CHAPTER 7 _THE SUMMONING 

The silence inside the Midnight Pack house felt heavier than war.

Hours had passed since Helen's confession, yet the weight of her words still lingered within the ancient halls.

Alpha Kael Blackthorne stood beside the grand window overlooking Midnight territory.

His kingdom remained as disciplined as ever.

Orderly….. Loyal….. Strong.

Yet for the first time in years, he found himself questioning something he had never questioned before.

Trust.

Behind him stood several of his most trusted warriors.

None dared speak.

Kael's gaze remained fixed on the lands beyond the palace walls.

"The message reached Redclaw."

It was not a question.

No one answered, because everyone already knew.

If Helen had managed to send the message, then somewhere beyond Midnight's borders, Alpha Darius was already aware of Megan's secret.

A dangerous silence followed.

Then Kael finally turned.

"Prepare a formal summons."

The warriors straightened immediately.

Kael nodded.

"To Alpha Darius Dravenor."

The room became still.

No one questioned him.

No one challenged the order.

Yet everyone understood what it meant.

For generations, Midnight and Redclaw had maintained an uneasy friendship built by fathers and grandfathers before them.

A friendship that had survived rivalry.

A friendship that had survived ambition.

But now...

A line had been crossed.

Kael's eyes darkened.

"If the foundation our forefathers built still holds value to him, then he will come."

A warrior stepped forward.

"And if he refuses?"

Kael's expression remained unreadable.

"Then I will have my answer."

Moments later, the royal messenger departed Midnight carrying a sealed letter bearing the Blackthorne crest.

A letter addressed to only one man.

Alpha Darius Dravenor.

The Redclaw Palace stood proudly beneath the afternoon sun.

Built from crimson stone and forged through generations of conquest, it carried a different kind of strength from Midnight.

Where Midnight represented order...

Redclaw represented ambition.

Inside the grand hall, Alpha Darius sat upon his throne reviewing military reports when a messenger entered.

"My Alpha."

Darius looked up.

"What is it?"

The messenger knelt.

"A letter from Midnight."

The hall grew quiet.

Darius extended his hand.

The letter was placed before him.

The moment he saw the Blackthorne seal, a faint smile appeared on his face.

Slowly, he opened it.

His eyes moved across the words.

Then...

He laughed.

Not loudly……. Not carelessly.

The kind of laugh that made experienced warriors uncomfortable.

A laugh filled with understanding.

Across from him, Luna Mira watched carefully.

"You expected this."

Darius folded the letter.

"Of course."

Mira crossed her arms.

"Then Kael knows."

"He knows enough."

Darius rose from his seat.

His smile remained.

"Which makes this far more interesting."

Mira studied him.

"There is nothing interesting about an Alpha discovering spies inside his territory."

Darius turned toward her.

"No."

His eyes gleamed.

"The interesting part is what comes next."

Before she could respond, Darius looked toward a nearby guard.

"Bring me Gideon."

A pause.

"And Rogan."

The warrior bowed immediately.

"At once, my Alpha."

As the doors closed, Mira remained silent.

She had lived beside Darius long enough to recognize that look in his eyes.

It was the look he carried whenever he began moving pieces across a board nobody else could see.

And that worried her more than any army ever could.

Moments later, two warriors entered.

Rogan Sable.

And his younger brother, Gideon.

Both immediately lowered their heads.

"My Alpha."

Darius remained seated.

For several moments, he simply studied them.

The silence alone was enough to make lesser men uncomfortable.

Then he spoke.

"It seems Midnight has discovered our little problem."

The brothers exchanged a brief glance.

Neither looked surprised.

Darius leaned back.

A faint smile touched his lips.

"Your Omega was nearly not as careful as you believed."

Gideon immediately lowered his head.

"My Alpha, with respect, I do not believe Helen was careless."

Darius raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

Gideon nodded.

"The Midnight Pack has always been different."

His voice remained calm.

"Their discipline is unmatched. Their warriors notice details most kingdoms would ignore."

Rogan folded his arms.

"If there was a trail to follow, Midnight would find it."

For a moment, Darius said nothing.

Then he laughed softly.

"Perhaps."

The room fell silent again.

Then his expression changed.

The amusement disappeared.

Replaced by calculation.

"The problem is no longer Helen."

His fingers tapped the arm of his chair.

"The problem is that Alpha Kael has begun asking questions."

Neither brother spoke.

Darius rose from his seat.

Slowly…… Deliberately.

"The summons were expected."

Mira watched him carefully.

"And what do you intend to do?"

Darius smiled.

"The same thing I always do."

He looked toward Gideon.

"You will take responsibility."

Gideon nodded immediately.

"Anything for Redclaw."

Then Darius looked toward Rogan.

"You as well, as an accomplice"

Rogan bowed his head.

"My life belongs to my Alpha."

A silence followed.

Then Gideon frowned slightly.

"My Alpha..."

Darius looked at him.

"If we are to take responsibility..."

He hesitated.

"How?"

Rogan nodded.

"Midnight will demand answers."

For the first time, a genuine smile appeared on Darius's face.

A dangerous smile.

The kind that made even loyal warriors uneasy.

Then he laughed.

Softly….. Ruthlessly.

The sound echoed through the chamber.

Mira's expression tightened.

It was never a good sign.

Gideon felt a chill crawl down his spine.

Rogan exchanged a glance with his brother.

Neither spoke nor interrupted.

They simply waited.

Darius slowly descended the steps of his throne.

His hands folded behind his back.

His eyes gleamed with something cold.

"Tell me..."

His voice was almost conversational.

"What is more believable?

He looked toward Gideon.

"A kingdom accusing an Alpha of conspiracy?"

Then toward Rogan.

"Or two brothers allowing pride to cloud their judgment?"

The room became still.

Neither warrior answered.

Slowly...

Understanding began appearing in their eyes.

Darius saw it and smiled.

"Good."

He continued walking.

"Very good."

Mira stared at her mate.

Even after all these years, she found herself discovering new depths to his ambition.

New layers to the man she thought she understood.

The brothers remained silent.

Watching their Alpha reshape a threat into an opportunity.

And as Darius continued speaking...

Explaining…… Planning..

Constructing a story so convincing that even truth itself would struggle to challenge it...

Only one thought entered their minds.

What kind of Alpha have we chosen to follow?

For years, they had respected Darius.

For years, they had admired his ambition.

But tonight...

They glimpsed something deeper.

Something darker.

Something capable of bringing kingdoms to their knees.."

Darius finally stopped.

A slow smile spread across his face.

"Now..."

His eyes settled on both brothers.

"Listen carefully."

The chamber fell silent.

And for the next few minutes, not a single warrior dared interrupt.

Because as Darius spoke, even Gideon and Rogan found themselves questioning where truth ended and deception began.

Tonight, they witnessed something far more dangerous.

A mind capable of turning weakness into opportunity.

A mind capable of turning suspicion into advantage.

And when Darius finally finished speaking, neither brother said a word.

They simply stared at him, because even the truth itself w

ould struggle to defend its place against what they had just heard.

And somewhere beyond Redclaw's borders...

Alpha Kael Blackthorne was already waiting for answers.

Unaware that the game had only just begun.