Kael's POV
PACK HOUSE
Something was wrong, and it was not the kind of feeling I could ignore or push aside like a passing instinct. It hit me suddenly, deep within the mate bond, sharp and unsettling, like something had shifted in a way that should not be possible. I stood in the council room, surrounded by voices and discussions, but none of it reached me anymore.
The room itself was large and structured, built from dark polished wood with long carved pillars standing at each corner. Torches burned steadily along the walls, their flames flickering just enough to cast restless shadows. The long table before me held the weight of authority, with elders and warriors seated around it, waiting for my attention.
But my attention was gone.
Damon stirred inside me, not calmly, not thoughtfully, but aggressively, like something had disturbed him deeply.
That is not normal.
I felt it too. The bond wasn't just active. It was alive in a way I had never experienced before. There was fear in it, yes, but layered beneath that was something stronger. Something unfamiliar. Something that did not belong to a weak omega.
My jaw tightened slowly as the feeling pulsed again, sharper this time.
"Ariella…" I muttered under my breath.
I did not wait for another second. I turned away from the council without explanation, my boots striking the floor with controlled force as I walked out. Voices called after me, but I ignored them completely. Whatever this was, it mattered more than anything happening in that room.
PACK HOUSE CORRIDOR
The corridor stretched wide and long, lined with stone walls and lit by mounted torches that cast a dim orange glow. Wolves moved through the hallway, but the moment they sensed my presence, they stepped aside quickly, lowering their heads without question.
I stopped when I saw him.
Rohan stood a few steps ahead, and even from a distance, it was clear that he was not well. His tall frame looked weaker than it should, his posture lacking its usual strength. His dark hair was slightly damp, clinging to his forehead, and his skin had taken on a pale, unhealthy tone. He wore a loose grey shirt that hung unevenly on him and dark trousers, but his movements were slow, strained.
"You should be resting," I said, my voice steady but firm.
He ignored that completely, his focus elsewhere.
"I can feel her," he said, his voice rough, like each word cost him effort.
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"Lysa," he added, his jaw tightening as he spoke. "She's in pain."
Damon reacted immediately, his presence pressing forward.
And our mate.
That same pull tightened in my chest again, stronger than before, making it harder to ignore.
"Where are they?" I asked.
Rohan shook his head, frustration flashing across his face.
"I don't know."
That answer was not acceptable.
"Then we find them," I said, already moving past him.
PACK TERRITORY
The night air was cold as we moved through the pack grounds, the open space stretching wide beneath the dark sky. The training field was empty, the usual sounds of sparring replaced by silence. Guards stood at their posts along the borders, alert but unaware of anything unusual.
We searched everywhere.
Every path, every corner, every place they could have been.
But there was nothing.
Damon grew more restless with each passing moment, his agitation pushing against my control.
We are wasting time.
I already knew that.
Then Rohan stopped suddenly.
I turned to him immediately.
"What is it?"
He did not answer right away. His expression changed slowly, like something had just connected in his mind.
"They left," he said.
My gaze hardened.
"Where?"
His fists clenched tightly.
"The Crystal Moon Lake."
The words settled heavily between us.
Damon growled low, dark and displeased.
Foolish.
I did not hesitate.
"Move."
FOREST PATH
The forest swallowed us as we entered, the tall trees standing close together, their branches thick enough to block most of the moonlight. The ground beneath my boots was uneven, scattered with roots and dry leaves that cracked softly with every step. The air felt heavier here, colder, like the forest itself held secrets it did not want to reveal.
I could still feel her through the bond.
Alive.
But different.
There was something there now that had not been there before.
Rohan's voice broke through the silence.
"I told her," he muttered, his tone filled with frustration.
I did not respond.
"I told her not to go," he continued, his voice rising slightly. "I fucking told Lysa not to go!"
Damon stirred in irritation at the outburst.
Control yourself.
Rohan's anger did not stop.
"And she still went," he snapped, his frustration turning sharper with every word.
Then his voice shifted, carrying something darker.
"This is because of her."
I stopped walking.
Slowly.
I turned my head toward him, my gaze steady.
"Ariella," he said, his voice filled with blame. "She let her go. She should have stopped her."
Something cold settled deep within me.
"Watch your words," I said, my voice low but firm.
He scoffed slightly, though there was hesitation beneath it.
"Am I wrong? She knew—"
"That is enough."
The command came out sharper this time, carrying authority that could not be ignored.
He went silent.
Good.
I turned and continued forward, my pace steady, but my patience was thinning.
FOREST CLEARING
I caught their scent before I saw them.
Blood.
Fear.
And hers.
We stepped into a clearing, the moonlight falling directly across the open space. The trees circled it, their shadows stretching long across the ground.
They were there.
Ariella and Lysa stood at the center.
My gaze went directly to Ariella. She stood close to Lysa, supporting her carefully. Her hair was loose and slightly disordered, strands falling across her face, and her clothes were marked with dirt from the forest. But that was not what held my attention.
It was the bond.
It felt different.
Stronger.
Unfamiliar.
Damon shifted within me, alert.
Something has changed.
Rohan moved past me immediately.
"Lysa!" he called out.
She looked up, her face bruised, her body weak.
"Rohan…"
Relief crossed her face, but it did not last.
"You shouldn't be here," she said.
Rohan reached her quickly, grabbing her shoulders.
"What were you thinking?" he demanded.
"I had to come," she replied, her voice strained.
"You had to?" he snapped. "After everything I said?"
"I'm trying to save you!" she shouted back.
"I told you not to go!" he yelled.
Her eyes filled with tears, her emotions breaking through.
"And I told you I wouldn't watch you die!"
Her voice cracked, the pain in it clear.
I watched them, silent, my attention shifting briefly to Ariella. She stood close, steady despite everything, her hands supporting Lysa without hesitation.
Then she spoke.
"Lysa, calm down—"
"Stay out of this!" Rohan snapped.
Damon growled low in response.
Enough.
Before I could step forward, Rohan's body stiffened suddenly. His hand moved to his chest as pain hit him, sharp and immediate. His breathing became uneven, his strength failing him.
The poison.
"Rohan!" Lysa cried, grabbing him as he began to fall.
I stepped forward immediately.
"Hold him," I ordered.
The wolves behind us moved quickly, supporting him before he could collapse completely. Lysa stayed close, panic written across her face as she held onto him.
I looked at Ariella again.
That feeling was still there.
That shift.
That power.
Something had happened here.
Something I did not yet understand.
But I would.
"Return to the pack," I said firmly.
No one argued.
As they began to move, my gaze lingered on her for a moment longer.
Because whatever had changed tonight…
Was not something I could ignore.