"Why are they here?" Archer growled, pacing in front of the manor's entrance as the tension outside grew thicker. The howls had stopped, but the ominous presence of wolves lingering just beyond the clearing sent a shiver down his spine. He turned to Artemis, his voice low but laced with authority. "What aren't you telling me?"
"I don't know, Archer," Artemis said defensively, though his tone lacked conviction. "But we'll find out soon enough."
Archer exhaled sharply, his eyes darting to the treeline. "Then let's get this over with."
The sound of footsteps crunching against the frost-laden grass echoed in the silence. One by one, the wolves outside began to shift, their forms contorting and reshaping until they stood as humans, each radiating a different kind of menace.
The first group, a dozen strong, was led by a man whose aura screamed chaos. Reuben Nightshade stepped forward, his smirk predatory as he surveyed the manor. "Archer. You've been busy," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.
Archer crossed his arms, his glare unyielding. "Reuben. Still causing trouble, I see."
"Trouble is my middle name," Reuben replied smoothly. "And this little situation you've got brewing? Well, I had to see it for myself."
Before Archer could respond, movement to the left drew his attention. A group of women emerged from the shadows, their silver hair shimmering in the faint moonlight. They walked with an air of otherworldly grace, their leader stepping forward with a calm yet commanding presence.
"Aurora Rosewood," Artemis muttered under his breath.
Aurora inclined her head slightly, her violet eyes locking onto Archer. "The mountain wolves have called," she said simply, her voice steady and melodic.
"And?" Archer demanded.
"They don't call without reason," Aurora replied. "You know that as well as I do."
Before Archer could press further, another group appeared, their aura colder and far more menacing. Tiago Frost led them, his icy blue eyes filled with contempt. He didn't speak immediately, instead letting his presence do the talking.
"Well, isn't this a charming gathering," Tiago finally said, his voice low and gravelly.
"What do you want?" Archer asked, his patience thinning.
"All of us want the same thing," Reuben said, stepping closer. "The girl."
Archer's eyes narrowed. "What girl?"
"Don't play coy," Aurora interjected, her tone sharp. "Haelyn. The mountain wolves called for her."
Artemis stiffened beside Archer, his jaw tightening.
Archer shot him a look. "What is going on, Artemis?"
Artemis hesitated, his gaze flickering toward the manor. "She's… changing," he said carefully.
"Changing how?" Archer demanded.
"First transformation," Rowena said, stepping out from behind the shadows. Her expression was grave. "But it's unstable."
The tension in the clearing thickened as murmurs rippled through the gathered packs.
"It doesn't matter," Tiago snarled. "She's coming with us."
"Over my dead body," Archer snapped, his voice hard.
"Then so be it," Tiago growled, his body beginning to shift.
Before anyone could react, a ferocious growl echoed through the clearing, freezing everyone in place. The air seemed to grow colder, and from the treeline emerged a massive white wolf. Its glowing eyes burned with fury, its presence commanding and primal.
The wolf moved forward, its steps deliberate and unrelenting. The gathered wolves parted instinctively, their defiance crumbling in the face of its power.
"What in the world…" Artemis whispered, his voice barely audible.
Rowena's eyes widened. "It's her," she whispered to Archer. "It's Haelyn."
Archer's gaze snapped to Rowena. "What are you talking about?"
But before Rowena could answer, the white wolf lunged. It tackled Tiago to the ground, its claws digging into his shoulders as a snarl ripped through the air. Tiago struggled beneath its weight, but the wolf was relentless.
"Haelyn!" Rowena hissed.
Archer stood frozen, his mind reeling.
The wolf raised a claw, poised to strike Tiago down.
"Haelyn, no!" Archer's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
The wolf froze, its claw mid-air. Slowly, it turned its glowing eyes toward Archer. For a moment, time seemed to stand still.
Then, with a pained howl, the wolf stumbled back, its body convulsing as it began to shift. Haelyn's screams filled the air as her form twisted and contorted, the transformation back to human excruciatingly slow.
Archer was the first to move. He rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside her as her body finally stilled. She was trembling, her skin slick with sweat, her eyes filled with tears.
"It's okay," Archer murmured, pulling her into his arms. "I've got you."
The other wolves began to retreat, their fear palpable. One by one, they shifted back into their wolf forms and slinked into the shadows.
Reuben lingered for a moment, his gaze unreadable. "This isn't over, Archer," he said before disappearing into the darkness.
Archer turned to Rowena and Artemis, his expression a mix of anger and disbelief. "What the hell is happening?"
Rowena hesitated, her gaze fixed on Haelyn. "This is just the beginning," she said softly.
The wind picked up, carrying with it the faint sound of howls in the distance. The mountain wolves were calling again.
Archer's grip on Haelyn tightened as he turned his gaze to the treeline, his mind racing with unanswered questions.
The night wasn't over, and something told him the worst was yet to come.
Archer carried Haelyn's limp body up the grand staircase, his arms trembling from both exertion and anger. The sight of her fragile state ignited a storm within him. He pushed open her bedroom door with his shoulder and stepped into the chaos.
The room was destroyed….shredded bedding, splintered furniture, and claw marks on the walls. It looked like a battleground, a silent testament to Haelyn's earlier struggle.
Carefully, he laid her down on the bed, brushing damp hair away from her face. His jaw clenched as he took in her pale, trembling form.
"Stay with her," he barked at a nearby pack healer who had arrived moments ago.
"Yes, Alpha," the healer murmured, quickly moving to Haelyn's side.
Without another word, Archer spun on his heel and strode out of the room. His mind was racing, and his anger was boiling over. He stormed down the hall, his footsteps echoing against the cold stone walls.
"Artemis! Rowena! My office. Now!" he shouted, his voice carrying through the manor.
By the time he reached his office, both were already there, Rowena leaning casually against the bookshelf while Artemis stood stiffly near the desk.
"What the hell is going on?" Archer demanded, slamming the door shut behind him. His golden eyes burned with fury as he faced the two of them. "Why wasn't I told about this?"
Rowena raised a brow, her calm demeanor unwavering. "We didn't exactly have the luxury of time, Archer."
Artemis, however, wasn't as composed. "You think this is my fault?" he snapped, his voice rising. "Haelyn begged me not to tell you. And when I tried, you brushed me off. Over and over again!"
"That's not true," Archer growled, though doubt flickered across his face.
"Oh, it's very true," Artemis shot back, stepping forward. "Every time I came to you, you told me there were 'more important things' to focus on. You said she'd handle herself because she was strong."
"Enough!" Archer roared, his voice shaking the room.
Without warning, he swept everything off the desk with one furious motion, papers and objects crashing to the floor. He stood there, breathing heavily, his fists clenched at his sides.
Rowena straightened, stepping between the two brothers. "This isn't the time for petty arguments," she said firmly. "We have far bigger problems now."
Archer glared at her, his chest rising and falling as he tried to rein in his anger. "Then start talking, Rowena. Why are these packs here? Why do they want Haelyn?"
Rowena's expression darkened. "You already know the answer, Archer," she said softly.
Archer stiffened but didn't respond, his jaw tightening.
"What answer?" Artemis demanded, his sharp gaze flicking between them.
Rowena turned to Artemis, her voice steady but tinged with urgency. "Haelyn is not just here to be your brother's Luna,she's more than just a member of this pack. She's powerful…more than any of us realized. You saw it tonight, Artemis. The way she shifted, the strength she displayed. The other packs have seen it too."
"What are you saying?" Artemis asked cautiously.
"She's the key to ending this….a curse," Rowena said bluntly.
Artemis's eyes widened, and he turned to Archer. "What curse? What is she talking about?"
"Don't," Archer warned, his voice low and dangerous.
But Rowena ignored him. "Your brother is cursed, Artemis," she said, her tone unrelenting. "A dark spell cast by Tiago's father years ago, since you were teens. It's been slowly consuming him, making him weaker by the day. The only way to break it is through a ritual…and Haelyn is the only one who can do it…"
Artemis stared at her in disbelief, then turned to Archer. "Is this true?"
Archer hesitated, his shoulders sagging slightly. "It's true," he admitted quietly.
Artemis's shock quickly turned to fury. "You've been planning to use her? Without telling her? Without telling me?"
"It's not like that," Archer said defensively.
"Then what is it like?" Artemis demanded. "Because it sounds an awful lot like you're willing to sacrifice her to save yourself."
"She's strong," Archer argued. "She can handle it."
"She could die," Artemis shot back, his voice breaking. "Rowena just said it might kill her!"
The room fell into tense silence, the weight of Artemis's words hanging heavy in the air.
Rowena finally spoke, her voice calm but firm. "This isn't about what any of us want. It's about what needs to be done. The curse will kill Archer if it's not broken. And Haelyn… she's the only one with the power to stop it."
Artemis shook his head, stepping back. "I can't believe this," he said, his voice trembling with anger and disbelief. "You're willing to risk her life for your own. How can you live with that?"
Before Archer could respond, Artemis turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Archer sank onto the couch, his head in his hands. He looked utterly defeated, his earlier fury replaced by exhaustion and guilt.
Rowena watched him for a moment before stepping closer. "You have a decision to make, Archer," she said quietly. "But whatever you choose, do it soon. The other packs won't stay away for long."
Archer didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the floor.
Rowena sighed, turning toward the door. "When you've made up your mind, summon me," she said, her tone softer than before.
She left the room without another word, her footsteps echoing down the hall.
Archer leaned back against the couch, his eyes closing as the weight of everything threatened to crush him.
The faint sound of howls reached his ears again, a chilling reminder that the mountain wolves….and the chaos they heralded….were far from done.