Chapter 4 The Ashbounds

I got into the car as Lucas started the engine, and we drove off.

Lucas drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting near the gearshift, his posture loose in a way that only looked relaxed. Anyone who didn't know him would've missed the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw flexed every few seconds like he was grinding his teeth down to bone.

He didn't speak, and neither did I.

The forest swallowed us quickly once we left town. Trees thickened, shadows stretched, and the road narrowed into something only locals were used to. My wolf stirred as the iron gates came into view, but Lucas didn't slow down. They opened automatically, sensing us.

I swallowed hard.

"Lucas," I said finally.

His eyes flicked to me for half a second. "Yes, Ethan. What is it?"

"Please," I added. "Talk to me."

The car hummed beneath us. Tires rolled over gravel. Then he sighed.

"You're old enough now, I guess," he said slowly. "Your father would've had this conversation with you soon anyway."

My hands curled into fists on my thighs. "I need to know more about the hunters. I need to know more about the Ashbounds."

Lucas nodded once. "The Ashbound."

I took in a deep breath and exhaled softly.

"I've heard the stories," I said. "Pack legends. Nothing but warnings. But these stories don't attack elders."

"No. You are right about that, Ethan. Stories don't hurt us," Lucas said grimly. "People do."

He took a turn sharper than necessary, then steadied the wheel. "The Ashbound aren't like the ones humans whisper about. They don't chase shadows or burn villages with pitchforks. They're organized, well-trained, and fanatical."

I looked out the window as the trees blurred past. "Fanatical how?"

"They believe supernatural blood is a corruption," Lucas said. "That we're an infection that needs to be burned out of the world. Wolves. Vampires. Witches. Anyone who isn't fully human."

My stomach twisted.

"They've been around for centuries," he continued. "And over these years, they've had different names, with different ways they present or show themselves. Different masks. But they all had the same ideology. They mark their weapons with ash and silver. They hunt in small groups. Always in new territory."

"And now," I said quietly, "they're here."

Lucas's knuckles whitened around the wheel. "That's the problem. Or it could be they've always been here."

Silence fell again.

"Why now?" I asked. "Why us? Do you think they managed to know we moved in?"

"That's what your father's trying to figure out," Lucas said. "But if I had to guess? They didn't stumble into our land by accident."

I turned toward him. "You think they're tracking us."

"I think," he said carefully, "that something drew their attention."

Something like an Alpha pack hiding just outside a human town. Something like me. The thought slithered through my chest.

"They don't usually strike elders," Lucas added. "Not unless they're testing boundaries. Or sending a message."

My throat felt tight. "I know I asked this before, but you didn't say anything. But is the elder-"

"Alive," Lucas said quickly. "Barely. If he hadn't fought back, we'd be burying him right now."

I exhaled shakily. "You've seen them before."

Lucas nodded. "Once. Years ago. Different pack. Different territory."

"And?" I pressed.

"And they didn't leave survivors."

The words settled into me like stones. The rest of the drive passed in uneasy quiet.

By the time we reached the main house, the pack had already begun to gather. Cars lined the gravel clearing. Wolves paced just beyond the treeline in half-shifted forms, their agitation bleeding into the air.

My mother burst through the front door the moment she saw me.

"Ethan."

She crossed the porch in three strides and cupped my face in her hands, eyes scanning me with fierce precision. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine mother," I said softly. "I promise."

Her hands slid down my arms, checking anyway. "And how was school?"

"It was... good," I said. "Different. But good."

She searched my eyes, sensing the lie, but she didn't push. Instead, she pulled me into a tight embrace, breathing me in.

"I'm glad you're home," she murmured.

"So am I."

Lucas cleared his throat. "Meeting's starting, ma'am. I need to get Ethan in the hall with the rest of us."

My mother stiffened. She released me reluctantly, brushing my hair back from my face. "Go," she said. "Your father needs you."

I nodded.

The pack hall buzzed with tension. Elders sat along the far wall. Warriors stood in clusters, voices low, expressions grim. My father stood at the center, tall and immovable, his presence commanding without too much effort.

When I entered, the conversations died. I took my place at his right. He glanced at me once. Just once, and his eyes softened for half a heartbeat before the Alpha returned.

"Enough," he said.

The room stilled.

"You all know why we're here," he continued. "One of our elders was attacked within our borders. That alone is unacceptable."

A murmur rippled through the room.

"We will hear from those who were there," my father said. "Step forward."

Three wolves shifted back into human form near the center of the hall. Blood still stained one of their shirts. My pulse spiked at the sight of it.

The first spoke. "We were patrolling near the eastern ridge. Elder Rowan stayed behind, said he sensed something off."

My father nodded. "Go on."

"We heard the struggle minutes later," the second said. "By the time we reached him, they were already retreating."

"How many?" my father asked.

"At least four," the third answered. "They were all very fast and coordinated."

"They used silver," the first added. "Blades and pellets."

A low growl rolled through the hall.

"Did you see their face?" My father asked.

"Not really. They wore masks," the second continued. "Ash-gray. It covered their faces completely."

My father's jaw tightened. "Did you see anything else?"

The first wolf hesitated. "Rowan fought them. Hard. He managed to grab two of them before they escaped."

My chest tightened.

"He pulled their masks off," the wolf said. "Just for a second."

Every muscle in my body locked.

"And?" my father demanded.

The wolf swallowed. "Their eyes."

The room held its breath.

"They were bright blue," he said. "Not normal like anything we've seen in all our years. Their eyes were glowing."

The word echoed in my skull. Blue. My vision blurred for a moment. Sharp blue eyes filled my mind.

Could it be? Derek? No... no no no.

Fear surged through me. I forced myself to breathe.

My father nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "Thank you. You may step back."

As the witnesses retreated, my father turned to the pack.

"The Ashbound have crossed into our territory," he said. "This changes everything."

I barely heard him. All I could see were blue eyes in a crowded hallway. And for the first time since meeting Derek Jack, I wasn't sure if what twisted in my chest was desire or dread.