CHAPTER 72

**The Tension Before the Storm**

There was an uncanny quietness to the night, the kind of quiet that made your skin tingle and your instincts tell you to flee. The cool air pricked my skin as I stood just inside the main camp boundary. Dispersed like shadows in the night, the warriors moved in patrols. Even though Kai had been adamant in his previous advice to remain alert and follow your instincts, the uneasiness that was beginning to seep into my chest persisted.

A roar suddenly rang out through the darkness. We did not have it.

The cry served as a signal, and scores of people responded, resonating from all sides. When I recognized what was occurring, my heart pounded against my ribs.

Someone shouted, "They are here!"

Shadows started to appear from the forest line, and warriors hurried to their places, swords ready. The opposition pack had encircled us, and they were much larger than we had thought. Their eyes gleamed with venom, and they moved with a precision that betrayed meticulous preparation.

Amid the confusion, I saw Kai, his posture unwavering as he yelled commands. "Remain calm! Keep the children and healers safe! He looked directly into my eyes, and I could see the implicit directive there: *Remain safe.*

But I did not think about safety at all.

The rival Alpha moved forward, the moonlight illuminating his imposing figure. He transformed halfway, his face a tangled mix of beast and man, his black fur rippling. His voice echoed loudly over the open space.

"Kai!" he growled. "I may allow your pack to survive if you surrender immediately."

Kai moved forward, his presence akin to a natural force. "You believe that we would submit to a coward who launches an assault at night?" Despite the tension sizzling in the air, he fired back, his voice calm.

The competitor Alpha's mouth twisted into a sneer. "Brave words. Let us see your bravery as your Luna falls.

The danger struck me like a physical blow, yet I remained unflappable. With my chin up, I moved to Kai's side. My voice sliced through the tension like a sword as I added, "If you believe you can take me, you are free to try."

The woodland seemed to stop its breath for a minute as the rival Alpha's gaze narrowed.

To the amazement of everybody, he refrained from attacking. Rather, he signalled his pack to hold with a raised hand. In a tone that bordered on admiration, he said, "You are courageous." "But being courageous will not help you."

He moved back into the darkness, and his troop did the same. Again, there was stillness in the clearing, but this time it was the sound of a predator surrounding its victim.

Kai turned to face me, his face glum. "It is not over," he said.

"I understand," I said, becoming quieter. "He is trying to find our flaws by testing us."

Kai's jaw clenched as he nodded. "He will not get any from us."

I kept having the uneasy sensation that something was not right as the troops gathered. The withdrawal of the adversary Alpha was illogical. Given that he was obviously in the lead, why would he retreat?

I went in search of the outlaw who had forewarned us. Her eyes were darting anxiously as she hovered close to the healer's tent.

I walked up to her and said, "You know something."

She paused, her eyes darting about as though seeking a way out. She acknowledged, "I did not think they would move this quickly." However, it goes beyond that. Someone in your group is giving them information.

My blood froze. "Who?"

Her voice was hardly audible above a whisper as she said, "I do not know." However, they knew precisely when to attack and where your patrols were. Someone is actively working against you.

I quickly located Kai and pulled him away. When I told him about the rogue's warning, his face grew serious.

"Are you certain that she is speaking the truth?" His voice was low as he asked.

“She hasn’t lied to us yet,” I said. “And it explains how the rival pack has been one step ahead this whole time.”

Kai’s eyes scanned the camp, his suspicion evident. “If there’s a traitor, we’ll find them. But we can’t let this distract us from the fight ahead.”

I nodded, though my mind was already racing. If there was a traitor, we didn’t just need to prepare for an external battle—we needed to root out the enemy within.

The pack worked through the night, fortifying defences and preparing for an inevitable attack. I joined the healers, organizing supplies and ensuring we had everything we needed. But my mind kept drifting back to the rival Alpha’s words, his promise to make me fall.

As dawn approached, the air grew heavier, the tension almost unbearable. The warriors' movements were agitated and sharp, and they were restless. I could see the fear they were trying so hard to conceal, the doubt that was beginning to creep in.

It was then I realized what I had to do.

I climbed onto a large rock at the centre of the camp, calling for everyone’s attention. The warriors and healers gathered below, their looks a combination of wonder and concern.

“I know you’re scared,” I started my voice firm despite the weight of their gazes. “I know you’re wondering if we can win this fight. But let me tell you something—they’re scared too. They wouldn’t be trying so hard to break us if they didn’t see our strength.”

I watched heads starting to nod, the warriors straightening as my words set in.

“We are more than a pack,” I continued. “We are a family. And families don’t give up on one other. We stand, we fight, and we safeguard what’s ours. No matter what they throw at us, we will face it together. And we shall win.”

The crowd erupted into cheers, and their spirits lifted. I stepped down, my pulse pounding with both excitement and pride.

As the pack returned to its preparations, a scout came sprinting into the camp, his face pallid.

His voice was shaking as he continued, "They are coming." “And they’ve brought something with them. Something... unnatural.”

The air got silent, the weight of his words hanging over us like a thundercloud. I looked at Kai, my heart hammering.

“What do we do?” I asked.

He caught my gaze, his demeanour harsh but firm. “We stand. Together.

But regardless of the result, I could not get rid of the notion

that this war would alter everything as the first far-off howls reverberated through the woods.