The forest air was dense, charged with a heavy energy that Alex couldn't ignore. Each step he took towards Gideon's cabin made him feel more uneasy, as if the wolf inside him was restless, trying to break free. Since the pack meeting, something had changed. It was as if the bond with the wild side of his being had intensified, though he didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.
When he arrived, Gideon was waiting for him outside the cabin, leaning against a tree. The familiarity of the scene didn't detract from the seriousness of his expression. The old hunter said nothing as Alex approached, but his eyes observed him with an intensity that made him feel uncomfortable.
"You felt it, didn't you?" Gideon finally said, without even greeting. His words were loaded with a gravity that Alex hadn't heard before.
Alex frowned, stopping a few steps away from him. "Felt what?"
"Alpha Rainer wasn't the only one who noticed your presence last night. The entire region is in an uproar because of you," Gideon replied. He moved away from the tree and began walking towards the cabin interior, gesturing for Alex to follow him.
Alex did so, feeling that every word coming out of Gideon's mouth brought more questions than answers. "What do you mean by that?"
"What I mean is that you're not a simple newly turned. There's something special about you," Gideon explained as they entered. The cabin was messier than usual, with open books and scattered notes everywhere. It seemed that Gideon had been researching, looking for something. "Even Rainer perceived it. I saw it in his gaze, although he said nothing in front of the pack. Your wolf is awakening faster than it should."
"What does that imply?" Alex crossed his arms, his mind racing at full speed. "What's wrong with my wolf awakening quickly? Isn't that a good thing?"
"That depends on who's looking at it," Gideon responded, pulling out an old map and spreading it on the wooden table. "For you, it might be an advantage. You'll become stronger, faster, and maybe even more resilient. But for others... You're a threat. And where there's a threat, there's always someone willing to eliminate it."
Alex remained silent, processing what Gideon had just said. The feeling of being watched, of being under constant scrutiny, hadn't dissipated since the pack meeting. Now he knew it wasn't just his imagination.
"Who are these 'others'?" he asked, although he could already guess the answer.
"Hunters," Gideon said coldly, pointing to an area on the map. "Last night, while you were at the pack meeting, there was activity in another pack's territory, further north. Hunters. Not the good ones. And I have reasons to believe they weren't just patrolling. They're looking for you, Alex."
Alex's heart raced. He knew that life as a werewolf came with dangers, but he didn't expect danger to seek him out so soon. "What should I do?"
"We'll train harder, faster," Gideon replied, rolling up the map and putting it away with a sharp thud. "You need to learn to control the transformation in any situation. There will be no more quiet exercises in the forest. Starting tomorrow, we're going to simulate real combat. And maybe... maybe you should talk to Rainer. If anyone knows what you really are, it's him."
Alex felt a knot form in his stomach. He knew his life had changed forever, but this was beyond what he had imagined. "Why didn't Rainer say anything then?"
"Because he's not sure," Gideon said. "And until he is, he and the pack will watch you closely. But make no mistake, Alex. You can't blindly trust them. There are wolves who will see in you an opportunity for power, and others who will see you as a threat that must be eliminated before you grow too much."
Silence settled between them, heavy as the air before a storm. Alex took a deep breath, letting the weight of Gideon's words settle in his mind. He knew he had no other options. If he wanted to survive, he would have to fight.
But now, the question that troubled him more than any other was: fight against what?