LOST ALPHA

chapter 5 : THE ALPHA'S MARK

The haunting voice lingered in micheal's mind long after the forest fell silent.

"Your past is calling..."

He searched the trees, his hand gripping the hilt of his hunting knife.

"Who's there?" he called.

Only the wind answered.

At dawn, James found Michael standing outside the cabin, his eyes fixed on the distant mountains.

"You didn't sleep."

Michael shook his head.

"I keep hearing a voice. It knows me... but I don't know who it is."

james's face tightened. He had feared this day would come.

"Some secrets," he said quietly, "are meant to stay buried."

"But what if they're the reason I feel like I don't belong?" Michael asked.

Before James could answer, the ground trembled beneath their feet.

A terrified villager came running toward the cabin.

"James! Michael! Wolves are attacking the livestock!"

Michael grabbed his bow and sprinted toward the fields.

When he arrived, panic had spread through the village.

Three enormous black wolves were tearing through the fences. They were larger than ordinary wolves, with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp fangs.

The villagers fled in terror.

One wolf leaped toward a frightened child.

"NO!" Michael shouted.

Without thinking, he threw himself between the child and the beast.

As the wolf's claws came down, a blinding silver light burst from Micheal's chest.

A crescent-shaped mark appeared over his heart, glowing like moonlight.

The wolves froze.

Then, one by one, they lowered their heads.

Instead of attacking, they whimpered and backed away, as though bowing to their true master.

The entire village stood in stunned silence.

"What... what just happened?" someone whispered.

Michael stared at the glowing mark on his chest in disbelief.

"It can't be..."

Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the mark faded.

The wolves turned and disappeared into the forest without harming another soul.

Far away, in the Bloodclaw Fortress, Alpha Bond felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He rose from his throne, his crimson eyes widening.

"The Alpha's Mark..."

He clenched his fists.

"The Lost Alpha has awakened."

He turned to his generals.

"Gather every warrior."

"No more waiting."

"We march to Blackwood Forest at first light."

As thunder rolled across the sky, Michael looked toward the dark forest.

A cold mist settled over Blackwood Forest.

In the morning ,

Micheal stood at the edge of the village, unable to forget what had happened the previous day. The image of the wolves bowing before him replayed in his mind.

"Why did they obey me?" he murmured.

James walked over, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Michael, if anything strange happens today, you must run."

Micheal frowned. "Run? From what?"

Before James could answer, the sound of war horns echoed across the valley.

BOOOOOOM!

The earth trembled beneath hundreds of pounding feet.

Villagers rushed out of their homes in panic.

"They're coming!"

"Who?" Michael asked.

Then he saw them.

An army of armored warriors emerged from the forest, each wearing black armor engraved with the crimson wolf emblem of the Bloodclaw Pack.

Behind them marched enormous wolves with glowing red eyes.

At their head rode a towering man on a massive black wolf.

His scarred face and burning crimson eyes radiated authority.

It was Alpha Bond.

He raised his sword toward the village.

"I seek only one man!" his voice thundered.

"Bring me the hunter with the golden eyes, and the rest of you will live."

Fear spread through the villagers.

Some slowly turned to look at Michael.

James stepped in front of him.

"There is no such man here."

Bond laughed coldly.

"You would lie to an Alpha?"

He snapped his fingers.

A Bloodclaw warrior dragged a frightened prisoner forward.

micheal's heart sank.

It was Mara.

Her hands were bound with silver chains, but her eyes searched desperately through the crowd until they found Michael.

"Don't come!" she shouted. "It's a trap!"

Bond smiled.

"So... you do know each other."

micheal's fists clenched.

"You brought her here?"

"I brought bait," Bond replied. "And the prey has revealed himself."

The Bloodclaw warriors surged forward, surrounding Michael.

James whispered urgently, "Don't fight them. Not yet."

But Michael could already feel something awakening inside him.

His heartbeat quickened.

His golden eyes began to glow.

A powerful roar echoed from deep within Blackwood Forest.

Every wolf—Bloodclaw and wild alike—fell silent.

Even Alpha Bond looked toward the forest with alarm.

"No..." he whispered.

"The Guardian has awakened."

From the shadows between the ancient trees, a colossal silver wolf slowly emerged, its eyes fixed on Michael.