Alpha

Eight massive wolves now stand before me, their forms towering over the forest floor. Their fur ripples in the dim light, muscles coiled and ready to strike. The largest of them, a jet-black wolf, is easily twice the size of the others. His presence is undeniable—this must be the alpha. His golden eyes burn with intensity as he surveys me, calculating.

The wolf behind me—the one I had stopped—quickly runs to join the others, melding into their ranks. The snarling begins, low and menacing, as if a storm is brewing in their throats. Drool drips from their bared fangs, glistening as it pools on the earth beneath them. These wolves, wild and primal, look like they could tear me apart with a single bite. Yet despite their ferocity, the alpha remains calm. He doesn’t snarl—he watches, waiting.

Taking a deep breath, I steady my voice and speak clearly. “My name is Lenora.” My words echo through the tense silence. “I am looking for information about the wolves that were massacred at the village about 60 miles away.”

For a moment, the snarls intensify, but the alpha’s low growl, a warning, silences them. His eyes lock onto mine.

“I will not harm you,” I declare firmly, hoping my sincerity reaches them.

Suddenly, there’s a shimmer in the air, and my guardians appear beside me in a flash of light. They instantly take in the sight of the wolves and instinctively drop into defensive stances. The wolves, sensing the shift, growl louder, stepping forward with menace. Both sides are preparing for battle, tension escalating by the second, and I can feel the sharp edge of danger rising around us.

This isn’t what I want. This cannot happen.

Before I can think, something deep within me stirs—a power older and more primal than anything I’ve ever known. It surges forward, and I feel a heavy aura pour out of me, pressing down on everyone around me with invisible weight.

Stand down!

The command is absolute, and it reverberates in the air like a thunderclap. My guardians immediately drop to their knees, heads bowed in submission. The wolves falter, their growls tapering into uneasy whines. Their bodies tremble, ears flattening against their heads as they cower before the force of my aura. Even the alpha, who had resisted at first, begins to snarl defiantly. But I meet his gaze, allowing more of my power to seep out, pressing him further until the struggle becomes too much. His snarl falters, and he finally lowers his head, submitting to me.

With that, I pull my aura back in, the heaviness lifting from the air. My guardians exhale in relief, and the wolves shake off the remnants of my power, regaining their composure.

“I’m sorry I had to do that,” I say softly, glancing between my guardians and the wolves. “But I need you to understand that we mean you no harm. I just want to talk.” I let my voice soften, hoping the sincerity behind my words reaches them as I look into the alpha’s eyes.

For a moment, he holds my gaze, and then, with a nod of his head, he turns sharply and begins to run.

I don’t hesitate—I’m after him in an instant. My legs move faster than they ever have, each stride stretching my limits as I chase him through the forest. He is faster than the wolf I ran after earlier, his powerful frame tearing through the trees like a shadow in motion. But I won’t let him slip away. Not this time.

I push harder, feeling the wind whip through my hair, the leaves and branches blurring around me. Faster, I urge myself, my muscles burning with the effort. I feel alive, the power coursing through my veins as I close the gap between us.

I’m free.

The alpha darts between the trees, his movements fluid and precise, but I’m right there with him. My feet pound the earth in perfect rhythm with his, our paths synchronized as if we’ve been running like this our whole lives. I feel the ground beneath me, the pulse of the earth in tune with every beat of my heart.

Then, in the distance, I catch sight of something—a village emerging through the trees. The alpha begins to slow, his pace easing as the landscape changes.