I stormed out of the underground chamber, my boots striking the stone floor with the weight of war, echoing through the narrow passage like a warning. My fists were clenched, blood roaring in my ears, and my wolf thrashed beneath my skin, barely restrained.
Lucien.
I had suspected him from the moment the first rogue crossed into my territory. The timing, the precision, the eerie silence that followed. But suspicion was one thing.
Confirmation was another.
That rogue’s voice still echoed in my mind. Broken, rasping, but clear: Lucien sent me.
Now it wasn’t theory. It was a declaration.
He had invaded my land.
He had killed my people.
And worst of all, he had my children under his roof.
Xavier kept pace beside me, jaw tight and fists trembling. Rage poured off him in waves, barely contained.
“I knew it,” he muttered, voice rough. “That bastard’s been testing our boundaries for months. Now he’s not even pretending.”
I didn’t answer. My breathing was sharp and deliberate, a storm barely held in check. Every muscle in my body was taut, wound so tight I could snap. My wolf clawed to get out, desperate for blood.
This wasn’t a time for mercy. This was war.
We reached the main hall of the packhouse, and I turned to Xavier, my voice cutting through the air.
“Call the warriors. I want every single one of them armed and ready within the hour.”
Xavier blinked, then nodded. The fury in his face shifted to deadly focus.
“We're going to war?”
A grim smile touched my lips. “No one steps into my territory, kills my people, and hides behind politics. Lucien drew first blood. I will not give him the chance to draw a second.”
Xavier broke into a run, already barking orders as he headed for the training grounds.
I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I hadn’t touched in years. As it rang, I stared out across the horizon.
This ends now.
Two rings.
“Alpha Damien,” came a voice on the other end. Calm. Cautious.
“Alpha Greyson,” I said. “You’ve heard about the recent rogue attacks?”
A pause. “I have.”
“Good,” I replied. “Then you’ll want to know who’s behind them. It’s Lucien.”
Another pause. Then a slow exhale. “Lucien?”
“Yes,” I said. “And I’m not waiting around for another funeral. I’m taking the fight to him.”
Silence. Then a low chuckle. “So. War is coming.”
I watched the packhouse come to life. Warriors moving. Weapons drawn. Orders being shouted.
“No,” I said. “War is already here.”