*Starblood dungeon, deep night*The dungeon was silent now, the echoes of broken chains and shouts had long faded. The cold bit through her thin clothing, but Lesley barely noticed. The chill made her skin tingle, sharpening her senses. Lesley sat on the cold floor, one wrist still marked by the faint redness of silver scars, the other free after snapping the chain the other time.Her still violet eyes glowed softly in the dark. Her wolf prowled inside her, restless, hungry, its energy tangled with her own anger and Elira’s lingering influence.She had survived the chaos, had been held only by sheer force of will and the guard’s desperate hands. She remembered the look of fear on their faces, the way their knees had wobbled when she had unleashed even a fraction of her strength. That fear, that realization of her power, made a dark smile curl across her lips.But now, in the quietness, she heard the whispers return. N
*Shadow pack, Night*The hall had quieted after the meal. Crystal sat stiffly, her fingers tapping lightly against the table as she tried to steady her nerves. Though the murmurs from earlier had subsided, the pack members scrutiny still lingered.Ryder leaned back in his chair, eyes scanning the room. Even in the silence, his body radiated readiness. Every muscle, every movement betrayed the alertness he kept even when speaking politely. Crystal could feel the tension in him as though it were a current running between them. She swallowed, wishing she could keep herself calm.“Stay close,” Ryder murmured, brushing his fingers against hers. Crystal nodded.At the far end of the hall, Alpha Darius watched them from his seat. His dark eyes were sharp, unreadable, like a predator sizing up its prey.Next to him sat a tall, broad-shouldered man with close-cropped dark hair, his stance rigid, posture perfect. This was the Alpha’s Beta
The journey went on for hours. The winter forest seemed endless. Starblood wolves padded in silence most of the way, their breath misting in the cold. Crystal walked beside Ryder. Ethan and Luca trailed just behind, Alia and Thalia close to their mates. No one spoke much after the last rest stop… the weight of where they were going was immense. At last, Ryder slowed. His nostrils flared. “We are here,” he said quietly, his voice loud enough for the group to hear. The Shadow Pack’s borders stood ahead. No grand gates or banners but with a natural barrier… jagged black pines pressing close together, almost choking out the light. A thin mist curled along the ground, clinging to their ankles. The land itself felt different. Crystal’s ears twitched. She could hear faint pawsteps moving in the mist, circling. The air carried scents of moss, and smoke.
*Starblood pack, Early Morning* The first light of dawn crept over the trees surrounding Starblood Pack. Frost clung to the branches. Crystal squatted near the main clearing, her hands digging lightly into the frozen earth, trying to calm the nervous energy coiling in her chest. Ryder moved among the pack members, his presence commanding attention. Ethan and Luca were nearby, preparing their weapons and gear. Alia and Thalia stood close, ready to join the journey… they had insisted they would not stay behind at Starblood Pack. They exchanged a brief, tense glance, murmuring words of encouragement to one another. The small company of warriors moved with quiet efficiency, checking everything they would need for the trip to the Shadow Pack. Crystal watched Ryder carefully, feeling the tension in his every movement. His golden eyes flicked over the gathering, sharp and alert. Even now, she could sense the weight of responsibility pressing down on him, and she could feel her own h
*Starblood pack — Council Hall, Late Morning*Crystal stood beside Ryder, her hands clenched lightly at her sides, feeling the tension coil in her chest. Warriors shifted uneasily, the murmur of voices quiet down as the heavy doors swung open.Alpha Thorne of Greenwood Pack entered. His expression was serious.“Alpha Ryder,” Thorne said, his voice sharp, cutting through the silence. “We have trouble. Greenwood has been attacked.”Crystal’s stomach tightened. She could feel her wolf stirring beneath the surface, restless and uneasy. “Attacked… again?” she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.Thorne’s jaw tightened. “Yes. Wolves were found dead, arranged in a pattern. The Silver Fang are moving. This isn’t random, it is a warning. They want to test our strength, and your loyalty, Flame.”Ryder’s golden eyes narrowed. “How bad?” he asked, voice low but firm, carrying the authority of a king.Thorne’s ga
*Greenwood Border, Dawn* It should have been a peaceful day with dew shining on the grass, birds calling faintly overhead, but it was different. Three Greenwood scouts crouched near the tree, their faces pale. Ahead of them, blood trailed the ground until it stopped at the source. Bodies. Four wolves lay sprawled in the clearing, throats ripped out, eyes glassy and unseeing. They weren’t rogues. These were Greenwood’s own… patrol wolves who had set out before sunrise, proud and loyal. Now they were arranged in a neat, cruel pattern. A circle. At its center, carved deep into the dirt, was a symbol every wolf knew. Lines crossed to form the mark of Silver Fang. One scout, a young warrior named Collin, retched and turned away. He had trained with two of the fallen. His hands shook as he whispered, “They knew our route. This wasn't a coincidence.” The lead scout crouched lower, his jaw tight as he traced the edge of the carved mark with his eyes. “This was no ambush