The howl tore through the night like a warning.
Not distant.
Not fading.
Close.
Too close.
Kael didn't hesitate.
He stepped out of the room, his aura shifting instantly—cold, dominant, lethal.
"Rowan," he said sharply.
Rowan was already at the door.
"I'm on it."
Marcus peeked out behind him.
"…I suddenly regret surviving the last battle."
Lena rolled her eyes but moved beside him anyway.
"Stay behind me."
"Gladly."
Outside, the pack was already in motion.
Warriors rushed into formation.
The air was thick with tension, sharp with the scent of danger.
Another howl echoed—closer this time.
And then—
Movement in the trees.
Shadows darting between branches.
Eyes glowing in the dark.
Rowan stepped forward slightly, narrowing his gaze.
"They're fast."
Varkos appeared beside him, already in partial shift.
"Not many."
Marcus blinked.
"…that's supposed to make me feel better?"
Lena spoke quietly.
"It should."
Marcus looked at her.
"It doesn't."
A low growl rumbled from the forest edge.
Then—
They emerged.
Five wolves.
Large.
Battle-scarred.
Eyes glowing with something unnatural.
Not rage.
Not instinct.
Something else.
Something controlled.
Kael stepped forward slowly.
"Stop."
His voice carried power.
Authority.
The kind that made weaker wolves submit instantly.
But these ones didn't.
They kept moving.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Marcus whispered,
"…yeah, they definitely didn't get the memo."
Rowan's expression darkened.
"They're resisting Alpha command."
Alder stepped out behind them.
"Not resisting."
He corrected calmly.
"Overriding."
That made everyone still.
Kael's gaze sharpened.
"How?"
Alder's eyes flicked toward the house.
"They are still connected to her."
Understanding hit instantly.
Rowan exhaled.
"They're following her bond."
Marcus blinked.
"…but she didn't tell them to attack."
"No," Alder said.
"But the bond is unstable."
The wolves stopped just outside the boundary.
Their bodies tense.
Eyes locked—
Not on Kael.
Not on the warriors.
On the house.
On her.
One of them stepped forward slightly.
A deep growl vibrated through its chest.
Kael's aura flared.
"You take one more step, and you die."
The wolf didn't back down.
Instead—
It shifted.
Bones cracking.
Fur receding.
A man stood where the wolf had been.
Tall.
Scarred.
Breathing hard.
But his eyes—
Still glowing faintly.
"Where… is she?"
His voice was strained.
Like he was fighting something inside himself.
Rowan's hand tightened into a fist.
"You shouldn't be here."
The man ignored him.
His gaze remained locked on the house.
"Call her."
Marcus whispered,
"…he's not even pretending to be polite."
Lena stepped forward slightly.
"You're in no position to make demands."
The man's jaw clenched.
"You don't understand."
Alder spoke quietly.
"He does."
All eyes turned to him.
Alder stepped forward slowly.
"You're still tied to her command."
The man nodded once.
"Yes."
His breathing became uneven.
"It's… pulling me."
Kael's expression darkened.
"You broke free."
The man shook his head.
"No."
A pause.
His voice dropped.
"I didn't break it."
Everyone stilled.
Rowan frowned.
"Then how are you standing here?"
The man's lips tightened.
"Because I'm not fully free."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unsettling.
Marcus blinked.
"…that's worse."
The man suddenly staggered slightly.
Grabbing his head.
A low growl escaped him.
"She's calling…"
Alder's gaze sharpened.
"No."
The man's eyes widened.
"…yes."
He looked up—
Directly at the house.
"…and I can't stop moving."
Behind him, the other wolves shifted uneasily.
Some growling.
Some trembling.
Caught between instinct and control.
Kael's voice dropped dangerously low.
"She is not calling you."
The man's expression twisted.
"…then why can I feel her?"
No one answered.
Because they all knew.
Aria wasn't calling them.
Not intentionally.
But the bond—
Was pulling them anyway.
Back inside the house—
Aria gasped.
Her body tensed.
Hands gripping the sheets tightly.
"They're closer."
Rowan turned instantly.
"They're at the boundary."
Her eyes flickered with silver again.
Unstable.
"They're not trying to attack."
Marcus frowned.
"…then what do they want?"
Aria's voice dropped.
"…me."
Kael moved back toward her.
His presence grounding.
"They won't touch you."
Aria shook her head slightly.
"You don't understand."
Her breathing became uneven.
"I'm pulling them."
The room went still.
Alder stepped closer.
"Yes."
Aria looked at him.
Fear creeping into her expression.
"I don't know how to stop it."
Alder's voice remained calm.
"Because you've never learned control after command."
Marcus groaned.
"Why does everything come with a second level we don't know about?"
Rowan ignored him.
"What happens if they get closer?"
Alder answered without hesitation.
"The bond strengthens."
Lena's expression darkened.
"And then?"
Alder looked at Aria.
"You may lose control again."
Kael's jaw clenched.
"No."
Aria's voice trembled.
"…he's right."
She looked at Kael.
"If they get too close…"
A pause.
Her eyes filled with uncertainty.
"I might command them again."
Marcus blinked.
"…and that's bad because…?"
Rowan shot him a look.
"Because she nearly died last time."
"Oh."
Marcus winced.
"Right. That."
Outside—
The man suddenly dropped to one knee.
Growling.
Fighting something unseen.
"I… can't…"
Kael stepped forward.
"Leave."
The man's head snapped up.
"I can't!"
His voice broke.
"She's inside me!"
The words hit like a shockwave.
Inside the house—
Aria froze.
"…what?"
Alder's eyes narrowed.
"The bond has rooted deeper than expected."
Rowan frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Alder's voice lowered.
"It's no longer just a command."
Silence.
Then—
"It's becoming permanent."
Marcus stared.
"…you're joking."
Alder didn't smile.
"No."
Aria's breath hitched.
"No… no, I didn't mean to—"
Kael stepped closer.
"You didn't."
But the damage—
Was already done.
Outside, the man's body shook violently.
His eyes glowing brighter.
"She's—"
He gasped.
"—in my head!"
The other wolves began growling louder.
Restless.
Agitated.
Like something was building.
Rowan's expression darkened.
"This is getting out of control."
Alder nodded once.
"Yes."
Kael's voice turned sharp.
"What's the solution?"
Alder looked at Aria.
"She must release them."
Aria shook her head weakly.
"I don't know how."
Marcus groaned.
"Of course you don't—why would anything be easy?"
Alder stepped closer.
"You have to try."
Aria's hands trembled.
"…what if I make it worse?"
Alder didn't hesitate.
"Then we deal with it."
Kael's gaze softened slightly as he looked at her.
"You won't face it alone."
Outside—
The man suddenly screamed.
A raw, broken sound.
Then—
He lifted his head slowly.
Eyes glowing fully now.
No longer struggling.
No longer resisting.
His voice came out calm.
Too calm.
"…she's not letting go."
Inside—
Aria's eyes widened.
"I am!"
Alder's expression hardened.
"No."
He said quietly.
"You're not."
The air shifted.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
And then—
Outside—
The man took a step forward.
Crossing the boundary.
Without permission.
Without hesitation.
And this time—
Kael felt it.
The moment it happened.
The moment control snapped.
The moment something changed.
His eyes darkened.
"…they're no longer under Alpha law."
Rowan's voice dropped.
"Then what are they under?"
Kael's gaze turned toward the house.
Toward her.
"…hers."
Outside—
More howls rose.
Not just five anymore.
Not just a few.
Dozens.
Maybe more.
Aria's breath caught in her throat.
"They're all coming…"
A pause.
Her voice broke slightly.
"…and I don't know how to stop them."