The Bloodfang Pack

Three days of winding mountain trails, dense forests, and villages where strangers came and went without asking questions.

I kept my hood low and my conversations short.

The fewer people who remembered Raven Ashford, the better.

On the morning of the fourth day, I reached the northern border.

A towering stone wall stretched across the valley like an unbreakable fortress. Black banners bearing the Bloodfang crest fluttered proudly above the watchtowers.

Even from a distance, I could tell this wasn't an ordinary pack.

The guards moved with military precision.

The walls showed no signs of neglect.

Every archer stood alert.

Every patrol followed the same disciplined route.

If this pack truly destroyed Silver Moon...

Then they had spent the last decade growing even stronger.

I adjusted the strap of my travel bag and walked toward the gate.

"Halt."

A deep voice stopped me.

Two armored warriors lowered their spears.

"State your name."

"Raven Ashford."

"Purpose of your visit?"

"I received Alpha Kael's invitation for Luna candidates."

The older guard studied me carefully.

His eyes lingered on the sword at my waist.

"You travel alone?"

"I always do."

He frowned.

"Most candidates arrived with servants."

"I'm not most candidates."

The younger guard smirked.

"Confident."

"I've earned the right to be."

The older guard extended his hand.

"Invitation."

I removed the sealed parchment from my bag.

He examined the royal seal before nodding.

"It's genuine."

The massive gates slowly creaked open.

As I stepped through, I expected whispers.

Suspicion.

Hostility.

Instead...

Life continued normally.

Children laughed as they chased each other through the market square.

Merchants argued over prices.

Blacksmiths hammered glowing steel.

Women carried baskets filled with fresh bread and herbs.

Warriors helped elderly wolves unload wagons instead of ordering them around.

I slowed my pace.

This...

Wasn't what I expected.

I had imagined a kingdom ruled through fear.

Instead, I found order.

Respect.

Discipline.

A dangerous thought crept into my mind.

Could I have been wrong?

"No."

I whispered the word beneath my breath.

The memories returned immediately.

My parents.

The flames.

The screams.

I forced myself to keep walking.

No amount of kindness could erase what had happened ten years ago.

A servant escorted me through the castle grounds.

Bloodfang Castle stood carved into the mountainside, its black stone walls rising toward the clouds.

It wasn't decorated with unnecessary luxury.

Everything served a purpose.

Strength.

Security.

Endurance.

"The candidates are staying in the east wing," the servant explained politely.

"The Alpha will meet everyone after tomorrow's selection trials."

I nodded.

"How many candidates arrived?"

"Two hundred and seventeen."

More than I expected.

Inside the east wing, women from noble families filled the grand hall.

Elegant gowns.

Expensive jewelry.

Confident smiles.

The moment I entered, several conversations stopped.

A blonde woman wearing emerald silk looked me up and down.

"You're a warrior."

"I am."

She smiled thinly.

"This isn't a battlefield."

"I know."

"It's a competition."

I removed my cloak.

"And competitions usually have winners."

Her smile disappeared.

Several women exchanged curious glances.

One stepped closer.

"I've never heard of the Ashford family."

"You wouldn't have."

"Are they influential?"

"No."

She blinked.

"Then why are you here?"

I met her gaze without hesitation.

"Because Alpha Kael invited qualified women."

"Not famous ones."

A few candidates struggled to hide their laughter.

The blonde woman's face reddened.

Before she could answer—

The doors opened.

Beta Darius Thorn entered.

The room instantly fell silent.

Tall and broad-shouldered, Darius carried himself with quiet authority.

His sharp brown eyes swept across every candidate.

"Welcome to Bloodfang."

His voice echoed through the hall.

"The Alpha values honesty above titles."

Several women straightened proudly.

"Beginning tomorrow, every candidate will undergo three trials."

He paused.

"Strength."

"Mind."

"Character."

Murmurs spread through the room.

"No family name..."

"No amount of wealth..."

"...will influence the outcome."

The blonde woman looked horrified.

Darius continued.

"Any attempt to cheat will result in immediate removal."

His gaze briefly settled on me.

Only for a heartbeat.

Then he continued walking.

I noticed something strange.

He hadn't looked at my face.

He had looked...

At the silver pendant hidden beneath the collar of my shirt.

A chill ran through me.

Did he recognize it?

No.

Impossible.

I quickly adjusted my collar, hiding the pendant completely.

High above the hall...

Behind a narrow balcony concealed by carved stone screens...

Another pair of eyes had been watching everything.

Kael Draven.

He stood silently with his arms folded across his chest.

Darius joined him moments later.

"You were right."

Kael didn't look away from the candidates below.

"About which part?"

"She carries herself like a warrior."

"Not a noblewoman."

Kael's gray eyes followed me as I quietly moved toward an empty corner instead of trying to impress the others.

"She watches exits."

Darius nodded.

"She counted the guards before entering."

"And?"

"She noticed every weapon in the room."

Kael's wolf stirred uneasily again.

"Interesting."

Darius hesitated.

"Do you think she's dangerous?"

Kael answered without hesitation.

"Yes."

A pause.

"But not in the way everyone else assumes."

Down below, I looked up instinctively.

For the briefest moment...

I felt as though someone was watching me.

I scanned the balconies.

Nothing.

Only shadows.

Still...

The strange feeling refused to disappear.

Somewhere nearby...

A wolf was observing me.

And for reasons I couldn't explain...

My own wolf, dormant for years, gave the faintest stir inside me.

It was the first time it had reacted since the night Silver Moon fell.

I frowned.

What was that?

Before I could think further, a servant rang a silver bell.

"Dinner is served."

The candidates began moving toward the banquet hall.

I took one last glance at the empty balcony before following them.

Hidden in the shadows, Kael watched until I disappeared from sight.

Then he spoke quietly.

"Tomorrow..."

His expression remained unreadable.

"...I want to meet Raven Ashford."

Far beyond Bloodfang's walls, a black raven landed on the shoulder of a cloaked man standing deep within the forest.

He removed the tiny message tied to the bird's leg and smiled as he read it.

"So..."

he murmured.

"The last Vale has finally entered Bloodfang."

Another figure stepped from the darkness.

"What are your orders, Alpha Malachai?"

Malachai's smile turned cold.

"Do nothing."

He folded the message carefully.

"Hatred is a far better weapon than any sword."

He looked toward the distant castle.

"Let the girl believe she's hunting her enemy."

A cruel laugh escaped his lips.

"She has no idea..."

"...she's walking exactly where I want her to be."