The forest was still, too still. The usual sounds of night creatures were eerily absent.
That was when it happened.
A blur of movement-so fast, too fast for them to catch, zoomed past their line of sight, so close that the air rushed by, sending a chill down Aldric's spine.
"What was that?" Sera's voice was low, her body stiffening.
Kael's golden eyes narrowed, his hand hovering near the hilt of his sword. "I don't know... but it wasn't a rogue."
They both stood attentively, eyes darting to every shadow, every rustling leaf. The forest seemed to hold its breath, and the silence stretched on for an agonizing moment.
Then, as if to break the stillness, a laugh echoed.
It was loud, but it dark, mocking, and filled with malice. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once, as though it were carried on the wind itself.
A laugh that sent a shiver down their spine.
It faded slowly, lingering in the air like an insidious whisper, until it was gone entirely.
And then... silence.
They were scared but what's more unsafe was standing where they were.
The journey back to the Pack was eerily silent, but the air was thick with tension. Every step felt heavier, as though the weight of the world had descended upon their shoulders. The warriors, battle-worn and broken, carried their exhaustion like an unspoken burden. Their wounds throbbed with every step, each one a painful reminder of the brutal fight they had just barely survived. But none of it, none of the physical pain, compared to the hollow emptiness that awaited them.
Moonveil was gone.
What remained was a wasteland—blackened earth, smoldering ruins, and nothing but charred remains of what had once been home. The bitter scent of burnt wood, mingled with the unmistakable stench of blood, clung to the air , it was suffocating. There was no safe place to go now, no walls to protect the children, the wounded, the elders or the pregnant pack women who huddled together, fear flickering in their eyes.
Sera's gaze flickered toward Liora, still unconscious, her pale face pressed against Aldric's back.
Sera's breath was shallow, her body too weak to move. She needed rest. They all did.
But Sera's attention shifted. Her emerald eyes met Kael's, the weight of unspoken words heavy between them. She could feel the storm brewing within him, the fury barely contained beneath his hardened exterior.
He noticed her gaze instantly. His arms crossed tightly over his chest, his jaw clenching in barely restrained anger.
"What are you staring at?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Sera swallowed hard, knowing this wasn't going to be easy. But she pushed past her pride, pushed past the hurt.
"We need refuge," she said, her voice barely a whisper, but it carried with it the weight of desperation.
Kael's lip curled into a snarl, and he took a step toward her, his presence towering over the remnants of their broken pack. "No. No way." His voice was ice, cutting through the air like a blade. "I won't let you into my pack."
A charged silence stretched out, thick and suffocating, as every warrior held their breath. Kael's golden eyes blazed with barely restrained fury, the flicker of past betrayal still raw in them. "The elders will never agree to this. And why should they? Why should I?" His eyes swept over the remaining Moonveil members, his gaze harsh and unforgiving. "You're the reason my Alpha is lying in a damned state . You're the reason she's barely breathing. The Moonveils… bloody Moonveils."
Sera's pulse hammered in her ears. Her body screamed for relief, but her heart remained firm. She had already swallowed her pride too many times today. She had to do it again.
Without warning, she dropped to her knees before him.
A collective gasp rippled through the warriors, the shock palpable. Even the Lunarion pack stiffened, their eyes wide with disbelief. Aldric's expression twisted in confusion, his brows furrowing deeply as he looked from Sera to Kael, unable to comprehend what was happening.
The Beta of Moonveil—the woman known for her strength and unwavering resolve—was kneeling before the Beta of Lunarion.
"For my pack," Sera whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "For our children. For the women. For our elders." She lowered her head, her pride crumbling like the ashes of their home. "Please, Kael."
Kael's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. His breath hitched, then came out in harsh, jagged exhalations. He looked away, his body rigid with barely contained rage. His mind was a battlefield, waging war between hatred and something else—something much darker.
Aldric stepped forward, his voice rough but steady. "Please," he said, his eyes desperate as he glanced down at the unconscious Liora. "Not for me… but for my daughter." His voice broke slightly. "For the pack she nearly died protecting."
Kael's gaze snapped to Liora, his expression unreadable. The bitter taste of hatred still lingered on his tongue, but something within him wavered.
With a deep breath, Kael's jaw clenched so tightly his teeth ground together. He exhaled sharply, the air thick with the weight of his decision. "The elders in Lunarion and Zyra's mother … they won't like it. The people won't like it."
Sera's heart sank. Was this it? Was this where it ended?
Her voice shook, but her resolve was firm. "But you'll let us in?"
Kael stood frozen for a long moment, the tension crackling between them. Then, with the slow, agonizing pause of someone who knew just how far they could bend before they broke, Kael finally spoke.
"With conditions," he gritted out, each word like a lash of cold steel.
Sera's breath caught in her throat. The deal was far from done, but it was a start.
She nodded, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside. "What conditions?" she asked, her heart pounding in anticipation.
Kael's lips twisted into a thin, unforgiving line. "First, you will respect everyone in the pack , I don't care about your shitty pack , do not talk back when insulted, it's the least you can do for shelter and let me do the talks, don't need your inputs when we get to the gates."
His gaze flicked to Aldric, to Liora, and then to Sera. "And your pack will live under Lunarion rules. You will be subject to our rules, our judgment. You will answer us."
A few of the elders who had always wanted nothing to do with Lunarion—who had resented even the idea of bending the knee to them—hung their heads low. They avoided Kael's gaze, their shame and helplessness evident. Their pride shattered in the face of survival, and they dared not challenge him now, even in the presence of their lost pride.
But not all of them were willing to accept the terms.
"No" , a female Alpha let out.
Ciara.
She stood at the back, her arms folded defiantly. "I won't follow Lunarion anywhere!" she shouted, her voice ringing with a fire that would not be extinguished. "You think you can just order us around after everything that's happened?" She shook her head, anger and hurt flashing in her eyes.
Before anyone could respond, Ciara spun on her heel and bolted. Her feet tore across the ground as she ran, disappearing into the night, her form swallowed by the darkness.
"Fool," Kael muttered under his breath, his golden eyes narrowing with frustration. "She'll regret that."
Sera could feel the weight of the moment bearing down on her. The anger and frustration of the warriors, the pressure of the decision hanging in the air. She had hoped for unity, for some semblance of peace—but it was clear that the wounds of the past wouldn't heal easily.
With a deep breath, she rose to her feet, went behind a boulder, took off the cloth and shifted into her ash wolf form in one fluid motion. Her body rippled with power, fur shimmering. Liora's unconscious form was carefully draped over her back, her frail body held gently but firmly. The pack's survival depended on the fragile alliance they had just forged, and for now, it was up to Sera to carry them through the storm.
As the pack began to move, the sound of paws against the earth was steady and resolute. The journey was far from over, but for now, they would walk the uncertain path together. Even as the shadow of Ciara's defiance lingered, the others had chosen their fate.
And somewhere in their minds , the sound of that laughter—still echoing—lingered in her mind, as though it were a promise that things were deeper than it all seemed at the surface.