The Alpha’s Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger

Chapter 399 - 399: Reading the truth in blood.

Lyla

The crime scene was worse than I had imagined.

Pine Grove Park had been transformed from a peaceful community gathering place into something that looked like a battlefield. Yellow police tape fluttered in the afternoon breeze, creating a perimeter around an area that reeked of death and stench.

"The bodies have been removed for autopsy," Chief Morrison explained as he led our group toward the centre of the scene, "but we've left everything else exactly as we found it."

The ground was still stained with dark patches that could only be blood, far too much blood for seven human beings. Chunks of torn fabric were scattered across the grass, along with what appeared to be pieces of... I forced myself not to think too hard about what those pieces might be.

But it was the smell that truly disturbed me. Underneath the metallic scent of blood and the beginning stages of decomposition, there was something else. Something that smelled like darkness itself.

And for some weird reason, the smell felt familiar. Or was it my pregnancy-sensitive nose acting up again? Because when I looked at the others, their noses were not wrinkled in disgust like mine.

I closed my eyes and let Nymeris's presence flow through me, allowing my two-tailed wolf to examine the scene.

"What do you see?" Kyren asked quietly, moving to stand beside me.

"Rage," I said, opening my eyes but maintaining my link to Nymeris. "Whoever did this was consumed with fury. The person didn't do all of these out of passion or hunger; this was a deliberate act.

I walked carefully around the perimeter of the killing ground, following traces that only I could see. "The attacks were organised, too. Each victim was isolated from the group before being killed. This wasn't a feeding frenzy or a loss of control, and it was done by one creature."

"Can you identify what type of creature was responsible?" one of the Hollow Kin elders asked.

I paused, concentrating harder. The signature of the creature was there, but it was... odd. "There's definitely supernatural involvement, but it's not clean. It's like..." I struggled to find the right words. "Like someone took werewolf essence and mixed it with something else. Something that doesn't belong with our kind, and no, it's not Lycan either."

"Meaning?" Ramsey stepped closer.

"Meaning whoever did this either isn't a natural-born werewolf, or they've been altered somehow. The signature is wrong. I can't even pick up a specific scent."

"Could it be a rogue wolf? Someone who's lost their connection to their pack and humanity?" Chief Morrison asked, clearly trying to understand what he was hearing.

said firmly. "Rogue wolves leave different traces. This is something

closer to our group. She had been trailing behind us since we left the police station, ostensibly taking notes and photographs for her "research," but I'd noticed

she was positioning herself near Kyren, who was consulting with the

said. "Almost

mild interest. "You have experience with supernatural killing

to him. "Ancient texts, folklore, even some modern case studies that never made it into

dedication for a human

been fascinated by... powerful beings. The way they move, the way they think, the way they

closer to Kyren without seeming to move deliberately. Her body language was unmistakably flirtatious; she leaned toward him, touched her hair, and let

I've had an encounter with

surprised. "You've met

nodded. "Seven years ago, a group of boys raped me and after they were

his brow. "You

she nodded. "I don't look like I was?"

just so strange, these human crimes. Rape is a terrible thing that takes the victims years to recover from. I don't think I've ever seen a rape victim present themselves the way you are, and I hope you don't

do I present myself?" Delia

intervened quickly, coming to stand

raped. I grew up poor, so I bought clothes that were twice my size, allowing me to grow into them. By 19 years, I

She started crying.

"I think you've misunderstood, ma'am. I didn't say those words to fault you, but it's the truth. If I had known that you had this kind of history, I wouldn't have requested you. You

"That's enough.

men scratching their heads awkwardly, but I could tell the fake tears from the real ones, and I

apologise on his behalf," Ramsey said quietly.

Ramsey a strained smile. "It's fine. Everyone tends

meet that you were raped?" Nanny blurted out. I could hear the irritation

wasn't buying

turned to Delia, whose gaze rested on Nanny, and despite my best efforts to make her look at me,

overthinking things? Wasn't she

Delia, we cannot understand what you went through seven years ago, and it's okay to express yourself in whatever way