Chapter Text
Peter was sitting at his desk, glaring at the file open in front of him. The picture of Yone Venatore, also known as Yone Hunter -as cliché as it was-, was glaring back at him. Her red hair was tied in a strict bun, highlighting her cheekbones, and contrasting with the newest shot he got of the Scottish woman where she was covered in blood, hair sprawled around her severed head. Whoever did this took the time to place the head back afterward, in a sick semblance of normalcy. There was no mistaking the victim’s identity, the crest of her family proudly tattooed on her naked shoulder: three hunting horns in red and green, standing out against the pale skin.
Of course, her death wasn’t bad news, it was actually Peter’s goal, but the fact that it was his fifth prey that was killed with the same modus operandi was grating. First, a duo of hunters, who had started making rounds around the territory and hiding bear traps on Hale’s lands. Next, a jealous beta, angry that Talia had refused his proposal in favor of her actual husband, even if he was human. After that, a witch in Utah, who had given the previous beta several harmful potions to divide the Hale Pack. Every single victim Peter had heard of was plotting against them. This couldn’t be a coincidence, it was way too big, and, if the wolf was honest with himself, alarming. Somebody was killing the threat against his Pack for an unknown reason with scary efficiency. The man was impressed, obviously, but also wary of the mysterious killer. Any unknown fact was a weakness and could be used against the Pack, knowledge was power, after all, and Peter didn’t have it right now. How did the killer know who was threatening the Hale Pack? How did they find them so quickly? Why did they protect them like that? Was that even what they were doing? Would they ask for compensation for their work? All those questions were running through Peter’s mind and the young beta wasn’t happy about it. Time to go talk with the Alpha.
With a sigh, Peter got up, collecting the different files about the killed threats, and made his way toward Talia’s study. The Hale house was quite large, a beautiful structure with enough place for every pack member and even more. Peter and Talia both had their own studies on the first floor, where the meeting rooms and the collective library could also be found and most pack matters were brought up. This one was, however, to be discussed in private, hence Peter making his way to his Alpha's study where no one would come without her express permission. Knocking on the door, he waited for her to ask him to come in, voluntarily ignoring the clearly purposeful lack of answer and praying for The Moon to give him patience. When Talia finally told him to come, the younger Hale was already anticipating her to tell him that she “doesn't have time for this Peter, it's your job, not mine”. Unfortunately for him, she wasn't in one of those harsh moods, she was in the overly sugary false-interest one. This one was always the worst, Talia faking interest for him and then breaking all pretense by reminding him that he was at the Pack’s disposal and thus should always make the Pack -and her- come first.
"What can I do for you, dear little brother?"
"I'm here to talk about a concern of mine. Someone is killing threats for our Pack."
"Good. Why is that a concern? Don't worry, Petey, you're still our favorite killer."
"Talia. This is not a joke. This person is aware of our enemies, they know who's after us, and this knowledge is extremely dangerous. It could be sold for a good amount of money. They could even just decide to turn on us and kill us all by using another threat as a distraction."
"Peter. You're young, I understand you want to do your best and finally prove your worth, but this? This is just paranoia. They're killing threats against us, they're on our side, nothing to worry about."
Talia's voice had lost the sweet tone, going back to the voice she took when explaining how superior she was to everyone else. The comment on his worth had squeezed the claws of hate around his heart, making them pierce the tender organ slightly, letting the dark feeling shadow the love he had for his sister a little more. Her constant belittlement and sly comments about his role were starting to make him grind his teeth and he needed to focus more and more not to snap at her. Yes, he was young, yes he had killed before, and yes he was maybe overly cautious, but only because he knew what could happen when you weren't. His father had made sure of that since Peter’s tender age. Taking a quick breath to recenter himself, Peter decided to push the matter, certain that it was too important to ignore.
"I'm 25, Talia. I've been your Left-hand for years and have trained for even longer. I know what to look for, and this, this person? It's a threat. Even bigger than those that they neutralized. They know too much. Look at the files, at the way they kill their enemy in a clear blow, decapitating them and arranging their body for us to see! I don't know many who have strength like that, it could be a wolf, could be another alpha, and what will you do then?"
"Are you menacing me, Peter? Do I need to remind you of your place? The way you act, no wonder your eyes are blue. I said to let it be, so you will, is that clear?"
With the way she flashed her eyes at him, Peter didn't have any other choice than to tilt his head, showing submission to his Alpha. His wolf was revolting inside him, all his instincts screaming that she wasn't worthy to be an alpha and he should challenge her to endanger the Pack like that. But he knew better. And thus quenched his feelings and gave the appropriate answer.
"Yes, Alpha."
The sheer amount of willpower it took to stop himself from showing his fangs was reward-worthy, but he obviously would never receive any rewards in this Pack, where the Alpha constantly belittled his work and his being. Never showing her his back, Peter exited the study, files gathered in one hand, claws piercing the thin brown folder containing them. Seeing that, he frowned before rolling his eyes. It wasn't like anyone would see the files again, they would be dumped in the lowest drawer and never touched again, as the Alpha had asked and he would let the matter go.
Peter, obviously, hadn't let the matter go. Several bodies had turned up after his discussion with his sister, and it was more obvious than ever that the killer was protecting wolves and other supernatural creatures. Mostly the Hale Pack, but also several minor groups all over America. He had heard that the man held some favor from Banshees, and that he was close friends with members of the Seelie Court and the Unseelie one, as lunar as it sounded. This information made the Left-Hand even more curious about their protector, but also more worried: this person had contacts in several supernatural circles, not only in shifter's ones, and thus could have even more power against the Pack.
Peter had deduced by looking up the victims’ last location, and for the hunters, their last contracts, that the mysterious knight in the shadows had resources and was part of the supernatural himself. No human could do what this man was doing; no human could have the favor of this many supernatural creatures. Some of them wouldn’t even speak to humans! He had to be something else. Without hesitation, the blue-eyed wolf decided to go against Talia's order and ask his contacts for any information on similar murder and their perpetrator. The answers were interesting at the minimum: the mysterious killer had a name: Skoll. And Peter may have been raised with Hellenism beliefs but he also was a curious young man who went to college and thus had access to a whole library. The fact that he may have studied lore, plants, deities, etcetera on the side with his grandmother was also helping, the sweet Lana had a sweet spot for the young Peter and a secret affinity with magic. Thus, Peter had learned and was now able to say that Skoll was a wolf in Norse mythology. He was “the One who Mocks”, and the one who pursues Mani, the incarnation of the Moon. Peter took notes of the choice of name, hoping that he would meet another sarcastic soul. After all, the killer could have chosen Hati, “the One who Hates”, which would have fit perfectly for a protector as vicious as they were.
It was useless to specify that, when he received this information, Peter was ecstatic, albeit a bit disappointed that the name of his new obsession gave away his nature. The knowledge of the killer being a wolf traitorously sparked a little flame of hope in Peter's chest, his wolf already respecting Skoll and murmuring about becoming his beta. It was the instincts speaking, obviously, as his dearest sister was straying him from the Pack day after day, which would leave him not much more than an omega if his nephew and nieces weren't there. But... It would be nice to have someone who didn't judge him for doing what was necessary for the Pack, even if that meant killing. Surely Skoll would understand, as he was doing the same. But those thoughts weren't important! Now that Peter had a name, a modus operandi, and somewhat of a victim type, he could go hunt himself a mythical bringer of chaos and finally learn the reason for all this.