Scarred by Moonlight

Chapter 15: Threats From Within and Without

The air in the pack house was thick with tension, Olrun had noticed that lately his home felt like a powder keg. He stood by the large window in his office, staring out into the distance. His eyes saw being the dense forest surrounding the pack house, his mind swirling with thoughts about River and the strange pull he felt toward her.

It had only been a few hours since she stormed away but he felt her absence to his core.

No answer is an answer.

Why couldn't he have just said the damn words.He was Alpha—he had control, he had power, but this situation felt different. His wolf, Atlas, growled low inside him, restless, sensing the shift.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t hear the door open until Kade’s voice broke the silence.

“Olrun,” Kade’s calm tone called, and Olrun turned to face him, noticing Ryker standing beside him, his posture tense. “We need to talk.”

Olrun’s gaze flickered to Ryker. The Beta’s expression was taut with something close to frustration. “What’s going on?” Olrun asked, his voice sharp but controlled.

Ryker didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “You need to know what we saw today. At Sweet Fangz Bakery.” He crossed his arms, a vein of anger running just beneath his words. “River was there with Alessandro. He was getting real close to your girl.”

Olrun’s brow furrowed, the small, quiet storm in his chest flaring to life. He motioned for them to continue.

Kade’s voice was measured, but there was an edge to it. “Looked like a date. Lord of giggling, some handholding. She didn’t pull away though.” Kade’s eyes were sharp, observing Olrun’s reaction. “It was intimate, Olrun. The kind of intimacy that goes beyond friendship.”

Ryker chimed in, his voice harsher. “You need to do something about it. You can't just... let him steal her."

Olrun could feel a bit of projection in Ryker's words and for a moment he wondered what was going on with him and Ashley. But then he saw it in his mind's eye, Alessandro with his hands on River, take advantage of Olrun's hesitation and their shared feature. River was too smart to fall for it, right? She'd know that Alessandro was playing off of her emotional turmoil, right?

His teeth clenched at the words, and Atlas stirred inside him, feeling the threat to their mate. His mind raced as his wolf pushed him to act—claim her, mark her—but his Alpha instincts held him back. It wasn’t the right moment.

“I told you both to keep an eye on him,” Olrun replied evenly, though the storm in his chest couldn’t be ignored. “We’re not acting on this yet. Not until we know more. Besides... she's not my girl.”

Ryker shot Kade a look of disbelief. “Not acting on it? You didn't you see what we saw, Olrun? She's going to get hurt of we don't -I mean if you don't do something!"

Olrun met Ryker’s gaze, his eyes sharp and cold. “I heard you, Beta. But you’re not going to force my hand.” He turned his attention to Kade, who stood silently, ever the strategist. “What do you think?”

Kade’s tone was neutral, but Olrun could tell there was more beneath it. “I think we need to be careful. If River has started to form some kind of connection with him, rushing into things could backfire. But you’re right to be wary. There’s something... off about Alessandro.”

Olrun took a deep breath, staring out the window again. The weight of the situation hung heavy on his shoulders. River wasn’t just any female. She was his mate, even if she didn’t fully claim him yet. But now, Alessandro’s presence was threatening that bond. He couldn’t let it go unchecked.

“I’ll handle it,” Olrun said finally, his voice cold, his decision made. “For now, you two keep an eye on him. But don’t act unless I say so.”

Ryker’s jaw tightened but he nodded. Kade offered a quiet, respectful nod.

“I’ll take care of the pack. You focus on River,” Kade added, before the two of them turned and left, leaving Olrun alone with his thoughts.

Olrun called Ryker before he closed the door, "Ry, maybe.... go see your mate, man."

---

Later That Day:

River walked through the pack grounds, the weight of her own thoughts pressing on her chest. The bakery had been a brief moment of peace, but now, the tension between her and Olrun hung like a storm cloud. She could feel it—the shift in his behavior, the way he looked at her now. It wasn’t the same, and she wasn’t sure if she could bring herself to explain it. It wasn’t just about Alessandro, but everything. She had been pushing away the doubts for days, weeks. But with the way things had been spiraling lately, it was hard to ignore.

She didn’t know what to expect from Olrun anymore. Her gaze wandered to the distance, and she saw him. Standing by the edge of the woods, his tall figure unmistakable.

He hadn’t noticed her yet, so she took a moment to observe him. His posture was tense, rigid even. It wasn’t the confident, commanding presence she had come to know. No, it was something more raw, more primal. Olrun’s emotions were fraying, and she could feel the tug of it in the pit of her stomach.

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, and made her way over to him. She wasn’t sure what she could say, or if there was anything to be said at all.

“Olrun,” she called softly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

He turned, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity that made her heart race. “River, I was just coming to find you” he replied, his voice dark and low. “We need to talk.”

Before they could say anything more, a loud, guttural growl broke through the silence, followed by the frantic barking of wolves at the borders.

The moment the growls sounded, every wolf on the pack grounds shifted into alert mode. Olrun’s eyes flashed with fury as he instantly turned, his Alpha instincts kicking in. River froze for a moment, sensing the danger, but Olrun grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the safety of the pack house.

“Get inside. Now,” he commanded.

“But—” she started, but he silenced her with a single, sharp look.

“Do not argue, River,” he warned, his voice cold and final. “I won’t risk you. Not now! Not ever!”

As River rushed into the house, Olrun shifted into his wolf form, his muscles rippling beneath his fur. The wind howled as the pack warriors, including Ryker and Kade, shifted into their wolves and raced toward the border.

The rogue was bold, aggressive, and clearly desperate. It was a young male wolf, scraggly, starving, and covered in scars. The moment the patrol arrived, the rogue bared its teeth, snarling in fury, knowing it was cornered.

Olrun was the first to act, lunging toward the rogue with powerful force. The rogue tried to swipe at him with its claws, but Olrun was faster, locking his teeth around its throat, dragging the rogue to the ground. Kade wasn’t far behind, his eyes glowing a dangerous gold as he quickly moved to assist, keeping the rogue pinned as Olrun shifted, looking at Ryker. "Bring me silver cuffs. I want him in the dungeon for interrogation."

Ryker ran off to get cuffs for the rogue. The pack’s patrol stood over the body of the rogue, breathing heavily, their eyes scanning for any signs of more intruders.

“Is that all of them?” Kade asked, his voice clipped, but his focus sharp.

Olrun nodded, Atlas still bristling with tension inside him. “For now. But I don’t like this. A rogue this close means something is wrong. We’ll need to keep watch.”

The pack had returned to the safety of the house, the rogue threat neutralized, but the weight of the day lingered. Olrun stood alone on the porch, staring out into the night. His mind was racing, filled with the weight of the rogue attack, the growing tension with River, and the presence of Alessandro.

River joined him quietly, standing beside him. She didn’t say anything at first, but she could feel the unease rolling off him.

Olrun exhaled slowly, his voice distant. “We’ve survived the rogue, but there’s a bigger threat inside, River. And I don’t know if I can fix it."

Olrun turned to her, his eyes burning with regret and the torment he'd felt ever since she walked away from him. "Tell me how I fix us. Please."

She looked at him, her expression softening, but before she could speak, the howl of a wolf echoed in the distance, a reminder that while one battle was over, others were already beginning.

The pack was safe—for now. But Olrun knew the true war had only just begun.