Jasper's disjointed, half-true words buzzed in my ears like pesky insects.
That unreliable guy, using his disaster-like thought process, somehow managed to piece together a thorn-laden path leading toward the truth for me.
The logistics area, an abandoned warehouse.
I couldn't wait anymore. Karen was too cautious; he would surely stop me from acting alone. And Jasper—who knew what kind of bigger mess he might stir up if he came along?
That flashy badge could save me once, but luck wouldn't always be on my side.
I quietly got up, moving like a frightened cat, fumbling through the darkness to put on Torian's training uniform.
The lingering pinewood scent on it—belonging to Torian—failed to offer comfort this time, instead reminding me of the weighty responsibility on my shoulders, one that was never meant to be mine.
The logistics area was located on the edge of the Alpha Academy. Even during the day, it was seldom visited, and at night, it felt eerily silent like the underworld.
Under the moonlight, I dodged occasional patrol guards, muttering to myself about this damned Alpha Academy. Couldn't they install just a few more decent streetlights? Did all of them rely on a wolf's night vision to walk around?
The abandoned warehouse loomed like a silent giant beast, crouching at the far end of the weed-filled clearing.
I held my breath and cautiously pushed open the squeaky iron door. As expected, in the farthest corner of the warehouse, I found traces of something unusual.
On the ground was a clear, recently made drag mark, as if someone had hauled something heavy away. At the end of the mark, a sprinkling of fine, black powder lay scattered on the ground, gleaming ominously in the dim light.
There it was! I had seen a similar description in the restricted books of the library—a medium for shadow magic, used to mask presence and track!
My heart thudded wildly, threatening to leap out of my throat.
I found it! Solid evidence!
I crouched down, trying to examine it more closely. My fingers were nearly touching the powder when suddenly, the ground beneath my feet lit up with a dark red glow.
A complex magical array burst into life, and chains of energy shot out, binding my limbs and body tightly.
It was a trap!
I was terrified out of my wits, struggling with all my might, but the more I struggled, the tighter the chains became. A chilling energy seeped into my body through the chains, rendering me immobile.
Just when despair was setting in, the warehouse's dilapidated door creaked open again.
My heart sank to rock bottom. Had the enemy found me?
But the figure stepping in was tall and familiar. The moonlight outlined his handsome face and broad shoulders, and the air was suddenly filled with a warm yet dominant Alpha aura, like sunlight.
It was Ethan Wilder.
His golden eyes, always sparkling with a radiant smile, were now filled with shock and concern as they fell upon me, trapped in the magical array.
"Torian!" he growled lowly as he dashed toward me with a single stride.
"Don't come over! It's a trap!" I hurriedly shouted.
But Ethan either didn't hear me or didn't care.
A powerful Alpha energy burst from him. Ignoring the complex magical symbols, he used the most primal, brute force—a powerful punch—to slam into the array's energy core.
"Bang!"
With a deafening roar, the magical array trembled violently before shattering like broken glass, its fragments dissolving into countless red sparks. The energy chains binding me vanished simultaneously.
I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, my heart still pounding as I stared at him in shock.
"Are you crazy?!" Ethan grabbed my arm, pulling me up with startling strength.
For the first time, his usually cheerful and handsome face bore no smile. Instead, it showed an expression of sternness and fear I had never seen before.
"What were you thinking? Do you have any idea how dangerous this place is? Coming here alone—are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
His barrage of questions hit me like bullets, his tone filled with disbelief and reproach.
I was completely stunned by his outburst, unsure of how to respond.
What could I say? That I suspected this place was a hideout for the people who murdered or kidnapped my brother? That I was actually a woman, here to seek revenge and uncover the truth for my family?
"I… I was just curious," I mumbled, spitting out a lie even I didn't believe.
"Curious?!" Ethan's voice grew louder as he pointed to the black powder on the ground, his golden eyes fixated on me. "Curious about this stuff? Torian, I'm not an idiot! This is Dust of Oblivion, something only the Shadow Order uses! I've read about it in my family's restricted books! You're tangled up in something serious, aren't you? Tell me—I'll help you!"
His intense gaze almost stripped me bare, and the overwhelming, undeniable sense of protection he emanated felt like an invisible net tightening around me. I felt suffocated and instinctively wanted to pull back, but his grip on my arm was firm, leaving me unable to move.
While we remained deadlocked, the tension in the warehouse reached its peak. Suddenly, two shadows darted out from the darkness. They moved like phantoms, exuding a menacing killing intent as they charged straight at us!
"Watch out!" Ethan reacted swiftly, shoving me behind him before instantly taking a combat stance. With a low growl, his canines slightly bared, his muscles tensed as he confronted the two black-clad attackers.
The force of his push sent me stumbling into the cold wall. It wasn't until then that I clearly saw the attackers—exactly the sort of shady figures Jasper had described. Their presence was chilling, their moves ruthless and coordinated; they were obviously professional killers.
Ethan's strength was undeniable. He fought like an enraged lion, every strike he made explosive and unrestrained. But facing two opponents while also trying to protect me left him struggling to keep the upper hand.
I couldn't just hide behind him! The thought flashed through my mind. I was no longer the princess waiting to be rescued. Now, I was Torian Vance! Even if I was a fake, I couldn't be a burden!
Suppressing my inner fear, I grabbed a broken wooden plank nearby and, seizing the moment when one of the black-clad men attacked Ethan, swung it at his back with all my strength.
The attack was feeble, barely effective, but it succeeded in angering the man. He let out a cold snort and turned, kicking me squarely.
"Torian!" Ethan shouted in alarm, wanting to rush over to save me but was held back by the other attacker.
I could only watch helplessly as the kick approached, my mind blank, unable to dodge in time.
At the critical moment, Ethan forcibly took a blow to his back from his opponent and, in one swift motion, turned at an impossible angle to shield me. Like a golden lightning bolt, he rushed to my side, building a solid wall of protection with his own body.
"Slash—"
The sound of a blade slicing through flesh echoed hauntingly in the silent warehouse.
Ethan let out a muffled grunt, his body trembling violently. I saw a black dagger slashing deep into his left arm, crimson blood instantly soaking his white training uniform sleeve.
That dense, sun-kissed scent of Alpha blood exploded in the air, hammering my chest as my mind roared in turmoil. Gratitude, guilt, shock, and an unfamiliar emotion surged like a flood overwhelming a dam.
Ethan seemed unfazed by the pain. Using his wounded arm, he pulled me closer behind him, his golden eyes burning with fury. Every word that followed carried unyielding dominance: "You've chosen death."
The two black-clad men, startled by his fearlessness, exchanged glances. One retreated while the other launched a final strike before retreating into the night.
Before vanishing, the hooded attacker sneered coldly: "Vance heir? Hah, didn't expect you to need a Wilder to save you."
A cold dread gripped me.
The man's gaze swept over Ethan's bleeding arm and my pale face. His malice was palpable as he left one chilling remark:
"Tell Silas Knight we'll soon have what he's looking for."
With that, he disappeared into the darkness.
Only Ethan and I remained in the warehouse, his pale face from blood loss and the echo of that name leaving me frozen.
Silas Knight? He's involved too? What is he searching for?
I looked at the wounded guardian before me, his identity seemingly shrouded in secrets, and my mind was a chaotic mess.
My journey to uncover the truth had clearly led me into a whirlpool far deeper and more perilous than I had ever imagined.