Always And Forever | ENG

Chapter Eight: The Price of Leadership

The journey back to the pack house felt longer than it had any right to. Every step I took seemed to carry the weight of a thousand unspoken words. My mind raced as the images of the creature and the hooded figure burned into my thoughts. They had been waiting for me. The realization sent a chill through my bones-this wasn't just some random attack. It was personal. But why? And what did they want with me?

Ace didn't speak much during our return. He was more on edge than usual, his sharp eyes scanning the forest, his movements taut, ready to spring into action. I could feel his worry, thick as the night air, but even he didn't have any answers. He'd been a Beta for years, loyal and strong, and still, tonight, we were both helpless against whatever it was that had just crossed our path.

We reached the pack house just as the first hints of dawn began to creep over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of violet and pink. I couldn't remember when the last time I'd felt this exhausted was. Physically, I was drained, my shoulder throbbing from the gash the creature had given me, but it was the emotional toll that weighed most heavily on me. I wasn't ready for this. I hadn't even started to understand the full scope of what was happening.

As we stepped inside, I was immediately met with the eyes of the pack members gathered in the main room. Their faces were tired but alert, waiting for any word of the night's events. They had been preparing for a fight, but no one could have anticipated the scale of what had just transpired.

Ace turned to me. "I'll go round up the scouts and make sure the borders are secure," he said, his voice steady but with an edge of urgency. "We need to make sure this doesn't happen again."

I nodded, though I barely heard him. I was too preoccupied with the weight of the eyes on me. The pack was watching me now. I wasn't just their sister or their daughter anymore. I was Alpha. But could I lead them through this? Or would my father's choice be the end of us all?

As Ace left to carry out his orders, my father emerged from a side room. His face was grave, but his eyes softened when they met mine. He had heard everything. He'd been waiting, hoping I'd return safely, but now that I was here, I could see the concern etched into every line of his face. This wasn't just about me anymore. It was about the pack, the future of our kind.

"Finley," he said quietly, his voice heavy. "What happened out there?"

I took a deep breath and met his gaze, the weight of my words pressing on my chest. "It wasn't just a creature. Someone is controlling them. A figure. A human-well, something like it. It wasn't natural, and they knew we were there. They were waiting for us. For me."

His eyes darkened, his jaw tightening as he absorbed the gravity of what I was saying. "Do you think they'll come for us again?"

I nodded, my throat dry. "Yes. And I don't think it'll stop until they get what they want."

My father was silent for a long moment. His eyes flickered toward the door, as though weighing the decisions he would have to make. But when he spoke again, his voice was resolute. "We need to strengthen our defenses. Gather the strongest wolves. This pack needs to be ready for anything. And that includes you, Finley. You need to start leading now-really leading. Not just in name, but with strength. The pack is looking to you."

The weight of his words hit me like a tidal wave. The pack was looking to me. They didn't see a scared, unprepared girl anymore. They saw their leader. Their Alpha.

I swallowed hard, my throat tight. "I don't know if I'm ready. I don't know if I can do this."

"You are ready," my father said, his voice steady but firm. "And you can do this. Because you're already doing it. You've shown courage, Finley. And that's what this pack needs more than anything else right now."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he raised his hand, silencing me. "The pack needs a leader who can stand firm in the face of uncertainty. Who doesn't falter when the world is falling apart. You're stronger than you know, and now is the time for you to embrace that strength. They will follow you. They already are."

His words were both a reassurance and a command, and something inside me shifted. For the first time, I began to see it-not just the title of Alpha, but the responsibility. The pack needed me. They needed my strength, my conviction. And if I didn't step up now, I would lose them.

"Fine," I said, the words coming out firmer than I expected. "But I need to know more about them. Whoever is behind this-they-they know too much. They've been hunting me. We need to figure out who they are, and fast."

My father's eyes hardened with resolve. "Then we'll get answers. But we do it together. And I'll be right by your side."

I nodded, feeling the weight of his promise settle into me. But just as quickly as it came, doubt crept in. Was I really ready to handle what was coming? Was I ready to lead us into a battle against an enemy who had already begun to tear us apart from the shadows?

As I turned to face the pack, who had gathered and were now watching me intently, I realized that the true battle was not just about defending our territory-it was about standing tall in the face of what was to come.

And I couldn't back down. Not now.

Dean had been right about one thing: they would come for us. And they were only just beginning.