Bound By Moonlight

Chapter 6

Rogue Attack

Two nights later, the rogues struck again, this time targeting Caleb’s camp. The attack came without warning, shattering the quiet of the night with snarls and the clash of teeth.

Caleb was in the thick of it, his movements swift and precise as he fought alongside his wolves. His leadership was evident in every command, every coordinated strike. But the rogues were relentless, their numbers overwhelming.

By the time the attackers retreated, Caleb’s camp was left battered and bruised. Wolves tended to the injured, their faces lined with exhaustion and fear. Caleb stood in the center, his chest heaving as he surveyed the damage.

Leah approached him, blood streaking her fur. “We can’t do this alone, Caleb. If they come back with more…”

Caleb closed his eyes, the weight of her words pressing down on him. He had spent years building a life free from Rowan and the world that had rejected him, but now that world was closing in.

He didn’t want to admit it, but they needed help.

The news of the rogue attack reached Rowan through one of his scouts. He wasted no time, rallying a small group of his wolves and heading toward Caleb’s camp. He didn’t know if Caleb would accept his help, but he couldn’t stand by while the rogues threatened them.

When Rowan arrived, the sight of the battered camp made his chest tighten. Wolves moved wearily through the clearing, their injuries a testament to the ferocity of the attack.

Caleb was there, directing the recovery efforts with a calm authority that belied the chaos around him. His eyes narrowed when he saw Rowan approaching.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Caleb said, his voice cold.

“I heard about the attack,” Rowan said, ignoring the hostility. “I came to help.”

“We don’t need your help,” Caleb snapped.

“Your people are hurt, Caleb,” Rowan said, his tone soft but firm. “Let me help.”

Caleb stared at him, his expression unreadable. For a moment, Rowan thought he would refuse again. But then Caleb exhaled sharply and stepped aside.

“Fine,” Caleb said. “But don’t think for a second that this changes anything.”

The tension between them remained palpable as they worked side by side to stabilize the camp. Rowan watched as Caleb moved among his people, offering words of encouragement and comfort. He saw the respect in their eyes, the unwavering loyalty they felt toward their leader.

It was in those moments that Rowan truly understood how much Caleb had grown. He wasn’t just a strong omega—he was a force to be reckoned with.

And for the first time, Rowan wondered if he was the one who wasn’t strong enough to stand by Caleb’s side.

The sanctuary was nothing like Rowan expected. The interior of the warehouse was a maze of makeshift living spaces—walls constructed from scrap wood and metal, blankets hung for privacy. The air carried a mix of wolf musk, human sweat, and the faint tang of disinfectant. Despite the roughness, it felt lived in, a testament to Caleb’s ability to create a community from nothing.

Caleb led Rowan through the winding paths, his steps purposeful and quick. He didn’t speak, didn’t glance back to check if Rowan was following. Rowan stayed a few paces behind, acutely aware of the stares boring into him. Wolves lingered in doorways and corners, their gazes sharp with distrust and curiosity. He caught snippets of murmured conversations.

“That’s him?”

“The alpha?”

“What’s he doing here?”

It was clear he wasn’t welcome.

Caleb stopped abruptly at a door near the center of the sanctuary. He pushed it open and gestured for Rowan to enter. The room was sparsely furnished—a table, a few chairs, and a battered couch shoved against one wall. Caleb leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

For a moment, Rowan couldn’t find his voice. His wolf stirred restlessly, caught between admiration and guilt.

“Rowan,” Caleb said, his voice low and steady. There was no warmth in it, only a sharp edge that made Rowan flinch. “To what do I owe the honor?”

Rowan swallowed, trying to steady his nerves. “Caleb... I only came to—”

“To what?” Caleb interrupted, stepping closer. His movements were deliberate, each step carrying the weight of unspoken accusations. “To check on me? To apologize? Or is this just another act of duty for the great Alpha Rowan?”

The words cut deep, but Rowan didn’t back down. “I need your help,” he admitted, his voice firm despite the tightness in his chest.

Caleb laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. “My help? That’s rich.” He crossed his arms, his gaze sweeping over Rowan with a mixture of disdain and amusement. “You rejected me, Rowan. Threw me away like I meant nothing. And now you want my help?”

Rowan’s jaw clenched. “I didn’t come here to dredge up the past. This is about the future—about saving lives.”

“And what about my life?” Caleb snapped, his voice rising. “Do you even care what happened to me after you rejected me? Or is that too inconvenient for your precious duty?”

Rowan opened his mouth to respond, but Caleb didn’t give him the chance.

“I’ll tell you what happened,” Caleb said, his voice icy. “I lost everything. My pack, my family, my purpose. All because you decided I wasn’t worth the risk. Do you have any idea what that does to someone? To be rejected by your mate?”

Rowan looked away, shame washing over him. “I thought I was doing what was best—for both of us, for our packs.”

Caleb scoffed. “Don’t you dare try to justify it. You weren’t protecting me, Rowan. You were protecting yourself. Too scared to take a chance, too proud to admit you were wrong.”

The silence that followed was heavy, charged with anger and pain. Rowan forced himself to meet Caleb’s gaze.

“You’re right,” he said quietly. “I was wrong. I made a mistake—a terrible one. And I’ve regretted it every day since.”

For a moment, something flickered in Caleb’s eyes—something vulnerable, raw—but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. He turned away, running a hand through his hair.

“Regret doesn’t change anything,” he said. “I’ve moved on, Rowan. I’ve built a life for myself—a life where I’m not defined by my status or by you.”

Rowan nodded, though the words stung. “I see that. You’ve changed, Caleb. You’re strong, independent... everything I should have seen in you before.”

Caleb turned back to him, his expression unreadable. “Flattery won’t get you far, Rowan. If you want my help, you’ll have to prove you deserve it. Because I don’t owe you anything.”

Rowan’s wolf bristled at the challenge, but he forced himself to stay calm. “I don’t expect you to owe me anything. But this isn’t about me. It’s about stopping the rogues, protecting both our worlds.”

Caleb studied him for a long moment, his gaze piercing. Finally, he sighed and stepped back. “Fine. I’ll hear you out. But make no mistake—this changes nothing between us.”

Rowan nodded, relief flooding through him. “Thank you

“Speak,” he said, his voice clipped.

Rowan stepped inside, taking a moment to compose himself. The tension in the air was suffocating, a coiled spring ready to snap.

“We’re under attack,” Rowan began. “Rogues have been targeting my pack—coordinated, relentless. This isn’t random. Someone’s organizing them, and I’ve traced their movements back here.”

Caleb raised an eyebrow. “And you think I’m behind it?”

“I don’t know what to think,” Rowan admitted. “But the trail led me here, and I need to understand why.”

Caleb’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger flashing across his face. “So, what? You thought you’d just walk in, demand answers, and I’d roll over and give you what you want?”

“That’s not—” Rowan began, but Caleb cut him off.

“Five years, Rowan. Five years of silence. And now, suddenly, you care? You think you can waltz into my life like nothing happened?” Caleb’s voice was low, dangerous. “You rejected me. You didn’t just turn your back on me—you made sure I had nothing to go back to.”

Rowan flinched at the accusation. “I thought I was protecting you—protecting both our packs.”

“Don’t,” Caleb snapped, his voice laced with venom. “Don’t try to justify it. You didn’t protect me. You left me with nothing. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be rejected by your mate? To feel like you’re not even worth fighting for?”

Rowan’s throat tightened, guilt clawing at him. “I made a mistake.”

Caleb laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and hollow. “A mistake? That’s what you call it?” He shook his head, his jaw clenching. “You have no idea what I went through. But you know what? I’m glad it happened. Because it forced me to become stronger. I don’t need you, Rowan. I never did.”

The words hit Rowan like a blow, but he forced himself to stay calm. “This isn’t just about us, Caleb. The attacks are escalating. If we don’t work together, more wolves—your people, my people—will die.”

Caleb’s eyes burned with resentment, but he didn’t immediately dismiss the plea. He stared at Rowan for a long moment, as if weighing his options. Finally, he pushed off the doorframe and stepped closer, his presence suffocating.

“You want my help?” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “Fine. But don’t think for a second that this means I forgive you. I’m doing this for them, not for you.”

Rowan nodded, his shoulders sagging with relief. “That’s all I’m asking.”

But as Caleb brushed past him, the tension between them crackled like a live wire, promising that their uneasy alliance would be anything but simple.

Rowan couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Caleb had changed in ways Rowan had never imagined, and the weight of their shared history loomed over them like a storm cloud.

And yet, beneath the tension and anger, Rowan felt a flicker of something else—hope. Because despite everything, Caleb was still the wolf who had once held his heart. And maybe, just maybe, there was a chance to make things right.

Caleb wasted no time. He gathered a small group of wolves from the sanctuary, a mix of rogues and exiles who had sworn loyalty to him. They were rough, hardened by years of survival outside the structured hierarchy of a pack. Rowan felt their distrust radiating off them as they prepared to leave.

“This isn’t a pack,” Caleb said as they gathered around a map spread across the table. “We don’t follow alpha commands. Everyone here has a voice, and we move as a unit. If you can’t handle that, you’re better off leaving now.”

Rowan bit back a retort. Caleb’s words were clearly aimed at him, a reminder that he was an outsider here. He nodded curtly, keeping his focus on the map.

The plan was simple: track a group of rogues believed to be targeting one of Rowan’s outlying patrols. But the execution was anything but.

The journey to the patrol’s last known location was fraught with tension. Caleb barely acknowledged Rowan’s presence, speaking only when necessary and even then with clipped, terse words. The other wolves followed Caleb’s lead, their hostility toward Rowan palpable.

As they moved through the forest, Rowan found himself watching Caleb. The omega—no, the lone wolf—moved with confidence and precision, his every step purposeful. This wasn’t the Caleb Rowan remembered. Gone was the gentle, soft-spoken omega who had once gazed at him with adoration. This Caleb was sharp edges and steel, a wolf forged in fire.

Their secondencounter with the rogues was chaotic. The ambush came suddenly, snarls and growls filling the air as wolves clashed in a frenzy of teeth and claws. Rowan fought alongside Caleb’s group, his alpha instincts kicking in as he coordinated their defense.

But Caleb didn’t need his leadership. He moved like a force of nature, taking down rogue after rogue with brutal efficiency. At one point, their eyes met across the battlefield, and Rowan saw something fierce and unyielding in Caleb’s gaze—a challenge, a reminder that he no longer needed anyone to fight for him.

When the dust settled, the rogues lay defeated, but the tension between Rowan and Caleb remained as sharp as ever.

“Don’t get in my way,” Caleb said as they regrouped, his voice low and cutting.

Rowan clenched his fists, his patience wearing thin. “I’m not your enemy, Caleb.”

Caleb’s lips curled into a humorless smile. “Aren’t you?”