The night was far gone, and behind the thick wooden doors of his private chamber, Alpha Silas was sound asleep.
The room was silent except for the steady rhythm of his breathing. His cloak lay draped across a nearby chair, his boots abandoned beside the bed.
It had been a long day of strategizing, of carefully moving pieces across a board only he believed he truly understood.
Every decision had been calculated, every outcome predicted with the quiet confidence that had carried him to power.
For once, the Alpha had allowed himself a full night of rest.
Then a frantic pounding struck the door.
"Alpha!"
The sound tore through the quiet.
Silas stirred with a sharp inhale, his brow tightening as consciousness returned. The pounding came again, louder this time, echoing against the chamber walls with an urgency that immediately soured his mood.
"Alpha Silas!"
His eyes snapped open.
