Chapter 10: A Fractured Pack

The quiet hum of the forest was broken only by the sound of Kael's measured breathing as he paced in front of his gathered pack. Selene stood to the side, watching the tension rise in the air like a brewing storm.

"We can't keep playing defense," Damon said, leaning against a tree with his usual casual air, though his sharp gaze betrayed his seriousness. "Magnus isn't going to stop until he tears us apart."

Kael stopped pacing, his piercing blue eyes scanning the group. "I know that," he said, his voice calm but firm. "But rushing into a fight with him on his terms is suicide. We need a strategy."

A murmur rippled through the pack, frustration evident on their faces.

One wolf, a burly man named Rylan, stepped forward. "With all due respect, Alpha, we've been waiting for weeks. Magnus's pack is growing stronger, and our people are losing faith. We need to act now."

Kael's jaw tightened. "And if we act recklessly, we'll lose everything. Is that what you want?"

Rylan bristled, his fists clenching. "What I want is for us to stop hiding while that bastard picks us off one by one!"

The tension in the clearing reached a breaking point. Selene could feel the weight of it pressing down on her, and she resisted the urge to step back.

"That's enough," Kael said, his voice low but commanding. "I understand your frustration, Rylan, but this is not up for debate. We'll act when I say we're ready—and not a moment sooner."

Rylan's lips curled into a snarl, but he didn't argue further. Instead, he turned and stalked off into the woods, a few of the other wolves following him.

Selene watched them go, her chest tightening with unease. "They're angry," she said softly.

Kael turned to her, his expression unreadable. "They'll get over it."

"Will they?" she asked, meeting his gaze. "It doesn't look like they trust your leadership right now."

Kael's shoulders tensed, but he didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned to Damon. "Keep an eye on Rylan. If he does anything reckless, I want to know about it."

Damon nodded. "You got it, boss."

Once the other wolves had dispersed, Kael turned back to Selene. "Come with me."

---

Kael led Selene to a secluded spot near a small stream. The water glittered under the dappled sunlight, the gentle sound of its flow offering a brief reprieve from the tension that had consumed the pack.

Kael sat on a fallen log, running a hand through his silver hair. For the first time, Selene saw the cracks in his usually unshakable demeanor.

"You're worried," she said, sitting beside him.

Kael let out a humorless laugh. "That obvious, huh?"

"They don't trust you right now," she said carefully. "And I get it—they're scared. But you're not going to win them back by keeping them in the dark."

Kael's gaze dropped to the ground. "I'm supposed to have all the answers. To be the one who keeps them safe. But every decision I make feels like the wrong one."

"You're not alone in this," Selene said, placing a hand on his arm. "You have Damon, and Lorcan, and the rest of the pack. You don't have to carry this on your own."

Kael looked at her, his blue eyes filled with a vulnerability he rarely showed. "I've been doing this for so long, Selene. Protecting people. Leading. Fighting. I don't know how to be anything else."

Selene's chest tightened at the raw emotion in his voice. "You don't have to be perfect, Kael. You just have to keep going. That's what makes you a good leader."

A small smile tugged at his lips. "You're more stubborn than I thought."

"So I've been told," she said with a faint laugh.

For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, the weight of the world briefly forgotten. Then Kael's expression turned serious again.

"I need you to be careful, Selene," he said. "Rylan isn't the only one questioning my decisions. There are others who think I'm putting you above the pack."

Selene's heart sank. "I didn't ask for any of this, Kael. But if I'm causing problems—"

"You're not," he interrupted firmly. "This bond between us—it's not something I can ignore. And I won't let anyone use it as an excuse to hurt you."

Selene nodded, though a part of her still felt the weight of the pack's distrust. "What happens if Magnus comes after us again?"

Kael's jaw tightened. "Then we fight. Together."

---

The calm didn't last.

Later that evening, Selene was helping Damon patrol the edges of the territory when a chilling howl pierced the air. Damon froze, his usually carefree expression darkening.

"That's not one of ours," he said grimly.

Before Selene could respond, a group of wolves burst through the trees, their eyes gleaming with malice.

"Run!" Damon shouted, shoving her behind him as he shifted into his wolf form.

Selene stumbled back, her heart racing as the wolves lunged at Damon. She scrambled for a weapon, her hands closing around a fallen branch.

The fight was chaos—a blur of fur, claws, and snarls. Damon fought fiercely, but the rogues outnumbered him. One of them broke away, its glowing eyes locking onto Selene.

She raised the branch, her hands trembling. "Stay back!"

The wolf snarled, lunging toward her. Before it could reach her, a silver blur collided with it, sending it sprawling to the ground.

Kael stood between her and the rogue, his wolf form radiating fury. He didn't hesitate, tearing into the rogue with brutal efficiency.

Within moments, the remaining rogues fled, their snarls fading into the distance.

Kael shifted back, his chest heaving as he turned to Selene. "Are you hurt?"

Selene shook her head, still clutching the branch. "I'm fine. Damon—"

"I'm good," Damon called, limping toward them. "A little banged up, but nothing serious."

Kael's gaze softened as he looked at Selene. "I told you to stay safe."

"I was trying," she said, her voice trembling. "But I'm not going to just stand by and let them attack us."

Kael's lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn't argue. Instead, he reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You're braver than you should be," he said quietly.

Selene's heart pounded as his touch lingered. "And you're impossible," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

A faint smile tugged at his lips. "So I've been told."