Chapter 16: The Alpha's Trail

I stumbled upon the cabin, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. The night was dark and suffocating, but I managed to find it despite the shadows that surrounded me. My mind kept replaying the argument I had with Silver, his face contorted with anger and hurt. I swallowed hard, pushing open the door and stepping inside.

The only figure in the room was Olga, Ylfa's mother, her frail body coiled up in bed. My eyes scanned the room desperately, searching for any sign of Silver or Ylfa, but they were nowhere to be found.

A lump formed in my throat, choking me as I realized neither of them were here and what that could mean... Where could they be? Were they still outside, together? I couldn't shake off the nagging thought that maybe they were spending the night together, wrapped up in each other's arms. The grip of jealousy and restlessness in my gut brought about a wave of nausea.

I settled down on my makeshift bed, my mind racing with a thousand different thoughts. Sleep seemed impossible, yet eventually exhaustion claimed me, dragging me into a restless slumber. I woke up periodically, listening intently for any sound of their return, but the cabin remained ominously silent. Each time I woke, the desperate question haunted me: "Did they spend the night together outside?"

My sleep was filled with uneasy dreams, images of Silver and Ylfa intertwined, their bodies pressed against each other as they whispered sweet nothings in the darkness. A cold sweat covered my skin, my stomach twisting all night. I felt so stupid for letting things get this far, for letting myself fall for a werewolf, of all creatures.

The morning finally came, the sun creeping through the cracks in the cabin walls, casting a warm, golden light on the room. I dragged myself out of bed, my body heavy and aching from the restless night. The image of Silver and Ylfa together still haunted me, gnawing at my very soul as I tried to shake it off.

The sound of Olga's deep, harsh cough startled me. My eyes fluttered open as I saw her frail figure leaning against the wall, struggling for breath. Quickly, I got up and helped her drink some water, my hands trembling slightly as I held the cup to her lips. Her gratitude was evident in her tired eyes.

"Would you like me to make you some tea?" I asked, hoping to ease her discomfort.

Olga nodded weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, please."

I busied myself with the preparation, my heart still heavy from the thoughts that plagued me earlier. As the tea steeped, I handed Olga her cup, and we sipped in silence for a moment. The warmth of the beverage did little to soothe the coldness around us.

"Silver is a fine man," Olga said, breaking the silence. "I knew his mother, Estrid, quite well. We were good friends... It's such a shame what happened to them."

My curiosity piqued, I couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean?"

"Ah," Olga sighed, her eyes downcast. "After the Nightshade clan exiled us, my husband and Silver's parents, I tried to convince Estrid to stay with us. But Kjartan, Silver's father, was swayed by a werewolf who used to belong to the Nightshades to join his clan instead."

"Skol?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Olga's gaze snapped back to mine, eyebrows raised in surprise. "How do you know his name?"

"Silver told me. Skol raised him." I felt a pang of sadness at the mention of Silver's name.

Her expression darkened, her lips pressed into a thin line. "I never liked Skol. He was violent, arrogant... as my husband used to say, a narcissistic cunt. He could be charming, though. It was a shame they decided to leave with him."

Olga knitted her eyebrows together, glancing at me with an expression filled with curiosity. "Red," she began, her voice slightly hesitant, "What happened to Silver's parents? Perhaps you know."

I took a deep breath, recounting the solemn conversation Silver and I had had. "They died," I revealed, trying to keep my voice steady.

A veil of sorrow shadowed Olga's face, her eyes reflecting the depth of her sympathy. "Oh, the poor boy," she murmured, her voice carrying a heavy note of lament. "That's such a terrible thing for anyone to endure..."

I nodded, my mind racing, trying to process this new information. So Silver's parents had been close friends with Olga and her family before Skol took them away. How did they die? I wondered how different things would have been if they had stayed together. Would Silver and I even have met?

Together, we finished our tea, the silence now filled with unspoken understanding. After our conversation, Olga and I stepped outside the cabin, the cool morning air brushing against my skin and refreshing my senses. As I glanced around, I spotted Silver and Ylfa working together near a tree. They were preparing the boar we caught, laughing and chatting as they worked on drying and salting the meat. I couldn't help but notice how Ylfa often touched him – a brush of her hand against his arm, a playful nudge with her hip. My heart clenched with jealousy, my mind racing with thoughts of what might have happened between them last night.

"Hey," I called out weakly, raising my hand in a feeble attempt at a wave. Silver looked up at me for a moment but quickly averted his gaze, focusing back on the task at hand. I had messed up, I thought to myself bitterly. Maybe it was for the best. We couldn't be together anyway, right?

As I stood there, stewing in my hurt and jealousy, Ylfa finished helping Silver with the boar and sauntered over to me, a casual grin on her face. "Hey, Red," she said cheerfully. "I've got something for you."

"Really?" I asked warily, barely masking the surprise in my voice as I tried to ignore the nagging feeling that she held some sort of power over Silver.

"Yep," Ylfa replied nonchalantly. "I know Ulrich – the alpha of the Nightshade Clan. And it occurred to me that maybe he knew about your grandma's cabin. But I don't think he killed her." The casual way she shared this information left me dumbfounded.

"How do you know that?" I managed to sputter out, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to process what she was saying.

Ylfa shrugged, her expression remaining relaxed. "It's common knowledge that they were friends and met quite often. The Matriarch of the Hoods and a werewolf – crazy, huh?"

"Friends?" My mind reeled at the thought of my grandmother being friends with a werewolf. What was going on?

"Anyway," Ylfa continued, unfazed by my confusion. "I can take you to him if you want."

"Silver, can I talk to you for a second?" I asked, my voice wavering slightly. He hesitated before nodding and following me away from Ylfa.

"What's up?" he inquired, his arms crossed defensively over his chest. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.

"Ylfa told me about Ulrich and how he knew my grandma," I began, watching Silver's expression carefully. "She said it wasn't him who killed her but that he knew her, but I don't know if I trust her."

"Red, I already knew all that," Silver replied, a hint of impatience in his voice. "Who do you think convinced her to help you?"

"But what if she's the one who killed my grandmother?" I countered, my jealousy flaring up as I remembered their friendly interaction earlier. "She could be leading us into a trap."

"Red, Ylfa is innocent," Silver insisted, his gaze fixed on mine. "We should talk to Ulrich. He might have the answers we need."

"Or maybe you're just blinded by her pretty face," I spat out, my bitterness getting the best of me.

"Red, seriously, I don't want to have another fight," Silver sighed, exasperated. "Do you have any other ideas?"

No, I did not.

Despite my misgivings about Ylfa and her intentions, I knew this might be the only chance I had to find out more about Ulrich's connection to my grandmother and uncover who really killed her. Swallowing my pride and jealousy, I nodded in agreement.

"Let's do it," I said, steeling myself for whatever lay ahead.

After I reluctantly accepted Ylfa's offer to take us to meet Ulrich, we bid farewell to Olga, leaving the cabin behind and heading deeper into the forest. The air grew cooler as we ventured further from the safety of the cabin, and I couldn't shake the sense of unease that settled over me like a heavy fog.

The Black Forest surrounded us, its trees towering above like ancient guardians, casting eerie shadows across our path. The sounds of birdsong and rustling leaves filled the air, but I hardly noticed them. My mind was consumed with apprehension and jealousy as I walked silently behind Silver and Ylfa, who chatted happily together.

My imagination ran wild, fueled by the fear that they had spent the night together. They were way too familiar with each other. The thought of Silver's muscular arms wrapped around her lithe body made my stomach churn with envy. I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to focus on the task at hand, but it was difficult when all I could think about was their growing closeness.

As we continued deeper into the unknown territory of the Black Forest, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd even be able to find my way back to the Hoods Settlement. My heart ached with uncertainty and longing for answers, but as Silver and Ylfa's laughter echoed through the trees, I couldn't shake the nagging suspicion that I was walking straight into a trap.

I strained my ears, trying to catch snippets of their conversation as I trailed behind them. The rustling leaves and distant bird calls made it difficult, but I managed to pick up a few pieces of information. Ulrich, the alpha of the Nightshade clan, was apparently still helping Ylfa and her mom by providing medicine. It seemed that he felt guilty for exiling all the silver werewolves from his pack.

"Skol used to be a part of the Nightshade Clan before forming his own," Silver disclosed, his voice barely audible to me. "But I don't know much about them. My knowledge is limited to the fact that the Black Forest falls under their rule."

My thoughts raced as I processed this new information. Why would Ulrich help Ylfa and her mother but not allow them back into their clan? What was the true nature of their relationship with the Nightshade Clan? My suspicions towards Ylfa only grew stronger. What if I was walking right into the jaws of danger?

As we continued through the dense forest, I tried to calm down by focusing on the sounds and smells around me. The scent of damp earth and moss was strong in the air, mixed with the faint fragrance of wildflowers. But even these enticing scents couldn't distract me from my growing anxiety.

Suddenly, I felt an abrupt tug at my shirt, and within seconds, I found myself violently lifted off the ground. Panic surged through me as I came face-to-face with a massive white werewolf, its green eyes filled with malice. The beast's hot breath washed over my face as it bared its fangs, sending chills down my spine.

"What do we have here...?" it snarled, its terrifying voice paralyzing me with fear.