The fire crackled between them, casting dancing shadows across Lucas’s angular features.
"A sanctuary," Lucas repeated slowly. "On the Curse lands. With wolves, bears, serpents, and lions all living together." He leaned back, studying Alex with those pale, unreadable eyes. "You’re asking to approve sothing that goes against every instinct a pack lord has."
"I’m asking you to consider it," Alex corrected. "To et with the other lords. To see if there’s a way forward that works for everyone."
"And if I say no?"
"Then we figure sothing else out."
Lucas’s lips twitched—almost a smile, almost not. "You haven’t changed as much as you think. Still stubborn. Still optimistic."
His gaze drifted to where Naga sat coiled near the lodge entrance, Zale’s sphere floating beside him, Leo perched on a beam overhead. "Still collecting mates apparently."
The words had an edge to them, but not as sharp as Alex had feared.
"Zale bonded with because I needed him," Alex said quietly. "Because the cubs needed him. It wasn’t—I didn’t plan—"
"I know," Lucas interrupted. "I can sll the truth of it." He paused. "The r-prince slls like you now. Like family. Like pack, if wolves had packs that included fish." A slight grimace. "We don’t, but I understand the concept."
Sally, who had been pressed against Alex’s side throughout the formalities, made a small sound.
"Is he... is that good?" she whispered. "The fish comnt? That seed borderline insulting."
"For a wolf lord, that’s practically a complint," Alex whispered back.
Lucas’s eyes flicked to her. "The female speaks. Good. You have opinions?"
"Many," Sally said, then seed to realize who she was talking to. "I an—yes? Sir? Lord?"
"Lucas is fine." He tilted his head, studying her. "You’re young. But you have the sa stubborn set to your jaw as your brother. That will serve you well here or get you killed."
"Bit of both probably," Sally muttered.
Another almost-smile from Lucas.
"Alex," he said, returning his attention to the matter at hand. "You’ve asked for sothing significant. I need ti to consider. The pack elders will want to discuss—"
A howl split the night.
Distant, but urgent. Warning.
Lucas was on his feet in an instant, all trace of informality gone.
"That’s the eastern border," Storm said, already moving. "Sothing’s wrong."
The lodge erupted into organized chaos. Wolves shifted, weapons appeared from hidden places, and Lucas was barking orders with the sharp precision of soone who’d years defending his territory.
By the ti Alex’s family arrived—snakelings safely positioned in the branches above with Naga coiled protectively around them—the fight was already underway.
Lucas stood at the center of it, silver-white fur matted with blood that wasn’t his, facing down a group of rogue shifters Alex didn’t recognize. They were big, heavily scarred, and they moved with the coordinated purpose of rcenaries rather than pack hunters.
"Trespassers," Storm gasped, appearing at Alex’s side. "Ca out of nowhere. They’re not stopping."
"How many?"
"Too many." Storm’s eyes were wild. "They knew our patrol patterns. Knew exactly where to hit."
Inside Alex’s head, System’s voice rang with urgency.
[Host—there’s sothing wrong here. These attackers aren’t random. They’re too organized. Too prepared.]
"Prepared for what?"
[For you. Look—]
System highlighted three figures at the edge of the fight. They weren’t engaging wolves. They were watching. Searching.
Waiting for sothing.
Or soone.
The realization hit Alex like ice water.
"They’re here for ," he breathed. "This is—they’re using the attack as cover. To get to—"
A wolf scread.
Alex’s head snapped toward the sound. Lucas had been separated from his pack, driven back toward the tree line by a coordinated assault. Three of the largest attackers circled him, cutting off retreat.
And the watchers at the edge—they were moving now. Toward Alex.
"Leo!" Alex shouted.
"I see them." Leo was already descending from his perch, golden eyes blazing. "Naga—protect the cubs. I’ll cover Alex."
"No," Alex said. "Cover Lucas. He’s about to be overwheld."
Leo’s hesitation lasted less than a second. Then he was gone, a blur of movent toward the Wolf Lord’s position.
Alex turned to face the approaching threat.
Three figures. Big. Scarred. Eyes fixed on him with the focused intensity of predators who’d found their prey.
"System—"
[I know. I’m calculating—]
One of them lunged.
Alex moved on instinct, years of surviving in this world kicking in. He dodged, rolled, ca up with a rock in his hand—pathetic weapon, but better than nothing.
"Bearer," the attacker hissed. "The Shadow Lord sends his regards."
Shadow Lord.
The attacker’s words hit Alex like a physical blow—but there was no ti to process, no ti to ask questions, because all three of them were moving now, coordinated and deadly.
The first attacker’s claws raked across Alex’s arm, drawing blood. Alex stumbled back, barely keeping his feet.
"Alex!" Sally’s scream cut through the chaos.
"Stay back!" he roared, not daring to look at her. He couldn’t—if he looked away for even a second—
The three rogue wolves circled him with the easy confidence of hunters who’d cornered their prey.
"The Shadow Lord wants you alive," the lead attacker said, grinning through broken teeth. "Didn’t say we couldn’t have fun first."
[Host, your combat effectiveness against three trained shifters is approximately 12%. I’m running ergency protocols but—]
The second attacker lunged. Alex dodged left, but the third was waiting, claws extended—
A silver-white blur slamd into the attacker, sending them both tumbling across the forest floor.
Lucas.
He was bleeding from a dozen wounds, his fur matted and dark, but his eyes burned with the ancient fury of a wolf protecting what was his.
"You don’t touch him," Lucas snarled, positioning himself between Alex and the attackers. "Not while I’m breathing."
"Lucas, you’re hurt—"
"I’ve been hurt before." Lucas didn’t look back. "Stay behind ."
The three attackers regrouped, spreading out to flank them. Behind them, the main battle raged—wolves fighting desperately against the organized assault, Leo cutting through rcenaries like a golden scythe, Drakar’s roar shaking the very trees.
But here, in this small pocket of chaos, it was just Alex and Lucas against three killers who moved with unnatural coordination.
"Weak," the lead attacker mocked. "A Wolf Lord bleeding out and a Bearer who can’t fight. The Shadow Lord will be pleased."
"System," Alex breathed, "I need sothing. Anything."
[I’m working on it. There’s an ergency protocol—but it’s untested. Extrely dangerous. It would teleport you both to a random safe location but—]
"Do it."
[Host, I can’t guarantee—]
"DO IT."
The attackers lunged as one.
Lucas t them head-on, his body taking blows ant for Alex, his claws finding throats and eyes with the desperate precision of a dying wolf buying ti.
But there were too many.
One broke through.
Claws raised.
Alex saw them coming, saw the killing blow descending, and knew he couldn’t dodge in ti.
Then Lucas was there—sohow, impossibly, between Alex and death again—and the claws that should have taken Alex’s life tore through Lucas’s chest instead.
Lucas fell.
"NO!"
[ERGENCY PROTOCOL ACTIVATED. HOLD ON TO HIM. HOLD ON AND DON’T LET GO.]
Alex dropped to his knees, grabbing Lucas’s massive wolf form, feeling the hot blood soak through his clothes, the labored breath against his chest.
The world dissolved into light and pain and the sensation of being torn apart and reassembled.
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