The Hunt Begins
1103 Words
Aeron POV
Lukas and I continued helping the Silver Fang fighters protect the northern side of the borders.
The air was thick with the stench of blood and fear, a scent I had grown accustomed to over the years but never quite accepted.
We had been running through the dense forest, our wolves navigating the terrain with practiced ease.
The Silver Fang Alpha had taken his forces to the eastern side to deal with another group of rogues, insisting that he handle it alone.
I understood his need to prove his strength to his pack, even if it went against every instinct I had as an Alpha to stand by and watch.
The scene made us pause as Lukas and I pushed deeper into the northern woods. The ground was littered with bodies, fighters from the Silver Fang pack who had been slaughtered brutally.
Blood soaked the earth, and the once-strong warriors lay in grotesque positions, their lives snuffed out with a savagery that turned my stomach.
We shifted back into our human forms, our clothes clinging to our bodies, soaked in sweat and the residue of our shift.
The silence was deafening, broken only by the distant cries of crows and the faint rustle of the wind through the trees.
We walked among the fallen, my mind racing with questions.
Who could have done this?
What kind of monster had the power to decimate an entire unit of trained fighters?
Then, a faint whimper reached my ears.
Lukas and I exchanged a glance before moving toward the sound. It came from a body slumped against a large rock, a female fighter of the Silver Fang.
Blood pooled around her, her life force draining away with every labored breath.
"H-hurry," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Lukas knelt beside her, his expression tight with concern as he checked her wounds. A massive s***h ran across her abdomen, blood pouring from the wound in a steady stream.
"You're going to be okay," Lukas said, though his tone betrayed the doubt we both felt. He gripped her hand, trying to offer some comfort in her final moments.
The woman's eyes fluttered as she struggled to speak. "You need to hurry… he’s going…"
"Who? Who's going where?" I asked, leaning closer.
"The one who attacked us… the leader of the rogues…" Her voice was strained, each word a battle against the pain consuming her. "He's going to the packhouse… he's after the females…"
My blood ran cold as the weight of her words hit me.
She died in Lukas's arms, her body going limp as the last breath left her.
We froze, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
My thoughts raced back to the packhouse, to Elaine. The realization of what this meant ignited a fury within me that I hadn't felt in years.
"Aeron, wait!" Lukas called out as I shifted, but I was already gone, running through the forest with a single-minded focus.
The trees blurred past me as I pushed myself to go faster, the urgency driving me like never before. I couldn't think of anything but getting to the packhouse in time, praying that I wasn't too late.
When I reached the packhouse, the sight that greeted me was nothing short of a nightmare.
Blood splattered the walls, and the bodies of Silver Fang pack members lay scattered in the corridors.
The metallic scent of blood was overpowering, mingling with the unmistakable stench of rogues.
I forced myself to stay calm, my instincts screaming at me to find Elaine.
I followed the blood trail, my heart pounding in my chest as I descended into the basement.
The air was thick with tension, the silence almost suffocating. I came upon a large metal door, barricading the women and children inside.
I pounded on the door. "It's safe now," I called out, hoping to calm the terrified souls on the other side. "It's Alpha Aeron of the Crescent Moon pack. You can open the door."
After a moment, the door creaked open, revealing the Luna of the Silver Fang pack.
Her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear as she looked up at me.
I could hear the sobs of children and the murmurs of frightened women behind her, a scene that only deepened my resolve.
"You're safe now," I assured her, stepping inside. "Where is everyone?"
She swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she spoke. "We… we're missing some. Seraphina… Elaine… and a few others. When the rogues attacked, the fighters left to defend the borders, but the ones who stayed to protect us… they were killed."
Her words hit me like a physical blow, the air leaving my lungs as the reality of the situation crashed down on me. Elaine was gone.
Taken.
My heart pounded in my chest, a primal rage surging through me. Whoever was responsible for this would pay dearly.
I forced myself to stay composed, though every fiber of my being screamed to shift and hunt down the bastards who had taken her.
"Did you see who took them?" I asked, my voice a low growl.
She shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "No… it all happened so fast. They were with us one minute, and the next, they were gone."
I clenched my fists, trying to keep the anger from consuming me.
"We'll find them," I said, more to myself than to her. "I'll find her."
Turning on my heel, I stormed out of the basement, Lukas hot on my heels. "Aeron, what's the plan?" he asked, his voice tight with urgency.
"We track them down," I said, my voice cold and determined. "We track every last of those rogues down and make them pay. I won't rest until Elaine is safe."
Lukas nodded, his expression mirroring my resolve. "I'm with you, Alpha. We'll find them."
As we emerged from the packhouse, the chaos of the attack still lingered in the air.
The cries of the wounded and the shouts of those searching for survivors filled the night. But my focus was razor-sharp, my mind fixed on finding Elaine and bringing her back.
The hunt was on, and nothing would stop me from getting her back. The rogues had made a grave mistake, and they would soon learn the cost of crossing me.
My green eyes burned with an intensity I hadn't felt in years, the fire of determination fueling every step.
Elaine was out there, and I would tear the world apart to find her. I was Alpha Aeron of the Crescent Moon pack, and no one would take what was mine.
- Writer
