13

Damiens Pov

"We suspect it was werewolves." I rubbed my chin with one hand as I nodded thoughtfully and waved a hand at Drokor to continue.

"The evisceration was too brutal and the perpetrator did not severe the arm with a simple slicing motion. It appears as if it had been ripped off." Drokor hesitated.

"What?" I asked without looking up from my heavy wooden desk. "The corpse has no scent on it, Alpha. The mere act of tearing it open should leave a werewolf's scent on the woman. And if it were a werewolf, then..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but I was aware what he wanted to say. If it was a werewolf, it was probably one of my pack members. It was too obvious that something like this happened right after we came here.

I stood up abruptly, causing the men in my study to recoil in shock, and turned to face my wall of windows, which overlooked the forest. Much could be said of the Shadow Pack.

But not that my wolves were disloyal. The mutual trust that existed between each of us was something we had built up together, so I couldn't bear the thought of one of them betraying me and doing such an abomination. However, I could imagine that there were a few wolves that had not yet joined our pack.

Probably because they thought they could screw me. The leader of the troupe had also been the boy who betrayed Alina back when we first met. I trusted him to do something like that.

Without looking, I once said: "Get out!". I heard a few footsteps and then the door click. To Jack, who hadn't gone, I said, "Get Mikael over here.

I want him to tell me about the condition of the body. Something I don't know yet." Maybe my pack doctor could help me.

After a quick knock, Mikael entered my office. He bowed his head briefly and I looked at Jack, who then left the room and closed the door behind him. "

Is there anything you can tell me about the body that I don't already know? Anything?" I sat down in my chair and gestured for my pack doctor to sit down as well. "Nothing you don't already know.

I couldn't find any hair or other DNA traces on the body. The only uninjured part of her body is her head, although we don't know why it was spared by the perpetrator.

Although I could imagine that this was about torture. Because if you assume that the arm was severed first, the woman could follow it all. And also all other deeds that followed." "Why didn't anyone hear them? Her screams or anything else should have been heard by those around her. At least from our people."

"We don't know. But there were no drag marks at the crime scene. So it wasn't really moved, which is probably why the woman was murdered there as well." "What about the footprints?"

"We're still working on them."

"So nothing new." I grimaced angrily, trying to trying to contain my anger failed. I hit the wall with my fist, which immediately showed a hole.

"Shit," I mumbled. Mikael cleared his throat before expertly folding his hands in his lap.

"How long has it been since you saw her?" "Excuse me?" I asked confused. "Your mate. You found her, didn't you? I suspect that by your demeanor. Being apart for several days isn't good for the bond, even if it hasn't been cemented yet."

He smiled tentatively.

"As you know, I've been through that too, so if you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you." Maybe I would actually come back to this offer. Mikael was one of the few in my pack who had already found their soul mate.

In Mikael's case, it was his soulmate. He had been a rogue, a loner who, after finding his soulmate in Mikael, joined us. Since then, Ganaer has lived with us. Although it had been difficult for the two of them to find each other, I doubted that it was as complicated as it was with Alina and me.

Alina was only human. Because although I would have liked to remove the Nur from the sentence, it was true. As a human, she didn't feel the connection to the same degree as I did, nor was she immortal. Eventually she would just die. I didn't even know if I could bond with her at all.

Until now there has never been a connection between mortals and immortals. Perhaps a human would not survive the force of the bite. Besides, I would always worry about Alina. Which I already did. Although her words from a week ago wouldn't let me go.

"You have no idea who I am. Because actually you should all be afraid of me. Because I'm the only being in this damn world that could fuck your ass off with just one thought." Of course, I could just dismiss that as trying to show myself that she didn't need protection.

But from the way she'd been looking at me throughout, I saw the satisfaction in her eyes as she said the words. As if it would free her to tell the whole world. But Alina's subsequent words and deeds were also an important reason why I had previously avoided contact with her. Had to.

After all, I couldn't let a 16-year-old girl tell me she was in control of me. Even if it was unfortunately true. But Mikael was right. i missed her At first it had been quite easy to stay away from her. I distracted myself with unnecessary tasks and organized the complete construction of my pack. But after the fourth day it became agony.

And the fact that I kept wondering if she was okay wasn't even the worst part. I always missed her smile, her touch, her voice.

I just wanted her near me. Even if I couldn't touch her, I wanted to at least see her. And that urge was getting worse by the day. I would be more aggressive more irritable and aggressive.

Mikael was right about what he wanted to tell me. I had to see her.

Even if it was only for a short time. I looked at the clock on the demolished wall and it took me a while to make out the time behind the Roman numerals as my eyes blurred with excitement. Alina finished school in half an hour.

Then I would just pick her up. So I didn't have to live in constant fear that she was mugged before I got the message from Connor that she had arrived at her apartment building. Because ever since Alina had given me a good shit, I'd taken Benjamin off his mission and just let him go to school normally. Of course, he reported to me every day how Alina was doing there.

I got up and shook hands with Mikael who watched me a little confused.

"Thanks, Doc." i grinned.

"I know now what I have to do." Somehow I felt like an elementary school student who was about to receive a chocolate candy.

I met a girl today. She was new to my class and introduced herself as Amelia. At first I didn't really care, especially since she was part of Damian's pack.

However, when she voluntarily sat down next to me and gave me a friendly grin, she had aroused my interest.

During the break we chatted and she explained to me why she only started school today and not, like the other younger members of the Shadow pack, over a week ago. Apparently there were a few difficulties when moving into their new home.

Among other things, Amelia's grandmother suddenly fell ill, which was rather untypical for werewolves. So now her mother stayed home all the time to nurse her back to health.

Amelia had helped her mother with this and at the same time lent a hand to her father when it came to furnishing her house.

And since that dragged on a bit, it was only today that she was able to attend school for the first time. Since she had wanted to be close to me voluntarily and also made me curious - it had been a long time since I had a female friend with whom I could talk about all sorts of things - I showed her around and showed her the school. We also spent the break together.

I told her about my aunt and enlightened her about the balance of power in this school. When I finally showed her Niklas' gait, which was sneaking around the schoolyard and scaring various students, she didn't seem quite sure whether to look disgusted or laugh. Amelia was relatively young by werewolf standards, and she and her family had joined the pack in western Russia.

That's what she looked like. Clear skin, curly brown hair and sharp facial features that gave her a stern expression. Quite the opposite of her personality. Amelia was open and told me a lot about her life and family.

However, she also listened intently when I gave something of myself, even if sometimes it didn't make sense. Now we were walking straight out of the school building. The last class was finally over and Amelia was still laughing at the math teacher's pants that sagged too much while I just walked beside her, shaking my head and grinning. However, when I saw who was leaning against one of the benches that adorned the schoolyard, I promptly stopped.

All of the students and teachers gave him a wide berth, avoiding any eye contact. Damian was wearing long black trousers and a fitted gray t-shirt. The guy didn't seem cold. He too was eyeing me. My red and black checked blouse that I had tucked into my black denim skirt.

Even the gray coat I wore over it and the black leggings had to stand up to his scrutiny. Finally, he inspected my dark boots and the light blond hair that I wore pinned up today. At some point Amelia also noticed that I was no longer walking next to her. Confused, she followed my gaze, but then immediately lowered it again and murmured a short "Alpha". I snorted dismissively. Amelia turned to me quickly.

"Er- I think I better go now."

"It really isn't necessary-"

"Yes, believe me," she grinned slightly now, "it is." She glanced at Damian again and then leaned conspiratorially to whisper in my ear. "But tomorrow you have to tell me everything." Then Amelia gave me a wink before walking on. I looked at Damian and wrinkled my nose once.

I didn't want to talk to him. I could not do it. For the past week I've been trying to distract myself from thinking about him. I wasn't allowed to. Because when I did it, I got a little bit closer to reality.

For example, I devoted myself a little more to my task. The nights were mostly long and I spent a lot of time with my closest friend to create new soul connections. I took my time, to find suitable soul mates. What also got me thinking was that the most I could ever give a soul mate to were two werewolves each night. That's all the moon gave me. As the new connections became fewer and fewer, it was all the more important to do my job regularly and carefully.

After all, I didn't want to weave false ties that would last a lifetime. That's how I ended up connecting, among other things, two women, a beta and a tough, black-haired girl, and two best friends who were actually a very good match. But I didn't do all this just to do my duty.

It also distracted me from questions I've been asking myself more and more lately. Why was I so attracted to Damian? Why had the signals worked? Why was it enough for him to look to make me weak? Why was Damian able to do something no one else had done before? Why did I always feel the urge to tell him everything when I was around him? I couldn't allow that. I could not do it.

It wasn't in my nature to confide in anyone.

But those dark eyes fixing me now made me feel like I could. I should dare. I swallowed and then closed my eyes. It was too much. The responsibility I bore. This burden that I have felt on me for millennia. For the first time in a long time, I felt the desire not to be anything special.

Not to be something better kept secret.

Because then I could dare. I could get into it. Might get involved with Damian. To try it. Then I would have nothing to lose. But as... I was sure that I would like to try. Would love to find out how about Damian.

And I didn't just mean sex. I thought I'd like to find out what it would be like to love someone. loving Damian. Something I had never done before. Something I've never wanted, never felt the urge to want.

But now the feeling threatened to overwhelm me. i needed it I needed someone to love Someone I could talk to. someone who would listen to me But why? Why am I feeling this way now? Why with Damian of all people? Warm hands on my cheeks lifted my face slightly. "Alina," Damian breathed.

"What about you, Alina?" I looked at him. Damian, with his dark tousled hair, long eyelashes, striking facial features and full lips. I felt like I was falling. Always deeper.

And only Damian's hands on my cheeks held me, forcing me to stay present. to stay with him. What are you doing to me? My thought was a breath that flowed to him at breakneck speed.