The room was dimly lit, and silence hung in the air like a heavy curtain.
Kimberly sat on the long leather couch with a file in her hands, her brows furrowed and her lips pressed into a thin line.
Theo stood by the window, arms crossed, staring blankly outside while Elijah paced back and forth.
"This... this isn’t just suspicion anymore," Kimberly finally said, holding the file up. "We have proof."
Theo didn’t turn around. "Are you sure it’s her?"
Elijah stopped pacing and nodded.
"Positive. One of the trackers traced an encrypted signal.
It was coming from her room, alpha. Mona planted a cloaking charm around her space, but she wasn’t smart enough to cover her trails outside the main house."
Kimberly flipped open the file again, her voice steady but low. "She’s been eting with two of the elders, Elder Gregor and Elder Evans.
The sa two who questioned your rise to alpha king."
Theo finally turned around, his jaw clenched.
"They’re the ones who brought Derrick up last year... during the council review."
"Yes," Elijah answered. "And now they’ve found a new pawn. Mona."
Kimberly’s eyes flickered with sothing like disbelief. "But why? What does Mona gain by working with them?"
Theo’s voice was sharp. "Power. The seat of alpha isn’t enough for her anymore. She wants more, wants the throne I sit on."
There was a long pause. No one said anything until Elijah broke the silence again.
"There’s sothing else." He walked to the corner of the room and pulled out a small wrapped item from his bag.
"We found this hidden in her room. It’s ancient... coded with dark incantations."
Kimberly leaned forward. "Is it cursed?"
"No. Not cursed. Worse, it’s a blood-binding talisman. She’s bound herself to soone.
We’re still analyzing the energy signature, but from the first reading, it matches soone not in the pack."
Theo’s eyes narrowed. "Derrick."
Elijah nodded slowly.
Kimberly gasped. "She bound herself to him?"
"Seems so. That’s why she’s so confident... she believes no one can touch her."
Theo moved away from the window, the weight of their discovery resting heavily on his shoulders.
"If she’s bound to Derrick, that ans their strength is linked. If he returns..."
"She’ll be unstoppable," Elijah finished.
Kimberly shook her head. "We have to act now."
"No," Theo replied sharply.
"What do you an, no?" Kimberly looked stunned.
Theo’s face was unreadable. "We do nothing."
"Are you joking?" Kimberly asked, frowning.
"You just said she’s aligning with Derrick. The sa Derrick you said we must watch for."
Theo walked over to the table and picked up the talisman.
He turned it in his fingers like he was trying to unlock a deeper aning hidden within it.
"We watch. We wait. We learn everything. If we move now, we scare her into hiding.
She’ll vanish, and we’ll never see her coming again."
Kimberly’s voice rose slightly. "Theo, this isn’t a ga. You said it yourself, Derrick could co back any mont. Mona is already ten steps ahead!"
"Exactly," Theo said, voice low but firm.
"Which ans she’ll get sloppy soon. She’ll think we’re blind. That’s when we strike.
But for now, we make her believe we know nothing."
Elijah folded his arms. "I don’t like it. It’s too risky boss."
Theo turned to him. "It’s the only way."
Kimberly let out a deep breath. "Then we tighten the inner circle. No more trust beyond us three."
Theo nodded. "Agreed. And Elijah... have your techs build sothing that tracks her without needing spells. Sothing discreet."
Elijah gave a sharp nod. "Already working on it."
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
Theo looked at Kimberly. "Expecting anyone?"
She shook her head.
Elijah moved to the door cautiously and opened it a crack. A young boy in his teens stood outside, looking nervous.
"I-I was told to deliver this," he stamred, handing Elijah a sealed letter with an unfamiliar crest.
Elijah brought it in and placed it on the table. Theo opened it carefully.
His eyes scanned the letter. Then, without a word, he passed it to Kimberly.
Her hands trembled slightly as she read. "’To the ruling king alpha, this is not a threat, but a reminder.
Thrones built on borrowed power never last. The rightful bloodline always returns. Expect a visit.’"
Elijah scoffed. "That sounds like Derrick."
Theo took the letter back and crushed it in his hand. "It is."
Kimberly’s voice trembled slightly. "They’re not hiding anymore."
"They don’t need to," Theo replied. "They’ve found their opening. Mona."
Elijah exhaled. "Then what now?"
Theo turned to both of them. "Now we use what we know. Every lie, every betrayal, let it build.
When the mont cos, we burn everything they’ve built from the inside."
Kimberly’s eyes hardened. "She played the long ga. Now it’s our turn."
Just then, Theo’s phone buzzed. He picked it up and frowned.
"What is it?" Kimberly asked.
"A secret eting... Gregor and Evans just called for a midnight council with three other elders.
And guess who they’re bringing in remotely?"
"Derrick," Kimberly whispered.
Theo gave a tight nod. "It’s starting."
"Do we crash it?" Elijah asked.
Theo looked at him. "No... We let it happen. I want to hear what they offer him."
Kimberly’s face was pale, but her voice was steady. "This is treason."
"It is," Theo said, his voice cold. "And when it’s exposed, they’ll all fall together."
Elijah cracked his knuckles. "Then we better get ready."
Theo looked at them both, then down at the crushed letter in his hand.
*So this is how it begins,* he thought.
*A fake alliance, a stolen bond, and a throne they want to rip from beneath .*
He walked to the window, eyes scanning the woods like he could already see the war coming.
*Let them co. Let Derrick rise from the shadows. Let Mona think she’s queen.
But when the fire starts, I won’t be the one to burn.*
His jaw tightened, and his next words were cold and clear.
"They started this war. We’ll end it."
And just like that, the room fell silent again, only the ticking of the clock, and the storm building outside, whispered what was to co.
★★★
Kimberly shot up from the bed, her breath sharp and fast.
Her entire body was drenched in sweat, and her hands trembled as she gripped the bedsheet tightly.
The dim light from the disappearing moon spilled faintly through the window, casting eerie shadows on the wall.
Her heart pounded in her chest like a wild drumbeat, and the images from her nightmare lingered in her head like smoke refusing to clear.
*Was that real? Was any of that real?*
She rubbed her face with both hands, trying to wipe away the confusion clouding her mind.
The dream had felt so vivid, too vivid. The words, the faces, the betrayal. All of it clung to her mory like thorns.
Just then, the door creaked open, and Theo stepped inside. His eyes imdiately landed on her, still panting, her body stiff and shaken.
"Kimberly," he said, quickly making his way to her side. "Another nightmare?"
She could only nod. Her voice refused to co out.
Theo sat beside her on the bed, gently brushing her damp hair back.
She slowly leaned into him, resting her head on his chest as her breathing began to settle.
"I don’t know what’s happening anymore, Theo," she whispered.
"This dream was too much... I saw things I can’t explain. Mona... elders... Derrick... and sothing about war. I felt like I was stuck inside soone else’s mory."
Theo ran his hand down her back in slow, calming strokes. "It’s just a dream, Kimberly. It doesn’t have to an anything."
"No," she pulled back and looked up at him.
"It ans sothing. I can feel it. I saw a fire... I saw betrayal... And I don’t think it was just in my head.
Sothing’s coming, and it’s closer than we think."
Theo frowned. "Did you see who caused it?"
Kimberly shook her head. "Not clearly. But Mona, Derrick and so elders are trying to betray us.
And the only thing I could feel was chaos. But I know one thing... it started from within."
Theo exhaled deeply, concern creeping into his eyes. "You think soone on the inside will start it?"
"I don’t just think it," she replied slowly. "I’m sure of it."
A tense silence filled the room for a mont. Theo pulled her closer and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"You’ve always had strong instincts, Kimberly. We’ll take this seriously. But first, let’s get your mind settled."
"No," she said suddenly, sitting up straighter.
"I need to speak to the woman. The one who ca here and said she’s my mother."
Theo looked at her, confused. "Are you sure about that? You haven’t even confird if she’s telling the truth."
"I need answers, Theo. Whether she’s my mother or not, she knows sothing. I could see it in her eyes.
There was pain, and... sothing else. Maybe guilt. But it felt connected to . And to all of this."
Theo nodded slowly. "Alright. If that’s what you want, I’ll arrange for you to et her. Today."
"Thank you," Kimberly whispered, finally allowing herself to breathe more freely.
Theo smiled gently. "We’ll get through this. Whatever it is, we’ll face it together."
Kimberly leaned into his embrace again, drawing strength from his warmth. But her mind was still racing.
*That dream wasn’t just a warning. It was a puzzle. And I need to solve it before soone else makes the first move.*
She clenched her fists lightly, eyes narrowing with focus.
*I won’t sit by and watch everything fall apart. If war is coming... then I’ll be ready. I’ll protect Theo.
I’ll protect his throne. Even if it ans uncovering truths no one wants to face.*
As the morning light began to creep through the curtains, Kimberly’s thoughts burned with determination.
*Let them co. I’m done running. This ti... I fight.*
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