Flora's breath caught in her throat as she stared at the flickering shadows outside the window. The night air was thick with an unsettling silence, the only sound being the faint rustle of leaves against the walls of the lodge. She had hoped that Bianca's threat was nothing more than a passing moment of tension, but the unease in her gut told her otherwise.
She paced the room, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. How had things gotten so complicated so quickly? All she wanted was to prove herself to the pack, to train, and prepare for the vampire threat looming on the horizon. But every step forward seemed to come with a new obstacle, a new puzzle piece she couldn't quite fit into place.
The confrontation with Bianca earlier that day had left her shaken. The venom in Bianca's voice, the way her eyes had glinted with something dark—Flora couldn't ignore it. There was something wrong.
A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.
"Flora?" Maxwell's voice drifted in, low and hesitant.
She didn't hesitate. "Come in."
Maxwell stepped inside, his usual calm demeanor replaced with a visible tension. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days, the shadows under his eyes a testament to his exhaustion.
"Are you alright?" he asked, concern in his voice.
Flora nodded, forcing a smile. "I'm fine. Just thinking about everything that's happened lately."
Maxwell's eyes narrowed as he closed the door behind him. "Something's off, isn't it? I can feel it."
Flora hesitated, weighing whether or not she should voice her suspicions. She didn't want to drag him into this, but the weight of the situation was pressing down on her.
"I think Bianca's hiding something," Flora said quietly, watching Maxwell's reaction closely.
His expression shifted slightly, though it was hard to tell if it was surprise or concern. "What makes you think that?"
Flora recounted the sparring session with Bianca earlier, the way she had deliberately pushed Flora's limits, the harshness in her strikes. "It's not just the training. It's her attitude. It's like she's trying to provoke me, but I don't know why."
Maxwell remained silent for a moment, as if processing her words. He finally sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "I've noticed her acting strange lately. There's something... off about her. But I didn't want to jump to conclusions."
Flora's heart skipped. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," Maxwell muttered, shaking his head. "It's like she's been... distracted. And her behavior toward you has definitely changed."
Flora bit her lip, uncertainty creeping into her thoughts. Could Bianca be involved with the vampires? Could she have been working with them all along?
"You need to be careful," Maxwell said, his voice low. "She's dangerous when she's cornered. We don't know her as well as we think we do."
Flora nodded, her resolve hardening. She'd been trying to stay away from conflict, to focus on her training, but now she had no choice. Bianca had made it personal.
Maxwell's gaze softened, a fleeting moment of tenderness in his eyes. "You don't have to face this alone. I'm here, Flora. I always will be."
Her pulse quickened at his words. He'd been her rock since she'd arrived at the pack, and she found herself leaning on him more than she ever expected. But this was different. The danger was closing in, and it felt like the walls were closing around her.
"I know," Flora whispered, looking away. "Thank you, Maxwell."
He took a step toward her, his hand resting lightly on her arm. "Just be careful. Whatever happens, don't lose yourself in this. I won't let you."
Flora met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. There was something in his eyes, something more than just friendship. A flicker of something deeper, something she couldn't quite name.
Before she could respond, a sharp knock at the door interrupted them.
Flora's pulse spiked.
"Who is it?" Maxwell called, his hand still resting on Flora's arm.
A voice responded from the other side of the door. "It's Luke. You need to see this."
Maxwell's expression immediately darkened, his grip tightening on Flora's arm. "Stay here," he ordered, before turning to open the door.
Flora's mind raced as she stood frozen in place. What was going on? What could Luke possibly have to show them that was urgent enough to drag Maxwell away?
Maxwell stepped back inside, his face grim. "Get dressed. We're going to the clearing."
Flora's stomach dropped. The clearing was where the pack often gathered for important matters. It was a place of both strategy and power. If they were heading there at this hour, it could only mean one thing: something had gone horribly wrong.
"Maxwell—" Flora began, but he cut her off.
"Now, Flora. We don't have time."
His urgency made her heart race as she quickly changed into her boots and a jacket, following him out the door.
They moved through the woods in silence, the chill of the night air biting at Flora's skin. The further they went, the more her anxiety grew. What had Luke found?
When they finally reached the clearing, a small group of pack members were gathered, their faces tense and grim. Luke stood at the center, holding something tightly in his hands.
"What's going on?" Flora asked, her voice tight.
Luke met her gaze and slowly opened his hand to reveal a small, silver pendant—one that Flora instantly recognized.
Her blood ran cold.
It was the same pendant Bianca had worn the first time Flora saw her.
"This was found near the edge of the territory," Luke said, his voice steady but with an edge of uncertainty. "It's from a vampire clan. A message."
Flora's throat tightened. She couldn't believe it. Bianca had been involved with the vampires after all.
"What does this mean?" Maxwell asked, his voice low and deadly serious.
"It means," Luke said slowly, "that Bianca isn't just playing games. She's a traitor. And she's working with the enemy."
Flora's heart pounded in her chest as the weight of Luke's words settled in. Bianca had been hiding in plain sight, deceiving them all. But the worst part? She was about to bring the pack to its knees.
Flora's gaze shifted to Maxwell. His jaw was clenched, his fists at his sides, but he didn't speak. It was as if the revelation had knocked the wind out of him.
"What do we do now?" Flora asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Maxwell looked up at the sky, the weight of their next steps heavy in the air. "We prepare for war."
And just like that, Flora knew they were about to face th
eir greatest challenge yet. The vampires were coming, and the traitor was already inside their walls.