Chapter 2

ZANA’S POV

Even the next morning, I could still hear the rogue’s warnings in my head.

Lucius sends greetings.

I needed to clear my head, so I decided to hunt alone.

I shifted into my wolf form and ran through the woods. The world looked sharper that way. Scents were stronger. Sounds were clearer. For a moment, it felt peaceful.

Then I caught a strange scent near the edge of the training grounds. It wasn’t prey. It wasn’t familiar either. It just felt….wrong.

Curious, I followed the scent trail through the trees until I reached the old watchtower. Hardly anyone came here anymore. It was quiet, too quiet until I heard voices.

I froze behind a tree. One of the voices made my heart skip.

Calen.

His tone was cold. It wasn’t like the warm teasing one I knew.

“The western patrol leaves before dawn,” he said quietly.

I frowned. What was he saying?

Another voice answered, “Good. Alpha Ryker trusts you. That makes this easier.”

I moved closer, careful not to make a sound.

Then I saw them - two cloaked men standing close to Calen. One of them pulled something from his coat. It was a small silver insignia. My breath caught. It was marked with a symbol I recognized instantly - a wolf’s head surrounded by black flames. The Lucius Pack’s mark.

My heart started pounding so loud I thought they would hear it.

“Lucius rewards loyalty with power,” the stranger said, handing Calen the insignia.

Calen took it then tucked it into his pocket.

My stomach twisted painfully. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. No… not Calen. The betrayal was too much for me to bear. Tears filled my eyes at the sight of him.

My wolf growled inside me. She was just as hurt as I was.

I felt my hands shake as I shifted back to human. Everything inside me screamed in disbelief. He wouldn’t do this. He can’t.

But he just did.

I stepped out from the shadows. “You’re feeding them our defenses?”

All three men turned to me. The cloaked ones immediately backed away, fading into the trees, but Calen stood still. His eyes were wide for a second. I saw guilt flash in them before he stood straight then his eyes went hard.

“Zana,” he said softly “You don’t understand.”

I took a step closer. I felt anger boiling in my chest. “Then make me understand, Calen! Because from where I stand, it looks like you just betrayed your pack, our pack!”

He moved closer, holding out his hands. “This is the only way to stop a war.”

“By selling us out?” I snapped.

He grabbed my shoulders “Lucius is unstoppable, Zana. He promised protection for those who stand with him. We can rule together, you and me.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “Rule what?” I asked quietly. “The ashes of my people?”

His eyes flashed with guilt but then, it disappeared. His eyes turned cold and dark.

“You could have been my Luna,” he said bitterly. “But you were always your father’s little soldier.”

The words hit me hard. Before I could think, my hand connected with his cheek. I slapped him.

His head turned from the force, and when he looked back, his eyes weren’t hazel anymore. They glowed bright yellow. His wolf was fighting for control.

For a second, I didn’t recognize him. This wasn’t my first love. This wasn’t the boy who kissed me every day, telling me how we would be together forever.

No. this was someone else.

The thought of it all made my chest ache. Tears filled my eyes.

“I loved you,” I whispered. “But I don’t even know who you are anymore.”

 “You’ll understand one day. Lucius is the future. Ryker’s time is over.”

I shook my head. “No, Calen. Yours is.”

I turned and ran. My legs moved on their own. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would break. The wind hit my face, and branches tore at my skin, but I didn’t stop. I had to get to my father.

I ran to the palace..

“Zana!” someone called, startled, but I didn’t stop. I ran straight for the Alpha Hall, pushing open the doors with both hands.

My father and Beta Garrick were bent over maps, discussing patrol routes. They both looked up, startled by my entrance.

“Zana?” Ryker asked, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

I could barely breathe. “They’re coming!” I gasped out. “Lucius’s men. Calen told them about the western patrol!”

The room went silent. I could see my father’s expression freeze. He looked shocked.. For a second, I thought he wouldn’t believe me. Then his face hardened.

“Are you certain?” Garrick asked.

“Yes!” I shouted. “I heard it with my own ears. He took their insignia. He’s working with them.”

Ryker didn’t hesitate after that. He turned toward the guards near the door. “Sound the alarm horns! Lock down the borders immediately!”

“Yes, Alpha!” they replied, rushing out.

Within seconds, the deep sound of the horns echoed across the pack grounds. The entire settlement moved into action. Warriors dropped their training and grabbed weapons. Mothers ran to hide pups in the shelter caves. Elders armed themselves with guns and other weapons.

I stood there, watching it unfold. I felt both terrified and angry.

Ryker turned back to me and placed a hand on my shoulder “We’ll talk later, my brave one. For now, fight.”

I looked at him with tears in my eyes “I’m not leaving you.”

He smiled. “I didn’t expect you to.”

The horns kept sounding, and smoke from the signal fires began to rise above the trees.

All of a sudden, I heard the sound of a blast.

It sounded like the sky itself broke. I felt the ground under my feet jump, then a hot wave rolled through the air. Fire moved along the eastern wall.

Oh no.

They’re here already.

Soldiers shouted. I didn’t think. My legs moved before my mind caught up. I ran straight for the eastern gate.

Black-armored men infiltrated our pack. These were Lucius’s warriors.

“Defend the line!” someone screamed.

I shifted as I ran.. My wolf moved forward, prepared to fight. I hit the first man hard enough to send him falling. I felt the rush of adrenaline inside me. I had to protect my pack.

They came at us in waves. I tore through one after another. I could hear the way my warriors fought. I heard different sounds -  Garrick’s roar nearby, a mother's desperate cry as she shoved a pup into a hollow, hands grabbing and pulling at armor. I tasted smoke on my tongue. I fought hard like the world depended on it because it did.

I saw Calen across the chaos. He fought with men who wore Lucius’s sigils. He cut down warriors who had smiled at him that morning. The sight of him fighting against us tore inside me. My wolf let out a sad howl.

A warrior screamed close by. I helped him lift a small child from the dirt. The child’s face was filled with tears and dirt. The man dragged her faster, stumbling. I grabbed his arm and pulled them into the shadow of a fallen cart, pushing them behind a burned wheel.

“Go! Go!” I barked.

The child scrambled away and the man followed. I turned back to fight.

The palace burned. The smoke made my eyes sting. I ran toward a line of warriors and knocked a Lucius soldier off his feet, but another struck at my side.

I groaned in pain. I slashed at his chest then ripped his throat open with my claws. He fell to the ground, dead.

“Kara!” I heard someone shout.

I turned and saw her - my friend.

“No” I whispered.

Before I could help her, one of the soldiers stabbed her with his blade. She fell to the floor with wide eyes. I lunged toward her. I don’t remember thinking then, only moving on instinct. A Lucius soldier slammed into me from the side. He hit hard. I drove my teeth into his shoulder and pushed him away. He went down.

I reached Kara. She was pale. She had blood at the corner of her mouth.

“Kara!” I cried, dropping to my knees. “Stay with me.”

Her eyes fluttered close. I tried to lift her but pain flared in my hands from a new cut. She smiled. “You always were the loud one,” she whispered. Her fingers slipped from mine. Her body went still.

I howled then. It was a sound so raw and long it felt like it might tear my throat out. Tears mixed with ash. I slammed my shoulder into a soldier charging past and ripped his arm away from his blow. I sunk my claws into his stomach.

I pushed on, searching the field for my father. Garrick’s voice cut through the chaos, calling positions. Warriors were being flanked. Mothers screamed names. The whole pack seemed to die slowly by the minute.

I found him at the center. Alpha Ryker stood surrounded by Lucius warriors. His movements were slower now. He was bleeding seriously.

barked a command and then cut down another attacker.

I charged. Two men fell to my jaws and claws before I reached him. fought together in sync. He swung while I tore, and together we forced a little space around us.

Then Calen stepped up onto a fallen beam. He stood beside a hooded man. I knew that man from the morning voice. He must be Lucius’s second. Calen raised his hand and shouted something. The archers behind the line readied.

“No!” I screamed.

“Loose!” Calen ordered.

A rain of silver arrows dropped. One hit my father in the chest. My dad gasped in shock. Everything seemed to be in slow motion.

“No!” I screamed

His eyes went wide with shock. The silver drained his strength. He fell on his knees then to the ground completely.

Tears filled my eyes “Dad!”

I reached for him but Lucius’ guards surrounded me. They grabbed my hands and bound me with silver chains.  

I struggled against them.

Calen stood watching as they bound me. His face was unreadable. Cold. The man I loved no longer existed.

“You did this,” I spat

Calen’s voice was soft. “It didn’t have to be this way.”

The soldiers dragged me to a transport wagon. Behind me, I watched my father’s body catch fire. He burned with the palace. I heard the screams of my people.

They shoved me into the wagon and slammed the iron bars shut. I pressed my forehead against the bars and watched the world I had known fall into ash.

Tears rolled down my eyes at the sight of it all.

“Dad” I whispered.

The wagon moved. Through the smoke I watched the fires swallow everything. The faces of those I loved blurred in the flames.

“They’ll pay,” I whispered. “Every last one of them.”