Always And Forever | ENG ✓

Chapter Twenty-One: The Enemy's Intentions

The morning after the battle was quiet, but the silence wasn't comforting. It was heavy, filled with unspoken tension and the lingering echoes of the previous night. The pack moved with purpose, tending to the wounded, repairing weapons, and preparing for what we all knew was coming next. But beneath the surface, there was a shared unease-a question that none of us wanted to voice.

What was the enemy planning now?

I sat with Ace and Dean in the strategy room, a space cluttered with maps, patrol reports, and hastily scribbled notes. The table in front of us was covered with markers indicating where the creatures had attacked, where we had seen signs of movement, and where we thought the figure might be hiding. It was like trying to piece together a puzzle without knowing what the final picture was supposed to look like.

"They're testing us," Ace said, his voice steady but grim. He leaned over the table, his sharp eyes scanning the markers as if willing them to reveal the answers we needed. "Every attack has been calculated, probing our defenses, gauging our response. They're not just trying to kill us-they're trying to understand us."

Dean frowned, his arms crossed over his chest as he studied the map. "Why? What's the point? If they wanted to wipe us out, they would've sent everything they had last night. But they didn't. They held back."

I nodded, my fingers tracing one of the lines on the map-a path the creatures had taken during their retreat. "It's not just about wiping us out. They're planning something bigger. The creatures aren't the endgame. They're a distraction, a way to weaken us while they prepare for whatever comes next."

The room fell silent as we all considered the implications. The figure controlling the creatures wasn't just an enemy-they were a strategist, someone who understood how to manipulate and control. And they weren't working alone. The creatures were proof of that. They were too organized, too coordinated, to be acting on instinct.

"They're building something," I said finally, my voice firm. "The scouts said they saw signs of construction deeper in the woods. We need to find out what it is."

Dean nodded, his expression hardening. "Then we need to move fast. Whatever they're planning, we can't give them the time to finish it."

Later that day, Ace and I stood on the edge of the forest, watching as the scouts prepared to move out. The team we were sending was small but experienced-wolves who knew how to move silently and avoid detection. Their mission was simple: go deep into enemy territory, find out what the figure was planning, and report back.

"Are you sure about this?" Ace asked, his tone low as he turned to me. "If they get caught, we could lose them. And if they don't come back..."

"They'll come back," I said, though the words felt hollow even as I spoke them. "They have to. We need answers."

Ace didn't look convinced, but he didn't argue. He knew as well as I did that we didn't have a choice. Waiting would only give the enemy more time to prepare, and we couldn't afford that.

As the scouts disappeared into the trees, I felt a knot of tension settle in my chest. I hated sending them out into the unknown, but it was the only way to learn what we were up against.

The scouts returned late that night, their faces pale and their eyes wide with fear. They had seen something-something that had shaken even the most seasoned among them.

"They're building a fortress," one of the scouts said, his voice trembling. "Deep in the woods, near the old ruins. It's massive. They've fortified it with stone and wood, and there are creatures everywhere. Hundreds of them."

My stomach dropped at his words. A fortress. It wasn't just an attack-it was an occupation. The figure wasn't just planning to destroy us. They were planning to take over.

"What else did you see?" I asked, my voice steady despite the dread clawing at me.

The scout hesitated, his hands trembling as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "There was... something else. Something we couldn't get close to. It was... huge. Bigger than anything we've seen before. It didn't look like the other creatures. It looked... ancient."

The room fell silent as his words sank in. An ancient creature, larger and more powerful than anything we had faced before. The figure wasn't just gathering forces-they were summoning something. Something that could destroy us all.

Dean's voice broke the silence, his tone sharp and commanding. "Then we don't wait. We strike before they're ready. If they're building a fortress, we tear it down. If they're summoning something, we stop it before it wakes."

I nodded, my resolve hardening. "We'll need everyone. The whole pack. This isn't just another skirmish. This is a war."

As the pack prepared for the coming battle, I couldn't shake the image of the figure in the shadows, their presence lingering in my mind like a dark cloud. They had been watching us, studying us, and now it was time to face them head-on. But as much as I tried to focus on the strategy, a nagging fear remained.

What if we weren't strong enough? What if the figure was already too far ahead, their plans too advanced for us to stop?

But I couldn't let that fear control me. The pack was looking to me for strength, for guidance, and I had to show them that I was ready. Even if I wasn't.

"We'll fight," I said quietly to myself as I stood alone on the front steps of the pack house, the night sky stretching endlessly above me. "We'll fight, and we'll win. Because we have to."