Chapter 370: A Shadow That Hunts Unseen
Evaline:
After River left, I was left with nothing but questions and worry.
Another Soul Death case. And this time, it was an Elder from the Council.
Though I wanted to contact both Kieran and Rowan to get some sort of update, I refrained myself. The last thing she wanted was to disturb Kieran when he was busy dealing with such an important matter. And there was no telling whether Rowan had heard anything about this new case from Kieran yet, and if he hadn’t, then she should really not contact him at the moment.
Hence, she was left with only one option... to wait.
The sun was still hovering over the horizon when I heard a car pulling up in the driveway. The presence of my mates filled our bonds, letting me know they had returned home earlier today than usual, all four of them.
I handed Lioren to Madam Elira, pressing a kiss to his soft cheek before leaving him in her and Vanessa’s care. I knew he was safe and well looked-after in their care.
I made my way downstairs and felt their presence in the study, so I entered the dimly lit room quietly, though the soft click of the door still made all of them lift their gazes to me.
The four of them were scattered across the couches, silent and tense as if waiting for war. My heart thudded against my ribs, that instinctual dread telling me I wasn’t going to like what I was about to hear.
Before I could even settle, Draven reached forward and wrapped his strong hand around my wrist, pulling me straight into his lap as though needing me anchored to him. I gasped softly at the sudden tug, but didn’t protest. Despite the tense situation and the serious matter at hand, I was more than happy to be in my mate’s arms.
"Stay here," he murmured, his voice low but almost desperate. "I don’t want you too far from me after all these days I have spent away from you."
I relaxed in his hold, and swept my gaze over the others. "What happened?" I asked, my voice not as steady as I wanted it to be.
River leaned forward, bracing his forearms against his knees, his jaw clenched so tightly it was a wonder he could even speak. "It was Elder Nicholas."
I stilled. Elder Nicholas? He was one of the oldest members of the werewolf council, someone I had grown used to seeing at the headquarters during my internship period. He had always carried wisdom in his pale eyes, always had a steady word of counsel for the young and reckless.
"What about him?" I whispered, though I already knew the answer.
Kieran’s gaze met mine, his voice hushed but edged with helplessness. "He was found unconscious this morning. In the woods behind the old council headquarter building."
The words slid like ice beneath my skin, and my fingers curled tightly against Draven’s chest.
"Was he found soul dead too?" I asked, the fragile hope in my tone breaking.
Kieran nodded his head once. "That’s right. Soul dead."
The room thickened around me. I could feel all four of them watching, waiting for my reaction, but I couldn’t form one. The breath caught in my throat felt like shards of glass.
Soul death.
Again.
"This is the fourth case in the past fifteen months," Oscar muttered from where he sat against the armrest, his usually playful demeanor replaced by an edge that scared me more than his anger ever could. "And Nicholas... he was supposed to be untouchable. Strong. Respected. Not just any weak and young wolf to fall prey to whatever is happening."
My stomach twisted. "But how?" My voice cracked, raw. "How does something like this keep happening, and no one sees anything?"
River’s eyes darkened, his presence commanding the silence that followed. "That’s the question we have been trying to answer all day. We had our men comb through every piece of footage from the old headquarters, every street leading into the woods, every shadow that might have lingered nearby. Nothing."
"Nothing," Oscar echoed grimly. "No tracks. No unusual scents. Not even a damn broken twig to suggest someone had been there."
It felt impossible. No crime left without evidence. No predator leaving no mark. Unless...
Draven’s hand tightened its hold on mine slightly. "It’s deliberate. Precise. Whoever is doing this is leaving nothing behind because they know exactly how to cover their trail."
Kieran leaned back, running a hand down his face as though exhaustion pressed heavier than the day itself. "And it’s spreading fear through the council faster than wildfire. If an elder can be attacked and stripped of his soul, then none of them will feel safe anymore. They are already whispering about a shadow that hunts unseen."
A shadow that hunts unseen.
I swallowed hard. "So, this is what? A warning? Or a message?"
River’s gaze snapped to mine, sharp and unyielding. "It’s more than that. It’s a declaration. Whoever is behind this isn’t just hunting... they are showing us they can reach anyone. Anywhere. Anytime."
The silence that followed clawed at my nerves.
I wanted to say something, to offer even the smallest thread of hope, but the weight of their words pressed too heavily on my chest. My heart was beating too loud, too fast, and all I could think of was Elder Nicholas - lying somewhere out there, empty, hollow, his soul gone as though it had never existed.
Draven’s arms tightened around me as if sensing my spiraling thoughts. His lips brushed the side of my temple in a fleeting touch, an unspoken promise that I wasn’t alone in this darkness.
But I couldn’t stop the question that was starting to take root in my mind. Whoever was behind this, their targets almost seemed abrupt so far. From whatever information I had gathered during my investigation in this matter, there wasn’t really a pattern... at least not one that stood out to me.
So...
What if it comes for us next?