THE YOUNG HAUNTED ALPHA

TER

uskwood was bath

tting sun, cast

ing. The air was

k members as t

ard work, rebui

s. Yet, despite

d unease settling

omething lurking

darkness stirri

to the council h

with his closes

w trusted elder

e, its walls li

icted the history

s around the tabl

the same unspoke

e

is side, her exp

rock throughout

steadying force

whatever was co

it to

throat, address

mem

built our

our borders,

un

is voice stea

edge o

threat is

one, but the po

gers. Others wi

rward, his elbo

're

e s

eard wh

e packs gatheri

They see an opp

s is

s eyes

to be p

our guard d

e l

, meeting the ga

nforce our patr

t to know the

s our

ers, a stern-f

dded in a

faced

fo

he

hing about

rogues have n

s if someone is p

the s

a glance with

ng in t

to find

nd t

said q

e's a ne

need to know t

ke thei

eeling the weigh

vily on hi

we'll

can't afford to

ke f

nfilt

persed, the pac

sense of urge

lingered behind

oughtful

s it?"

her he

ething I nee

said

ely above

een kee

f our own. The

...

s brow

do you

er, lowering her

of them sneaki

gers in the forest

st, but... I thin

in our

from Alaric's fa

thin was a far g

tside

asked, h

h wh

ated, clear

ot sur

ct fast before t

str

ded, his m

p wa

d proof befo

sati

ht nod, her ey

rmin

t who it is.

m

of the hall, Alar

in his chest. T

brutal, but at l

. This was diff

ld tear the pac

si

t of S

ic couldn't slee

t, the moon casti

e felt the cool b

ittle to soothe th

o could be betr

h

thought when

ion. He turned, h

e shadows, a f

mber named Le

es wide as he re

ot

ei

, his voice c

at

ing ou

hesitated, c

-I

ut for

stamm

s eyes

hour? In

er, his alpha p

the youn

the tru

really doin

ard, his eyes da

for an

, I wasn

ing w

, his voi

gaze was

wer

tin

flinched as if

flashing acr

an't

spe

yes blazed

can a

i

gro

been work

will face the

d respond, a new

dark

im alone

out from behin

readable. She

nd Leif, her eye

two

you doing?" Alari

h shock an

en watch

said q

H

not our enemy.

h

napped to Leif,

aming down

is tru

and

his voice bar

T

ned my

confe

idn'

hoi

wavered, repl

izat

reatene

wom

d, his voi

e c

us died. She sai

ll my family. I s

ray th

ed, piecing toget

A new player,

late and threat

hey had

omforting hand o

right thing b

he

nt

your family.

us

s expression on

I

tever

pro

p breath, the pie

g into

to find t

e filled with

nd

efore she makes

New

ir way back to t

se of urgency.

brutal, but th

cunning, willin

to get what

side him, her e

l fin

he

n we do,

d to

his eyes narrow

about protecting

s

t justice. Fo

everyone who has

shadow

rightly above th

the ground. It

m-a brief momen

l battl

ey were facing

hid in the dark

. But he also kn

it

side and the loy

o confront wha

d this time, it was Al