The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale light over the clearing as Flora stood with Maxwell, Luke, and the rest of the pack. The weight of the revelation about Bianca's betrayal was suffocating, and yet, Flora couldn't shake the gnawing feeling that there was more to this than anyone was letting on.
Maxwell's silence was more disturbing than anything. He had always been the steady one, the one who held the pack together in times of crisis, but tonight he was distant, his eyes scanning the shadows with a mixture of anger and disbelief. Flora knew him well enough to recognize the storm brewing inside him.
"This can't be happening," she muttered under her breath.
Maxwell turned to her then, his face tight with frustration. "It's happening, Flora. Bianca's working with the vampires. She's been lying to us from the start."
Luke cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "The pendant is proof, but we need more. We need to know how deep this goes. If she's already in contact with them, who else could be?"
Flora's mind raced. The thought of Bianca—the woman who had trained her, who had once seemed so dedicated to the pack—being a traitor was unbearable. But the evidence was clear. The pendant in Luke's hand was a symbol of a vampire clan. It was the kind of thing no one could fake.
"What do we do now?" Flora asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Maxwell took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing. "We need to confront her. Find out what she knows, what she's planning."
Flora's stomach churned at the thought. Confronting Bianca would mean exposing everything, and Flora wasn't sure she was ready for that. But there was no choice now. Bianca had already crossed the line.
"Are we going alone?" Luke asked, glancing around at the group of pack members who had gathered.
Maxwell shook his head. "We need to be careful. No one else can know about this yet. We can't afford to make a mistake."
Flora nodded, though the idea of facing Bianca without backup made her uneasy. But she knew Maxwell was right. This wasn't something they could share with everyone. Not yet.
The clearing felt colder now, as if the air itself was thick with the tension of the decisions to come. Flora's mind was spinning, trying to piece together what she had missed all along. Bianca's behavior had always been strange—distant at times, overly harsh at others—but Flora had never suspected her of being capable of betrayal. Now, it seemed so obvious, as if all the pieces had been right in front of her, but she had never known how to see them.
"We'll head out at first light," Maxwell said, his voice steady but firm. "I want to make sure we're prepared."
Flora wanted to argue. They had no time to waste, not when Bianca was this close to destroying everything. But she held her tongue. Maxwell was right, as much as it pained her to admit it.
The next few hours passed in a blur. Flora lay awake in her small cabin, the sound of the wind rustling the trees outside a constant reminder of the danger closing in. She couldn't seem to shut off her mind, replaying every moment with Bianca, every word, every glance. There had to be something she missed. There had to be a reason Bianca had chosen to betray them, to align herself with the vampires.
Was it about power? Was it about revenge?
The questions circled endlessly, but no answers came. All Flora had was the certainty that they were running out of time.
At dawn, Flora met Maxwell and Luke at the edge of the woods. The air was thick with fog, making everything seem muted and distant, like the world was holding its breath. Flora's heartbeat quickened as she thought of what lay ahead. Confronting Bianca was one thing, but what would happen once the truth came out? Could they really trust anyone else in the pack now?
"Ready?" Maxwell asked, his voice low and controlled.
Flora nodded, though she wasn't sure if she was ready or not. "Let's do this."
They made their way through the trees in silence, their footsteps soft on the damp earth. Flora's senses were on high alert, every rustle of leaves making her tense. The clearing was ahead, and soon they would face Bianca. Soon they would find out what kind of monster she had become.
When they arrived, Bianca was already there, standing in the center of the clearing as if she had been waiting for them. Her expression was unreadable, her posture perfect, as if nothing had changed.
"You took your time," Bianca said, her voice calm, almost amused.
Flora felt a surge of anger rise in her chest, but she forced it down. This wasn't about her emotions. This was about the pack. This was about stopping whatever Bianca had planned.
"Why, Bianca?" Flora asked, her voice steady but laced with emotion. "Why betray us? Why align yourself with the vampires?"
Bianca's eyes flicked to Flora, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "It's not as simple as you think, Flora. You're too naïve. There's more at stake here than you realize."
Maxwell stepped forward, his voice cold. "Tell us what you're really after. The pendant, the lies… none of it adds up. What's the real plan?"
Bianca took a slow step toward them, her eyes darkening. "The real plan? To destroy the pack from the inside out. To bring down the entire system that's been built on lies."
Flora's heart skipped. "What do you mean?"
"The pack's leadership is corrupt," Bianca said, her voice low, almost hypnotic. "You've been led astray, Flora. All of you. The vampires will bring true power. True order."
Flora's mind raced. She had thought they were preparing to fight the vampires. But Bianca... she was ready to join them. To destroy everything they had worked for.
"No," Flora said, shaking her head. "This isn't you. You've always cared about the pack."
Bianca's smile turned bitter. "You don't understand. I was never part of the pack. I've always been a weapon, a tool. I was just waiting for the right time to strike."
Maxwell's eyes narrowed. "And now is the time?"
Bianca nodded. "Yes. Now is the time to tear it all down."
Flora's breath caught in her throat. This was it. This was the moment when everything would change. The pack's future, their safety—it all hung in the balance now.
"What happens now?" Flora
asked, her voice almost a whisper.
Bianca's smile deepened. "Now we fight."