After the council dispersed, the members of Crescent Moon Pack returned to their cabins, most of them exhausted by the weight of the decisions made that morning. But not Alaric. Sleep would not come to him—not with war pressing in from the shadows.
While the rest of the lodge fell quiet, Alaric moved with purpose through the grounds. He oversaw the construction of new perimeters, placing trusted guards at the edges of their territory. Wolves took up their posts, their fur bristling with vigilance as they scanned the darkened treeline.
He barked orders with sharp precision, repositioning security patrols and rerouting watch schedules to close any gaps. Two new sentry paths were dug before the sun was fully up, and he made sure guards at every post had visual contact with the next in line.
