Unknown P. O. V
The shadows grew long in the forest as the moon rose high in the sky, shining softly on the Green Forest Pack’s edge.
The sound of hooves on the stone path rang out in the night, announcing the arrival of a dark carriage.
When the carriage stopped, its wooden body creaked loudly.
“Stay where you are!” shouted a guard with his shape looking like a ghost in the low light. He held his sword tightly with the blade shining in a scary way. The other guards acted fast, standing in a strong line as they got in front of the carriage.
The door made a noise as it opened, and Elder Aurelius came out looking strong even though it was late. His white hair shone in the moonlight, and he seemed very wise from his old face. The guards looked at each other clearly surprised but also unsure.
“Aurelius!” the head guard yelled with a hint of knowing in his voice. “You’re back.”
“Yes, I have things to do,” Aurelius said calmly. He looked at the guards’ faces and saw they were new. They were not the same guards who had seen him leave quietly. “I need to get through.”
“Passage?” said Garrick, the big-headed guard stepping up with his arms crossed. “You left the pack quietly, and now you come back the same way? You must explain where you were.”
“I went to see a distant family in another pack,” Aurelius said steadily. “Is that wrong?”
Garrick looked unsure with his eyes getting smaller. “You think we will believe that? What proof can you show us?”
Aurelius stood up tall with his eyes hard. “I don’t need to show you anything. I have been faithful to the Green Forest Pack since before your mother had you.”
“Loyal or not?” Garrick asked while moving closer with his hand on his sword. “Do you think we won’t check the cart?” He pointed to some guards behind him signaling them to do it.
The guards went to the carriage with worried looks on their faces as they checked inside and looked at the horses. Then one guard, a smart man named Elric, saw something under some blankets-a souvenir basket showing it belonged to the BloodHound Pack.
“By the Moon!” Elric said while lifting the basket like it was a bad object. “Elder Aurelius, you were with the BloodHound Pack, right?”
Garrick looked shocked and hurt. “This is treachery against Alpha Rax Moore. What do you want to say?” He asked Aurelius.
Aurelius scoffed with a sound like a bark. “Rax Moore is not an Alpha and never will be. He’s a thief who uses the Green Forest Pack’s resources to help the rogue king.”
“Bad words!” Garrick shouted with his face turning red with anger. He quickly hit Aurelius on the face with the sound loud in the quiet space. “You will pay for these lies!”
Aurelius lifted an eyebrow while cleaning the blood from his lips with a quick move of his hand. “And who will stop me, Garrick? You? A simple piece for a lost Alpha and his plotting Luna?”
The guards’ reactions split the group like a crack with whispers of anger bursting into loud words. Some supported Garrick by standing up for Rax Moore with passion.
“You tell lies! Rax is our leader. He has power and plans!” Garrick insisted.
Aurelius replied while rubbing his jaw. “The only vision Rax has is to see his big ego. He and Cassandra don’t care about what the pack really needs. They only want power!”
“You want to talk about Luna like that?!” a guard yelled while moving next to Garrick with his sword out. “You are disrespecting the pack and its leaders!”
“Respect?” Aurelius mocked while looking at the rising anger with strong will. “You give it to traitors while the good people stay locked in the dark.”
Voices got loud and people yelled at each other. The guards became more divided, with fists tight and swords ready. A hard fight started and anger turned into fighting as some guards attacked Aurelius while others came to help him.
Aurelius stood with the guards all around him and his heart beating fast as chaos started. The noise of metal hitting metal and groans filled the area, but it was just a background to the storm inside him. The truth of his words felt heavy, but it was not the right time to think about it.
“Fools!” Aurelius yelled over the noise, seeing a way to get away. “You fight each other while the real enemies plan in secret!”
He pushed through the mess, running toward the safety of his home with his heart racing hard in his chest.
At the same time, far inside the pack’s dark and wet dungeon, another battle was happening. Rivers walked back and forth in his dark cell.
He felt heavy with sadness like darkness was stuck to him. Raider stood in front of him with his arms crossed, showing he was tough.
“I didn’t betray you Dad!” Raider yelled while feeling upset. “I did what I needed to lead this pack!”
“But Cassandra?” Rivers fumed with his eyes squinting. “She is a thief, and you let her control you! You’ve betrayed your own family for her dreams!”
Raider squeezed his fists with each blame, a hot mark on his pride. “You don’t get it! I thought she was strong! She could bring our packs together against outside dangers! Unlike you-”
“Me?” Rivers stopped with his voice shaking with feelings. “I tried to keep us safe! The choices I made were to help us live, but you-” He moved his head, clearly sad. “You’ve led us to ruin.”
Silence filled the space between them. The dark made the air feel thick, causing both men to think about their past and the sad break that had happened.
Rivers sat on a worn wooden bench with his hands shaking as he fought to keep from crying.
“Beta Arthur and his wife were good people…” he finally said with his voice weak and quiet.
Raider stopped with his heart racing in shock. “What did you say?”
“I learned after I ordered them to be killed,” Rivers said while feeling heavy inside. “Rax Moore set them up! Oh, goddess, I didn’t know. I thought I was keeping us safe.”
Raider felt a big shock. “They were innocent?”
“Yes!” Rivers put his hands on his head with worry, making his face look older. “Do you get it? Lilith lost her family because Rax wanted this power. This was planned a long time ago! And still I couldn’t see it!”
“Lilith…” Raider said with fear. “I turned my back to her for no reason. I left the only hope this pack had in a time of trouble.”
Rivers spat with angry disbelief in his voice. “You’ve lost more than her Raider. You’ve lost it all-your values, your honor! You are a fool taken over by ambition!”
The words and the recent news shook Raider, at the same time starting a quiet anger…