**Chapter 26
~ The Werewolf Realm ~
Levi's POV**
Ever since the incident with Elder Parker—the one Micha bit in the neck—the elders had been growing more and more disrespectful. Their arrogance, which had always simmered just beneath the surface, was now boiling openly. And ever since that day, we had been trapped in endless meetings, discussing nothing but their grievances, their judgments, and their petty complaints.
Micha was always by my side. I wouldn't let him face the wrath of these old, narrow-minded fools alone. If it weren't for the bond we shared, I had no doubt Micha would have been charged for attempting to kill an elder. Such an offense was considered the gravest crime in the pack. And these elders… they would not rest until they made him pay. If the normal rules failed, they would use underhanded methods, and that was a risk I wasn't willing to take.
I looked around the room, my eyes scanning each of the elders as if daring them to challenge me. My aura flared slightly, a subtle yet powerful reminder that I was Alpha, and the room's temperature seemed to drop.
"Elder Parker should have watched his mouth," I said slowly, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "He knew my ex-mate's brother was here—and yet he dared speak of her as if she were nothing. Do you think that would make him happy? And let me remind you all, Micha is the Beta of this pack. You will respect him the same way you respect me. He is not weak. If he had wanted to kill Elder Parker, he could have done it easily. But he didn't. He only intended to give him a serious wound—one that wasn't fatal. Yet Parker, pathetic as he is, couldn't even survive it."
A few of the elders stiffened at my words, but most continued muttering among themselves, trying to regain composure.
"Alpha Levi," another elder interjected nervously, "I'm sure you understand the council of elders will not let Beta Micha go unpunished. The only way for them to forgive him for attacking one of their own is… if he drops his Beta title."
I didn't respond with words. I didn't need to. I let my aura speak instead. It surged, invisible yet undeniable, pushing into every corner of the room. I could feel their hearts pound, their fear rising as their knees weakened. They trembled like saplings in a storm.
"Look at you all," I said, my voice dripping with disdain, "calling someone weak and pathetic, yet you can't even withstand my ordinary aura. Weak. Very weak. Or maybe… it's simply because you're old. Yes, that must be it. You're all just old!"
The elders stiffened, faces turning red. Some scowled, others looked ready to pounce—but the fear was already in their hearts. Their mouths opened, trying to speak, but the weight of my presence silenced them.
They began muttering among themselves about Elder Parker's injury, but I ignored them. Honestly? I was bored. I yawned openly, letting them see my disregard. Before another elder could speak, I slammed my hand on the table.
"Meeting is over," I announced. "We will discuss this later, if necessary. Now, leave."
I turned to Micha. He was calm now, but I could see the tension still lingering in his jaw. We both left the hall and headed to what truly mattered—the ancient book. Our only reliable source of answers.
The book had revealed something extraordinary the last time we read it. A human had entered King Roosevelt's palace, carrying the face of his late queen. The thought alone was shocking. I didn't understand what it meant, but Micha and I needed to know more.
As soon as we entered my room, the book opened itself. Its pages shimmered faintly, golden letters glowing in the dim light.
"Welcome back, dearest readers," it began, "I'm sure you're eager to continue. Someone entered the palace bearing the face of the queen? How? You shall discover the truth, not today… but soon. Now, let us continue."
The text detailed the day the human—Beth, according to the book—entered the palace. I could feel Micha leaning closer, his eyes scanning every word, his tail flicking nervously behind him. But just as the description became intense, the book slammed shut.
"What the hell?" Micha exclaimed. "Again? Why does it always close at the most important part?"
Before I could answer, the door burst open. Zaki barged in, breathless and wide-eyed.
"Um… what are you doing here?" Micha asked, surprised. "You're disturbing us! We're trying to read something important."
Zaki's face was pale, his eyes frantic. "We've been attacked!"
I froze, standing immediately. "Wait. What did you just say?"
"We're being attacked," Zaki said, his voice calmer now but still tense. "We don't know what they are, exactly. But they… they're weird. Pale skin, purple eyes… and dark wings at their backs."
Micha and I exchanged a shocked glance.
"Isn't that…?" Micha's voice faltered. "The creatures King Roosevelt used during the War of Realms?"
Zaki looked confused. "War of Realms? What are you talking about?"
I felt my blood run cold. "This is serious, Zaki. Very serious. Micha… get ready."
"This is bullshit," Micha muttered, his fists clenching. "Levi… we are in a deep mess. A very big mess."
I felt my instincts flare. My wolf, Magnus, growled deep in my chest. Every sense heightened, every muscle tensed. I could feel the tension in the room, the danger surrounding us—even if we couldn't see it yet.
"Where exactly are they attacking?" I asked sharply.
Zaki pointed toward the northern wall of the pack territory, where the forests grew thick and uninviting. "They came out of nowhere. They're moving fast. Some of our scouts tried to engage, but… they were obliterated. Nothing left."
I gritted my teeth. "Micha, follow my lead. We're not letting these things take over. Get the pack ready—call the hunters, prepare the wards. We can't underestimate them. If these are Roosevelt's creatures… then we're dealing with an enemy that doesn't tire, doesn't bleed easily, and knows no fear."
Micha's eyes glinted with determination. "Understood. But Levi… there are too many of them. Even if we prepare, the pack won't hold for long."
I felt a wave of frustration, but I suppressed it. Panic would do nothing. "Then we fight smart. Divide and conquer. Use the terrain. And we'll need reinforcements. Call any allies—humans, vampires, whatever. If Roosevelt's army has returned in any form, we won't survive without allies."
Zaki swallowed nervously. "Allies… from the vampire realm?"
"Yes," I said sharply. "We don't have a choice. This isn't a petty dispute. This is survival. If we underestimate these creatures, the pack—and possibly the entire werewolf realm—will fall."
Micha nodded. "Let's get moving. I'll inform the elite fighters. You get the scouts organized and the wards ready."
I inhaled deeply, letting Magnus surge inside me. My strength, speed, and senses sharpened instantly. The elders had been a nuisance before, but now their irrelevance was clear. The pack needed leadership, not petty debates.
"Zaki," I said, "help us coordinate. The elders can scream all they want. Right now, the priority is survival."
He nodded. "Understood, Alpha Levi."
I turned to Micha. "We have a few minutes before the first wave hits. Let's make them count. Check the defenses, strengthen the wards, and prepare the hunters. This is going to be a fight unlike any we've had before."
Micha smirked, a glint of excitement in his eyes despite the tension. "Finally, some action. I was getting bored waiting for the elders to finish their pointless arguments."
I chuckled lightly, though my heart was pounding. "Action is one thing, Micha. Survival is another. Don't forget the difference."
Outside, the wind began to shift. A faint shadow passed over the northern forest, barely visible—but enough to make my wolf growl. I could sense them moving closer, the pale skin, the purple eyes, the dark wings… King Roosevelt's legacy was returning, and we had to be ready.
"This isn't over," I muttered under my breath. "Not by far. But we will survive. And when this is done… we'll make sure Roosevelt pays for everything he's done."
Micha nodded silently beside me, his hands glowing faintly as he prepared for what was coming. And together, we stepped out, ready to face the shadows that had returned from history itself.