The night air was thick with tension. The Palam Pack's village was quiet, but an unspoken pressure weighed on Tolu's shoulders. The trial had pushed him to his limits, but the true challenge was still ahead—convincing the Palam Pack to officially stand against Olumide.
He sat outside the wooden hut they had been given, staring at the dark sky. His body ached, and exhaustion threatened to pull him under, but his mind was restless. Every step he had taken so far had been leading to this.
Footsteps approached, breaking the silence.
"You should rest," Kemi's voice was soft, but firm.
Tolu glanced at her, noticing the concern in her eyes. "I can't. There's too much at stake."
She sighed, sitting beside him. "I know. But running yourself into the ground won't help anyone."
Tolu smirked slightly. "You sound like my mother."
Kemi chuckled. "Maybe she was right."
Silence fell between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. They had been through too much to need words all the time.
Then, Jide appeared, his expression serious. "The Alpha wants to see you."
Tolu's stomach tightened. This was it.
---
The Alpha's Decision
The great hall was dimly lit, the flames from the torches casting long shadows across the wooden walls. Adetokunbo sat at the head of the room, his piercing gaze fixed on Tolu as he entered.
The other elders were present as well, their faces unreadable.
Tolu bowed slightly in respect. "You asked for me, Alpha."
Adetokunbo leaned forward, his fingers interlocked. "You have proven yourself. You completed the trial without your wolf, showing strength beyond just power. But that alone is not enough."
Tolu remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
"The Palam Pack has always chosen peace," the Alpha continued. "But I cannot ignore the truth any longer. Olumide's ambition will not stop. If we do not act now, he will tear apart every pack that refuses to bow to him."
Murmurs spread among the elders.
Adetokunbo's gaze darkened. "I have made my decision. The Palam Pack will support you."
Relief flooded through Tolu, but he remained composed. "Thank you, Alpha. I won't let you regret this."
The Alpha nodded. "I hope so. War is not a game, boy. You must be ready for what comes next."
Tolu's jaw tightened. He was ready.
Or at least, he had to be.
---
A Warning in the Shadows
That night, as the village settled into uneasy sleep, Ope stood watch near the perimeter. His sharp eyes scanned the darkened forest, every muscle in his body tense. Something felt… wrong.
Then he heard it.
A whisper of movement.
Too fast. Too precise.
"Who's there?" he growled, claws extending as he turned toward the noise.
A figure stepped into the dim moonlight. A woman, draped in a dark cloak, her face half-hidden. Her eyes gleamed with something unreadable.
"I mean no harm," she said, her voice smooth.
Ope didn't lower his guard. "Then why sneak around?"
She smirked. "Because if I was caught, I'd be killed before I could deliver my message."
Ope narrowed his eyes. "What message?"
She stepped closer, her tone serious. "There's a traitor among you."
Ope stiffened. "What?"
"Someone in your pack has already betrayed you," she continued. "And if you don't act fast, Olumide will know every move you make."
His mind raced. Was she lying? But then—why risk her life coming here?
Ope's voice was low. "Who?"
She hesitated. "I don't know a name. But I do know this—Olumide has eyes everywhere. And he will strike when you least expect it."
With that, she vanished into the night, leaving Ope with a sinking feeling in his gut.
---
The Bond of a Pack
The next morning, Ope told Tolu everything.
Tolu's expression remained unreadable, but the tension in his body was obvious.
"A traitor?" Jide repeated, his fists clenched. "That doesn't make sense."
Jimi frowned. "We've been together for months. We've fought, bled, and survived together. Why would any of us betray each other?"
Tolu exhaled sharply. "I don't want to believe it either. But we can't ignore the possibility."
Kemi's voice was quiet. "Then what do we do?"
For a long moment, Tolu was silent. Then, he looked at each of them, his expression firm. "We stay vigilant. No rash decisions. No blind accusations. If someone is feeding Olumide information, we'll find out soon enough."
The others nodded, though unease lingered in their eyes.
Betrayal wasn't something easily swallowed.
But trust… trust was even harder to regain.
---
The Storm Approaches
Days passed, and preparations for war continued. The Palam warriors trained alongside Tolu's pack, their strength blending into something formidable.
Yet, beneath it all, the tension of the unknown traitor lingered like a shadow.
One evening, as Tolu stood on the outskirts of the village, a familiar presence approached.
Adetokunbo.
The Alpha stopped beside him, staring into the distance. "You're troubled."
Tolu didn't deny it. "How do you prepare for war when you don't know who you can trust?"
Adetokunbo chuckled dryly. "Welcome to being a leader."
Tolu sighed. "And what would you do?"
The Alpha turned to him, eyes filled with quiet wisdom. "You don't fight wars with trust alone. You fight with strategy. The moment you let doubt control you, you've already lost."
Tolu absorbed his words.
Doubt was dangerous.
But blind faith?
That could be just as deadly.
---
A Sudden Attack
That night, the attack came.
The sentries barely had time to react before arrows rained down from the trees.
The village erupted into chaos.
Tolu was already moving, his body reacting before his mind could catch up. His pack fought alongside the Palam warriors, claws and steel clashing against Olumide's forces.
But something was wrong.
They had been prepared.
The enemy moved with precision, striking weak points in the village's defenses.
Someone had told them. There was a rat.
Tolu's rage boiled over as he slashed through an enemy, his golden eyes blazing fiercely.
A traitor had sealed their fate.
And now, what happens ?
Now, there would be no mercy.