Chapter 112: love and duty

Chapter 112: love and duty
Claire's POV

“What do you mean ‘it begins again’?” I asked, keeping my voice steady even though my heart was racing.
The air around us felt heavier because of the stranger's heavy gaze, even though he did not move closer. I saw the silver etching on the clasp holding his cloak together as it shifted in the wind. I had not seen that crest in years. Most people forget the Shadowborn crest, but those who do remember are afraid of it.

He spoke slowly and said, "Luna, you have opened the door." "There is no closing it now."

Derek's footsteps were audible behind me as he transformed back into a human. He was a firm, resolute presence. His eyes narrowed as he took in the stranger, and he moved to stand next to me.

"Who are you?" Derek's tone was sharp as he demanded.

The man tilted his head slightly and said, "I am just a messenger." However, the person who sent me recollects Redwater's actions. What you did.

I took a step forward and spoke with the authority of my title. Redwater now represents peace. Ghosts are not our bosses.

The stranger gave a smile, but it was not a friendly one. It was the type of smile that made your bones tingle. "Claire, ghosts do not knock on doors. They dismantle them.

He turned and disappeared into the trees, silent as shadow, before either of us could say anything.

For a long time, we stood silently while the wind rustled the leaves overhead. The energy he left behind was still there. Like smoke, it hung there, waiting to come back.

Derek looked over at me. "We must return." We must get ready.

“Yes,” I said quietly, “but we need to do more than that. We must reunite as a pack. Remind them of our identity and our triumphs.

It was a tense walk back to Redwater. My mind was racing, attempting to decipher the meaning of this message. Riven had not arrived here by accident. He had a plan. We had also allowed him entry.

Rowan and two warriors waited at the gates. I could tell by his face that he had already heard.

I told him before he could ask, "He is gone." He took more than just scrolls, too. He stole information that should remain buried.

Rowan's mouth clenched. "Do you want trackers sent to you?"

I gave a headshake. "Not just yet. He wants us to freak out. We will not allow him to feel that way.

I stood in front of the pack in the Great Hall that evening. Young, old, new, and familiar faces turned to face me. The memory of peace was already starting to shake, and the tension in the room was palpable.

I took a step forward. "Everyone needs to know something."

I filled them in on everything, including Riven, the stolen papers, the Shadowborn's mark, and the stranger's warning. I did not mince words. I made no effort to shield them from reality. They had been there for me through worse. Now they were due for the truth.

I remarked, "There might be another storm coming." However, we have changed from who we were. We are now more powerful. We have created something valuable. And together, we will confront whatever comes our way.

There was a long pause, and then Jared's hand came up.

He rose slowly. Next, we get ready. I will increase border patrols twofold. The outlaws who have remained here will also engage in combat. We owe everything to this place.

There were nods and murmurs of agreement throughout the room. A glimmer of pride passed through me. There was no more damage to this pack. It was whole once more.

Later, as the fire flickered gold on the walls, Derek and I stood in our shared quarters. His chin rested softly on my shoulder as he put his arms around me from behind.

Then he whispered, "Claire, you were born to lead." "You know how to proceed even when you are afraid."

I said, "I do not feel brave." "I feel as though I am perilously close to falling again. Similar to how I felt when everything broke down.

He turned me to face him and said, "But this time, you are not standing alone."

Leaning into him, I allowed myself to experience the security his arms provided. He was more than just my partner. My anchor was him.

After a moment, I said, "We need a plan." "For the future, not just for defence."

"You are correct," he said, nodding. "We did not think someone might want to tear it down again because we have been so focused on rebuilding."

That evening, we discussed strategy for hours on end, including how to fortify our external defences, establish covert communication with our allies, and prepare our people without inciting fear. Derek said he would talk to the elders. In the upcoming days, I will meet with the Council representatives. We needed to move quickly.

Redwater's energy had changed by morning. Patrols moved in unison. Training sessions became more targeted. Even the young wolves could feel the change in the atmosphere.

I personally checked in with the new recruits as Luna. A large number of them were rogues or orphans who had decided to live here. Their eyes widened as they turned to face me, expecting me to know everything.

I didn't. But I was strong enough to keep them going.

Later that night, I took another stroll along the northern ridge's edge, the same route we used to locate Riven. The trees clung to an odd silence. There were no birds or rustles, only the stifling silence of a place that had witnessed something unforgettable.

I stopped close to the Shadowborn symbol tree. I ran my fingertips over the carving. The mark was sharp and purposeful, but the bark was rough. A caution.

I spun around abruptly when I heard a rustle in the nearby brush.

A young wolf, barely sixteen years old, came out. He was terrified, and his face was white. However, his presence did not cause me to freeze.

He was carrying it.

He held a satchel in his trembling hands. Its flap was open, and I could see the distinct edge of a scroll—the same type that had been from the archives.

His eyes were wide with fear as he gazed at me. He remarked, "I had no idea where else to go." "They are on their way. To warn you, he sent me ahead of time.

My heart was racing. "Who?"

The boy took a shaky step forward. The one that employs Riven. The Shadow Alpha is his nickname. But he is not coming to speak.

At that moment, a deep, ancient howl that was unlike anything we had ever heard reverberated through the forest. The forest itself seemed to be calling out from its depths and twists. My blood became icy. I had never encountered a wolf that howled like that.

With my fists clenched, I turned to face the sound.

Whatever was in store...

It had already arrived.