"Talk, Haelyn!" Archer's voice boomed in the room, his hands gripping her shoulders tightly. "What is going on?"
Haelyn opened her mouth but no words came out. Her lips trembled as tears streamed down her face. She shook her head, unable to meet his furious eyes.
"Nothing to say?" Archer's wolf growled through him, his voice darker, more feral. "Say something before I lose control!"
"I….I can't," Haelyn whispered, her voice breaking.
Archer's hand shot to her neck, gripping it just enough to make her feel the pressure. "You can't or you won't?" His eyes burned with anger, but it was the pain behind them that made her heart ache.
"Stop it!" she cried, her voice cracking. "You've already decided what you think. What's the point?"
His wolf howled inside him, a sound of agony and foreboding betrayal. "Don't test me, Haelyn," Archer snarled, his grip tightening.
Before she could answer, Lyra's voice slithered into the room. "Maybe you're asking the wrong person," she said, leaning casually against the doorway. "Why not ask Artemis instead? He seems to have a lot to say about her lately."
"Lyra, leave," Archer ordered, his voice dangerously low.
Lyra smirked, ignoring him as she folded her arms. "I'm just saying, Archer. Maybe you should look closer to home for the answers you seek."
Haelyn's wolf growled in her mind. I told you mating with him was wrong. I warned you this would happen.
Haelyn swallowed hard, her voice shaking. "You've never marked me, Archer," she said, defiance lacing her tone despite her fear. "You claim me, but you've never truly made me yours."
Archer's eyes darkened, his wolf clawing to the surface. "Is that so?" he said coldly, grabbing her wrist and dragging her toward his room.
"Archer, stop!" Haelyn protested, struggling against his grip.
"I'll mark you now," he said with a chilling finality.
Meanwhile, Ravi found Artemis in the hall and quickly filled him in on what was happening. Artemis's eyes widened, and without a word, he sprinted toward Archer's room.
The door burst open as Artemis stormed inside, just as Archer was lowering his head toward Haelyn's neck. "Let her go!" Artemis growled, his voice echoing with authority.
Archer turned, his eyes wild. "Stay out of this, Artemis!"
"No!" Artemis roared. "Not this time. I won't stand by and do nothing!"
The tension crackled in the room as both brothers shifted slightly, their wolves pushing to the surface.
"Artemis," Archer warned, his voice a low snarl.
Artemis stood firm, his body tense. "You're the reason she died, Archer. Her blood is on your hands!"
Haelyn, curled in the corner, looked up in shock. This wasn't about her anymore.
Archer flinched, guilt flashing in his eyes for a brief moment before his anger returned. "Don't bring her into this!" he bellowed.
Haelyn's tears fell faster. "Stop this! Please, stop!" she begged, but her voice was drowned out by the brothers' growls.
Xander and Ravi exchanged uneasy glances but made no move to intervene.
Suddenly, the sound of heels clicking against the floor broke the chaos. A powerful presence filled the room as a woman dressed in a fur coat stepped in, her every movement exuding authority.
At the sight of her, both brothers froze, their postures stiffening. The growls died in their throats as they stood as if they'd seen a ghost.
The woman's voice was calm yet commanding. "Enough."
Without a word, she walked over to Haelyn and gently took her by the arm. Haelyn stared up at her in confusion and fear but didn't resist as the woman pulled her to her feet.
"Come with me," the woman said softly, but there was no room for argument.
"Who are you?" Haelyn whispered, trembling.
The woman didn't answer, turning to the brothers instead. "Follow me," she commanded, her tone brooking no defiance.
Both Archer and Artemis obeyed without hesitation, their usual confidence replaced by something Haelyn had never seen before…fear.
As they walked behind the woman, Haelyn's thoughts raced. Who was this woman? And why they were so scared of her? Even Archer…
The silence hung heavy, the mystery of the woman deepening as they disappeared into the night.
Somewhere in the Distant Mountains
The air was cold, the moonlight casting an eerie glow over the hills that stretched endlessly into the horizon. Alpha Cerius stood at the edge of the cliff, his towering figure outlined against the night sky. His broad shoulders were tense, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared at the hills with unblinking intensity.
The sound of footsteps crunching on gravel broke the silence. Cerius didn't turn, didn't flinch, as the presence of another man entered the space behind him.
"What did you find?" Cerius asked, his deep voice calm, yet it carried a weight that could crush mountains.
The messenger, a lean, sharp-featured man with calculating eyes, bowed his head slightly. His name was Kieran, the Alpha's most trusted scout and informant.
"I've found her," Kieran said, his tone careful but urgent. "The girl….. She's in Bloodhound's pack territory."
Cerius remained still, his gaze fixed on the faraway hills. "And?"
Kieran shifted uneasily. "Things are… complicated. Arthur is moving against her,even though he's her acclaimed father. He knows about her pregnancy and intends to use the child to…."
"Stop."
The word cut through the air like a blade. Kieran fell silent immediately, his head snapping up to meet the Alpha's back.
Cerius finally turned, his dark eyes piercing as they locked onto Kieran. The slight breeze ruffled the fur-lined collar of his cloak, but the fury in his expression was stone-cold.
"You will not refer to her as Arthur's daughter," Cerius growled. "Do I make myself clear?"
Kieran took a step back instinctively. "My apologies, Alpha. I misspoke."
Cerius's glare lingered a moment longer before he turned back to the hills, his hands gripping the edge of the rock. "Good. Because she is not his daughter. She never was, and she never will be."
"Yes, Alpha." Kieran's voice was steady now, though a bead of sweat trickled down his temple. "But we can't ignore what Arthur is planning. If we wait too long…."
"When the time is right, we'll act," Cerius interrupted. "Not before."
Kieran hesitated. "Alpha, forgive me, but waiting might cost us. Arthur has resources, influence. He's closer to her than we are…"
"Closer?" Cerius scoffed, his lips curling into a bitter smile. "Arthur has nothing compared to me."
Kieran fell silent, watching as Cerius's knuckles turned white against the rock.
"He thinks he can use her, bend her to his will," Cerius muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "He doesn't understand what she is. What she's capable of."
Kieran frowned. "Do we fully understand what she is?"
Cerius turned sharply, his eyes narrowing. "What are you implying, Kieran?"
"I only mean that… if she truly is descended from the Spirit Wolves, then she could be a threat to more than just Arthur, just like her mother was," Kieran said cautiously. "If she loses control, if her powers awaken too soon…"
"She won't lose control," Cerius snapped. "Not while I'm still breathing."
Kieran hesitated, then nodded. "Understood, Alpha."
Cerius's gaze softened slightly as he looked back at the hills. "She doesn't know yet, does she? About who she really is?"
"No," Kieran said. "The Alpha king's pack is protecting her, but they're keeping her in the dark. They don't trust her fully,nor fully understand…. And with Lyra sowing discord…"
"Lyra." Cerius's voice dripped with disdain. "That snake is always where she doesn't belong."
"Shall I deal with her?" Kieran offered, his tone eager.
Cerius shook his head. "Not yet. Let her play her games. She'll trip over her own lies soon enough."
Kieran nodded but frowned. "And Arthur? He's mobilizing his forces. If we don't make a move soon…"
"Arthur is desperate," Cerius said, his voice calm but deadly. "Desperation makes men reckless. He'll slip up, and when he does, I'll be there to end him."
Kieran hesitated again. "Alpha… with respect, why not strike now? You have the power. The resources. Why wait?"
Cerius's eyes gleamed in the moonlight as he turned to face Kieran fully. "Do you question my judgment, Kieran?"
Kieran quickly shook his head. "Never, Alpha. I only seek to understand."
Cerius stepped closer, his towering figure casting a shadow over Kieran. "We wait because timing is everything. One wrong move, and we risk losing her. Losing everything."
Kieran swallowed hard, nodding. "I understand, Alpha."
"Good," Cerius said, his voice softening. He turned back to the horizon, his expression unreadable.
After a long silence, Kieran spoke again. "What's our next move?"
Cerius didn't answer right away. His gaze was distant, as if he could see something no one else could. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and determined.
"Keep watching her. Watch Arthur. And watch Archer. I want to know their every move."
"Yes, Alpha."
Cerius's hands tightened on the rock again. "And when the time comes…" He paused, his eyes darkening. "We'll remind them all why the Spirit Wolves were feared."
Kieran bowed his head, a chill running down his spine at the Alpha's words. "It will be done."
As Kieran turned to leave, Cerius called out to him. "And Kieran."
The messenger stopped, looking back over his shoulder.
"Remember this," Cerius said, his voice cold as steel. "Haelyn is mine to protect. Mine to guide. Anyone who stands in my way, even Arthur himself, will fall."
Kieran nodded, his respect for the Alpha growing even more. "Understood, Alpha."
As Kieran disappeared into the shadows, Cerius stood alone once again, his gaze never leaving the distant hills.
"She has no idea what's coming," he murmured to himself, a grim smile tugging at his lips. "But she'll know soon enough."