The scent of pine and rain hung thick in the air as Kael Thorn strode through the forest, his boots crunching softly against the damp earth. The moon hung low, casting a silver glow over the Crescent Moon Pack’s territory. Though the night was quiet, a tension lingered, crawling under Kael’s skin like an itch he couldn’t scratch.
Something wasn’t right.
Behind him, Rylan Grey, his Beta, moved with practiced ease, his eyes scanning the treetops. “Alpha,” Rylan said, his voice low but steady. “The council meeting starts in an hour. You should be heading back.”
Kael didn’t stop. His instincts, honed through years of leading the pack, told him there was danger lurking just beyond the edge of his senses. “They can wait,” Kael replied. “There’s something out here.”
Rylan hesitated. He’d learned to trust Kael’s instincts, but the unease in his tone was enough to set his own nerves on edge. “The pack’s been… restless today,” Rylan admitted. “Whispers are spreading, Kael. About you.”
Kael stopped, his dark eyes narrowing. “What kind of whispers?”
Rylan pressed his lips into a thin line. “Nothing I believe,” he said carefully. “But they’re saying you’ve been keeping secrets. That you’ve been meeting with someone outside the pack.”
Kael’s wolf stirred within him, bristling at the accusation. “And you?” he asked, his tone sharp.
“I stand by you,” Rylan said without hesitation. “But you know how it works. Fear breeds doubt, and doubt spreads faster than fire.”
Kael was about to respond when a piercing howl shattered the stillness of the night. It was a cry of alarm, raw and desperate, coming from the north.
“Border patrol,” Rylan said grimly. “We need to move.”
Without another word, both men shifted. Kael’s body contorted as dark fur rippled over his skin, his bones reshaping into the form of a massive black wolf. His claws dug into the earth as he sprang forward, Rylan’s gray wolf close behind.
They raced through the forest, the trees blurring into shadows. Kael’s heart pounded, not just from the exertion but from the dread that churned in his gut.
When they arrived, the sight before them confirmed his worst fears.
A wolf lay crumpled in the dirt, his throat slashed, his body motionless. Blood soaked the earth, the metallic scent overwhelming. Kael shifted back to his human form, his breath fogging in the cold night air.
“Garin,” Rylan said quietly, his voice thick with grief.
Kael knelt beside the fallen wolf, his hands brushing over the torn flesh. Garin had been one of his most loyal patrol members, a wolf who had served the Crescent Moon Pack faithfully for years. Now he was dead, his life snuffed out with brutal efficiency.
“This wasn’t random,” Kael said, his voice low and dangerous. He examined the wound—a single, clean slash across the throat. “This was deliberate.”
Rylan shifted back, his expression grim. “I don’t see a scent trail. Whoever did this covered their tracks.”
Kael’s sharp eyes scanned the area, searching for anything that might offer a clue. Something glinted in the moonlight, half-buried in the dirt. He reached for it, his fingers closing around a small metal token.
He turned it over, his stomach tightening as he recognized the mark etched into the surface—a crescent moon, split by a jagged claw.
“Shadow Fang,” Rylan murmured, his face darkening.
Kael’s grip on the token tightened. Shadow Fang was their sworn enemy, a rival pack led by the ruthless Darius Arken. The token’s presence here was no accident—it was a message.
But as Kael stared at it, doubt crept into his mind. Something about this didn’t add up. Garin’s patrol route wasn’t near Shadow Fang territory. Why would they risk venturing this deep into Crescent Moon lands? And why leave a token behind?
“This is a setup,” Kael said finally, his voice cold. “Someone wants us to think Shadow Fang did this.”
Rylan frowned. “Who?”
Kael stood, his expression hard. “That’s what I intend to find out.”
Back at the pack compound, tension hung thick in the air. The council chamber was packed with elders, their faces lined with worry. Whispers of the patrol’s discovery had already spread, and the atmosphere was heavy with suspicion.
Kael entered the room, the token clutched tightly in his hand. The elders fell silent, their eyes turning to him expectantly.
“Garin is dead,” Kael announced, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. He held up the token, its surface gleaming under the flickering lantern light. “This was found at the scene.”
A murmur rippled through the room.
“Shadow Fang,” one of the elders said, his voice trembling.
Kael shook his head. “This isn’t just about Shadow Fang. Whoever did this wanted us to find this token. They wanted to sow doubt and chaos.”
“Are you suggesting someone in our pack is involved?” an elder asked, her voice sharp with disbelief.
Kael’s gaze swept over the room, his expression unreadable. “I’m saying we can’t trust anyone until we know the truth.”
The room erupted into murmurs, the elders exchanging uneasy glances.
Kael ignored them, his mind already racing ahead. This wasn’t just about Garin. This was about him. Whoever had done this wasn’t just targeting the pack—they were targeting his leadership, his very place as Alpha.
As the meeting dispersed, Kael lingered in the chamber, staring at the token in his hand. The weight of it felt heavier than it should, as if it carried the burden of all the questions he couldn’t yet answer.
The door creaked behind him, and Kael’s wolf stirred, sensing movement. He turned sharply, but the corridor was empty.
For a moment, he thought he’d imagined it, but then a faint whisper reached his ears, carried on the still air.
“Careful, Alpha. The truth might destroy you.”
Kael’s jaw tightened as he stepped into the corridor, his eyes scanning the shadows. Whoever was behind this was playing a dangerous game.
And Kael intended to win.
