SWNOVELS Chapter 185
Blake
The entire hall was engulfed in an atmosphere so tense that it seemed as if the very air had congealed. Every person present, without exception, found themselves sinking to their knees, their faces a tableau of shock and terror. A palpable tremor of fear coursed through some, causing them to quiver uncontrollably.
In the middle of the hall, like a tempest about to unleash its fury, stood Kain. His countenance was a mask of seething rage, his eyes ablaze with a murderous intent that seemed to pierce the souls of all who met his gaze.
I, too, assumed a facade of clumsiness, allowing my body to slump to the ground. With my head bowed low, I concealed my true emotions, lest anyone discern the hint of satisfaction that danced in my eyes.
My covert thoughts whispered, "We've endured a long wait to witness this very reaction from Kain... Now that it has finally materialized in front of me, I can't deny that it feels sweet," all the while, my eyes gleaming icyly.
'You did very well, Chloe. I wish you can see this look on Kain's face right now," I inwardly sniggered.
The room's oppressive atmosphere continued to intensify, causing even the most fragile among us
to gasp for air. I hunched lower, also feigning the struggle for air as the silence within the hall grew
more suffocating by the second. Finally, after agonizing minutes, Kain broke the silence that
weighed upon us all.
"So, the entire southern base lies in ruins? It's all gone?" His voice, while quiet, carried the frigid undertones of a glacier's heart. The trembling man who had been reporting fell prostrate before him. He looked as if he was about to face death. And, he was not wrong about it.
"Yes, Alpha. We have lost all contact with the southern pack...” The man just started to speak when Kain waved his hand. Soon, two warriors came and brought the man who was screaming, begging for mercy. A cold feeling ran down on everyone's spine.
After displaying his ruthlessness, Kain's hand slammed down upon the chair's armrest with an earth- shaking force, shattering it into fragments and leaving a big dent in the floor.
My eyes narrowed at this display of raw power. It seemed like... Kain's strength grew even more in the past few weeks.
Slowly, Kain rose, his countenance remaining ice-cold. He turned his back to us as he addressed some with a quite yet icy voice, "Gauss."
After a pregnant pause, an older man with similar features to the late Alpha Dean stood up and bowed.
Based on how he moved, it seemed that he did not struggle a lot from Kain's pressure, showing that he was also quite powerful.
When I saw his face clearly, recognition struck me like a lightning bolt—it was Chloe's uncle, the original traitor of the Red Moon Pack, and the man who had poisoned Chloe's father.
"Go out and eliminate your arrogant niece!" Kain's thunderous roar reverberated within the hall. "Gladly, my lord." Gauss accepted the order with a respectful bow, his features a portrait of grim determination.
Hours later, I found myself silently stationed near the hallway that led to Kain's office. Despite the overwhelming urge to race home and apprise Chloe of the unfolding events, I have something more important to do —to uncover the intricacies of Gauss's nefarious plans.
My fists clenched in a silent vow. "How dare he conspire against Chloe!" I seethed inwardly. “I must gather information, piece together the puzzle. I won't allow Chloe to be endangered again... Not while I am still alive!"
However, no matter how long I lingered outside of the meeting room, the summons to the meeting never came.
It was not unusual for us to be excluded from certain meetings in the past since we were often tasked with different responsibilities. Yet, this instance felt distinct, an unsettling deviation from the norm.
A troubling thought came through my mind, but I hastily dismissed it. Eventually, after a few hours, the elders, including Gauss, emerged from the meeting room, their expressions veiled by secrecy.
"I can hardly believe that girl's feat... She really revived the Red Moon Pack! Wasn't she previously incapable of shifting? I heard that she was very weak, that's why she was treated like a servant in the pack..." one elder pondered aloud, drawing my unwavering focus.
"The report says that she has now harnessed the power of her wolf, and she can nos shift at will. With her father's and her pack's secret knowledge and information, she was able to bring the Red Moon Pack from the brink of death,” another elder replied, awe lacing his words.
"How formidable isn't she? Too bad she is on the enemy's side. Otherwise..." One commented but didn't finish. "Anyway, she only has one fate now that she offended Alpha Kain tsk tsk."
"Gauss, it seems your original pack conceals a treasure trove of secrets. No wonder you are so obsessed about them," a third elder sneered, directing a veiled taunt at Gauss, who met it with a stoic gaze.
"If there are no further matters to discuss, we should proceed with our respective duties. Alpha Kain has entrusted me with a task,” Gauss stated with an icy finality before striding away. Instinctively, I trailed him, intent on gathering any piece of information that might unravel his sinister designs and help Chloe.
Yet, after only a few steps, Gauss came to an abrupt halt, pivoting on his heel to confront me with a penetrating gaze. I stopped walking, an unsettled feeling appearing in my heart.
"There's no need for you to follow us, Alpha Sabre," he declared, the weight of his words causing a momentary freeze to seize me before I offered a reluctant nod
As I watched Gauss and the others recede into the distance, a perilous thought crept into my mind, unbidden and unwelcome.
'What is this about?" I thought, narrowing my eyes. “Don't tell me... they are beginning to harbor suspicions about me?’ I thought coldly.