Lena's POV
The cabin was unnervingly quiet, the kind of silence that felt heavier than the air itself. My fingers trembled as I touched the rough wooden table, trying to steady myself.
Damien had left hours ago, promising to return with answers about the prophecy, leaving me alone to wrestle with my spiraling thoughts.
I didn't want to admit it, but Riley's words kept replaying in my head. "Don't trust Damien."
I paced the small room, the floor creaking beneath my feet. "This is insane," I muttered under my breath. "I'm spiraling because of one cryptic warning from someone I barely know."
But the truth was, doubt had already taken root, and it was spreading like wildfire.
As I passed the fireplace, something caught my eye. The edge of a plank beneath the rug seemed slightly raised, almost imperceptibly so. Curiosity prickled my skin, and before I knew it, I was kneeling on the floor, pulling the rug aside.
"Come on, what are you hiding?" I whispered, my nails scraping against the wood.
With a soft pop, the plank came loose, revealing a narrow compartment. Inside, there was a single object: a phone.
It was small, battered, and looked ancient compared to modern devices. My heart raced as I picked it up, the weight of it almost too much to bear. The screen lit up with a single notification:
One New Message
My thumb hovered over the screen. Every instinct screamed at me to put it down, to leave it alone, but my curiosity won out. With a shaky breath, I opened the message.
It was a video file.
The screen flickered as it played, and Ethan's face appeared. His disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes made him look like a man on the edge of sanity.
"Lena," he said, his voice raw and frantic. "If you're seeing this, then I didn't make it."
I gasped, nearly dropping the phone.
"I don't have much time," Ethan continued, glancing over his shoulder. "You need to listen to me. Damien—he's not who you think he is. He's the reason I disappeared."
My breath hitched. "No... that can't be right."
"I trusted him," Ethan said, his voice breaking. "I thought we were brothers in all but blood. But he used me, Lena. He set me up, and now I'm paying the price."
The room spun, his words twisting my reality.
Ethan's eyes bore into the camera, desperation etched into every line of his face. "You have to find proof. Look in his study—there are documents he's hiding. He's playing a dangerous game, and you're a pawn in it."
The video cut out for a moment, static filling the screen. When it resumed, Ethan's expression had shifted from desperation to outright terror.
"They're coming," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I can hear them."
A chilling scream tore through the speakers, followed by the sound of something—or someone—being dragged away. The screen went black.
---
I dropped the phone, stumbling backward as if it had burned me. My hands flew to my mouth, stifling the scream that threatened to escape.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "This can't be true. Damien wouldn't—he couldn't."
But the evidence was right there, and Ethan's scream echoed in my ears like a haunting melody.
Suddenly, the cabin felt suffocating, the walls closing in around me. I grabbed the phone and shoved it into my pocket, my mind racing. If what Ethan said was true, then I needed answers.
But where would I even start?
A faint knock on the cabin door shattered my thoughts.
"Lena?"
I froze. It was Damien.
For a moment, I considered not answering, but the door creaked open before I could decide. Damien stepped inside, his towering presence filling the room.
"Why is it so dark in here?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with concern.
I forced a smile, hoping he couldn't hear the rapid pounding of my heart. "Just... thinking."
He studied me, his piercing eyes searching for something. "You're pale. What happened?"
"Nothing," I said quickly, too quickly.
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Lena, if something's wrong, you need to tell me."
The weight of the phone in my pocket felt like a lead anchor. "I'm fine," I lied, turning away to avoid his gaze.
"You're a terrible liar," he said, his voice softening. "Talk to me."
I hesitated, my mind warring with itself. Could I trust him? Should I confront him? Or would that put me in even more danger?
"I just... I need some space," I said finally, hoping it would buy me time.
Damien's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Alright. But if you need me, I'm here."
As he turned to leave, I couldn't stop myself. "Damien?"
He paused, looking back at me.
"What happened to Ethan?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
His expression darkened, shadows flickering across his face. "Why are you asking about Ethan?"
"Because I deserve to know," I said, my voice trembling but firm.
Damien sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Ethan was... reckless. He made mistakes that put the pack at risk."
"What kind of mistakes?" I pressed, my heart hammering in my chest.
"Lena, this isn't something you need to worry about," he said, his tone final. "Ethan is gone, and nothing will bring him back."
His words were like a knife to my chest. He wasn't denying it.
Before I could say anything else, Damien turned and left, the door closing behind him with a quiet click.
Alone again, I pulled the phone from my pocket and stared at it. Ethan's message felt like a ticking time bomb in my hands.
I had to find those documents he mentioned.
But what if Damien caught me?
The thought sent a shiver down my spine, but I couldn't let fear stop me. If Ethan's scream had taught me anything, it was that the truth wouldn't stay buried for long.
Gathering my courage, I slipped out of the cabin and into the night, the cold air biting at my skin. My path was clear: Damien's study.
And I wasn't leaving until I had answers.