Along with dozens of the highest-ranking wolves in the pack, Noah paced the lodge floor with nervous energy. Annoyed glances shot his way as he tapped out a haunting tune with his cane against the wooden floor. He didn’t pause the incessant tapping but tipped his hat to the aggravated wolves in apology. Fearful whispers and outlandish rumors ran rampant through the pack mates as they waited for their alpha to appear and ease their worries.
Finally, one of the lodge’s swinging doors slammed open, and Sylvie, along with Rowan and Alder, strode toward the podium at the front of the crowd. His eyes inspected every inch of his mate, sighing in relief when he didn’t spy any wounds or lingering injuries. Pride infused him as he watched his mate take her rightful place at the podium, commanding the attention of dozens of powerful shifters with a glance.
Her eyes swept over the wolves until they met his, and a small smile curved her lips. “Before we go any further, I will clear up any false rumors or misunderstandings. We are not under attack, and the pack remains safe under the protection of our guard wolves.”
The tension in the room popped, and the wolves cheered out, hugging their closest neighbor in relief. With his own cheer, he held his arms out to the closet pack mates, but with a flush on his face, he lowered them back to his sides when no one leaped into his arms.
Is it possible that the power of his charm was so great that it had become feared within the pack instead of worshipped? Promising himself that he wouldn’t use such a bewitching ability without extreme caution, he turned toward the podium, hoping to celebrate with his mate, who had already fallen under his irresistible spell.
However, the three wolves standing at the head of the pack didn’t share in their merriment or relief. If anything, their bodies tensed, and their stoic faces flashed signs of fear that looked out of place on the greatest warriors in the pack. After the buzz died down, Sylvie growled, silencing the rest of the murmurs and commanding the wolves’ attention.
“We are safe…for now. We have discovered the smoking remnants of the human caravan that visited our pack a few days ago. Every wagon lay in a charred wreckage, and the only survivors are the crows pecking at the human’s rotting flesh.”
Gasps rang out, and fierce arguments filled the air. Ice flowed down Noah’s spine as he pictured the hundreds of wagons and thousands of soldiers. Which force had the power to destroy a caravan of that size and leave no survivors?
A strange humming sound vibrated the air, cutting off the wolves’ arguments in a squeak. Sylvie’s eyes blazed silver, the iridescent glow casting her face in eerie but beautiful shadows. All eyes averted from her gaze, and every neck bared to her in submission.
“Only a day’s run from our border, the scouts discovered a few mortally injured Unseelie crawling through the forest. Before they could gather any intelligence, the creatures committed suicide with capsules filled with iron powder. After getting no intel, our scouts tracked the scent of the Unseelie forces and came upon a one-sided slaughter.”
A massive wolf step forward from the crowd, his eyes widened with fear. “How is that possible? The Unseelie would need five times the humans’ numbers to not allow a single survivor. There hasn’t been a force like that in decades for any of the supernatural races.”
Sylvie glanced at Rowan and nodded, stepping off of the podium and allowing the First Beta to address the crowd. A few months ago, Sylvie wouldn’t have allowed Rowan to stand beside the podium, let alone address the pack from its raised platform. He and his mate had grown during their time together, but he refused to give nature credit for their mating. Magical resonant couldn’t replace hard work and the ability to compromise.
The wooden podium bent and buckled under Rowan’s massive weight, but with a groan, it fulfilled its purpose. Rowan’s eyes scanned the crowd, his stoic demeanor failing to comfort the frightened wolves. “Do not rely on history for knowledge, or we will be blind to the dangers of the future. The humans are creating powerful alliances, threatening to return us to the old-world order. No longer fearing the magicless atmosphere, the Unseelie roam far from their portals with impunity. Imagine what the Vampires and Seelie are plotting beyond our sight.”
Another wolf emerged from the crowd, flashing an apologetic glance toward Noah. “The human caravan was heavily armed and contained thousands of soldiers. It is a tragedy for humanity, but it is a great blessing for our pack. The Unseelie would not dare invade our territory after such losses.”
Excited whispers broke out amongst the crowd, reveling in the perceived safety that thousands of dead humans had granted them. Noah clenched his cane and gritted his teeth in anger, but not at his excited pack mates. Rhys had equated numbers with power, and the arrogant delusions of one leader brought about the doom of thousands of innocents. Rhys deserved his fate, but many of his subordinates were good men who were only following his orders to provide for their families. Why did one man control the fate of so many?
Stepping in front of the crowd, he whistled to gain the attention of the wolves, but they ignored him, continuing to gush over the human sacrifices in cheerful chatter. A growl sounded out, silencing the crowd and demanding their attention. Noah glanced at Sylvie, who beckoned him forward to address the senior-level wolves.
“Excuse me, good wolves. Although we can all agree that the humans likely thinned the Unseelie forces, we are overlooking the most significant consequences,” he whispered as a deep sadness spread within him. The insults of one human leader couldn’t overcome a primal instinct of allying with those similar to oneself.
He paused for a few moments, waiting for any of the wolves to discover their oversights, but none stepped forward. “The caravan didn’t make it a week from our border before meeting their doom. The pack is well within the range of this Unseelie force.”
Nervous glances filled the room, but Noah pressed on before pandemonium could interrupt him. “As some of you correctly pointed out, the Unseelie must have sacrificed a sizeable chunk of their forces to annihilate the caravan. We must ask ourselves why they would be willing to diminish their army’s capabilities.”
Blank faces stared at him from the crowd, but Rowan, Sylvie, and Alder nodded to him with grim looks marring their faces. “The caravan sought to gain potential allies through trade. Their wagons would have been loaded with the appropriate wares to trade with any of the races.”
“Silver,” a wolf in the crowd whispered. The other pack members’ eyes widened, and gasps rang out. As they realized that an enemy with the strength to destroy the pack was now armed with their greatest weakness, the color drained from their faces.
He didn’t seek to cause panic within the pack, but feelings couldn’t overcome facts. “The humans would have been carrying wagons worth of silver weapons. I don’t know if it was enough to arm the entire Unseelie army, but they certainly are better prepared to invade our territory now.”
A frantic wolf, his eyes wild with fear, stepped out from the crowd with jerking movements. “This isn’t possible! An army is mobile, but their portals are not. Our scouts should have discovered their territory if it was within striking distance of our pack.”
Sensing panic was about to replace logic and rationale, Sylvie growled once more with her silver eyes blazing. Rowan stepped down from the podium, gesturing for his alpha to address her pack. Her raven hair fluttered when she stepped onto the podium, ensuring a power struggle between his charms and her beauty. Just because he lost his senses for an unknown amount of time didn’t mean that her beauty had overpowered him.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Not knowing what had occurred since his defeat, Noah refocused on Sylvie just in time to hear her next words. “You are correct. The logic that we have always used to counter the Fae has failed us. Until we discover how the Unseelie have bypassed the limitations of their portal, we must be vigilant now more than ever.”
Wood tapping on wood broke the silence, and the sea of wolves parted, allowing Calla to approach the raised podium. A tight bun held her wispy gray hair in place while a gnarled scar imprisoned one of her eyes. She didn’t bow in submission to Sylvie and held her alpha’s gaze with arrogant eyes. “I believe I have an answer to this perplexing puzzle…Sylvie.”
Noah frowned at the Guardian’s obvious display of disrespect. This was a blatant challenge to Sylvie, and he didn’t know what her taunting was supposed to achieve.
“Although it still should be impossible, we have only one explanation for the Unseelie movements,” Calla said, whacking her cane against the ground.
“Long ago, our pack encountered an Unseelie force that had strayed far from its portal. At such a distance, my mate and his warriors should have destroyed them without issue. Instead, we found ourselves in a bitter battle and on the brink of defeat.”
Calla stared down Sylvie as she told stories of the mate Ajax had murdered. “Just as all hope had been lost, a delusional pup snuck his way onto the battlefield, seeking to become a hero for the pack. A Sluagh overpowered him in an instant and threw him across the battlefield with such speed that I remember the whistling his body produced as it pierced the air.
“As he crashed into a copse of bushes with a crunch, the young pup believed his body to be broken. However, it was not the crunch of his bones breaking but the destruction of an artifact infused with fae magic. Upon its destruction, the artifact exploded, releasing the diluted fae magic into the atmosphere. As soon as the magic dissipated, some of the Unseelie lost their ability to use magic. Others became weakened to the point that a human could have overpowered them. And others didn’t even have a chance to retreat, dropping dead to the ground with no warning. With their power crippled, our pack routed them easily afterward.”
Sylvie stepped forward, not intimidated by Calla either, and their wills met mid-air, creating an almost visible tension of violence. “Where is this pup now? We must question him about the artifact’s appearance.”
Calla raised unsympathetic brows and released a sinister chuckle. “I’m afraid he won’t be able to answer your questions, Sylvie. You see, death granted my dreams of retribution just last year. Who would have guessed that the savior of the pack would grow up to be the tyrant who nearly destroyed it?”
Ignoring Calla’s provocations, Sylvie asked, “How can an artifact allow them to travel beyond their portal’s influence, and why do you claim it is impossible?”
Perhaps realizing that Sylvie was not the object of her hatred, Calla shook her head, releasing her negative emotions with a deep sigh. “The artifact served as a conduit, tethering their portal’s magic to a secondary location. However, it would take years for the conduit to secrete enough magic to transform a foreign land into an inhabitable location for the Unseelie. The artifact your father crushed was a ten-foot-high pentagram constructed entirely out of bones. Do you think such an artifact could go unnoticed for years so close to our border?”
“No, our scouts would have discovered such an evil blight on our lands within a week,” Sylvie whispered in an unsure voice. Anyone could lead when the correct paths were visible, but very few could lead others into the unknown.
“How will you respond to such a threat, Sylvie? Will you follow your father’s example, or will you forge your own path?” Calla asked, a glimmer of hope appearing in her eyes.
A deathly silence descended upon the wolves as they held their breath at Calla’s challenge. Unable to ignore the continued disrespect, Sylvie’s form flickered between wolf and human, a deranged growl rumbling from her chest. Whines rang out within the pack as the wolves flinched back from their alpha’s rage. Even Rowan and Alder backed away from the unstable alpha, holding their breaths and preparing to protect the pack from a berserk Sylvie.
With no fear, Noah strolled toward his mate, placing a hand on her shoulder. Skin turned to fur and then returned to skin beneath his hand, but he held on. “My mate, I believe this is your opportunity to take control of your fate. Do not waste it.”
Sylvie’s form flickered a few more times before it solidified into a human. Flushed and damp with sweat, she panted heavily. Wild eyes locked onto him, threatening indiscriminate violence, but he just smiled at his cranky mate.
“This is such a shame,” he said, shaking his head in disappointment. “I thought my mate was more powerful than this. Perhaps Wren might be a better partner for me.” He stroked his chin, deep in thought.
Sylvie’s wild eyes regained their focus in an instant, narrowing at him with a look that would have left him scrambling a few months ago, but now, he anticipated the lust his teasing induced in his mate. Her eyes snapped to his hand as he held up his mating mark for her to inspect. “Or perhaps not. It seems someone has already claimed me in this lifetime.”
Sylvie traced the mark on his hand with her fingertips, attempting to slow her breathing. At last, she took one last deep breath and dazzled him with a smile that he would never forget. She interlocked their fingers and pulled him onto the podium with her.
Her gaze passed over each of the wolves present, creating the illusion that she was speaking to each of them individually. “Although I respected my father’s power, I am not blind to the pain his cruelty caused. I do not seek to subjugate through fear and violence or lust after conquerable lands. I do not see our pack mates as mindless soldiers but as a loving family that I will protect until my dying breath. All I desire through my rule is the safety and happiness of every wolf in the Baleful Fiend Pack.”
Sylvie paused as Noah choked out an accidental sob, drawing uncomfortable looks from the warrior wolves in the pack. He wiped the tears from his cheeks before they could destroy his carefully constructed roguish image. Thankfully, his apprentices weren’t present to be embarrassed on his behalf.
Releasing his hand, Sylvie stepped forward to face Calla alone, creating such tension in the air that you could practically see the sparks spitting out of their eyes.
“I am the Alpha!” she shouted, shaking the tables at the far end of the lodge. “Will you challenge me for the position, Calla?”
No matter how much he respected Calla, his mate would not face this threat alone. A silver blade shot out of his cane as he prepared to fight beside Sylvie. Noticing the silver blade, Calla smirked at him before staring at Sylvie for a few moments. Slowly, a smile spread across her face, and she averted her eyes while baring her neck.
Cheers rang out amongst the wolves, celebrating that they wouldn’t witness the murder of their Alpha or Guardian today. Noah pumped his cane into the air in jubilation as his traitorous tears leaked down his cheeks. Sylvie stared Calla down for a few moments before nodding and returning to the podium.
“If you find an artifact or anything that seems out of place, bring it to the warriors’ attention at once. We must sever their source of magic and remove this blade hanging above our necks!”
Stepping forward, Rowan announced, “We will increase patrols to the maximum, but please do not rely on this and keep your wits about you. At the request of a wolf, we salvaged any iron we could find in the caravan’s wreckage. They are not the only ones who can use their enemies’ weakness against them!”
He slammed a fist into the wall of the lodge, cratering a large dent in the wood. A growl sounded out, and Rowan gulped, fussing with the wall and allowing his dreadlocks to hide him from Calla’s infuriated glare.
A sinking feeling filled Noah’s stomach, and his instincts screamed at him, warning of unseen danger. “Um, excuse me, Rowan. Which wolf did you say requested the iron?”
Resolutely avoiding Calla’s gaze, Rowan raised a brow at his question. “The young warrior, Silas,” he said with a shrug.
Noah’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head, and his ruffled shirt became soaked in sweat. “Oh shit,” he whispered, panic already beginning to set in.
Hearing his curse, Sylvie snapped her gaze toward him, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. He beamed a dazzling smile at her to fool her speculative gaze and tipped his hat in reassurance. Against all expectations, his efforts didn’t alleviate her concerns, and her eyes narrowed even further. Avoiding her eyes, he studied the fascinating podium beneath her feet, whistling out of the corner of his mouth in ignorant innocence.
Shaking her head and releasing a deep sigh at her troublesome mate, she faced the crowd again. “That is all! Dismissed!”
Her massive black wolf appeared on the podium, shaking the lodge with a howl. The pack mates shifted and returned her howl before darting off to their homes.
Silent throughout and unnoticed by all, Alder’s demented eyes darted between Noah’s mating mark and the unblemished skin on his own hand.