The Alpha's Secret

Chapter 3

The dense forest at the southern border quiet ahead, the scent of pine mingled with a faint, acrid trace sets Selena’s nerves on edge. The patrol group moved quietly through the bushes, their sharp senses tuned to every movement and whisper of the wind. Selena, against her father’s orders, had joined the patrol, unable to shake her growing discomfort.

The forest tree filtered the late afternoon sun, casting dappled shadows across the ground. Selena led the group, her posture confident but her heart racing as she picked up faint traces of rogue wolves.

“Spread out,” Selena instructed, her voice low but commanding. “Check for tracks or signs of movement. Stay close.”

One of the patrol members, a younger wolf named Brynn, hesitated. “Do you think they’re still here?”

Selena’s sharp gaze met his. “We don’t assume anything. Stay alert.”

As the patrol spread out, Selena bends down to examine claw marks pattern on a nearby tree. The markings were erratic, a clear sign of rogues marking territory or sending a warning.

This is too close to the pack. They’re testing us. But why? What are they after?

The tension in the air sharprned, and the forest seemed to hold its breath. Selena’s hyper senses caught a faint movement behind her, and she spun around just as a rogue wolf leaped from the shadows.

The rogue was lean. His fur messy and streaked with dirt. Selena reacted quickly, dodging his attack and slamming him into a tree with a forceful kick.

“Why are you here?” Selena demanded, her claws extending as she pinned the rogue to the ground.

The rogue growled, his lips curling back to reveal yellowed teeth. “You think you can stop what’s coming? You’re blind. All of you.”

“What are you talking about?” Selena growled, tightening her grip.

The rogue only laughed, his voice ragged. “You’ll see soon enough.”

Before Selena could press further, another rogue attacked from the underbrush, forcing her to release her hold to defend herself. The patrol arrived just in time, their combined efforts drives the rogues back into the forest.

As the patrol came together, Selena caught sight of a figure coming out from the trees. It was Darian, his lean frame and piercing gray eyes immediately setting him apart from the others. He carried himself with a casual confidence that lowers the tension in the air.

Selena tightened her eyes. “Who are you?, and what are you doing out here?”

Darian raised his hands in playful surrender, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Relax, princess. I’m just a worker heading back to the main grounds. Didn’t mean to disturb.”

“Princess?” Selena bristled. “This is a patrol zone, not a shortcut. You shouldn’t be here.”

Darian shrugged. “Noted. But it looks like I came at the right time. Those rogues were giving you trouble.”

Selena’s jaw tightened. “We had it under control.”

Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, Selena felt an odd flicker of recognition. She shook it off, not willing to let her guard down.

Who is this guy? And why does he feel... different?

Back at the alpha’s cabin, Selena stood before her father, reporting the events of the patrol. Gregory’s expression changed as he listened, his fists closed into a tight ball at his sides.

“You disobeyed me,” Gregory said, his voice low and dangerous. “I told you to stay behind.”

“I couldn’t sit back and do nothing while rogues threatened our borders,” Selena responded, her tone defiant. “I’m part of this pack too.”

“You’re more than that,” Gregory snapped. “You’re my daughter and the future alpha. Your safety is important.”

“And what good am I as an alpha if I can’t defend my pack?” Selena spoke back.

The room fell into a tense silence. Gregory exhaled, his anger giving way to concern.

“You have your mother’s spirit,” he said quietly. “But don’t let it get you killed.”

Selena relent at the mention of her late mother but remained adamant. “I’ll always fight for the pack. That’s what she would have wanted.”

At night, Selena sat at the balcony of her room, looking out at the forest. The moon in the sky casting a glow over the trees. Thinking of the rogue statement: "You’ll see soon enough".

What does he mean? Are the rogues working alone, or is someone helping them?

Far below, she spotted Darian walking across the pack grounds, his movements deliberate but not in a rush.

There’s something about him i can’t quite understand. I need to find out what he’s hiding.

Unknowing to Selena, Darian paused in the shadows, he gazed at her. His lips curved into a faint smile before he disappeared into the night.

She’s sharp, but she has no idea what’s really coming. Not yet.