The atmosphere in the Old Oak clearing felt heavy. Conversations among the wolves had turned tense since the last meeting, when hunters were spotted near their territory. Although Rainer had decided to send a scouting group, the concern was palpable. Alex could feel it in the way the others looked at him, a mix of respect and wariness. They knew who he was, they knew where he came from, but they still didn't fully trust him.
Lydia, the wolf who had challenged him the first time they met, stayed apart, watching him from the corner of her eye. It wasn't a secret that she saw him as a potential threat, and although Rainer had made it clear that Alex would be treated with respect, the tension lingered.
"Are you alright?" Marcus asked, approaching him with his usual carefree smile. But Alex noticed the caution in his eyes.
Alex nodded, though unease was growing inside him. Since his encounter with the messenger in the forest, he hadn't been able to shake the feeling of being watched. And beyond the pack, there was something else, something moving in the shadows.
"I was just thinking about what that messenger said," Alex murmured, gazing at the majestic oak tree in the center of the clearing, its branches spreading like protective arms.
Marcus looked at him for a moment, evaluating his response. Then he nodded, crossing his arms.
"Don't worry about what the others think," Marcus said, though his words didn't sound entirely convincing. He knew Alex was in a complicated position. His lineage, that hidden power that even he didn't fully understand, was a mystery to both him and the rest of the pack.
But before Alex could respond, a noise from the trees made everyone in the clearing tense. It was a soft crack, but out of place enough to catch the pack's attention. Rainer, who had been quietly talking with some of the elders, raised a hand, signaling for silence.
The clearing fell into complete stillness. Even the wind between the branches seemed to stop. Alex felt his inner wolf stir, alert to the presence of something unknown. It wasn't an ordinary human. Nor was it one of their own.
Then he saw it. Among the shadows of the trees surrounding the clearing, a figure moved with supernatural grace. It wasn't the messenger from the previous night, but the feeling it gave off was just as unsettling. Its eyes glowed with a reddish gleam, and its twisted smile revealed sharp fangs.
"Well, well..." the creature's voice echoed in the clearing, and several wolves instinctively stepped back. "It seems the Old Oak pack has grown."
Rainer stepped forward calmly, though the tension in his body was evident. The alpha's eyes locked onto the figure with cold intensity.
"You have no business here," Rainer said firmly, his authority clear in every word. "This is our territory."
The creature's smile widened, as if Rainer's words meant nothing. It leaned forward slightly, its eyes scanning each of the wolves before settling on Alex.
"Oh, but I'm not here for the pack, Rainer," the creature said in a honeyed voice, like a whisper in the wind. "I'm here... for him."
All eyes turned to Alex, and the silence in the clearing grew even heavier. Alex felt his heart race, but he kept his gaze fixed on the creature, refusing to be intimidated.
"What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice steady though his body trembled with adrenaline.
The creature's smile grew even wider, as if it had been waiting for that question. It took a step forward, its eyes glowing intensely.
"You... are the key. The last of a forgotten lineage. A power you don't even understand... but one that others, like me, crave."
Alex swallowed hard, feeling every muscle in his body tense. He knew his lineage was special, that there was something dark and powerful in his blood. But he wasn't ready to face it, not yet.
"You're not allowed," Lydia growled, stepping forward with firm strides toward the creature, her eyes blazing with fury. "If you take one more step into this territory, you'll regret it."
The creature let out a soft, sinister laugh, its laughter echoing like a dark melody among the trees.
"Oh, little wolf... I don't need to enter your territory to get what I want. Blood always finds its way."
Before anyone could react, the figure vanished into the shadows, as if it had never been there. The clearing was left in a deathly silence, the tension in the air thick.
Rainer was the first to break the silence, turning to Alex with a grave look.
"This isn't over," the alpha said, his words resonating like a warning. "We need to prepare. If you truly are who they say you are, then the danger we face is far greater than we imagined."
Alex nodded slowly, feeling the weight of those words on his shoulders. He knew there was no turning back. His lineage, that dark power pulsing through his blood, was something he could no longer ignore. And the creature that had sought him out wouldn't be the last to try and take advantage of it.