Chapter 5 ALPHA RYKER

RYKER

My only crime was chivalry. I stared at the large brown stain on my shirt, disliking the feel of the sticky liquid that had clung to my skin.

I was just having a good day, and that woman of hair decided to ruin it. How could she be so careless, running around as though she was being chased? What If no one was there to prevent her fall?

She was clumsy, yet really fragile. And if I am being honest, a bit weird.There was something about her though. Her eyes reminded me of emeralds. She was fair, a little too plain, but there was something about her I can't really place a finger on. She seemed jumpy, a total nervous wreck. What made her so scared?

"Calum?" I called on my driver for the day. He was one of the Deltas from Caden's special team. Caden made sure I went out with members of his team if he wasn't with me. Not that he has ever left my side, not after that one crazy incident.

"Yes, Alpha" Calum met my eyes through the rearview mirror.

"The girl from earlier" I began, watching his expression. He simply nodded, his facial fashion neutral as it was trained to be.

"Yes, Alpha?" He egged me on.

"Do you by any chance know who she might be?" I kept the curiosity out of my tone, I made sure the question rolled of my tongue as casual as possible.

His eyebrows joined in thought "Not really." He replied after a little memory search. "I am sorry, but I didn't really pay her much mind. However, I am certain she's not a familiar face." He added calmly, as though he needed to emphasize she wasn't anyone of importance.

I knew she wasn't, it wasn't hard to find she-wolves of high rank.

"I see" I eyed him doubtfully, he nodded.

"Not at the pubs?" I asked again, hoping it might jug his memory, help him remember an encounter, he frequented the pubs too often. Not that I was judging, but leave it to Calum to identify all the she-wolves in Crescent moon.

"No, Alpha" He rebutted, breaking his stare. "An Auburn haired girl is a tough find and quite hard to miss. It's safe to say she's the first I've seen in Crescent moon"

"So you did pay her mind" I gave him a knowing look. He chuckled softly.

"That's the first thing anyone would notice. It's distinct."

I agree.

So she wasn't a local? Where then did she come from? A tourist maybe? Or she might have come for the festival. But, why was she so apprehensive? Did she need help? Was she in any sort of trouble? What was it about her that had me concerned?

Why do I even bother about her?

"Do you want me to find her?" Calum offered after a little silence, interrupting the barrage of questions that lulled me to unnecessary worry.

"What?"

"Do you want me to find her?"

Did I want to find her? Not exactly. She didn't seem to pose any threat. Just a jumpy and messy woman. What did I need her for?

"No" I laid it to rest. She was simply an orchestra of today's mishap. I didn't want to pursue it any further.

"Okay, Alpha" we continued in silence, until we got to the junction that was torn into three directions, the one by the right led home, to the Manor.

"Where are we going sir?" Calum asked, slowing down.

I contemplated going home, and then running into Olivia, I didn't want that. I wasn't in the mood to see her today, well, not yet. There was no avoiding that woman. Or to continue my walk, grab clean clothes and maybe stop by the new rehabilitation center that was due for commissioning after the ball. Or the barracks? I had to see how much progress the new gamma recruits were making.

After much contemplation, I chose the barracks.

"The Delta's Barracks" I instructed Calum. He nodded, then took a left turn, heading for our Deltas' Barracks. I pulled out my phone from my pants pocket, quickly typing a message to Caden, requesting he brought a set of clean clothes to the Deltas' barracks. Then I rid myself of the soiled white shirt.

A good fifteen minutes drive, and the gigantic building came to view. Few metres from the gate, my mobile phone rang. The device lay beside me on the seat, and from the screen, I could see the caller ID. Caden.

I picked up the phone, and swiped the answer button.

"Yes?"

"We have an problem" His voice swept through the airwaves, deep and solemn. And I just knew something was wrong.

"What is it?"

"They found another body." His voice was calm, yet the dread managed to sip through it. " You have to return immediately" A cold feeling descended upon me at this revelation, chilling and sharp, paralysing me momentarily.

"Ryker?"

"I'll be with you shortly" I managed to say, then hung up. I dropped the phone beside me, feeling the heaviness of the news crash on me. "Turn around" I instructed Calum.

"Alpha?" He queried, his eyes meeting mine through the rearview mirror again.

"We would have to return to the manor immediately" I clarified.

"Yes, Alpha" The car slowed, a few centimetres shy from the large gate that led to the barracks, he backed away from the gate, and in a simple reverse, headed back to where we just came from.

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When we got to the manor, Caden was waiting for me at the front entrance of the house. Calum stopped before the steps so I alighted, before driving to the garage. I took large strides, my stained shirt in my right hand, my phone in my left to where Caden stood waiting.

"Who was it?" I asked him the moment I hit the last step.

"Hanson Farnelli" He replied, pushing the door so I entered. The house was unexpectedly quiet, and empty.

Where was everybody?

"Mother sent most of them away the moment she got the news. The kitchen staff, and just two housekeepers are left" he offered as though he read my thoughts .

Bless Eileen's wit. A rowdy house with the current development was the last thing I needed. I took the stairs that led up to my chambers, naturally, Caden came along.

"Have you informed his family?" I queried on our way.

"Not yet. His wife is pregnant. We can't afford to upset her more."

"And his parents?" I asked, pushing the door of my chambers open. Once in, I went straight to my wardrobe.

"We'll fetch them on your orders" I nodded, picking a black round necked shirt, and pants. I unzipped my pants, then slid into the new pairs.

The thought of breaking the news to Hanson's parents saddened me. I might not know what it felt like, but having a parent bury their child, worst still, a brutally murdered child has to be one of the worst feelings. And his wife. This just has to be the cruelest things ever.

The thought of how he might have died, gnawed at me. A dark cloud rested above me. I felt troubled, and several scenarios kept playing in my head. By Caden's tone, I was certain it was brutal, from the first body, brutality was expected. But, the extent to which this one was taken, kept looming over me.

"How did he die?" I couldn't help it anymore. Caden's expression turned grave, and his eyes darkened.

"It was brutal. The coroner is yet to deliver the actual cause of his death, and the extent of damage that was done. But believe me when I say, he died in an agonising manner. The mutilations...stab wounds...inhuman."

Whoever is responsible for this must pay with their blood.

"How many people know?" I pulled the shirt over my head, fixing the collars.

"I'm not exactly sure. The housekeeper who saw him is still in the employees quarters, she hasn't said a word since, wouldn't budge, just stares in space. I don't know about the others, or how far this news has spread, but before the servants left, they were warned not to say anything."

"And you think they'll listen? It's bad news, people itch to spread them"

"It will not be difficult to find whoever will dare flout the given orders. Few questions, and we'll find him or her"

"Anonymous platforms?"

"We've got enough hackers to track whoever it is," I nodded again. I was struggling to understand why this was happening, after a good twenty years of peacefulness, and to bring it now, at this exact moment when we ought to be celebrating.

"The hunt. Who did you send?" I continued my query.

"Mason and Reid's Team"

Good enough. More than anything, I wanted to catch at least one of those fuckers. I wanted just one of them, one of which I'd carve a message into, and deliver to their leader with my stamp.

"One more thing, Ryker" Caden's voice pierced through the myriad of emotions.

"What is it?"

"I don't think they'd find anything."

"And why would you think that?"

"Immediately we found the body, I sent the hunters. There was nothing for them to focus on, no scent, not even Hanson's. The team will simply sniff for anything unusual. However, I'm sure they won't find anything."

"So what exactly are you trying to say?"

"Last time, we were so sure it was the Darkmoon pack, this time we are left wondering"

"Those Sentinel wolves went missing on the same day, at the same time, and bodies keep showing up, mutilated and burnt. If there's any pack that uses magic to manipulate and confuse, it's the Darkmoon." Caden nodded.

"What then do you intend to do?"

"Wait for the coroner. Adele will take it up from there"

"She got nothing substantial from the previous body. Just torture. We need faces, names, landmarks, tracks, a scent anything something to build on"

"Well, there's torture. That's enough to build on."

Caden made to say something, but a knock interrupted him. We both turned to the door, just in time to see Calum.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Alpha. But, the Elders just arrived."

"I thought no one was permitted to breathe a word of this yet?" I directed my question to Caden.

"Apparently, someone told Elder Amar, the others got the news from him." Calum explained.

"I'll be down shortly. Thank you, Calum"

"Alpha" He bowed, walking away.

"Get me the Coroner, and Adele." I walked past him, "Meet me in court". As I strode down the stairs, heading for the Alpha's court, my phone dinged, a message had just come in. I pulled it out, swiping at the message notification. Ten words, and my blood ran cold.

"Three more left. How would you like to see them again?"