Chapter 20 Chapter 20
Kael’s POV
Something was wrong I could feel it. The moment I crossed the river bordering Leonidas’ territory, my wolf went completely still.
The night was quiet, the forest was stretching endlessly beneath the pale moonlight, but the silence didn’t feel natural, instead it felt...tense. Like the woods themselves were holding their breath. I slowed my steps, lifting my head slightly as the cold air brushed against my skin.
And that was when I smelled it.
'Another Alpha'.
My eyes narrowed.
Behind me, my warriors moved carefully through the trees, their dark shapes blending into the shadows. None of them spoke, but I could feel their alertness.
They had sensed it too. The unfamiliar scent that hung faintly in the air, carried by the wind from somewhere deeper within the forest.
The scent was cold, sharp and dangerous.
My wolf snarled quietly inside me.
'Someone else is here'.
"Yes", I murmured under my breath.
But the strange thing was....
That scent wasn’t completely unfamiliar. It stirred something in my memory, like a forgotten name lingering on the edge of my thoughts which was impossible.
There weren’t many Alphas powerful enough to challenge me. And the ones who were... I knew them all.
Or so I thought.
"Alpha".
My Beta, Darius, appeared beside me, his dark eyes scanning the forest like he was trying the catch the owner of the scent.
"You feel it too".
I didn’t look at him.
"Yes".
Darius inhaled slowly, testing the air.
"There’s another Alpha nearby".
"Not just nearby".
My gaze shifted toward the distant mountains.
"He’s hunting".
Darius frowned slightly.
"For the girl?" he asked.
"The Omega Queen", I replied
The title felt strange on my tongue, almost like it was ancient, powerful.
And unbelievably valuable.
Darius glanced at me carefully.
"You think someone else knows about her already?" he asked.
A quiet chuckle escaped me.
'Everyone knows".
Another distant howl echoed through the mountains, rolling across the land like thunder.
Darius’ expression tightened.
"That’s the third one tonight".
"Exactly".
Every Alpha in the region had felt it.
Sable’s awakening.
Her power had called to them like a beacon in the dark.
And now the hunt had begun.
My wolf stirred again, restless inside me
'She belongs to us'.
"Yes", I said softly.
But the problem wasn’t claiming her.
The problem was about the other Alphas who would try to stop me. I turned slowly toward the warriors waiting behind us.
"Spread out".
They straightened instantly.
"Find Leonidas’ territory".
One of them stepped forward.
"And the girl?"
My lips curved slightly.
"Find her".
Darius folded his arms.
"And if Leonidas gets in the way?"
I smiled.
Cold. Dangerous.
"Break him".
The wolves moved immediately, disappearing silently into the darkness of the forest.
Within seconds, only Darius and I remained.
He watched them go, then looked back at me.
“You’re confident".
“I’m realistic.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“You think Leonidas can’t protect her?”
My eyes shifted toward the distant trees.
“I think Leonidas will try.”
“And the other Alpha?”
That was the real question.
I inhaled deeply again.
The scent was stronger now.
It was closer and smells woefully familiar.
My wolf growled low in my chest.
'We know him'.
My jaw tightened.
'Yes. We did'.
But that didn’t make sense.
Because the Alpha I was thinking of...
Was supposed to be gone.
Darius noticed my expression change.
"What is it?"
Before I could answer—
A shadow moved between the trees. One of my scouts returned, landing silently on the forest floor before us.
"Alpha".
I stepped forward.
"What did you find?"
The scout’s breathing was steady, but his eyes held urgency.
"We found Leonidas’ territory".
"And?"
"The pack is on high alert".
Of course they were.
Leonidas wasn’t stupid.
He knew I would come back.
"Did you see the girl?"
"Yes".
My wolf perked up immediately.
"Where is she?"
The scout hesitated.
"She’s still inside the pack house".
Darius frowned.
"She hasn’t left the territory?"
"No".
I considered that carefully.
Interesting.
"She hasn’t woken up yet either", the scout added.
That made my wolf smile.
Perfect.
An unconscious Omega Queen was far easier to take than an awakened one.
"Is Leonidas guarding her?"
"Yes".
"Of course he is".
The scout continued.
"But something else is happening".
My attention sharpened.
"What?"
"The pack elders are gathering".
"For what?"
"They believe more Alphas are coming".
Darius glanced at me.
"They’re not wrong".
I waved the scout away.
"Return to the others".
He nodded and disappeared into the forest again.
Darius crossed his arms.
"So what’s the plan?"
"Simple".
I stepped deeper into the trees, moving toward Leonidas’ territory.
"We take her before the others arrive".
"And if the other Alpha reaches her first?"
That thought irritated my wolf. He snarled quietly.
"No one reaches her first".
Darius sighed.
"You’re very confident tonight".
"I have a reason to be".
But even as I said it, the strange feeling in my chest grew stronger.
That scent again.
Closer now, way too close.
My wolf suddenly froze.
'Stop'.
I did.
Darius noticed immediately.
"What is it?"
I raised a hand slightly, signaling silence.
The forest around us had gone still.
No wind. No insects.
Nothing.
Then I heard it.
Footsteps.
Slow and calm almost like the person was doing it deliberately.
Someone was walking toward us through the trees.
Darius’ eyes sharpened.
"Alpha..."
I didn’t answer.
Because I already knew the reason he called me.
The scent hit me again.
Stronger than before.
And suddenly—
The memory clicked into place.
My wolf snarled violently inside my chest.
'Impossible'.
The figure stepped out of the shadows.
Tall. Broad shoulders.
Dark hair falling slightly over cold eyes that reflected the moonlight.
He stopped a few feet away from us.
Completely calm.
Like he had expected to find me here.
Darius tensed beside me.
"Alpha...."
But I was already staring at the man standing in front of us. The Alpha I had believed gone. The Alpha no one had seen in years.
For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then slowly...
The man smiled.
It wasn’t the friendly smile.
It was the kind of smile that belonged to someone who enjoyed chaos.
"Well", he said casually.
His voice was calm, but has something dangerous lingered beneath it.
"I see I’m not the only one who felt her call".
My wolf snarled loudly inside my head.
'Him'.
I felt my own smile form slowly.
"So it’s true".
His eyes glinted slightly.
"What is?"
I tilted my head.
"You’re alive".
The forest seemed to grow darker around us.
The Alpha’s smile widened slightly.
"Of course I am".
Darius glanced between us, confused.
"You two know each other?"
I didn’t take my eyes off the man in front of me.
"Oh", I said quietly.
"We go way back".
The Alpha chuckled softly.
"And here I thought we might run into each other tonight".
My wolf’s claws scraped against my mind.
'He wants her too'.
Of course he did.
Every powerful Alpha would.
But this one...
This one was different.
Because if he was here...
Then the war had just become far more dangerous than I expected. The Alpha took another slow step forward.
His gaze never left mine.
"So tell me, Kael".
My name sounded almost amused on his lips.
"Are you planning to protect the Omega Queen..."
He paused.
Then his smile turned colder.
"...or claim her?"
For a moment, the forest fell completely silent.
Two Alphas.
One hunt.
And somewhere beyond the trees–
The Omega Queen was waiting.
I met his gaze evenly.
And smiled.
"Why not both?"