Chapter 8

Zeil walked ahead, slow steps, heavy with thought. His eyes didn’t really see the path, they were too busy looking backward, back into the moments that nearly ended him. The wounds on his body were already healing, but the ones inside him were far from gone. Every step towards the Velmor's compound felt like a return to that moment, knees on the ground, breath caught in fear, heart racing like he was prey instead of predator.

Behind him, Keal was picking up small stones from the path, tossing them one by one without care. His long thin stick, the one with two dried leaves at the bottom, hung from his lips like always. The silence between them was thick, almost like a wall but Keal, being Keal, had to punch through it.

“Well,” Keal said with a crooked smile, tossing another stone into the bush, “who would’ve guessed our Young Lord Alpha would drop to his knees, shaking like a pup caught stealing meat under moonlight?”

The words sliced Zail like claws. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. He wanted to leap, tackle Keal to the ground and silence that smirk forever but he held it in. Barely. His face remained blank, pretending he was alone on that path.

Keal, of course, wasn’t done. He chuckled, the kind of laugh that begged to be punched. “These young pups, always full of surprises. Today this, tomorrow we’ll find ‘em curled up in some corner, hiding behind a girl’s apron.” He laughed harder now, malicious, proud that he was grinding Zail’s nerves.

‘One day, Keal. Either you die on this mission, or I’ll kill you myself. One way or another, I’ll serve you to the vultures, with your own arrogance.’ Zeil was satisfied with his thoughts, how pleasing they were.

Keal was already thinking of more taunts when a soft voice interrupted from behind.

“Zail,” The voice called gently. “How are things on your end?”

He turned his head slowly. It was Vera. Her soft brown fur glowed lightly under the fading sun. She always had that calm presence.

“Good,” Zail replied quietly. “Vera, do you mind stopping by my place later today?”

“Sure,” she nodded, offering a small smile.

They turned toward the Velmor's compound, home of the well-known healer pack. As they entered, pups playing by the gate stopped and stared. Grown wolves did too, their eyes following Zail and Keal like shadows. Some looked away quickly, their faces twisted in disgust. Others nodded slowly, as if trying to understand this young Lord Alpha. Voices started to murmur from all sides.

“What is he doing here?” one whispered.

“He’s too weak. A lord? He can barely hold his ground.”

“Didn’t he lose in that fight ?”

“He’s got no presence too weak”.

“I heard he barely survived… should’ve died.”

But there were other voices too, softer, hopeful.

“Don’t say that. He’s still young. Watch him grow.”

“He might surprise us. That last move he did… that wasn’t weak.”

“I’ve seen worse lords.”

Still, the noise grew, and so did the tension in the air.

Zeil felt the shift, the sudden, terrifying power radiating from Kael. He knew that aura. He had felt something a bit similar from his father, from the council elders. It was the aura of a true alpha, a predator on the verge of striking. Like something ancient had just opened its eyes.

Keal stood still, not saying a word. His stick with the two leaves stopped bouncing on his lips. His eyes turned red, glowing slightly as his form began to shift. Muscles tightened. Claws threatened to emerge. Every pup stopped playing. Every adult froze in place. Even the wind seemed to stop blowing.

It was obvious they would be torn to shreds any second now. One pup whimpered, a tiny, terrified sound that was quickly stifled.

One wolf, an older one, trembled so hard he peed himself.

Keal began walking slowly. He was heading straight toward the ones who mocked, and it was clear he wasn’t coming to talk. He spat out the stick from his mouth like it was poison.

Zail noticed all of it but didn’t flinch. He didn’t speak. He just turned calmly and headed toward the house. As if nothing was happening around him.

He didn't care to stop Keal.

“Let them feel it” he whispered to himself “let them remember what fear tasted like”.

Keal was still transforming. Not fully, but enough. His aura was laced with death, nearly matching the pressure of the council elders.

Then a sharp voice broke through the silence.

“You cannot walk into Velmor’s compound and threaten my wolves like this.”

Everyone turned. It was the elder of the Velmor pack, old, tall, but not weak. His fur was white with age, but his presence still commanded respect. His eyes locked onto Keal without fear.

Zail didn’t still look back.

He didn’t care.

They had mocked him,true but none of this mattered right now. Not compared to what he was here for.

Keal turned slowly, eyes still glowing. “Then tie a leash around your pups… or else.”

The elder didn’t blink. “Who are you to threaten Velmor’s blood?”

But then he noticed Zail, now standing by the entrance of the house. His eyes widened.

“Young Lord Alpha,” he said, bowing quickly. “I didn’t realize you were here. Forgive us. Please, sit.”

Zail sat, calm but firm while keal remained standing by his side, his sharp gaze sweeping the compound. No one moved. No one dared. It felt like an invisible stone had pressed down on them.

“Young Lord Alpha,” the elder began, “I wonder what honor brings you to our pack this evening. Is the Velmor pack safe?”

Zail’s voice was quiet, but heavy. “This is about your daughter and the Ironfangs”

The elder’s smile faded slightly. He sighed. “It’s… unfortunate. But Young Lord, don’t you think the younger generation should be allowed to choose their paths? Shouldn’t they shape their own fates?”

That hit Zail deep. His mind pulled him back, back to the long, cruel years of being forced to train like a beast. The days where he was beaten just for showing weakness. The nights where his father’s voice echoed commands he dared not disobey.

Fate? What did the young one.choose, really?

Still, something about the elder’s tone bothered him. Like there was a trick under those gentle words. Zail’s eyes narrowed, If your daughter wasn’t a healer, would you say the same? Or is it because you want her to stay in Velmor, no matter the cost?

The elder went on. “Before this arranged marriage, I was against it. Her parents pushed it forward. Now that it’s become chaos, they want to stand by her side. It’s ironic, isn’t it?” He tore a strip of meat with his teeth.

“Where are they now?”Zail asked.

“Out. But they’ll return soon.”

As if on cue, the door open. The girl walked in, followed by her parents. They bowed deeply to Zail, greeting him with the respect.

She stepped forward, hands trembling slightly.

“Young Lord,” she said, voice steady but soft, “I know my pack may have acted on impulse. But I love someone else. I can’t be used to repay old debts. Not like this. We’re willing to offer anything anything else, as long as it’s within our claws. But not this.”

The room fell into silence, you could hear even the wind rustling the trees outside now.

Zail looked at her for a long time. She was brave to speak and there was no hatred in her eyes only desperation and truth but the mantle of tradition was heavier than courage. He picked up the cup of wine beside him, drank it in a single sip, and stood up.

“I’ve heard what I came for,” he said.

They bowed again as he left, and this time they stayed bowed until the last trace of his scent left the room. Even now, long after the meeting, they could still feel it, his presence.

Outside, wolves watched him go. Still too shaken to speak. Keal followed behind, the stick now back on his lips like nothing happened.

As they passed beyond the compound gates, someone whispered, “That’s Keal… the guard of the Young Lord.”

“Yes. Him.”

The elder of Velmor listened from the doorway and slowly nodded.

“I see…”

Outside, night had fallen completely. Stars lit up the sky like scattered fireflies.

As they walked back to Zail’s house, he muttered, “You’re done for the day. You may leave.”

Keal didn’t stop walking. The stick with two leaves now rested back on his lips, like a silent defiance. His hands in his pockets, eyes staring ahead.

“I was told to protect you,” he said, “at all costs. And I remember someone yelling at me, ‘Do your job, like a proper guard which you are”

Zail stopped walking, his back was to Keal.

His hands… were no longer calm, his shoulders had become tensed.

The breath in his lungs felt like it was caged, threatening to let loose but if it did, what would happen?

Keal kept walking, still smiling slightly. Still chewing that same stick. Still thinking he had the upper hand.

And then…

Zail turned and looked at him, his eyes were burning not with rage that flared, but rage that boiled. It was Quiet and Controlled, but one shouldn't be deceived by it. Under that soft facade, was something deadly.

The kind of anger that didn’t shout.

The kind that killed when pushed to the limit and right now he was definitely at his limit.

Keal paused, his smirk was faltered now with the deadly growl that came from Zeil.

“Kael” his growl was laced with danger now, maybe this was the opportunity he was waiting to kill Kael.