Isaac's Found II.

The following morning, Kristensen and Trudy left their dorm in somewhat high spirits because of Arson's sudden involvement in their case - they wanted to see Isaac's corpse as soon as possible.

Coincidentally, it seemed as though both of them hadn't slept the previous night.

"Are you sure Drew was just messing with Arson?" Trudy asked, her voice tinged with doubt.

No matter what and where they were in their relationship, Arson had been with them from the beginning, and she was slightly worried. Kristensen threw Trudy a fleeting look but didn't respond. In fact, she hoped Drew was only messing around but couldn't be sure. After all, they weren't in Alba, and she didn't know Ms. Ly's ambitions now.

Kristensen sighed, her brow furrowed in thought. "That's not the important thing. Don't you find it weird that Arson happened to find Isaac's body? Even if it was orchestrated, this place isn't exactly small..."

It wasn't like Drew followed Arson's movements... did she? Something didn't make sense.

Since their arrival at this place, nothing seemed to happen without any reason or motive. Too many of them were connected to the pack's sacrifice and who's behind it. And Arson happened to find Isaac's dead body at this point? Kristensen thought it wasn't a coincidence but didn't want to doubt Arson for no reason.

The Arson she knew was... delicate as Trusy had said. What was her role in the whole thing?

"You mean... she might know something?" Trudy asked incredulously, her eyes wide open.

"Like how Tate and Winnie are involved. We don't know how deep, but they definitely know something, right?" Kristensen replied lightly.

She was becoming wary of everything and everyone around her. The impact of the pack's sacrifice and its lure to wolves, she was beginning to understand that many people wanted to have that power or be associated with it. It didn't matter the price they had to pay - Isaac and Leah were perfect examples.

Trudy glanced at Kristensen as they made their way through The Camp, "Can we trust what Ocean said?" she asked. He was the one to mention Isaac after all... Could he be trusted?

Kristensen paused, her heart racing and continued without missing a beat. She couldn't answer the question truthfully. It wasn't that she didn't doubt Ocean but that she didn't have the means to rightfully doubt him. "I don't know." she said, her voice unsure.

"But for now, let's go with the flow." she continued after a while. They didn't have any other choice, Ocean at the moment was the only one likely with information they needed.

They arrived at Ocean's house and were greeted by a solemn-looking Arson, who seemed to have been waiting for them.

Arson didn't say anything. She led them to the backroom where Isaac's body was. Trudy and Kristensen also had nothing to say. The mood between the three was awkward as they followed Arson obediently.

Isaac body lay on a stone bed, the stone probably a moonstone that reflected his class when he was alpha as it lit emerald beneath him. The sight was grim, yet there was an eerie peace to it, too.

Kristensen watched the person, her hands clenched tightly at her side. She had thought she would feel relieved when she saw for herself that Isaac was really dead, but that wasn't the case. It was the opposite. She wished she could wake him up and kill him herself.

Why did he die when she was tormented by the mess he pulled her into?

Trudy pat her shoulder, and Kristensen's nodded her head to indicate she was fine. There wasn't anything else she could do...

As they examined Isaac's body, searching for any clues that might shed light on his involvement in the pack's sacrifice, Kristensen's gaze fell on his hands. Something caught her eye—a faint mark etched into the skin, almost imperceptible if one wasn't looking closely.

"What's that?" Trudy asked, noticing Kristensen's focused expression.

Kristensen leaned closer, her heart pounding in her chest, "I think, it's similar to the pseudo alpha's symbol but not quite." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Trudy's eyes widened in shock. "Are you sure?" she asked, her voice trembling.

They didn't realize that as Trudy moved closer, the same mark on her hand started to light up and absorb what little power was left on Isaac's until the color faded.

Kristensen nodded, her fingers tracing the outline of the symbol. "I've seen it before," she said, her voice filled with certainty. "It was on the masked figure who led me to the ritual."

Trudy had seen it before, too, but how could Kristensen be sure?

They found the confirmation they needed to link Isaac to what was happening in The Camp now, yet who killed him?

Trudy and Kristensen turned Isaac's body over and over, inspected every inch of his skin, but didn't find any suspicious mark or wound. What did it mean?

Isaac died without struggle or putting up a fight? How was that possible?

It made Kristensen remember what the masked figure had tried to do to her, forcibly making her turn and saying she would either turn stupid or do if she didn't put up resistance... could something similar have happened to him?

In the entire Camp, who was powerful enough to kill Isaac by their sheer will and suppression? For some reason, Kristensen thought of Ocean, and once she did, she couldn't resolutely refute that thought.

Could it be him?

As they pondered these questions, a voice interrupted their thoughts. It was Ocean, standing in the doorway with a slight smile on his face.

"I think it's time we had a talk," he said, his voice teasing. "Pub, you like this gift, don't you?"

The tension in the room shifted as Ocean's voice filled the air. Kristensen and Trudy turned to face him, their expressions devoid of any emotion.

"What do you mean?" Kristensen asked, her voice guarded.

Ocean stepped further into the room, his eyes gleaming either amusement. "You asked me about him before, but now that I've delivered him to you, you look at me like that?" he said, an undertone of anger in his voice.

It dawned on Ocean that he had been extremely patient with this person for so long that she didn't particularly take him seriously?

Of course, Ocean knew he had to tread carefully. After all, his pub was one of a kind and was worth his patience, but who was he? He wondered if he had to do something that would give his pub a sense of urgency?

He didn't have much time...

But Ocean threw that thought out as he looked at Kristensen. He found that he was willing to play the good guy for this pub.

Trudy exchanged a puzzled glance with Kristensen, unsure of what to make of Ocean's words. Was he simply toying with them?

Kristensen squared her shoulders, her instincts telling her to proceed with caution. "What are you talking about?" she pressed, her voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside her.

Ocean's smile widened, but there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes. "Didn't he try to take your power and make it his own? I gave him the taste of his own medicine. Sadly, he's not as lucky as you were." he said, his tone enigmatic. "Since you've seen him, shall we talk about other arrangements?"

Trudy and Kristensen turned to Isaac's body at the same time and felt a chill down their spine. A taste of his own medicine, not as lucky?

Kristensen didn't want to imagine how much torture Isaac had gone through under Ocean. Trudy didn't know, but she suspected that Ocean had Isaac since the night of the full moon. How many days had been since then?

She didn't feel sorry for him, but it also made Kristensen look at Ocean differently.

Dangerous. Dangerous and more dangerous...

They watched Ocean walk out of the room, and they didn't know whether to follow him or go back to their dormitory but ultimately chose to follow. They were too curious...

"I can see why you like him." Trudy whispered as they followed behind Ocean.

Kristensen's mind wasn't on Trudy, though. She was wondering where the alpha's symbol was.

It wasn't on Isaac, although it had left him then, where was she going to find it?

There was an urgent feeling in her that was urging her to find the alpha's symbol as soon as possible, but Isaac was the only clue she had.

Kristensen felt frustrated thinking about it. Where to look? Yet, she felt that it was close by, and she was missing it.

It was only then that she realized she had some connection with the alpha's symbol, no matter how miniscule.

"I don't particularly like him." Kristensen said after a while, "It's... I can't explain it."

They found Arson alone in the lounge, sitting in a daze...

Kristensen looked at Arson briefly and sighed. The first time she saw her, she thought Arson was one of those people who had been protected all their lives and will continue to live needing protection, but looking at her now, Kristensen doubted herself.

Was Arson as naive as she portrayed herself?

"You didn't leave?" Arson said to them in a quiet voice.

Trudy and Kristensen exchanged glances. It seemed they'd disappeared for a long time?

They didn't know how to respond or have a conversation with Arson since they saw Leah escorting those recruits. Their view on things was too different?

Kristensen shook her head at Trudy, replied to Arson unhurriedly, "we didn't leave. Something came up." she said.

"That woman is targeting me because of you, isn't she?" Arson asked.

This time, Kristensen didn't bother to stop Trudy from doing anything. Because of them? Were they important?

Trudy let out a chuckle, "Because of us? What, weren't you there at the central hall? They said you were the next her."

Arson shot Trudy a glare, her blue eyes not as naive and innocent as before. Well... that look... Kristensen let out a cold smile, not so innocent and naive, then?

"They were only joking then." Arson said through clenched teeth, "What happened after has to do with Leah." she shot a glare at Kristensen.

Kristensen almost laughed but stopped herself.

She wasn't angry or disappointed. She only blamed herself for thinking Arson was delicate.

"What do you mean? Do you think I had anything to Leah, and they're taking it out on you?" Kristensen spoke slowly, but her voice was cold. The detachment from it was clear.

Trudy snorted at the side, "You're funny. Why don't you think it's because you chose House of Caston that you're where you are now?"

Arson's eyes turned red as she flared at both of them. She wanted to cuss but couldn't bring herself to. She didn't understand how things turned out like that. She'd only asked them to save the recruits, yet they alienated her and looked at her weirdly when she chose House of Caston only to choose it too later.

What did they mean?

Arson felt terrible when she thought of the strain between her and her roommates now, especially Kristensen, as she'd treated her well before.

They were alphas she thought, alphas only wanted people to follow them obediently without having voices.

"Kris..." Arson said softly, her voice a little pleading.

"I didn't think you'd think I was capable of killing someone... and for what?" Kristensen said as she stood. "To you, I thought I was pretty good." she left, and Trudy followed.

Arson watched the two of them leave, and tears fell from her eyes.

It was then Drew came out from behind the corridor, "You did good."

The tears that were falling from Arson's eyes immediately siezed.

"Yes." Arson replied as she stood, her head bowed.

"We're leaving today. Remember what I said." Drew left those words behind.