Dark Angel of the pack

Chapter Forty-Four: The Hunter Strikes

Kael’s kitchen was quiet… too quiet. He had just finished arranging breakfast—pancakes in a heroic tower, bacon in neat spirals—when the door slammed open.

Alpha Kade and Luna Mara staggered inside, bloodied and bruised, clothes torn from the attack. The smell of smoke and blood clung to them.

Kael froze mid-step. “…Uh… what happened?”

Kade’s eyes, fierce and burning with anger even as he gritted his teeth in pain, fixed on Kael. “Don’t you dare say a word.”

Kael swallowed hard. “…Right. No words. Silent. Totally… heroic silence.”

“You,” Kade growled, his voice ragged, “will remain silent… or I will rip your head off. Even in my condition. Even injured, you understand?”

Kael’s mouth opened, then closed. “…Understood. Very… understood.”

Luna Mara collapsed into a chair, wincing. “The hunter… he attacked us. He came out of nowhere… the pack… the elders… we barely escaped.”

Asia, standing frozen beside Jack, felt her chest tighten. Her wolf stirred angrily, sensing the danger her parents had faced. She took a careful step forward.

“Mom… Dad…” she whispered, panic rising in her voice. “Are you… are you okay? You’re hurt!”

Jack moved closer to her, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. His eyes scanned the room, tense and alert. “We need to make sure they’re safe first. Then we can plan next.”

Kade’s hand twitched slightly as he gripped the counter to stay upright. “Asia… stay back. This is not… your fight yet.”

Asia shook her head. “No. You were attacked. I should have been there to protect you. I could have stopped him!”

Luna Mara reached out, placing a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “Asia… it’s not your fault. This hunter… he’s powerful. He caught us off guard.”

Kael, who had been hovering nervously, tried to lighten the tension. “Well… at least breakfast survived, right? Pancakes are—”

Kade’s gaze snapped to him, ice in his eyes. “Kael. Do not.”

Kael froze. “…Right. Sorry. Totally… silent. Maximum seriousness. Heroic restraint mode activated.”

Asia knelt beside her mother, gently touching her shoulder. “Mom… are you going to be okay?”

Luna Mara forced a tired smile. “We’ll be fine. But… we need to heal, and we need to prepare. The hunter… he’s coming back.”

Jack’s hand brushed lightly against Asia’s as he crouched beside her. “You’re not alone. We’ll help you. We’ll all help.”

Kade’s gaze softened for a brief moment, looking at Asia and Jack. But then, almost immediately, the fire returned. “Kael… do not forget. Even if I’m injured… you will obey. Or I will rip your head off.”

Kael swallowed hard, nodding vigorously. “Crystal clear. Maximum obedience. Understood. No head rolling—totally safe. Got it.”

Asia’s blue eyes shifted between her parents and Kael, her worry for them fierce and palpable. “I… I’ll make sure nothing like this happens again. I swear.”

Luna Mara squeezed her daughter’s hand. “We know, Asia. But for now… just be strong. Be safe. Heal with us.”

Jack glanced at Kael, whose usual smirk was gone. Even he looked tense. “We’ll make sure of it,” Jack said quietly.

The room settled into silence, broken only by the shallow breathing of Kade and Mara. Outside, the city hummed normally, but inside… the threat of the hunter hung heavy, and the pack had just been reminded how fragile their safety really was.

Kael, standing stiffly in the corner, resisted the urge to make another joke. Not here. Not now.

And for the first time, Asia realized: even Kael—her chaotic, sarcastic Kael—understood just how serious things had become.

Her parents had been attacked. Her pack was vulnerable. And the hunter… was still out there.