Chapter 5 Reign Of Shadows

The atmosphere in the security wolves' dormitory is suddenly charged with tension. The Alpha and the soon-to-be Alpha, safely nestled in their respective rooms, await the dawn of a significant day. It's 1 AM, the world outside wrapped in an eerie calm."Would you mind checking up on the wolf we arrested?" Charles, one of the vigilant Security Wolves, suggests to his fellow, Bernard.Bernard, in a dismissive tone, mocks, "He's useless.

He'd be burned to death by morning."Charles, visibly irked by Bernard's callousness, retorts, "Are you aware that we need to be more vigilant? Today, the Alpha's son is set to mark his mate. Don't you think nearby and far wolves would have heard?""Do you want war?" Bernard quietly asks, his voice laden with a cautious edge."No." Charles responds, recognizing the gravity of the situation."Then don't expect it." Bernard mumbles, walking away with an air of indifference.Just as Bernard departs, Charles catches the distant echoes of a low growl, accompanied by snarls emanating from the direction of the Pack Cell. A gnawing sense of urgency propels him into action, convincing him that even if Bernard is reluctant to join, the situation demands immediate attention. He hastens his steps, heading towards the source of the unsettling sounds.He meticulously peeps into each room, ensuring that everyone is safe within the confines of the pack house. Little does he know that these rooms, these lives, are on borrowed time, destined to be sacrificed to provide more energy for the wolf trainers. A grim realization sets in as he contemplates the impending fate of his fellow wolves.Observing from the shadows, Charles discerns an unusual vigilance among the rogues confined in their cell. They are on high alert, attuned to the slightest disturbance in the air. The air, heavy with the weight of an impending tragedy, hangs still."You all heard that sound too?" Charles whispers to the rogues, gauging their reactions. They nod in unison, their expressions a mix of anxiety and anticipation.Suddenly, the room opposite to him erupts in chaos as a rogue wolf bursts out, creating a cacophony of destruction. The rogue, driven by an unseen force, launches itself at Charles, tearing through the air. In a matter of seconds, Charles finds himself face to face with his assailant, and his heart is mercilessly ripped out. In his final moments, Charles hurls a bunch of keys towards a group of rogues, his voice strained as he screams, "Escape!"However, the bunch of keys falls short, landing only halfway to its intended destination. The monstrous rogue, now a devourer of keys, seizes the opportunity, swallowing the keys whole. The other rogues, their desperation palpable, cry out for help as the monstrous rogue multiplies itself. Each body part breaks into the rooms, unleashing havoc and claiming the lives of the captive wolves.As the entrance to the pack cell is barricaded, cutting off any sounds from reaching the Alpha, the insidious plan unfolds without interruption."Fine." Mane mutters to himself, shifting back to his human form after single-handedly eliminating every wolf in the cell. "You did a good job, Mane." The words echo with a sinister satisfaction, a cruel acknowledgment of the dark path he has willingly embraced.Bounding out of the pack cell, Mane deftly vaults over the fence, only to land squarely in the path of three formidable security rogues."What are you doing, trying to escape?" They question, brandishing their swords menacingly. A flicker of memory crosses Mane's mind as he recalls a soldier once asking him about the necessity of swords in a werewolf attack."I did not fight you. Let me go." Mane threatens, releasing low growls that resonate with an ominous undertone.The security wolves, apprehensive and momentarily swayed by the menace in Mane's demeanor, reluctantly lower their swords. A sharp-eyed security wolf, however, notices the demon sign on Mane's neck, triggering an alarmed reaction among the others. Realizing the potential threat, they abandon their confrontation and flee for their lives.Anticipating that they might have alerted the Alpha, Mane swiftly pursues the security wolves, catching up with them effortlessly."Get into that room, or I kill you all!" He screams, his authoritative voice instilling fear. The security wolves scramble into a room, and Mane, with a theatrical flourish, vomits the bunch of keys, securing them inside.With a determined stride, Mane heads straight for the gate. To his surprise, there is no security wolf in sight. They have all rushed to confront him, unknowingly falling into the trap he set."Cameron!" A voice calls out to the to-be Alpha. Cameron stirs briefly in bed, then dozes off again, oblivious to the unfolding chaos.Mane stands before the great lock on the gate, a triumphant smile playing on his lips. He glances outside and realizes his masters are already waiting for him."You can't open the gate that way." One of them remarks, approaching Mane.He snorts, "You won't say THANK YOU?""Duh. We saved your life to help us." She retorts.Mane leans in, whispering into her ears, "Your master is a ghost, kind of. Why can't he disappear here?""He doesn't have the power to break the lock. Only a demon has that power. And he's refused to be injected with demon blood." She responds, offering Mane an honest explanation.Mane, with a display of raw strength, shatters the lock, swinging the gate wide open as the peculiar beings silently infiltrate the pack house.| 7 O'CLOCK AM |"Release those you chained," commands Alpha Shadows, his voice carrying the weight of authority. Mane bows, swiftly sprinting toward the locked room. Reaching his destination, he hurls the bunch of keys toward them.The door swings open hastily, the captives emerging with a fierce desire for vengeance against Mane. However, their focus shifts as they notice the distant tampering of the gate.Seven figures in total, five of them opt for a sudden and inexplicable demise, leaving the realm of the living. The remaining two, Bernard and Matt, clutch their heads in distress, vowing to reveal the truth to the Alpha, irrespective of the consequences.Meanwhile, a distinctive knock echoes on the Alpha's door. Sensing an unusual urgency, the Alpha's Beta promptly opens the door."Alpha! The pack is on fire!" Matt gasps, struggling to catch his breath."What?!" The room plunges into chaos as everyone absorbs the shocking revelation, snapping into immediate action and grappling with the sudden reality unfolding before them."Demons have gotten in, and-and..." Matt begins to complain, but his words are abruptly cut off as a sword mercilessly slaughters his throat, leaving his lifeless body to fall to the ground with a loud thud.The Alpha, Jasper, approaches with a blood-stained sword in his hand. "Do you have any excuse to give as well? They broke in - could that happen if you didn't cooperate with them?""Alpha, I can't cooperate with any other being to intrude into this pack." Bernard declares, bowing in deference."What's the first rule of being a security wolf?" Jasper interrogates."Never defend yourself." Bernard shakily breathes, offering his response just as the sword swishes, slashing him into pieces."Unmerciful Alpha to the bone." A random wolf comments, while the Alpha's Beta steps in to prevent the Alpha from inflicting further harm."We should be less bothered about this. Let's chase the demons out of this vicinity." A female wolf announces."You remind me of someone." The Alpha responds with a smirk. "My Luna. How she disrespected me." Approaching the female wolf, he smiles at the blood on his sword, "...and I ended her." Swiftly, he cleaves her, furiously sighing afterward.| MEETING OF THE INTRUDERS |"Mane?" Shadows asks to confirm. A deep sigh of relief escapes him as Mane crawls back into their hiding place. "I'm glad you're here.""I am Alpha Shadows Grave, and we've come here to take what belongs to us. The position of an Alpha should have been given to my father, but it was given to Jasper. Now that he's about to quit, I'm the next in line.""Hail the Alpha!!!" They all bow in reverence."I have successfully created my army, which speaks to my efficiency as an Alpha. I have a small pack comprising vampires, wolves, and demons. I've been able to monitor all of you, knowing I'd need you someday." Alpha Shadow Graves explains."Valentina, Bloodworth, Seraphina!" The Alpha calls as they rise to their feet. "You're our vampires. You're responsible for sucking wolves' blood so their numbers will reduce.""Wildheart, Greyson, Starkfang!" Alpha Shadows Grave calls, and they rise to their feet. "You're our werewolves. You're responsible for shifting and fighting with any wolf that comes your way. I'll empower you."He then points to the last category of beings, and they rise with low grunts."Demons - Infernus, Lilith, and Darkbane.""Now that we have identified ourselves, Mane, you'll be with me. These ones will fight for our right, and when they are no longer on the winning side, we'll join them.""Why should they not be on the winning side?" Mane is confused. "We have a very strong team. Half of us can destroy a gargantuan pack."Alpha Shadows chuckles, "You're right, but they can be. They're aware already. They know what affects us.""Let... Us... Move!" The Alpha commands.| ALPHA JASPER'S ACTIONS |"Command the warriors on the left to shut all doors. Lock all rooms and dispose of the keys. If anyone's in there, forget about them." Jasper instructs at the forefront of his pack of wolves."It has come to my notice that we're under attack. Different kinds of beings are against us. They're almost in here. Let there be two hundred wolves guarding the gate. No one must go out nor come in." He declares, and an air of fear starts to permeate among the assembled wolves."Alpha, where's Mane?" Cameron suddenly demands. Jasper, caught off guard, quickly composes himself."He must be somewhere safe." Jasper retorts, attempting to maintain an air of authority and avoid embarrassment in front of his subjects."Defending someone against us?" Cameron challenges."Command your warriors to look for him." Jasper whispers to Cameron, acknowledging the urgency."I know where he is." Cameron retorts, seeing the realization dawning in Jasper's eyes, almost sunken with concern."Take me there." Jasper requests, his tone revealing a hint of desperation.Cameron sniffs, "No! I'll take the warriors there. Our enemy is right in our pack, not outside. They're inside!""How true is that?" Sera interjects, walking confidently to the podium, questioning her new mate."Guards, take Cameron and Sera to a safe place. Let me lead the battle, while fifty other warriors stay behind me to bring others closer!" Jasper declares, taking charge and making a strategic decision to safeguard his pack.Three fiery soldiers grab Cameron and Sera, leading them to inner rooms fortified with technological intelligence that would deter any unwelcome intrusion.Jasper positions himself in front of the room where Alpha Shadows and his squad hide, staying behind with Mane as the other warriors break out, their growls echoing through the tension-filled air."Everyone, shift!" Jasper orders as the entire pack house erupts into chaos, transforming into a frenzied battleground. The sounds of shifting and growls create a cacophony, setting the stage for an intense and chaotic confrontation.As tension thickens in the Midnight Echo Pack, a foreboding sense of danger hangs in the air. Alpha Ralph, sensing the unrest, issues a stern decree that no pack member should step outside, under the threat of forfeiting their right to belong to the pack.Jasper, the Alpha of Crescent Ember Pack, reacts to the imminent threat by unleashing a piercing shriek, his transformation into a formidable wolf making him appear both formidable and intimidating. The vampires, aligned with Alpha Shadows Grave, snarl and launch themselves at the younger wolves, ruthlessly draining their blood and significantly reducing their numbers. In the chaos, Jasper kicks one of the wolves to the ground, leaving him injured and vulnerable.What was once a calm and happy pack house is now transformed into a battleground, the violence and turmoil shattering the peaceful atmosphere.In the midst of the chaos, the claim for leadership becomes a brutal contest, with only the most violent asserting their right to dominance. Demon Azazel, emerging triumphant after the failed attempts by others, kicks Jasper to the ground and tightens his grip around his throat."Wolves are for wolves. Vampires for wolves, but we are for the Alpha and our rights." declares Infernus, who has shifted back to his human form, rallying his fellow wolves to their cause."I'll be back." He tells Lilith, leaving the battlefield. Arrows shot at him stick, but they fail to deter his retreat.As the battle rages on for hours, the once-noisy battlefield falls into an eerie silence. The aftermath leaves Alpha Jasper with only three of his inner Beta and a hundred wolves who managed to escape the chaos, highlighting the devastating toll of the conflict.| HIDING PLACE |"Alpha, we've taken down Jasper." Infernus reports, the door breaking open as Shadows Graves kicks Jasper to the ground."Damn. Why?" Mane protests.He grunts, "You'll join him if you don't keep shut.""I said, take down Cameron and Sera mainly!" Shadows Graves growls fiercely at him. "Now, get out of here and look for them!!!" He screams, his Alpha tone reverberating through the tense atmosphere."Alpha, we can't do that without you. We need to go through Jasper before we get there. Only an Alpha can tamper with another Alpha's mind control." Infernus states."Mane, come with me."| JASPER'S GROANS |"You have the pack house to yourself now! Just leave me and let me go!!!" Jasper pleads, his groans muffled under his breath.They all shift back to their human forms."Leave him!" Alpha Shadows Grave descends from an unknown place, showcasing his unique presence, rage etched across his face, and anger burning within him. The demons release Jasper as he rises to his feet, regaining his energy. The demons, along with their wolves, apprehend the Beta and the remaining wolves who haven't succumbed to the battle."Oh, it's you. A Ghost Wolf, right?" Jasper boldly addresses Shadows, forming fists and declaring statements that only Alphas can utter."I came here for my right, which is Sera Moonshade. I might like to deal with Cameron too." Shadows declares, approaching Jasper with determination in his eyes."But if you refuse, I'd kill your right here and get them still!" Shadows angrily declares."Come on, Coward. Come for me. I'd never release them, kill me instead, fool!" Jasper defiantly dares. Shadows, fueled by rage, darts at him, unleashing a barrage of punches and bites from every side. Shadows appears and disappears at Jasper's front and back, creating a chaotic dance of violence.The final hit lands.Jasper crumples to the ground, and the sun veils itself in shadows, as if mourning the departure of someone dear. Lightning flashes across the scene as Shadows reappears to his squad, picking up the Alpha's track device.Before Shadows commands his team to retrieve Sera and Cameron, they unexpectedly encounter the demons, as if someone coerced them to the location. Sera glares at the lifeless body of Jasper, while Cameron rushes over to him. A vampire, however, blocks Cameron's path."You can't handle a vampire. You're not an Alpha." One of the demons taunts Cameron."I'm not 'yet' an Alpha - you omitted that." Cameron corrects."Idiot." Shadows remarks."What's the rule, all of you?! Scream it and make the whole pack house lively and loud!" Shadows decrees, his authoritative voice cutting through the tense atmosphere. The impending confrontation and the uncertain fate of the pack house intensify, leaving the air charged with anticipation.As the echoes of the rule reverberate through the pack house, Sera, still held tightly by a demon, breathes shakily."Once an Alpha kills the Alpha of another pack, he becomes the Alpha."Jasper's Beta bows, and every other wolf in Jasper's pack follows suit."What's happening?" Sera fearfully asks one of Jasper's wolves."You all can rise now." Shadows declares.The wolf she asked walks over to her, standing beside the demon. "He's the new Alpha of this pack. He can heal all the weak wolves, not the dead ones. He can bring back those that escaped. A very powerful being - a Ghost Wolf.""What do you mean, he's the new Alpha?" Sera asks, tears streaming down her cheeks."He's the new Alpha, your new mate, Sera. The moon goddess told Jasper and Ralph that your mate is the new Alpha of this pack - your enemy pack." The wolf explains."But, it's Cameron! It's his right!" Sera whispers."Someone else got it. Accept your fate. Don't face more wrath."Sera's gaze connects with Alpha Shadows' smirks, and the weight of the unexpected turn of events sinks in, leaving her in a state of disbelief and uncertainty about her future.