Return to Seven Fountain

Walk with me

The morning sun had barely begun its ascent, casting slender rays of light through the dense canopy of the forest. Alpha Keenan's powerful black wolf, Kent, moved with a lethal grace as he followed Duncan and his wolf, Darius's scent, the urgency in his stride palpable. The echoes of the sparring session still thrummed in his veins, but this—this was different. There was something feral and raw in the air, something that made Kent's senses heighten with an instinctual alertness.

The metallic scent of blood struck him suddenly, sharp and intrusive. A low growl rumbled from his chest, vibrating through the ground beneath his paws. Keenan's green eyes flared as he burst through the thick underbrush, finding Duncan locked in a brutal fight with two rogue wolves. Their eyes glowed an unnatural red, pupils contracted to slits as they snarled and snapped, bodies coiled with malevolent energy. Duncan's dark brown wolf, Darius, was bleeding, patches of his fur matted and torn, but he was relentless, fangs bared in defiance as he fought.

Kent didn't hesitate. He surged forward, a black blur of muscle and shadow. His jaws clamped down on the closest rogue's flank, ripping it away from Duncan with savage precision. The rogue yelped, its eyes rolling as it writhed under Kent's crushing bite. It clawed at him, sharp talons raking against his thick fur, but Keenan and Kent was immovable, eyes gleaming as they drove it to the ground with a bone-rattling thud.

Darius spun on his haunches, narrowly dodging the second rogue's lunge. Blood trickled from a wound on his hind leg, but he ignored it, his focus razor-sharp as he retaliated with a snapping bite to the rogue's shoulder. The rogue twisted, its eyes flaring as it snarled and launched at him again, teeth aimed for Darius's exposed neck.

Kent, growled, a thunderous sound that rippled through the forest. He pounced, his massive form crashing into the rogue mid-lunge. The impact sent them rolling, dirt and leaves scattering in their wake. Kent's teeth found purchase on the rogue's throat, and with one powerful shake, it fell limp beneath him. The crimson in its eyes dulled, fading as the fight left its body. He was not dead, but definitely rendered incapacitated.

Darius, breathing heavily, managed to force his rogue opponent to the ground, pinning it beneath one massive paw. He let out a guttural growl before biting down, ensuring it would no longer pose a threat. The forest fell eerily silent, save for the ragged sound of their breathing. The scent of blood and adrenaline still hung thick in the air, mingling with the earthy scent of pine and damp earth.

Kent's ears pricked, and without a word, he sent out a mind link. "Chase, Rupert, get to the eastern border. We have two unconscious rogues to detain." There was a brief pause, then a firm reply from both the Delta and the Gamma.

Kent stood tall, dark fur streaked with blood, and cast his gaze over Darius. The Beta's wolf, was trembling slightly, but whether from exhaustion or something deeper, Kent couldn't yet tell. The weight of silence pressed down as they waited, broken only by the rustling of distant leaves.

"Duncan," Keenan began through their mind link, his tone probing, searching. "What's wrong?"

Darius's head dipped, eyes darting away as shame coiled around him. "I know I messed up, Alpha. Shifting during the fight with Simoné... I lost control." His mental voice was rough, tinged with frustration. "I wanted to test her strength, and she overpowered me. I couldn't believe it—still can't. She's my sister, but she was stronger than me."

Keenan's wolf rumbled with an odd mixture of amusement and pride. With a fluid shift, Keenan stood on two legs, the black fur receding to reveal his tanned, muscular frame. A grin tugged at his lips, unexpected and unsettling in the tension of the moment. He threw back his head and laughed, the sound rich and rolling through the clearing.

Duncan shifted too, his human form appearing battered, streaks of blood marring his skin. He looked at his Alpha with wide eyes, disbelief etched into every line of his face. "Alpha?" he asked, confusion thick in his voice.

Keenan's laughter died down, leaving only the faint echo of it hanging in the air. He stepped forward and clapped a hand on Duncan's shoulder, the gesture both reassuring and teasing. "Walk with me, Duncan."

They moved through the trees, their pace steady but unhurried. The forest around them seemed to exhale, the tension dissipating as they stepped away from the clearing.

"Tell me, Beta," Keenan began, eyes twinkling with something unreadable. "In the line of wolf hierarchy, who is the most powerful?"

Duncan's response was immediate, instinctual. "The Alpha," he said. "Then the Luna, followed by the Beta." He frowned, the lines of confusion deepening. "That's why I don't understand how Simoné could overpower me. Does this mean she's to be Beta?"

Keenan chuckled, softer this time, shaking his head as if the question were absurd. "No, Duncan. Simoné will never be mý Beta."

They stopped walking, the realization hitting Duncan with the force of a storm. His eyes widened, and a slow, incredulous smile spread across his face. "How could I have missed this?" he muttered, running a hand through his sweat-matted hair. "It's so obvious now."

Keenan's brows knitted, amusement still lurking in his expression but tempered by curiosity. He watched as Duncan's smile turned to laughter, the Beta sinking to the forest floor as the sheer absurdity of his oversight hit him.

After a moment, Duncan's laughter faded, replaced by a fierce seriousness. He snapped his gaze up to Keenan, eyes dark and unyielding. "You will not have my sister as your mate," he said, voice low and threatening. "If you want her, you'll deal with me."

Keenan's lips curved into a slow, knowing smile. He met Duncan's challenge with unwavering confidence, leaning in just enough to let the unspoken tension crackle between them. "We'll see about that, Beta, she can only be mine" he whispered, raising his index finger in front of his lips he added with an Alpha command "and nobody is supposed to know yet, and you will keep it that way," and with a final, confident wink, turned back toward the pack, leaving Duncan simmering in the shadowed forest.

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