HEARTS OF DIVINE RUIN (The MoonGoddess and The AlphaKing)

The orange glow of the setting sun bathed the meeting room in warm hues, contrasting the somber atmosphere inside. Alex sat at the head of the long table, his presence commanding as the pack's inner circle debated the recent issues. The tension was palpable, rippling through the room like an unspoken warning.
Henry, the chief enforcer, leaned forward. "Reports from the eastern border indicate rogue activity. Tracks were spotted, but no direct confrontation yet."
"Again?" Alex muttered, his voice low but sharp. He rubbed his temple. The rogue problem was persistent, like a thorn that refused to be removed. "How close to the pack boundary?"
"Too close for comfort," Henry replied grimly. "They were less than half a mile away. Guards managed to scare them off, but it's clear they're testing the waters."
"That's not all," Charlie, Alex's beta, interjected. His usually jovial tone was absent, replaced by concern. "There's been another case of a missing female wolf. This time from the Northern Ridge Pack."
Murmurs filled the room as everyone digested the information. The previous incident of a missing female had shaken the neighboring packs, but now, with a second case, unease settled over the meeting like a heavy fog.
"Do you think it's the rogues?" Charlie asked, his brows knitted together.
Alex's gaze hardened as he weighed the possibilities. "We can't be certain yet," he replied, his tone measured. "It could be the rogues, but it could also be something... else. We can't afford to jump to conclusions."
The room fell silent. Alex's words carried a weight that no one dared challenge. He turned to Henry, Daniel, and Charlie. "Make sure no pups, women, or any wolf leave the pack boundaries. Double the guard shifts at every post. I want patrols increased, especially near the eastern and northern edges. And Daniel," he added, his tone sharper, "I want the guards on duty to keep their senses sharp. Anything out of the ordinary—no matter how small—gets reported to me immediately."
"Yes, Alpha," Daniel responded with a nod.

"Timothy," Alex continued, shifting his attention to the historian seated at the far end of the table, "reach out to the Northern Ridge Pack and the Silverstone Pack. I want full profiles of the missing wolves from both cases. Age, rank, connections—everything."
Timothy adjusted his glasses and nodded, scribbling notes into a worn leather journal.
The meeting continued for a while longer, touching on minor pack issues, but the weight of the rogue movements and the missing wolves loomed large. By the time Alex adjourned the meeting, the gravity of their discussion lingered.
As the others began filing out of the room, Alex called out, "Timothy, stay back for a moment."
Timothy paused, his hand halting mid-reach for his journal. "Of course, Alpha," he said, his voice tinged with curiosity.
Once the room was empty, Alex leaned back in his chair, studying Timothy with a piercing gaze. "Is something wrong, Alpha?" Timothy asked, his unease growing under Alex's silence.
Alex crossed his arms, his tone firm. "Have we been keeping checks on the condition of the books in the library?"
Timothy tilted his head, clearly taken aback by the question. "Yes, Alpha. We did a thorough inspection two months ago. Everything was in good condition at the time."
Alex nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "Then explain why I found missing pages in a book I was reading recently."
Timothy's brows shot up in surprise. "Missing pages? That's... odd. Which book?"
"Judgments of the Divine," Alex said, his voice clipped.
Recognition flickered in Timothy's eyes. "The one about the sins of high supernaturals and their punishments?"
Alex nodded. "Exactly. And specifically, the chapter on The Sin of the Fallen One. Do you remember it?"
Timothy adjusted his glasses again, his expression a mix of concentration and sheepishness. "I remember the book, but... that chapter doesn't really stand out. It must have been one of the less intriguing parts."
Alex's jaw tightened. "It's about a divine being who forsook his godhood to live as a mortal."
Timothy blinked, clearly drawing a blank. "Doesn't ring any bells, Alpha. But to be fair, I read that book over a year ago. I've gone through countless others since then."
Disappointment flickered across Alex's face, and his sharp tone betrayed his frustration. "You've got a mind like a vault, Timothy. And yet, the one time I need you to remember something specific, you're utterly useless."
Timothy bristled but kept his tone even. "With respect, Alpha, you can't expect me to recall every detail from every book I've read. My efficiency isn't determined by one chapter from a year ago."
Alex stared at him for a moment before exhaling sharply. Timothy had a point, but that didn't make the situation any less frustrating. "Fine," Alex said, waving a hand dismissively. "Go. But keep this between us."
"Understood, Alpha." Timothy bowed slightly before leaving the room.
As the door clicked shut behind him, Alex leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His mind was a storm of questions with too few answers. Why were pages missing from that book, and why did it feel as though they were taken intentionally? and then the pack issues ? why the missing case bothering him so much ?
He closed his eyes, letting out a breath. Whatever was happening, it wasn't coincidence. Someone had tampered with the book, and he was determined to find out why.
The meeting room was eerily quiet as Alex went through the last of the documents on a land dispute between two packs. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows on the polished table, marking the hours he had spent buried in responsibilities. Outside, the sky had darkened into a deep navy, and the hum of nocturnal life stirred in the stillness.
Pushing back in his chair, Alex turned to the window. His sharp gaze traced the treetops swaying in the cool evening breeze. His thoughts wandered to the days when he had ventured into the human world, leaving the pack behind to manage things remotely. Life back then had been monotonous, devoid of the thrill or purpose he once thrived on. Yet, amidst those dreary days, he had met her—Luna.
A faint smile ghosted his lips as he recalled the fire in her eyes and the way her presence seemed to breathe life into the mundane. But the memory was fleeting, replaced by concern. Had she eaten anything today? He realized with a pang of guilt that he had been so consumed by the day's events that he had neglected to check on her since their encounter in the library.
The thought propelled him to his feet. The chair scraped loudly against the floor as he stood abruptly, his heart beating faster than he cared to admit. He strode out of the meeting room, his determined steps echoing down the quiet corridors.