Layla Gray didn't love me anymore. She didn't love me anymore.
"Alpha." Evan knocked and entered, carrying a tablet and a manila folder. His steps were quick, breathing slightly rushed—he'd clearly jogged here.
"Border report."
I slowly opened my eyes, all personal emotions instantly suppressed, sinking like stones into deep water.
An Alpha's duty always came first. That was the rule I had to follow.
But acknowledging the fact that Layla no longer loved me had already drained all my strength. I didn't speak, just extended my hand, signaling him to pass the tablet.
My gaze swept across the real-time battle map on screen. Blue markers representing Silver Moon Pack warriors, red for invaders, plus terrain, timeline, casualty statistics... all the information spread before me like an unfinished chess game.
"Speak." My voice was calm.
"Unknown forces launched their fourteenth attack on Silver Moon Pack's eastern border two hours and thirteen minutes ago." Evan's voice held suppressed excitement. "Seven wolves, entering through invasion route three. But exactly as you predicted three days ago, our warriors were already lying in wait."
I zoomed in on the map, examining the area marked "Route Three."
A dense pine forest, complex terrain, three branching paths—perfect for small-scale raids. In the past thirteen attacks, the enemy had never chosen this location. Precisely because they'd never chosen it, I knew they eventually would.
"Status." My finger slid across the screen, pulling up detailed data.
"Zero casualties on our side, two minor injuries." Evan paused, voice growing more animated. "All seven enemies killed. This is the first time in fourteen attacks we've completely suppressed them."
Zero casualties.
The corner of my mouth lifted slightly, but quickly flattened. I looked up at Evan. "No survivors?"
Evan's expression grew grave. "We captured two initially, but while being escorted back to camp, they committed suicide."
"Suicide," I repeated the word, sensing something unusual.
"Yes," Evan said. "After being subdued, those two wolves were eerily calm, didn't even struggle. Then suddenly, like they'd received some signal, they simultaneously bit through their own tongues."
"No time to stop them?"
"None at all." Evan shook his head. "They moved too fast, too decisively, as if..."
"As if they'd prepared for it long ago." I finished for him.
Silence filled the office for several seconds.
I stood and walked to the massive map of Silver Moon Pack territory hanging on the wall. Hand-drawn, marking every river, every forest, every outpost location. My finger landed on the eastern border, gently tracing the pine forest area.
"Seven men, Route Three," I murmured, more to myself. "Biting through their tongues, refusing capture..."
"Alpha?" Evan wasn't sure what I was thinking.
"They're protecting secrets." I turned to face him. "Someone trained them, told them to kill themselves immediately if captured."
"You mean... these wolves have someone organizing them?"
"Not just organizing them. These wolves must be rogues." I returned to the desk, pulling up data comparisons from the past thirteen attacks.
"Look here." I turned the screen toward Evan.
"First attack: five men, western border, 3 AM."
