Chapter 31 DEAD WARRIORS
/Nelson/
I barely made it three steps to her room before Timi sprinted after me like the castle was on fire. His breathing was chaotic and he clutched his phone like it was the only thing keeping him alive. That alone made my spine straighten because Timi never panics. The guy laughs during rogue attacks. He jokes during war meetings. If he looks scared then something serious is happening.
He grabbed my arm.
"Bro we have a bigger problem."
I stared at him. Honestly I just wanted to breathe fresh air, calm my wolf and maybe find Edlyn later. "Can it wait. I need five minutes before I explode and burn this whole pack house."
"No it cannot." he said quickly. His voice cracked. "All the warriors on duty at the border last night are dead."
I froze. Fully. Completely. Like someone shut down my system.
"What." My voice dropped hard. "How the hell is that possible. I would have felt the bond snap if our warriors died. Why did I feel nothing." Because when a warrior or any member of my pack dies I always get a tug through the pack link. But I felt absolutely nothing. Just silence like life went on normally.
Timi shook his head, eyes wide. "We do not know why you did not sense it. Maybe whoever did this masked the bond or used witch craft but it is bad Nelson. Really bad."
The hallway suddenly felt too small. Too quiet. Because dead warriors with no alert means someone wanted this hidden. Someone powerful. Someone dangerous.
My first thought was obvious. "Was it the witches that attacked them."
Timi swallowed hard. "No. They were murdered by vampires. We found vampire scent everywhere. And bite marks. Deep ones. Like the vampires sucked their blood until they died."
My jaw clenched so hard my teeth almost cracked.
Vampires do not attack wolves. Not openly. Not without reason. We have had a mutual respect deal for centuries even though we hated each other so much. They stay in their territory. We stay in ours. If someone breaks that peace then that means something is very wrong.
"Are you sure." I asked even though I already believed him.
Timi nodded. "Sure. Very sure. There was blood everywhere."
I inhaled slowly. My entire body went cold. "Lets go check it. Now."
Felix and Jasmine followed without needing instructions. We moved fast across the grounds, crossing the courtyard where new warriors trained. They stopped mid swing watching us with confused faces because alpha running usually means someone is dying. They started trailing behind us out of instinct but I snapped.
"Everyone stays here. No one leaves pack grounds without permission. I do not care if your mother is giving birth in the woods. You stay put."
They nodded like obedient puppies. Good.
We headed into the forest path. The smell of pine was thick but underneath it something else lingered. Faint. Metallic. Blood. My wolf Sunny pressed hard against my chest. Pissed. Restless. Ready to tear throats out.
Find the threat.
Find who touched what is ours.
Find who thinks they can play with the supreme alpha.
The closer we got the stronger the smell hit. When we finally reached the border I stopped dead in my tracks. Bodies. Everywhere. Lined on the ground like broken dolls. Their armor was ripped. Throats torn open. Their eyes still wide like they died in fear.
My stomach twisted but I held it together. I am their leader. If I panic everyone else dies with me.
Felix cursed under his breath. "Damn. This is brutal. Who the hell does something like this."
Jasmine covered her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes. "These men had families Nelson. Some were just promoted two days ago."
My heartbeat pounded in my skull. Rage shoved every other emotion aside. I crouched beside the nearest warrior and inspected the neck wound. Clean bite. Deep puncture. No witch residue or spell mark. Feeding bite.
"They drained them dry." I muttered. "Like they were food."
Felix frowned. "Vampires do not hunt wolves. Everyone knows that rule. Why break peace now."
Exactly. That is what terrified me more than the bodies. This was not a random attack. This was a message. A warning. Someone wanted us to know they were here. Someone powerful enough to kill trained guards silently and still mask the pack link so I did not feel their deaths. That is not normal vampire behavior.
Could be rogue vamps. Could be a hidden clan. Could be someone trying to start war. Or worse. Someone inside my territory purposely weakening us.
My mind went straight to no one, I don’t know anyone capable of doing this.
Sunny paced like a caged beast.
We need answers.
We need revenge.
We need war.
Not yet. I told him mentally. First we assess. Then we destroy.
"Check for tracks." I ordered.
Felix sniffed around with two other guards that arrived later. Jasmine checked the ground for spell traces. Timi opened communication lines, alerting high ranking wolves to prepare defenses. Everyone moved quickly, tension thick enough to choke on.
After a few minutes Felix called out. "Got something."
We walked over. He pointed at the forest floor. Thin footprints. Bare. Light. Almost dancer like. Vampire. Fast and silent. Not messy like rogues, this one knew how to kill without alert. Someone trained. Someone elite.
"Only one set." Felix said. "Meaning one vamp killed all these men alone."
One vampire took out thirty warriors. That fact hit me like a punch to the gut. Whoever this is they are a monster. And if they did not attack out of hunger then they attacked with intention.
"They wanted us to know they can get in." Jasmine whispered. "Like they are showing off."
Timi cursed. "Just great. This shit is escalating and elders want you engaged tonight as if this is the right time to talk marriage."
My aura flared again without meaning to. Felix flinched. Jasmine stepped back. I inhaled sharply and forced it down. I need control. I cannot let emotions rule decisions right now.
"We burn the bodies with honor." I said. Voice firm. "No wolves get buried without ceremony."
"We tell the pack." Felix suggested softly.
"Not yet." I shook my head. "Panic will break the system. We wait until I figure out who is behind this."
Jasmine nodded slowly. "So what is the plan."
"We double warriors. Spell seal the borders. No one enters or leaves until further notice. I want all elders summoned. Tonight."
Felix blinked. "You are still meeting them tonight. With this on top."
"Yes. They want to talk engagement. Perfect. I will give them a meeting they will never forget."
My wolf grinned wickedly in my head.
War taste sweet.
Crush them.
Not yet. But soon maybe.
I walked through the bodies one last time. Each corpse fueled my anger like oil on flame. Someone violated my territory. My people. My authority. This is personal now.
I stared into the forest beyond the border. The trees stood tall and silent like they were hiding something. Darkness lingered between the branches. Watching. Waiting.
Vampires do not attack wolves. Not for centuries. So why now.
Why break peace.
Why mask their aura.
Why leave the bodies in the open like trophies.
Unless they wanted me angry.
Unless they wanted war.
Fine.
They got it.
I turned to my beta and gamma. "Prepare for bloodshed. Whoever did this will pay with interest."
Timi nodded. "We will find them."
Felix smirked like he was looking forward to violence. "And when we do I call first punch."
"Noted."
We returned to the pack house with fire in our chests and weight on our shoulders. Everyone could sense something was wrong. Warriors sharpened blades. Omegas whispered in corners. Elders walked like they owned the place. All of this felt like calm before a storm.
A big one.
And I was ready to face it head on. No hesitation. No backing down.
Because if vampires want trouble then trouble just arrived in full armor.
And the supreme alpha is not going down quietly.