Alpha and Omega

The howls echoed through the dense forest, a chorus of hunger and malice. The air turned sharp with the scent of wet earth and fur. A pair of glowing yellow eyes emerged from the darkness—then another. And another. Soon, dozens of luminous orbs surrounded them, reflecting the moonlight like eerie lanterns.

These were no ordinary wolves. Their bodies were larger, leaner, their fur a mix of deep obsidian and silver streaks that shimmered like molten steel under the night sky. Their claws were unnaturally long, curved like sickles, made not just for running—but for ripping. Their breath fogged in the cold air, carrying the stench of blood and decay.

And then, it stepped forward.

The alpha was monstrous—twice the size of the others, its fur bristling like jagged armor. Scars carved across its face told stories of countless battles. Its fangs, longer than a dagger, gleamed as it growled, a guttural sound that made the ground tremble.

Austin exhaled. Alright then… let's see what they can do.

The Battle Begins

Yanika gripped her staff tightly, her knuckles white. "There's too many…" she muttered.

Lucian let out a shaky breath. "Tch, numbers mean nothing. We just have to keep moving."

Penelope cracked her fingers, the steel needles she conjured floating around her like silent assassins. "Just say the word, Austin."

Cai clutched her lyre harp, her fingers hovering over the strings. "I'll amplify the sound. It should mess with their senses."

Austin swung his wooden stick over his shoulder. "Alright. Stick to the plan. Don't let them surround you. If you hesitate, you're dead."

The alpha let out a deep snarl. The wolves charged.

Yanika was the first to move. She spun her staff and struck the nearest wolf's snout before it could pounce. It yelped but barely staggered. Her eyes widened—too durable.

Lucian summoned a wall of flame, forcing the wolves back. But the alpha didn't flinch. It leaped straight through, embers clinging to its fur. Lucian barely dodged its massive claws. "Oh, come on!"

Penelope flicked her wrist, sending a barrage of steel needles at the pack. Some struck their legs, slowing them down, but they kept advancing. "I need to aim for the eyes," she muttered, adjusting her stance.

Cai plucked her lyre, and the air trembled. A high-frequency pulse rippled outward, making the wolves recoil, their sensitive ears twitching in agony. "Got 'em!" she cheered.

Austin, watching them all, vanished.

A wolf lunged at Yanika—only to be slammed to the ground as Austin appeared beside her, his stick cracking against its skull. "Focus."

Another wolf went for Penelope, but Austin swept its legs from under it before driving his stick into its ribs. "No hesitation."

A blur of movement—the alpha lunged straight at Cai.

Austin pivoted, kicking off the ground. He intercepted it mid-air.

The impact sent both of them skidding backward, dust kicking up. Austin barely managed to stop its massive jaws from clamping down on his throat, his stick wedged between its teeth.

The alpha's eyes burned into his, intelligent and furious.

Austin grit his teeth. Damn, this thing's strong.

Lucian shot a burst of flame at its flank, forcing it to release Austin. "That thing is on a different level!"

Austin rolled to his feet, gripping his stick tighter. He exhaled, steadying his heartbeat. "Alright. Let's bring it down."

The Finishing Move

"Penelope, aim for its legs!"

She nodded, summoning a dozen steel needles. With a flick of her wrist, they shot forward, piercing deep into the alpha's limbs. It staggered, snarling.

"Yanika—staff strike to the head, now!"

Yanika darted in, spinning her staff before bringing it down hard on the alpha's skull. A resounding crack echoed.

Lucian clenched his fists. "I'll finish it!" Flames erupted around him as he shot forward, driving a fiery fist straight into the alpha's chest. The beast roared, its massive body crashing to the ground.

But it still wasn't dead.

Austin walked forward, staring down at the fallen alpha. It panted, its body twitching, but its eyes never wavered. Even in defeat, it refused to submit.

Austin exhaled. "You fought well."

He raised his stick—then thrust it down.

A final, sharp crack.

Silence.

The remaining wolves, seeing their leader fall, retreated into the darkness.

The battle was over.

Aftermath

Yanika wiped sweat from her forehead. "That was… exhausting."

Lucian dropped onto the ground, groaning. "I'm dead. Just bury me here."

Penelope rolled her shoulders. "That was more fun than I expected."

Cai plucked a soft melody from her lyre. "We actually won."

Austin simply turned his gaze to the trees, watching the wolves vanish into the night.

The scent of burnt fur and blood lingered in the air. The forest had fallen eerily silent, the retreating wolves leaving behind only the rustling of disturbed leaves. Austin let out a slow breath, his muscles still tense. Even though the battle was over, his instincts screamed otherwise.

Something was off.

Yanika knelt beside the fallen alpha, poking its massive body with her staff. "It's really dead, huh?" She sounded almost disappointed.

Lucian groaned from where he lay sprawled on the ground. "Can we not poke the corpse of the giant murder beast? I need five minutes to recover."

Penelope, ever pragmatic, retrieved her steel needles from the dead wolves, muttering, "You wouldn't last five minutes if another one showed up."

Cai played a soft note on her lyre, the sound gentle yet restless, as if she too felt something lingering in the air. "Austin," she called, "you're being weirdly quiet. What's wrong?"

Austin's grip on his stick tightened. He turned his gaze toward the forest, eyes narrowing at the shadows between the trees. "They left too easily."

Lucian scoffed. "What, you wanted them to fight to the death?"

Austin ignored him, stepping toward the alpha's corpse. His eyes studied its wounds—deep, brutal, but none of them suggested fatality. He crouched, pressing two fingers against its throat.

No pulse. No breath. It was dead.

So why did it feel like something was still watching them?

Then, he felt it.

A low vibration in the air, not sound, not movement—something deeper. His heart pounded as he slowly looked up.

Above them, perched on a thick branch of an ancient oak, another pair of eyes gleamed in the dark.

Not yellow. Silver.

The True Alpha

A new wolf—bigger than the one they just killed—stood above them, its silver eyes locked onto Austin with eerie intelligence. Unlike the alpha they had fought, this one was silent, its fur a ghostly white that blended seamlessly with the mist creeping through the trees.

It had been watching.

A slow realization dawned on Austin.

The wolf they had killed wasn't the true leader. It was a decoy.

"Everyone—" he barely had time to warn them before the beast moved.

A blur of white dropped from the tree, landing between them with a thunderous impact. The ground shook.

The force sent Yanika stumbling back. Penelope swore under her breath. Lucian scrambled to his feet, his exhaustion forgotten.

Austin's pulse spiked. Fast. Way too fast.

The silver-eyed alpha turned its head slightly, its massive body relaxed, yet carrying an undeniable dominance. It exuded an aura unlike any beast they had faced before—not just strength, but presence.

Like a king acknowledging insects in its path.

It didn't growl. It didn't snarl.

It just stared.

A silent challenge.

Austin took a slow step forward, gripping his stick, heart hammering against his ribs. The others were waiting for his lead.

Think, think, think!

Then, the silver-eyed alpha tilted its head.

And smirked.

Austin's breath caught.

This wolf… was self-aware.