WHISPERS IN THE DARK

~Jemima Steele POV

....The Pack’s Forest

The sun was high, but the forest didn’t feel warm. I walked along the trail, each step crunching softly on fallen leaves. The air felt heavy, as if the trees were keeping secrets. My wolf, Kiona, stayed quiet but watchful in the back of my mind. She’d been restless all morning, her unease stirring my own.

Adrian had told me to patrol near the edge of the pack’s land. I knew he was just trying to keep me away from the others. He thought he was keeping me safe. But I’d had enough of being protected. I wasn’t the same scared girl who used to hide from everything.

Stay sharp, Kiona said, her voice steady. Something isn’t right.

I tightened my grip on the small dagger at my side. The forest felt too quiet, like something was waiting. I stopped suddenly, my breath catching. There was a rustling in the bushes ahead. It wasn’t loud, but it was enough to make me crouch low, my senses sharpening.

Kiona growled softly in my mind. Then, a wolf stepped out from the shadows. Its fur was dark and smooth, and its eyes were intelligent, calculating. It wasn’t a rogue. It was watching me, not attacking.

“Who are you?” I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. My heart was racing.

The wolf didn’t respond. A moment later, it shifted into a man. He was tall and lean, with sharp features and dark eyes that seemed to see too much. He wasn’t anyone I recognized.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” I said, gripping the dagger tighter.

The man smirked. “Neither are you. But I’m not here to fight.”

I didn’t relax. Something about him felt dangerous. “What do you want?”

“A message,” he said. “For your alpha.”

My chest tightened, but I kept my expression steady. “What message?”

“Tell him this isn’t his fight to win,” the man said. His voice was calm, almost amused. “He can protect you all he wants, but it won’t matter. Things are already in motion.”

Before I could say anything, he shifted back into a wolf and disappeared into the trees. I stared after him, my mind racing.

We need to tell Adrian, Kiona said firmly.

I turned and ran, the forest blurring past me. My breaths came in short gasps, and by the time I reached the clearing, my hands were shaking. Adrian was near the edge, talking with Garrett. His eyes locked onto mine as I approached.

“What happened?” he asked, stepping closer.

I took a deep breath. “There was someone in the forest,” I said. “He shifted into a wolf and said he had a message for you.”

Adrian’s expression hardened. “What kind of message?”

“He said this isn’t your fight to win,” I told him. “And that protecting me won’t change anything.”

Garrett cursed under his breath. Adrian’s jaw tightened. “Did he say anything else?”

“No,” I said. “He just left.”

Adrian turned to Garrett. “Double the patrols. I want every inch of this land covered.”

Garrett nodded and walked away, barking orders. Adrian looked back at me, his golden eyes intense. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine,” I said, though my hands were still trembling. “But he knew where I was. He’s been watching us.”

Adrian’s shoulders relaxed slightly, but his expression stayed grim. “I shouldn’t have sent you out there alone,” he said. “That won’t happen again.”

I didn’t argue. Whoever that man was, he wasn’t just a random threat. He was something more.

That night, the air felt colder. The pack stayed alert, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching. I stood near the clearing’s edge, the wind brushing against my face. Kiona’s presence was strong, but even she seemed uneasy.

“You’re thinking too much,” Adrian’s voice broke the silence. He stood a few steps away, his arms crossed.

“It’s hard not to,” I said. “That man… he wasn’t just passing through. He wanted us to see him.”

Adrian nodded. “I know. That’s what makes it worse.”

I hesitated. “What do you think he meant? When he said this isn’t your fight to win?”

Adrian’s jaw tightened. “I don’t know. But if they think I’m going to back down, they’re wrong.”

There was something unshakable in his voice. Despite everything, it made me feel safer. We didn’t have all the answers, but I knew Adrian wouldn’t give up. And neither would I.

The next morning, gray clouds hung low in the sky. The forest felt heavier, as though it was bracing for something. I joined Adrian and Garrett at the patrol post, where scouts were waiting with reports.

“No sign of him,” one scout said. “But we found tracks near the northern ridge.”

“And?” Adrian asked.

“They stopped suddenly,” the scout replied. “Like he just disappeared.”

Adrian’s frown deepened. “Keep looking. Let me know if you find anything.”

The scout nodded and left. Garrett crossed his arms, his face grim. “This feels like a trap,” he said.

Adrian didn’t respond right away. His gaze shifted to me, his eyes steady. “We don’t play their game,” he said finally. “We change the rules.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I trusted him. Whatever came next, we’d face it together.