Always And Forever | ENG

Chapter Six: The Hunt Begins

The night air was heavy with tension as Ace and I made our way back to the pack house, the body of the creature-now lying motionless behind us-serving as a grim reminder that our world was about to change. The deep gash on my shoulder throbbed, but it was the ache in my chest, the weight of everything I didn't yet understand, that bothered me more.

Ace walked silently beside me, his hand occasionally glancing toward me to make sure I was still upright. I appreciated it, but I could feel the distance in his movements-like he was trying to keep me at arm's length, even if just for a moment. There was something about tonight that had shaken us both, and it wasn't just the attack.

"What do you think it was?" I asked after a long, quiet stretch of forest. My voice was hoarse, worn thin from the adrenaline rush.

Ace's eyes were fixed ahead, his jaw tight. "I don't know. It wasn't a creature I've ever seen before, and I've lived long enough to know most of them. It felt... wrong."

His words hung in the air like an omen. Everything about tonight felt wrong, as though we had stumbled into something much bigger than ourselves.

I didn't need to ask what he meant by "wrong." I had felt it too-the sense that this creature wasn't just a random threat. It had been too powerful, too calculated in its attack. It wasn't just a rogue beast-it had been hunting us. And the fact that it wasn't alone, that something else was out there in the woods, watching us... I couldn't shake that feeling.

When we reached the pack house, I found the usual warmth of the place strangely absent. The familiar scent of cooking food, the soft murmur of voices, felt distant. Everything seemed muted, like the house had been waiting for this moment to shatter its peaceful illusion.

"Finley," my father's voice broke through the stillness, his figure emerging from the shadows near the doorway. His face was etched with concern, his eyes flicking to the blood on my shoulder before landing on the tired lines of my face.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft but heavy with authority.

"I'm fine," I said quickly, though I knew my words didn't match the exhaustion in my voice. The pain in my shoulder was a distant ache compared to the weight of what I'd just experienced. "It's not a big deal."

"It is a big deal," he insisted, his tone firm but not unkind. "That creature... I don't even know what it is. But I'll tell you this-it wasn't a random attack."

I took a deep breath, fighting the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm me. "I don't think it was either. I felt like it was... targeting us. Like it knew we were coming."

My father's gaze hardened, his jaw tightening. "And I agree. This isn't some rogue creature. We've been under attack before, but this? This is different."

Ace stepped forward then, his face grim. "We should gather the pack. There's no telling if this is a one-time thing or if there's more out there. But one thing's clear-it's a threat to our pack. And we need to prepare for whatever comes next."

I could feel the shift in the air. It wasn't just the usual planning meeting. This was something bigger. Something darker. My heart sank as I realized the full weight of the responsibility I had inherited.

I was supposed to be the Alpha, the one to protect them. But how could I protect them from something I didn't even understand?

"We need to figure out who-or what-is behind this," I said, my voice growing more steady, more authoritative with each word. "I won't let our pack be hunted."

My father nodded, pride flickering in his eyes despite the gravity of the situation. "Then we need to work fast. Ace, I need you to organize the defense teams. Find anyone who might have seen anything strange. Anything at all."

Ace nodded and turned, heading toward the inner rooms of the pack house without another word. My father's eyes lingered on me a moment longer before he finally spoke again.

"Finley," he said, his voice softer now, almost reluctant, "I know this is hard. I know this isn't how you imagined stepping into your role. But you have what it takes. You've already shown that tonight."

I nodded, though it felt like the weight of those words was too much to carry. "I don't know if I'm ready for this."

"You don't have to be," he said quietly. "But you are. And we're all here to help. You don't have to do this alone."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. I wanted to believe him. I needed to believe him. But there was a voice in my head, louder than anything else, whispering that I wasn't enough. Not yet. Not ever.

"I'll try," I said finally, my voice small but firm. "But I need answers. And I need to know who's behind this."

"Then we'll find them together," my father said, his tone resolute. "And we'll make sure our pack stays safe."

The meeting that followed was tense, filled with the low hum of murmurs and the occasional sharp exchange. My father laid out the plan for a full investigation into the creature, sending scouts out to track any unusual activity around our borders. Ace, as always, took command of the pack's defensive efforts, organizing training and patrols in preparation for whatever might come next.

I couldn't help but notice the looks of doubt that passed between some of the pack members. They had expected Dean to take the lead, not me. And now, in the midst of this crisis, it was clear that many of them were questioning whether I was truly capable of protecting them.

The thought gnawed at me. I could feel their skepticism hanging in the air like a heavy fog. But I couldn't let it stop me.

I couldn't afford to fail.

"I'll go with the scouts," I said suddenly, standing up from the table.

My father looked at me, concern flickering in his eyes. "Finley, you've done enough for tonight. You need rest."

"I don't need rest," I said, my voice firmer than I felt. "I need to be out there. I need to find answers."

There was a pause, then a slow nod from my father. "Very well. But stay close to Ace. I don't want you alone out there."

I nodded, already turning toward the door. Ace was waiting for me, his expression unreadable.

And so, with the weight of my family's expectations on my shoulders and the uncertainty of what awaited us out there in the dark, I stepped into the night, determined to find the answers we needed-before it was too late.