The moment Harris spoke, the whole clearing fell into a stunned silence.
Even the wolves who stood under the trees stopped shifting their weight.
No one knew how to react. His words were too twisted… too cruel… too much even for a pack used to darkness.
One elder finally managed to speak.
"Captain Tucker… are you certain?"
Harris gave a grim nod. His Alpha aura stayed steady, grounding the shocked crowd.
"Yes, Mr. Morrigan. Our trackers and healers examined her remains. Someone coated her body with a rare preservative strong enough to stop decay and keep her looking… alive."
He hesitated.
"But in truth, Ms. Elena Morrigan had been dead for days before she was ever found."
A loud, broken gasp tore from Vivian's throat.
She covered her mouth, shaking violently.
"How could any wolf be so cruel? She was already gone! Why torment her body like that?"
Julian didn't move.
His skin turned pale, almost gray.
