Chapter 9 The Threat

• Janelle’s Point of View
• ["You’re in danger, Janelle,"] My wolf alarmed me as soon as I woke up.
• I propped myself up, trying to catch my breath. When I turned to look, I saw the person who had brought me in the middle of the woods after taking out my consciousness. I could still remember how he introduced himself before me.
• 'Alpha of the Red Blood Pack.'
• That's right. This man is the Alpha of the strongest Pack.
• "What..." I said, my heart beating so loud. I swallowed the fear and continued, "...do you want from me?"
• "I am Alex," he said smoothly. "Just call me Alex, Janelle." Then, he smiled. His friendly demeanor felt like a disguise, and I sensed danger lurking beneath the surface. “Someone from Dark Moon Pack delivered you to me. So, I put you to Lucas’s house,” he confessed.
• It was him? Then, does it mean that he and Maggie teamed up?
• "Maggie asked you to get instead?" I inquired.
• "Who... is Maggie?" but he asked me as if he really couldn't remember her.
• "She's my sister. Half-sister. She brought me here out of my will."
• He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and let out a soft hum. "So, your half-sister brought you here against your will. We were searching for Lucas's bride, and then you showed up. They said you were supposed to be his mate."
• A low growl almost slipped out, but I quickly held it back. I focused on my hands, carefully folding my fingers. Did it even matter if I admitted the truth? That I wasn’t Lucas’s mate? I had already decided to train before heading back.
• "That's not right, is it?" Alex chimed in.
• I glanced over at him.
• "You’re not Lucas’s mate, but your sister threw you under the bus to save herself," he said bluntly.
• “A-Alpha Alex,” I stuttered, my lips quivering. “If you know I’m not Lucas’s mate, then why did you bring me here?”
• “Because I need you,” he replied, his eyes locked onto mine. “I need you to keep tabs on Lucas and report back to me. You might not be his mate, but you’re still valuable to me.”
• I was taken aback. Was he really asking me to spy on someone who was clearly a rogue? And what was his motive for needing me to do this?
• Then he said it. "Help me kill Lucas," he stated.
• A shiver went through me when I locked eyes with him, sensing a heavy darkness that felt almost overwhelming. It was as if a curtain had been pulled back, exposing a frightening aspect of him that could easily consume me. My mind was racing, trying to wrap around the weight of his request.
• Lucas wasn’t an easy foe. He was incredibly powerful and skilled. Going up against him felt like trying to defuse a ticking bomb. But I couldn’t betray him. Lucas had saved me, taught me, and always had faith in my abilities. I owed him too much to even think about turning my back on him.
• I turned to Alex. "What happens if I refuse?" I asked.
• The moment I spoke, Alex's gaze shifted, becoming two voids that swallowed all warmth and humanity. He remained still, like a creature from another realm.
• "You asked what if you refuse," he echoed. "Well, if you refuse, then I’ll KILL YOU," he threatened as he leaned closer. “I WILL KILL YOU, JANELLE,” he whispered. I could feel his hot breath on my neck.
• Death loomed close, almost inviting me to surrender to its grasp. His threats felt like a final verdict, and his eyes were filled with pure malice. I knew he was serious. I had no choice but to go along with it, hoping to buy some time to come up with a plan.
• “If... if I agree to take care of Lucas for you, what do you need me to do?” I stammered.
• With a wicked smile, Alex got up and pointed to a spot beside me. “If I need to give you any instructions, I’ll leave a note under that rock,” he said. I glanced over and saw the oddly shaped rock he was talking about. “You’ll need to come here every week to check it. Then, you’ll follow my orders,” he continued.
• At least Alex wouldn’t be watching my every move.
• “Tomorrow, I’ll give you your first task. Just come back and check the note,” he said.
• I nodded, trying to hide my doubts about following his lead. "I can take care of it," I said, getting to my feet. "But you have to promise me something, Alpha. Once Lucas is out of the way, you need to let me go. I want protection as soon as I’m back with my Pack."
• Alpha Alex laughed, and I couldn’t help but notice how his powerful frame shook with amusement. His strength was a clear reminder that if he ever turned against me, I’d be completely vulnerable.
• “Good thing I decided to back him up. If I hadn’t, I’d be in deep trouble.”
• “Fine,” Alex replied. “Once Lucas is gone, you’re free to do your own thing.” He turned away, and I watched him stride off. "But keep this in mind," he said, peering back at me. "You must ensure that this goes well. Failure should not be among your options, Miss of Dark Moon." With that, Alpha Alex retreated into the forest's depths, his warning resonating in my ears.
• When I found myself alone, I took a deep breath, but it didn’t do much to calm my racing heart. After a brief moment of silence, I set off to find Lucas's cabin, trusting my instincts and the faint scent of home guiding me.
• Luckily, Alex hadn’t led me too far off course. As I walked, I felt miserable. I never meant to team up with Alex to hurt Lucas, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was betraying him by appearing to side with Alex.
• What if I just told Lucas about Alex’s plan to kill him?
• I toyed with the idea of telling Lucas everything, but fear crept in—what if he dismissed my worries and pushed me away?
• What should I do? I asked myself, torn between my loyalty to Lucas and the fear of losing him. Just then, a loud voice broke through my thoughts.
• “Where did you go?” the voice called out.
• I looked up to see Lucas standing to the north.
• My heart raced, drowning out everything except for his breathing and the sound of his footsteps getting closer. A chill ran down my spine as he came near. He asked again, "Where did you go?"
• I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart before I spoke. "Uh, I was just, um, curious about where you went," I stammered, my voice shaking like a leaf in the wind. "So, I, uh, thought I’d look for you."
• I knew it was a huge lie, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell the truth. H
• "Did you follow me?" he demanded.
• I paused. Then I stammered, "Y-yes." I couldn’t bear to look him in the eye. "But I regretted it almost immediately. I lost you and just ended up wandering around. I realize now that following you was a bad idea."
• Lucas let out a heavy sigh, running his fingers through his straight black hair. When he turned to me, disappointment was clear in his eyes. Unlike Alex's harsh stare, Lucas looked more understanding.
• "Are you out of your mind?" he asked. "This is the second time you’ve ignored what I told you."
• I clenched my jaw and balled my fists, feeling the strain as my knuckles turned pale.
• "I understand you want to be strong," he continued, his tone serious. "But in risky situations, you have to stick to the plan; I told you to stay inside," he added, frustration creeping into his voice. "But you chose to go outside and ended up lost."
• He usually kept to himself, but when he got fired up, he could go on forever. I kept quiet, realizing that nothing I said would ease his anger. If I were in his position, I’d feel the same way. Still, this was the only excuse I could think of.
• 'If Lucas finds out I met up with Alex and promised to keep an eye on him, he won't just be mad. He might... push me away. My wolf and I didn't want this person to do that.'
• "Did you meet with Alex?" Lucas's question cut through my thoughts, forcing me to look into his furious eyes. My heart raced with anxiety.
• How could he have known?'
• Lucas leaned in out of nowhere and inhaled deeply. My heart was pounding, but I tried to keep my cool as his warm breath brushed against my skin.
• When he finally backed off, he pressed on, “Why do you smell like Alex? Tell me.”