The words hung in the air like a curse.
"The priestess has awakened."
For several seconds no one spoke.
Elara felt every pair of eyes in the room slowly shift toward her.
"That is a very uncomfortable sentence," she said quietly.
No one laughed.
Kael's jaw tightened.
"Describe the man," he ordered the scout.
The young wolf swallowed.
"He was tall. Dark hair. Pale skin. He looked… calm."
Rowan frowned.
"Calm?"
"Yes. The Lycans were tearing through the patrol, but he just stood there watching."
Mira leaned forward.
"Did he fight?"
The scout shook his head.
"No."
"Did he transform?"
"No."
The elder's voice lowered.
"Then he was not a Lycan."
Rowan looked confused.
"Lycans do not follow humans."
"No," the elder agreed. "They do not."
A cold realization crept across Kael's expression.
"Unless the human controls them."
The room fell silent again.
Elara blinked.
"You are telling me there might be a human commanding monsters."
The elder's eyes darkened.
"Or something that only appears human."
Elara rubbed her temples.
"This situation just keeps getting worse."
Kael turned back to the scout.
"Where did they go."
"East," the scout answered. "Toward the ravine."
Kael's mind worked quickly.
The ravine cut deep into the forest and led to miles of abandoned terrain.
Perfect for an enemy to disappear.
Or to gather.
Rowan spoke first.
"If they were searching for Elara, they will come back."
"Yes," Mira said. "And next time they will bring more."
Elara exhaled slowly.
"That is very reassuring."
Kael turned toward her.
"You should not leave the pack house tonight."
"That was not my plan."
Rowan glanced at Kael.
"We should move her."
Mira nodded immediately.
"To the inner quarters."
Elara frowned.
"Inner quarters sounds like a prison."
"It is the safest place in the territory," Rowan said.
"That is what people always say right before something terrible happens."
Kael ignored the comment.
"Rowan, double the patrols. I want wolves at every border."
Rowan nodded.
"Already on it."
"Mira, gather the fighters."
She gave him a sharp smile.
"I was hoping you would say that."
Within seconds both of them were already moving toward the door.
The room emptied quickly until only Kael, Elara, and the elder remained.
The silence returned.
Elara crossed her arms.
"Be honest with me."
Kael looked at her.
"How bad is this."
He did not lie.
"Very bad."
She sighed.
"I figured."
The elder stepped closer.
"Child, there is something you must understand."
Elara looked at him.
"Being connected to the priestess bloodline does not just make you important."
She raised an eyebrow.
"What does it make me."
"It makes you a weapon."
The words landed heavily.
Elara's stomach twisted.
"I did not ask for that."
"Power rarely asks permission," the elder replied.
Kael watched her carefully.
Despite everything, she was holding herself together remarkably well.
Most humans would have already broken under this pressure.
But there was strength in her.
A quiet resilience.
Perhaps that was part of the priestess bloodline too.
Elara suddenly looked up.
"There is something else that does not make sense."
Kael frowned.
"What."
"The man the scout saw."
"Yes."
"If he knew I was a priestess, why did he leave without taking me."
The elder's eyes narrowed slightly.
"That is a good question."
Kael thought about it.
His instincts whispered something unsettling.
"Because he already got what he wanted."
Elara's heart skipped.
"What could he possibly want besides me."
Kael did not answer immediately.
Instead he walked toward the large window again.
The forest stretched endlessly beyond the pack house.
Dark.
Silent.
Watching.
Then it hit him.
Kael turned sharply.
"The patrol."
The elder looked confused.
"What about them."
"They were not the target," Kael said.
Elara frowned.
"Then what was."
Kael's voice became dangerously quiet.
"A distraction."
At that exact moment a distant howl echoed through the forest.
Then another.
And another.
Rowan suddenly burst back into the room.
"Kael."
The urgency in his voice confirmed everything.
"What happened," Kael asked.
Rowan looked furious.
"The southern border just got hit."
Mira appeared behind him.
"With twice as many Lycans."
Elara felt the blood drain from her face.
"You said they were at the north."
"They were," Rowan replied.
"Then how—"
Kael understood immediately.
"There were two groups."
Mira nodded grimly.
"And the second group just broke through the border."
The room erupted into motion again.
Rowan turned toward Kael.
"They are moving fast."
"How many."
"At least twenty."
Elara's voice trembled slightly.
"That is not a search party."
"No," Kael said.
"It is not."
His wolf stirred inside him, restless and angry.
The enemy was no longer testing them.
This was a real attack.
The elder stepped closer.
"They are escalating faster than expected."
"Yes," Kael said.
"And that means something changed."
Elara looked at him.
"What."
Kael met her gaze.
"You."
She swallowed.
"That silver light."
"Yes."
Rowan clenched his fists.
"They know she is the priestess now."
Mira spoke quietly.
"And they are coming to claim her."
A thunderous crash suddenly echoed somewhere deep inside the pack house.
Everyone froze.
Elara's eyes widened.
"Please tell me that was not inside this building."
Another crash followed.
Closer this time.
Kael's eyes flashed gold.
"They are here."
Rowan stared at him.
"That is impossible."
"We just cleared the perimeter," Mira said.
Kael's instincts screamed.
"Not all of it."
The third crash shattered something heavy downstairs.
Followed by the unmistakable sound of snarling.
Rowan's expression turned deadly.
"They tunneled in."
The elder whispered something ancient under his breath.
Elara slowly stood from her chair.
"You said this place was safe."
Kael looked at her.
"It was."
Another howl echoed from inside the building.
Too close.
Much too close.
Mira drew a blade from her belt.
Rowan's eyes glowed gold as his wolf pushed forward.
Kael stepped in front of Elara instinctively.
His voice dropped to a growl.
"The hunt is no longer outside."
From somewhere below them
a deep voice echoed through the halls.
Cold.
Patient.
Amused.
"The priestess is closer than I thought."
Elara felt ice run through her veins.
Because the voice did not sound like a monster.
It sounded very
very human.