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