The howl faded slowly into the distance.
But the tension it left behind remained.
The entire clearing had gone still.
Two hundred wolves stood frozen, their eyes turned toward the distant mountains.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
The sound carried authority.
Power.
An Alpha's claim over territory.
Marcus finally broke the silence.
"…okay that was not a normal howl."
Rowan nodded slowly.
"Definitely not."
Varkos stood very still, his golden eye fixed on the dark mountain ridge far beyond the forest.
His voice came out low.
"That was him."
Aria folded her arms.
"Darius."
Varkos nodded.
The wolves behind them began murmuring quietly among themselves.
Uneasy.
Restless.
Several of them glanced toward the mountains with clear worry.
Aria noticed.
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"You're afraid of him."
One of the warriors stepped forward.
A tall man with a scar across his cheek.
"We respect him."
Marcus whispered to Rowan,
"That's Alpha talk for terrified."
Rowan nodded.
"Pretty much."
Varkos looked back at Aria.
"That howl wasn't random."
Aria tilted her head slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Varkos's voice darkened.
"It was a signal."
Kael stepped forward beside Aria.
"To who?"
Varkos answered immediately.
"To us."
Marcus blinked.
"…he can howl messages?"
Alder stepped out onto the porch quietly.
"Experienced Alphas can."
Everyone looked at him.
He continued calmly.
"Wolves communicate through tone, distance, and rhythm."
Marcus stared.
"That sounds complicated."
Rowan shrugged.
"Wolf Morse code."
Aria's attention remained on Varkos.
"So what did he say?"
Varkos hesitated.
Then answered.
"He's coming."
The clearing grew silent again.
Marcus rubbed his face.
"Of course he is."
Rowan muttered,
"Why can't dangerous Alphas ever stay home?"
Lena crossed her arms.
"How long?"
Varkos looked back toward the mountains.
"If he travels alone…"
He paused.
"Two days."
Marcus choked slightly.
"Two days?!"
Rowan whistled softly.
"That's fast."
Aria frowned.
"You think he's alone?"
Varkos didn't answer immediately.
Then he shook his head.
"No."
Marcus groaned.
"Fantastic."
Kael remained calm.
"How many?"
Varkos shrugged slightly.
"Hard to say."
Marcus raised his hands.
"Let's guess."
Rowan nodded.
"Sure."
Marcus pointed toward the mountains.
"Fifty?"
Varkos shook his head.
"More."
Rowan tried.
"One hundred?"
Varkos didn't look convinced.
"Possibly."
Marcus sighed dramatically.
"I liked it better when we only had one giant Alpha problem."
Aria stepped forward slowly.
Despite the pain still lingering in her body.
The wolves watched her carefully.
Their new Luna.
Their new leader.
She looked toward the mountains.
"So he's coming."
Varkos nodded.
"Yes."
Aria tilted her head slightly.
"Good."
Marcus blinked.
"…good?"
Rowan looked confused.
"Did we skip the panic stage?"
Aria turned back toward the wolves.
Her voice grew stronger.
"If he wants to see who took his wolves…"
She gestured around the clearing.
"…then we'll show him."
Several wolves lifted their heads slightly.
Encouraged.
Marcus leaned toward Rowan.
"She's doing the Luna speech thing again."
Rowan nodded.
"It's working."
Aria continued.
"But we don't start a war."
Kael looked at her carefully.
"What do you suggest?"
Aria shrugged.
"We wait."
Marcus groaned.
"I hate waiting."
Lena smirked slightly.
"Better than fighting injured."
Aria nodded.
"Exactly."
Then she turned to Varkos.
"You know him better than anyone here."
Varkos crossed his arms.
"Yes."
Aria looked directly into his golden eye.
"What does he want?"
The massive Alpha didn't hesitate.
"Control."
Marcus muttered,
"Shocking."
Varkos continued.
"He doesn't just lead packs."
The wolves around them listened closely.
"He conquers them."
Aria frowned slightly.
"And if someone refuses?"
Varkos's voice dropped.
"He destroys them."
The clearing grew quiet again.
Marcus slowly turned to Rowan.
"…I officially dislike this guy."
Rowan nodded.
"Same."
Aria looked back toward the mountains again.
Her silver eyes narrowed slightly.
"Well…"
Marcus waited nervously.
"Well what?"
Aria's voice was calm.
"Then we'll have to be very convincing."
Marcus blinked.
"…convincing about what?"
Aria gave a small smile.
"That this pack…"
She gestured around the clearing.
"…is not his to take."
The wolves around her straightened slightly.
The confidence in her voice spreading through them.
But across the clearing—
Alder was watching her carefully.
His silver eyes thoughtful.
Because he knew something the others didn't.
And far beyond the mountains—
Another wolf stood on a cliff overlooking the valleys below.
A massive black wolf.
Larger than most Alphas.
His glowing amber eyes stared toward the distant forest.
Toward Aria's territory.
He lifted his head slowly.
And smiled.
"Interesting." 🐺