The Siege at Dusk
The sun dipped low, bleeding streaks of amber across the forest canopy. The pack’s borders—once a place of uneasy peace—had become a fortress on edge. Rowan stood atop a ridge, eyes narrowing as he scanned the tree line. The air was thick with the scent of pine and something else—a cold warning drifting on the wind.
“Rogues,” Caleb murmured from beside him, his voice taut. “They’re coming.”
Rowan’s jaw tightened. “They’ve been preparing for this. Too long.”
Beside them, the rest of the pack gathered—Beta wolves pacing, scouts relaying hurried reports. Everyone felt it: a storm was coming.
Rowan turned to the council of elders, who stood in the shadows, their faces pale but resolute.
“Have we located their leader?” Rowan asked.
Elder Sona stepped forward, her eyes s
