Chapter 9 The Reckoning of Ashwood.

The lacrosse game was over, and the adrenaline rush of the victory had faded into a distant memory. As I walked home with Maya, I felt a strange sense of foreboding. It was as if something dark and ominous was lurking just beyond the horizon, waiting to pounce. Meanwhile, miles away from the celebration in Ashwood, Douglas finally made his way back to the Westville pack's territory. He was exhausted, his muscles aching from the long journey. The forest around him was eerily quiet as he approached the pack's usual meeting spot. When he arrived, he found the clearing empty. The usual bustle of activity was absent, and the air felt heavy with an unsettling stillness. Panic began to set in as he scanned the area, searching for any sign of his packmates. "Where is everyone?" he muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the silence. As he moved further into the clearing, he noticed a piece of parchment pinned to a tree with a dagger. His heart pounded as he pulled it free and unfolded it