SAGSTONE MOUNTAIN

{"Gold is the corpse of value." }

TOR'S POV 

Freyr, Tiger, and I left the Bay Shifter Pack just after dusk, making our way toward Sagstone Mountain. The cold mountain air thickened when we arrived at its base, curling around us like a silent warning. Tiger lagged slightly behind, struggling to match our pace, and the smirk on Freyr's face made it clear he found the sight amusing.

A deep, guttural roar echoed through the night, vibrating my chest as we neared the mountain's entrance. My instincts flared, the Rougarou beasts were nearby. These intelligent creatures guarded the vast gold reserves within Sagstone, never bowing to anyone, but they had long respected the Alpha rulers of the Bay Shifter Pack. We had a longstanding understanding: in exchange for their mountain protection, we ensured a steady supply of meat, stationing shifters at the borders to uphold the pact.

But something was wrong.