Chapter 161

Chris

I stepped into my office, the sounds of the party becoming muffled behind the closed door. I was met with the sight of one of the lead scouts who had been tasked with finding Olivia—a face that I wasn’t expecting to see tonight, and it sobered me immediately.

“Alpha Chris,” the scout said, bowing his head slightly. “I hope I haven’t interrupted your night, but I must tell you that we found something.”

My lips pressed themselves into a thin line, my heart immediately starting to race. Striding over to the window, I peered out, my eyes immediately locking with Ava’s in the square below; she was staring up at me, a curious expression on her face.

Frowning, I snapped the curtains shut and whirled to face the scout. “Olivia?” I asked. “You found my sister?”

The scout, with a disappointed look in his eyes, shook his head. “Not exactly. But we found her tracks near the southern beach. They seemed fresh.”

I frowned—not only was the location quite close to the village, but it was also where Ophelia, Leonard and I had just been picnicking days prior. Not to mention the fact that the southern beach was also…

“That’s close to where…”

“Where Amelia was found hiding after she poisoned you,” the scout finished. “Yes, sir.”

I sank into my desk chair and began rubbing my temples. The implications of this were... troubling, to say the least.

I didn’t want to believe that my own sister could be involved in the moonbite powder scheme, but the evidence was stacking up against her. She had already poisoned Ava once. Perhaps it wasn’t out of character for her to try poison again, this time in the form of moonbite powder.

“And you are certain that they were her tracks?” I asked.

The scout nodded firmly. “We’re absolutely sure, Alpha,” he replied curtly. “The size and shape perfectly matches her foot. And we found…” He rummaged through his pocket for a moment. “...This.”

With that, the scout pulled a small plastic baggie out of his pocket and held it up to the light. Inside, there was one, single hair—honey blonde, with a slight curl at the end. The scout handed it to me, and I snatched it out of his grip, yanking the bag open. Immediately, I was hit with a familiar scent that I would recognize anywhere.

That was my sister, alright.

I stood up abruptly, grabbing my coat from the back of my chair. ‘Prepare a boat. We’re going to search for her now.”

“Yes, sir,” the scout said, turning to leave.

Just as I was about to follow him out, the door burst open. Ava stood there, with Ophelia and Leonard right behind her.

“Chris,” Ava said, her eyes scanning me and landing on the coat in my hand. “Where are you going? What’s going on?”

I sighed, not wanting to worry them—not now, when tonight was supposed to be a night of celebration. “It’s nothing,” I replied with a wave of my hand. “Just some pack business I need to take care of. You should all go back to the party and enjoy yourselves. I’ll be back soon.”

Leonard’s eyes narrowed as he looked over at the scout. “Chris, don’t lie to me—I’m your Beta. This is about Olivia, isn’t it?”

I hesitated, then nodded. “The scouts found her tracks and one of her hairs near the southern beach. I’m going to check it out.”

“I’m coming with you,” Ava said firmly.

“As am I,” Leonard added.

I shook my head. “No, it’s too dangerous. And you’re all dressed for a party, not a search mission.”

“With all due respect, my dear,” Ophelia said, taking a step forward, “to hell with party outfits. We’re your friends, and we’re not letting you go alone.”

Leonard nodded in agreement. “And I’m your Beta, Chris. Where you go, I go.”

I looked at Ava, hoping that she would back down, but her expression was resolute—of course it was. Why would I ever expect otherwise from her? “As your Luna, it’s my duty to be by your side when it comes to matters of the safety of the pack,” she said. “And don’t forget, not long ago you made me promise that I wouldn’t leave your side. I intend to stick with that promise.”

I rubbed my hand over my face, feeling a headache coming on. Part of me wanted to order them to stay behind, but I knew that would only cause more problems. And if I was honest with myself, I felt better knowing they would be with me.

“Fine,” I finally relented with a heavy sigh. “But we need to move quickly and quietly. We can’t let the rest of the pack know what’s happening.”

They all nodded, and we slipped out of the office. As we made our way through the Packhouse, I could hear the sounds of the party still in full swing outside—and I hoped that, whatever would happen tonight, it wouldn’t impede on those festivities.

Slipping out through the back door of the Packhouse so as not to alert anyone, the four of us made our way along the winding pathways toward the beach. At some point, I felt Ava’s hand slide into mine, and I tugged her closer.

“You know you don’t need to do this,” I said. “The Luna also has a duty to remain with the pack and ensure everyone is safe.”

Ava shot me an amused glance. “I’m not leaving your side. How many times do I have to say it?”

“Maybe I just like hearing you say it.”

Shaking her head, Ava swatted at my arm and we picked up our pace. A little while later, we reached the docks where the scout was waiting with a small speedboat that he had gone ahead to prepare. He raised an eyebrow at the new size of our group but said nothing.

“Everyone get in,” I said, helping Ava and Ophelia into the boat. Their dresses rustled as they settled onto the seats, and a breeze blew through that whipped all of our hair.

Leonard jumped into the speedboat last, and I started the engine. As we pulled away from the dock, I saw Ava shiver slightly in the cool night air. Without a word, I shrugged off my coat and draped it over her shoulders.

“Thanks,” she murmured, pulling it close around her.

As we sped away from the shore, the sounds and lights of the party began to fade into the distance. The reality of what we might find weighed heavily on my mind—if we could truly find Olivia tonight, then this would all be over…

And yet, at the same time, it would only be the beginning of a long period of reckoning.

“Chris,” Ava said softly, placing her hand on my arm and pulling me out of my reverie. “Whatever happens, we’re here with you.”

I nodded, grateful for her presence and the support of our friends. The boat cut through the dark water, and soon, the sounds of the party had faded off into silence.

The cool night air whipped past us as the boat sped away from the shore. Within minutes, the only light illuminating our way was that of the full moon overhead and Ava’s tattoo glowing softly on her arm.