Chapter 3 A QUIET BETRAYAL

The terror that gripped my stomach and the weight of the idea my father had presented to me persisted. Only a few hours had passed since he had sent me into Blackfang territory, but already I had the impression that the earth was shifting and might suddenly give way.

I had never encountered anything like the Blackfangs. They were brutal, cunning, and vicious. Their commander, Demon, had established an empire based on might and terror rather than allegiance or respect. Even though he reigned with absolute authority, there was something about his demeanor that made him untouchable. A presence so strong that anybody who attempted to challenge him would be suffocated. I was different from everyone else, however.

I had a plan, and I was Moonstone pack member Lyra.

I was standing at the boundary of the Blackfang pack's domain, gazing out at the vast forest in front of me. Even in the middle of the day, shadows were produced by the dense trees' massive, black trunks. However, there was a strangely peaceful quality to it, as if the trees were the quiet observers of the betrayal taking on inside the pack.

I had been sent here specifically to uncover Demon's flaws and take advantage of them in order to undermine his hold on his pack. One piece at a time, I would obliterate him from the inside out. My father would then take over, or at the very least, we would have the power to lift the curse.

However, there was no space for mistake. There would be terrible repercussions if I failed. For me. For my rucksack. For all those who depended on me.

I took a quick look around the little cottage where I was staying. It was a little building tucked away on the outskirts of the Blackfang pack's domain, far enough from the pack's main center to avoid suspicion. My father had picked it out with care. I could watch, fit in, and wait for the right moment here. For a spy, it was the perfect location.

However, I hadn't taken into consideration the demon himself.

Just thinking about him made me shudder. He wasn't at all what I had anticipated when I last saw him up close. I felt tiny and unimportant because of the way his cold, calculating eyes had watched me. His aura had been a tempest, strong and dark but somehow alluring. His hold on me was undeniable, but I had to fight it. He was my adversary and a tool. And that power had to be used against him.

I couldn't afford for anything to interfere, least of all my feelings.

I have to be strategic. My first move had to be cautious and subtle, like a shadow gliding through the darkness. It would be difficult. Demon wasn't a moron. He would be on the lookout for any indication of treachery, and if I made a mistake, everything would fall apart.

However, it didn't deter me.

I inhaled deeply before turning to face the Blackfang pack's center. I would start modestly by gathering data, getting to know the pack's inner workings, and looking for any weaknesses in Demon's leadership. I could then gradually go inside, tugging at the strands until everything came loose.

I tried my best to stay hidden as I made my way across the pack's area. I stayed in the shadows, sneaking between trees and moving as stealthily as I could since I knew the guards would be on high alert. With my wolf's blood running through me, my senses were sharpened, but I forced myself to resist giving in to my instincts. Not quite yet.

I was the first to arrive at the training grounds. The Blackfang wolves developed their fighting abilities there with ruthless efficiency. Each of them had been taught to murder without hesitation, making them deadly combatants. From the edge of the clearing, I watched the wolves sparring, their motions quick and fluent, my pulse thumping in my chest.

Then my gaze came to rest on him.

Demon.

His presence demanded attention as he stood in the middle of the training area. His gaze scanned the warriors as if seeking something-someone-to challenge him, and his stance was impeccable. His muscles rippled with each movement, and his black fur gleamed in the sunlight. He was a formidable opponent.

But I was drawn to more than simply his athletic prowess. It was the way he carried himself, the way he exuded dignity without uttering a word. He had total authority, and the powerful, cunning, and lethal wolves in his immediate vicinity obeyed his every order.

A shiver went through my body. I would have to use caution if I were to weaken him. I was unable to confront him head-on. Not quite yet.

I stayed a little while longer, listening to him talk to one of his lieutenants. I heard enough of the short conversation to understand that Demon's leadership style was based on compliance and terror. His pack followed him because they were afraid of him, not because they admired him.

It was my opportunity to attack.

I had to make them distrustful instead of faithful. I had to force them to doubt their leader and expose the weaknesses in his ostensibly solid base.

Turning, I crept away, making my way swiftly through the undergrowth. The possibilities rushed through my thoughts. However, I couldn't risk making a mistake. I would be exposed if I made one mistake. I wouldn't make it through if it occurred. I was certain of it.

A pack of wolves approached me on my walk back to my accommodation, their gaze vigilant and piercing. They belonged to the inner circle of the Blackfang pack, and as I went by, they turned to look at me.

My heart skipped a beat as I froze. They seemed to know based on the way they gazed at me.

I didn't falter, however. I pretended to be just another pack member and kept my head down as I walked. Though their gaze persisted and I felt like I was being chased, they didn't stop me.

I wasn't yet secure here. However, I had to keep going. There was no going back.

Later that evening, I sat in my cabin as the walls flickered with shadows from a lantern's weak light. I felt the burden of the task bearing down on me. I couldn't get rid of the sense that I was being watched, even though I knew what I had to do. Even though I hadn't recognized it yet, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that I had already messed up and that the Blackfangs were on me.

My heart skipped a beat as I heard a gentle tap on the door.

I didn't respond right away. Rather, I listened and waited, keeping my senses sharp. Once again there was a knock, and then a soft voice.

"Lyra."

I felt sick to my stomach. It was a familiar, deep voice that made my spine tingle.

Demon.

I had to move fast. I was unable to allow him in. Not quite yet.

He stood there, framed by the threshold, his black hair disheveled, his eyes penetrating the darkness like twin ice shards, yet the door cracked open nevertheless.

He had no intention of conversing.

He had another reason for being here.

I was also confined.

The intensity of the demon's glare forced me back against the wall as it washed over me.

He remarked in a deep, meaningful voice, "I've been watching you, Lyra."

My breath caught. Was he aware from the beginning? Was it him who was playing my game, or me who was playing his?

His eyes glinted dangerously, and his lips twisted into a smile. "You don't hide as well as you believe."

The door behind him snapped shut after that.