Chapter twenty three: The Enemy’s shadow revised

Chapter 23: The Enemy’s Shadow

Rogue Leader’s POV

The wind howled through the dense forest, carrying the scent of the pack that lay just beyond the ridge. It had been a while since I’d felt the pull of this land, but today… today, it was different. There was something in the air, a tremor of power that I couldn’t ignore.

The moon was full, its light casting long shadows across the jagged landscape. I stood on a rocky outcrop, watching the distant lights of the pack house flicker like a beacon in the night. Below, my warriors were gathered, their eyes full of anticipation. They had followed me across miles of treacherous land, and now we were on the brink of something monumental.

It had taken years to gather them, to cultivate this army—rogues, exiles, the desperate, the broken. But they were strong, unified under my leadership, and they would follow me into battle without question. They were loyal, in their own twisted way.

But that power…

I could feel it now, reverberating in the earth beneath my feet, in the cool air that whipped around me. It was familiar, the kind of power that ran through bloodlines. I knew it the moment I felt it—Lillias, the daughter of Alpha Callum, had come into her full strength.

And with that power, came opportunity.

I turned away from the ridge, my cloak billowing in the wind as I walked down toward the gathered rogues. They parted to let me through, their faces a mix of hunger and determination. They had one purpose—to destroy what stood in their way and to claim what was rightfully theirs.

I reached the front, where my second-in-command, Varik, stood, his piercing blue eyes scanning the horizon.

“What’s the status?” I asked, my voice like a dark rumble that matched the storm beginning to stir in the distance.

“There’s a shift in the air,” Varik said, his voice low. “The pack is on edge. But they’re not expecting us tonight. They’re focused on something else—some kind of… disturbance. The Alpha’s daughter, I believe.”

I smiled darkly, my teeth gleaming white under the moonlight. “Good. Let them be distracted. We strike when they least expect it. Lillias is awakening, and that is the key. Her power is unlike any I’ve encountered. If we can capture her, we can force the Alpha to submit. The pack will crumble beneath him.”

Varik nodded, his expression one of approval. “And the Moon Goddess’s bloodline… it’s said that those who possess it are untouchable. That’s why we need her, my leader. She holds the key to something far greater than any of us have ever dreamed.”

“Yes,” I said softly, almost to myself. “And once we have her… once we possess that power, no one will be able to stop us. Not Alpha Callum, not Silas, and certainly not the Moon Goddess herself.”

I turned away from the group, stepping toward the fire that crackled in the center of the camp. My eyes burned with anticipation as I stared into the flames. The pack wasn’t just a collection of wolves. It was a symbol, a force. But it could be broken. All forces had weaknesses. And the greatest weakness was always the one they loved most—their family, their heart.

Lillias would be mine.

The power inside her—born of the Moon Goddess’s bloodline—would be mine. And with it, I would control everything. I would make the Alpha bow before me. I would burn the pack house to the ground and take everything they held dear.

But it wouldn’t be easy. Callum was strong. Silas, though younger, was no fool. And Lillias… She was unpredictable. Her aura would be difficult to contain. But I had patience. And patience always won.

“We move out at dawn,” I ordered, my voice carrying a cold finality. “Prepare yourselves. The time for waiting is over. We strike tomorrow night, under the cover of darkness. I want her alive. No mistakes. Bring her to me, and the pack will fall.”

The rogues nodded, a mixture of grins and grimaces spreading across their faces. They were ready for the chaos. Ready to bring down the Alpha’s legacy and claim their own place in the world.

But in truth, it was more than that. It was about more than power—it was about revenge. The Moon Goddess had forsaken us, cast us aside, and now, we would take back what was ours.

I turned and walked back to the edge of the ridge, the cool wind brushing against my skin. In the distance, I could still feel the pulse of Lillias’s power, growing stronger by the minute.

Soon, I would be the one to control it. And when I did, nothing in this world would be able to stop me.

The end of the pack was near. And in its ashes, I would rise.

The night deepened around us as we gathered in the clearing, the wolves that followed me encircling the fire. The air was sharp with anticipation, the cold biting at my skin. I could feel the electricity in the atmosphere—the world seemed to hold its breath. This night would mark the beginning of something that could change the balance of power forever. The rogues, my loyal followers, were eager. They had tasted blood before, and now they were hungry for more.

I could sense the unease among my warriors, though. Something had shifted in the wind, and even the most ruthless among them felt the weight of it. It was as though the earth itself was warning us. I shook the thought away. Warnings were for the weak.

I stood at the center of the group, my eyes scanning each face—some were hardened, their eyes filled with the scars of battles long past. Others were younger, eager for their first taste of real conflict. They had all come to me, desperate for a cause, for a leader who would bring them what they had been denied for so long. And I had delivered. But now, there was more at stake. There were more risks. The power of Alpha Callum’s pack was not to be underestimated, nor was the power of his daughter. But the Moon Goddess had seen fit to bless her with the same bloodline that had once been mine, and now it was time to claim it.

I could feel her still, even from a distance—the hum of her energy in the air, like the spark of a fire waiting to ignite. Lillias. She didn’t know the danger she was in, or perhaps she did, but she was too distracted by her own awakening to see the darkness that was closing in around her. The power she carried within her veins was potent, pure, and untapped. It would take time for her to fully understand what she had, but once she did… once she embraced it, she would be unstoppable.

But that was the problem. The moment she realized what she could do, she would be a threat. And I couldn’t afford to let her grow too strong. Not with Callum and Silas at her side.

“I want no mistakes,” I growled, my voice cutting through the low murmurs of the group. Every wolf turned to face me, their eyes sharp with attention. “Lillias is the prize, but we take down the entire pack if we must. Alpha Callum will bend the knee when he sees his daughter’s blood in our hands. They’ll have no choice but to submit.”

Varik stepped forward, his posture still and calculating. He was as loyal as they came, but I saw the glimmer of doubt in his eyes. Perhaps even he sensed the danger.

“You still believe she’ll just surrender to us?” he asked, his voice skeptical. “She’s no ordinary wolf, leader. We’ve heard the stories. The bloodline of the Moon Goddess doesn’t fall so easily.”

I turned my gaze on him, my eyes narrowing. “Do not doubt me, Varik. The power she carries is exactly why we need her. The moment we take her, the pack will crumble. Silas, Callum—none of them can stand against what we’ll do with her power.”

Varik didn’t respond, but I could tell he was still uncertain. The stories of the Moon Goddess’s bloodline were more than just folklore. There were legends—of wolves born from the Goddess herself, whose powers transcended even those of an Alpha. Some believed they were untouchable, that no force on Earth could defeat them. But that was just superstition. There was always a way to break someone—especially when you had the right leverage.

I could see the pack in the distance, their lights flickering dimly. It was time. We were going to make our move. The time for patience had passed.

“Tonight, we strike,” I said, my voice carrying the weight of finality. “Be ready. Under the cover of darkness, we will make our move. We will take Lillias, and we will tear this pack apart.”

The rogues shifted uneasily, some whispering to each other, their wolves restless beneath their skin. But there was a glint in their eyes too—a hunger that mirrored my own.

“We move at midnight,” I ordered, turning away and heading toward the edge of the forest. I could feel the pack growing nearer, their presence heavy in the air. The time for waiting was over.

The moon, full and bright above, cast long shadows over the land. I could feel the pull of it, a reminder of what was at stake. This wasn’t just a battle for territory. It was a battle for power, for control, for legacy. The Moon Goddess’s bloodline, once a blessing, was now a weapon in my hands. I would make sure Lillias understood that—understood that there was no escaping fate.

As the rogues readied themselves, I stood alone at the forest’s edge, my eyes narrowing as I looked toward the distant pack house. The storm was coming, and it would be one that no one would be prepared for.

I wasn’t just going to take control of this land. I was going to reshape it.

And no one—no one—was going to stand in my way.