Chapter 72 The First Strike
Kael stood outside the Moonstone pack’s war room, staring at the map on the table inside. Derek was leaning over it, running his finger along a line near the northern edge of Kevin’s land.
“This spot right here,” Derek said, his voice calm but firm. “It’s his weak link. If Kevin’s hiding something or someone, this is where we’ll find it.”
Kael nodded. “He has camps along that border, but they’re not easy to spot. He’s using rogues to keep them hidden, and trust me, they’re good at blending in.”
Derek raised an eyebrow. “You sure about this? You’re asking to lead a team right into enemy territory.”
Kael didn’t hesitate. “If we don’t act now, Kevin will only get stronger. I’ll lead the strike. I know his territory better than anyone.”
Derek studied him for a long moment before nodding. “Fine. Take a small team. No more than six. This isn’t a war—yet. It’s a recon mission. Get in, confirm the camps, and get out.”
Kael grinned faintly. “I didn’t know you cared so much.”
Derek didn’t smile. “If I didn’t trust you, Kael, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Just don’t make me regret it.”
Night had fallen by the time Kael and his team reached the outskirts of Kevin’s land. The forest was thick and dark, the shadows stretching out like claws. Kael signaled for the others to stop and crouched down, scanning the area ahead.
“Quiet,” he whispered. “We’re getting close.”
The team nodded, their faces tense. Night had fallen by the time Kael and his team reached the outskirts of Kevin’s land. The forest was thick and dark, the shadows stretching out like claws. Kael signaled for the others to stop and crouched down, scanning the area ahead.
“Quiet,” he whispered. “We’re getting close.”
The team nodded, their faces tense. Derek had picked a mix of his best warriors and scouts for this mission, along with a tracker from the Alpha Council. They were all experienced, but Kael could see the unease in their eyes.
“Stay behind me,” Kael muttered, moving forward slowly. The group followed, their footsteps muffled against the forest ground.
Kael’s senses were on high alert as they crept closer to Kevin’s border. The sound of rustling leaves and distant animal calls filled the air, but Kael knew better than to relax. This close to Kevin’s territory, danger could come from anywhere.
It wasn’t long before they spotted movement in the distance. Kael motioned for everyone to get low and pointed toward a cluster of shadows ahead.
“There,” he said softly. “That’s one of his camps.”
The others squinted, trying to make out the shapes through the trees. It was well-hidden, camouflaged with branches and nets, but Kael’s sharp eyes picked out the figures moving around inside.
“There’s more of them than I thought,” one of the scouts muttered.
Kael nodded grimly. “Kevin’s gearing up for something big.”
“What’s the plan?” asked one of the warriors.
Kael thought for a moment, his mind racing. “We need to get closer. Count how many there are, see what they’re guarding. If we’re lucky, we’ll find something useful—documents, weapons, anything.”
“And if we’re not lucky?” the tracker whispered.
Kael’s lips thinned into a grim line. “Then we leave them with something to remember us by.”
Moving closer wasn’t easy. The rogues patrolling the camp were sharp, their eyes scanning the trees for any sign of trouble. Kael led the team carefully, using the thick undergrowth as cover.
When they were close enough to see the camp clearly, Kael paused. His heart pounded as he took in the sight before him.
The camp wasn’t just a hideout. It was a base.
Weapons were stacked in crates near the center, and a large tent stood at the far end, its flaps tightly secured.
“What’s in the tent?” one of the scouts whispered.
Kael shook his head. “We’ll find out.”
“Looks like they’re planning something big in there,” one of the warriors muttered.
Kael nodded. “Stay here. I’ll check out the tent.”
“You’re going in there alone?” the tracker asked, his voice tight.
Kael gave him a sharp look. “Too many of us and we’ll get caught. Just keep an eye on the patrols.”
Before anyone could argue, Kael slipped away. He moved like a shadow, his steps silent as he crept into the camp.
The closer Kael got to the tent, the more he felt the weight of the risk he was taking. He paused just outside the flaps, listening for any signs of movement inside. When he heard nothing, he slipped inside.
The interior was dimly lit, a single lantern casting flickering light over the contents. Kael’s eyes widened as he took it all in.
Maps covered the table in the center of the tent, marked with red circles and lines that indicated planned attacks. Nearby, a stack of papers detailed Kevin’s alliance with the rogues, outlining their roles in his strategy. They weren’t just planning attacks—they were coordinating an all-out assault.
But what caught Kael’s attention most was the crate in the corner. It was filled with vials of a strange, dark liquid,packed neatly into foam padding. Kael’s stomach turned as he realized what it was.
“The plague,” he muttered under his breath. “So this is going to be Kevin's best weapon?” He whispered, his fists clenching.
A noise outside the tent snapped him back to reality. He grabbed one of the papers and slipped back out the way he’d come, moving quickly but carefully to rejoin his team.
When Kael reached the others, their faces were tense with anticipation.
“What did you find?” one of the warriors asked.
Kael handed over the paper, his voice grim. “Proof that Kevin’s planning attacks on multiple packs. And he’s using the plague to do it.”
The team stared at the paper, their expressions darkening.
“We can’t let this stand,” one of the scouts said, his voice shaking with anger.
Kael nodded. “We won’t. But we need to send a message without starting an all-out war.”
The group huddled together, quickly formulating a plan. They decided to target the weapons cache, a move that would cripple the camp without drawing too much attention.
As the others moved into position, Kael set his sights on the nearest patrol. He waited until the rogue passed, then struck, taking him down silently.
Within moments, the team was in place. Kael lit a small fire at the edge of the cache, the flames quickly spreading to the crates of weapons.
“Fall back!” Kael hissed, and the team retreated into the trees as chaos erupted in the camp behind them.
Rogues shouted and scrambled to put out the fire, their movements frantic. But the flames consumed the crates too quickly.
Kael allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. “That’ll slow them down.”
“Not for long,” the tracker warned. “We need to get this information back to Alpha Derek.”
Kael nodded. “Let’s move.”
When they returned to Moonstone territory, Derek was waiting for them at the border. His sharp eyes scanned the group, quickly noting their tired but determined expressions.
“What did you find?” Derek asked, his voice steady but intense.
Kael handed him the stolen map.
Derek’s jaw tightened as he studied the map. “This is worse than I thought.”
Kael nodded. “We took out one of his weapon caches, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. He’s got more camps, more supplies, and he’s not going to stop until he wipes us all out.”
Derek’s eyes burned with determination. “Then we won’t let him. This isn’t just about the Moonstone pack anymore. It’s about survival.”
Kael met his gaze, a spark of hope igniting in his chest. For the first time in a long time,
he felt like he was fighting for something worth saving.
And this time, he wouldn’t stop until Kevin was defeated.