CHAPTER 129: CONCEALING THEIR IDENTITY

Leia handed Kieran a glass filled with tonic mixed in water, carefully removing the spoon and setting it aside. "Drink it," she said in a caring tone.

"Thanks," Kieran murmured, offering her a faint smile as he accepted the glass.

As he took a few sips, Leia settled beside him on the edge of the bed, her eyes never leaving his face. "Lucien and Ronan are going to find the one responsible," she said with confidence. "But... don’t you think it’s strange? With all the security around the pack, how did a wolf even manage to slip through?"

Kieran exhaled slowly, lowering the empty glass onto the bedside table. "This wasn’t just any wolf," he said, feeling unease. "They were different, unnaturally strong and fast. I barely had time to react, let alone defend myself properly."

Leia’s eyes narrowed, her expression shifting to concern. "Different how?"

"They weren’t there just to attack," Kieran said, his brows furrowing. "It felt like they were... testing me. Or maybe testing how far they could go."

"Testing?" she echoed, trying to wrap her head around the idea.

He gave a slow nod. "They were probing for weaknesses. And that worries me."

Leia tilted her head slightly. "You don’t think Lucien and Ronan can handle it?"

"I would never doubt my brothers," Kieran replied, meeting her gaze. "But after what I faced out there... I can’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning for something big."

Leia remained quiet for a moment before offering, "Maybe there are wolves out there who are born with extraordinary strength. Some bloodlines pass down power and strength."

Kieran nodded his head slowly. "Maybe. But this didn’t feel like natural power. It felt... off."

"Kieran, don’t overthink it," Leia said softly, shifting closer to him. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him into a comforting hug and gently patted his back, hoping to soothe the tension she felt in his body.

A knock on the door made her pull away.

"Miss, here’s the meat soup you asked for," the maid announced from the doorway, holding a tray.

"Thank you," Leia said, accepting the tray with a small smile. She carried it over and placed it carefully on the bedside table. "You need to take your medicine soon, so I figured you should eat something light first."

As she reached for the bowl and stirred the warm soup, Kieran leaned in unexpectedly and placed a quick kiss on her lips.

"I feel better already," he said with a teasing grin, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

Leia let out a breathy laugh, shaking her head in mock disbelief. "You badly injured your hand, not your mouth," she murmured, suppressing a smile as she scooped up a spoonful of soup.

Blowing gently to cool it, she brought it to his lips. Kieran sipped from the spoon, still looking at her as though she was the remedy to more than just physical wounds.

~~~~

"The paw size is unusually large," Lucien observed, crouching near the edge of the disturbed earth. He glanced at Ronan, his brow furrowed.

Ronan nodded. "That’s not all. There’s no Alpha scent left behind. Doesn’t that strike you as strange?"

Lucien stood, dusting his hands. "It’s more than strange."

Ronan crossed his arms, eyes scanning the surrounding area. "Which means the intruder is skilled. If we can’t track them by scent, they’re either concealing their identity... or they’re hiding among us."

Lucien’s jaw tightened. "I’ve already ordered Caleb to begin verifying the identities of every single member of the pack. No one leaves or enters without clearance."

Ronan gave a curt nod. "Good. Because whoever this wolf is, they didn’t come just to peek around. They’re planning something, and we need to find them before they make their next move."

Lucien stared at the ground where the paw print had faded into the underbrush. His eyes narrowed. Whoever the wolf was, they were no ordinary intruder. It was definitely an enigma. Only someone with their skill could have bypassed the pack’s defenses and masked their scent so thoroughly.

"They’re too good at hiding," Lucien murmured to himself.

Ronan noticed the distant look in his brother’s eyes. "What’s on your mind?" he asked.

Lucien shook his head. "Nothing important." Then, straightening up, he added, "You should go back to the mansion. I’ll handle the rest here."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked toward his car.

Ronan watched silently as Lucien got in, started the engine, and drove off into the fading light.

From nearby, Draven approached. "The Alpha’s investigating on his own again," he said, nodding in the direction of the departing car. "He doesn’t want anyone else involved unless necessary."

Ronan sighed. "That sounds like Lucien."

"You should go home," Draven suggested. "If we find anything new, I’ll let you know immediately."

"Thanks," Ronan replied with a faint nod. Then he turned to the rest of the patrolling wolves. "I appreciate the hard work, all of you."

The others dipped their heads respectfully as Ronan finally turned to leave.

~~~~

"Caleb, where are you?" Lucien asked through the speaker of his phone.

"Alpha, I’ve collected the CCTV footage. I was just about to head to your place," Caleb responded.

"No. Stay where you are," Lucien ordered. "Did you see anything unusual in the footage?"

There was a brief pause before Caleb replied, "Yes, Alpha. One of the clips... it’s strange. I’m still outside the control station. Are you coming here?"

"I’m on my way," Lucien said, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "Once I see it, we’re heading straight to the residential sector."

"Why there?" Caleb asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

Lucien’s gaze was fixed ahead as he replied, "Because I think it was an Enigma who showed up."

Caleb’s eyes widened. "What?" he breathed in disbelief. "But why would an Enigma target our pack?" Caleb questioned, shaking his head. "They’d never risk exposure. They’re too careful for that."

"Exactly," Lucien said grimly. "Which means this wasn’t a mistake. It was an intentional move."

Despite his confidence in their tracking skills, Caleb knew that if an Enigma was truly involved, it wouldn’t be easy to stop them.