Forbidden Howls

Chapter 7: Fault Lines

The night was unusually quiet as Lia made her way back to the Blackstone estate. The confrontation with Damon still weighed heavily on her, but there was no time to dwell on it. The rogue attacks were becoming more frequent, and every passing day brought them closer to open war. Her mind raced, replaying Kael’s words.

Together.

She couldn’t deny the bond growing between them, but she knew it was dangerous—perhaps more dangerous than even the rogue threat. Her pack would never accept her relationship with Kael, especially if Damon fueled their suspicions. She had to tread carefully.

As she approached the estate, the familiar sight of the towering stone walls brought a pang of dread. Her father would be waiting, expecting answers. And after Damon’s outburst, she had no idea how much trouble awaited her inside.

The doors creaked open, and the moment Lia stepped inside, her father’s voice greeted her.

“Lia.”

Her heart sank.

She turned to find him standing at the foot of the grand staircase, his expression unreadable but tense. His eyes held a mixture of worry and frustration, the weight of leadership pressing down on him as heavily as it was on her.

“You’ve been gone all evening,” he said, his voice low but firm. “Where were you?”

Lia kept her voice steady, though her mind raced for an excuse. “I went for a walk. I needed some time to think.”

Her father’s gaze narrowed. “You need to be thinking about this pack, Lia. Things are getting worse. Damon told me there’s been another attack near Silverclaw’s borders.”

She winced. Of course Damon had told him. “Yes, but attacking Silverclaw isn’t the answer.”

Her father’s brow furrowed, confusion and anger flashing in his eyes. “What are you talking about?”

Lia swallowed hard. “Damon thinks the rogues are working with Silverclaw, but they’re not. Kael’s pack is being attacked just like ours. I’ve seen it firsthand.”

Her father’s face darkened at the mention of Kael. “What do you mean you’ve seen it? What’s going on, Lia?”

Lia hesitated. She had always been honest with her father, but this was different. He would never understand why she was working with Kael, let alone why she trusted him. And yet, keeping the truth from him now would only make things worse.

“Kael and I have been working together to find out who’s behind the rogue attacks,” Lia said carefully. “We believe there’s a group trying to incite a war between our packs.”

Her father’s expression was unreadable for a moment, but when he spoke, his voice was hard and cold. “You’ve been working with Kael Silverclaw? Behind my back?”

“Father, you have to trust me,” Lia pleaded. “The rogues are trying to manipulate us. If we go to war with Silverclaw, we’ll be playing right into their hands.”

His eyes flashed with anger. “You’re a fool to trust him. He’s the Alpha of a rival pack. You think he’s working with you? He’s playing you, Lia. You’re risking this entire pack for a Silverclaw!”

Lia’s stomach twisted, but she held her ground. “No, he’s not. He’s the only one who understands what’s at stake. If we don’t stop the rogues, there won’t be a Blackstone or a Silverclaw left to fight for.”

Her father’s jaw clenched, and for a long moment, they stared at each other in silence. The tension in the room was thick, and Lia could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and dangerous. “I want you to stay away from Kael. No more secret meetings. No more alliances. You will do your duty to this pack.”

Lia’s heart sank. She knew her father wasn’t going to listen to reason, not when it came to Kael. But she also knew she couldn’t walk away from the truth.

“I can’t do that,” she whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of her decision.

Her father’s eyes widened in shock. “What did you just say?”

“I can’t stay away from him,” Lia said, her voice stronger now. “If we don’t work together, more people will die. I won’t let that happen.”

Her father’s face twisted with fury. “You’re choosing him over your family? Over your pack?”

Lia shook her head. “I’m choosing to save us all. Even if you can’t see it.”

Without another word, she turned and walked away, her heart heavy with the knowledge that things were only going to get worse from here.

Kael stood on the balcony of his estate, the cool night air brushing against his skin as he stared out over his territory. The weight of the rogue attacks was heavy on his shoulders, and now, with Damon’s growing hostility and Lia’s precarious position, he felt the tension growing even more.

A soft knock on his door broke his thoughts. “Come in.”

Garrick entered the room, his expression grim. “We’ve tracked a group of rogues heading toward the Blackstone border. It’s happening again.”

Kael’s jaw tightened. “How many?”

“Enough to do damage,” Garrick replied. “We’ve sent scouts to follow them, but there’s no telling when or where they’ll strike.”

Kael’s mind raced. Another rogue attack, so soon after the last. Whoever was behind this was getting bolder. They were pushing both packs closer and closer to open war.

“We can’t wait any longer,” Kael said, turning to Garrick. “We need to find out who’s leading these rogues.”

Garrick frowned. “We’ve been trying, Kael. But every lead we’ve had has gone cold. It’s like they’re always one step ahead.”

Kael’s gaze hardened. “Then we need to get ahead of them.”

Garrick crossed his arms. “How do you propose we do that?”

Kael turned back to the window, his mind already forming a plan. “I need to speak with Lia. If anyone can help us track down the rogue leader, it’s her.”

Garrick’s expression darkened. “Kael, you can’t keep relying on her. She’s from Blackstone. They’re our enemies.”

“They’re not our enemies,” Kael snapped. “The real enemy is out there, hiding behind these attacks, waiting for us to destroy each other. Lia and I are the only ones who can stop this before it’s too late.”

Garrick sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I don’t like this. If word gets out that you’re working with Lia, it could destroy any chance we have of maintaining control.”

“I know the risks,” Kael said, his voice soft but firm. “But I won’t stand by and let innocent people die. Not when we have a chance to stop it.”

Garrick hesitated, then finally nodded. “All right. But be careful. Things are getting worse, and I don’t trust that Damon won’t make a move soon.”

Kael’s jaw tightened at the mention of Damon. He had sensed the tension between Damon and Lia the last time they met. Damon was dangerous—driven by jealousy and a fierce need to control the future of Blackstone.

“We’ll be ready,” Kael said, his voice low. “Whatever Damon has planned, we’ll stop him.”

Meanwhile, at the edge of the forest, a shadow moved through the trees, cloaked in darkness. The rogue wolves moved silently behind their leader, their eyes glowing in the night.

The rogue Alpha stood tall, surveying the land before him. His lips curled into a cold smile as he watched the Blackstone and Silverclaw territories from afar. Everything was falling into place. The packs were turning on each other, just as he had planned.

He would destroy them both, and when the smoke cleared, there would be nothing left to stand in his way.

The rogues were ready. War was coming.