Bane's POV****
The dense thicket loomed before us, a shadowy fortress where the hunters held captive the wolves of the neighboring pack, including their young pups. My jaw clenched with anger as I surveyed the area, my senses attuned to the faint sounds of distress coming from within.
"Any sign of movement?" I asked quietly, turning to one of our scouts who had returned from reconnoitering the perimeter.
The scout shook his head grimly. "They're heavily armed and on high alert," he reported. "We haven't seen any movement near the captives, but I can smell them. They're scared, Alpha."
I nodded, my mind racing through the best approach to rescue the captured wolves without endangering them further. "We need to act swiftly," I muttered, more to myself than to anyone else.
"Alpha," Joel,
