Chapter 5


    “We’re going to have toe clean, sooner rather thanter, Alpha.” I said. “From what I know of the


    young Alpha Tristan, he’s going to want to push her emancipation instead of wait for her birthday.”


    “Barb, you worry too much.” Alpha Bruce chided. “She turns eighteen in a month, and with you


    covering at the orphanage, he has no reason to push for it.”


    Shouldn’t the Luna be involved in this conversation? Hannah is her niece after all.” I demanded,


    breaking protocol by challenging my alpha.


    “We agreed to do whatever it takes to protect her already. Judencia would agree with me on


    this. Leave it alone, Barb.” He growled.


    I sighed. There was no arguing when he used his Alpha tone. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t


    broach the topic with my Luna. I bowed my head and made my way out of the packhouse. Whoever


    had murdered Craig and Jordan was still out there, and it infuriated me that Alpha Bruce couldn’t see


    that keeping Hannah in the dark about her im to the throne was putting her in danger.


    I hade to love her as my own pup in the time I had cared for her at the orphanage. If I had


    had my way, she would have been under the protection of the Silver Moon pack from the start. The


    only thing that had stopped me from pushing the issue was knowing that her parents had been


    surrounded by warriors and still died. Silver Moon was a strong pack but couldn’t hold a candle to the


    wolves Hannah’s parents hadmanded. They had all died when thepound had been attacked.


    Nobody outside of myself, Alpha Bruce, and Luna Judencia knew Hannah was thest blood


    line heir to the throne. We had managed to use what influence the pack had to keep her true parentage


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    out of court documents when we had her ced in my orphanage. Hannah herself waspletely


    unaware that she was a royal. The girl deserved a chance at a normal pack life, without the danger and


    intrigue that came with being royalty.


    I sighed and turned down the road towards thepound. Nobody from Silver Moon pack had


    visited since the police had closed it down for evidence processing. I still didn’t know how they had beat


    us to the scene, but once they were involved our hands were tied. I wasn’t sure what made me want to


    When the iron gates came into view of my headlights, I slowed to a stop. The crime scene tap


    was still up, though beaten by years of weather, and the gate had long rusted shut. I made quick work


    of scaling over it into thepound, before stripping down and shifting. I had suspicions when the


    attack first urred that the police would miss something vital though I could never bring myself to


    enter thepound before. Most of the evidence would be long gone by now, but something urged me


    forward.


    There were no scents to follow, even the humans had avoided the ce for thest ten years.


    The authorities had passed it off as a wild pack of wolves, thanks in part to the few who had died in


    their wolf form. Those who didn’t believe the official story were convinced it was some religious murder


    cult, either way they avoided the area. I forced back the images of the murdered wolves from my mind


    and made my way to Hannah’s childhood home.


    The house hadn’t held up well without maintenance, the door was warped and barely set on the


    hinges. I carefully made my way inside, not sure what I was looking for. Aside from the damage of


    unchecked time, the ce looked as it had when Craig and Jordan moved in. The family photos were


    still along the walls, dinner tes were left on the coffee table where their meal was interrupted by the


    attack. If nothing else, I could gather some photos to give to Hannah, she would appreciate them.


    If I were a clue, where would I be? I thought to myself before making my way to the master


    bedroom. I shifted back to human form the moment I saw the room. Unlike the others, it was trashed.


    Someone had torn through it as if they were looking for something. I could tell by theck of scent that


    it hadn’t been ransacked recently, I only hoped it had been curious kids looking for something to steal


    and not whoever had killed them.


    Footsteps caught my attention, and I lifted my nose in the air to catch the scent. I’m imagining


    things. I scolded myself. There wasn’t any detectible scent which meant that I was alone. I gingerly


    made my way deeper into the room, scanning for anything that stood out in the mess. My eyesnded


    on a torn piece of cloth; it was caught on the edge of an open drawer. It looked remarkably simr to


    the material the royal guard’s uniforms were made from. It was the same type and color. Something


    was definitely off about it being in this room.


    The sound of footsteps reached my ears again and I crouched down. I still couldn’t smell


    anything, but every sense in my body was screaming that I was not alone. I shifted quickly into my wolf


    form and hid myself beside the bed as best I could. I had barely concealed myself when a man dressed


    like the royal guard entered the room. I froze, praying to the goddess he wouldn’t see me.


    “Owen.” Called a woman’s voice. “We’ve already checked that room. There was nothing that


    would lead us to the girl.”


    I couldn’t control the growl that escaped me, the drive for self-preservation was overruled by the


    need to protect my pup. I lunged at the man, knocking him over, and raced out of the house. A quick


    nce over my shoulder as I pushed myself towards the gate revealed a tall, blond woman, watching


    me. Whoever she was knew about Hannah and she was looking for her. I needed to get back to the


    pack house and warn Alpha Bruce.