That night, as the moon rose high, Ronan and Rook found themselves at the western border, their breaths visible in the night air. The woods stretched out before them, but something about the darkness felt heavier than usual.
"You ever get the feeling we're being watched?" Rook muttered, scanning the trees.
Ronan nodded. "Yeah. And I don't like it."
They continued their patrol, Then, a sudden snap of a twig. Both of them whirled toward the sound, weapons drawn.
Silence.
A low growl rumbled from the shadows.
Ronan's grip tightened on his blade. "Come out. Now."
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a pair of glowing eyes appeared in the darkness, followed by a slow, deliberate step forward.
Something was out there.
Ronan held his breath, his muscles coiled tight as the glowing eyes stared them down from the darkness. The low growl sent a ripple of unease through the air, thickening the already suffocating silence.
Rook's voice was steady, but quiet. "That's not one of ours."
"No kidding," Ronan muttered, keeping his grip firm on his weapon.
The creature, whatever it was took another slow step forward, revealing the outline of a large, muscular form. It was on all fours, its breathing deep and deliberate. A rogue wolf? No... something was different
Then, with terrifying speed, it lunged.
Ronan barely had time to react. He twisted to the side, the beast's claws swiping through empty air where his chest had been a second before. Rook was already moving, drawing a dagger from his belt and slashing toward the creature's flank. The blade connected, but instead of the expected yelp of pain, the thing barely flinched.
"What the hell?" Rook hissed, stumbling back.
Ronan didn't hesitate. He shifted, his body morphing in an instant, bones snapping and muscles stretching as he took on his wolf form. Snarling, he lunged at the creature, fangs bared.
The beast met him head-on.
They collided with a force that sent them both rolling through the underbrush. Ronan snapped at its throat, but it was fast, faster than anything he'd fought before. Claws raked across his side, pain blooming along his ribs, but he ignored it, pushing back harder.
Rook shifted as well, joining the fray, his silver wolf form darting in to flank the creature. Together, they drove it back, but it didn't retreat like a normal rogue. It fought with precision, as if it knew their moves before they made them.
And then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it stopped.
The creature let out a strange, guttural snarl before leaping backward into the darkness. Within seconds, the glowing eyes had vanished, leaving only the sound of Ronan and Rook's heavy breathing.
Ronan shifted back into his human form, pressing a hand to his side where the claws had caught him. "That was... interesting."
Rook, still in his wolf form, let out a low growl before shifting back as well. "Yeah. And I don't like it."
They exchanged a look
Ronan let out a slow breath, still staring into the darkness where the creature had vanished. The scent of blood and damp earth filled the air, his own wound stinging with every breath.
"We need to tell your dad," Rook said, voice steady despite what just happened
Ronan scowled. "Yeah, because he's going to love hearing about how we almost got shredded on his new border patrol assignment."
Rook wiped a streak of dirt off his arm. "You're hurt, Ronan. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't normal. And it wasn't just another rogue."
Ronan gritted his teeth. He knew Rook was right. The way the creature fought the way it seemed to anticipate their moves, was unnatural.
"Fine," Ronan muttered. "But let's clean up first. I don't need my dad flipping out over a scratch."
Rook snorted. "A scratch? That thing practically tried to gut you."
They made their way back to the pack's main settlement, moving swiftly through the trees. By the time they reached the infirmary, the sky had started to lighten with the first hints of dawn.
One of the healers, an older woman named Elsie, took one look at Ronan and sighed. "What did you do this time?"
"You always assume it's my fault," Ronan said, flopping onto the nearest cot.
"Because it usually is," Elsie retorted, already pulling out supplies. "Sit still. This will sting."
Rook leaned against the wall, arms crossed as he watched Ronan wince under Elsie's care. "So what's the plan?"
Ronan exhaled. "We tell my dad. Then we figure out what the hell we just fought."
Elsie shot him a look. "And hope it doesn't come back."
Ronan didn't say anything. Because deep down, he already knew.
It would.
Ronan strode toward the Alpha's cabin with Rook close behind. The early morning light cast long shadows across the village, the air still cool from the night.
His father was waiting. Rael stood on the porch, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He had probably sensed them coming before they even reached the clearing.
"You're late," Rael said, his voice even.
"We ran into a problem," Ronan replied, trying to keep his tone casual. He could already see the flicker of irritation in his father's eyes.
Rael stepped down, his sharp gaze scanning his son. "You're injured."
Ronan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Just a scratch."
Rook cleared his throat. "We were on patrol when we were attacked. Not by rogues. By something else."
Rael's expression didn't change, but Ronan could sense the shift in the air. "Describe it."
Ronan exchanged a glance with Rook before answering. "Big. Fast. Stronger than it should've been. It fought like it knew what we were going to do before we even did it. And it didn't run, it just...disappeared. "
Rael was silent for a long moment. Then, without another word, he turned and walked toward the council hall.
Ronan scowled. "Are you serious? That's it?"
Rael didn't stop. "Get cleaned up. You'll be at the next council meeting."
Ronan stared after him. "Great. Another meeting where I get to sit in silence while everyone acts like I don't exist."
Rook clapped him on the back. "Hey, at least this time, you might actually get some answers."
Ronan exhaled sharply. He wasn't so sure.