Daphne and Kael headed back towards the Dark Crystal Pack area as dawn painted the sky with orange and pink streaks. Once a battlefield, the clearing was now enveloped in a spooky quiet, only sometimes disturbed by the singing of returning birds that awoke the woodland.
Priscilla was lifeless, bound by magical silver chains that Daphne discovered among Kael's possessions. Her fur had lost its red glow, returning her to her human form. Still, Daphne felt a gnawing discomfort. Once a devoted aunt, Priscilla now seems alien, a vessel possessed by a terrifying force.
Daphne's heart pounded against her chest as they neared the high walls of the Pack. By now, word would have gotten around about the assault, the gigantic wolf, the Direwolf, and the slaughter. Would her narrative hold water with anyone?
Sensing her anxiety, Kael gave her hand a little shove with his nose. He murmured, "We'll face this together," with a reassuring rumbling in his chest.
Daphne smiled at him, appreciative. Even with his wounds, Kael had a calm strength about him that made her more determined. He was more than simply a defender; he represented the struggle against the evil that sought to engulf the whole planet.
A disturbance broke out inside the main gate as they arrived. The air was filled with growls, shouted shouts, and the metallic clang of weapons. Daphne felt a dread twist in her gut. Had anything else occurred during their absence?
They eventually arrived at the Alpha's lair, a big, elaborate building in the center of the Pack. A pair of robust sentinels waited outside, their faces solemn.
Daphne said, "We need to see the Alpha," sounding more assertive than she felt.
"Not without an appointment," a guard scoffed.
Kael muttered, a deep rumbling vibrating in his throat, "This is urgent." "It concerns the Pack's safety."
The guards glanced at one other hesitantly. Word had spread like wildfire about the enormous wolf and the Direwolf assault. They let Daphne and Kael inside at last, muttering under their breath.
The den was a big cave with candles blazing in the darkness. The Alpha, a large wolf with fur the color of midnight, slept in the middle on a bed of furs. With feeble breaths, his chest rose and fell, and his once-proud stance slumped due to weakness.
Standing next to him was Lydia, the adviser to the Alpha and previous tormentor of Daphne. When she noticed Daphne, her eyes narrowed.
"You dare return after accusations of poisoning the Alpha?" she screamed.
Daphne turned her away in favor of the Alpha. "Your Highness," she knelt next to his bed and addressed him. I did not contaminate you. It was Priscilla, my aunt. She is working with a malevolent entity that poses a danger to the Pack and everything that we value most."
The pain-clouded eyes of the Alpha were revealed when her eyelids fluttered open. He opened his mouth to speak, but a coughing spasm passed through him. Lydia moved closer and touched his lips with a bottle of red liquid.
Daphne flinched away. The red light coming from the vial seemed familiar and unnerving. She insisted, "What is that?"
Lydia sent her a chilly grin in return. "A rejuvenating elixir," she misled. "The only thing keeping the Alpha alive."
With a snarl, Kael moved towards Lydia, his fur standing on end like a silent menace. However, the Alpha spoke in a raspy voice before he could respond.
"Stop it," he growled. "Daphne... tell me, is what you're saying accurate?"
Daphne inhaled deeply. She couldn't lie, even though she knew the truth may be his death sentence. "Yes, Most Honourable. My aunt has werewolf tendencies. Additionally, she is using a secret force that seeks to take advantage of the Blood Moon."
With a mixture of terror and bewilderment, the Alpha gazed at her, his eyes wide. Then he let forth a feeble laugh. "The Blood Moon… an old wives' tale… to scare pups."
"It's real," Daphne said. "I observed it. Additionally, Priscilla, all of the assaults are related."
The Alpha's face flickered with realization suddenly. "Lydia..." he gasped, his eyes darting to his counselor.
Lydia's gaze expanded. Stepping back, she held the vial firmly in her fingers. However, it was too late. Kael growled gutturally and surged for her. The red liquid spilled upon the furs when the vial broke against the stone floor.
A gasp came out of Lydia's mouth. The color faded from her cheeks and her self-assured façade fell apart. Her eyes, which had previously been a rich amber color, briefly flashed red, providing unmistakable evidence of Daphne's fears.
The Alpha spoke with unexpected clarity as his voice became weaker. "You were the one responsible for everything," he said, staring at Lydia. "The poison… the attacks… you wanted the power for yourself."
Lydia denied everything in a desperate-sounding voice. "Nah! It was intended for the Pack. to guarantee our supremacy!"
However, her cries went unanswered. The Alpha turned to face Daphne, one last glimmer of defiance in his eyes. His voice trailed down into a whisper as he said, "Daphne, you are the rightful heir."
The Alpha's eyes were taken over by darkness before Daphne could respond. A deep hush descended over the apartment as his chest stilled. Daphne was overcome with grief and a dreadful realization. The Alpha had passed away. And the only one who may be able to defend her together with him.
Seeing her chance, Lydia sprang for a ceremonial dagger that was hanging from the wall. With a newfound strength burning in her ruby eyes, she said, "This Pack needs a strong leader!" "And I will do it!"
However, a loud voice erupted from the den's entrance before she could seize the blade. A massive person entered, flanked by a group of Twilight Wolves. It was the Twilight Pack's leader, Elder Anya.
She said, her voice full of power, "Stand down, Lydia!" "You are not an advisor anymore. You are being held for attempted regicide and conspiracy."
Lydia gave a ferocious growl, trapped and desperate. She started to change shape, becoming a smaller, more deadly werewolf than Priscilla.
She shouted, making a move towards the guards, "The Pack will be mine!"
There was a bloody struggle. Alongside the Pack guardians, Kael and the Twilight Wolves engaged in combat, their combined might overpowering Lydia's transformation.
A victim of the mayhem, Daphne staggered back and looked down at the Alpha's dead form. Another wave of sadness tore at her heart. But in the middle of all of this chaos, she couldn't help but think that the Alpha had proclaimed her to be the heir apparent.
She had a terrifying realization all of a sudden. It was possible that Lydia wasn't as ambitious as everyone believed, despite the rumors to the contrary. Perhaps she was afraid of what would happen if Daphne assumed her due position as the Alpha, rather than just being power-hungry.
Daphne felt a chill go down her spine as she realized. She was derived from a long line of Moonflower Alphas, Alphas who had the ability of moonlight magic if she was the successor. However, did her strength make her the leader this Pack needed, or did it make her a target and make other people fear her even more than Lydia did?
Daphne was certain that her adventure had only just started as the conflict came to a head. The Pack was not out of the battle yet. It was just getting warmed up. And she would have to choose whether or not to accept the position that fate had put upon her as the Moonflower chef, the improbable successor.