"By the ancestors… the Wolf Clan isn't just sending scouts anymore. They've brought the war banner. Look at the silver runes on their spears—those are only flown when the Alpha himself is on the move."
The young fox shifter boy's voice cracked as he ran into the clearing, pointing toward the forest path with a trembling hand. Every villager within earshot froze mid-step. Tools clattered to the ground. Mothers pulled children behind their skirts. Even the bravest hunters shifted uneasily, their animal forms rippling just beneath their skin as low, nervous growls filled the air.
Qinglan felt the words like ice sliding down her spine. She stayed half-hidden behind Mu Lei's broad back, cloak pulled tight, but the mate bond in her chest exploded into a roaring flame. It yanked harder than ever before, golden and relentless, straight toward the distant figure the boy's words had summoned. Helian Xuan. The name alone seemed to darken the morning light.
Mu Lei's hand found hers again, squeezing with that same unexpected gentleness even as his body coiled for a fight. "Stay behind me, little female," he growled, voice low enough that only she could hear. "The Wolf Clan's reputation is no exaggeration. They don't come in force unless the Alpha wills it. And if Helian Xuan is approaching… the entire village could burn before they let you go."
Elder Shen gripped his staff until his knuckles whitened. "The legends don't lie," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "Helian Xuan has crushed three rival tribes in the last two seasons alone. His wolf form is said to be larger than any other—eyes like molten gold, a howl that makes the rivers run backward. He rules with claws and fear, but he protects what he claims. And right now… the whispers say he's claiming you."
The scarred leader of the Wolf Clan squad stepped forward again, silver runes on his spear glinting coldly in the dawn light. His gray eyes swept the trembling villagers with open contempt. "You heard the cub. Our King has felt the bond stirring on the wind. He is coming. Not tomorrow. Not at dusk. Now. The escort is merely to ensure the rare human female reaches him safely before any other tribe tries to steal her."
One of the younger wolves behind him let out a short, mocking laugh. "The last village that tried to hide a female from the Alpha lost every hunter in a single night. Their caves still stand empty. You don't want that fate here, do you, old man?"
The words spread like poison through the clearing. Qinglan watched the villagers' faces pale. Ruo Mei and her group of jealous females had gathered at the edge of the square, but even they had fallen silent, eyes wide with fear instead of spite. The Wolf Clan's terrifying reputation had reached them fully now—no longer distant stories, but a living threat standing in their midst with bone spears and cold gray eyes.
The mate bond surged again, so strong Qinglan had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from gasping. It felt like golden chains wrapping tighter around her heart, pulling her toward the forest where something massive and powerful was already moving. She could almost hear it—the distant crack of branches under enormous paws, the low rumble of a growl that shook the earth. Helian Xuan was approaching. Not through scouts this time. In person.
"I… I'm scared," she whispered, forcing her voice to break as she clutched Mu Lei's arm. The act came easily now, but inside her modern mind raced. She had hidden her scent as best she could, brewed strengthening herbs in secret, even fixed small tools without anyone noticing. None of it would matter if the Alpha King himself arrived. One look from those golden eyes and every secret she carried might unravel.
Mu Lei's jaw tightened. He didn't pull away from her grip. Instead, his thumb brushed lightly over her knuckles in silent reassurance. "You don't have to be scared," he said, so quietly the Wolf Clan squad couldn't hear. "Not while I'm here. Let them talk about their terrifying Alpha. I've fought worse for less important things than you."
The scarred leader's gaze snapped to Mu Lei, lips curling in disdain. "Your loyalty is noted, leopard. But the King's approach is not a request. The village will prepare the girl. Or we will prepare the village." He turned sharply, barking orders to his men, who immediately began forming a wider perimeter around the clearing.
Villagers scattered to obey, some already carrying bundles of furs and food toward the path as if offering tribute. Elder Shen's shoulders sagged, but he stayed rooted beside her. "The reputation has done its work," he murmured. "They fear him more than they fear losing you. We have minutes, child. Maybe less."
Qinglan kept her eyes on the dirt, the perfect frail orphan shaking in the face of legend. But the mate bond screamed louder now, a golden roar in her blood that matched the distant, approaching presence of the ruthless Alpha King.
Helian Xuan was coming.
And the entire village—every beastman, every jealous female, every protective guard—knew exactly what that meant.
The terrifying reputation of the Wolf Clan had arrived.
Now the King himself was only steps behind it.