Forbidden Howls

Chapter 5: Tensions Rising

The morning light filtered through the thick forest canopy, casting flickering shadows over the estate grounds. Lia stood at the edge of the training grounds, her fingers tightening around the grip of her dagger as she watched the warriors of her pack run through their drills. There was an edge in the air that hadn’t been there before—a tension that buzzed beneath the surface, unspoken but undeniable.

The rogue attack had been kept quiet, for now. Only Lia, her father, and a few trusted warriors knew about the wolf marked with the strange scar. But despite their silence, the unease had begun to spread throughout the pack.

Something was coming.

Lia shifted her stance, throwing her dagger with practiced precision. It embedded itself deep into the center of the target with a satisfying thud. Her mind, however, wasn’t focused on the drills or the sparring happening around her. It was on Kael—and the conversation they had shared after the rogue attack.

She hadn’t seen him since that day in the forest, but his words had stayed with her.

“Someone’s trying to stir the pot between our packs.”

The idea of an outside force manipulating the packs made Lia’s skin crawl. But it made sense. The rogues hadn’t just been random attacks—they were planned, coordinated. Someone was orchestrating this. But who?

A rustling sound behind her broke her concentration. She turned just as Damon approached, his expression tight and serious.

“Lia,” he said, his voice low. “We need to talk.”

Lia sighed inwardly. She had been expecting this conversation ever since he had snuck into her room the previous night, his concern for her evident even as it irritated her. Damon had always been protective—sometimes overly so—but lately, his protectiveness felt suffocating.

“What is it?” she asked, pulling her dagger from the target and wiping the blade clean.

Damon hesitated, his gaze sweeping over the warriors before resting on her. “There’s been word from the northern border. More rogue activity. My father thinks it’s time to prepare for… a more defensive approach.”

Lia’s heart sank. She knew what that meant—Damon’s father, the head of the warriors, was preparing for war.

“And what do you think?” she asked, eyeing him carefully.

Damon’s jaw tightened. “I think we need to strike first. Whoever is behind these attacks isn’t going to stop. We should take the fight to them before they have the chance to bring it to us.”

Lia’s chest tightened at his words. War. It was what everyone was whispering about, what the warriors were quietly preparing for. But a preemptive strike? That would plunge them into open conflict—and she wasn’t sure they were ready for that. She wasn’t sure that was the answer at all.

“We don’t even know who’s behind these attacks,” Lia said, her voice sharp with frustration. “We can’t just go charging into battle without more information.”

Damon stepped closer, his expression hardening. “And how long are we supposed to wait? Until they start attacking our families? Our children? Every day we wait, we give them the advantage.”

Lia clenched her fists, the tension rising between them. She understood Damon’s anger—his need to protect the pack—but this wasn’t the way. Charging blindly into a fight without knowing the enemy could lead to disaster.

“We need to be smart about this, Damon,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm. “We can’t rush into a war based on fear.”

“And what would you have us do? Sit back and wait until they overrun us?” Damon’s voice was rising now, frustration leaking into his tone.

Lia’s eyes narrowed. “I’d have us find out who’s responsible before we start shedding blood.”

Damon exhaled sharply, his expression softening as he studied her. “Lia, I know you’re trying to protect the pack. But sometimes, the best defense is a strong offense.”

She shook her head. “And sometimes, rushing into a fight is what gets people killed.”

For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of their disagreement heavy between them. Damon was a warrior through and through—his first instinct was always to fight. But Lia knew there had to be another way, a way to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

Finally, Damon sighed. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Lia’s heart softened, but her resolve remained. “I’m not the one who’s in danger right now. The pack is. And we need to make sure we’re fighting the right battle.”

Damon nodded slowly, though it was clear he didn’t agree. “I’ll speak to my father,” he said finally. “But don’t wait too long, Lia. The clock’s ticking.”

Lia sat alone in her room, the window open to let in the cool night air. The moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the forest. She couldn’t sleep—her mind was racing with thoughts of the rogues, of Damon, of Kael.

She stood, pacing to the window and gazing out into the darkened woods. She knew she couldn’t keep this to herself much longer. If the rogue attacks escalated, her father would have no choice but to act—and the peace between the packs would shatter.

A sudden movement caught her eye, a shadow moving swiftly between the trees.

Lia tensed, her heart pounding as she reached for her dagger. Was it another rogue?

But as the figure emerged from the forest’s edge, her breath caught in her throat.

Kael.

He moved silently, his presence unmistakable even in the darkness. Lia’s pulse quickened as she stepped away from the window, her mind racing. What was he doing here? If anyone saw him, it could spark the very war they were trying to avoid.

Without hesitation, Lia slipped out of her room and made her way to the back of the estate, where the shadows were thickest and the patrols wouldn’t see her.

She found Kael waiting for her just beyond the treeline, his dark eyes unreadable as he watched her approach.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed, glancing around nervously. “If anyone sees you—”

“No one saw me,” Kael interrupted, his voice low and calm. “I needed to speak with you.”

Lia crossed her arms, her pulse still racing. “You couldn’t send a message?”

Kael stepped closer, his gaze intense. “This isn’t something that can be written in a note.”

Lia frowned, her unease growing. “What is it?”

Kael hesitated for a moment, his jaw tight. “There’s been another attack. On my borders.”

Lia’s heart sank. Another attack? That meant the situation was escalating even faster than she had feared.

“We found the same mark,” Kael continued, his voice grim. “Whoever is behind this, they’re not just targeting Blackstone. They’re targeting both of us.”

Lia’s mind raced. The rogue attacks weren’t random—they were part of a larger plan. Someone wanted to provoke a war between their packs, and it was working.

“What do you want from me, Kael?” Lia asked, her voice soft but firm. “I can’t stop my pack from defending itself if they think they’re being attacked.”

Kael’s eyes softened, though his expression remained serious. “I don’t want war, Lia. Not between our packs. But if this continues, that’s exactly where we’re headed.”