Chapter 84: The next move

The forest was alive with whispers of the night-leaves rustling, branches snapping, soft hooting of owls still distant-but Reika's senses turned to one thing: a figure darting through dense woods ahead of her. Her wolf cut through tenebrous shades as her eyes followed every movement, every turn of the shadowed figure she pursued. Anger warred with betrayal within her heart as someone in her pack was feeding into the Dawn family, wanting to tear down all she had strived for. All too damn familiar, the scent of a traitor twisted her stomach with dread. She did not want to think of who it might be, what it might mean; yet the truth was hurtling toward her with unrelenting cruelty. It tried zigzagging between trees with the hope of losing her within this labyrinth of the forest, but she had been faster now in the blur of wolf form bathed by moonlight. She dug hard into the ground, her paws rumbling, her breath in huffy puffing bursts. With one last bound, she flung herself forward. In a single leap, the distance was erased and she brought the figure to the ground. They landed heavily on dirt and Reika shifted back into human form, pinning the person below her. "Who are you?" she growled low and deadly. The figure struggled weakly beneath her, and its hood fell away from its face-from a face that froze Reika's heart in a block of ice. "Daisy?" Daisy's eyes had rounded in a mixture of fear and guilt when she stared up at Reika. "It's not what it looks like," she stammered out, her voice quivering. Reika tightened her hold on her arms, the grip painful, vice-like. "Then tell me what it is, because it looks like a hell of a lot like betrayal." "I swear, I didn't mean to- "You didn't mean to what? Spy on your own pack? Feed information to our enemies?" Daisy shook her head wildly. "I wasn't spying! I was meeting someone… someone who could help us." "Help us?" Reika said, her voice full of incredulity. "Who, Daisy? Who could possibly help us from the Dawn family's side?" Daisy stuttered and Reika snapped. She jerked the girl to her feet and slammed her against a tree. "'Speak truth or else, as I'm a- " "Alright!" Daisy had burst into tears. "He's my brother! He is with the Dawn family, but he is not of them. He's working to obtain information to help us." Dralbi loosening his grip said, "Your brother? Daisy sniffed a few times and then nodded. "He stayed behind when I left. He's been playing the double agent: pretended to work with them, yet fed me intel whenever he could. I didn't tell you because… because I knew you wouldn't trust him." Reika stepped backward, and her mind started to race. "And why am I to trust him? And, for that matter, why am I to even trust you? "Because I would never betray you," Daisy said, firm through her tears. "Everything I've done has been to protect you and the pack. I swear it." Reika studied her, her eyes searching for any hint of deception. Daisy had been loyal to her for years, yet the weight of betrayal muddied the waters. 'If you're lying to me…" Reika let the threat hang in the air, her tone making it clear what the consequences would be. 'I'm not," Daisy said quietly. 'Please, just give me a chance to prove it." An aftermath which, for her, meant pacing up and down from wall to wall in the war room with hurricane-force thoughts storming in her brain, the only thing that both Ileus and Kael could do was gaze at her, and not a word did pass over either of their lips, but volume was telling in those faces. "Then what's going on?" he finally asked. Reika ceased pacing for a moment and turned back to them. "Daisy says she has heard from her brother, who is undercover within the Dawn family. She says he means to feed us information that will help us, but… " Kael crossed his arms. "You don't believe him." Reika shook her head. "I don't trust anyone, period. But if it's remotely possible he might be telling the truth, we have nothing to lose by looking into it." "What's the plan?" Ileus asked. Reika took a deep, steeling breath. "We let Daisy continue her meetings, but under tight surveillance. If her brother is lying, we'll know. And if he's telling the truth… we might finally have an advantage." The next night, Reika and Kael took to the woods with Daisy, hanging back as she approached a screened clearing. Above them, the silver moon cast its bright rays down on the scene unfolding in front of them, upon who it was that waited for her. She quickened the rhythm of her heartbeat as she made out a figure-tall, lean, and of similar countenance to Daisy. "That's him," Kael whispered. Reika nodded and gestured to him to hang back. She pressed on, her enhanced hearing picking up their conversation. "Did you bring it with you?" Daisy whispered. He nodded, his hand delving into his pocket and producing a small rolled-up parchment. "That is all I've gathered so far. Their next move, the numbers, their weaknesses-it is all here." "Thanks," Daisy said gratefully. "I cannot do this much longer," he confessed. "They're getting suspicious. If they find out…" "They won't," Daisy assured. "Just be careful." Reika's wolf stirred within her, and there was no deceit in the words. But she couldn't lower her guard yet. Back at the territory of the pack, Reika unrolled the parchment, scanning the information thereon. Detailed, to the dot, and most importantly, game-changing. With luck, it'll be the advantage we've needed all along, Kael said, leaning over her shoulder. Reika nodded, but already her mind had run a step ahead. "If it's true. But if it's a trap…" Kael set a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Then we'll handle it. Together." Reika turned back; her eyes and expression now settled into hard resolve. "We need to be ready for anything. The Dawn family won't stop until we're destroyed, and I won't let that happen. The moment the room had fallen silent, a knock at the door blew it. "Come in," Reika called. A scout entered, his face pale and his expression grave. 'My queen, we've received word from the southern border. The Dawn family has made their move." Reika's eyes narrowed. 'What move?" 'They've sent an envoy," the scout said. 'But they're not coming to negotiate. They're coming for blood." Reika clenched her fists, the parchment crumpling in her grip. 'Then we'll give them a fight they'll never forget." The wolf inside her growled in concert, the fire of battle in her stomach seconding it.