Chapter 28:
“And if he attacks while we wait?” Miriam asked, her tone challenging.
“Then we’ll be ready,” I replied, meeting her gaze with unwavering determination.
It wasn’t a perfect plan, and I knew it wouldn’t satisfy everyone. But it was the best choice I could make in the face of so much uncertainty. Slowly, the council began to nod, though the tension in the room lingered like a stubborn shadow.
As the council began to disperse, their murmurs filling the room once more, Dante lingered behind. He waited until the others were out of earshot before speaking.
“You’re making the right call,” he said, his voice quiet but certain.
“Am I?” I asked, allowing some of my doubt to slip through now that we were alone. My gaze fell to the map spread across the table, its edges worn from use, the lines marking the borders and patrol routes feeling more fragile with every passing day.
“Silas is smarter than we’re giving him credit for. If we’re not careful, we’ll play right into his hands.”
Dante stepped closer, his voice steady but low.
“You’re not alone in this.”
“Leading with fear, Elara. That’s what makes you different. That’s what makes you stronger.”
His words were a balm to the uncertainty swirling in my chest, but they didn’t erase it completely. I looked up at him, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. But there was none. For all the doubts the council and the pack had about him, Dante was certain. Certain in his role, certain in me.
“Unity is fragile,” I said, more to myself than to him.
“And Silas knows exactly how to break it.”
“Then we don’t let him,” Dante said simply.
“We show the pack that strength isn’t just about fighting. It’s about trust. About knowing that when the time comes, we’ll stand together.”
His certainty steadied me in a way I couldn’t explain. For now, it would have to be enough.
POV: Elara
The night was still, unnaturally so. It was the kind of silence that made your instincts prickle and your heartbeat quicken. The forest felt like it was holding its breath, waiting for something to shatter the fragile peace. I stood near the patrol station, watching as the last group prepared to head out. Osric was at the front, his sharp eyes scanning the treeline as if he could see through the darkness itself. Even in the dim light, his posture radiated tension.
“Stay sharp,” he told the wolves behind him. His voice was low but commanding, cutting through the stillness.
“Silas isn’t going to send his wolves in broad daylight. They’ll come like ghosts, silent and deadly.”
I nodded my approval as I approached.
“And they’ll be met with wolves who know their land better than anyone.”
Osric glanced at me, his expression unreadable but not unkind.
“We’re ready.”
I wanted to believe him, to trust in the defenses we had spent days strengthening. But a weight settled in my chest—a premonition I couldn’t shake. Something was coming. I could feel it in the air, an almost tangible charge that made my skin crawl.
The patrols moved out, their shapes disappearing into the darkness like shadows swallowed by the night. I lingered for a moment, my gaze fixed on the treeline, before turning back toward the central compound.
The pack was quieter tonight. The usual chatter and laughter had been replaced by a tension that hung in the air like a storm cloud. Wolves gathered in small clusters, speaking in hushed tones. Even the younger wolves, usually bursting with energy, were subdued, their eyes darting nervously toward the forest. I caught snippets of conversation as I passed.
“Do you think Silas will attack soon?”
