‘Athena, it’s been two hours, and he still hasn’t called back. We need to get into his office and see if there is anything in there we can use,’ Enyo nags me.

‘I’ve left him voicemails. He’ll call back soon. He always does.’

‘Athena, get the hint. He is not calling you back. So, let’s go around to the back door of his office and see if we can get in.’

I cave and get out of the truck and go around to the back of the building. I find the back door to Derek’s office and try the door handle.

‘It’s locked, just like the main door. What now?’ I ask Enyo.

‘Do I really need to answer that? Break it down!’

I take a step back and kick the door in, and I walk into Derek’s office, but stop immediately. The whole place is empty, besides Derek’s desk, a coffee table and filing cabinet.

“What the fuck?” I say, surprised. I take a few more steps into the room to look around. Every drawer of the filing cabinet in the corner is completely open, and there are random pieces of paper spilled on the floor. The coffee table has been pushed over, and the plant that was sitting on top of it has been shattered on the ground.

‘The bastard has taken off!’ Enyo yells.

‘We don’t know that, Enyo. It looks like there’s been a struggle.’

‘Or he knew we’d be coming for his ass, and he’s cleared out!’

I bend over and pick up one of the pieces of paper and I read it aloud.

“Nicholas Teresi.

Male, 28 years old.

Member of the Red-River pack.

Current Status—Alive.”

The rest of the writing is covered in thick black lines. “It’s mostly redacted. Why would Derek have files that are redacted?” I think out loud.

I look around at the other bits of paper.

‘Athena, your name is at the top of that one,’ Enyo says, and I bend down and pick it up.

“Athena Argos.

Female, 17, almost 18 years old.

Member of the Blood-Moon pack.

Current Status–Alive.”

‘Do you think this has to do with whatever operation the hunter was talking about?’ Enyo asks.

‘It’s probably just because I’m a client.’

‘Then why is it redacted? And why does it have that you’re alive?’ Enyo asks.

I walk over to another piece of paper and pick it up.

“Leo Watkins.

Male, 15 years old.

Member of the Moonstone pack.

Current Status - Deceased.”

“The rest of the page is redacted as well,” I say, frustrated. I take a moment to think, then ask Enyo, “Isn’t the Moonstone pack down south in the desert, like Red-River?”

‘Yeah, it is. So why in the hell does he have information about packs from there? I thought Derek was from here?’

‘Well, Uncle Alex is the one that told me to use Derek. So maybe he knows something.’

I get my phone out of my pocket and call Uncle Alex, my father’s best friend, who is acting as Gamma in my absence.

“Hey, Athena! Happy Birthday!” Uncle Alex says when he answers.

“Hey, Uncle Alex. Thanks.” I respond. “I have a quick question for you. Do you know anyone from the Moonstone or Red-River pack?”

The line is silent for a moment before I hear him clear his throat. “I know the Alpha of the Moonstone pack…”

I wait for him to continue, but he doesn’t. “And?” I ask.

“This isn’t a subject we should talk about over the phone. Where are you?”

“I’m at Derek’s office, which is another reason I rang.”

“Meet me at your motel room. I can be there in twenty minutes.”

“Is that necessary? Why can’t you just tell me?”

“Please, Athena…”

“Okay, I’ll see you in twenty minutes,” I say, and the line goes dead.

‘Is he getting senile? What the hell was that about?’ Enyo says.

“I guess we’re about to find out,” I say as I go around the room and pick up the rest of the papers on the floor.

I get up from sitting on the bed when there’s a knock on the door. I open it slowly and see Uncle Alex, so I open the door further to let him in. He rushes past me and tells me to lock the door.

“What’s this all about, Uncle Alex?”

“Why are you asking about the Moonstone pack?” He asks, agitated.

“Well, first I need to tell you about what happened today,” I say, motioning for him to sit at the small, round dining table. “Derek called me this morning and told me he had a lead. He said that he had found an old hunter living close by who might know why we were attacked. So, I went to see him…”

“YOU WHAT?! You went and saw a hunter ALONE?” He shouts.

“If you can’t keep your temper under control, then I’m not going to tell you…” I say, crossing my arms.

Uncle Alex takes a deep breath and tries to calm down, motioning for me to continue.

“He told me he was ‘part of one of the greatest operations to occur in over a century’.”

“What the hell does that mean? What operation?”

“I don’t know. But he knew about me, and about Daddy. He said that they studied us for nearly three years before the attack.”

“Who’s they?” He asks, his face turning red in anger. “And why were they watching us for so long?”

“He said that they needed to make sure they were ready. But he said that it was a pack made up of rogues,” I explain.

“What? That’s impossible. First, rogues don’t form packs. They refuse to follow anyone but themselves,” he says adamantly. “That’s why they’re rogues.”

“I know, but…”

“And second, we would have been able to smell if they were rogues,” he says, cutting me off.

“I don’t know why we couldn’t smell they were rogues. But if it’s true, it gets worse. He told me it was a mix of both lycans and werewolves.”

“There’s no way, Athena.” Uncle Alex interrupts me again. “We might have peace, but there’s no way werewolf, and lycan rogues would work together. Not to mention the fact that werewolves can’t turn if it isn’t a full moon, and it was the middle of the day. No, it was lycans that attacked us.”

“Maybe the werewolves weren’t involved in the attack on our pack. But, if werewolves and lycans are working together, someone went to a lot of trouble to get them to trust each other. But that’s not even the worst part, Uncle Alex. The hunter also told me that the pack was working alongside hunters as well… He told me he was there that day.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Uncle Alex asks, perplexed, then shakes his head. “This hunter has fed you lies, Athena. There’s absolutely no way. How can you possibly believe anything he said?”

“Think about it, Uncle Alex. Daddy wasn’t the only one shot that day. So, it makes sense that hunters were involved somehow.”

“This is crazy, Athena. Even if it is true, why would they work together?”

“The hunter spoke of a threat that was too great for them to ignore.”

“What threat?”

“I don’t know. But he said that everything was set up by a third party and that we should ask Derek about it.”

“Derek? What would Derek know about any of this? He’s human.”

“I don’t know, but Enyo thinks he sent us into a trap today. And now it looks like he’s missing.”

“Missing? are you sure?”

“That’s what it looks like. His office is a mess, and all his files are gone, except for a few that were probably dropped,” I explain, getting up from the table and getting the papers off the bed to show him.

“This is why you asked about the Moonstone pack?” He asks, looking over the information I found.

“Yes. What can you tell me about them?”

He sighs and stands from the table and starts pacing the room slowly. “Around five years ago, there were five packs attacked all around the same time down south. Moonstone was one of the last before the attacks stopped.”

“Were the attacks connected?”

“We thought it was a pack in the area trying to start a war. A few northern packs went down there to intervene after the Rock River pack was slaughtered, and there were no survivors. But by the time they got down there, whoever was behind the attacks had disappeared. They couldn’t find them, and we never found out who was responsible,” he sighs and sits back down.

“So, it is possible that what the hunter said is true. And these attacks could even be connected to the attack on us.”

“I guess so, but none of it makes sense, Athena. Why wait three years between attacks? Even if they thought they weren’t ready to take us on, they could have attacked us at any time. And again, why would Derek be involved? He knows about us, but he’s never been involved in anything to do with the packs, except for when we’ve asked him to do work for us involving humans,” he states.

“I don’t know. But right now, I don’t know where he is, and the only leads I have are these other packs.”

“You’re not thinking about going down there…”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking. Derek had these files for a reason, Uncle Alex. So, they must be important.”

“This seems like it’s getting dangerous, Athena. Maybe I should send some warriors with you for protection.”

“I need to do this alone, Uncle. I appreciate the support, though,” I smile at him, placing my hand on his forearm.

He sighs and places his hand on mine. “Please be careful, Athena,” he says and stands from the table. “Your father was my best friend, and I’ve always thought of you as my daughter, too. If anything was to happen to you…” he trails off.

“I promise that if I get into any trouble, I will call you. But nothing is going to happen to me,” I tell him and give him a big hug.

He returns the hug and then pulls back, his hands on my shoulder as he looks down at me. “I’m proud of you, Athena,” he says with a smile.

“Thanks, Uncle Alex,” I say, returning his smile.

He walks to the door, about to leave, when he turns and asks, “by the way, what happened with the hunter?”

“What do you mean?” I ask nervously.

“I mean, how did you get out of there alive?” He asks, looking at me curiously.

My face pales, and I wring my hands nervously, “I can’t tell you,” I whisper.

“Athena, you can tell me anything,” he says, concern now filling his voice.

“Not this. I need to protect you.”

He sighs and nods. “I see. I just have two questions. Was it you or Enyo?”

“Enyo,” I say, not able to look him in the eye.

“Will it pass as an animal attack?”

I nod, “I think so.”

“Give me the address. I’ll get some warriors to go out and make sure.” I nod and write the address for him on a piece of paper.

I then go to my backpack and unzip it. “You should probably take this too. He stabbed me with it,” I say, taking out the blade still wrapped in the towel and hand it to him.

He takes the towel and gives me another hug and says, “delete anything and everything regarding the hunter. I’ll make sure this is taken care of.” He then kisses my temple and leaves.

I close the door behind him and sit back on the bed and start massaging my temples, trying to stop a headache forming from all the day’s emotions.

‘So… Road trip?’ Enyo asks.

‘I think it’s our best bet. We need to find out why Derek had this information, and if the attacks on these other packs are connected to ours.’

‘Okay, let’s do it.’

Unknown P.O.V

“The hunter failed. He’s dead. But the she-wolf has taken the bait in Derek’s office. She took all the papers I left behind.”

“Keep following her. I want to know every move she makes. If she gets too close, take her out.”

“Yes, sir.”