The growling grew louder, reverberating through the air. Dane positioned himself in front of me, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dim light of the cabin. His hand tightened on the hilt of his blade, his body taut and ready for a fight.
"Stay behind me," he commanded, his voice low and firm.
I nodded, clutching the dagger he'd given me earlier. My pulse thundered in my ears as my gaze darted toward the door, which now felt like the only fragile barrier between us and the threat outside.
The door burst open with a deafening crash, and three wolves stormed in, their hulking forms silhouetted against the faint light outside. Their fur bristled, their teeth bared in snarls that sent shivers down my spine.
"Trey's lackeys," Dane growled under his breath.
One of the wolves shifted, his form rippling until he stood as a man—tall, muscular, and smirking with an unsettling confidence. "Alpha Dane," he said mockingly. "What a surprise. And here I thought you weren't interested in stirring up trouble." His eyes flicked to me. "Ah, and you brought the little traitor."
Dane stepped forward, his aura radiating dominance. "Walk away now, and I'll consider letting you live," he said coldly.
The man laughed, a harsh, grating sound. "You think you can intimidate us on our own turf? Trey sent us to make sure you didn't leave with anything you weren't supposed to find. Hand it over, and we might let you crawl back to your pack."
Dane's response was swift. In one fluid motion, he lunged forward, his blade slicing through the air. The man barely had time to react before Dane's strike grazed his arm
Chaos erupted. The other two wolves charged forward, their claws tearing into the wooden floor as they lunged at Dane. He met them head-on, his blade flashing like lightning. One wolf snapped at him, but he sidestepped and drove his blade into its side, forcing a yelp that echoed through the cabin.
The second wolf turned its attention to me, its amber eyes gleaming with malice. My breath hitched as it barreled toward me, saliva dripping from its bared fangs. I tightened my grip on the dagger, every instinct screaming at me to run, but I stood my ground.
As the wolf leapt, I dropped to the ground, rolling to the side. Its claws swiped the air where l'd just been.
Without thinking, I thrust the dagger upward, its blade sinking into the wolf's shoulder. It howled in pain, recoiling and giving me just enough time to scramble to my feet.
Dane's voice thundered across the room. "Neah, stay down!"
But I couldn't. Not anymore.
The wolf came at me again, slower this time, its injured shoulder dragging. I sidestepped and lashed out with the dagger, aiming for its side. The blade found its mark, and the wolf collapsed with a pained whimper.
Across the room, Dane had already dispatched the first wolf and now had the third pinned against the wall. His crimson eyes glowed like embers as his hand tightened around the man's throat. "Tell Trey this is just the beginning," Dane snarled, his voice laced with a deadly promise.
The man struggled, his face turning red.
"You'll... regret this.." he choked out.
Dane slammed him against the wall, knocking him unconscious, and let his body crumple to the floor.
"Are you hurt?" Dane turned to me, his eyes scanning for injuries.
"I'm fine," I said, though my hands were trembling. I wiped the blood from the dagger on my pants, trying to steady my breathing.
Dane's gaze softened for a moment before hardening again. "We need to move. There's no telling how many more are out there."
He grabbed the letter I'd found and tucked it securely into his jacket.
Without another word, he led me out of the cabin, his movements quick and deliberate.
The forest was unnervingly quiet as we made our way back to the rendezvous point. Dane stayed close to me, his senses on high alert. Every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves made my heart race.
When we finally reached the clearing, Jarek and the other warriors were waiting for us. Their relief at seeing us alive was palpable, but it was short-lived.
"What happened?" Jarek asked, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the blood on Dane's blade.
"Trey sent a welcoming party," Dane said grimly. "They know we're onto something."
Jarek cursed under his breath. "Did you find anything?"
Dane pulled out the letter and handed it to him. "This. It's enough to prove Trey's involvement with the Crescent Curse and to cast doubt on his claims about Neah."
Jarek scanned the letter, his expression darkening as he read. "This is damning.
If we can get this to the High Council, Trey's position as alpha could crumble "
"But he won't go down without a fight," Dane said. "He'll try to silence us before we can make this public."
"What do we do now?" | asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Dane turned to me, his expression resolute. "We prepare for war."
The journey back to Black Shadow's territory was tense but uneventful.
Once we were safely behind the pack's borders, Dane called a meeting with his inner circle.
The war room buzzed with activity as warriors prepared for the inevitable clash. Dane stood at the head of the table, his presence commanding as he laid out the plan.
"We have the evidence we need to expose Trey," he said. "But we can't rely on the High Council to act quickly. We need to be ready to defend ourselves."Jarek nodded. "We'll strengthen patrols and fortify the borders. Trey's pack might outnumber us, but they won't be able to match our defenses."
"And what about me?" | asked, stepping forward.
Dane's eyes softened as he looked at me. "You'll stay here, where it's safe."
"No," I said firmly. "I'm done hiding. If this is my fight, I need to be part of it."
His jaw tightened, but he didn't argue.
Instead, he nodded. "Fine. But you'll stay by my side at all times. Agreed?"
"Agreed," | said, relief washing over me.
As the meeting continued, I couldn't shake the feeling that the battle ahead would change everything-not just for me, but for the entire pack.
And deep down, I knew that the truth about my parents' death and the curse that had plagued my life was still far from being uncovered
As the meeting continued, I couldn't shake the feeling that the battle ahead would change everything-not just for me, but for the entire pack.
And deep down, I knew that the truth about my parents' death and the curse that had plagued my life was still far from fully uncovered.
For the first time in years, though, I felt a spark of hope.
Whatever came next, I wouldn't face it alone.