Forbidden Howls

Chapter 3: Shadows in the Forest

The wind whistled through the trees, carrying with it the soft rustle of leaves as Lia made her way deeper into the forest. She moved swiftly, her senses sharp and heightened by the stillness of the woods around her. It was late afternoon, and though the sun still hung in the sky, long shadows stretched across the ground, casting the world in muted hues of gold and gray.

Lia often came here to clear her head, to escape the weight of the responsibilities that seemed to grow heavier each day. The estate felt too small, too suffocating. Out here, in the forest, she felt free—at least, for a little while.

But today, something felt different.

The air was tense, heavy with something unspoken. It wasn’t just the looming decisions about her engagement to Damon or the memory of Kael’s unsettling words. No, there was something else, something tangible in the air that sent a shiver down her spine.

Lia paused at the edge of a clearing, her breath steadying as she scanned the area around her. She had been coming to this part of the forest for years, but today, it felt… unfamiliar.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

Suddenly, a soft crack echoed through the trees behind her. Lia’s muscles tensed, and without hesitation, she whirled around, her senses on high alert. Her sharp eyes scanned the treeline, every instinct telling her she wasn’t alone.

A low growl rumbled through the underbrush, and Lia’s heart quickened, but not in fear—no, it was the rush of adrenaline, the sharp focus that came with knowing a fight might be coming.

She crouched slightly, her body poised and ready. She knew how to defend herself—her father had made sure of that. Lia was no delicate flower, no weak link in the pack. She had trained alongside the warriors for years, honing her reflexes and her mind for moments like these.

Another sound—a rustle, closer now—then a flash of movement in the corner of her vision.

Lia’s eyes narrowed, and before she could react further, a figure burst through the trees. It moved fast, too fast for a human, and Lia barely had time to brace herself before the attacker lunged.

A rogue wolf.

It came at her, teeth bared, its yellow eyes wild and feral. Without thinking, Lia sidestepped its charge, her body moving on instinct. As the wolf crashed to the ground, Lia spun around, facing it head-on.

Her heart pounded in her chest, but fear wasn’t what drove her. It was instinct, survival, and the knowledge that this rogue wouldn’t stop until it had taken her down.

The rogue wolf snarled, recovering quickly, and charged again. But Lia was ready this time. She dodged, reaching for the knife she always carried strapped to her thigh. Her fingers curled around the hilt, and in one smooth motion, she slashed out.

The blade caught the wolf’s side, a sharp cry escaping its throat as it stumbled backward. Blood dripped from the wound, but it wasn’t enough to stop the creature.

Lia's breath came fast and steady as she circled the wolf, eyes locked on its every movement. She knew that rogues were unpredictable—desperate wolves who had been cast out of their packs or gone mad from the isolation. But this one was different. It wasn’t just fighting out of desperation—it was fighting with purpose.

The rogue lunged again, but this time, Lia was ready. With a swift movement, she sidestepped once more and drove the knife deep into its side. The wolf howled, collapsing to the ground in a heap of fur and blood.

For a moment, Lia stood still, her chest rising and falling with the effort of the fight. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Rogues rarely ventured this close to the Blackstone territory, and they almost never attacked without cause.

Something was wrong.

She crouched beside the fallen wolf, her hand still clutching the knife as she examined the creature. Its fur was matted and dirty, its eyes still wild even in death. But as she leaned closer, something caught her eye—a mark on the wolf’s neck.

A scar.

It wasn’t a rogue at all. This wolf belonged to someone.

The realization hit her like a blow. This wasn’t just an attack by a random rogue—this was deliberate.

But who would send a wolf to attack her?

Before Lia could dwell on it further, she heard a sound—a low growl, deep and menacing, coming from behind her.

She stood, turning slowly, her body still tense from the fight. And there, standing at the edge of the clearing, was Kael.

Kael’s eyes were dark, his expression unreadable as he approached. His steps were measured, controlled, but there was an intensity in his gaze that Lia couldn’t ignore.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice sharp despite the adrenaline still coursing through her veins.

Kael’s gaze shifted to the dead wolf at her feet, his lips pressing into a thin line. “I could ask you the same thing.”

Lia’s grip on the knife tightened, but she didn’t back down. “This is Blackstone territory. You have no right to be here.”

Kael’s eyes flashed, but he remained calm. “You think I don’t know that?”

Lia’s breath hitched. There was something dangerous in the way he looked at her—something that made her pulse quicken, though she refused to let him see it.

“This wolf,” Kael said, gesturing to the body on the ground. “It wasn’t a rogue.”

“I know,” Lia replied, her voice steady. “Someone sent it.”

Kael stepped closer, his gaze hardening. “Someone’s trying to stir the pot between our packs. This wasn’t just a random attack—it’s a message.”

Lia frowned, her mind racing. “A message for who?”

“For both of us,” Kael said quietly, his eyes locking with hers. “Whoever sent this wolf wants us at each other’s throats.”

Lia’s heart raced, though this time it wasn’t from the fight. She didn’t trust Kael, not fully—but his words rang true. And despite everything, despite the fact that he was the Alpha of her rival pack, she couldn’t deny the pull she felt toward him.

It was more than just attraction. It was something deeper, something that scared her.

“What do we do?” Lia asked, her voice quieter now.

Kael’s gaze softened slightly, though the tension between them remained. “We don’t play into their hands. Not yet.”

Lia nodded, though uncertainty gnawed at her. She didn’t like this—didn’t like being in the dark, didn’t like relying on someone like Kael. But she also knew that whoever was behind this attack wasn’t going to stop until they had succeeded in whatever game they were playing.

She glanced at the dead wolf once more before meeting Kael’s gaze again. “We should keep this quiet,” she said. “For now.”

Kael’s lips twitched into a brief, humorless smile. “Agreed.”

Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Lia standing alone in the clearing, the weight of the moment pressing down on her.