Chapter Three: What even was that

That night, as the moon rose high, Ronan and Rook found themselves at the western border, their breaths visible in the night air. The woods stretched out before them.

"You ever get the feeling we're being watched?" Rook muttered, scanning the trees.

Ronan nodded. "Yeah. And I don't like it."

They continued their patrol, Then, a sudden snap of a twig. Both of them whirled toward the sound, weapons drawn.

Silence.

A low growl rumbled from the shadows.

Ronan's grip tightened on his blade. "Come out. Now."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a pair of glowing eyes appeared in the darkness, followed by a slow, deliberate step forward.

Something was out there.

Ronan held his breath, his muscles coiled tight as the glowing eyes stared them down from the darkness. The low growl sent a ripple of unease through the air, thickening the already suffocating silence.

Rook took a half-step sideways, positioning himself shoulder to shoulder with Ronan. "That's not one of ours."

"No kidding," Ronan muttered, keeping his grip firm on his weapon.

The creature, whatever it was took another slow step forward, revealing the outline of a large, muscular form. It was on all fours, its breathing deep and deliberate. A rogue wolf? No... something was different

Then, with terrifying speed, it lunged.

Ronan barely had time to react. He twisted to the side, the beast's claws swiping through empty air where his chest had been a second before. Rook was already moving, drawing a dagger from his belt and slashing toward the creature's flank. The blade connected, but instead of the expected yelp of pain, the thing barely flinched.

"What the hell?" Rook hissed, stumbling back.

Ronan didn't hesitate. He shifted, his body morphing in an instant, bones snapping and muscles stretching as he took on his wolf form. Snarling, he lunged at the creature, fangs bared.

The beast met him head-on.

They collided with a force that sent them both rolling through the underbrush. Ronan snapped at its throat, but it was fast, faster than anything he'd fought before. Claws raked across his side, pain blooming along his ribs, but he ignored it, pushing back harder.

Rook shifted as well, joining the fray, his silver wolf form darting in to flank the creature. Together, they drove it back.

And then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it stopped.

The creature let out a strange, guttural snarl before leaping backward into the darkness. Within seconds, the glowing eyes had vanished, leaving only the sound of Ronan and Rook's heavy breathing.

Ronan shifted back into his human form, pressing a hand to his side where the claws had caught him. "That was... interesting."

Rook hurried to his side, his face pale as he looked down at Ronan's bleeding stomach. "Shit, Ronan. Hold still."

"I'm fine," Ronan ground out through gritted teeth, pressing a hand against the gashes. "It's just... a scratch."

"A scratch?" Rook snapped, supporting Ronan’s weight as they began the slow trek back toward the settlement. "That thing practically tried to gut you!"

They slipped into the healer's hut just before dawn broke. Elsie, the pack’s head healer, grumbled under her breath as she cleaned the deep gashes on Ronan’s side, applying salve and wrapping his torso tightly in linen.

By the time they walked out, Alpha Rael was waiting on the porch of the main cabin, his arms crossed.

"You're late," Rael said, his silver eyes instantly dropping to the blood seeped into Ronan’s torn hoodie. "You're injured."

"We ran into something at the border," Ronan said, standing as straight as he could manage. "It wasn't a rogue, Dad. It was fast and it didn't even feel pain."

Rael didn't look surprised. His jaw just tightened, a shadow falling over his featureless expression.

"Describe it," Rael said quietly.

Ronan opened his mouth to explain, but Rael held up a hand, turning away toward the council hall. "Get cleaned up. Both of you will present this to the council in an hour."

"That's it?" Ronan called after him, his temper flaring through the physical pain. "No answers? No explanation for what's hunting on our land?"

Rael didn't turn back. "Focus on staying alive, Ronan."

As Rael disappeared into the hall, Rook placed a heavy hand on Ronan’s shoulder. "Save your energy, Ro. You're burning up."

Ronan stared after his father. "Great. Another meeting where I get to sit in silence while everyone acts like I don't exist."

Rook clapped him on the back. "Hey, at least this time, you might actually get some answers."

Ronan exhaled sharply. He wasn't so sure.