Cedar was the first to react. He barked orders at the warriors stationed at the entrance. “Find out what’s going on! Now!” His voice carried the authority of an Alpha, but there was an edge of unease that didn’t go unnoticed.
Within moments, a scout came rushing in, his face pale and his chest heaving. “Alpha, it’s the Bloodfang pack. They’re attacking from the northern border.”
The room erupted into chaos. Cedar’s jaw clenched as he turned to the warriors. “Everyone, move out! Defend the pack!”
His gaze fell on Lavender, and for a brief moment, their eyes locked. She could see it—the sudden realization, the unspoken apology. He knew now that she had been right. The warning she’d tried to give him, the threat she’d uncovered, was real. But there was no time for apologies or explanations. The pack was under siege.
As the warriors transformed into their wolf forms and charged out into the night, Lavender stood frozen. The panic of the pack members swirled around her. Mothers clutched their children, elders huddled together, and young wolves looked to one another, uncertain of what to do. Her heart ached for them, torn between the urge to run and the call to protect.