LOGINThat evening, the sun had already fallen behind the tall trees, and the air outside the Sauna pack house was quiet except for the rustling sound of the night wind. Inside, Leah sat in her room staring at the dim flame of the lantern on her table. Her heart was restless. She knew she had offended Rowland, but she had only acted as a daughter who had lost her father.
Every time she thought about Alpha Glint, her eyes burned with tears she didn’t want to shed. She wanted justice, not confusion. Yet, Rowland had made it sound like she was against him. She could not sleep without making peace with him, so she stood and walked out of her room, her guards following at a distance. He was not sharing her room tonight because he was angry.She walked through the silent corridor, her steps soft against the stone floor. When she reached Rowland’s room, she hesitated a bit before knocking. There was a pause before his voice came from inside, sounding cold. “Come in.” Leah opeThe Sauna pack gathered under a wide open sky.Torches burned around the great hall. Long tables were set. Food sat untouched. The mood was tense, not joyful. This was meant to be a feast, yet no one smiled.They had all come because of the message.The pack healer had sent word earlier that day. The words had spread fast through the land. There was an Alpha among them. One chosen by blood and fate. One who must rise.That message alone had shaken the pack.No name had been given.Still, tradition demanded that they gather. When a pack was called, it answered.So they came.Warriors stood in rows. Elders took their seats. Mothers held their children close. Whispers moved like smoke through the air.“Did the healer say who it was,” one man asked quietly.“No,” another replied. “Only that the Alpha blood is present.”“That makes no sense,” a woman said. “The Alpha line ended with Glint and Leah.”“So we thought,” someone else muttered.The name of Alpha Glint still carried weight. Even
Night fell heavy over the Crystal pack.Torches burned along the court walls, casting long shadows that moved with the wind. The pack had gathered. Warriors stood in rows. Elders watched in tense silence. Fear and anger mixed in the air.Three men were dragged into the open space.Their hands were bound. Their clothes were torn. Dirt and dried blood marked their faces. They struggled, but the guards were firm.Kendrick stood at the center.His face was hard. His eyes were cold.“These are the men found in the woods,” he said. “The ones who attacked Jack.”Murmurs spread through the crowd.Rina stood beside him. Her hands were clenched. She did not speak. There was too much happening at the same time. She was trying to keep up.Kendrick stepped forward. “You were caught on Crystal land,” he said. “You attacked one of my men. You will speak and tell me all that I need to kmow. You will tell me who sent you and why they sent you.”The men stayed silent.One of them lifted his chin. “We h
The healer’s voice carried through the pack grounds before the sun had fully climbed.“He is awake.”The words spread fast.Alpha Kendrick was already on his feet before the sentence finished. He did not ask questions. He turned and headed straight for the healer’s tent.The guards moved aside at once.Inside the tent, the air smelled of herbs and warm water. Soft light filled the space. Jack lay on a low bed, propped with pillows. His face was pale, marked with fading bruises. His arm was wrapped. His breathing was steady.Gilly sat beside him.She held a small bowl and fed him slowly, spoon by spoon. Her movements were careful. Her eyes stayed on his face.Jack swallowed and managed a weak smile. “You worry too much.”“You nearly died,” Gilly replied. “Do not speak as if it was nothing.”Kendrick stepped closer. “Jack.”Jack turned his head. His eyes focused with effort. “Alpha.”“How are you,” Kendrick asked.Jack took a breath. “Getting better. Hurts. But I am here.”“That is enou
The forest did not stay quiet for long. Kendrick did a good looking around before he finally decided that he was leaving with Jack. The place seemed clear enough. Whoever the attackers were, they had left. They knew better than to stick around in lands that wasn't theirs. Well, it crossed his mind that they could even be from the Crystal pack. What else would give them the guts to do what they had just done?He shrugged off the feeling. Until he found them, he wasn't going to let himself assume anything.Kendrick had only taken a few careful steps back toward Jack when the air shifted. His wolf stirred sharply inside him.“Move,” Rod warned.Kendrick turned just as the first wolf leaped from the trees.It came fast, teeth bared, eyes wild.Kendrick shifted his weight and caught it midair, slamming it into the ground. The wolf snarled and snapped, but Kendrick’s grip was firm. He drove his elbow down, forcing the air from its chest, then threw it aside.It did not rise again.The seco
The night air was cool when Kendrick left the pack house.He did not tell anyone where he was going. He needed silence. His thoughts were too loud, and the walls of the pack house felt tight around him. He walked past the guards without stopping, his steps steady, his face calm.The forest welcomed him with familiar sounds. Leaves moved softly. The ground was firm beneath his boots. This land had always known him.As he walked deeper, he let his breath slow.It had been a long time since he spoke to his wolf.“Rod,” he said quietly.There was no answer at first.Kendrick kept walking. He did not rush. He allowed the quiet to stretch.Then the voice came, low and deep, inside him.“You finally listen,” Rod said.Kendrick did not smile. “I needed clarity.”“You needed honesty,” Rod replied.Kendrick exhaled. “Things are unstable.”“They have been,” Rod said. “You only see it clearly now.”Kendrick’s jaw tightened. “Two men took my sons.”“They failed,” Rod said.“They still breathe,” Ke
Two days passed after the public judgment.The Crystal pack slowly returned to its rhythm, but the weight of what had happened still lingered. Guards moved with sharper eyes. Wolves spoke in lower voices. The pack house felt watchful.That morning, a horn sounded at the gate.Kendrick was in the court when a guard approached him and bowed.“Alpha,” the guard said, “Doria Welsh has arrived.”Kendrick’s eyes narrowed slightly. “From the Sauna pack.”“Yes, Alpha.”“Bring her in,” Kendrick said.Rina was seated nearby, holding Ronin while Conan slept in Beatrice’s arms. She looked up when she heard the name.Doria Welsh was escorted into the court with the respect given to a noble guest. She walked calmly, her back straight, her face composed. Her clothes were neat and marked with the colors of the Sauna pack.She stopped a few steps from Kendrick and bowed her head.“Alpha Kendrick,” she said. “Thank you for seeing me.”“You came without notice,” Kendrick replied.“I did,” Doria said. “T







