I was standing beside Xander one second, and in less than a heartbeat, the three wolves were already sprawled on the ground.
His movements were so fast...too swift, too precise...that I almost missed them entirely.
"I'm done here," he said, stretching his neck with a faint crack. His voice was calm, unbothered, as though knocking out three rogue wolves was as easy as brushing away dust.
I blinked at the bodies on the ground. Their huge forms were motionless. "You didn't kill them," I whispered, stepping closer.
Looking carefully, I realized there wasn't a single drop of blood on the ground. Their chests rose and fell slowly, steady, peaceful, almost like they were sleeping.
No blood. No wounds.
I crouched beside one of them. "What did you do to them?"
"Let's start walking back," he said, ignoring my question completely as he began to stride away.
I hesitated, glancing again at the wolves. Even unconscious, they looked terrifying, their massive bodies, matted fur, claws thick and sharp enough to shred bark. Yet, he'd taken them down in less than a second.
I hurried after him, my steps quick trying to catch up with him. "Did you come here to hunt rogue wolves?" I asked. "Because you didn't exactly hunt anything apart from killing that fox earlier and… well, putting those wolves to sleep."
He didn't respond. Of course, he didn't. His silence had become something I wasn't used to, beause his words were something that annoyed the most but I'd taken note he was a lot secretive about a lot of things.
Still, curiosity burned in me. "What did you do to them? How did you make them fall asleep like that?"
No answer.
I sighed. The man could be infuriating.
But the question wouldn't leave my mind. Was it a vampire ability? Vampires were known for having all sorts of abilities but I wasn't sure because vampires are known to be secretive creatures who likes to mind their busness. Werewolves, on the other hand, didn't have any special ability apart from heightened senses, strength, and their ability to shift.
I'd only ever heard about vampire abilities. Never seen one in action until now, maybe. All I knew about Vampires was they his their abilities. They preferred secrecy, isolation. They thrived in mystery, keeping everyone guessing about what they were truly capable of.
Only a few werewolves had ever fought vampires and lived to tell the tale. I'd always been scared of them and my fear had caused me to know nothing about them.
"What's going through that head of yours?" Alexander's deep voice cut through my thoughts.
"Nothing," I replied quickly.
He glanced back briefly, one eyebrow slightly raised, before continuing.
I walked behind him in silence, watching the rhythmic sway of his shoulders as he moved through the forest. His black shirt clung to his frame, his steps silent and graceful, as if he belonged to the darkness itself.
Why was he so… perfect? It was irritating.
Every line of him looked as if it had been carved deliberately, each step controlled and precise. Even from behind, he looked like something the moon goodness had shaped itself.
Why should someone like him exist...flawless, confident, impossible to read?
My mind drifted back to the past, to when I'd first known him. He'd always been this way. Even when we were younger, he was the one who stood apart, mysterious and cold, but always drawing attention.
I tried to remember why I'd started to hate him in the first place.
Maybe because he used to tease me mercilessly.
Maybe because he always made me feel small.
Or maybe because he never cared how anyone felt.
Over the years, all that irritation and anger must've built up, turning into something darker. I didn't even realize when the dislike had turned to resentment.
Even now that it seems he was protecting me... yet as I stared at him now, I couldn't help but feel the same hatred even though I rarely showed it.
But it seems he had changed. There was something different about him, something darker, something far more dangerous whenever I'm around him.
Lost in thought, I didn't realize he had stopped walking until my forehead collided with his back.
"Ow!" I stumbled a step back, rubbing my head.
He turned around slightly, an amused glint in his eyes. "Thinking about someone?"
Seeing the glint in eyes, I realized he was as annoying as ever.
"I...no. I was just..." I trailed off, realizing I couldn't come up with a decent excuse.
We had stopped at the same spot where he'd killed the fox earlier. The scent of blood lingered thick in the air. I stared at the dark stain on the ground, and it instantly dragged me back—to that night at the mating party.
The screaming. The chaos. The blood.
I turned my gaze away quickly, trying to shut the memory out.
"How is my father?" I blurted before I could stop myself. The question slipped out raw, heavy with worry.
Alexander's eyes lingered on me. "Your emotions are all over the place," he said finally. "A moment ago, your heartbeat was faster than usual like you were excited. Then it slowed, like you were sad. And now…" He tilted his head slightly, listening. "Now you're scared and worried."
My breath caught. "You can hear my heartbeat?"
He clicked his tongue, a hint of mockery curling his lips. "You should really read more about the people you're going to be around for a while."
"I won't be here long," I snapped. "The Green Lineage pack will recover soon, and my father will be fine."
He turned toward me, eyes dark and unyielding. "You need to learn to accept reality, Elena. Otherwise."
His words stung more than I wanted to admit.
I didn't understand what he meant, not fully but something in his tone made me uneasy. He turned away before I could respond.
I trailed behind him again, silent. My body might have been here in the Darkblood territory, but my heart was still back home with my father, my mother, and Jared.
I hadn't even been allowed to see my mom or dad before leaving. Not even a goodbye. The thought made my chest tighten painfully.
Was Father all right? Was he recovering? Was Mother eating at all, or was she too consumed by worry? And Jared, I'd tried to call him but I hadn't gotten any response and I couldn't help but be worried because he isn't ready yet but he had to take on so much now. Was the pressure of leading the pack crushing him?
The questions looped endlessly in my mind.
Finally, frustration bubbled to the surface. "Just give me an answer," I said sharply. "It's been more than a week, Alexander. I deserve to know."
He stopped walking. The morning breeze rustled the leaves as he turned his head slightly toward me. "Your father isn't my responsibility, Elena," he said, his voice flat, cold. "My business is with you and your sister."
His words hit me like a slap. "You're unbelievable," I hissed. "You talk like you don't care about anyone at all."
He gave a short, humorless laugh. "I don't care about anyone." His tone came out dry and at that point I could feel he was telling the truth but my mind couldn't just take it just yet.
"That's a lie," I shot back, though my voice trembled.
He said nothing more.
For a long moment, we walked in silence, the forest thick around us. The moonlight barely touched the ground here. Every tree seemed to lean closer, whispering secrets to the wind.
"I heard the lady and yourself," I said suddenly, desperate to break the silence. "The beautiful lady with green eyes mentioned a place, Palgrim. I know it has something to do about my father."
That made him pause.
He slid his hands into his pockets and turned, his blue gaze locking on mine. "If you've heard of Palgrim," he said quietly, "then you should also know what it means. And maybe, if you did your research, you'd already know how your father is doing."
"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded, stepping closer.
He didn't answer. He just turned and started walking again, his voice drifting back faintly. "You'll find out soon enough."
The chill that ran through me then had nothing to do with the night air.
I was about to ask more, to demand the truth, when movement ahead caught my eye.
I saw two figures approaching us and my heart couldn't help but do a flip-flop.
Was it another enemy?
I didn't know but glancing at Alexander he seemed unfazed and just continued to walk forward.
Of course he is always unfazed but I couldn't help but wonder what was going on in that head of his and what he was the going to do at this moment.