Se connecterI read it again. Third time. The name stuck out: "Selene," I said, not trying to keep it quiet.Calla’s head snapped up. "The cousin," she said. "The one we found in the records. She’s the one who left them on the road.""Yeah," I said.Rhydian drifted close, reading over my shoulder. His jaw flexed. "Seven packs," he said. "Did Aldric say which ones?"Instead of texting, I called Aldric.He picked up right away. "The southern border packs. The ones that used to be Greycliff territory, before everything fell apart. You know, the most conservative of the lot. The ones who never wanted to change anything.""And Selene found them," I said."Either she found them or they found her," Aldric said. "My contact’s been following her, two days now, all through that region. She’s not hiding, Kaelis. She wants to be seen. She’s telling them she can bring back order against what she’s calling…." He stopped."Calling what?" I pushed."The Vane uprising."I stood in the clearing, golden light rising
My fingers flew across the screen. “I’m two minutes out. Hold on.”We hit the boundary and the car barely stopped before I jumped out, running for the treeline. Wolves were everywhere, hundreds, standing in clusters, all eyes turned to the golden light rising out of the confluence point. Some of them were crying, just like Tomas said they would. None of them moved.Rhydian and Malek were right behind me, and I felt the bond between us stretch tight. We all aimed for the same spot.One wolf met me at the edge. It just turned around and ran ahead, leading the way. I followed. The rest of the wolves didn’t block us, they didn’t even seem to notice. Their focus stayed fixed on the light.The clearing opened up ahead. The gold columns were massive, taller than anything Tomas described. They climbed out of the earth slow and steady from a dozen spots. Right in the middle, at the exact place I stood that morning, Soren sat curled up, knees tight to his chest, fists over his ears, silver ligh
I tried calling again. Same thing, just endless ringing, no voicemail, nothing. The call faded away and I was left staring at Soren’s name on my screen, our last message sitting there like maybe everything was still normal. But nothing in me felt normal right now.“He always picks up," Malek said. He was next to me now, but his usual calm was gone. “Soren always answers."“I know,” I said.Rhydian barely waited; he was already dialing. “Tomas,” he said as soon as someone picked up. “Confluence clearing. What’s going on?” He listened, face getting harder. “When?” He listened more, shot me a look that said nothing good. “Anyone hurt?” Another pause. “Don’t engage. Hold your ground. We're coming.”He ended the call.“Well?” I asked.Rhydian scrubbed a hand over his face. “The eleven packs got there forty minutes ago. Too fast. Means they started out before Calla passed the message from Sera, so Sera didn’t know until they were already on the move.” He stopped. “They're not attacking. Jus
“What’s he saying to them?” I asked.Calla was already typing away. “I don’t have a direct line to him,” she said. “My contact at Elder hall just told me he walked in an hour ago, called himself the former future Alpha of Greycliff, and started talking.” She glanced up. “Nobody asked him to leave.”“He’s Greycliff,” Voss said from across the car. “Those packs have roots with Greycliff that go way back. Just his bloodline gets him a seat.”“So what’s he gonna tell them?” Rhydian asked. He looked at me, not Voss, like he wanted my take.“The truth,” I said. “That’s all Zevran’s got right now. His title’s gone, the pack bond is shattered, his mate….” I stopped. “He’s got his father’s memory, and forty minutes to talk to three packs who are scared out of their minds.” I turned to Calla. “Text your contact. I need to know what it feels like in that room.”She sent the message. We kept driving.Two minutes later, her phone buzzed. She read the reply. “Cautious but listening. One pack leader
“You knew,” I said. Voss looked at me, half surprise, half nothing, and didn’t answer. “The three packs,” I pressed. “You knew they’d go to Greycliff.” “I thought they might,” he said. “You thought they might,” I repeated, all the weariness in my voice. “While you sat on my root and told me you had nothing left.” He held my gaze. “I do have nothing left,” he said, steady. “That’s not a lie. The Elder seat is gone. The structure, gone. Fifteen years...” he stopped, looked away, “But having nothing left doesn’t mean everyone loyal to me vanished too. Some people don’t know what to do without orders. So they go back to the last place that felt solid.” “The Elder hall,” I said. He nodded. “Yes.” “And they’re asking for you.” My voice hitched with something like disbelief. “Which means someone told them you were here. Which means you told someone before you came.” I looked at him, not letting up. “You didn’t just stumble here because you ran out of options.” He sighed, let the act
I messaged Soren: Don’t touch him. I’m coming. Three dots appeared, then…… The first wolf already made that decision. He can’t leave anyway. I glanced at Rhydian. He was already heading for the vehicle. “How long?” I asked. “If we hurry, two hours,” he said. I turned to Sera. “Whatever Calla told you this morning, sit on it. Don’t move, don’t share it, don’t commit to anything alliance-wise until I’m back.” I scanned the pack leaders. “All of you. I need two days.” Sera looked me over. “Two days is a lot when eleven packs are already set and three more are rolling in.” “I know,” I said. “Give me two days anyway.” She looked at her wolves, then back to me. “Fine. Two days. Be back before then.” I glanced at Calla. She was still sitting on the log, staring at me with that calm, unhurried focus. “You’re coming with me,” I said. “Am I?” she replied, sounding curious, not defiant. “You’ve got twenty years I need, and I don’t have time to dig it out bit by bit.” I met her eye. “







