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Chapter 8 - The visitor in the mist

By the time we returned to camp, dawn had already torn through the forest. Pale light spilled over the trees, burning away the mist that had protected us all night.

The rogues moved with tired pride — blood still on their claws, victory still heavy on their breath. For the first time in years, they looked alive.

Selene was the first to break the silence. "If we keep hitting his supply lines like that, Ronan's going to lose control."

"He already is," Marek growled, tossing a bloodied chain into the dirt. "But we need more than hit-and-run tactics. We need a plan to finish this."

I nodded, my gaze drifting toward the horizon. "We'll strike harder. Smarter. I'll—"

A sharp whistle cut through the camp. Two rogues stumbled from the treeline, dragging a figure between them.

"Found this one snooping near the ridge," one of them grunted.

The prisoner lifted her head, and my breath caught.

It wasn't Lyra. But the resemblance hit hard enough to twist my chest. Her features were sharper, colder — her hair streaked with silver, her eyes a stormy gray.

She wasn't afraid. Even bound, she looked at me like she already knew who I was.

"Let her go," I said.

The rogues hesitated. "Alpha, she—"

"I said let her go."

They obeyed. The moment the ropes fell, she straightened her shoulders and looked around the camp — wolves, weapons, blood. Then her gaze returned to me.

"So it's true," she said softly. "The Shadow Alpha lives."

The air went still. Selene stepped forward, her hand brushing her dagger. "Who are you?"

The stranger smiled faintly. "My name is Nyra Vale. I serve the Council of Elders."

Marek's growl rumbled low. "Council filth. We should've left her in the dirt."

But I raised a hand. "Why are you here, Nyra?"

She met my eyes without flinching. "Because the Council doesn't believe Ronan's lies anymore. They sent me to find proof of your survival… and to offer you a deal."

Selene scoffed. "The Council wants to deal now? After they let your precious Alpha slaughter his own?"

Nyra's expression didn't change. "We were misled. Ronan promised unity. Instead, he's building an empire of chains."

My jaw clenched. "And what's your deal?"

"Come with me," she said. "If you stand before the Council yourself, they'll recognize your bloodline. You could reclaim your father's seat — legally."

The camp erupted with laughter and disbelief. Marek spat into the dirt. "Legally? The Council murdered the old Alpha with their silence. You expect us to trust them now?"

Nyra didn't look at him — her eyes stayed on me. "I expect nothing. But the moon is shifting. The old laws are fading. If you want to win, Kael, you'll need more than claws and ghosts."

For a long moment, I said nothing. My thoughts swirled like the mist around us.

Could I trust her? Probably not.

But the fact that the Council sent someone meant one thing — Ronan's hold was slipping.

I stepped closer, close enough to catch her scent — frost, steel, and truth. "If I go with you," I said, "I walk into a den of wolves that already tried to kill me once."

Her lips curved slightly. "Then you'll feel right at home."

Selene moved beside me, her voice low. "Kael, don't. She's playing us. You can't—"

"I know," I said. "But sometimes the only way to burn a web is from the inside."

Nyra's gaze flickered — approval, maybe respect. "Then I'll take that as a yes."

"Not yet," I said, turning away. "I'll meet you when the moon turns full. Until then, you stay here — under my protection. My rules."

Her expression softened. "Fair."

As she walked toward the edge of the camp, Selene leaned closer to me. "You shouldn't have let her live."

"I know," I said quietly. "But she's not lying."

Selene frowned. "How can you tell?"

I looked toward the sunrise. "Because she's scared… and people who come to kill me don't look that afraid."

But deep down, I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince — Selene, or myself.

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