BloodMoon: Captivated by the Forbidden Lycan Alpha
Chapter 42: THE ROOT OF EVIL

Chapter 42: THE ROOT OF EVIL

{"It’s not the leaders who are evil, it’s greedy people who are evil"}

The evil we had just witnessed left us in complete silence throughout the journey back. We headed straight to the Royal Garden, arriving close to midnight. Alpha Tor was already there, his sharp gaze darting between me and Wave. The moment he caught our expressions, his jaw tightened, and he wasted no time demanding that we share the bad news. He motioned for us to sit, his authority pressing down on us like an unseen force.

Once we settled, Wave took a deep breath and began recounting everything we had seen and heard. I watched as Tor’s eyes widened in shock before hardening with fury. His power crackled in the air, rippling through the garden like an oncoming storm. The ground trembled beneath us, the leaves quivering under his unrestrained rage.

I reached out, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "Tor, calm down," I urged my voice steady but laced with concern. "You will alert the pack with your anger and power "

His head snapped toward me, his eyes burning with barely contained wrath. "What should we do with the traitors who dare to threaten our peace?" he growled, his voice thick with vengeance.

I met his gaze, unwavering. "We show them no mercy," I said, my words sharp as steel. "But we must be careful. This evil is deeply rooted and entwined within the Shifter Council and the Paradise Coven. We need to find the true source before we strike."

Tor let out a guttural snarl, his power surging once more. "They wanted to kill my mate and create war?" His voice thundered through the garden. "I will never let them get away with this!"

Just then, I sensed two familiar presences approaching. Turning my head, I saw Flora and Deputy General Tiger standing at the Royal Garden’s entrance. Without hesitation, I rose from my seat and walked over to let them in.

I pushed aside the magic barrier, allowing Flora and Deputy General Tiger to step into the garden. The tension in the air was suffocating, thick with unspoken fears and unbridled rage. The moment they settled, Wave wasted no time narrating everything we had uncovered.

Tiger’s reaction was immediate and explosive. He slammed his fist against the table, the sharp crack echoing through the garden. "Who the hell do they think they are?" he thundered, his eyes blazing with fury. His wolf surged forward, his presence shifting into something dangerous and untamed. He began pacing, his breaths coming in sharp, heavy bursts. "Compromising our people? Turning them into animals? How dare they?" he roared, his voice shaking with rage.

Flora, my sister, remained eerily calm, her sharp gaze locking onto Tor. "What’s the deal with Freyr Kayne?" she asked, her tone laced with suspicion.

Tor hesitated, his jaw tightening. Silence stretched between us before he finally spoke. "Freyr Kayne is my mate."

Flora staggered back as if struck, her expression frozen in disbelief. "No... that can’t be." She turned to me, searching for confirmation, and I gave her a slow, solemn nod.

Tiger and Wave shifted uncomfortably, both looking away, unwilling to meet her gaze. No one wanted to be the one to say what we were all thinking.

Flora exhaled sharply, stepping closer to Tor. "Alpha Tor, do you realize how complicated this is?" she demanded, her voice strained.

Tor’s expression darkened, his power humming through the air. "I do," he admitted, his tone unreadable. "But that does not change anything. We need to address the issue at hand, Freyr will in later" And just like that, the weight of the situation settled over us all like a storm on the horizon.

As we settled into the garden, the weight of our next moves hung heavy in the air. The time for silence had passed, we needed a plan.

"We have to deal with General Steel, Commander Steel, and Elder Colbat," I said, my voice firm.

Tiger leaned forward, his fingers tapping against the wooden table. "We start by vetting the army," he suggested. "We weed out the commanders and generals who have been infected, then take down the Steel family. That will be the first strike." His eyes gleamed with a fierce determination.

"The second round will be removing Elder Colbat," Wave added, his tone dark. "But we also need to find out who is backing him. He is not working alone."

A brief silence followed as we all let that thought settle. The enemy was not just one person, it was a whole bunch of fools, and we were only beginning to uncover its depths.

"What about Aqua?" Flora suddenly asked, her gaze shifting to Tor.

Tor’s expression hardened instantly. "I have nothing to do with her," he replied, his voice cold and unwavering.

Flora gave a slow nod. "Everyone knows that, but it doesn’t mean she isn’t scheming like her father."

Tor’s eyes narrowed, his brows furrowing as he considered her words. A dark shadow flickered across his face before he finally spoke. "If that is the case, then she is an exceptionally good pretender. And her wolf... her wolf is far worse."

A chill ran through me at his words. We had underestimated too many threats already—we could not afford to make the same mistake again.

We all exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. We would stay vigilant. No more surprises.

Tor exhaled sharply and shifted in his seat. "There’s something else," he said. "I need someone to go to the Paradise Coven. I must meet with Freyr. If the Blood Stone Bug is what they are using to control the shifters, I need to understand how it works."

His words sent a ripple of unease through the group. The Blood Stone Bug was a dark magic we knew little about, but if the Paradise Coven had truly mastered it, we were dealing with something far worse than we had anticipated.

"Then we prepare," I said, locking eyes with each of them. "No more hesitation. No more waiting."

Tiger spoke up, his voice steady but firm. "I’ll arrange for someone to deliver the message to Freyr," he said, turning to Alpha Tor. "It’ll take a day."

Tor gave a short nod. "That works. It will give us enough time to prepare and draw them out."

Silence settled over us for a moment before I spoke. "It is late. We all need rest." My voice was softer now, the weight of the night pressing down on us.

Tor nodded in agreement, and one by one, we bid him goodnight and left the Royal Garden. The cool night air wrapped around us as Wave and I walked side by side, our footsteps quiet against the stone paths.

When we reached his doorstep, he hesitated before turning to me. His eyes held an uncertainty I rarely saw in him. "Do you want to come in and rest with me?" His voice was low, almost hesitant. "Just sleeping... holding each other."

Something in my chest tightened at his words. I nodded. Relief washed over his face, his shoulders sagging as if he had been bracing for rejection. Without another word, we stepped inside. I glanced around and noticed how similar Wave’s house was to mine—warm, simple, yet carrying the weight of solitude. He moved effortlessly through the space, and within minutes, we were in his bedroom, settling beneath the covers.

As we lay there, his warmth pressed against me, I let myself relax, but only just. His scent, his presence, everything about him pulled me in. But I had to restrain myself. I dared not sleep without my pants, I knew my limits, and tonight, this was not about desire.

Wave’s voice cut through my deep thoughts, pulling me back to the present. "What are you thinking about?" he asked softly.

It had been an hour yet sleep still refused to come. I turned to face him, my gaze meeting his in the dim light. "The urge to protect you... to protect the pack it grows stronger by the minute," I admitted.

He nodded as if he understood, then stretched out his hand and rubbed the back of my neck. It was a simple, comforting gesture, but it sent warmth through me, grounding me in a way I had not realized I needed.

Without thinking, I pulled him closer, wrapping my arms around him. His body fit perfectly against mine, steady and warm. I let out a slow breath, closing my eyes as the weight of the night settled over us.

Spark, my wolf, rose within me, his presence surging forward with a low, demanding growl. Make him ours. His voice rumbled through my mind, thick with urgency. I exhaled sharply, pushing back against his demand. It is not the right time. He huffed in frustration. You are stalling. His growl deepened, restless and impatient. The longer we wait, the more we will regret it. You know this. Danger is lurking, and the only way to truly protect him is to make him belong to us.

I clenched my jaw, suppressing the instinctual pull that clawed at me. My wolf was not wrong but he was not entirely right, either. This was not just about claiming or protecting. It was more than that. And I wasn’t going to rush something so important. But as I lay there, holding Wave close, I could not shake the feeling that time was slipping away faster than I could grasp and something bad would happen sooner rather than later.