There was a tale of a young boy who cried wolf. A tale of lies and deception that ended in misery for the poor boy. And when it came time for the truth, he'd dug his own grave. Because no one in town believed a boy who told many lies several times before. I felt like that young boy.

But this wasn't a tale. And I never lied about the things that happened. Yet everyone was still against me. I didn't expect that to change any time soon either because I'd been plagued with a much harder truth to explain. A truth that I could see before my eyes as I thought about it, but was unable to decide if it was real or not.

"You again," I whispered.

"Genesis." From the other side of the thick flames, his golden eyes pierced through the bright red, orange, and yellow. The rest of his body blended into the same darkness that consumed the inside of the tunnel twice before. A similar scene to when Vincent and I camped here overnight.

However, I wasn't awake. I knew I wasn't.

"What is this place?" I questioned.

He backed further away into the shadows until I could only see his eyes, and feel his strong presence lingering. I followed his eyes in a circle around me, until I felt heat—something's breath—caressing the skin on my arm. The mountain of fur on his paw popped out near the fire when he stepped back into his original place across from me with the fire in between us.

"Don't you remember? My brother found us here two days ago. We escaped together."

"Us? We?" I couldn't move. My eyes were glued to his jaw; specifically the way it moved with his words. It was so strange. An animal was talking. And I was talking back..

"Yes Genesis, you and I. You trusted me and I guided you away from danger," he said.

I tried to focus on the wind blowing through the air. Its soft howls whispered around us, echoing off the walls, and brushing the flames aside. But it wasn't enough of a distraction.

At least, not enough of a distraction for me to peel my widened eyes off of the wolf. The first time I saw him in my dream—and when he spoke to me from the reflection of the water—I should have pieced it together. He was a striking resemblance of the wolf with the black eyes.

I hesitated, "Amaury. . . I-it was you. . . You're the one who's been communicating with me."

"So, you've figured it out. Congratulations, Genesis. I thought you would have figured it out sooner. After all, I tried to make it as obvious as possible." A wolf's smile wasn't as defined as humans, but I was sure I saw a ghost of a smile in the line of his jaw. It was the same amusement I thought I'd noticed when I offered him my help that night.

This time, I struggled to find my voice. "W-what? . . . How? H-how is this possible? You're dead. I-I saw you . . . no! You bit me!"

An emotion I couldn't quite pinpoint flashed across his face. He lowered his hind legs, his tail touching the ground. While his front legs stayed upright and his head pointed forward. "I apologize, Genesis. Hurting you wasn't my intention; however, it was the only way. You saved us that night. . . They're everywhere. Watching. It was better that you survived than me."

"What are you even talking about? I didn't succeed in saving you or even myself. . . Wait, how are you talking to me when you're dead? I don't understand. I didn't ask for this!" My lips curved down. The middle of my eyebrows did the same.

He sighed. The look of pain on his face matched the tone of his voice, and it wasn't hard to pick up on the traces of exhaustion seeping from his words.

"I cannot express how sorry I am. Really, Genesis. I don't expect you to understand. But I do not have enough time to explain. Not yet, at least. You're going to wake up soon. However, you did save us. More than you know. Vincent cannot know I've been in contact with you yet."

"What? Why? If I tell him, it can help clear any suspicion they have of me! You can tell him the truth, right? All I have to do is tell him whatever you tell me. You have to help me. You and I both know I wasn't responsible for what happened to you," I pleaded.

"Genesis, there's more that meets the eye than what you saw that night. How can you convince someone of something neither of us are sure of? I fear we do not have much time left. There is something dark—danger—it is approaching. And it is not just my kind at risk. . ."

I tensed at his words. It was the closest thing to movement I could make since I'd entered whatever this was. "I'm sorry. I'm not following. W-what do you mean, not just your kind?"

"It means exactly what it sounds like," Amaury paused, "Vincent is the closest thing to protection you'll get, as you are the closest thing to protection he'll get."

I scoffed. "But your brother wants nothing to do with me! He thinks I killed you! And he's being so stubborn about it." He clearly didn't understand the depths of the situation, right? His brother wanted me dead. I was helpless.

"That is why you must gain Vincent's trust first. I know it's not something that should be left up to you. And for that, I sincerely apologize again. But you two need to work together for the time being. It won't be easy. He's still holding onto trauma.

"But I think you can get through to him. Get as close as you can to the investigation. Observe as much as you can. Watch your back at all costs. We'll meet again very soon, Genesis. And we'll have much to discuss. Follow your gut."

"Wait, no! Don't leave yet! Please, why are we in danger!? What happened to you!? When is the next time I'll see you again!?" The questions left my mouth in loads. But it was too late. The flames grew thinner as my body started to fade. I noticed Amaury retreating back into the shadows while my mind began to drift back into consciousness.

"I'll continue to see in your dreams and when the moon calls for me. The answers are closer than you think," he said, then his eyes disappeared into darkness too.

My body jolted to life with a gasp. "Fuck," I spat.

Sweat drenched the fresh bandages over my shoulder, layering over my newly stitched skin like a coat. Darn stitches. I was fully awake when Mariah had done them. The anesthesia she gave me to numb the pain was useless. I felt every sharp stab and pull from the needle. Hell, sweat doused my back too.

There was a small puddle of drool on my pillow that made me cringe and wipe the corner of my mouth. My eyes flicked to the glow of the window, then the clock on the wall of my new room. I'd found out Vincent purposely placed me in this room since it was closer to his room. He could hear every little sound I made even if he wasn't listening. It was a part of our new routine.

When he was home, I was at his side for the majority of the day, per his orders. If I wasn't at his side, I was stuck in this room while he did whatever it was that alphas did in and out of Calamitous. The only time I was out of his sight within the house was when he was in his office. More alpha duties, I assumed. I wasn't bound to a chain anymore but there were bulky men around the property—all keeping an eye out for me. I guess it was progress. But it still sucked.

I closed my eyes for a moment, then reopened them. The short hand of the clock struck six and the long hand struck three, indicating it was 6:15 AM. Much earlier than I intended to wake up. It was too early for the thoughts in my head too.

Amaury was dead. But he also wasn't dead. He was in my head. People weren't supposed to hear dead people in their heads. Unless they were hallucinating. But I was dreaming. But no, the tunnel existed. I could hear Amaury's voice loud and clear. He appeared before me in the same form he died. I had no idea what Amaury looked like as a human. Or maybe I did.

There was a picture I spotted on Vincent's desk before I left his office. It wasn't him. It was of a man with brown eyes as dark as mine, a wide nose, and the same skin tone as Lady Teresa. His low-trimmed black curly hair was shaped into a mohawk—a perfect fit for the small amount of facial hair growing on the tip of his chin, and the light mustache running above his upper lip.

Maybe that was Amaury.

"He apologized to me. . ." I looked down at my hands, recalling Amaury's words. Did that mean he bit me on purpose or was it all an accident? I couldn't imagine any other reason he'd have apologized. I thought he lost control though.

I couldn't wait for the next full moon. That wait would be too long. I needed to see him in my dreams again. I needed answers now. And I was going to get them one way or another, starting with the reason he bit me.

* * *

My hands were flattened on the window, my face pressed against the glass. Over a few hours in counting and still no return. They should've been back already. I'd watched them leave as soon as they received word about the emergency. What was it? Oh right, a body had been reported by a couple of kids going for a run in the middle of the woods.

I tried to listen for intel about the person's age, gender, and name, however, that didn't work in my favor. But I heard enough to know it was a member the pack was familiar with. An elder who'd been walking these grounds longer than Vincent and Amaury's age combined—however long that was—but still had the agility of a pup.

I placed a hand above my fluttering stomach and backed away from the glass. "Deep breaths, Genesis"—I blew out a puff of air—"Why are you even panicking? You have nothing to do with this one. You were here the entire time. We haven't stepped foot outside since yesterday."

A strangled breath of air escaped my throat.

I needed a nap. Sleeping my problems away sometimes did the trick. It wasn't like I could do anything else. Shit, who was I kidding? Sleep wouldn't get me through this time.

"A heart attack? That was all?" My ears twitched at the voices in the hallway. Vincent and Mariah, they sounded like. I listened for the soft thuds of their shoes, lowering myself on both my hands and knees, crawling towards the door. The side of my face met the cool marble floor as I peeked under it, instantly recognizing Vincent's black military boots.

"Yes. That's all the autopsy reports show." Mariah's voice was relaxed.

"But Wilfred's body was slumped over the branch of a tree. . ." Uncertainty weaved into Vincent's words. The body was found in a tree? That wasn't the weirdest thing I'd ever heard yet it still shocked me. How the hell did a cardiac arrest victim end up in a tree?

"That old man was always crazy. You know that. He was probably up to his shenanigans as usual and his heart gave out. My parents warned him if he didn't slow down, his health was eventually going to catch up to him. It's just sad he went so fucking soon. He's been around for so long." Mariah sighed.

"No, this isn't right. . ." I imagined Vincent shaking his head as he paused. There was probably a crease in his forehead. I'd observed him enough to match his face to his tone.

"Sure, he was an adrenaline junkie. But he was also one of the wisest among the elders. His health had never been a problem for him. Just look at my father. They were nearly of the same age. Damnit! Speaking of my father, this is going to devastate him." I flinched at Vincent's growl. Frustration leaked from the short rough noise.

I needed to get used to that growling. Sure, humans growled. But for these people, it was natural. For me, it was going to start being natural. There was no doubt Vincent was pinching the bridge of his nose now. He'd done it enough when he was stressed.

I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough to draw blood. A sigh passed through my lips as I placed my ear against the door. As many times as I told myself I'd done nothing wrong, the guilt strumming chords in my chest wouldn't go away. It was one of the most horrible feelings ever.

"I'm sorry, Vincent. It's been hard, I know. But what do you think could have happened then?" Mariah's voice wavered.

"Wilfred's body was high up off the ground. Think about the angle we found him at. Wouldn't his weight have knocked him over the edge?" I saw Vincent's boots move in closer near Mariah's feet. "Don't people grab their chests and fall when they're having a heart attack? Wilfred always knew when there was danger lurking. He was best at sensing it."

There was a pause. Mariah must have been thinking over Vincent's words. I saw her feet shuffling in place. Another sigh fell from Mariah's lips.

"So, what you're saying is . . ." she started.

"I'm saying there's a reason he was up there," said Vincent.

Dead silence. The only sound I could hear between them was their breathing.

Vincent sighed, lowering his voice, "Okay look, I want you to examine him again. Search for any signs of distress. I don't know, something is telling me he was climbing that tree to get away from someone or something. I've got this feeling in my gut, there's more we're missing."

What if whatever happened to Wilfred was the same thing that happened to Amaury? Well shit. If I played my cards right, I could buy my ticket out of here. How the hell was I going to get more information though? There was no way Vincent would have these conversations in front of me, and these kinds of hallway conversations were rare. Shit.

"Okay. I'll report the details as soon as possible." Mariah walked towards the stairs.

"Oh, and Mariah! Make sure no one else finds out about this. I need to notify my father first. I'll handle the rest of the pack after you perform the second autopsy."

"Understood." Mariah started walking but stopped again. "Two deaths in the matter of less than two weeks doesn't look so good for us, does it?"

Needless to say, we'll be in for a lot of trouble when word spreads. We've suffered through the loss of an alpha. And now we've lost Wilfred. We are vulnerable. . . If you run into Dylan and your brother, send them here, please. I've got a job for them."

Her brother? Maybe that was the guy who looked a lot like her at the ceremony. What was his name, Dimitri? If I remembered correctly.

"Don't worry, Vincent. I promise we'll figure out what's going on. I have faith in you. You'll be just as amazing as Amaury and your father were when they ruled over this pack," Mariah offered her sentiments.

"I appreciate your kind words, Mariah." Vincent laughed softly. He laughed? A smile, let alone laughter, was something I had yet to see from him. It was nearly impossible to imagine.

"But I don't feel like a very good leader right now. I am in no way comparable to Amaury or my father." His voice was soft and gentle. Nothing like I'd ever heard before either. Surely, that was enough to convince me that I was the only person he gave the cold shoulder too.

"You doubt yourself too much." She sighed. Her feet then vanished down the hall for good.

I shouldn't have cared about any of this. But damn, there was a dreadful feeling swarming in my chest that made me want to. And the more I thought about the circumstances, the more the situation caused my heart to ache. It cooled the parts of me that hated him. Not fully, just a bit.

Being a leader of over three-hundred people came with loads of pressure. I would have had several mental breakdowns by now. Prior to this, the only thing I stressed about was ending up homeless on the streets. When in reality, I had two different homes I could run to for refuge with either of my parents. For these people, this was their home. A home that required a leader like Vincent to step up, whether he was ready or not.

I scrambled away from the door when Vincent's boots thumped in this direction.

"Ouch, crap!" I hollered in pain when my knees pressed hard into the floor.

"You're aware I can hear you moving around, aren't you?" The door creaked open. I froze, my eyes surveying Vincent. His arms were crossed and he sent me a blank stare. A nervous laugh left my mouth. Just then, he rolled his eyes.

I mumbled, standing to my feet, "Damn you and your sense of hearing."

"Oh, for the love of the Moon Goddess. . ." It sounded like he blew out under his breath. I ignored him and wiped the dust off my sweatpants. My nails were folded into my palms, the sharp tips sinking into my skin, as I staggered in my spot.

"I'd advise you to stop messing around, Genesis. You've got a visitor coming to speak with you any minute now. This particular guest appreciates the old way of doing things. So, try not to get into any trouble? Please?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? Who?" My fidgeting hands weren't enough to distract me from the somersaults in my stomach that provoked me to vomit. As if it were planned, a loud noise outside called for my attention; the sound of the gates being dragged across the ground. I all but ran to the window, squinting.

A man walked onto the estate, hard to notice at first, but when his head tilted back, I saw the face of the man who argued his son's rightful position to the throne. Amaruq's eyebrows knitted together, his eyes traveling up to the window. They swept over my face for a brief second, and he hadn't spared me a second glance. His attitude said it all. This was going to be quick.

Tingles fluttered throughout my stomach while blood spread across my bottom lip. All the skin I had peeled back with my teeth was finally bruising. I brushed the blood aside with my tongue. And I hadn't backed away from the window until I saw him entering the house.

* * *

Amaruq had a certain aura around him that a leader should have had. His voice projected the same way it had onstage. His thin slit eyes were just as narrowed as they had been outside the window. He was straight-forward and blunt with his words. All of those aspects combined proved to be much more intimidating than Vincent was. Like father, like son, I suppose.

I watched Amaruq pace the floor in slow, taunting steps. His arms were behind his back, right hand clenched around his left. Hell, I couldn't think straight under his gaze. I straightened my spine, lifting my chin up when I noticed him glance over at me.

"First name." The demand was smooth as was his gruff voice.

"G-Genesis," I stuttered.

"Last name?" he asked.

"Anderson," I said.

"Hmph." He made what sounded like a noise of disapproval. I bit down on my tongue, frowning. Why did he act like I was the most unappealing thing he'd ever laid eyes on? I, for one, knew I wasn't that much of an eyesore.

"Okay, Genesis. Let's cut to the chase. You know why you're here so I don't need to explain it to you. Correct? So, what were you doing that night?" Straight to the point. Damn.

I played with the edges of my sleeves. "Um, I-I was walking home from the café."

"After 9:00 PM?" His gaze was so sharp it cut through me. I looked away instantly. "You know, avoiding eye contact when someone's talking to you can be considered rude." Another sound of disapproval.

Geez, he sounded just like my parents. Wolf or not, the parental instincts were the same.

I cleared my throat, eyes slowly drifting back to his. "Yes, being at the café helps me think. I was on my laptop, looking for jobs. Wait, I can give you the address to the café! The owners know me personally. I'm a regular there."

"That won't be needed." Amaruq lifted his hand to silence me. Silence washed over us again. Vincent's haunting eyes followed his father's movements everywhere. As I sat still, I had given myself a chance to reflect. It was then my own words dawned on me.

"Wait, my laptop. . ." I trailed off, eyes searching frantically. "Where is it!?"

"Laptop?" Amaruq sent Vincent a look I struggled to decipher.

Vincent shrugged and looked at me. "You didn't have a laptop."

"What? Yes, I did."

"No." Vincent shook his head. "You didn't."

"But I-I . . . when I left the café, I had my laptop with me. I was using it before I left."

"There was no laptop on you when we found you and treated your wounds," Vincent said.

"So, where the hell did my laptop go?" I muttered, squeezing my hands together.

Was it possible someone took my laptop after I was attacked? It wasn't a bonkers thought. Someone had obviously been trying to pin all the blame on me. I wished I could figure out who or why. But I couldn't get shit done trapped up here in the mountains.

The thought had once crossed my mind that maybe someone was watching me, timing my every movement until I was right where they wanted me to be. But that thought left my head as fast as it came. It wouldn't have made sense. When Amaury's wolf jumped out of the trees, it seemed like a natural reaction from his pain. I didn't think any of this was premeditated.

Damnit, if it wasn't premeditated, that meant my luck was just as horrible as always. I was in the wrong spot at the wrong time, serving as the perfect scapegoat in the crime. What did my laptop have to do with any of that though?

"Regardless, that still doesn't explain how you and my son crossed paths," said Amaruq.

I waved my hands in front of me. "It was a complete coincidence. I swear! As I told your son—uh, I mean, Vincent or alpha—he was bleeding out and I tried to help."

"Please elaborate on that, if you must." Amaruq paused in his steps. His head was turned at a tilted angle and curiosity bled from his tone. It was gleaming off his face too. I studied him for a few seconds. I hadn't taken my eyes off of him until I felt it was safe to talk.

"Okay well, it was dark out. I was taking the usual route I use to walk home. Then, I heard noises. Like growls. That was when he jumped out of the trees." Tell them about the black thing, I had a hard time dismissing my intrusive thoughts. Vincent's words were messing with my head. Don't leave any details out, was what he said.

"I should mention that there was . . . there was something wrong with him. Something dark was floating around him. I don't know what it was." My voice lingered.

"I'm afraid I'm not following." Amaruq cocked an eyebrow at me.

"I don't really know how to explain it. It was like a shadow. His eyes kept switching between gold and black. Like he was possessed or something. That's not normal, is it?"

"Do you take me for some sort of fool, young lady?"

"What? A fool? No! Goodness, no. I'm not lying. I swear! It was all strange and dark and misty. I didn't know what it was, but it was so . . . so scary. Like I said, I can't really describe it. But I know what I saw. I'm sure."

Amaruq stroked the bottom of his chin. There were silver hairs pooling at the tips of his facial hair. He side-eyed Vincent, who was already sending him a weary look. Clearly, they were both at a loss. Hopefully, it shined some light on my innocence though.

"Don't think I've ever seen or heard of anything like this before. What do you propose we do about this?" Amaruq sighed. Vincent's hesitation couldn't have been any more obvious.

"Wait!" I interrupted. "I may not be able to prove it . . . but what if I help?"

"I beg your pardon?" Amaruq's eyes narrowed.

"Help," I repeated. "Let's make a deal."

When neither of them answered, I took that as my cue to continue, "I can help find out who the dagger belongs to. Because I promise you; it isn't mine. I've never held a dagger in my life. I don't even know where to get one. And my laptop is missing.

"I swear I had one with me. So, if I can find my laptop, the owner of the dagger, and we find out who really did this, I'll have no reason to be here anymore. All I want is for you to pay for the expenses you've cost me. I need to be reimbursed when I leave."

There was silence again. Both men shared a look. It was another look I couldn't quite decipher. Vincent was obviously allowing his father to take the reins on this one. Amaruq's eyes were on me again. I stiffened.

"So, you want to help huh? Fine." Amaruq chuckled. "I applaud your motivation. If you're truly as innocent as you say, and you can clear your name, it is only right that we pay you back for all the trouble we've caused you."

Well shit, I didn't think that'd work.

"However, you have to do it under our terms," he added.

I released a strangled breath of air. Damn, I should have expected that. Nonetheless, that hadn't stopped the small smile from crossing my face. "Fine. I'll take it."

Vincent looked between us. I had a hard time understanding what was going through his head. And he hadn't stared at me long enough for me to figure it out.