Chapter 5: Whispers of Duty

Lucien’s POV

A sharp knock on the door startled me awake. My eyes blinked open, the lingering warmth of the dying fire casting dim, flickering light across the room. I sat up with a groan, running a hand through my disheveled hair.

“Who is it?” I asked, my voice gravelly from sleep.

“It’s me, Ryder,” came the familiar voice from the other side of the door.

I sighed, rolling my shoulders to loosen the tension. “Come in.”

The door opened, and Ryder stepped inside, his expression a mixture of hesitance and apology. “Sorry to disturb your rest, Alpha,” he said, bowing his head respectfully.

“It’s fine,” I replied, waving him off. “Seems I overslept anyway.”

Ryder’s brow arched, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. “You? Oversleep? That’s new.”

I chuckled softly, leaning back against the headboard. “Yeah, tell me about it. Seraphine made me something last night. Sweet, perfect… exactly what I didn’t know I needed.”

Ryder crossed his arms, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. “The Luna’s spoiling you, huh?”

“She is,” I admitted, the memory of last night tugging a small smile from me. Her touch, her soft laughter, the way her lips brushed against mine—it lingered in my mind like a pleasant ache.

“And yet…” Ryder tilted his head, curiosity sparking in his tone. “You’re making that face. What’s on your mind?”

I shook my head, brushing it off. “Just thinking… she’s too sweet sometimes. Makes me think there’s more to it.”

Ryder chuckled. “Like what? You think she’s plotting something?”

“Maybe,” I said, smirking back.

But my mind wasn’t entirely on the conversation. Images of last night flooded back, unbidden but oh so vivid. The way Seraphine pulled me into her arms, the way her breath hitched when I touched her, the warmth of her skin against mine—it wasn’t just physical. It was something deeper, something raw and intimate.

She wasn’t just trying to take care of me. She was claiming me, body and soul.

“Alpha?” Ryder’s voice cut through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.

I cleared my throat, shaking the haze from my mind. “Sorry. What were you saying?”

Ryder gave me a curious look but didn’t press. “I was just saying it’s unusual for you to oversleep, that’s all. You sure you’re feeling all right?”

“Perfectly fine,” I replied, standing and stretching. “In fact, I haven’t felt this good in a while.”

“Must’ve been some dish,” Ryder teased, but there was a hint of curiosity behind his playful tone.

“It was,” I said, my voice lowering slightly as the memory resurfaced. “But it wasn’t just the food.”

Ryder raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Oh? Do tell.”

I shot him a pointed look. “You don’t want the details.”

“Maybe I do,” he countered with a grin.

I shook my head, chuckling softly. “Let’s just say… she knows how to take care of me.”

The grin slipped from Ryder’s face, replaced by a more serious expression. “She’s good for you,” he said after a moment. “I’ve never seen you this… relaxed before.”

“She is,” I agreed, a strange warmth spreading through my chest. “Even when she’s driving me insane.”

“Must be love,” Ryder said with a shrug, his tone light but genuine.

“Must be,” I echoed, though the weight of the word hung heavier than I expected.

For a moment, silence settled between us, comfortable but charged with unspoken thoughts. Then Ryder cleared his throat, his demeanor shifting.

“Right. Back to business,” he said. “There’s something you need to know.”

I straightened, my senses sharpening. “What is it?”

Ryder stepped closer, his countenance shifting to something more serious. “There’s a situation in the western woods. One of the scouts reported unusual tracks—too large to be anything local. They might belong to the rogue pack.”

My jaw tightened. “And the scouts? Did they engage?”

“No,” Ryder assured me. “They were careful to avoid detection, but they’re waiting for your orders.”

I stood, rolling my shoulders to shake off the remnants of sleep. “Good. Assemble the hunting pack. We leave in twenty minutes.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Ryder turned to leave but hesitated. “Are you sure you’re up for this? You seem… tired.”

I shot him a look, one that needed no words. He nodded, muttering, “Of course. Twenty minutes.”

As the door closed behind him, I exhaled, letting my head fall back for a moment. Tired or not, I had a duty to my pack.

_

Twenty minutes later, the hunting pack gathered at the edge of the woods. Ryder stood at my side, his sharp eyes scanning the tree line.

“Anything new from the scouts?” I asked, adjusting the strap of my gear.

“They’re still in position,” Ryder replied. “But there’s been no movement since the initial report.”

I nodded, my focus sharpening. “Good. We move silently. I want eyes on those tracks first.”

The pack fanned out, moving with practiced ease through the dense forest. The air was crisp, the kind that prickled at the skin and heightened every sense.

Ryder walked close beside me, his steps nearly soundless. “Do you think it’s the rogues?” he asked under his breath.

“Could be,” I replied, my voice low. “Or it could be something worse.”

“Worse?”

I glanced at him. “Supernatural creatures don’t always play by our rules. We prepare for the worst.”

As we approached the scouts’ position, one of them stepped forward to greet us. “Alpha,” he whispered, bowing his head. “The tracks are just ahead. You’ll want to see this.”

The scout led us a few yards further until we came upon the tracks. My stomach twisted as I studied them.

“Those aren’t wolf tracks,” Ryder muttered, his voice tense.

“No,” I agreed, crouching to get a closer look. “Too large. Too deep.”

Ryder looked at me, his face pale in the moonlight. “Then what are we dealing with?”

I didn’t answer immediately. My fingers traced the edges of the prints, noting the sharp indentations that could only have been made by claws.

“Something ancient,” I said finally, standing. “And hungry.”

A low growl echoed in the distance, freezing us all in place.

“What the hell was that?” one of the pack members whispered, his voice trembling.

“Silence,” I ordered, my voice sharp.

The growl came again, closer this time, and my instincts roared to life. “Form up,” I commanded. “We’re not alone.”

Ryder drew his weapon, his movements steady despite the tension in his jaw. “What’s the plan, Alpha?”

I scanned the shadows, my eyes narrowing. “We draw it out. If it’s a threat, we eliminate it. No hesitation.”

Another growl—louder, angrier—rumbled through the forest.

“Positions,” I barked, the pack moving as one to surround the area.

The woods fell silent, the kind of silence that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

“Alpha,” Ryder said, his voice barely audible. “I think it’s circling us.”

“I know,” I replied, my senses straining to pinpoint the creature. “Stay alert.”

A sudden crash of branches snapped my focus to the left. A massive shape barreled through the underbrush, too fast to make out in the darkness.

“Move!” I shouted, diving to the side as the creature lunged.