Pain

Kael's POV

The night had been uneventful—until it wasn't. I was heading back to my room when I felt it: an energy so dark and suffocating it made my wolf snarl in alarm. It came out of nowhere, pulling at me, setting every instinct in my body on edge.

It didn't take long to find the source. The creature was there, standing in the heart of my pack's territory like he owned the place. He wasn't just a wolf—he was something else entirely. Massive, dark, and menacing. Its glowing eyes locked onto me, and for the first time in years, I felt... small.

"Who the hell are you?" I demanded, my voice steady despite the unease creeping into my chest.

The creature's mouth curled into something resembling a smirk. "You don't recognize me, Alpha?" he rumbled, his voice low and mocking. "How disappointing."