Daniel.

"Shit... I can’t believe they got away."

The words slipped out under my breath the moment the fog finally cleared, revealing nothing but empty space where they had once been. My jaw tightened, frustration rising sharply as I scanned the area one last time, hoping, just for a second, that I had missed something.

But there was nothing.

They were gone, completely.

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to calm down, to regain control. Anger wouldn’t help me now.

Thankfully, I had prepared beforehand.

I had seen this coming, or at least, I had considered the possibility. Everything I needed had already been packed and secured back in my room, ready for departure to the Bloodfrost pack.

There was no reason to linger.

Still...

My gaze lifted, settling on the Moon Bridge territory one last time. The land stretched out before me, quiet now, almost as if nothing had happened here.

But I knew better.

My eyes hardened slightly as I took it in, memorizing it, letting the weight of everything that had happened settle deep within me.

Then I turned away completely without hesitation.

"Move out," I ordered quietly, my voice carrying enough authority for my men to follow without question.

And just like that, we left.

But even as my steps carried me farther from that place, one word continued to echo in my mind, over and over again...

Justice.

It wasn’t just a thought, it was a promise, a vow I intended to keep no matter the cost.

I would get justice for what happened two years ago... I would make sure it was paid for.

The journey back felt longer than usual, each moment stretched by the memories that refused to stay buried. By the time we reached the Bloodfrost territory, the weight in my chest had only grown heavier.

The moment I stepped in....

Voices erupted.

"Welcome back, Alpha Daniel!"

The greeting came all at once, loud, unified, their voices echoing through the air with strength and respect. My steps slowed slightly, the sound pulling me out of my thoughts for just a moment.

Alpha.

Right.

I had almost forgotten.

I wasn’t just me anymore.

I was their Alpha.

The Alpha of Bloodfrost.

The realization settled over me again as I straightened slightly, my posture instinctively shifting to match the role I now carried.

A path had already been cleared for me.

My men stood on both sides, their heads bowed in respect as I walked forward. No one dared to lift their gaze, their silence almost as loud as their earlier greeting.

Step by step, I moved through them and with each step, the memories returned, the pain, the loss, the voices that refused to fade. It was like they followed me, whispering, reminding, refusing to let me forget.

I didn’t stop, as I walked straight past everything, my destination already set in my mind.

The ancestral hall.

But not the one meant for Alphas.

No.

I headed for the one that held a different meaning.

The Beta’s lineage.

The moment I stepped inside, the air shifted, quieter, heavier, filled with something far more personal.

"Mom... Dad..."

My voice broke slightly as I called out, the words barely holding together as they left my lips.

My knees gave out almost instantly.

I dropped to the ground, the impact echoing faintly through the hall as my hands clenched against the floor.

Tears slipped down my face before I could stop them.

"I’m back..." I managed to say, my voice trembling as I sniffed softly.

A bitter smile flickered faintly before fading just as quickly.

"But it isn’t over yet." My eyes lifted slightly, though they were blurred with tears. "I will get justice for you all."

The promise felt heavier here, more real, more binding.

Slowly, I closed my eyes...and just like that, the memories from that day came rushing back.

I had been training alongside Daniel on the training ground, the familiar clash of steel ringing through the air as our swords met again and again. The rhythm was steady, almost comforting, the kind that came from years of practice and understanding each other’s moves without needing words.

Each strike I made, he countered. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Each move he attempted, I dodged.

We circled each other, focused, alert, our breaths even despite the intensity of the spar. The ground beneath our feet was marked with the signs of countless battles before this one, and yet, this moment felt different, sharper, heavier, though I couldn’t explain why.

Then suddenly...

"Oliver!" My mother’s voice cut through everything.

I froze instantly, my attention snapping toward her as she came running toward us. She was panting heavily, her steps uneven, her face filled with a kind of urgency I had never seen before.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

"You must protect Daniel," she said immediately, her voice strained but firm as she reached us. Her hands came to rest briefly on my shoulders, her grip tight, almost desperate. "Take him and find a way to leave this pack. Only return two days later."

Her words didn’t make sense.

Not yet.

"But, Mum..." I started, confusion already creeping into my voice as I glanced at Daniel. He looked just as lost as I felt. "What exactly is going on?"

She didn’t hesitate this time.

"The Moon Bridge pack has launched a sneak attack on us, Oliver."

The words hit hard.

Before I could react, she reached up, gently patting my head in a way she always did when she wanted to reassure me, even now, even in this chaos.

"We are leaving the Bloodfrost pack’s future in both you and Daniel’s hands," she added softly.

Then she turned and ran back toward the battlefield, toward the fight.

I stood there for a second longer, frozen, watching her disappear, my chest tightening with a feeling I didn’t want to name.

Fear.

But I pushed it down.

I had to.

I turned to Daniel, forcing strength into my expression, forcing my voice to stay steady as I led him toward the secret tunnel.

I had to protect him.

That was my duty.

That was what she had asked of me.

That was the responsibility of a Beta towards an Alpha.

But deep down...

I hoped.

I hoped my parents would survive.

I hoped everything would somehow be okay.

But that hope shattered the moment we stepped out of the tunnel.

They were already there.

Warriors from the Moon Bridge pack stood waiting, their presence blocking our path, their expressions cold, calculated, as if they had known we would come this way.

Like they had been expecting us.

There was no time to think, no time to question as they attacked us and we fought back.

I did everything I could, every movement driven by instinct and desperation as I tried to shield Daniel, to keep him safe. He wasn’t just the Alpha heir to me...He was my brother, my best friend.

And I knew he felt the same because in the middle of it all....He stepped in.

An arrow flew toward me, fast, precise but he took it for me.

Something inside me snapped.

Rage surged through me, uncontrollable, consuming, awakening something deeper within my wolf. I felt it, my inner beast breaking free, fueled by anger and pain.

And I didn’t stop.

I fought.

I killed them all.

Every last one.

By the time it was over, my chest heaved, my body trembling, but I didn’t stay.

I ran.

Back to the pack.

Back to the battlefield.

But I was too late.

Everything was silent.

Bodies lay scattered across the ground—our warriors... my people...and then...My parents.

Lifeless.

Gone.

I stood there, unable to move, the weight of it all crashing down on me at once.

I opened my eyes slowly, because even now...even after all this time...there was one thing I still couldn’t understand.

Why?

Why had the Moon Bridge pack attacked us in the first place?