LM0032 Bound by Blood and Promise

"By the way," Kagerou began, shifting the topic, "Hizuki, I didn't mention this earlier because I was eager to leave and search for our mate. But did you sense the gathering of strong auras in the neighboring pack's territory?"

Hizuki, still gazing at the television screen, narrowed his eyes. He had indeed felt it, but it hadn't concerned him enough to act. "There was no malice in it, so I ignored it," he replied calmly.

The neighboring territory Kagerou referred to belonged to the Wind Pack, the same pack that had lent their Salutary to assist Hizuki. On the day Jushin had reported the arrival of the medicine woman and her entourage, Hizuki had also sensed a shift in the surrounding auras.

Even while seated within the walls of Kageōden, calmly sipping tea, Hizuki could monitor the energy within several kilometers of his territory. He could detect killing intent with ease, making it simple to discern whether an aura posed a threat or not. This ability was also why the forests surrounding his domain were free of predators; as the apex predator, Hizuki's aura alone was enough to drive animals away from his territory.

Nonetheless, whether it posed a threat or not was irrelevant. The issue was that it had come to Hizuki's attention. Admittedly, he was curious why powerful individuals of their kind seemed to have converged from different directions at the neighbor's territory. He had been too preoccupied with his impending trip to Paris to mention it to Jushin.

Then again, Iori was there. Hizuki was certain his older cousin had sensed the gathering. If it was of any significance, Iori would have already informed his great-grandson or one of his other children to look into it.

Though Iori rarely meddled in political matters, he was unyielding when it came to the pack's security. Even without specific instructions, Iori's presence was a reassurance. If Hizuki was away, Iori stood as the impenetrable defense of Kageōden—a menacing guard dog, prepared to protect their domain against any threat.

A smile curved Hizuki's lips as he thought of his older cousin, who looked like a scholarly man in his thirties. Those who underestimated Iori based on his calm demeanor would soon find themselves regretting it if they ever crossed him in combat. After all, as a wolf of his generation, Iori inherited the remarkable strength of his alpha-blooded mother and Beta father.

Though he was naturally weaker than Hizuki, Iori's power came close to that of the previous alpha, Gen Kagerou. Such strength was no surprise, given that Iori's parents were true mates—a rarity that often amplified the abilities of their offspring.

"What do you think those foolish brats are trying to pull this time?" Kagerou asked, his tone dripping with disdain as he referred to the owners of the powerful auras in the neighboring domain. To an ancient soul like Kagerou, everyone else was a mere child.

"I'm not sure what exactly," Hizuki replied, his voice calm yet edged with mild irritation. "But I reckon it's going to be very annoying."

It was no secret that the packs maintained harmony only on the surface. Beneath the facade of unity, every domain harbored schemes—and they always seemed to involve him. Hizuki was acutely aware of what they coveted most.

More than a century had passed since the golden age of their kind, and the population of lycanthropes and wolves with true power had dwindled alarmingly. As the clans grew increasingly desperate, Hizuki's existence, while far from vulnerable, promised to be a constant source of trouble. The weight of their aspirations and plots loomed like a shadow, turning his otherwise untroubled life into an endless nuisance.

"We could always wander the world and continue our search. Iori and the others can hold the fort without us," Kagerou suggested, his voice laced with nonchalance.

"That's true," Hizuki agreed, though a weight lingered in his heart. Deep down, he knew he couldn't stay away from his people for long. As a wolf, he had grown used to living with his pack. He wasn't a lone wolf—if he were, he wouldn't even bother searching for his mate in the first place.

Also…

"Mother would be sad," Hizuki added, a faint smile curling his lips as he imagined Kagerou rolling his wolf eyes in exasperation.

"Your mother has long been gone. Even her bones in that tiny grave have turned to ashes," Kagerou countered, his tone tinged with reluctant patience.

"I promised not to leave her alone," Hizuki replied, deliberately baiting his wolf into another argument—a game he always found amusing. Even though Kagerou knew he was joking, his wolf could never resist taking the bait.

"No! No! Who are you lying to? I was there. You never promised her that after she was dead. You only said you wouldn't leave her alone while she was still alive!"

Hizuki laughed, switching off the TV before collapsing backward onto the bed. His gaze fixed on the ceiling, and he conjured an image of a frail yet beautiful old woman who had raised him.

She was the woman he called Mother. No, she wasn't his biological parent. In the absence of the parents he had lost during the Great War, she had stepped into the role of both mother and father. She had been endlessly kind to him, loving him as though he were her own—despite all that his parents had done to her.

As for him, he treated her as if he truly were her child. At the same time, he couldn't deny that his devotion to her was tinged with guilt.

If it weren't for his father, Gen's absurd hypocrisy, Hizuki wouldn't have been born, and she would have rightfully been the Luna, as the moon had ordained.

Yes, in the whispered legend of the fallen children of the moon, his father—the alpha who had rejected the moon's gift and married someone else, all to preserve his precious bloodline—was at the center of it all. That alpha was Hizuki's father. The woman who raised him was the human mate—the uncrowned Luna of the Shadow Wolf Pack.

"And your mother told you to search for our mate properly," Kagerou interjected, his tone taking on a determined edge. "She told you to introduce her to our mate when we find her. So let's go and search for her properly this time!"

Hizuki let out a sigh as he turned to his side and tried to sleep, ignoring Kagerou's persistent howls echoing in his mind.