Chapter 13
599words
Inside were photographs that made my blood run cold. Images of wolves—or what had once been wolves—their bodies twisted and deformed, silver veins visible beneath patchy fur. Their eyes were wild with pain and madness.
"Victor's experiments," Derek said grimly. "He was trying to infuse regular wolves with silver resistance."
I flipped through more pages until I found a report in my father's handwriting. "Here—my father's analysis. He says the process is fundamentally flawed. Without the natural silver wolf gene, the artificial infusion causes cellular breakdown and eventually insanity."
Derek picked up another folder. "And here's the proof we need. Financial records showing Victor diverted pack funds to build a secret lab. Communications with black market dealers for silver compounds. And—" he paused, pulling out a small vial of silvery liquid "—a sample of the compound itself."
"This is enough to convince the council," I said, hope rising in my chest.
"More than enough." Derek carefully packed the most damning evidence into his backpack. "We need to get back before—"
A slow clap echoed through the chamber. We spun around to find Victor standing in the doorway, flanked by two large wolves I recognized as his personal guards.
"Before I found you?" Victor finished, his voice cold. "Too late for that."
Derek pushed me behind him, his body tensing for a fight. "How did you find us?"
"You're not as clever as you think, young Alpha." Victor stepped into the room, his eyes gleaming with malice. "I've known about these tunnels for decades. I've been monitoring them since your father's unfortunate... accident."
"You mean murder," I said, anger burning through my fear.
Victor's gaze shifted to me, calculating and cold. "Such spirit. Just like your father. He was stubborn too—right until the end."
Derek growled, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. "You won't get away with this, Victor. The council will know the truth."
"The council?" Victor laughed. "By the time they realize you're missing, it will be too late. They'll find your bodies deep in these tunnels—tragic victims of a cave-in while searching for evidence that doesn't exist."
He nodded to his guards, who began to shift into their wolf forms. "Kill the Alpha. Take the girl alive—we still need her silver blood."
Everything happened at once. Derek shifted in an instant, his massive black wolf launching at the first guard. I called to Silver, my own transformation flowing through me as I faced the second attacker.
The chamber erupted into chaos—snarling, snapping jaws, the scrabble of claws on stone. Derek fought with the ferocity of an Alpha protecting his Mate, but we were outnumbered. Victor remained in human form, backing toward the exit.
I lunged at the guard attacking me, my silver wolf faster than his bulky gray form. My teeth found his shoulder, and he yelped in pain. But as I turned to help Derek, Victor pulled something from his jacket—a silver dagger.
"Derek, look out!" I tried to warn him, but it was too late.
Victor threw the dagger with deadly accuracy. It struck Derek in the side, the silver immediately burning into his flesh. He howled in agony, his legs buckling.
Rage exploded within me. I abandoned my opponent and charged at Victor, my silver fur blazing in the dim light. Surprise flashed across his face as I slammed into him, knocking him against the wall. My teeth snapped inches from his throat.
But the guard I'd abandoned recovered quickly. He tackled me from behind, his weight crushing me to the ground. Victor scrambled away, heading for the exit.
