THE ETERNAL HOWL
to the training grounds, determined to keep up appearances. His Beta Aldric already stood in the centre, commandi
dric teased, but
rcing a smirk. "Late or
e or the faint shadows under his Alpha's eyes. Still, he said no
her a momentary lag or a hesitation he hadn't experienced before. Sweat trickled down his temple fast
epping back with concern
, his voice sharp enough
't the moment to press further. However, the mur
whispered, barely audible but lo
rged within him. He swung harder during the next sequen
strength
l stumbled, catching himself just in time, but the
t concern. She had noticed the change in Kael, his irritability and his rare he
, sitting by the large window overlooking the forest. The moon
gan softly, st
out it," he replied with
She crossed the room, sitting beside him.
insisted, his t
a tenderness in it that made him pause. "You've be
you want me to say, Selene? That I feel weak? That something's wrong, and I don't know wh
on his arm. "You don't have to
y breath, leaning back against the window frame. "I ca
You're still their Alpha. They'll follow
d the air. It was sharp, urgent, and ech
mentarily forgotten. Selene followed close behind as they
ded, his authoritative tone
ssion grim. "Rogue wolves. They t
enched. "Were t
but they were organized. It
tainty rippling through the crowd. Rogue attacks w
one, which stood at the heart of the clearing. The stone had been a symbol of un
ne of the elders whisper
"It means we stay vigilant. We are stronger
ease that had settled in her chest. She glanced at Kael, noticing
lene lingered by the stone. The crack seemed deeper
called, his v
on her face. "Something's wrong, Kael. Tha
e replied, though his
at," she pressed.
is hair. "We'll figure it out. But fo
oser. "You're not invincible, Kael. Wha
int flicker of gratitude in h
ed, no crickets chirped. The stillness was unnatural, and it seep
moonlight cast long, jagged shadows across the ground. She
hispers he'd heard earlier returned, faint and fragmented, like ghost
el.
ight, his bre
lene asked, rush
d, shaking his he
, he knew it was
mself into every task they demanded of him. Despite all his efforts, those faint insistent voices clawed at the edges of his mind. T
stone floor. Outside, the forest was eerily silent, the stillness amplifying every thought, eve
the worry in it. She had been sitting by the fireplace with her arms wr
" Kael muttered wit
replied, ignoring his command. "You c
napped, sharper
She rose from her seat and crossed the room to stand in fr
ression stormy. "You think I don't know my own
her hand brushing lightly against his arm. "You're not al
re agitated now. "You don't understand, Selene. An Alpha can't afford to show weakness, not to the pack, not to the Beta, not t
I care about any of that? I'm not the pack, Kael. I'
d pacing, his shoulders slumping slightly. He looked at her, really looked
to me," he admitted finally, hi
ng on his cheek. "Then let me help yo
on't even know where to start," he said bitterly. "These... whispers in my head, the dizzine
m from whatever darkness was creeping into their lives, but she knew Kael wouldn't al
inst the cool glass. Selene stayed nearby, silent but present, her presenc
as the pack went about their morning routines. Aldric approached
c said, noddin
ze never leaving the group of
d," Aldric said
tightened.
refully. "The rogues, the stone, the si
eyes hard. "And you? A
ching. "I worry for the pack, for
ed. "There's nothi
ike yourself," Aldric said quie
ed you to question me, Aldric I need you to lea
stepping back.
his shoulders. He hated that Aldric had noticed, that the pack was whisp
lled his mind with a suffocating pressure. Kael tossed and turned in his sleep, hi
. He heard the howls of wolves, his pack, but distorted and filled with pain. And
demanded, his voice
grew louder, almost deafening now. Kael clu
ae
ands on his shoulders. Her face
ng," she said, he
his chest. "It was just a dream," he muttered, thou
she stayed by his side, her h
ow, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that the dre
claw Pack was now tinged with unease. The younger wolves whispered
sual stoic expressions replaced with f
commanding despite the turmoil within him. He addressed
over them. "The rogues, the silence in the forest is n
's unease lingered. Kael could see it in their
approached him. "They're sc
ed, his voice heav
lead them, to show them
asked, the vulnerability i
cause you're Kael, and you're s
re on and the whispers grew louder, Kael couldn't shake the feel
zon, casting the forest into shadow, t
of a wolf, it was