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Aiden

Merrick leaned against the doorframe, his forehead glistening with sweat. He looked at Aiden and asked, "Delilah will be okay, right?"

Aiden's eyes lingered on the torn pages of the book he held, and his heart sank as he glanced at her, bent over her desk, deep in meditation. The weight of unspoken words hung between them, emphasizing the silence.

He released a slow breath.

Before entering the building, Delilah stayed still on the cold ground and stared at the young girl's lifeless body cradled in her arms, her fingers quivering as they caressed her face. Her eyes, wide and glassy, flickered with a mix of disbelief and sorrow, betraying the storm swirling inside her.

Aiden's voice had a determined quality, gently encouraging Delilah to head out for the day, but she stayed firm, her eyes showing a whirlwind of emotions.

"I just... I can't go home," she explained, her words trembling like a delicate leaf caught in a soft breeze. "I don't... Being alone feels wrong."

She swallowed hard, and her breath stuck in her throat, making it difficult for him to argue about that. Many people can go for years without witnessing a death unfold before their eyes.

Not long after Aiden had left Delilah at her desk, he found Rita walking down the hallway. "Just... be careful with Ms. Fox today," he'd told her, the tremor in his tone revealing the turmoil churning within him. "She's been... through a lot."

The woman tightened her grip on her clipboard. Her lips pressed together, a glimmer of annoyance evident in her eyes, but Aiden held her gaze with empathy. He understood the pressure Rita bore. Even with her cutting attitude, he found it impossible to overlook the brilliance she contributed to his company, providing essential equilibrium in the chaos.

Merrick closed the door and sat across from Aiden, interrupting his thoughts.

Looking up, Aiden said, "Have you found any leads? Anything that might explain what we saw with Delilah and the light surrounding her?"

He left Merrick at the scene, hoping his Beta might pick up on something in the air. Given their nature as werewolves, a supernatural occurrence had unfolded.

"Not a thing. The police are interviewing witnesses, and the coroner has come to examine the body," Merrick explained as he let out a forced breath. "The girl... She just walked right out in front of the garbage truck. It happened so fast."

"I saw it, but it was too late to yell and warn her to stop." Aiden closed his eyes, shook his head, and exhaled. "Life may be unpredictable at times."

Merrick spoke in a gruff and commanding manner. "We didn't imagine what happened with them, did we?"

Aiden opened his eyes and turned back to his friend. "That was real. There was a glow. It seemed as if Delilah were trying to heal the girl."

"Like a supernatural phenomenon," Merrick said. "We have found something like this before."

"Nope, we haven't. This is new."

Aiden's heart raced as he relived the moment in his thoughts. Delilah's figure radiated a gentle light, as though it were aglow from the inside.

He recalled the way her hands cradled the young girl's frail head, whispering soothing words that seemed to weave warmth into the coldness of death. In that fleeting moment, Delilah transformed, embodying a grace that left him bewildered, but fascinated.

Her soft voice enveloped the girl like an angelic embrace, soothing the sharp edges of her suffering. Tears glistened in the dying teenager's eyes, and Aiden could see the flicker of hope igniting in her heart.

A heavenly light around them flashed in hues he couldn't detect. As the girl took her final breath, a solitary white feather floated down, conveying a poignant goodbye.

As he shut the ancient book, the sound of its heavy thud echoed through thenroom, causing his heart to accelerate. His fingers caressed the feather, its pristine white surface gleaming under the light, almost ethereal in its beauty.

Aiden brought it close, taking in its gentle scent, a blend of nostalgia and hope. His determination grew with each delicate twist─perhaps this feather held the key to uncovering the truth he sought.

"Maybe someone threw the feather out of a window," he speculated, looking for an explanation for everything.

"Then how do we explain the glow around Ms. Fox?" Merrick countered.

Aiden shrugged. "Simple. A building reflected the light."

That had to settle the mystery, didn't it? Overall, having some insight was better than feeling like there was no solution.

The reality was that Delilah Fox came off as just an ordinary person, but there was something special about her that shone through her spirit. A faint radiance emanated from her, hinting at a deeper core that lit her own nature. Her demeanor was far from that of a supernatural assassin, unlike those who had come before her. The teenager's death cast a shadow over Delilah, revealing the fragility beneath her exterior, a stark contrast to the world of hardened supernatural criminals.

Aiden watched as she maneuvered through the busy office, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. The employees exchanged smiles when she entered their work area, her aura infectious. But it wasn't just Delilah's competence that captured his attention. Each time he touched her, an electric warmth surged between them, sparking an unspoken connection. Even as they ran into each other recently, he felt that magnetic pull, as if invisible threads drew them closer, urging him to explore what lay beneath her ordinary façade.

She is breathtakingly beautiful.

His thoughts spiraled, and he sensed the restless energy of his wolf beginning to stir within him. Delilah nudged the creature out of its hiding place, causing a shiver to run down his back. She had an unnerving edge, a suggestion that she was more than she seemed.

Aiden clenched his teeth and tightened his fists as the instinct gnawed at the corners of his consciousness. He encountered challenging obstacles, and the wolf's foreboding presence loomed over him, jeopardizing all of his goals.

Merrick looked at the bookshelf before locking eyes with Aiden. "How do we handle this?"

Aiden set the feather on the desk, his gaze shifting to Merrick. He relaxed in his chair, fingers laced behind his head, muscles stretching. "We don't do anything," he said, his tone calm. "There aren't any records of what we saw, so it may mean anything. She seems the same to us, so let's just see how things unfold around her." He shrugged, a hint of uncertainty in his smile.

His friend approached the open window in the office that faced her. "Delilah appears to be deeply distressed over the loss of a stranger. Shouldn't she go home?"

Aiden let out a heavy breath. "She insisted on staying at work. And she seems to be keeping herself busy by arranging all of the art scattered on her desk."

"Don't you think it's odd? The girl's death startled her. She sits there as if nothing had happened. Only the Harbinger of Death would behave this way."

Aiden groaned and shook his head. "Delilah is not a harbinger. She may, however, be a reaper. They aid souls' journeys to the afterlife."

Merrick leaned back, crossing his arms. "Reapers don't outshine light bulbs. She might be God's angel, not a reaper or harbinger."

"An angel?" Aiden scoffed, a derisive laugh escaping his lips. "Please. I've encountered several of them, and I can assure you that they don't get along well with werewolves." His piercing gaze lingered, challenging his friend to argue.

Merrick tapped his fingers on his chin, his gaze fixed on Aiden. "You have a point," he acknowledged, but then tilted his head, his lips tightening into a tiny grimace. "Still, I can't help but think you're seeing her through a fog. Just because the last angel you encountered was a nightmare doesn't mean this one deserves the same label." He stared at Aiden, emphasizing every syllable. "Don't allow your past distract you from what's now in front of you."

Aiden felt a loud rumble inside him, like thunder in a vast canyon. His fists clenched, and his eyes narrowed, fiery determination igniting behind them. "I'm not," he snapped, his voice steady but laced with an edge. "Delilah can't be an angel. There's no way that's possible. We'd recognize it in an instant."

Merrick raised his hand. "Listen. The only thing we know for certain is that she's exceptional." He leaned in closer, catching the tension coiling in Aiden's shoulders. "It's also clear that you two share something. Whatever else she is, that bond stands out."

Aiden crossed his arms with a hoarse growl, tightening his jaw. He rolled his eyes, irritation flickering in his gaze. "Delilah stumbles over her own steps and finds it difficult to maintain a conversation without becoming distracted. It's like she's in a different world."

Merrick wrinkled his brow as Aiden struggled to battle his emotions. A persistent unease tugged at him, a whisper of doubt lingering in his life, hinting that something was amiss long before the sudden flash of light and the flutter of a feather appeared.

"You know what your Aunt Edna says about that."

Aiden stretched out his legs and exhaled. He sensed his wolf searching for a reason to fight. "Edna has allowed urban legends to influence her perspective on reality. Those are just ancient tales devoid of any realistic element."

"Are you truly in denial, buddy?" Merrick let out a loud snort. "It's impossible to fathom why you continue to think such things with the huge number of supernatural creatures on this planet. Our lineage embodies the truth that underlies every myth. Think about that."

Aiden fell silent, his thoughts swirling as he searched for words that wouldn't come. He and everyone around him lived in a world that defied rationality, but what would happen if they came to believe in every old tale? Before him lay a world of darkness and claws, an actual phenomenon that pulsed with life. He needed something concrete to believe in, and that was what he could see in front of him, even if it consisted of werewolves and vampires.

A soft knock sounded.

His brow furrowed. "Let's discuss this later," Aiden said, and Merrick nodded. "Come in."

He looked up when Anton walked in, his tall figure obscuring the light. The door clicked shut, and silence stretched, heavy with unspoken words.

Aiden leaned forward, eyebrows knitting as he studied Anton's downcast eyes and the way his fingers tapped on his thighs. "Is everything... okay?" he asked.

Anton slumped deeper into a chair, exhaling, the weight of his worry palpable in the air. He muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, "I'm worried about Lowell."

Aiden's frown deepened. The day's chaos had taken its toll, and hearing Anton's concern for his younger brother surprised him. Lowell had shifted for the first time in the previous cycle, still maneuvering through the challenges of their tumultuous environment.

Aiden relaxed in his seat, his brow furrowed as he watched Anton fidget, the tension radiating from him. "Is your brother not keeping up?" he asked, his voice steady, yet probing.

Anton let out a heavy sigh and raked a hand through his tousled hair, a few strands falling across his forehead. "Yeah, Lowell's... okay." His gaze drifted, eyes narrowing as if searching for an answer buried deep. "But he's restless─snapping at everyone." His jaw tightened, frustration flickering in his eyes. "I think he just misses the freedom to shift when he wants."

Aiden straightened, a spark igniting in his chest. "He's still figuring it out, Anton. We all were at his age." A playful smile tugged at his lips. "A spar in the cage could help him release some steam."

Merrick rubbed his beard and raised an eyebrow. "But─shifting before the full moon? That's asking for trouble, bro."

Aiden shrugged. "With all due respect, I disagree. We haven't had a chance to decompress in a while, and it's Friday. Now is the moment to relieve some much-needed tension." He gave Merrick a mocking grin. "Warn the pack of an after-work dog fight. It's time to play."

"Does this include inviting the crypt keepers?" Anton inquired, grinning. "I envision Draven taking a beating in the ring." He gave Merrick an ashamed smile and stared at him. "Sorry, brother, but kicking bloodsuckers' asses is my weakness."

Merrick pressed his lips together, then growled, directing a piercing gaze at Anton. "Draven isn't on the invite list. But his minions could be. Have fun with them!"

Aiden stood up and stared at the two of them while they argued. He said in a firm voice, "Not in here, guys. Save it for after work."

Anton faced Merrick with a sneer. Tension burned between the men like primitive fire.

Aiden tightened his fists, the wolf longing for freedom. He imagined Delilah, the heat of her body igniting a familiar yearning. He shook his head, banishing the thought─tonight was for fighting, not fantasies. It was time for a cage match to unleash the beast inside everyone.

He reclined, frustrated. "These new wolves lack discipline," he stated. Merrick frowned, and Anton nodded in agreement. Aiden recollected their elders' expectations and the rigorous training sessions where every mistake served as a lesson. "Instincts won't save them against our adversaries. Remember that."

"Okay," Merrick said. "We'll do whatever you need us, Aiden."

"It's been ages since we showed the young wolves how it's really done," he declared, lacing his fingers together and staring at both of them.

With a subtle grin, Anton endorsed this notion. Discussing the training session helped Aiden forget about Delilah as a romantic companion.

"I'll gather the guys for tonight," Anton replied, rising swiftly, the creak of the door echoing as he exited.

Merrick moved in his seat as the door shut, observing Aiden. "Do you think having a fight night is a good idea?"

"Good idea? No. Necessary? Yes." He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident. "If the wolves weren't growing soft, Anton wouldn't have come in here worried. Too many of the men have grown up without proper guidance. If we fail to fortify them, they will either face failure or descend into chaos. We cannot afford that."

Merrick snorted, delight flashing across his gaze. "You just want to knock them down a few pegs."

Aiden's grin grew even bigger, his confidence shining through. "That─and I'm the Alpha. It's time they follow my lead."

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