The clearing felt colder.
No one spoke for a moment.
All eyes were fixed on the strange symbol carved into the dead wolf's chest.
It looked ancient.
Not like the red crescent that belonged to Magnus.
This one was different.
Three crooked lines forming a broken circle.
Almost like claws scratching through the skin.
Beside the body, Aria stared at it uneasily.
"I don't recognize that."
Next to her, Alpha Kael crossed his arms.
Neither did he.
He turned toward Ikechukwu.
"You said whoever owns that mark should already be dead."
Ikechukwu nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Aria frowned.
"Then start explaining."
The old man sighed and leaned slightly on his staff.
"Long time ago… before Magnus started chasing power like a mad man…"
He gestured toward the mark.
"There was another problem in this forest."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"What kind of problem?"
Ikechukwu scratched his beard slightly.
"The kind that no pack likes to remember."
Aria crossed her arms.
"That doesn't sound good."
The old man chuckled softly.
"No, it wasn't good at all."
One of the warriors nearby muttered, "Just tell us."
Ikechukwu tapped his staff once.
"Alright."
His voice became serious.
"Years ago there was a man called Malakar."
Aria blinked.
"Never heard of him."
Kael shook his head.
"Neither have I."
"That's because people stopped talking about him."
The old man pointed toward the strange symbol again.
"That mark… was his."
Aria felt uneasy.
"What did he do?"
Ikechukwu sighed.
"That man no be normal human."
He looked toward the forest.
"He studied things people were not supposed to touch."
Kael frowned.
"Dark magic."
"Yes."
The old man nodded.
"But worse."
Aria glanced at the dead wolf.
"You mean like bringing wolves back from the dead?"
Ikechukwu tapped his staff.
"Exactly like that."
A cold wind moved through the clearing.
One of the younger warriors looked nervous.
"What happened to him?"
Kael asked.
The old man was quiet for a moment.
Then he answered.
"The packs hunted him."
Aria's eyes widened.
"All of them?"
"Yes."
Kael leaned forward slightly.
"And?"
Ikechukwu shrugged.
"They burned his house. Destroyed his work. And finally killed him."
Aria relaxed slightly.
"Good."
But the old man didn't smile.
Instead, he stared at the mark again.
"Problem be say…"
Aria frowned.
"What?"
Ikechukwu looked up slowly.
"His body was never found."
Silence fell across the clearing.
Kael's jaw tightened.
"You're saying he might still be alive?"
The old man shrugged.
"I'm saying something with his mark just showed up tonight."
Aria felt her stomach twist.
"That means Magnus isn't the only enemy."
Kael nodded slowly.
"Looks that way."
One of the warriors stepped closer.
"But why would this Malakar attack us now?"
Ikechukwu shook his head.
"Maybe he no dey attack us."
Aria frowned.
"Then who?"
The old man pointed toward her wrist.
"The Moon Vessel."
Aria's heart skipped.
"You think he wants me?"
Ikechukwu nodded slowly.
"Anybody wey know about moon power go want it."
Kael's expression hardened.
"They'll have to get through me first."
Aria glanced at him.
"You're starting to sound very protective."
Kael didn't respond.
Instead he looked toward the forest.
His wolf was restless.
Something still felt wrong.
Then suddenly—
A low whisper moved through the trees.
Not wind.
A voice.
Soft.
Cold.
"You remember me…"
Everyone turned toward the forest.
Aria's heart started racing.
That voice…
It wasn't Magnus.
The voice echoed again.
"This forest never forgets…"
The warriors moved closer together.
Kael stepped forward.
"Show yourself!"
For a moment there was silence.
Then—
From deep within the darkness…
A tall shadow slowly began moving toward the clearing.
And Ikechukwu muttered quietly,
"Ah… problem don land."