CHAPTER 206: _TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK

"Odessa, if what you’re saying is correct then this is... HUGE." I exclaimed, brushing my hand through my hair. "The murders in the packs so far make me think the person who’s been doing them was a hybrid because of how they’ve been able to blend in for so long. I mean..."

I paused, gesturing at her. "When your wolf side awakened you still smelled like any normal witch. You still do to be honest, except for when you were having your first heat."

She nodded, wagging her index finger at me. "And then that human town that got burnt down. Didn’t they say the fire might’ve been caused by magic yet there were wolf claw marks on the bodies?"

Exactly!

That particular incident had made me believe the culprit was either a witch and werewolf working together or a hybrid. But I’d been hesitant about the idea of them being a hybrid because of how rare they were in the world.

Like... Really rare.

During my father’s time, he told me to kill any Hybrid child if I wanted any chance of winning the war in North America. Witches, werewolves, and humans have feared hybrids for generations, making them close to a myth.

The fact that I was mated to one was still mind-blowing sometimes.

"So you’re saying there might be another hybrid out there who’s been messing with us all this time?" I asked with a serious tone, folding my arms in front of my chest and squinting my eyes.

However, she shook her head. "Not a true hybrid like myself. But an artificial hybrid. A werewolf who was able to somehow make himself use magic. Perhaps as a result of a spell from a powerful witch."

She paused, shaking her head with a sigh. "This is all still just a hypothesis, though. I’m not sure where to even start, and my aunt is as stumped as I am. However..."

Her eyes lit up as she lowered her voice. "Tonka. What if he were an artificial hybrid? Maybe that’s how he was able to evade you that night and disappear. He could’ve teleported if he was powerful enough or cloaked himself with a spell."

I felt like my head was swirling the more she spoke. This was all so... Mind-boggling. But it also all made sense.

"Do you think he’s the one behind all the mysterious killings in the pack and the incident at the human town?" I asked with suspicion in my tone.

That seemed plausible...

But Odessa shook her head.

"No. He might’ve been an artificial hybrid but something is telling me he’s not the only one out there. Remember the maid whose body we found on the morning before the Charity Ball? The one who was raped and compelled to kill herself?"

My eyebrows furrowed as I nodded.

That was yet another mystery that had been shoved away due to all the other things happening in the pack.

But this discovery about potential artificial hybrids... It changed everything.

"The culprit was definitely male. Meaning if there’s another artificial hybrid out there, he’s a man hiding within the pack. Right under our noses all this time." I said, clenching my jaw with frustration.

As insightful as this discovery was, it also made me realize how incompetent I was.

Maybe the true lord of the North and my uncle were right...

’Dude, shut up and cut yourself some slack!’ Damon scolded me and I felt like he was rolling his eyes. ’You can chastise yourself later. What we need to do now is brainstorm how to fish out this artificial hybrid bastard once and for all.’

I drew in a deep breath and spoke physically to Odessa who seemed to be having thoughts of her own.

"So do you have any ideas how we could track an artificial hybrid?" I queried, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "Maybe see if we can find any traces of magic on all the bodies of his victims? Madame Greyheart might just be one of his latest victims."

Odessa nodded. "Yeah, I have a feeling that she was. I mean, Elder Davina and Althea did say she got her life force absorbed and you can only do that through witchcraft. But about tracking him..."

She sighed, shaking her head with a wry smile.

"I have no clue how to. A true hybrid like me can already stay hidden and seem like a witch to most. I imagine an artificial hybrid’s magic would be hard to trace. Especially since this one seems to be cleaning his tracks and any traces of his spell."

Fuck!

Why was it always two steps forward and one step back with these mysteries?

I rubbed my forehead, closing my eyes. But soon, I heard Odessa’s footsteps echoing toward me before she placed her right hand on my cheek.

"Cut yourself some slack, would you?" She whispered, forcing me to slowly open my eyes as Damon sniggered in my mind.

’See! I told you! Even our mate agrees that you should. Gosh, we’re so in sync.’

I rolled my eyes but smiled warmly at Odessa as I grabbed her right hand on my face and pressed a soft kiss on her knuckle, watching her face redden with a blush.

"What would I ever do without you?" I asked with a low tone, watching as a smug smirk curled her lips.

"Oh, I’m sure you’ll do just fine, Kaelos. Your problem is that you underestimate yourself." She winked at me and I couldn’t help but chuckle softly, my heart swelling when she did the same.

We stared into each other’s eyes and I could feel our hearts beating in sync. However, just when I was about to lean in and plant a kiss on her lips, a knock on the door interrupted our alone time, forcing me to turn my gaze to it.

"Come in." I coughed.

The door opened, and the person who stepped in was Layla, who had a tense expression on her face.

Goddess, now what?

"A council comprising the Alphas of Mexico seeks an audience through video call, sir."