The sun had barely risen with the morning dew making visuals blurry, Aveline led a small scouting party along the edge of the pack's territory. Aveline and his pack of warriors tried to make their movement as stealthy as possible making only the sound of leaves rustling from their boots the only sound heard around the only sound heard. Aveline's senses were on high alert, her eyes straining to see through the dew to see the trees, her ears straining for any unusual sounds, and her nose keenly aware of every scent around her. The forest was still and calm, but something felt off. The reports of suspicious movement at the borders had unsettled her. It was the kind of threat that could be the spark for something much larger, something that could change everything.
"Stay sharp," Aveline muttered to her team of warriors, each of them keeping close, moving silently as they searched for any signs of danger.
She had been in this forest countless times, but today the trees seemed bigger, casting big shadows over the ground. Her mind was disturbed by the news of the council meeting with the rival pack. What had the Alpha said to Elder Thorne in private? What was the real purpose behind the upcoming meeting? There were so many unanswered questions, but she had to shift her focus to safety immediately now. The pack's safety was her priority.
As they moved deeper into the woods, Aveline caught a scent, a faint trace that caused her heart to skip a beat. She stopped immediately, causing the rest of the party to halt behind her. The scent was so familiar. It lingered in the air like a memory she had been trying to forget. It was the smell of a wolf which is strong, rich, and indisputable like Gabriel's. Aveline's breath seized for a while in her throat, her body froze momentarily as the possibility flooded her mind. Could it be him? Could Gabriel be alive?
She had spent so long mourning him and convinced he was gone, the thought of him still being out there seemed both impossible and deeply exhilarating. But if he was alive, why hadn't he come back? And why was his scent so faint, almost as though he were trying to remain hidden?
"Alpha Aveline?" one of the warriors spoke cautiously from behind her. "Did you find something?"
She glanced at him, her mind racing. "I'm not sure," she said, keeping her voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "Stay alert. We need to track it."
The scent was barely noticeable in the thick forest. But it was there, faintly enough for Aveline to recognize it. It led them deeper into the forest, far beyond the usual patrol routes, toward an area where the pack rarely ventured. As they followed the trail, Aveline's thoughts were mixed with fear and hope at the same time. Could Gabriel have been out here this whole time? Had he been watching them? Or worse, had he been in danger, unable to reach the pack? The questions pounded in her mind, each one more urgent than the last.
The trail grew stronger as they neared a clearing. Aveline slowed down for the warriors to stay quiet as they approached, her senses were alert for any sign of movement. She moved carefully with her heart pounding in her chest. Right there, just ahead of them, she saw something that made her dumbfounded and scared at the same time.
Claw marks.
The deep marks in the bark of the trees were recognizable. They were the marks of an Alpha, sharp, powerful slashes that could only have come from a wolf of incredible strength. Aveline's breath caught in her throat. These marks weren't from the rival pack; they were too fresh, too deliberate. Whoever had left them behind had been engaged in a fight, and the power behind those claws was something that only Gabriel could have matched.
Her mind raced with possibilities. Could Gabriel have been here, fighting with someone from the rival pack? Had he been in conflict, maybe even in a struggle to protect himself or someone else? Or was this a trap, another tactic from the rival pack, designed to confuse and mislead them?
Aveline sneaked beside the claw marks, inspecting them closely. The deeper marks in the bark were accompanied by fresh paw prints on the earth. The prints were large, with the deep, solid weight of an Alpha's stride. She ran her fingers through the dirt, tracing the lines of the tracks. It was clear that a fierce battle had taken place here.
"This was no accident," she murmured.
One of the warriors stepped closer. "What do you think, Alpha? Could this be from the rival pack?"
Aveline shook her head. "No. This doesn't feel like them. Whoever was here... they were strong. Stronger than anything we've seen from them." She stood up slowly, her eyes checking around the surrounding trees. "Stay alert. There's more to this."
The group moved cautiously, following the tracks as they led them further into the woods. The scent of Gabriel, faint but recognizable, lingered in the air. It was almost as if he had passed through just moments ago.
As they continued, Aveline's instincts told her something was wrong. The further they went, the more she felt the weight of her decision to keep the discovery to herself. She had not shared her suspicions with anyone. It was dangerous to show weakness, especially with so many things unknown. She was the Beta's daughter, and her position demanded that she remain strong, remain focused. She couldn't afford to let her emotions cloud her judgment.
But the scent, the claw marks, it was all too much to ignore. The possibility of Gabriel being alive was both a hope and a threat. She couldn't let anyone see her uncertainty.
"Alpha," the warrior spoke again, breaking her from her thoughts. "The trail's fading. We're getting too far from the border. Should we head back?"
Aveline's jaw tightened. She wanted to press on, to find the answers she so desperately needed. But she knew they were pushing their luck. The rival pack was out there, and there was no telling how close they were to crossing paths.
"Head back to the border," she ordered, her voice calm, though her mind wanted otherwise. "We've done enough for today. Let's report back to the Alpha."
The walk back felt like an eternity. Every step seemed heavier than the last, and her thoughts filled with the discovery. Gabriel's scent, the claw marks, the tracks, it all pointed to something she couldn't fully understand.
As she entered the packhouse upon their return, she met her father, the Beta, who was waiting for her. His face was tense, his eyebrow scattered in that way that only happened when something important was on the horizon.
"Aveline," he said, his voice low. "We need to talk. The Alpha has called for a meeting with the rival pack. Tomorrow."
Her heart skipped a beat. She had heard the rumors, but to hear it confirmed by her father was something else entirely.
"Aveline," he continued, "this is not just a diplomatic meeting. There's something bigger at play here. Both packs are facing a threat that could destroy us all. We need to stay united. We need diplomacy above all else."
"There's something I need to tell you, Aveline," her father said, his voice low. "Something I haven't told anyone else. We might not be facing just a rival pack, We might be facing something much worse."
The long, rectangular table in the council hall was filled with the pack's leaders, warriors, strategists, and respected elders. The air was tense due to the weight of their discussions, each word carrying the weight of the decisions that could shape the future of their pack. Aveline sat at the far end, her eyes fixed on the Alpha, who stood at the head of the table. He was a tall, imposing figure, his voice steady as he addressed the room, but Aveline could see the unease behind his carefully composed expression.
"Reports from the western territories are troubling," the Alpha said, his voice echoing in the large hall. "Skirmishes at the borders are becoming more frequent. We must strengthen our alliances and ensure the rival pack knows we are prepared for any conflict."
Aveline's mind raced as she listened, her thoughts moving back to the strange encounter in the woods. The scent she had tracked, the claw marks, was this what they had been preparing for all along? Were the rival pack's movements a deliberate provocation, or was there something more to it?
She shifted in her seat, feeling uneasy. The council was discussing strategies for peace, but there was tension in the room that no one acknowledged outrightly. It wasn't just the rival pack causing unrest, there were whispers of unrest within their own territories too, there were factions that wanted more power, and more control. But no one dared speak of it openly. They all knew the forbidden topic that lingered between them, for now, everyone was pretending the topic didn't exist: Gabriel's "death."
Aveline tightened her grip around the armrests of her chair as she listened to the debate. Her mind kept returning to the strange scent in the woods, to the claw marks, to the unspoken memories of her mate. Could Gabriel still be alive? Was he somehow connected to these skirmishes? The questions stared at her, but she knew better than to bring them up here. No one dared mention his name.
The discussion shifted to alliances with neighboring packs. The Alpha was trying to broker peace, talking about shared territories and the promise of mutual defense. But there was something about the way he spoke that made Aveline feel more suspicious than reassured.
Elder Thorne, the most respected figure among the pack's leaders, was speaking now. He spoke with a low and firm voice, but it was with authority. He was a man of few words, but when he speaks, everyone listened.
"We cannot afford to wait for the rival pack to make the first move," Elder Thorne said, his eyes looking at the faces around the table. "We must strengthen our alliances with other packs, and we must do so quickly. The threat from the rival pack is real. But the greater threat may be from within. We must protect ourselves from all angles."
Aveline's heart skipped upon hearing Thorne's words which felt like a sword piercing into her skin. The mention of "threats from within" moved something deep in her, something that felt familiar, something that had always been just beyond her reach. But what did he mean? What threats? And why was he speaking in riddles?
She watched him closely, noting the tension in his features. There was more to this than he was letting on. Elder Thorne always spoke openly, but today, his words felt more urgent, more deliberate. He was hinting at something. But what?
"Prepare yourselves," Thorne continued, his voice lowering. "The world we know is changing, and sacrifices may be necessary. The old ways will not protect us anymore."
Aveline's eyes narrowed. Sacrifices? What kind of sacrifices was he talking about? Her mind immediately jumped to Gabriel. Was his death or disappearance part of this sacrifice? Was he one of the pieces in a larger game she didn't understand?
Unable to contain herself, Aveline cleared her throat and spoke. "Elder Thorne, what do you mean by 'sacrifices'? What exactly are you warning us about?"
The room became silent, every pair of eyes fell on her. She could feel their eyes centered on her, but she stood her ground with determination to get answers. Elder Thorne turned to her with a frown, and for a moment, it felt like he was checking her and deciding how much to reveal.
"You're too young to understand everything, Aveline," he said with a soft and firm tone. "Some things are better left unsaid. Some knowledge is too dangerous to carry. I suggest you focus on the greater good, the future of this pack, rather than the past."
Aveline's breath seized in her throat. She could feel the underlying meaning in his words, the warning in his voice. She had always respected Elder Thorne, but now there was something in his looks that unsettled her. He knew more than he was letting on. About Gabriel. About what had happened. About the larger plot that seemed to be unfolding.
But she couldn't back down now. "I will protect this pack," Aveline said, her voice steady. "But I won't stop looking for answers. If there's something we don't know, I will find it."
Thorne's eyes filled with something unreadable, but he said nothing more. He simply nodded as a sign of acknowledgment of her determination, before turning back to the rest of the council. But the moment had passed, and Aveline knew she had made a mistake. Her words had moved something in Thorne something that was better left untouched.
The Alpha called the meeting back to order, but Aveline's mind was no longer on the proceedings in the meeting anymore.
As the council continued, Aveline tried to focus, to continue listening to the conversation. But every time she looked at Elder Thorne the earlier conversation came to her mind. She maintained her suspicion that he knew more about Gabriel than he was telling her and that made her more determined to uncover the truth.
Finally, the meeting began to wind down. The Alpha stood, his eyes moving through the room.
"We have a decision to make," he said, his voice commanding. "The rival pack's new Alpha has personally requested a diplomatic gathering. We will meet with them tomorrow. Prepare yourselves."
Aveline felt unease at the mention of " The rival pack's Alph". A strange feeling came to her upon hearing the word. Was this the moment she had been waiting for? Was she finally going to face Gabriel—or the person who had taken his place?
She sat frozen in her seat, The Alpha's words echoed in her mind. Gabriel's name hadn't been spoken aloud, but she couldn't ignore the implication. The rival Alpha wanted to meet, and this meeting would change everything.
As the meeting broke up, Aveline stayed in her seat, her mind continued beating fast. She had come here seeking answers, but now, she realized, she was standing at the edge of something much larger. Tomorrow, she would come face-to-face with the rival Alpha, and perhaps with the truth about Gabriel's disappearance. But would she be ready for the answers?Bottom of Form