The Pull of the Past

Miles away, in the heart of Silverfang territory, Rowan Silverfang sat at a long wooden table, surrounded by his pack’s council. The room was dimly lit, the air heavy with the scent of burning candles and old wood. Rowan’s father, Alpha Silverfang, was speaking, his voice deep and commanding. But Rowan wasn’t listening. His mind was elsewhere, his thoughts tangled like a knot he couldn’t undo.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his chest. Rowan gasped, his hand flying to his heart. The room spun, and for a moment, he thought he might collapse. The pain was intense, like a fire burning him from the inside out. He clenched his teeth, trying to hide it, but his father’s sharp eyes caught the movement.

“Rowan,” Alpha Silverfang said, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. “What’s wrong?”

Rowan shook his head, forcing a tight smile. “Nothing. Just a headache,” he lied. But inside, his heart was racing. He knew what this pain meant. The bond. The fated mate bond. It had awakened.

And it was connected to Kai.

The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. Kai. The omega from the Blackthorn Pack. The one he had betrayed years ago during a brutal territorial dispute. The memory of that day flashed in his mind—Kai’s hurt expression, the way they had looked at him with such disappointment. Rowan had tried to bury that memory, but now it was back, sharper than ever.

He excused himself from the meeting, his legs shaky as he walked out into the cool night air. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale light over the Silverfang territory. Rowan leaned against a tree, his breath coming in short gasps. The bond was pulling at him, a relentless force that he couldn’t ignore. He could feel Kai’s emotions—fear, confusion, anger. It was overwhelming.

Rowan clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want to be tied to Kai, not after what he had done. The guilt he had carried for years threatened to crush him. How could he face Kai now? How could he ever make things right?

But the bond was too strong. It was like a rope tied around his heart, pulling him toward Kai no matter how hard he tried to resist. Rowan growled in frustration, his wolf instincts urging him to run, to find Kai and fix what he had broken. But he couldn’t. Not yet. Not when the packs were on the brink of war.

As if on cue, a howl echoed through the night. It was sharp and urgent, a warning. Rowan’s head snapped up, his senses on high alert. Another howl joined the first, and then another. The rogue wolves. They were attacking.

Rowan’s heart pounded as he shifted into his wolf form, his massive body trembling with adrenaline. He raced toward the sound of the howls, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. The bond with Kai was still there, pulsing in the back of his mind, but now it was overshadowed by the immediate threat. The rogue wolves were dangerous, unpredictable. And their leader, Fenrir, was ruthless.

When Rowan reached the edge of Silverfang territory, he saw them. The rogue wolves were a dark mass moving through the trees, their eyes glowing with malice. They were attacking a patrol of Silverfang wolves, their claws and teeth flashing in the moonlight. Rowan let out a fierce growl and charged into the fray, his powerful body crashing into a rogue wolf and sending it flying.

The battle was chaos. The air was filled with snarls and howls, the scent of blood thick and metallic. Rowan fought with everything he had, his movements swift and deadly. But even as he fought, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The rogue wolves were growing bolder, their attacks more frequent. And Fenrir was behind it all.

As the last of the rogue wolves retreated into the shadows, Rowan shifted back into his human form, his chest heaving. He looked around at the wounded and the dead, his heart heavy. This wasn’t just an attack. It was a message. Fenrir was coming for them, and he wouldn’t stop until both packs were destroyed.

Rowan’s mind raced as he tried to make sense of it all. The bond with Kai, the rogue attacks, the tension between the packs—it was all connected. And he knew that if they didn’t do something soon, they would all be in grave danger.

But before he could think of a plan, another howl broke the silence. This one was different. It was coming from the direction of Blackthorn territory. Rowan’s heart skipped a beat. Kai.

The bond pulled at him again, stronger than ever. He could feel Kai’s fear, their desperation. Something was wrong. Without thinking, Rowan shifted back into his wolf form and took off running, his powerful legs carrying him through the forest at breakneck speed.

As he ran, his mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Guilt, fear, determination—it all swirled together in a chaotic storm. He had betrayed Kai once, and he had spent years trying to forget it. But now, the bond had awakened, and there was no escaping it. He had to face Kai. He had to make things right.

But as he neared Blackthorn territory, he saw the smoke rising into the sky. The rogue wolves had attacked there too. The forest was alive with the sounds of battle—snarls, howls, the clash of teeth and claws. Rowan’s heart pounded as he pushed himself harder, his instincts screaming at him to find Kai.

When he finally reached the clearing, he saw them. Kai was standing in the midst of the chaos, their body trembling but their eyes fierce. They were fighting bravely, but they were outnumbered. A rogue wolf lunged at them, its teeth bared. Rowan didn’t think. He just acted.

He crashed into the rogue wolf with all his strength, sending it flying. Kai turned, their eyes wide with shock. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as their eyes met. The bond between them pulsed with a fierce intensity, and Rowan felt a surge of emotions he couldn’t name.

“Kai,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “I’m here.”

But before Kai could respond, another howl split the night. The rogue wolves were regrouping, and they weren’t done yet.

Rowan’s eyes hardened as he stepped in front of Kai, his body tense and ready for battle. “Stay behind me,” he growled.

Kai nodded, their heart racing. They didn’t know what to think, what to feel. But one thing was clear: the bond between them was real. And it was about to change everything.

As the rogue wolves charged, Rowan and Kai stood side by side, their bond pulsing with a fierce energy. The battle was far from over.