Chapter 32: Secrets and Shadows
Night had fallen over the village of Ilgren. The moon hung high in the sky, its pale light filtering through the window of Kazuki's small room at the inn. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at his clenched fists. The events with Lady Arwen replayed in his mind, her icy blue eyes and the thinly veiled threat behind her words.
[Skill Alpha Command suppressed. Time remaining: 19 hours, 30 minutes.]
Kazuki's jaw tightened. The power still simmered beneath the surface, like a sleeping beast. It was stronger than anything he'd felt before, and that was what worried him. If Lady Arwen had sensed even a fraction of it, things could have gone very differently.
A soft knock echoed through the room. Kazuki looked up. "Come in."
The door creaked open, and Elara stepped inside. Her hair was damp from a recent bath, and she wore a simple, loose robe that clung to her curves in all the right places. Kazuki's face flushed, and he quickly looked away.
"Couldn't sleep?" she asked, closing the door behind her.
"Yeah," Kazuki muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just... thinking."
Elara walked over, sitting beside him on the bed. The scent of lavender clung to her skin, and Kazuki's pulse quickened. He fought to keep his gaze straight ahead, but the closeness of her body was distracting.
"You did well today," Elara said softly, her hand reaching out to rest on his. "If you hadn't kept your cool, Lady Arwen would've caught on."
Kazuki swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. Her hand was warm against his, and her body was so close he could feel the heat radiating from her skin. "Yeah... Thanks for covering for me."
Elara smiled, her green eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "We're a team, remember?" Her thumb brushed over his knuckles, sending a shiver up his spine.
Before Kazuki could respond, another knock sounded at the door — louder and more urgent this time.
"Kazuki! You awake?" Tara's voice echoed from the hallway.
Elara pulled her hand away, cheeks slightly flushed. Kazuki cleared his throat, trying to calm his racing heart. "Yeah! Come in."
The door swung open, and Tara strode in, her usual confident smirk in place. But there was a sharpness in her eyes, a tension that immediately set Kazuki on edge.
"We've got a problem," Tara said, closing the door behind her. "A big one."
Elara straightened, her expression turning serious. "What is it?"
Tara crossed her arms, her jaw clenched. "There's been an incident at the village outskirts. Some of the farmers reported seeing a pack of Dire Wolves prowling around. And they weren't just any Dire Wolves."
Kazuki's blood ran cold. "Alphas?"
Tara nodded. "More than one. And from what the farmers said, they're acting... weird."
"Weird how?" Elara asked, frowning.
"Like they're being controlled," Tara said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "And guess who just arrived in town?"
Kazuki's mind flashed to Lady Arwen, her cold smile, her penetrating gaze. His fists clenched, the suppressed power of Alpha Command pulsing beneath his skin.
"We need to find out what she's up to," Kazuki said, his eyes hardening. "Before it's too late."
[Skill Alpha Command suppressed. Time remaining: 18 hours, 55 minutes.]
Outside, a howl echoed through the night — low, mournful, and chilling. Kazuki shivered, a sense of foreboding settling over him like a heavy cloak.