Chapter 2

Zachary's POV

The ride back to Palecrown Pack's territory was a blur of exhaustion and rage. I had left the North expecting to witness my brother's wedding, to see Aiden standing at the altar with his bride, forging a new era for our Pack. Instead, I returned to a grave.

The fresh mound of earth was still unsettled, the scent of damp soil mixing with the lingering incense from the burial rites. I stood before it, fists clenched at my sides. My brother- my blood- was gone. There were murmurs of betrayal, of a treacherous bride.

Kayla.

The woman Aiden was meant to marry, the one who stood beside him when the blade struck.

A gust of wind rustled the trees, and I exhaled slowly letting the wind soothe my nerves. The council hadn't waited long. The moment I stepped foot in the territory, my mind was filled with their voice. I was told to come to the negotiation room immediately. As soon as I stepped into the room, the decision was swift and absolute.

I was the new Alpha.

"Don't I get a say in the matter?" I protested.

"This isn't a request, boy. It's your duty. Your birthright," Elder Malcolm responded angrily. "You should feel honored."

I felt none of that. I felt rage that this decision was made without my input, but who was I kidding?

Of course, I would have no say as my parents had stepped down long ago, leaving Aiden as their chosen heir. With Aiden dead, the Pack needed leadership, and I was next in line.

Before I could process the new responsibility, I had already been given an order – Kayla's head on a platter.

"Find her. Kill her and put it on display to show your power," Elder Malcolm had ordered, causing my wolf to immediately growl in annoyance. "Once you return, we will discuss your options for Luna."

I met his gaze, my eyes narrowing at the absurdity of his request. "You want me to kill her before we even understand what happened?"

"There is nothing to understand," Elder Malcolm snapped, his voice sharp. "She was there when it happened."

"And?"

"The blade struck, and she did nothing."

"She was in shock and covered in his blood."

"She ran."

I leaned forward slightly, lowering my voice. "Or she was running for her life."

Malcolm scoffed. "Don't tell me you pity her? She killed your brother!"

"I don't pity her. I want the truth." I argued. "Doesn't the council want the truth or does the council prefer a ruler who follows blindly?"

The tension in the room thickened. "Be careful, Zachary. You are Alpha, but we are still your council. Do not forget your place."

"I'm well aware of my place," I scoffed. "But this is my pack now and I will do what I believe is best."

Malcolm's eyes narrowed. "By doing nothing, you prove yourself weak, unfit to lead. Is that the legacy you wish to begin your reign with, Zachary?"

"Who said I wasn't going to do anything?" I asked.

"I expect results within the week," Malcolm responded, thinking I was submitting to him.

"You'll get what you get once I have decided," I responded. Malcolm slammed his hand on the desk, ready to argue, but I didn't give him the chance as I was already out the door and on my way to my brother's grave.

The council had already deemed her guilty. The woman who stood in a bloodstained gown, frozen in horror, had been named the traitor. It would have been easy to believe, so we all could move on.

But I wasn't a fool.

Kayla was an 18-year-old girl, barely an adult while Aiden had been trained since childhood to be prepared for situations like this.

On top of that, Aiden had been murdered in the heart of our territory, during a ceremony guarded by our strongest warriors. And yet assassins had infiltrated, dealt a fatal blow, and vanished before anyone could react.

That wasn't the work of a single woman especially not an eighteen-year-old.

And even if she had orchestrated this, why had she run? Why had she left behind everything- her people, her home- when she could have claimed power as Aiden's widow? No, something wasn't right about this.

"We are missing too many pieces to this puzzle, and they are willfully ignoring that fact," my wolf growled within me.

I agreed. The council's behavior wasn't atypical. They were prone to wanting a quick resolution, but Elder Malcolm's insistence on killing Kayla felt like a red flag that couldn't be ignored.

I turned from my brother's grave and began walking towards the pack house. If the council wanted me to be Alpha, then I would be Alpha. But I would not be their puppet. I would get to the bottom of this my way and my way alone.

First, I needed answers.

Kayla's parents had been placed under house arrest the moment she fled. If she was guilty, they would know something.

I moved swiftly through the estate, warriors standing at attention as I passed. The air inside the manor was tense, the guards stationed at every door reinforcing the weight of my new role.

I entered the secured wing where Kayla's parents were being held, only to be met by a grim-faced warrior.

"Alpha," the man greeted, his voice hesitant. "We have a situation."

"What happened?" I asked.

The warrior hesitated. "Her parents. They're dead."

My fingers twitched at my sides. "How?"

The warrior lowered his gaze. "They took their own lives. Poison."

No.

It was too convenient. Too clean.

If Kayla's parents had been the masterminds behind Aiden's death, why kill themselves before they could be interrogated?

Rage burned low in my chest, but I kept my expression unreadable.

"Where are the bodies?" I asked, voice like steel.

"The healers took them."

"Take me to them."

I would see for myself. Because if there was one thing I knew for certain, nothing was ever this simple.