The fire crackled in the dimly lit study, casting shadows across the dark wooden walls. The scent of burning wood mingled with the faint musk of wolves that lingered in the air. Evelyn sat stiffly in one of the leather chairs, gripping her notebook as she stared across the desk at Alpha Damien Blackwood.
She had done countless interviews before—corrupt politicians, elusive criminals, even a few underground informants—but nothing compared to this. Sitting across from a werewolf Alpha, knowing he held secrets that could rewrite everything she thought she knew about the world, sent a thrill through her veins.
Damien leaned back in his chair, his golden eyes unreadable. "Start from the beginning."
Evelyn exhaled, flipping through her notes. "Like I said, six disappearances in the last month. Two humans, four werewolves. The first few were just missing persons cases, but then the bodies started showing up—"
"With this," she added, sliding another photograph across the desk.
Damien barely glanced at it. He didn't need to. He had already seen that symbol—carved into trees, burned into flesh.
Lucas, who stood beside the fireplace, let out a low whistle. "That's definitely a problem."
Evelyn tapped the image. "You recognize it."
Damien hesitated, then picked up the photo. The sigil was an intricate design—two interlocking crescents with a dagger cutting through the center. It was ancient. Dangerous.
And if it was appearing now…
"We've seen it before," he admitted.
Evelyn leaned forward. "What does it mean?"
Damien's jaw clenched. "Trouble."
Lucas scoffed. "That's putting it lightly."
Evelyn glanced between them. "Then explain it to me. Who's behind this?"
Damien studied her for a long moment. He wasn't the kind of man who trusted easily, and Evelyn could feel the weight of his scrutiny.
Finally, he spoke. "The sigil belongs to a group called the Noctis Order."
Evelyn frowned. "Never heard of them."
"You wouldn't have," Lucas said. "Not unless you were looking in the right places."
Damien set the photo down. "They're an ancient faction—humans who hunt supernatural creatures. But they don't just kill them. They study them. Experiment on them."
A chill ran down Evelyn's spine. "Experiment?"
Lucas nodded grimly. "Think of them as the boogeymen of our kind. They don't just hunt us for sport. They're looking for something. And if this symbol is appearing again…" He let the thought hang in the air.
Evelyn swallowed. "Why now? What changed?"
"That's what I intend to find out," Damien said.
The room fell into silence. The fire crackled, but even its warmth couldn't chase away the cold dread settling in Evelyn's stomach.
She had been chasing a story. She hadn't realized she was stepping into a war.
A Dangerous Lead
Evelyn left the study with her mind racing. She needed more information.
She pulled out her phone, scrolling through her notes as she paced the hallway of the packhouse. If this Noctis Order had resurfaced, there had to be traces of them somewhere—old reports, missing person cases, something.
Lost in thought, she nearly collided with a young woman carrying a stack of books.
"Oh!" The woman gasped, nearly dropping them.
Evelyn reached out instinctively, steadying her. "Sorry. I wasn't looking."
The woman smiled, brushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "No worries. You must be the journalist."
Evelyn blinked. "And you are?"
"Emily. I help with the pack archives." She gestured to the books. "Mostly history, records, that kind of thing."
Evelyn's mind sharpened. "You keep records?"
Emily nodded. "Of course."
A rush of excitement surged through Evelyn. "Would you mind if I take a look?"
Emily hesitated. "Depends. What are you looking for?"
Evelyn glanced around before lowering her voice. "The Noctis Order."
Emily's face paled.
She shifted uncomfortably. "That's… a dangerous topic."
"I know," Evelyn said. "But people are dying. If there's anything in your records that can help, I need to see it."
Emily bit her lip, glancing down the hallway. "Come with me."
The Archives
The pack archives were housed in a hidden chamber beneath the packhouse. The room was lined with towering shelves filled with dusty tomes, old manuscripts, and stacks of parchment. A single lantern flickered overhead, casting long shadows across the stone walls.
Emily led Evelyn to a secluded corner, pulling out an old leather-bound book.
"This is the last known account of the Noctis Order," she whispered, setting it on the table.
Evelyn opened it carefully, scanning the faded ink. The pages detailed brutal hunts, secret experiments, and one chilling account from over a century ago:
"The Order does not merely hunt the supernatural. They seek to control it. Their experiments are designed to break the natural laws of our kind—to create something stronger, more obedient. Their methods are cruel, their goals unknown. But one thing is certain—wherever they appear, death follows."
Evelyn's hands trembled slightly as she turned the page.
And then she saw it.
A sketch of the same sigil.
Her heart pounded.
"This is real," she whispered.
Emily nodded. "And if they're back, it means they've found something new to hunt."
Before Evelyn could respond, the door to the archive swung open.
Damien stood in the doorway, his presence filling the room. His eyes flicked between them, landing on the book.
"You shouldn't be down here," he said.
Evelyn lifted her chin. "I found something."
Damien stepped forward, his gaze scanning the pages. His expression darkened.
Lucas appeared behind him, shaking his head. "Damn it, Ev. You really don't know when to stop, do you?"
Evelyn ignored him. "This isn't just some random group of hunters. They're looking for something. And whatever it is, it's here."
Damien's fingers tightened around the book.
Emily's voice was barely a whisper. "You think they're after a wolf?"
"No," Damien said, his golden eyes burning with intensity.
"They're after an Alpha."
The weight of his words settled over them like a storm.
Evelyn met his gaze, her pulse racing.
This wasn't just a story anymore.
This was a battle for survival.
And she was right in the middle of it.