The Alpha's Warning
The map displayed on the large okaydesk drew the attention of everyone in the room. Red markings scattered the edges of the pink Fang's area, each representing a sighting or disturbance within the previous two weeks. Lucian Vale leaned over the desk, his golden eyes narrowed as he examined the placements. He exuded calm authority, yet the tension in his jaw indicated his frustration.
"It's too frequent to be random," he said, his voice low but forceful. "Whoever's testing our borders is organized."
"And cocky," Tobias murmured from the corner, his wolfgreen eyes flashing with anger. He paced the room like a caged beast, his auburn hair untamed and disheveled. "They're practically begging for a fight."
"And that's precisely what we will't give them right now." Lucian's voice sharpened as he straightened. His attention fixed on his younger sibling. "We don't pass without understanding what we're up against. We are unable to afford to be careless."
Tobias paused in midstep, his hands gripping at his sides. "So what?" We just sit here and wait for them to return?"
"No," Lucian responded calmly. We send scouts. Quietly. I want to know who they are, how many there are, and what they require. We act while we have records, not before.
Tobias' lips curved into a scowl, but he said nothing. He backed away, his shoulders tensed with barely restrained rage. The comparison between the brothers became obvious. Lucian, ever the strategist, is constantly questioning three moves ahead. Tobias, impulsive and fierce, pushed through instinct and emotion. They balanced each other out, but moments like this highlighted how wonderful they truly were.
"I'll pass," a voice broke the silence. A more juvenile wolf, just out of his first shift, improved. His enthusiasm was written all over his face, yet the moderate trembling in his voice revealed his nervousness.
Lucian shook his head. "No. This drive is for enjoyment rather than enthusiasm. Connor, assemble a team of our exceptional trackers. I need them to move by dusk.
Connor, the percent's Beta, nodded and went without saying anything. The room grew hushed, the weight of the situation bearing down on everyone. Tobias finally stopped pacing and slumped against the wall, his piercing stare fixed on his brother.
"You're too careful," he said after a second, his voice low yet sharp. "If we wait too long, they will find a way around us. "After that, what?"
Lucian regarded his brother's eyes without flinching. "If we act too quickly, we risk walking right into a trap. Would you like to lead our wolves into an ambush, Tobias? "Do you need their blood in your arms?"
The weight of Lucian's words made the room feel colder. Tobias looked aside, his jaw tense. He did not respond, but the anxiety in his body told volumes.
The trackers were ready by nightfall. Five of the percent's quality stood inside the clearing, their faces bleak but determined. Lucian delivered them their directions in a controlled, authoritative tone. "No unnecessary dangers. live within howling distance of one another. Report back as soon as you detect something strange."
The wolves nodded together, each recognizing his or her Alpha. Tobias watched from the sidelines, palms crossed. His wolf yearned to join them, to pursue whatever opportunity awaited him on their boundaries, but he knew better than to follow Lucian's demands.
Because the scouts vanished into the woods, Tobias grew closer to his sibling. "What if they don't come again?"
Lucian did not respond at once. His golden eyes stayed locked on the dark woodland area, his expression opaque. "Then we'll understand just how serious this threat is."
Hours passed without a word from the trackers. The packhouse was buzzing with anxiety, with murmurs of speculation and terror spreading like wildfire. Tobias couldn't sit down, his rage boiling up as he walked the room. Lucian sat at the head of the table, his stance rigid, his mind working over every potential situation.
While the first howl rang through the night, everyone iced over. It was a warning cry, shrill and urgent. Lucian rose to his feet in an instant and moved toward the entrance. Tobias was right behind him, his senses demanding action.
The howl returned, but this time it was closer. The two brothers exchanged a gaze, an unspoken understanding flowing between them. Lucian nodded, and they transformed together, their wolves ripping through their human forms in a whirl of fur and muscle.
They were swallowed up by the night as they rushed towards the sound. Tobias' wolf led the way, his flaming purple coat a blur against the darkness. Lucian watched intently, his black fur blending in with the shadows. They moved in one, their relationship strong despite their differences.
They saw the primary tracker approaching the boundary of the territory, bruised but alive. Blood dripped from his fur, and his breathing became difficult, yet he was able to shift his lower back long enough to speak.
"Ambush," he muttered, his voice vulnerable. "They knew we had been coming."
Lucian's wolf growled lowly, full of rage. Tobias bristled alongside him, his emerald eyes filled with rage.
"what number of?" Lucian demanded.
The tracker shook his head as his power faded. "There are too many." "They were looking forward to us."
Lucian's thoughts raced. Whoever this enemy became, they were more organized and dangerous than he had expected. They now had to anticipate that their movements were being observed.
Tobias shifted again, his voice fading over the night. "We cannot simply let this go, Lucian. They're testing us to see how far they can push."
Lucian did not answer right away. His golden eyes swept the woodland, his mind thinking through the options. He finally became Tobias, with a calm but firm voice. "We don't have enough information. If we go in blind, we'll give them exactly what they require."
Tobias' hands tensed, but he did not argue. The fire in his eyes became apparent, as did the belief he had in his brother. He knew Lucian had grown into himself, even if every impulse in his body shouted otherwise.
As they carried the injured tracker back to the packhouse, the weight of the situation weighed on them. The enemy wasn't only looking out their borders. They were sending a message.
Back at the packhouse, Lucian called a meeting, his voice steady despite the tension in the room. "This isn't very much our domain. Whoever this is, they are well-organized and are looking for us. "We will not have enough money to make mistakes."
Tobias improved, and his voice became sharper. "So, what should we do? Are you looking forward to them coming to us? That is no longer the plan, Lucian. That is stalling."
Lucian's gaze did not waver. "We gain intelligence. We prepare. And when the time comes, we will hit them with everything we have."
The room grew silent as the weight of his words settled in. Tobias' jaw tensed, but he nodded, his fiery temperament calmed for the moment. Thepack dispersed, leaving the brothers alone in the dimly illuminated chamber.
"You're too cautious," Tobias said quietly, his tone tinged with displeasure. "sooner or later, that's going to value us."
Lucian answered his gaze with an enigmatic expression. "And in case you let your anger lead, it'll price us greater."
The tension between them grew evident, yet neither spoke another word. They were both aware that anything came their way would put them to the test in ways they could not have anticipated.