“The rogue lands are where they are.”
All attention was on the scout as his comments cut through the battle room’s tense atmosphere. I concealed the tempest building inside of me by leaning forward and keeping my fingers curled under my chin.
I tasted the words as I carefully repeated, “Rogue lands. And you’re positive?”
The scout paused, his eyes darting to the warriors on each side of me and then back to me. “Alpha, we’re as certain as we can be. Near the eastern border, a rogue observed two wolves that fit their descriptions. They’ve ventured far into areas even rogues stay away from.”
A chilly smile curved my lips. “Interesting. They believe that among misfits and mice, they can hide from me.”
Beta Mark shuffled uncomfortably next to me. “Rogue lands, Oliver, are erratic. It’s dangerous to get that deep, even with our best troops. If the rogues decide to band together, however—”
“They won’t,” I cut in, my voice sharp enough to make him wince. “By nature, rogues are cowards. If the price is right, they will sell their own relatives.”
I got up, the chamber quieting as I looked about at the gathered warriors and counselors. “Get the word out. Provide a prize, such as cash, safety, or anything else. I’ll pay any rogue who brings me Anna and Lucas handsomely.”
A younger guy, Kael, one of the soldiers, came forward. “What if they don’t comply, Alpha? If they won’t cooperate?”
My grin became cold. “We then remind them of the reasons for their fear of the Nightshade Pack.”
A few hours later, I stood in my personal quarters and looked out over the thick forest that stretched past the pack’s boundaries. Long shadows danced like specters as the moon hung low in the sky.
“Alpha,” The silence was broken by Mark’s voice, and I turned to see him standing at the doorway with a reserved look.
“What is it?” Even though I already knew, I asked.
He stepped inside and shut the door after saying, “There’s unrest among the warriors. Some of them are wondering why Anna and Lucas are getting so much attention. It is so... personal, and they don’t understand why.”
I let out a quiet, unentertaining laugh. “Do they believe they are entitled to interrogate me?”
“Obviously not,” Mark blurted out. “However, rumors have a way of getting out there. If we don’t practice caution—”
Then, with a growl in my voice, I said, “Make them careful. Insubordination will not be allowed by me.”
His eyes narrowed slightly as he paused. “With all due respect, Alpha, the pack will not be strengthened by paranoia. It will split it.”
The tension between us crackled as I walked toward him. “Mark, are you implying that I have paranoia?”
I could see the glimmer of doubt in his eyes, but he remained firm. “What I’m saying is that trust is reciprocal. You must provide loyalty if you desire it.”
The only sound in the room for a moment was the slight rustle of leaves outside the window. Then I laughed, my voice shrill and icy.
I shook my head, saying, “Trust. Belief is a weakness. It was the cause of my father’s death. Do you believe he exercised trust in his rule?”
Mark didn’t reply, but I could tell everything I needed to know by the way his jaw tightened.
I turned away and whispered, “Enough. Pay attention to the goal. The rest is unimportant.”
He replied, “As you wish, Alpha,” but it was clear that he was tense.
My strategy was going by morning. Claiming to be rogues, spies crept into the shadows and began circulating rumors about the prize. With their senses keen and their orders unambiguous, loyal warriors guarded the frontiers.
However, as the hunt drew nearer, a persistent sense of worry started to creep into my mind.
I mentally re-repeated what Mark had said. Was I suspicious? Was my judgment hampered by my preoccupation with Anna?
No. It isn’t possible. The secret lay in Anna—her strength, her background, everything she stood for. She was what I needed to become completely powerful.
And yet...
I dismissed the idea and concentrated on the current job.
A voice shouted out from the doorway, “Alpha,” and I turned to see Kael standing there with a somber look. “A rogue has been apprehended. He says that he saw them.”
With my heart racing with a mixture of fear and excitement, I ordered, “Bring him to me.”
Shortly after, a wiry, scarred rogue was pulled into the chamber by two attackers. His eyes shot about like a snagged animal, and he smelled of terror and sweat.
“Alpha,” he said haltingly, his voice shaking. “I—I didn’t mean well. I simply want to be rewarded.”
“Then speak,” I ordered in a cold tone. “What are you aware of?”
The words came out of his mouth in a blur. “They’re in the eastern woods. Tucked down amid the rocks is a house. They had been there for days, but they are going, advancing farther into the realm of rogues.”
“More profound?” I squinted. “Why?”
His panic was obvious as he stammered, “I—I don’t know. They won’t live long, though. Outsiders are not well accepted by the rogues there.”
I took a moment to consider what he had to say. I then gave a nod. “You did a good job.”
His face flooded with relief, but it was brief. I made a quick sign to the warriors, and they pulled him away, his cries vanishing into thin air.
“Get the warriors ready,” I stated in a forceful but hushed voice. “We depart at dusk.”
Kael paused. “Alpha, should we hold off until we have more details? Should we go too quickly—”
I shouted, “I’ve waited long enough. Anna is in my power, and I will not allow her to leave again.”
Reluctantly, he stepped back and nodded. “As you please, Alpha.”
I was by myself in the war room, looking at the plan that was laid out in front of me as the sun was setting and the pack was getting ready for the hunt.
The rogue regions were a labyrinth of perils, including perilous terrain, dangerous wolves, and secret mysteries. However, none of that was important.
I had Anna.
And the real meaning of dread would be shown to anyone who stood in my way.
“There won’t be a way out this time.”
With my luggage draped over my shoulder and a weary but determined heart, I stood at the edge of the woodland. Beside me were Lucas and Maia, whose faces reflected mine: a mixture of resolve and melancholy.Cain came toward us, his eyes full of resolution but his face etched with fatigue. Although he had been among Oliver's most devoted soldiers, the insurrection had altered him. We were leaving him in control after he had fought with us and put his life in danger for the pack."Are you sure about this?" he said softly.I gave a nod. "Cain, you're the greatest option. You are trusted by the pack. They will follow you."He paused, his eyes darting between Maia and Lucas. "How about the three of you? Where are you going?""Somewhere new," was all I said. "A place where we can start again."Cain's face softened as he nodded. "You've done enough for this pack. More than sufficient. Go if this is what you need. We'll be alright."I said my
In the broken remnants of Nightshade's great hall, the firelight wavered, creating unsettling shadows on the stone walls. I had nothing left to offer the pack, but they continued to hover, perhaps awaiting guidance. There was still a weight in my chest. I didn't feel like I had won, even though Oliver was defeated and his rule was overthrown by the people he used to rule.Sitting next to me on a splintered wooden bench, Maia was looking off into space as she absently traced a scar over her arm. Ever the guardian, Lucas stood a few feet away, his gaze sweeping the still audience.After a long pause, Lucas whispered, "They need a leader." He spoke in a quiet, wary tone. "Someone to rebuild what's left."Slowly, I nodded. "They need someone," I said, then looked over at Maia.She stiffened as I stared at her. "Don't even think about it."I cocked my head. "Why not?"She gave a dry laugh, but it was devoid of any humor. "Becaus
The trumpet's call echoed through the broken remains of Nightshade, a sound that once sent fear rippling through the pack but now carried a different weight. A summons. A reckoning.I stood in the heart of the pack's gathering grounds, where months ago, I had watched Leo be condemned to death. My fingers tightened into fists at my sides as I forced myself to take in every detail... the stone platform, the lofty arches, the wooden beams above that had once felt oppressive. The torches flickered, casting long shadows against the walls, just like they had that night.Only this time, it wasn't Leo standing before the pack.It was Oliver.He was on his knees in the center of the hall, bound, his body battered and broken. Blood matted his dark hair, his once-imposing body slumped forward in exhaustion. The very warriors who had formerly battled under him stood around the perimeter of the hall, their gazes flitting between me and the fall
There was silence on the battlefield.The silence was not one that resulted from relief or tranquility. It was the thick, stifling type that comes after a storm, as though the world itself was holding its breath. The ground was covered in fallen people, and the air was heavy with the smell of smoke and blood. With a mixture of amazement and incredulity, the rebels who had survived the slaughter and were still standing glanced at Anna.Oliver was lying at her feet, immobile and broken. His burnt body stood out sharply against the blood-soaked ground below, and his once-imposing figure had now collapsed into a crumpled heap. He was not yet dead, but he was very nearly so. His chest rose and fell in weak, irregular spasms, and his breaths were shallow.With her shoulders heaving and her hands still burning dimly from the last of her power, Anna stood over him. Her hair was knotted and wild, and her face was stained with blood and filth, but her ey
All I could do was observe.My entire existence begged me to step in, step in, and support Anna as she faced Oliver alone. However, I was unable to.I shouldn't.This was her fight.Standing opposite Oliver, Anna's body was bruised and covered in blood, yet her unwavering will remained burning. I had never seen the raw electricity crackle in the air around her before. It was hazardous, untamed, and wild. There was nothing weak about the dim glow that flickered from her palms, like a fading ember. The ground beneath her boots seemed to be reacting to her, quivering in expectation of what lay ahead.Oliver rolled his shoulders and grinned as though this were merely a minor annoyance. I shuddered at his self-assurance. For so long, he had ruled by terror, destroying anybody who tried to oppose him. He now considered Anna to be simply another idiot who believed they could prevail.However, she wasn't.
The battlefield was a bloody, chaotic nightmare.The night was filled with screams as the rebels gave it their all in battle, but Oliver's forces were unrelenting and mercilessly defeated us. My muscles ached from the never ending battle, and I was breathing in ragged breaths, but there was no time to pause. Another life was lost with every second that passed.Maia was down.Across the field, I saw her fall, hitting the ground with a horrible crack. As I surged at her, avoiding an enemy's claws at the last second, my stomach knotted in terror."Maia!" I fell on my knees next to her. Her breathing was shallow, and blood was leaking from a deep wound along her shoulder.Her body trembled uncontrollably as she attempted to push herself up. "I'm fine," she rasped, but I could tell she wasn't."You're not," I said as I applied pressure to the cut. My palm was stained by the warmth of her blood, and my chest developed a hollow hole.Lucas s