Chapter 68 Rogues Are Getting Bolder
The soft rustle of the wind carried an ominous weight as Derek stood on the training grounds, observing his warriors spar. The afternoon sun cast long shadows, the rhythmic clash of weapons punctuating the otherwise serene day. His Beta, Alex, approached with a clipboard in hand, detailing patrol routes and recent findings along their borders.
“Rogues are getting bolder,” Alex muttered, scanning the notes. “They’ve been testing our perimeter more frequently.”
Derek nodded, his expression grim. “They’re watching us, probing for weaknesses. I need more patrols, especially near the northern ridge. That’s where the terrain works to their advantage.”
Before Alex could respond, a voice cut through the air.
“They’re not just probing,” Kael said, stepping into view. His presence seemed to draw every eye on the training grounds, the warriors momentarily halting their drills to glance at him. “They’re planning.”
Derek turned to face him, his gaze steady. “Planning for what?”
Kael crossed his arms, his tone calm but laced with underlying tension. “A full-scale attack. And you’re not prepared for it.”
Alex bristled, his wolf on edge at the perceived challenge. “What would you know about that?”
Kael ignored him, his focus solely on Derek. “Your borders are being tested because they want to see how quickly you respond and where you’re weakest. It’s not random. They’re organized.”
Derek’s jaw tightened. “If you have something to say, say it. Don’t waste my time with vague warnings.”
Kael’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “You want specifics? Fine. Alpha Kevin has been working with rogues for years, building alliances. His plans for this plague has been ongoing for long. He’s the one coordinating the Rogue's movements. And he has his eyes set on your pack.”
The revelation hit like a thunderclap. Alex took a step forward, his stance defensive. “You expect us to believe that? Or is this some kind of wild accusations?”
Kael shrugged, unbothered by Alex’s hostility. “Believe me or don’t. It doesn’t change the truth.”
Derek studied Kael carefully. His instincts told him Kael wasn’t lying, but there was something more—something Kael wasn’t saying. “Why would Kevin target the Moonstone Pack? We have never been at loggerhead”
“Because you’re strong, and your strength threatens everything he stands to gain” Kael replied. “And because taking you down would send a message to every other pack. Kevin’s always been ambitious, but he’s not bold enough to challenge you openly. That’s why he’s using rogues.”
Derek folded his arms, his expression unreadable. “And how do you know all this?”
Kael hesitated for the briefest moment before answering. “Let’s just say I’ve been watching Kevin for a while. I’ve seen how he operates. He promises rogues power and territory in exchange for their loyalty. He’s building an army, and he’ll use it to crush anyone who stands in his way.”
The tension between the three men was palpable. Derek turned to Alex. “Send scouts to the northern and eastern borders. I want reports on any rogue activity. And double the patrols—day and night.”
Alex nodded, though his gaze lingered on Kael with suspicion. “You trust him?”
Derek didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he turned back to Kael. “You’ve given us a lot to think about. But if you’re lying, or if this is some kind of ploy to distract us from the main threat—”
Kael cut him off, his tone sharp. “I’m not. Believe me, Derek, the rogues are the least of your problems if Kevin has his way.”
That evening, Derek convened a meeting with his inner circle in the pack’s war room. The room was filled with maps and patrol schedules, the air heavy with the weight of the conversation.
“I don’t like this,” Alex admitted, pacing near the window. “Kael’s too quick to hand us information. It feels calculated.”
Amelia, a fierce warrior with a sharp mind, tapped her fingers on the table. “Calculated or not, the information aligns with what we’ve been seeing. Rogue activity has been increasing, and it’s more coordinated than usual.”
Derek leaned over the map spread across the table, his eyes narrowing as he traced the reported rogue sightings. “If Kevin is behind this, we’re dealing with more than just scattered attacks. We’re looking at a strategy—a plan to destabilize us.”
“And if Kael’s working with Kevin?” Alex asked, his tone skeptical.
Derek shook his head. “No. If Kael were aligned with Kevin, he wouldn’t have exposed him. There’s something else driving him, but I haven’t figured out what.”
Amelia frowned. “Do you think it’s personal?”
Derek looked up, meeting her gaze. “It feels personal. But until I know more, we focus on the threat at hand. Kevin’s ambitions won’t stop with the Moonstone Pack. If we fall, he’ll target others.”
Meanwhile, Kael stood at the edge of the pack’s northern border, his mind racing. He had told Derek the truth, but only part of it. His alliance with Kevin had been forged out of necessity, a shared hatred for those who had wronged them. But that alliance had been short-lived.
Kael remembered the conversation vividly, the way Kevin had spoken of the Moonstone Pack with disdain.
“Crown feared you,” Kevin had said, his voice filled with venom. “But Derek? He’s the golden boy, the Alpha who can do no wrong. Taking him down would be a blow to every pack that idolizes him.”
At the time, Kael had agreed, his anger blinding him to Kevin’s manipulative nature. But it hadn’t taken long for Kael to realize that Kevin’s ambitions extended far beyond vengeance. Kevin wanted power—absolute power—and he didn’t care who he trampled to get it.
Now, standing in Moonstone territory, Kael felt the weight of his decisions. He wasn’t here to save the pack or its Alpha. He was here to destroy them. But first, he needed to ensure that Kevin’s plans didn’t interfere with his own.
Back in the war room, Derek dismissed his inner circle, the tension still hanging in the air. Alone, he stared at the map, his mind racing with possibilities.
Kael’s information had been valuable, but it raised more questions than answers. Why had Kael come to Moonstone? Why warn them about Kevin? And what was his endgame?
Derek’s wolf growled softly, urging him to act. He couldn’t afford to wait for answers. The safety of his pack depended on his ability to stay one step ahead of his enemies.
With a determined expression, Derek grabbed his coat and headed for the door. If the rogues wanted a fight, they would get one. But he would ensure that Moonstone was ready for whatever came next.
And if Kael had ulterior motives, Derek would uncover them. One way or another.