Chapter 050

Chapter 050
Sean kept his face calm, but inside, his instincts sharpened, and his fingers tightened slightly around his wine glass.

He leaned forward.

“What did you just say?”

Garrick met his eyes. “The safehouses. We know the Night Howl Pack has been raiding them.”

Sean’s heart skipped a beat.

“How do you know that?” Sean asked, his voice quieter now, colder.

Garrick didn’t flinch. “One of our own was caught near Hollow Creek. He escaped, barely. He saw a group of Night Howl members loading people into trucks. Young wolves. Old ones. Doesn’t matter. They take anyone who isn’t part of a protected pack.”

Sean leaned back slowly in his chair, processing.

Hollow Creek was near one of the hidden transfer posts. It wasn’t a full safehouse, but it was where rogue wolves were guided and evaluated. Some were given a second chance. Others were sent elsewhere for protection.

It was set up by the Council of Alphas a long time ago, and it was generally supervised by all. As the current leader, he'd appointed Marcus, the alpha of Iron claw pack as the head supervisor.

Just less than twenty four hours ago, Marcus had reached out that the Night howl pack had attacked mid night.

The fact that Garrick’s people even knew of that place sent alarms of warning through Sean’s mind.

“How many others know about this?” Sean asked.

“Just a few,” Garrick said. “We don’t go around talking about it. We know better. But we listen. We watch. And something is changing out there, Alpha. The Night Howl Pack isn’t just abducting anymore. They're expanding. Organizing. Like they're preparing for something.”

Sean stood up slowly, walking to the window. His mansion overlooked the forest hills that bordered the Crescent Moon territory. They had always stood strong, self-reliant. Not perfect, but united.

Now this… this was too close to war. And he hated war.

He turned back to Garrick. “If what you're saying is true, then this is bigger than I thought.”

“It is,” Garrick replied. “And if you think they’ll stop at rogues, you’re wrong.”

Sean met his eyes. “I don’t plan to sit and wait for them.”

Garrick gave a small, firm nod. “Then let us help.”

Sean studied him for a long moment. There was no lie in his voice, no presence. Just a weary warrior who had seen too much and survived enough to speak plainly.

“I’ll call a council meeting,” Sean said at last. “But until then, your people will be given shelter. Under watch. And you all would have to take this pack’s oath and swear loyalty to me.”

Garrick didn’t argue. “Fair enough.”

Sean walked toward the door, then paused. “And Garrick?”

“Yes, Alpha?”

“If you ever speak of the safehouses again… even by mistake… you won’t get a second warning.”

The weight of Sean’s words was heavy in the air, but Garrick only nodded.

“Understood.”

As Sean left the hall and entered the corridor, his mind was already racing. He would need to speak with Raymond. And set up another emergency council meeting.

Because if the Night Howl Pack was preparing for war…

Sean didn't complete that train of thought.

—

For the first time in a very long while, the Alpha Council was quiet.

No one was talking over the other. No one was arguing to prove a point or raise their voice to sound more powerful.

The usual tension that filled the room was gone, replaced by something heavier. Something serious that left a bitter aftertaste.

Sean sat at the head of the long table with his elbows resting on the carved armrests of his chair.

A slow, dull ache started at the back of his head, warning him that he was pushing himself too hard. He knew he should take a break. Maybe even rest.

But he couldn’t. Not now.

Across the table, Alpha Marcus had just finished giving his report about the Night Howl Pack’s sudden attack at Hollow Creek. The details were brutal, chilling, and unexpected.

Sean's gaze swept the room as the heavy silence stretched. Then Ursula, the Luna of the Autumn Moon Pack, finally spoke in a soft, shaken voice.

“That’s… scary,” she whispered. She voiced what everyone was thinking but hadn’t said aloud.

Sean leaned forward. “They used Alapine.”

Several heads snapped toward him in shock.

“It’s a potion,” he continued. “A very rare one. It hides a wolf’s scent completely, but only for about an hour. It was confirmed. That’s why tracking is difficult.”

Gasps followed.

“Alapine?” Desmond asked sharply, his brows knitting together. “That’s forbidden. No one’s supposed to even know how to make it.”

Luna Leila, always calm and composed, slowly shook her head. “Most of the ingredients used in making Alapine are illegal –extremely dangerous. There are rumors that... blood is one of the main ingredients. And not just any blood. It’s dark magic. Very few would even attempt it.”

“Which means,” Freeman added gravely, “that the Night Howl Pack has a sponsor. Someone powerful. Someone rich, old, and smart enough to gain access to such things.”

Ursula leaned back in her chair, swallowing hard. “But who? And what happens when they get tired of abducting rogue wolves? What if they come after us? After our packs?”

Leila hummed in agreement, her face pale. “They're going after rogues because no one will search for them. No one will raise an alarm when a rogue disappears. To the outside world, they’re forgotten, unwanted... disposable. That’s why it’s working.”

Sean’s hands tightened on the table.

“This isn’t just a random plan,” Marcus said. “It’s organized. And it’s dangerous.”

“Finding Alpha Jagger will stop this,” Desmond said firmly. “If we catch him, this madness ends.”

Everyone turned to look at Sean.

He could feel their stares –full of expectation, full of pressure. They were waiting for him to lead, to make the hard choice.

“We’ve tried,” Marcus said quietly. “We’ve used our scouts and trackers, even hired outside help. But it’s useless. He’s covered his trail too well.”

“We need help,” Freeman spoke up. “And not just from anyone. We need Alpha Ryder. He’s the only one who can find Jagger.”

Sean frowned, even though he knew Freeman was right. Ryder had a special gift –some said it was instinct, others said it was something deeper. Either way, if anyone could find Alpha Jagger, it was him.

“I’ve already tried reaching out,” Leila added. “But he didn’t take it seriously. He said we should handle it ourselves.”

Marcus leaned forward. “That’s why it has to come from you, Sean. You’re the only one who can summon Ryder..”

The room grew quiet again.

Sean closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a slow breath. He didn’t like this. But they were out of options.

And if protecting their packs meant swallowing his pride, then he would do it.

For them. For all of them.