Hunted Hearts

Chapter 5 - The Hunt Begins

Bleddyn

The trees whisper secrets to those who know how to listen. I stalk through the shadows, my pack moving silently around me, their eyes fixed on the small town just beyond the tree line. Ember's Hallow. It is peaceful, unaware of the tension that lurks just beyond its borders. My wolves are restless, eager, itching for a taste of the power they sense in this place.

But we must be patient.

I watch the city, feeling the stirrings of something familiar. I can almost sense her. Ayla. The girl who should never have been allowed to hold Alpha power, the girl who escaped that night so many years ago. My chest tightens at the memory - a mixture of bitterness and something else, something I can't afford to acknowledge.

I signal my wolves to stay back, to keep their distance. "Not yet," I murmur, my voice low but firm. "We'll wait until the time is right."

One of my closest followers, Darek, looks at me questioningly. "You think she's dangerous?" he asks, his tone doubtful. "She's just a girl."

"A girl," I repeat softly, feeling the contempt in the word as it rolls off my tongue. "Yes, she's just a girl... but when she unleashes her power, she will be a threat like no other." I don't elaborate. The pack doesn't need to know the depth of my reasons. I've told them enough. That Ayla is dangerous. That her bloodline is unpredictable, even chaotic. They believe it's their duty to stop her, and that's all they need to know.

But for me, it's not that simple.

My gaze sharpens, focusing on the silent lights of Ember's Hallow. There was a time when I might have been the one to lead her, had things gone differently. A time before her father shattered the natural order and anointed her as his successor. My jaw clenches, the bitterness flaring again. The role of Alpha was mine, and he gave it to her instead. I turn away from the city, suppressing the old resentment that threatens to rise. No, Ayla is not the rightful Alpha. She never has been, and she never will be.

Ayla

The morning sun streams through my window, casting a warm glow over the room. It's a rare moment of peace, the kind I used to crave when my life was chaos. I stretch, roll out of bed, and pull on a cozy sweater. There's a familiar weight in my chest, though - an uneasy feeling that's hard to shake. I try to ignore it, chalk it up to paranoia, but it's there, nagging at me.

As I head into town, the feeling doesn't go away. The air feels heavy, the hairs on the back of my neck tingle as if I'm being watched. I shake my head, determined to concentrate on my work. I have too much going on with Ethan and the class to let my mind wander to dark places. Besides, I've been through worse than a little paranoia.

But as I step onto the road, something catches my eye - a set of paw prints just off the path, half covered by the morning dew. I stop, my heart pounding in my chest as I stare at them. Big, clear, unmistakable wolf tracks. I look around, hoping no one else has noticed. They look fresh, as if the wolf was close... too close.

I force myself to keep walking, trying to ignore the shiver that runs down my spine. It's nothing, I tell myself. Just a stray wolf passing through. But deep down I know that's not true. A wolf this close to town, this close to me... it can't be a coincidence.

Bleddyn

I can see her. Not close enough for her to see me, but close enough for me to watch her movements. She's careful, good instincts, even for a girl without proper training. My lips curl into a grim smile as I watch her pause and look around, sensing something she can't quite place.