Chapter 3 The attack
DEVON'S POV
‘Don't you think you should reconsider this trip?’ My wolf, Jared asked as I walked out of the pack house.
‘Why?’ My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ‘Don't tell me it's because of what Desmond said?’
‘There could be a reason why he wants us to postpone this.’
‘Don't be so paranoid,’ I dismissed him. ‘Desmond just doesn't want me to go.’
He sighed and retreated.
The night cold air hit my face as i arrived at the back gate of the pack Mansion where my trusted guards were securing the supplies to our horses. There were only five of them, my most loyal warriors, men who had sworn blood oaths to protect me with their lives.
No one except them and my brother knew about my quest to find the survivor of the Hybrid clan. That was why i was leaving through the back gate at night.
"We're ready, Alpha," Marcus said, his breath misting in the cold air.
I nodded, pulling my hood lower over my face. The less attention we drew, the better.
"Remember," I said, my voice low, "we are traveling merchants. Nothing more. If anyone asks, we're looking for rare herbs to sell. Understood?"
My guards nodded in unison. They had done this before. They knew the drill. If the other packs knew that the Alpha of Darkwood was wandering through their territories, asking questions about the hybrid massacre, it would raise suspicions I couldn't afford.
And some might even use that opportunity to attack, knowing that I had few warriors with me.
We set out in silence, our horses' hooves muffled by the fallen leaves that carpeted the forest floor.
The first pack we visited was the Silvermoon Pack, a small territory that bordered the Hybrid lands. Their Alpha was an old man named Gregor, he welcomed us into his hall with the cautious hospitality of someone who had learned not to trust strangers.
"Merchants, you say?" Gregor asked, his eyes narrowing as he studied us. "We don't get many merchants this far out."
I kept my head bowed, my hood still up. "We're looking for rare herbs. White nightshade, specifically. We heard it grows in the territories beyond."
Gregor's expression flickered, something dark and painful passing through his eyes. "Beyond? You mean the hybrid lands?"
"The hybrid lands, yes." I watched him carefully. "We were told there might still be... remnants there. Survivors who might have cultivated the plants."
The old Alpha was silent for a long moment. Then he shook his head, a gesture of such profound sadness that I felt it in my chest.
"There are no survivors," he said quietly. "The clans were wiped out. Every last one of them."
"Are you certain?" I pressed, keeping my voice level. "Surely some must have escaped. There were so many clans…"
"They were hunted down." Gregor's voice was sharp now, almost angry. "Every hybrid, every half-breed, every child of mixed blood. They were slaughtered like animals. People said the Luna of Darkwood Pack was responsible but no one has been able to confirm if that is true."
That was another reason I wanted to find them. The rumours that my mother ordered the massacre because of what happened to my father spread like wildfire. My mother was determined to find out the truth and clear her name but she died three years later without completely her missions.
Now I had to complete it for her.
"Thank you for your hospitality," I said, rising from my seat. "We'll be on our way."
We left Silvermoon with nothing but more questions.
The next three packs gave us the same answers. The Thornwood Pack. The Rivershade Pack. The Stormclaw Pack. Each one offered the same story: the hybrids were gone, massacred in a night of blood and fire that no one had seen coming. They all believed it was my mother's doing.
By the end of the week, I was beginning to think that Desmond was right. That I was chasing ghosts. That my mother's last wish had been nothing more than the desperate hope of a dying woman.
"We should head back," Marcus said on the seventh night, his voice gentle. He had been my closest friend for years, and he knew how much this mission meant to me. But he also knew when to be practical. "The supplies are running low. It won't last more than two days."
I stared into the dying fire, watching the embers glow and fade. "One more day," I said. "We'll try the Shadow Woods territory. The old maps show a pack there, the Moonstone Pack. It was the largest hybrid settlement. If there are any survivors, they would be there."
Marcus sighed but nodded. "As you wish, Alpha."
We set out at dawn, heading to Moonstone Pack. We were halfway through the woods when the fog rolled in.
It appeared from nowhere, a thick white mist that swallowed the path ahead of us. Our horses whinnied nervously, stamping their hooves. I bared my fangs, my instincts screaming that something was wrong.
"Stay close," I ordered. "Don't let…"
The attack came without warning.
Wolves burst from the fog, massive, snarling beasts with eyes that glowed like embers. They were impossible to see clearly, their forms shifting and dissolving in the mist. My warriors immediately shifted into huge wolves but it was hard to fight back when we couldn't even see the attackers or ourselves
A wolf lunged at me, its claws raking across my chest. I screamed, and fell off my horse. I shifted through the pain and tried to defend myself. Another wolf came from my left, its teeth sinking into my arm. I felt the bone crack, felt blood spray across my face.
The world spun. I tried to fight, tried to call out to my guards, but the fog was too thick. I could hear their screams, the sounds of battle, and then…
There was complete silence.
I felt a claw tearing my back before I collapsed to the ground.
I woke to the sweetest scent I had ever smelled. It was like honey and wildflowers, like rain on a summer afternoon, like everything good and pure in the world. The scent wrapped around me, warm and inviting, and I found myself chasing it even as consciousness slowly returned.
My eyes fluttered open. I was lying in a small hard bed. The room was small but cozy, with stone walls and a crackling fire in the hearth. And there, hovering over me, was the most beautiful man I had ever seen.
He looked so young, with skin the color of honey and dark hair that fell in soft waves around his face. His eyes were the color of amber, warm and luminous, filled with a kindness that made my chest ache. He had high cheekbones and full lips, a delicate jaw that spoke of omega heritage, and a presence that seemed to glow from within.
He was wearing a simple tunic, but it did nothing to hide the graceful lines of his body. His scent, that incredible, intoxicating scent—was coming from him. And for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
"Hello," he said softly, his voice like music. "You're awake."
I tried to speak, but my throat was dry. He reached for a cup of water, lifting it to my lips with gentle hands. I drank, my eyes never leaving his face.
"Where am I?" I managed finally. "Who are you?"
He smiled at me and my heart stutter in my chest.
"My name is Eldwin," he said. "And I saved your life.”
