My Fated Alpha's Cruel Game (Elena and Marcus) novel Chapter 139

Chapter 139: Chapter 139 The Real Target

Damien’s POV

The moment Caleb stepped through our front door, I seized both his phone and Wyatt’s device. My fingers moved with urgent precision as I downloaded the horrific images onto my computer. The werewolf council needed this evidence immediately. They would handle the grim task of identifying every single body in those photographs by cross-referencing the Alpha’s pack records.

I studied Caleb’s pale face. "You holding up okay?"

He collapsed into the nearest chair, his hands trembling slightly. "There were so many bodies, Damien. I’ve seen death before, seen wolves fall in battle. But this was different. This was systematic. They herded them together like cattle before the slaughter."

The weight of his words settled heavily in my chest. "This is Hunter work. They’ve escalated their methods recently. I never imagined they’d push this far into our territory."

"How long has this been happening?" The question came out strained.

"We discovered the first massacre about a year ago. The council issued warnings, but these attacks seemed isolated, far from our borders. Nobody can predict their next target. They strike without pattern or logic."

Caleb’s jaw tightened with sudden understanding. "That randomness is their strategy. Keep the packs isolated and terrified. No time to call for backup when you don’t know death is coming."

"Exactly." The confirmation tasted bitter.

His voice dropped to barely a whisper. "How’s Elena handling this?"

"She’ll manage. She’s with the children in the dining room. Dinner’s ready."

Caleb shook his head firmly, pushing himself up from the chair. "Can’t stomach food right now. Those images keep replaying." He headed for the stairs without another word.

I found Elena in the dining room, surrounded by our children’s chatter and the normalcy I desperately wanted to preserve. The tension between us hung thick as morning fog. Her conversation with me had been limited to necessities since she’d overheard my doubts about her Briar theory. Maybe I had sounded dismissive, like I thought grief was clouding her judgment.

But I refused to build hope on uncertain ground. Not until we had absolute proof.

Dinner passed in strained silence. Elena focused entirely on the children, cutting their food and wiping faces with mechanical precision. When the meal ended, she gathered them for their bedtime routine while I cleared the table alone.

Two hours later, she finally appeared in our bedroom. The bathroom door clicked shut behind her, followed by the sound of running water. I pretended to read while she showered, but my mind kept circling back to those massacre photos.

She emerged in her nightgown, damp hair falling around her shoulders. Without acknowledging my presence, she settled on her side of the bed and opened her laptop. The familiar glow of the dark web illuminated her determined features.

"The Golden Falls Pack is gone," I said quietly. "Every last member."

Her fingers froze above the keyboard. Fear flickered across her face before hardening into something more dangerous. "They’re only hours from here. What brings Hunters this far south?"

"I wish I knew. But they’re definitely moving in our direction."

Her fingers closed around a smooth, dark orb that seemed to absorb the basement’s dim light. We’d hidden it here years ago after agreeing that the ancient artifacts were too dangerous to keep together. Alone, they were powerful. Combined, they could destroy entire werewolf bloodlines.

The pieces clicked into place with terrifying clarity. They hadn’t tried to kill us because they needed something from us first. The girl had been sent to retrieve this orb, but Elena’s instincts had stopped her.

"They’re using Briar as bait," Elena said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. "They know she’s the only person who could distract me enough to lower my guard."

Her theory no longer seemed far-fetched. The calculated nature of everything suddenly made perfect sense, even if accepting Briar as a Hunter felt like swallowing glass.

I pulled Elena against my chest, feeling her heartbeat against mine. "I’m sorry. I should have trusted your instincts from the beginning."

"I recognized her immediately, Damien. Don’t ask me how, because I can’t explain it. I just knew." Her arms tightened around me.

"You think the old stories about maternal bonds transcending everything might be real?"

"My life has been full of impossible things. This would just be another mystery to add to the collection." Her laugh held no humor.

"Caleb said if anyone could prove those legends true, it would be you." I pressed my lips to her hair, inhaling her familiar scent.

Her grip on me tightened like she was afraid I might disappear.