The growl came again.
Low.
Deep.
Close.
Every wolf in the yard froze.
Kael's golden eyes flashed as he turned toward the forest.
"Inside," he ordered.
But Aria didn't move.
Something about the sound made her chest tighten.
It felt… wrong.
Not like a normal wolf.
Marcus rushed out of the house again, half-shifted.
"Did everyone else hear that?"
Rowan followed behind him.
"Hard to miss."
Lena stepped onto the porch.
"What's happening?"
Cassian tilted his head slightly, listening.
Then he smiled slowly.
"Oh yes."
Kael shot him a glare.
"You knew."
Cassian shrugged.
"I suspected."
Alder stepped forward toward the edge of the clearing.
His silver eyes scanned the darkness between the trees.
"It's close."
Aria whispered,
"That's the tracker?"
Alder nodded.
"Yes."
Marcus groaned.
"Great. The welcoming committee arrived early."
Another sound came from the forest.
Heavy footsteps.
Not running.
Walking.
Slow.
Confident.
Whoever—or whatever—it was, didn't seem afraid.
Kael's voice dropped into a growl.
"Show yourself."
For a moment, the forest stayed still.
Then branches parted.
Something stepped out of the shadows.
Aria's breath caught.
The wolf was massive.
Larger than Kael's wolf.
Larger than Alder's.
Its fur was dark brown, almost black, but streaked with silver scars across its body.
One long claw mark ran down its face.
Its eyes glowed a strange pale blue.
Not the normal wolf glow.
Something colder.
More focused.
The wolf didn't stop at the tree line.
It walked straight into the clearing.
Marcus whispered,
"…that thing is huge."
Rowan nodded slowly.
"Yeah. I noticed."
The wolf stopped about ten feet away.
Then it did something strange.
It sniffed the air.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Its pale eyes shifted across the group.
Marcus.
Rowan.
Lena.
Kael.
Alder.
Cassian.
Then—
Its gaze locked onto Aria.
The wolf's entire body went still.
A low rumble rolled from its chest.
Aria felt her heart start racing.
"It found me."
Cassian grinned.
"Well that didn't take long."
Kael stepped forward, placing himself between the wolf and Aria.
"You're on my land."
The wolf didn't react.
It just kept staring at Aria.
Then its body began to shift.
Bones cracked.
Fur pulled back.
Within seconds, a man stood where the wolf had been.
He was tall.
Broad-shouldered.
His skin was covered in old scars.
His hair was dark and messy, falling into his face.
But his eyes—
Still that strange pale blue.
He looked directly at Aria.
Then he smiled.
Not friendly.
Not amused.
Predatory.
"Well," he said.
His voice was rough, like gravel.
"That was easy."
Kael's voice turned deadly calm.
"You're trespassing."
The man barely glanced at him.
"I'm working."
Marcus folded his arms.
"You're about to stop working."
The man finally looked around the clearing.
He studied the pack.
Then Alder.
Then Cassian.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Well this is interesting."
Cassian waved casually.
"Hello, Kieran."
The man frowned slightly.
"Cassian."
His gaze shifted back to Aria again.
"You're the Luna."
Aria felt her wolf stir uneasily.
"Yes."
Kieran sniffed the air again.
Then nodded.
"No doubt about it."
Rowan stepped forward slightly.
"You've confirmed it. Now leave."
Kieran chuckled.
"I didn't walk all this way just to leave."
Kael's patience snapped.
"Then start running."
Kieran looked amused.
"You think you can stop me?"
Marcus cracked his knuckles.
"Wanna test that theory?"
But Kieran didn't move.
Instead, he reached into the pocket of his torn jacket.
Everyone tensed instantly.
Slowly…
He pulled something out.
A small metal coin.
He tossed it casually toward Kael.
Kael caught it instinctively.
His brow furrowed.
Aria leaned slightly to see.
The coin had a strange symbol carved into it.
A wolf's head surrounded by a crown.
Alder's expression darkened.
"Varkos."
Kieran nodded.
"Correct."
Kael clenched the coin in his fist.
"Deliver your message."
Kieran's pale blue eyes gleamed.
"Alpha Varkos sends his greetings."
Marcus muttered,
"How polite."
Kieran ignored him.
"He says you have something that belongs to him."
Kael's voice dropped.
"She's not property."
Kieran shrugged.
"Not my argument."
Aria stepped forward slightly.
"What does he want?"
Kieran smiled again.
"You."
Silence filled the clearing.
Aria crossed her arms.
"And if I say no?"
Kieran chuckled.
"You don't get to say no."
Kael growled.
"Wrong answer."
Kieran tilted his head slightly.
"You should listen carefully."
His eyes shifted across the group again.
"Because Alpha Varkos is already moving."
Aria felt dread creep into her chest.
"You said tomorrow night."
Kieran smirked.
"That was before I confirmed your scent."
Alder's voice turned sharp.
"What did you do?"
Kieran looked amused.
"I did my job."
Kael's fists clenched.
"Which was?"
Kieran's smile widened.
"To find her."
The wind shifted again.
And suddenly—
Dozens of distant howls echoed through the mountains.
Far away.
But moving closer.
Fast.
Aria's heart dropped.
"That's… a lot of wolves."
Kieran nodded casually.
"Two hundred and twelve, actually."
Marcus groaned loudly.
"You counted?!"
Kieran started backing toward the forest.
His pale blue eyes never left Aria.
"I'll see you soon, Luna."
Kael stepped forward.
"You're not leaving."
Kieran only laughed.
"You have bigger problems."
He shifted instantly.
The massive wolf burst back into existence.
Before anyone could react—
It sprinted into the forest and disappeared.
The howls grew louder.
Closer.
Much closer.
Aria looked at Kael.
"…two hundred wolves?"
Kael's voice was grim.
"Yes."
Marcus looked at the forest.
Then back at everyone.
"…we're gonna need a bigger plan." 🐺