The urgent howl pierced the pre-dawn silence, jerking me from a fitful sleep. My heart raced as I threw on clothes and rushed to the pack house's main hall. Asher was already there, his face grim as he spoke with Beta Kieran.
"What's happened?" I asked, trying to keep the worry from my voice.
Asher turned to me, his blue eyes filled with concern. "There's been an attack on our southern border. A group of rogues managed to breach our defenses."
My blood ran cold. "Casualties?"
"Three injured, no fatalities," Kieran reported. "But they've taken hostages – two of our younger pack members who were on patrol."
The room erupted into chaos as more pack members arrived, each demanding answers and action. I watched as Asher raised his hand, silencing the crowd with a single gesture. The authority he commanded never ceased to amaze me.
