~Aurora~

　　They say, a leader who has been leading people for some time can sniff out untrustworthy companions within a heartbeat. Turns out, whatever that Emeric predicted about betrayal coming from the ones we hold dear, was true.

　　We were walking around the cave while our curious gazes picked up scenes of a fight. I wasn't sure what beast had been here, but it was certainly not a cowardly one. It came so close to the worshiper of Satan. The cave…I remember it.

　　"This was the witch's abode. Although, I don't sense her or sense any threat nearby." I announced it to my team. They were holding their breaths all up until I revealed that there was no potential danger beyond this point.

　　"Do I assume that we are close to the location, Alpha?" Asked my Guard Captain. I nodded at him.

　　This place…it was as if I was revisiting my traumatic hallucinations rather than my memories. If it wasn't for Torin and everyone else around me, I could have had a panic attack or worse, start hallucinating out of sheer fear once again.

　　"There…"

　　I stopped, my heart was beating so loud against my chest. This was the exact spot that dad had briefed me with.

　　Few trees behind, few trees to your left.

　　"I'll…I'll go alone. There might be a trap set there."

　　"There is no way we will allow you to go there all by yourself, Alpha. We have just gained a leader. We would be a fool to lose you—" Guard Captain was advancing towards me to change my mind about my decision, when suddenly,

　　We looked at Torin stopping Captain by putting a palm on his chest. Torin shook his head, his gaze turning towards me,

　　"We are not subordinates to the Alpha of the Darkforest pack until we believe in the power of our Alpha. She can do it. I don't have any objection towards sending her there by herself to retrieve the artifact. Besides, we will be right behind her. We will be on high alert ourselves."

　　What Torin said warmed our hearts and filled our chests with courage.

　　…Little did we all know…

　　If I may have forgotten this specific detail…

　　Torin is not a typical middle aged man. His only restriction to gaining more power is because of his age. He has a good physique, rather than having a bulged belly like most middle aged men.

　　Hence, it depicts that he is strong and is capable of acting quickly, out of reflex. For one, he won't be slacking off if it involves safety and security towards the members of his pack. I've seen it up close in the past, once or twice.

　　I had my complete faith in this man. I knew I could proceed with him having my back, and the rest as well.

　　"Alright," pulling my daggers out, I held them tightly against my fist. Breathing out all nervous thoughts and anxiousness, I proceeded with extreme caution.

　　…And this is where it had all begun…

　　Wary with each step, I proceeded towards the trees. I had courted them, and followed the pattern of the saying. The instructions.

　　And then…I got close to it.

　　"Okay…you got this, Aurora." I pumped myself up, preparing Maia to take over my body the moment she senses anything threatful. Even the smallest of threats.

　　Plunging my hand into the trunk, I discovered that the wood had grown around the artifact.

　　My eyes widened,

　　"I…I see it." And then, I proceeded to dig it out with my daggers. The artifact was retrieved…my heart knew no bounds!

　　With a face of victory, I turned around and gave out a shaky laugh!

　　"YAY!" cheers of men and a woman along with mine filled the air around us. Now, we had nothing to bother about. We will go back to the jeeps and leave back to our pack house. However…not everything goes as planned in this cruel world.

　　"Oh, Aurora. I'm so proud of you. Let me hold it for you, we should head back—" Torin was heading towards me, but I quickly pulled the artifact back towards me.

　　"I…have another plan.

　　I'll use the power of prophetic revelation of this artifact, right now."

　　Silence fell over us…

　　"A-Aurora. There's no need to do it here. We can wait, and go back to the pack house where you'd feel safer to do it—"

　　"No, I want to do it here." Indeed, I was very determined to do what I've set my mind onto. I have to use that power right here, right now. I can't wait for until we head back to find out the cause of my parents' death! Moreover…I need to know if THIS artifact was the reason why they were allegedly murdered, snatched away from me.

　　"Alright." Going against my expectation for his reaction, he had agreed. I gulped loudly, and warily walked past them to a more free ground.

　　I twisted the article open, knowing how to operate it by memory. Oh. The Darkforest pack has a secret diary, a journal written by our ancestors which is read as a book. The book…it was a guide on the usage of this artifact!

　　You might be wondering how I have knowledge of this when no one, not even the elders knee about it.

　　Well, that was a part of my memory as well. My parents have broken it down in simpler words for me to remember. That's how I have had the idea to use the power of 'prophetic revelation' of the artifact!

　　It was a simple procedure. I simply had to chant an affirmation which conveys my strong desire for curiosity. Curiosity of events which killed my parents.

　　I sat down on the ground, on my knees. Placing the artifact below on the ground, I closed my eyes and began chanting…

　　However…

　　As I closed my eyes, within a few seconds, there were multiple bodies falling to the ground with a thud.

　　I didn't know what was happening, but soon…I felt my head go dizzy.

　　"What…" I thought I was in a safe space, with these people around…

　　As I opened my eyes, I saw a pair of knees. I knew who they belonged to. And they didn't even allow me to crane my neck up and see their face, when they suddenly kneed me in my face!

　　The knee kick was powerful enough to behead a wild boar, but I only flew a few meters in the air and crashed into the tree!

　　That's when I realized…

　　That I was being betrayed by my own Beta…