Talon's POV
I sat in my office, watching as the candle on my desk slowly burned out and the sky outside my window began to brighten.
My mind couldn't help but drift back to everything that had transpired since I joined the Purple Moon Pack.
"Alpha, we should go."
Suddenly, there was a dull shout from outside the door, followed by Bard entering with a bandage wrapped around his head, pushing the door open.
"Hmm," I nodded softly, stifling a sigh. Running away in the early morning on such a quiet day was indeed humiliating for me.
"Is it true that we don't need to inform Ms. Caitlyn?" Bard pursed his lips and scratched his head.
"No need to. It will be so dangerous and risky this time. I shouldn't put her in danger again. It's a deal between Pantheon and me," I murmured, gazing at a sweet picture of Caitlyn on my phone.
"What do you mean?" Bard looked excited, realizing that teaming up with Pantheon would significantly improve our chances of success.
"Alpha, the team is ready, but the scouts who were observing Shaco's team hasn't returned yet. Should we wait a bit longer?" Braum asked anxiously.
"No need, let's leave now. They won't be coming back," I replied. My words weighed heavily on their hearts, dispelling any lingering hesitation. They pulled open the door and stepped out.
Initially, when I came to the Purple Moon Pack, I had limited manpower. I had been concerned that Alpha Shaco might become suspicious, but from the very beginning, he had been wary of me. After our last conflict, the warriors who followed me numbered only around ten.
"Alpha, something feels off here."
As we ventured into the forest along the camp's outskirts, a deathly silence enveloped us. Although it was early in the morning, and few people were around, the absence of the usual sounds of insects and birds struck Braum as strange.
"Stay on guard!"
Bard shouted in a deep voice, and the soldiers around us dispersed in all directions, scanning the area carefully. I closed my eyes and felt a sudden shudder as the distant roar slowly faded away.
"Watch out," I whispered. Bard immediately snapped to attention, his nose sniffing the air as he traced the scent to the end of the group and squinted in the direction we had come from.
As the sound became more distinct, a large, dark mass of figures approached slowly. Despite limited visibility, my unique night vision allowed me to see that the pursuers rushing toward us didn't belong to the same pack.
"Alpha Talon, why are you leaving without a word? Didn't we agree on an alliance? If you're departing so silently, what will we do when other packs come looking for us?" Suddenly, a loud and cheerful laugh echoed from the dense forest ahead, followed by the appearance of Alpha Shaco and a dense crowd of silhouettes behind him.
Among them was the last face I wanted to see—the smirking visage of Jayce.
"Alpha Talon, if you depart without bidding farewell, people will say our Purple Moon Pack lacks manners. Why don't you stay a few more days? Soon, our pack will host a ball, and we'll need your support then."
Jayce's face sported a disgustingly fake smile. It was hard to believe Caitlyn had ever fallen for someone like him.
While Alpha Shaco and Jayce maintained a facade of politeness, it was evident to everyone present that it was all for show.
They knew that the best way to resolve the impending conflict was to eliminate me before I returned to my pack, where there would be no room for diplomacy.
"Alpha Shaco, thanks for your kindness. But we're merely going back to regroup for a while. There's no need for such formality. Once we're back, I'll be sure to recount the fond memories of our time in the Purple Moon Pack to my brothers."
I waved my hand toward Alpha Shaco, forcing a polite smile on my face and deliberately emphasizing the phrase "fond memories."
My words caused Alpha's expression to sag. Of course, he was well aware of the consequences of letting me go back, which is why he sent a group with several times our manpower to guard the path we had to take.
"At this point, you're still talking tough. I wonder how much truth remains in the rumors," Jayce sneered, spitting to the side. He looked at me with a vicious expression, as if he had already foreseen my fate.
"Then you won't know until you try," I retorted, looking at him with disdain. As I scanned their crowd, I noticed not only the warriors in black uniforms but also some soldiers in cyan uniforms with a golden wolf head logo on their chests.
Clearly, all of them were members of the lycan, and this journey back home was about to become exceptionally perilous. Just as our two sides reached a standoff, a small werewolf hurried over from behind Jayce, likely a scout gathering information.
The scout whispered a few words into Alpha Shaco's ear and then awaited his response, looking up into Shaco's face. Shaco, after searching the crowd for a moment, furrowed his brow as it became apparent that Pantheon was nowhere to be found in the group.
Suddenly, it seemed he remembered something, and he quickly returned to his earlier, seemingly benign, fake smile. "We'll see you off here and hope you all have a safe and uneventful journey," he said, still standing and smiling while waving.
However, this time, many pairs of glowing eyes were hidden in the dark corners behind us.