Chapter 9 The Scent Of The Unknown

The moon was high in the sky as Killian and Caden prowled the dark streets of the human realm. The witch was near, he could feel it in his bones, and tonight, he was determined to end it.

The air felt thick with dark magic as they tracked her, the scent heavy in their nostrils.

Killian's wolf stirred as a sharp crackling sound filled the air. His bones began to ache, and with a growl, he felt the shift coming. He wasn't human anymore. He could feel his body rearranging itself, muscles expanding, claws sprouting. Beside him, Caden went through the same transformation. In moments, they were both in their wolf forms, massive creatures of power and rage.

"She's close," Killian growled, his voice rough in his wolf's throat.

The stench of dark magic hit him first, followed by the unmistakable scent of something different, someone different. A human, but one with an unfamiliar smell-strong and mixed with something else. Killian couldn't make sense of it. The scent was all around them, a trail that led them toward the alley where the witch had hidden herself.

"Who is that?" Caden asked, through mind-link, his eyes narrowing.

"I don't know," Killian muttered. His senses were stretched thin, torn between the witch's magic and the other presence. The more he tried to focus on the mysterious scent, the more distracted he became. He had no time to figure it out now. The witch had to be dealt with first.

Then he heard her. The witch's voice, sharp and taunting, cut through the air. "Enough with the chit-chat. I've received my praises tonight. It's time to make the kill."

Killian's hackles raised. He could feel the tension in the air as they emerged from the shadows, their eyes landing on the witch. Her malevolent form stood just ahead, but there was something else-someone else-there too. She was standing behind the witch, trembling, her eyes wide with fear. The scent of the woman was laced with confusion, but also an undeniable mix of fear and something else that tugged at Killian's instincts.

"Ramona," the witch whispered, her voice dripping with malicious glee.

Killian's eyes snapped to the woman. Who the hell was she? the terror in her gaze was could tell, that she could pee herself in that moment. She was looking at them, not really. She was looking past them, as Fear made her skin pale and she backed away.

The witch's voice sliced through the air again, cold and cruel. "They are not here for you."

Ramona didn't hesitate. The second the witch spoke, she turned on her heels and ran. Killian's instincts screamed to chase her, to claim her, but he shoved the feeling aside. There was still a witch to deal with.

"Let her go," Killian growled to Caden, his focus already back on the task at hand. "We kill the witch first."

They didn't need words to communicate. Killian lunged at the witch, his fangs bared, claws slashing through the air. Caden was a blur of fury beside him. Magic and fangs collided as the witch fought back with all her dark power, but it wasn't enough. She was no match for the combined strength of two Lycans. Finally, with a roar, Killian sank his fangs into the witch's throat, silencing her forever.

As her body crumpled to the ground, Killian shifted back into his human form, his body aching from the fight. Caden followed suit, standing beside him, panting but ready. And both of them naked as the day they were born

Killian wiped the blood from his lips, a smirk crossing his face as he turned to Caden. "Stupid witches. If the stupid witches had stayed, this one wouldn't be dead."

Caden chuckled. "Yeah, that's why they're stupid."

But Killian's smirk faded quickly as his mind went back to the woman. The woman he couldn't forget. The one whose scent still lingered in the air. "Did you see her?" Killian's voice was suddenly hard, demanding.

Caden gave a sharp nod, his eyes scanning the alleyway. "Yeah. She's around here somewhere."

"She can't be alive," Killian muttered, the words tasting like acid in his mouth. He couldn't-wouldn't-allow someone to know their world existed. "She can't know our world exists. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Alpha," Caden responded, though his own confusion was clear.

But deep down, Killian didn't want to kill her, and that was quite an odd feeling for him. He didn't want to hurt her. It was strange, because all he knew was how to take, how to destroy. He was a ruthless Alpha, a mafia king. But there was something about her that made him hesitate. He couldn't explain it.

They searched the area for thirty minutes, then an hour , but her scent had vanished, as if she had never been there. Killian's frustration mounted. He had the nose of a predator, but he couldn't track her. Her scent was masked, hidden beneath layers of confusion and magic.

"Why can't I find her?" Killian growled, pacing back and forth.

Caden shook his head, his own frustration clear. "I don't know, Alpha. Something's off."

"Clear this place up. Make sure the witch's body is taken back home. It's a lot for one human to have noticed what happened." He said, earning a now from Caden. "And get the fairies to do their thing." He said, entering his car and leaving the scene.

He retired back to the penthouse, his mind still on the woman. She had vanished, but Killian knew he couldn't let it go. His gut told him something big was coming, and he needed to find her.