The sea whispered in sorrow.
Waves rolled gently against the shore, the sky dim with the heavy weight of mourning. A wooden boat rested on the edge of the water, and in it lay Theron Quad—his lifeless body shrouded in white linen, his severed head placed gently on his chest. Flowers were scattered around him, glowing faintly in the twilight, carried by the wind from mourners who dared not come too close.
Beta Feliz Quad stood motionless at the shore, his shoulders squared but eyes hollow. He looked nothing like the strong, commanding Beta of the Quad family. He looked like a father who had buried one too many pieces of himself.
A warrior in wolf form approached him, solemnly lowering his head and extending a torch, the flame flickering in the breeze. Feliz accepted it without a word. He moved slowly toward the boat, stopping only when the flame was close enough to kiss the dry wood and oil-soaked sheets. The fire caught quickly, flames dancing upward as if hungry for the soul of the fallen.
"Push it," Alpha Koran ordered.
The warriors obeyed. The boat slid gently into the sea, flames licking higher as it floated away. A trail of smoke spiraled upward, reaching into the bruised sky like a final prayer.
Tyrone Quad, the eldest son, stepped beside his father. His jaw was clenched tight, his fists shaking. "I will find out who killed him," he said, voice low and hard. "And when I do, I'll make them pay."
Feliz said nothing.
He didn't need to.
Koran stood a little distance away, watching. His eyes should have been on the boat, on the fire, on the friend he'd lost—but they weren't. They were fixed on Aedric and Daria, who stood too close, who spoke too quietly, their heads tilted toward each other in private conversation. Koran's fists curled at his sides.
Beside him, Elyndra stood, keeping him company. Her eyes were also locked on Daria—but for a different reason. Her suspicion ran deeper than jealousy.
Daria had something to hide.
And Elyndra was determined to find out what it was.
The Pack House was filled with murmurs and the scent of flowers.
Everyone who mattered was there—offering their condolences to the Quad family, sharing food and whispers, passing long looks between cups of wine and shared grief.
Tyrone stood at the corner of the room, away from the others. Elyndra approached him, her dress trailing behind her like a shadow.
"I want to help you," she said gently. "As the future Luna, it's my duty to find whoever killed Theron. And when I do, I'll kill them myself."
Tyrone didn't answer immediately. He stared past her, at the large window overlooking the sea.
Elyndra followed his gaze, then turned her eyes to the crowd—and paused.
Daria was trying to talk to Brina. She moved toward her gently, lips moving with what seemed like concern. But Brina took a step back, avoiding her touch, turning away with a stiffness that didn't go unnoticed.
Elyndra narrowed her eyes.
Interesting.
Why was Brina avoiding her?
Was she scared?
Or was she beginning to remember something?
Later that evening, in a private chamber in the Pack House, tension simmered in the air like a storm about to break.
Alpha Koran stood across from his younger brother, Aedric.
The two hadn't spoken like this in years.
"You shouldn't be here," Koran said, his voice low but sharp. "I banished you from this village, and you had no right to return."
Aedric smirked, arms folded. "I'm here to claim what's mine."
"What's yours?" Koran leaned in, his voice now a whisper. "You mean the shadows you've unleashed? The black magic you've been playing with? You think I don't know?"
Aedric's smile widened. "Careful, brother. You're making dangerous accusations."
Koran's eyes glowed with fury, but he held himself back. "If you know what's good for you, you'll leave this village before your darkness swallows it whole."
He turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Aedric remained. He strolled over to the fruit bowl on the table, picked up a red apple, and took a slow, deliberate bite. The crunch echoed through the silence.
The moonlight painted silver paths on the sea.
Eleanor stood at the same spot where Theron's boat had disappeared, her hair blowing softly in the wind, arms wrapped tightly around herself.
The silence wasn't peaceful. It was heavy. And cold.
She stared at the horizon as if waiting for it to speak to her.
"You always liked this spot," came a voice behind her.
She turned slightly. Alpha Koran.
"What's the Alpha doing here?" she asked quietly.
"I came to say goodbye. One last time," he said, stepping beside her. "Theron was my best friend. We shared everything. Blood. Secrets. And now…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Eleanor let out a soft, bitter laugh. "Best friend, you say? Funny. I don't think you really knew him at all."
Koran turned toward her, slowly. "Why him?" he asked, his voice rough. "Why did you choose him over me?"
Before she could answer, he stepped forward and placed his hands on her waist, pulling her close. His fingers trailed up her side to her face, cupping her cheek.
"Even after everything you've done, Daria," he whispered, "I still can't forget you."
His lips moved closer.
He kissed her—desperate, deep, full of longing.
But Eleanor didn't melt into the kiss. She pulled back sharply—and slapped him.
The sound echoed across the water.
Koran staggered slightly, stunned.
Eleanor's eyes were burning with emotion. She turned and walked away, her figure disappearing into the darkness, leaving the Alpha behind in silence.
That night, the moon hid behind clouds.
The wind blew harder.
Inside the forest, where the trees grew thicker and the air felt wrong, a dark presence began to stir. Shadows twisted unnaturally, forming a shape—a person with no face, no name, just black aura swirling like smoke.
Another figure stood beside it. Cloaked. Hidden.
"The boy failed," the second figure said.
The black aura shifted, pulsing.
"She's still alive. The imposter in Daria's body. We were wrong about Theron. He couldn't do it."
The black form bent forward, tendrils of darkness flickering across the ground like fingers.
"You need to kill her," the voice continued. "Find a way. Quickly. She's in our way. If she remembers who she really is…"
The shadows grew thicker.
"…everything we've built will collapse."
The aura faded into the forest, vanishing like smoke on the wind.