Ithilien and Marco left before sunrise the next morning.
Their plan was simple enough—drive north through Washington, then Montana and Idaho. Warn the nearby packs about the possibility of infected wolves, and gather whatever information they could in Montana about the Fenrir project.
The highway out of Eugene was nearly empty.
Marco kept his eyes on the road.
"We should talk to old Jeff Martinez," he said eventually.
Ithilien sat in the passenger seat, posture straight, watching the trees blur past the windshield.
A few weeks ago, hearing the name of Evergreen's alpha would have made her furious.
Now she felt… nothing.
"They'll have to open the archives," she said calmly. "If Fenrir existed, there have to be records somewhere."
Marco nodded.
Martinez was one of the few people who might actually know something.
For a while they drove in silence.
Marco kept stealing quick glances at his sister, trying to read her expression.
Jeff Martinez was Ace's father.
And it had been his decision.
Everyone had known about the bond between Ithilien and Ace. It hadn't mattered. When the time came to choose a Luna, Ace had rejected her and taken a girl from Columbia Falls instead—a political match from northern Montana.
Jeff hadn't been interested in romance.
He had a pack to protect and territory to secure, and the northern pack had been pushing a little too hard for influence. Ithilien brought no alliances with her, no warriors, no numbers—nothing that would strengthen Evergreen.
Only herself.
And there had been another problem.
Any child she and Ace might have had could have turned out human.
Like Marco.
The Greenan family couldn't guarantee another alpha.
Maybe that was why Ithilien had accepted the decision so easily. In the eyes of most packs, she wouldn't have been a particularly valuable Luna anyway.
Marco cleared his throat.
"I'm hoping we can find records on the scientists who ran the project."
"You think someone just picked up where they left off?" Ithilien asked.
"I'm not ruling anything out."
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"Right now all we know is that whoever's behind this doesn't care about the cost. If that thing you ran into on Mount Hood wasn't an escapee but something that was released on purpose…"
He let the sentence hang.
"…then human casualties clearly aren't a problem."
His voice was calm, but Ithilien knew her brother well.
Nothing made Marco angrier than someone trying to play God.
The drive to Battle Ground—the nearest pack territory—took just under three hours.
Marco pulled the car onto a narrow gravel turnout along Berry Road. The forest beyond was thick and damp, the air heavy with the smell of rain.
Neither of them rushed to leave the warmth of the car.
Finally Ithilien opened the door and stepped out.
Cold air rushed in.
"Let's go."
They headed into the forest.
The deeper they went, the quieter it became.
Ithilien slowed after a few minutes, lifting her head slightly as she inhaled the air.
"There are about eight of them nearby," she said quietly. "Maybe ten."
Marco looked around instinctively, though he knew he wouldn't see anything yet.
"Strong wolves," Ithilien continued. "Experienced."
She tilted her head slightly.
"The alpha's older… confident."
Then she paused.
"And he's got a newborn in the pack."
Her voice softened for a moment before she went silent again, listening.
Any alpha worth the title would already know strangers had crossed his territory.
They didn't have to wait long.
Eight wolves stepped out of the trees.
They moved calmly, without urgency.
That alone told Ithilien everything she needed to know.
These were seasoned fighters.
They didn't see a lone she-wolf and a human man as a serious threat.
The largest wolf stepped forward - a massive brown male with golden eyes.
He stopped several yards away, standing tall and perfectly still.
Watching.
Waiting.
Marco cleared his throat.
"Sorry for dropping in like this," he said. "My name's Marco Greenan, and this is my sister, Ithilien."
He hesitated for a fraction of a second.
"We came to talk about something called the Fenrir project… genetic experiments involving wolves."
Even as he said it, Marco realized how ridiculous it sounded.
Like a traveling preacher knocking on random doors.
Several wolves bared their teeth.
One growled.
The alpha flicked his tail once.
Instant silence.
Marco continued.
"Short version—Fenrir was a research program meant to create enhanced wolves. Stronger pain tolerance, faster regeneration, heightened aggression."
He gestured toward Ithilien.
"The project supposedly ended three years ago. But two days ago my sister encountered something on Mount Hood."
He paused.
"Something that looked like a human-wolf mutation."
Without a word, Ithilien slipped off her jacket.
She turned her arm so they could see.
Long claw marks ran from her forearm to her shoulder. The skin was still pink and tight, the flesh beneath it slowly regenerating.
Too slowly, Marco thought.
The wolves snorted quietly.
The alpha stepped closer.
He studied the wound in silence.
Ithilien knew he could smell it.
The metallic scent.
Fenrir.
"We came to warn you," Marco finished. "And to ask for help."
The brown wolf held their gaze for another moment.
Then his body shifted.
Bones cracked and rearranged as the wolf shrank into human form.
A tall man stood before them now, somewhere in his early forties. His dark hair fell to his shoulders, streaked with silver. Sharp green eyes watched them with open curiosity.
"In that case," he said calmly, "you'll need to explain the whole story." His gaze moved between them. "Start to finish."
The alpha gestured toward the trees.
"Walk with me."
They followed him into a small clearing surrounded by tall spruce trees. Seven wolves gathered nearby, forming a loose circle around them. But Ithilien could smell more.
At least twelve others hidden deeper in the forest.
Listening.
Waiting.
The man extended his hand.
"Rowan Halle."
Marco shook it.
"I appreciate you hearing us out."
Rowan nodded once.
"Now that introductions are done," he said, "I've got a few questions."
His gaze sharpened.
"Who exactly are you two?"
"I'm a cardiothoracic surgeon," Marco replied. "I work at a hospital in Eugene."
He nodded toward Ithilien.
"My sister studies the same field."
"And she's a wolf," Rowan added, studying Ithilien with interest.
She inclined her head slightly.
"Not something you see every day," Rowan said. "A wolf traveling without a pack."
The comment hung in the air.
Ithilien didn't react.
Her past wasn't part of this conversation.
Rowan continued.
"You say you're here about a genetic experiment involving wolves."
His tone was calm.
"How exactly did the two of you find out about it?"
Marco explained.
The project.
The infected wolves.
Thiago and Zeke.
The unstable transformations.
Rowan listened without interrupting.
When Marco finished, the alpha folded his arms.
"And what exactly do you plan to do if you find whoever's responsible?"
Marco didn't hesitate.
"We bring them before the Lycan Council."
Rowan raised one eyebrow.
"That's ambitious."
Marco didn't smile.
"They're experimenting on wolves. On people. This isn't a territorial issue anymore."
Rowan considered that.
"And what do you expect from us?"
Marco answered quietly.
"If any wolf in your pack shows signs of violent or unstable transformation, you contact us immediately."
Before Rowan could respond, Ithilien spoke.
"And keep your luna close."
Rowan looked at her.
"Explain."
"If the virus triggers aggression," she said calmly, "a strong alpha presence helps suppress the response. A stable luna helps even more."
Rowan studied her for a long moment.
"Interesting."
Then he said something unexpected.
"You're not the first people who came looking."
Marco's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
"About two weeks ago," Rowan said, "a man passed through here asking similar questions."
"About Fenrir?" Marco asked.
"No."
Rowan's gaze hardened slightly.
"He was looking for something."
"The mutant?" Ithilien asked quietly.
"That's what it looked like."
Silence settled over the clearing. Finally Rowan straightened.
"I'll speak with the other Washington packs."
Marco blinked in surprise.
"You're willing to cooperate?"
Rowan gave a small shrug.
"If someone's turning wolves into monsters, every pack on the coast deserves to know."
He paused.
"And if something like that appears on my territory…" His green eyes hardened. "…I'd rather know how to kill it."