Chapter 4: Blood Moon Pack
Kayden POV
My father called an emergency meeting at 5:30 in the bloody morning. I rubbed my eyes, still half-asleep, as I walked into my office. Ever since I became Alpha at 21, my father had stepped back, letting me take the reins with his guidance. But today? This was different.
“Dad, what’s going on?” I asked, trying to shake the fog of sleep from my mind.
“Karaya Island,” Alpha Keaton said gravely, “Their volcano erupted.”
That stopped me cold. Karaya Island was home to the Osupa Pack— the largest, most powerful pack in the world. An attack on them was unheard of. But a volcano? That was another story.
“They’re evacuating,” my father continued. “We need to be ready to take in refugees. Some are already on their way.”
“How many?”
“Last census: 10,800 wolves.” He answered.
“Wait, 10,800?!” I blinked, trying to process the numbers. The Blood Moon Pack was one of the largest in the U.S. with only 2,000 wolves. There was no way we could handle that many.
My father frowned. “It’s a disaster, son. And we’re not the only ones helping. Alpha Marius from Blue Moon Pack is offering assistance. Both we and they owe the Osupa a Blood Oath.”
I swallowed, feeling the weight of that oath. My father’s life—and mine—was saved because of Alpha Gúarionex, and the last thing I wanted was to fail them now. “Right. We’ll make it work.”
Marcus, my Beta, spoke up. “Has the High Council been informed?” His mind link came through: Kayden, if they survive, they’ll outnumber us. And Marius… are we sure we can trust him?
Not really, I answered, glancing at Marcus.
My father sighed. “The Osupa Pack answers only to Avalon. They don’t fall under High Council's jurisdiction. They have a Priestess and High Priestess, but…” He exchanged a look with my mother.
“Loiza?” my mother whispered.
“Yeah,” my father replied, his voice barely audible. “She’s young, just 22. Isla said she’s still learning, but it’s a tough situation.”
My mother’s gaze dropped to her forearm, the place where her mark used to be. It was a soft, bitter reminder of what had been lost, and I could see the pain flash across her face. My father moved to comfort her, his voice low. “You’ve done your part, love. It’s over now.”
She didn’t respond, but I could see her trying to push the old hurt away. I knew there was more to that story, but it wasn’t the time.
I cleared my throat. “Marcus, Avis—find a safe place for the planes to land. Get the medics ready. Gabriel, stay with my father and coordinate with Marius. I want to meet him in person as soon as possible.”
Gabriel nodded and hurried out of the room.
I let out a slow breath. The situation was far from ideal. Marius… well, I wasn’t a fan of the man. Sure, he was an ally, but I had my reservations. And while I had no issue with casual relationships, I never allowed them to cloud my judgment. My duty to my pack was more important than anything else.
Right now, that meant doing whatever we could to help the Osupa and protect our people. Everything else could wait.
