As I made my way down the familiar path toward the cabin, the air carried a distinct chill, though the evening was calm. My thoughts were tangled in the mess of the day—Henry’s death, the investigation, the poison. Everything pointed toward someone with both cruelty and cunning. Someone dangerous.
Before I could enter the clearing, the faint cabin lights shone through the trees, and suddenly, an elderly voice stopped me in my tracks.
“Alpha!”
I turned to see the old woman who often visited the village market. Bent forward, she gripped a basket that appeared too cumbersome for her delicate body. She had her gray hair pulled back and a worried look on her face.
"What is wrong?" I inquired, moving nearer.
She looked around as if worried about someone eavesdropping. "Today, I returned hom
