LOGINThe woods were quiet except for the sound of Rina’s quick steps. Her eyes scanned the ground, her hands brushing away low branches. She saw marks on the soil, small prints, broken leaves.
Her heart leapt. “A trail,” she whispered to herself. She bent lower and followed it.The trail curved around trees, down a slope, across a patch of grass. Each step made her believe more that she was close. But as she went deeper, the signs grew weaker. The prints faded. The leaves seemed older, scattered by the wind.Her chest tightened. “No, no,” she murmured. She pressed forward, her eyes straining. Soon there was nothing clear to follow. Only forest floor.She stopped at last, her breath heavy, her legs weak. She leaned against a tree, fighting despair.Then she heard movement.Her eyes snapped up. A tall figure came through the trees. It was Darius.“Rina,” he called softly.She straightened at once. “Darius? What are youNight settled over the Crystal pack in slow layers.The pack house was quiet. Most had gone to rest. The halls were dim, lit only by wall lamps and the moonlight that slipped through the windows. Guards stood at their posts, steady and alert.Inside Kendrick’s chambers, the mood was tense but calm.Rina sat on the edge of the bed. Kendrick leaned back against the headboard, his arms crossed. Neither of them slept.Rina broke the silence.“Kendrick,” she said softly.He looked at her. “Speak.”She took a breath. “Neri came to see me earlier.”Kendrick straightened a little. “What did she say.”“She had a vision,” Rina replied.His eyes sharpened. “About what.”Rina said, “About the pack.”Kendrick did not interrupt.“She said she saw danger,” Rina continued. “Not the kind we already watch for.”Kendrick asked, “Be clear.”Rina nodded. “She said the pack would face an attack.”Kendrick’s jaw tightened.“She said it would come from an enemy we did not know we had,” Rina added.Silence fi
Lucas’ had come with both information for the pack and one that left Elara rattled inside. She wanted a good life. She wanted life with him, the man she had come to love. But she was not sure she was ready to be a Luna, much less among a pack she didn't know. She didn't grow up with the Howlers pack. She had seen how tough Rina had had to be. She had fought to stand alive in the place that's now hers to stand. She sighed. Today, Alpha Lucas would be making his way back to his pack. The air was calm, and the pack house moved at a slow pace. Word had already spread that Alpha Lucas would be leaving that day. Servants prepared his things, and guards stood ready at the front grounds. Nothing felt rushed, yet nothing felt light.Lucas stood outside with his cloak settled on his shoulders. His posture was firm, his face calm, but his eyes moved with care. He had spent the night in thought and the morning in silence.Kendrick walked toward him first.“You travel safely,” Kendrick said.L
Elara did not return to her chamber after Lucas left. She couldn't return there. Her heart was beating too fast. Her thoughts were tangled. The words he had spoken kept repeating in her mind, steady and calm, yet heavy with meaning. She walked quickly through the halls, barely noticing the servants who greeted as she passed. Her steps carried her in one clear direction.She needed to see Rina.She reached Rina’s door and knocked without slowing. Before the second knock could fall, the door opened.Rina stood there, surprise flickering across her face. “Elara.”Elara stepped inside at once. “I need you.”Rina closed the door gently behind her. “Come. Sit.”They moved into the room. The space was quiet. The babies were asleep nearby, their breathing soft and even. Elara stood for a moment, then sank onto a chair as if her strength had left her all at once.Rina watched her closely. “What happened?”Elara lifted her eyes. They were bright and restless. “He came to see me. Alpha Lucas.”
Alpha Lucas was led through the quiet hallway by a guard who walked a few steps ahead of him. The pack house was calm, but his thoughts were not. He had come for duty, but his heart had pulled him in another direction the moment he crossed the gates. There was no way he would not see the woman he loved before leaving the pack. He had missed her terribly and he didn't plan to keep that to himself. The guard stopped before a door and bowed. “This is Lady Elara’s chamber.”Lucas nodded. “You may leave.”The guard stepped away.Lucas lifted his hand and knocked once.Inside the room, Elara had already heard of his coming earlier. Word had reached her that he was in the pack. She had taken her time to dress, choosing a simple gown that fit her well. She had brushed her hair and sat waiting, though she pretended to herself that she was calm.When the knock came, she rose at once and opened the door.Her smile was bright and full. “Alpha Lucas.”For a moment, Lucas forgot every careful thou
Lucas had somehow become a friend and ally. The kind that Kendrick always wanted. He was friends with alpha Khan of the Khalaal pack and his friend, Raymond of the Feral Pack. But it was Lucas who was closest to him now and understood the affairs of the pack more than anyone else.He asked his men to look out for Lucas' arrival. He was braced for whatever Lucas was coming to tell him. He simply took his mind off worrying about what the conversation would be about. Rina had said she sensed an opposition rising. But he wasn't sure yet. He didn't know yet, but he would find out when Lucas came with what he said he'd found. Kendrick's wolf stirred inside him and he stopped in his tracks. “It is an opposition you're going to hear of,” his wolf said.Kendrick sighed. On the second morning after he'd sent Lucas the response asking him to show up in person so they could discuss what he had found out, the horns sounded at the outer gates.A guard entered the court at once and bowed. “Alpha
Morning settled quietly over the pack house. The court was already open. Guards stood in their places. Elders moved in low voices. Kendrick sat on the alpha seat, reading reports brought to him at dawn. His posture was straight. His face was calm, but his focus was sharp.A guard stepped forward and bowed. “Alpha Kendrick. A message has arrived.”Kendrick lifted his eyes. “From where?”“From Alpha Lucas,” the guard replied. “It was delivered at the border.”Kendrick held out his hand. “Bring it.”The guard placed the sealed message into his palm and stepped back. Kendrick broke the seal and read in silence. His eyes moved slowly over the words. When he finished, he did not react at once. He folded the message and rested it against the arm of his seat.The hall remained quiet. No one spoke.After a moment, Kendrick said, “Send for my scribe.”The scribe stepped forward quickly and bowed. “Alpha.”Kendrick said, “Prepare a response. Write exactly as I say.”The scribe readied his tools.







