THE YOUNG HAUNTED ALPHA

TER

of dawn was stil

Duskwood braced

ck. The sky wa

the faintest sli

the canopy of t

nsion, the kind t

ors clutch their

gh

he front line, hi

es scanned the tr

movement. He cou

ind him-nervous

athered in silenc

not lost

t his side, his

eterm

have con

han a mile out,

his force

dded, his

Let's m

ast battle he

e the pack, his

es-friends, fami

him through

s is

voice carrying

s he can take

ay, we show him

pack. Today, we

everything we be

For ou

l rose from the p

unified cry of d

the forest, a c

aching thei

beside Alaric,

etermi

re r

he

T

long the easter

are in

ng her a tight,

T

nus the welcom

ash of

wiftly, the still

war cries of Ma

m the trees. T

gures blending i

ard the village.

ir weapons in th

of anticipation

a howl, the sig

riors surged for

ash of steel on s

The battl

ur of motion,

as he engaged

ught with a fero

wild grin spli

C

uted at the rogue

and exhi

see wha

o

th deadly grac

danced through t

eed and precisi

d come close. A

corner of his e

and

battle in front

his arm as he pa

relentless, thei

ut Alaric held hi

his pack behind

olstering his

s were larger,

omething the r

blood and share

heir movements c

each othe

t Alaric, his sw

destepped, bring

arc. The rogue

aric moved on

d focused on on

gn

a's Conf

aged around him

dge of the clea

ng the fight wit

ssion, as if h

r than the orch

ao

ge of rage and sp

y rogue that cr

met his, a slo

his face as he

t h

c Silv

drawled,

g with

en looki

t

led, baring

ends t

terrorised thes

o

d, a harsh, g

u r

stop me? Look

s crum

t glance away. H

gth, their d

e'

than yo

, his voi

ger

not fight

lunged at Magn

ringing out like

uel. Magnus was

laric matched h

two wild anima

rching for

out with a pow

olling to the si

lashed at Magnus

ssed in pain, wh

sn

pay fo

his eyes fl

u

his gaze, u

alread

ou

He drove forwa

leashed a flu

urnin

nus fought, the t

traps Elena had

inging into act

ogues, and tri

the dirt. The p

, pushed harder,

e

rge through the

h through the

F

ellowed, his vo

him. They surged

ogues

er way toward Ala

en the two alphas

but pushed it

face Mag

another swin

h his own blade

he rogue alpha

nd anger twisti

anted, his conf

you doi

his chest heaving

lazing wit

use I

myself. I'm fighti

t's something

ers

erful strike, Ala

est. The rogue a

disbelief as he

faded from his ey

em seemed

ing their leade

's commanding

d. One by one, t

into the forest,

d from

n of a

of sunlight broke

ed around Alari

reathing heavily

as over. Dus

Alaric on the

g across

it, Al

ly d

rward, her eyes

wrapped her ar

g him

ou'd come

whis

r back, feeling

He pulled back, l

fam

s our v

aid, h

ro

cted our hom

rt to r

, their voices r

ght. The nightma

ver. They had fa

ed strong

would build a

by fear, b

ew era had begu

ICE OF

uskwood lay quie

e sun had fully r

the clearing wh

d. The scent of

mingling with t

s the smell of vi

o

the edge of the

tlefield. The bo

ttered across t

price they had

arriors were t

expressions a m

won, but it had

him, her footst

face was strea

s were bright, fil

She reached out,

s

di

softly, her

emo

s gaze still fixe

e

rep

t what

ace her, his e

e

today. Fri

is

and he took a de

o remain

nus

adow will linger

is arm, her touc

honou

he

remembe

e'll make sure i

tened as he looke

hroughout this

in the storm. He

ment without h

ank

d, his voice

every

unera

ack had gathered

had built a larg

re of wood and b

as the pack itsel

nd their spirits

ch they

ore the pyre, a

pack were somber,

ok a deep breath,

alpha pressin

goodbye to ou

st

is voice stea

hurning i

ought b

lives to protect

er. They are her

of t

t the crowd, me

pack

carry the

onor their sacrifi

ur home, and by

y gave u

wered the torch

and spreading

sending a column

atched in silen

in r

rward, standing

hers, offering hi

watched the f

s even as a chill

ar

ding D

the battle were a

tirelessly, cl

airing the dam

threw himself in

ut his spirit dr

e needed to rebu

e trust and uni

tant presence, h

ors and his broad

aken on the role

iding the youn

the rebuild

u k

one afternoon

beam int

uy who j

you don't loo

iping sweat from

a wear

... There'

ake the feeling th

inn

im on the back,

ff ba

burden of

ou're not alone

r b

feeling a swell

had his pack. A

Begi

n the third day

stood at the ed

the village. Th

signs of progre

their spirits un

hey had

e done

d, her voic

ira

up to you,

ve in

er, a wry smil

T

eve

rrected

uldn'

of this w

tened, and she t

d findi

e a goo

qui

widened, a ge

squeezed her ha

touch seep i

ha

o

agr

e for a long mo

f the day faded

em was quiet, th

leaves in the

ce, a welcome

the past

rned to her, his e

en thinking...

ebrow, a teasing

li

at does the

see in hi

reath, his heart

es

life here

said

this pack tog

new. Somet

ned slightly, her

m, searching his

lowly, a smile

i

the soun

whis

breath he hadn'

grin breaking ou

se, pressing his

's make i

mur

mise of

, Alaric called

the center of t

h curiosity and

m, Elena a

faced d

n, his vo

ss the c

faced l

it together. And

We will rebuild,

ronger than

, their voices a

through the fore

d gratitude. He l

al. They had mad

hey were ready t

eth

ed down, Alaric

ng it

is our

aid, h

with co

ill prote

er w

d into cheers o

h a new kind of e

pe, of a ne

oked out over hi

settle over him

ment. They had p

e out stronger o

gher in the sky

lage. It was a ne

Dusk

time in a long tim

hatever c