Chapter 8: The Hidden Assassin

The training grounds fell into complete silence.

The young warrior's body lay motionless in the dirt.

An arrow protruded from the center of his chest.

Blood slowly spread beneath him.

Jaxon immediately knelt beside the body.

He checked for a pulse.

Nothing.

"He's gone," he said quietly.

Around him, the warriors exchanged uneasy glances.

Only moments ago, the young man had been trying to confess something.

Now he was dead.

"Seal every gate," Jaxon ordered.

"Nobody leaves Winter Moon until we find the assassin."

"Yes, Alpha!"

Within seconds, warriors scattered throughout the pack.

Archers climbed the watchtowers.

Patrols searched every rooftop and alley.

The peaceful village transformed into a fortress.

Sable stood frozen.

Her amber eyes remained fixed on the dead warrior.

"He was trying to say something," she whispered.

"Someone silenced him," Jaxon replied.

"Which means he wasn't acting alone."

Ethan arrived moments later.

"The forest has been searched."

"Nothing."

"No footprints?"

"None."

"No scent?"

"Only dozens of overlapping warrior scents from training."

Jaxon frowned.

"A professional."

"Exactly."

He slowly pulled the arrow from the corpse.

His expression darkened immediately.

"This isn't Ash Fang craftsmanship."

Ethan examined it closely.

"No..."

"The feathers are black hawk feathers."

"Ash Fang uses eagle feathers."

"Someone wanted us to blame the wrong pack," Jaxon murmured.

Sable stepped closer.

"Can I see it?"

Jaxon handed her the arrow.

She rotated it carefully between her fingers.

Then her face changed.

"I've seen this before."

"Where?"

"About three months ago."

"One of our border scouts was murdered."

"The arrow looked exactly like this one."

"Your Alpha blamed Winter Moon?"

"Yes."

Jaxon and Ethan exchanged a look.

Neither of them liked where this conversation was heading.

"Someone has been attacking both packs," Ethan said.

"And making each side believe the other is responsible."

"Which means this war was planned," Jaxon finished.

"Long before the border battle."

A heavy silence followed.

Sable folded her arms.

"If that's true..."

"Then someone wants our packs to destroy each other."

"The question is why."

Before anyone could answer, another guard rushed toward them.

"Alpha!"

"We searched the dead warrior's quarters."

"Did you find anything?"

"Yes."

The guard handed Jaxon a small leather pouch.

"Hidden beneath his bed."

Jaxon opened it.

Inside were twenty large gold coins.

"Twenty gold?" Ethan whispered.

"That's nearly three years of a warrior's salary."

"Someone paid him," Jaxon said.

"Someone very wealthy."

At the bottom of the pouch rested a folded piece of paper.

Jaxon unfolded it carefully.

Only six words were written across the page.

"Kill the Ash Fang survivor."

No signature.

No seal.

Nothing else.

Sable's expression hardened.

"That survivor... is me."

"Yes."

"Which means whoever hired him knows you're still alive."

"And they'll try again."

"Then I'll leave," Sable said immediately.

"If I stay here, more people will die."

"No."

Jaxon's answer came without hesitation.

"They're after you because you know something."

"Even if you don't realize it yet."

"Sending you away only makes their job easier."

"Keeping me here puts your pack in danger."

"My pack has faced danger before."

"We'll face it again."

Sable looked into his golden eyes.

"Why are you risking everything for me?"

Jaxon froze.

The truth sat on the edge of his tongue.

Because you're my mate.

Because every instinct inside me refuses to let you go.

Instead he answered quietly,

"Because protecting innocent people is my responsibility."

She held his gaze for several seconds.

"You're hiding something."

"Maybe."

"Will you tell me?"

"Not today."

"One day?"

"Perhaps."

That evening, the pack remained under lockdown.

Extra guards surrounded the infirmary.

Archers watched every rooftop.

No one was allowed near Sable without Jaxon's permission.

Inside his office, Jaxon stood before the large map of the Eastern Region.

His eyes moved from Winter Moon...

...to Ash Fang...

...then to Bloodlust Pack.

'Notice anything?' Drax asked.

'All three are among the strongest packs in the region.'

'Exactly.'

'If Winter Moon and Ash Fang destroy each other...'

'Bloodlust becomes unstoppable.'

Jaxon's eyes narrowed.

A familiar name surfaced in his mind.

Alpha Jasper.

The same Alpha who had taken Giselle from him five years ago.

Could it really be him?

Or was someone trying to frame Bloodlust as well?

There wasn't enough evidence yet.

But one thing had become certain.

This was no longer just about a wounded enemy warrior.

Someone was manipulating the entire Eastern Region from the shadows.

And unless Jaxon uncovered the truth soon...

The next war would consume every pack in its path.