chapter 10 :The Gathering storm

The Gathering Storm;

The night air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth as Lyria stood at the edge of the clearing, her heart pounding like a war drum. The moon, full and heavy, bathed the forest in silver light, illuminating the figures before her—wolves, dozens of them, their eyes glowing with suspicion, curiosity, and something else she couldn't quite name.

Elias stood at her side, his presence a steadying force. He was no longer just a wolf in her eyes; he was something more—something powerful, something untamed. He belonged to this world in a way she never could. And yet, when he turned to look at her, the warmth in his gaze made her feel as if she belonged nowhere else.

"You shouldn't have come, human." The voice came from a tall woman with sleek, obsidian-black fur. As she stepped forward, her body shifted, fur receding into dark brown skin. Her transformation was effortless, controlled—a stark contrast to the violent way Elias had first changed before her.

Elias's body tensed. "We need to talk, Maren."

The woman—Maren—folded her arms. "Talk? After what you did? After breaking the pact?"

Lyria felt the weight of their gazes shifting to her, the outsider, the human who had somehow become tangled in a world she barely understood.

Elias's jaw tightened. "I did what I had to. You know as well as I do that the hunters were coming. They still are."

Murmurs rippled through the gathered wolves. Some nodded in agreement, while others bared their teeth.

"And what of her?" Maren's sharp gaze landed on Lyria. "A human? Among us?"

Lyria met her gaze, unwilling to cower. "I didn't ask for any of this," she said, voice steady. "But I'm here now, and if you want to survive what's coming, maybe you should listen."

A tense silence followed. Then, from the shadows, another figure stepped forward. He was tall, with graying hair and scars that told a story of battle. His golden eyes—so much like Elias's—locked onto her with unsettling intensity.

"Lyria, is it?" His voice was deep, measured. "You say we should listen. Then speak."

Elias exhaled sharply. "Father—"

But the older man raised a hand, silencing him.

Lyria swallowed hard. She could feel the power radiating from this man—Elias's father, the Alpha of the pack. This was her chance. If she failed now, they wouldn't just reject her; they might kill her.

She took a deep breath and stepped forward.

Elias watched as Lyria faced his father, her small frame dwarfed by the power of the pack. She was afraid—he could sense it—but she didn't let it show. That fire in her eyes made something tighten in his chest.

"My name is Lyria," she began, voice firm. "I don't belong to your world, and I don't expect to be accepted in it. But I've seen the hunters, and I know what they're capable of. They won't stop until every last one of you is dead."

A murmur spread through the wolves.

The Alpha's expression remained unreadable. "And what do you suggest we do?"

Lyria hesitated. She hadn't expected him to listen so quickly.

Before she could answer, a new voice cut through the tension.

"She shouldn't even be alive."

The crowd parted, revealing a broad-shouldered man with dark red hair and piercing green eyes. His gaze burned with resentment.

"Calder," Elias muttered, his body going rigid.

Lyria recognized the name. Calder—the Beta. The one who had always been Elias's rival.

Calder sneered. "A human standing among us? Do you know what you've done, Elias? You've weakened us. You let emotions cloud your judgment."

Elias's fingers curled into fists. "And you think slaughtering her will make us stronger?"

Calder smirked. "It would be a start."

A growl rumbled in Elias's chest, but before he could move, the Alpha spoke.

"Enough."

Calder straightened, but his expression darkened.

The Alpha turned to Lyria. "You believe the hunters are coming?"

She nodded. "I don't believe. I know. I overheard them. They're tracking your movements, and they have new weapons. Silver, yes—but also something else. Something worse."

A flicker of concern passed through the Alpha's face. "Explain."

Lyria exhaled. "They've been experimenting. I saw them inject a wolf with something… something that turned it rabid. It lost control. It attacked its own pack."

A hush fell over the wolves. Even Calder's sneer faltered.

Elias stepped closer to her, voice low. "Are you sure?"

She met his gaze. "I wish I wasn't."

The Alpha was silent for a long moment. Then, he turned to the pack.

"We prepare for war."

The air crackled with energy as the wolves howled in unison.

But Lyria felt no triumph—only dread.

Because she knew something the others didn't.

The hunters weren't the only threat.

There was something else lurking in the shadows.

Something even the wolves feared.