Rejected by the Alpha

Fire on the Border

"How many wolves," Kade demanded, already moving toward the door.

"We don't know yet, Alpha," the warrior said, still catching his breath. "A scout came running from the northern village. He said Blackthorn wolves crossed the line just after sunset. Houses are burning."

The hall erupted into chaos. Pack members scrambled to their feet, some rushing toward the doors, others frozen in fear. Old Marta was already shouting instructions, trying to organize the panic into something useful.

Elena stood up so fast her chair nearly tipped over. "The northern village. That's where my cousin's family lives."

"Elena, wait," Mia said, grabbing her arm, but Elena barely heard her.

Kade was already halfway to the door, Marcus close behind him, both of them shouting orders to the Ashwood warriors camped nearby. Within moments, the calm evening had turned into something loud and frightening, warriors pulling on gear, wolves shifting in the courtyard, the whole pack bracing for something none of them had prepared for.

"I need to go," Elena said, pulling free of Mia's grip.

"Go where? Elena, you can't just run toward a burning village."

"My cousin has two small children," Elena said, her voice shaking. "I have to know if they're okay."

Before Mia could argue further, Kade's voice cut through the noise.

"Elena."

She turned. He was standing near the door, already dressed for battle, his eyes scanning her face like he was trying to read every thought running through her head.

"You are not going anywhere near that village tonight," he said firmly.

"My family is there," Elena said. "I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"You can, and you will," Kade said. "It's not safe. I don't know what we're walking into yet, and I am not risking you getting hurt."

"I'm not asking for permission," Elena snapped, surprising even herself with the sharpness in her voice. "You don't get to tell me what to do with my own family."

For a moment, something like frustration and worry warred openly on Kade's face. Then he stepped closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear.

"I will personally make sure everyone in that village is accounted for," he said. "I promise you that. But I need you here, safe, so I'm not distracted worrying about two things at once instead of one."

Elena's chest tightened at the honesty in his voice. She wanted to argue further, but something in his expression stopped her.

"Promise me," she said quietly. "Promise me you'll find them."

"I promise," Kade said.

Then he turned and was gone, disappearing into the chaos of warriors mounting up and shifting into their wolf forms, racing off toward the glow lighting up the northern sky.

The next few hours felt like the longest of Elena's life. She stood near the edge of the pack grounds with Mia and dozens of others, watching the distant orange glow flicker against the dark sky, waiting for any news at all.

"They'll be fine," Mia said, though her voice lacked its usual confidence. "Kade's warriors are strong. They'll handle it."

Elena didn't answer. She kept her eyes fixed on the horizon, her hands clasped so tightly together that her knuckles had turned white.

Old Marta moved among the crowd, trying to keep everyone calm, though even she looked pale with worry. "The healers are ready," she said, more to herself than anyone else. "We have supplies. We are prepared."

Nobody responded. Prepared did not mean the same thing as safe.

It was almost dawn by the time the first wolves returned, exhausted, some limping, several carrying injured villagers on makeshift stretchers made from cloaks and branches. Elena rushed forward with the others, scanning every face, every stretcher, searching desperately for any sign of her cousin's family.

"Elena."

She turned at the sound of her name and saw her cousin, Daniel, stumbling toward her, soot streaked across his face, his youngest daughter clutched tightly in his arms, crying but alive.

"You're okay," Elena breathed, relief flooding through her so fast her knees nearly buckled. "You're all okay."

"Barely," Daniel said, his voice hoarse. "If Alpha Kade's warriors hadn't arrived when they did, I don't know what would have happened. They pulled us out of the house right before the roof came down."

Elena's eyes searched the returning crowd until she found Kade near the back, directing warriors, checking on the wounded, his uniform torn and streaked with dirt and blood that she desperately hoped wasn't his own.

He caught her eye across the crowd, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade away.

She moved toward him without thinking, weaving through the chaos until she stood in front of him. Up close, she could see the exhaustion etched into his face, a few scratches along his arm that hadn't been tended to yet.

"You're hurt," she said.

"It's nothing," Kade said. "Just a few cuts. Nothing serious."

"You should still let someone look at it."

"I will. Later." His eyes softened slightly as he looked at her. "Your cousin's family made it out. All of them."

"I know. Thank you." Elena's voice cracked slightly. "Thank you for keeping your promise."

Kade nodded, then glanced around at the destruction being reported around them, his expression hardening again. "This is the third village Blackthorn has hit this season. They're getting bolder. More organized. This wasn't a random raid."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean someone is planning this," Kade said grimly. "And I intend to find out who, and why."

Before Elena could respond, Marcus approached, his face grave. "Alpha. We found something you need to see."

Kade's jaw tightened. "What is it?"

"One of the fallen Blackthorn scouts," Marcus said, glancing briefly at Elena before continuing. "He was carrying something strange. A piece of old fabric, with a symbol stitched into it. I've never seen anything like it before."

"Show me," Kade said.

Marcus reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, scorched piece of cloth, handing it carefully to Kade. Elena leaned closer out of curiosity, and the moment she saw the symbol embroidered into the fabric, something cold settled deep in her stomach.

It was a crescent moon, wrapped in flame.

The exact same mark she had hidden on her shoulder her entire life.

"What's wrong," Kade asked, noticing the way all the color had drained from her face.

Elena stared at the fabric, unable to look away, her heart pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it.

"That symbol," she whispered. "I've seen it before."