Silence fell over the clearing like a heavy blanket.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Aria stared at Alder, trying to process the words he had just said.
One of the First Wolves.
Marcus blinked slowly.
"…the what now?"
Rowan rubbed the back of his neck.
"I feel like we skipped several chapters of explanation."
Lena crossed her arms, her eyes still fixed on Alder.
"You're going to start talking."
Cassian leaned casually against a nearby tree, clearly enjoying the moment.
"Yes," he said with a grin. "Please do."
Kael stepped forward, placing himself directly in front of Alder.
His golden eyes were sharp.
"You've had plenty of time to explain things tonight."
Alder met his gaze calmly.
"And yet here we are."
Kael's voice hardened.
"What is a First Wolf?"
For a moment, Alder didn't answer.
Instead, he looked up at the sky where the moon hung bright above the trees.
Then he spoke quietly.
"Long before packs."
Everyone listened.
"Before Alphas ruled territory… before Lunas bonded with them… wolves were different."
Marcus frowned.
"Different how?"
Alder looked back at them.
"There were only a few of us."
Aria felt her chest tighten.
"The first wolves ever created."
Rowan's eyes widened slightly.
"You mean like… the beginning of the species?"
Alder nodded.
"Yes."
Cassian clapped slowly again.
"See? This is the educational part of the evening."
Kael ignored him.
"If that's true," he said to Alder, "you'd be hundreds of years old."
Alder didn't deny it.
Marcus blinked again.
"…okay that's creepy."
Lena whispered,
"That explains the silver fur."
Aria was still staring at Alder.
"You've been alive that long?"
"Yes."
"Then why have I never heard about First Wolves?"
Alder gave a small, humorless smile.
"Because we don't involve ourselves with packs."
Cassian spoke from the side.
"Usually."
Alder shot him a brief glare.
Cassian shrugged.
"Just clarifying."
Kael folded his arms.
"If you stay out of pack affairs, then why are you here?"
Alder's silver eyes returned to Aria.
"Because of her."
Aria swallowed.
"Why me?"
Alder answered simply.
"Because True Lunas are connected to us."
The clearing went quiet again.
Marcus whispered,
"I really miss the days when our biggest problem was rogue wolves."
Rowan nodded.
"Same."
Aria stepped a little closer to Alder.
"What does that mean?"
Alder studied her carefully.
"The first wolves carried the original power of our kind."
He gestured toward himself.
"That bloodline eventually spread into packs."
Aria listened closely.
"But sometimes… that power reappears."
Her heart skipped.
"In Lunas."
Alder nodded.
"Yes."
Cassian added casually,
"The rare ones."
Aria's mind raced.
"So my power… comes from the same source as yours?"
Alder nodded slowly.
"Part of it."
Kael frowned.
"That still doesn't explain why multiple Alphas would wipe out a pack."
Cassian answered that one.
"Because control over a True Luna means control over every wolf who feels her command."
He pointed toward Aria.
"You already saw it tonight."
Everyone remembered the moment.
The rogues lowering themselves to the ground.
Submitting without understanding why.
Alder continued quietly.
"Imagine an Alpha forcing that power to serve him."
Marcus grimaced.
"Yeah… that would be bad."
Rowan corrected him.
"That would be terrifying."
Aria's chest tightened.
"So they want to control me."
Cassian smirked.
"Some of them."
Aria frowned.
"Some?"
Cassian's red eyes gleamed.
"Oh yes."
Kael's voice turned sharp.
"What does that mean?"
Cassian's smile faded slightly.
"Not everyone wants to control a True Luna."
Alder's expression darkened.
"Cassian."
But Cassian ignored him.
He looked at Aria.
"Some would rather remove the problem entirely."
A cold chill ran down her spine.
"…kill me?"
Cassian nodded calmly.
"Exactly."
Marcus threw his hands up.
"Oh great. Even better."
Lena muttered,
"Fantastic news."
Kael stepped forward again, clearly losing patience.
"Why are you telling us this?"
Cassian smiled again.
"Because it's already happening."
The words made everyone tense.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"Explain."
Cassian tilted his head toward the forest.
"Darius didn't attack tonight just to see her power."
Alder's expression sharpened slightly.
Cassian continued.
"He was testing the defenses."
Rowan frowned.
"For who?"
Cassian's smile returned.
"For the ones coming next."
Aria's heartbeat sped up again.
"You said Alphas would hear about me."
Cassian nodded.
"They will."
"But not all of them will wait."
Kael's voice dropped dangerously low.
"Who's coming?"
Cassian looked directly at him.
"An Alpha who doesn't negotiate."
Marcus sighed loudly.
"That description is not helpful."
Cassian ignored him.
His red eyes flicked toward the forest again.
Then he said quietly,
"He's already moving."
Alder's gaze sharpened.
"You're certain?"
Cassian nodded.
"Oh yes."
Kael's jaw tightened.
"Name."
Cassian smiled slowly.
"Alpha Varkos."
The name hit the clearing like thunder.
Rowan's eyes widened.
"…no."
Marcus stared.
"You're joking."
Lena's voice turned quiet.
"That Alpha is insane."
Aria looked between them.
"Who is he?"
Kael answered grimly.
"A conqueror."
Alder added quietly,
"He doesn't form alliances."
Cassian's voice turned darker.
"He destroys packs and takes their wolves."
Aria's stomach dropped.
"And he's coming here?"
Cassian nodded once.
"Yes."
Marcus rubbed his face.
"How long do we have?"
Cassian looked up at the moon.
Then back at them.
"Not long."
Kael's voice was cold.
"Define 'not long.'"
Cassian's smile slowly faded.
"By tomorrow night…"
His red eyes shifted toward the forest again.
"…he'll be at your border." 🐺