Chapter 6: Bound by Secrets

Aïssata’s POV

“Start talking,” Koffi growled, his massive frame looming over me like a storm cloud ready to burst. The pendant dangled from his fingers, its faint glow casting eerie reflections onto the walls of the packhouse conference room.

I crossed my arms, glaring at him. “It’s my mother’s. That’s all I know. Can I go now?”

His wolf-gold eyes flared briefly, a sign of his rising anger. “Don’t lie to me, Aïssata. This isn’t just some heirloom. Where did you get it?” His voice was a low rumble, barely restrained, vibrating with authority and suspicion.

I met his gaze without flinching, though my heart raced like a wild drum. “She gave it to me before she… disappeared. I don’t know what it is or why it’s glowing.” My voice was firmer than I felt, defiance masking my growing unease.

“You expect me to believe that?” His fingers tightened around the pendant. “This artifact is ancient. It shouldn’t exist anymore. Why do you have it?”

“Maybe you should ask her if you’re so curious,” I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, wait. You can’t. She’s gone.”

The tension in the room thickened. For a brief moment, I thought I saw something flicker in Koffi’s expression—regret, maybe, or something softer—but it was gone in an instant.

“I’m done playing games, Aïssata,” he said, his voice low and deadly. “That pendant could get you killed. Do you understand that? Rogues were after you, not randomly. They knew.”

“And you think I asked for that?” I snapped, stepping closer to him despite the gnawing fear in my chest. “I didn’t choose this, Koffi! I didn’t ask to be dragged into your world or hunted by wolves. I just want to go back to my normal life, but you won’t let me!”

He closed the gap between us, his towering presence suffocating. “Your ‘normal life’ was never normal,” he said softly, yet it carried a sharp edge. “You’re tied to this world whether you like it or not. And if you keep pretending you’re not, you’ll die.”

His words struck a chord of fear deep within me. I hated that he was probably right.

Before I could retort, the shadows in the corner of the room shifted. My breath hitched as Fatoumata emerged, her presence as chilling as it was mesmerizing. Her dark robes blended into the dim lighting, and her piercing gaze cut through the tension between Koffi and me.

“Enough,” she said, her voice both a whisper and a command. “The girl doesn’t know… yet.”

Koffi stiffened, his eyes narrowing. “You again. I thought I told you to stay out of my business.”

Fatoumata tilted her head, an amused smirk curling her lips. “Oh, Alpha, you’re so naïve to think this is about you. It never was.”

“Then why are you here?” he demanded.

“To warn you,” she replied, her gaze flicking to me. “You’ve felt it, haven’t you? The connection between you two. It’s stronger than either of you realize. If she dies…” Her eyes locked with Koffi’s. “...so will you.”

“What?” I blurted out, my stomach twisting in knots. “What does that mean? Why would—?”

“Silence, child,” Fatoumata cut me off, her tone sharp. “The answers will come in time. But for now, heed my words. Protect the girl, Koffi. Not just for her sake, but for your own.”

Koffi growled, stepping closer to the witch. “And why should I trust you?”

She chuckled darkly. “You shouldn’t. But you will, because deep down, you already know I’m right.”

With that, she vanished into the shadows as swiftly as she had appeared, leaving a tense silence in her wake.

I barely managed to get through the next few hours. Koffi had gone into a meeting with his Beta, Adama, and I was left alone in the packhouse under the watchful eyes of wolves who clearly didn’t want me there. Their glares bore into me as I sat on a couch in the common area, pretending to read a magazine.

“Why is she still here?” one of them muttered, not even bothering to lower his voice.

“She’s trouble,” another one hissed. “Mark my words, she’s going to ruin everything.”

I clenched my jaw, refusing to let their words get to me. But deep down, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that they were right. What was I doing here? I didn’t belong in their world.

Koffi’s POV

“She’s a liability,” Adama said, pacing back and forth in my office. “The pack is already restless. Bringing a human here? Protecting her? It’s madness.”

“She’s not just a human,” I snapped, slamming my fist on the desk. “You saw the pendant. You know what it means.”

Adama stopped, his expression conflicted. “I saw it, yes. But that doesn’t mean she’s worth risking everything we’ve built. The rogues are emboldened. Souleymane is circling like a vulture. The pack needs stability, not… whatever this is.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Adama was right about one thing: the pack was on edge. But Fatoumata’s warning echoed in my mind. “If she dies, so will you.” I couldn’t ignore it.

“She’s more important than she knows,” I said finally. “And I won’t let her die because of ignorance.”

Adama frowned but said nothing. His silence spoke volumes.

Aïssata’s POV

That night, I barely slept. Fatoumata’s words haunted me, and Koffi’s anger lingered in my mind.

I finally drifted off, only to be plunged into a vivid dream. A pair of glowing gold eyes stared at me from the darkness, their intensity both terrifying and hypnotic. A low growl echoed around me, sending chills down my spine.

I woke with a start, my heart racing. My room was dark, the shadows stretching across the walls. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, when something caught my attention.

Claw marks. Deep and jagged, raked across the wall near the window.

A shiver ran down my spine as I stared at them. They weren’t there before. And I was certain—absolutely certain—I hadn’t left the window open.

The realization hit me like a cold wave: someone, or something, had been in my room.

And they weren’t done with me yet.