Even after the odd wolf disappeared into the night, Luna's heart beat due to the unsettling growl that persisted in the atmosphere. She had never smelled anything like it before, yet it made her shudder. Her gut told her there was danger, but she was not sure why. The wolf seemed to know her, to perceive something in her that she was unaware of.
Kaden, still recovering from his wounds, moved to her side, his sharp eyes scanning the forest. "What was that?" he asked, his voice low, still brimming with adrenaline from the battle.
Luna shook her head, her gaze fixed on the spot where the figure had disappeared. "I don't know. But it felt... different. Whoever that was, they weren't just passing through."
The wolves around them began to disperse, tending to their wounded or retreating to their dens. The battle was over, but Luna couldn't shake the sense that something much darker was looming on the horizon.
Kaden studied her face, sensing her unease. "Do you think it's another threat? Someone trying to take advantage of the chaos after Darian's fall?"
"Maybe," Luna replied, her brow furrowing. "But something tells me this is bigger than a power grab. We need to be prepared."
She had fought hard to free the pack from Darian's iron grip, but now a new kind of uncertainty loomed. The pack's faith in her was strong, but she was still new to this role. Could she handle it? Could she be the leader they believed her to be, especially with new dangers lurking in the shadows?
The following morning, Luna found herself walking the edge of the pack's territory, her mind still haunted by the previous night's encounter. The air was crisp, the sky a pale shade of blue as dawn broke over the forest. Despite the serene surroundings, she couldn't shake the lingering feeling of dread.
She was distracted from her thoughts by the sound of approaching footsteps. Kaden showed up by her side with his hair freshly brushed, but his coat still showed the scars from the last fight. She was grateful for his presence now more than ever because he had insisted on remaining beside her.
"You're up early," Kaden remarked, his eyes studying her with concern. "You didn't sleep, did you?"
Luna exhaled a deep breath. "Not in a big way. That wolf... it's been on my thoughts all night. Whoever they were, they had some knowledge. I sensed it.
Kaden gave a nod. "I felt it too. They were not merely observing us. They had you under observation.
Luna frowned, the weight of his words sinking in. "What if they're from my past? What if there's something I don't remember, something important?"
Kaden hesitated for a moment, then spoke carefully. "There's always been a mystery surrounding your origins, Luna. Even Darian didn't know where you truly came from. What if this wolf is tied to that?"
Luna has always known that there were unaccounted-for gaps in the memories and bits and pieces of her history. Her memory was disjointed and unclear, and she had joined the pack under peculiar circumstances after being discovered by Darian's scouts close to the border years prior. However, those previous doubts have returned with a fury with the emergence of the weird wolf.
"What if everything I've done here, everything I've become, is tied to something I can't even remember?" she whispered.
Kaden placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Whatever it is, we'll face it together. You've proven your strength, Luna. But I think it's time we start searching for answers."
Just as Kaden finished speaking, a sharp howl pierced the air, shattering the calm of the morning. Luna's body tensed as she recognized the voice; it was one of the scouts, an urgent call to arms.
Without hesitation, Luna and Kaden bolted toward the sound, weaving through the thick forest until they reached the source of the disturbance. A group of the pack's scouts stood at the edge of the territory, their eyes wide with fear.
"What happened?" Luna demanded, her heart pounding.
The lead scout, a young wolf named Ryn, stepped forward, her voice trembling. "We found... bodies. Wolves, but they're not from any pack we've seen before. Their scent is unfamiliar, and the way they were killed, it wasn't by any normal wolf."
Luna's stomach twisted. "Show me."
The scouts led them deeper into the forest, to a secluded clearing. As they approached, the stench of death hit them thick, metallic, and overwhelming. Luna fought the urge to gag as they reached the scene.
Three wolves' bodies, their fur matted with blood, lay scattered across the clearing. She was startled, though, not only by the callousness of their deaths but also by the scars on their bodies. Their chests were covered in deep claw marks, but there was more than just that. Their fur appeared to have been burned with burn marks.
Kaden crouched beside one of the bodies, his expression grim. "This wasn't a normal fight. Look at these wounds; they were attacked with something unnatural."
Luna's mind raced. The strange wolf from the night before, the sudden appearance of these mutilated bodies it couldn't be a coincidence.
"This is a message," she said softly, her voice laced with dread. "Whoever did this wants us to know they're coming."
Kaden's eyes narrowed. "But why? Why leave these bodies here for us to find?"
Luna kneeled beside the bodies, inspecting the wounds more closely. "I don't know. But this wasn't just about killing. There's something more at play here. Some kind of warning."
The sound of light rustling leaves disturbed her thoughts. Sensations acutely aware, she whipped her head toward the direction of the sound. A well-known figure emerged from the shadows.
It was the same wolf as the night before.
Luna's heart skipped a beat as she locked eyes with the stranger. This time, she could see the details more clearly; the wolf was smaller than she had expected, its fur a silver-grey that shimmered in the morning light. But it was the wolf's eyes that drew her in, glowing with a strange, otherworldly light, as if they held centuries of knowledge.
The wolf said nothing, simply watching Luna with an intense, knowing gaze.
Luna's voice trembled with a mixture of fear and curiosity. "Who are you?"
The strange wolf tilted its head, a small smile playing on its lips. "I've been watching you, Luna. For a long time."
Kaden stepped forward protectively, growling low in his throat. "What do you want?"
The wolf's gaze never left Luna. "I'm here to give you a choice. You've taken down one Alpha, but a new threat is rising. You can't face it alone."
"What threat?" Luna demanded, her heart racing.
The wolf's smile faded, replaced by a look of solemnity. "The past you've forgotten is coming for you. And when it does, you'll need power far greater than what you have now."
Before Luna could ask more, the wolf's eyes glowed brighter, and with a sudden gust of wind, it vanished into thin air. Luna stood there, stunned, her mind swirling with unanswered questions. But one thing was clear: the danger wasn't over, and this mysterious wolf knew far more than it was letting on.