Love in the Shadow of the Wolf

the pack's border, Alexander stood in front of a large wooden table, the faint light from a single hanging bulb casting shadows across his face. Spread out before him was a map of t

ere, far from the lines

mething was troubling his Alpha, something that was unusual for the usually composed and confident leader of their pack

ice calm but laced with concern. His gaze didn't leave his

g something in for too long. When he finally lifted his gaze, his eyes met Lucas's, an

his voice almost a whisper, as though

furrowed his brow. "Who? Are you talking about

at the map for a moment, his fingers tracing the inked lines absentmindedl

had just revealed. The legend of the fated mate was not unknown to their pack, but it had always been seen as more of a m

repeated, his tone s

emed to press down on him. "When I saw her, something changed withi

with a blend of worry and disbelief. "If that's true, then you know what this means. She's human, A

ld bring. "I know," he muttered under his breath. "But I can't ignore this. It's like betraying my d

nd says a fated mate is both a gift and a test, Alex. Maybe this is your test. But you need to consider the pack, too. They

und himself in. He could feel the pressure mounting, not just from the pack, but from the very world he inhabited. He knew Lucas was right. His position as Al

voice heavy with uncertainty. "But one thing I'm sure of i

, Alex. But be careful. Rival packs could use this to undermine you.

quiet-just between us for now. She's not part of this world, and if anyone else discov

keep an eye on things. If anything changes,

, his voice filled with

ahead of him was unclear, but he knew he had to tread carefully. Catrine's pres

-

iet the storm of thoughts in her mind. Something was off about Alexander, and she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him than he w

, the wind howling through the trees. The cold air seeped through the cra

to herself, her voice barely aud

ve with the uncertainty any longer. Slowly, she stood up from the bed and began to se

only a few basic pieces of furniture and enough supplies to sustain someone for a shor

prise, the pages were filled with neat, precise handwriting. The notes inside were mostly logs of patrols, maps of the territory, and cryptic symbols she couldn't make sense of. But o

recognize. She traced the words with her fingers, trying to make

eart racing as she wondered how thi

e cabin door creak open. She jumped, quickly

dow in the doorway, his sharp eyes imme

at," he said, his voice calm b

ding her. "I... I was just curious," she stammered, her eyes avoi

ook gently from her hands and studied it for a moment before meeting her eyes again. T

, Catrine," he said quietly, his voice soft but

stop thinking about it. There's something you're hiding from me, something big. I h

er his face. He wanted to protect her from the truth, to shield her from the da

d... it's far more complicated than you realize. There are things out th

louding her thoughts. "What do you mean? Ar

tely. Instead, he simply