its existence.

Now, there was nothing.

Eva stilled, her body rigid as the hairs on her arms stood up on end. Something wasn't right.

Out of the deafening silence came a soft click like the safety on a gun.

"Get down!" Eva yelled just as a gunshot rang out through the forest and a searing pain ripped through her.