Chapter 176: Chapter 176

Kimberly was in the room, lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Her mind was spiraling with everything that had been happening.

The three tests to prove that she was the Moon Goddess reborn, the abduction of her friends and Elena, and Alpha Darwin’s instructions to her and Alpha Theo.

The weight of it all pressed down on her, making her feel trapped in an endless cycle of danger and responsibility.

*I have to take things one step at a time. The time for the test is drawing closer day by day, but I need to understand myself more first.* Kimberly thought.

She sat up slowly, running her hands through her hair as she exhaled deeply.

Her eyes darted to the clock on the wall.

"What’s keeping Theo so long? He was supposed to have returned by now." She muttered to herself, grabbing her phone from the nightstand.

She hesitated for a moment before dialing Theo’s number. The call didn’t connect.

She frowned, staring at the screen. Maybe he’s just busy? She tried again, but still, the call didn’t go through.

Just as she was about to try one more time, a sudden chill ran down her spine.

It wasn’t the usual cold that came from the evening air; it was different, unnatural. It felt as if the air around her had thickened, vibrating with an unseen force.

Her breath hitched as she lifted her gaze toward the wall.

Her eyes widened when she saw a strange formation of white flames taking the shape of a tree.

She blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Before she could react further, a familiar voice echoed through the room.

"Kimberly, don’t rush into saving us... Katherina wants to trap you."

Kimberly gasped, stepping back slightly. Mohandria?! The voice was unmistakable. But how? How was she speaking to her?

"How are you able to reach me?" she whispered, her voice trembling with shock.

"I am using everything within me to speak now... Listen to my warning. Katherina isn’t working alone.

In all you do, seek help. Don’t be reckless." Mohandria’s voice grew faint, the glowing white tree slowly dissolving into nothingness.

Kimberly stood frozen, staring at the wall where the flames had been just moments ago.

Her hands trembled. What is happening? Is Mohandria even alive? And what about the others? Her mind raced with questions, each one filling her with increasing dread.

She gritted her teeth and grabbed her phone again.

"I need to reach Theo. He will have an idea of what to do." She dialed his number once more, praying that he would pick up this time.

The call connected.

Relief flooded her, but only for a second.

"Theo, where are you? I need to speak to you," she said urgently. But instead of Theo’s familiar voice, a different voice responded, cold, emotionless, and chilling to the bone.

"It seems you won’t be able to speak to Theo right now... He’s unconscious and might even die."

Kimberly’s breath caught in her throat. "What?"

A deep, malicious chuckle followed. "Oh, you sound surprised. Did you really think he was untouchable?"

Her grip on the phone tightened, her heartbeat roaring in her ears.

"Who the hell are you? What have you done to Theo?" she demanded, her voice trembling with barely restrained fury.

"Relax... I won’t let him die. That depends on how much you’re willing to cooperate."

Kimberly’s stomach twisted. Cooperate? She swallowed the lump in her throat. "What do you want?"

"Very good," the voice responded, sounding satisfied. "I want you to come to me. Alone. Do that, and your precious Theo will live."

Kimberly’s pulse pounded. She clenched her fists, trying to steady her breathing.

*This is a trap. It has to be. But... Theo is in danger. I can’t just leave him.*

She shut her eyes for a moment, willing herself to think. *I have no choice. I have to go.*

"Okay," she finally said. "Send me your address. I’ll be there soon."

There was a long pause before the voice replied, "Wow, that was easier than I expected. Good girl. I’ll be waiting."

The call ended.

Kimberly stared at her phone as a message beeped, revealing the location she was supposed to go to.

Her heart pounded wildly. She stood up, grabbing her jacket before heading out of the room.

Meanwhile, at the other end, Steve sat in a dimly lit warehouse, staring down at Theo, who was tied up in a chair.

Blood dripped from the side of Theo’s face, but it was clear he had received some first aid treatment, not enough to heal him, but just enough to keep him alive.

Steve crouched beside him, observing him closely. "Tell me," he began, his voice eerily calm, "what’s so special about your blood?"

Theo, though weak, lifted his head slightly, his gaze meeting Steve’s with nothing but defiance.

"Someone must have lied to you," he rasped out. "I thought you were smarter than this."

Steve’s jaw tightened. He exhaled sharply before standing up.

Without warning, he struck Theo across the face, making his head snap to the side. Theo let out a low grunt but didn’t give Steve the satisfaction of seeing him break.

Steve wiped his knuckles, shaking his head.

"I won’t kill you now," he muttered. A cruel smirk formed on his lips as he added, "I have someone more important than you coming."

Theo’s eyes darkened with realization. Kimberly.

He struggled against the ropes binding him, but it was no use. His vision blurred slightly, but his anger burned stronger than ever.

Steve stepped back, crossing his arms as he watched Theo.

"You’re not as untouchable as you think," he said casually. "You’re just another pawn in this game."

Theo’s lips curled into a weak but mocking smirk. "You think you’re in control? You’re just another fool who thinks they can play with fire and not get burned."

Steve’s smirk didn’t waver. "We’ll see about that."

A chilling silence filled the room, both men staring each other down, both knowing that the next move would change everything.

And then, the door creaked open.

The trap was set. The game was just beginning.

★★★

Alpha Derrick stepped out of his vehicle, his boots landing heavily on the gravel.

The sight before him sent a wave of unease through his core.

A large crowd had gathered outside the pack house, whispering amongst themselves, fear evident in their faces. Something was terribly wrong.

Flanked by Alvin and one of his most trusted men, Derrick moved through the anxious pack members, his imposing presence parting them like water.

His voice, sharp and commanding, cut through the tense air.

"What is going on here?"

Silence fell instantly. Then, the old physician stepped forward, his hands trembling slightly as he gestured toward the bloodied corpses lying in a grotesque display before them.

Derrick’s sharp eyes studied the lifeless bodies. Blood soaked their clothes, and deep claw marks marred their flesh. It was brutal. Efficient. Animalistic.

"It seems the silent beast is back," the physician said, his voice laced with trepidation.

Derrick stiffened. His jaw clenched, fists tightening at his sides.

"What do you mean, the silent beast is back?" His voice was dangerously low, demanding an explanation.

The old physician swallowed hard before responding.

"We all heard a noise, a cry of pain. By the time we arrived, we found them like this." He hesitated before adding,

"The wounds... I have seen them before. The marks are identical to those left by the silent beast some times ago."

A muscle in Derrick’s jaw twitched as his mind raced.

*The silent beast? Again?* The memories of past chaos flashed before his eyes. *I thought we buried that nightmare.*

He turned his piercing gaze to the crowd. "Everyone, return to your quarters. Lock your doors and remain vigilant. We will find out who or what is responsible."

Murmurs of unease rippled through the pack, but they obeyed, dispersing quickly. Only Alvin, the physician, and Derrick’s guard remained.

Derrick took a deep breath, trying to suppress the storm brewing inside him. He was about to speak when a familiar voice called out.

"Derrick!"

Mona came rushing towards him, her night garment billowing slightly as she moved.

Her eyes darted to the bloodied bodies before locking onto Derrick’s.

"What happened? I just heard about the attack!" Her voice held a mix of curiosity and fear.

Derrick observed her for a long moment before speaking.

"Where have you been?" His tone was clipped, his eyes unrelenting.

Mona frowned slightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I was asleep until one of my maids woke me with the news."

Derrick gave a slow nod before stating coldly, "The silent beast is back."

A sharp gasp escaped Mona’s lips. "What? That’s impossible! It was stopped before."

"Apparently, not for long," Derrick replied, his voice laced with frustration.

Mona took a step closer, lowering her voice. "What do we do, Derrick? This could spread panic throughout the pack. We need a solution and quickly."

The old physician, still lingering nearby, cleared his throat hesitantly.

"The last time this happened... Kimberly was the one who helped us defeat it."

The mention of Kimberly’s name was enough to make Mona’s face twist with disdain.

"Kimberly this, Kimberly that! Stop talking about her as if she’s our savior," Mona snapped, her irritation clear.

"She is not here anymore. We need another plan."

Derrick remained silent, his thoughts spiraling.

*Kimberly...* He knew the physician was right.

Kimberly had been instrumental in stopping the silent beast the first time. Without her, they were vulnerable. He couldn’t ignore that fact.

Mona placed a hand on Derrick’s arm, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"Derrick, listen to me. We need to talk to Katherina about this."

Derrick didn’t react immediately. His gaze remained locked on the lifeless bodies, his mind a battlefield of conflicting thoughts.

*Trust Katherina?* His gut twisted at the mere idea. Katherina was powerful, but she was also unpredictable. Dangerous.

*I need Kimberly now more than ever...* Derrick thought.

His expression hardened. *I can’t allow Katherina to sink her claws into my pack.*

He exhaled sharply, his decision made. But he remained silent, his thoughts simmering beneath the surface. For now, he needed to think and to strategize...

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