The curtains broke, and morning painted the room soft gold.
I sat upon the edge of the bed and stared down at the map across my lap. The indecision of the council ate at me Aurora. firm, as always, for waiting in a peaceful way yet every instinct in me was screaming the opposite: time was not of our essence.
The door creaked as Trajan stepped in, his expression wary. âYouâre up early,â he said, crossing his arms.
âI couldnât sleep,â I admitted, rolling up the map. âIâve made my decision, Trajan. Iâm going to scout the disputed territory myself.â
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His brows furrowed. âWithout the councilâs approval? Aurora wonât like this.â
âIâm not waiting for approval anymore,â I snapped, my voice harder than I intended. âThis pack needs action, not endless debate.
Trajan sighed but nodded. âWho are you taking?â
âOnly those I trust,â I said. âYou in?â
He paused, then gave a curt nod. âAlways.â
By mid morning, I had assembled a small group: Trajan, Warrick, and three others who had sworn loyalty without the least hesitation. The air was heavy with tension as we moved toward the disputed territory, the only sound the rustle of leaves underfoot.
It was wide, open, its edges traced in large juts of rocks. It was easy enough to see why both packs coveted this land: rich land, clear rivers only a few feet underground, wood so thick knotted. it was impossible to cut across.
Yet with every step I took deeper inside this paradise, the tighter I felt something was pulled around my intestines. âTracks,â Warrick whispered, squatting low. âFresh.â
Before I could get a word out, figures appeared from behind the trees. An army wearing bronze armors, they looked battleâhardened too, they were surrounding us in an instant.
âWho dares trespass on our land?â one voice asked, cold and wickedly clear.
I stepped forward, my head up. âIâm Dane, Alpha of this pack. We have a right to this territory.â
The army laughed and a lady with golden armor stepped into. view. She was damn beautiful, her curves were so different even with the leather armor she wore, her long hair flowing like a river of midnight. Her sharp eyes calculating, her lips curling into a smirk.