Far to the south, in a cavern lit by firelight, Cain’s roar shook the stone walls. His fists slammed into rock, leaving cracks and dust raining down.
“The Shadowthorn Pack is gone?” His voice was low, lethal.
The messenger dropped to his knees, trembling. “Y-Yes, Alpha. The Alpha King took it. He renamed it the Bloodrise Pack… his territory now.”
Cain’s nostrils flared. “And my daughter?”
The silence stretched.
“She’s… alive,” the warrior stammered. “But the Alpha King spared the pack only because Lady Althea offered herself. She begged him to take her life in exchange for the others. They say… she is now his breeder.”
CRACK! Stone shattered beneath Cain’s fist, shards scattering across the cavern floor. His breath came in ragged bursts, fury shaking his frame.
“A breeder?” His voic
