Odin POV
The cold evening wind brushed against my face as I left the mansion grounds. The news still echoed in my head.
Lynx is back.
Of all the things I expected to hear, that was the last.
I clenched my jaw as I got into my jeep and slammed the door shut. The engine roared to life as I drove down the long road leading away from the estate.
The road to the pack rendezvous site cut through thick forest, far from human eyes. It had been our meeting ground for years—long before the conflict that changed everything.
The headlights sliced through the darkness as I drove deeper into the woods.
My grip tightened around the steering wheel.
Stone Peak Pack.
Even the name was enough to make my blood boil.
Twelve years ago, that pack took something from us that could never be replaced.
And their Alpha… Lynx… had been right at the center of it.
The truck finally rolled to a stop near a clearing surrounded by towering trees. Several motorcycles and vehicles were already parked nearby. Flames from a large bonfire flickered in the middle of the clearing, casting orange light over the gathered wolves.
The moment I stepped out, a few of the warriors turned toward me.
"Beta Odin," one of them greeted.
I nodded briefly as I walked toward the fire.
This was our rendezvous site, where the pack gathered whenever something serious needed to be discussed. Tonight the tension in the air was thick.
A few of the wolves were already talking among themselves when I arrived.
"What's going on?" one asked.
"You called us here in a hurry," another added.
I stopped beside the fire and looked at the familiar faces around me.
Some had been with us since the beginning.
Others were younger, still learning what it meant to belong to this pack.
But all of them trusted me to lead.
"There's been a development," I said calmly.
The murmurs quieted immediately.
"The Stone Peak Alpha has returned."
The reaction was instant.
"What?"
"That's impossible!"
"After all these years?"
Several wolves began speaking at once until I raised my hand.
"His name is Lynx," I continued firmly. "And he's back in the city."
The fire crackled loudly as silence fell over the clearing.
One of the older warriors stepped forward, his expression dark.
"You think he came back to start another war?"
I let out a bitter laugh.
"That man doesn't do anything without a reason."
My eyes moved across the pack.
"You all remember what happened twelve years ago."
The mood shifted instantly.
Some of the younger wolves looked confused, but the older ones… they remembered.
How could they forget?
The night everything fell apart. The conflict between our pack and the Stone Peak Pack had started over territory at first, but it didn't stay that way for long.
Pride,
Power, and betrayal.
Those things had turned a simple dispute into a blood feud.
And in the middle of it all…
Blood had been spilled.
Lives had been lost.
And in the end, Lynx disappeared from the city. Until now.
A younger wolf near the fire spoke carefully.
"What does this mean for us?"
"It means we stay alert," I replied.
Another wolf frowned.
"You think he'll come near our territory?"
"If he does," I said coldly, "we'll be ready."
My eyes drifted toward the dark forest beyond the clearing.
One thought kept repeating in my mind: What was the main reason for his return?
The fire crackled loudly in the center of the clearing as the wolves continued discussing the news. Some were angry, others uneasy, but everyone understood one thing clearly. Lynx's return meant trouble. I stood beside the fire, listening to the murmurs around me while my mind kept drifting back to the past. The memories were like wounds that never fully healed: the night everything changed.
The fight with the Stone Peak Pack.
And Lynx is standing at the center of it all.
I clenched my fist slightly, trying to push the thoughts away. The pack didn't need to see that side of me tonight; they needed leadership.
"We have double patrols starting tonight," I said firmly. "No one enters our territory without us knowing."
Several wolves nodded in agreement.
"And keep your eyes open," I added. "If Lynx is back, it won't be long before something happens."
Just as the wolves began discussing patrol rotations, my phone suddenly vibrated inside my jacket pocket.
The sound felt loud in the quiet forest.
I frowned and pulled it out.
The name on the screen immediately caught my attention.
James Troy.
The elder of the pack.
That alone was unusual. James rarely called unless something serious had happened. I stepped away from the group and answered the call.
"Yes, Elder James."
His voice came through the phone, calm but heavy with urgency.
"Odin, where are you right now?"
"At the rendezvous site with the warriors," I replied. "We were discussing the news about Lynx."
There was a brief pause on the other end. "I expected as much," he said.
Something about his tone made my stomach tighten.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I need you and Alexander to come see me," James said.
His voice dropped lower.
"Immediately."
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"Is something wrong?"
Another short silence followed.
"Yes," he answered.
"What's wrong?" I pressed.
James let out a slow breath.
"It's not something I can explain over the phone."
That was never a good sign.
"You and Alexander must come to the council house tonight," he continued. "There are things you both need to hear."
A cold feeling settled in my chest.
"Does this have something to do with Lynx?" I asked carefully.
The elder's voice grew quieter.
"It has everything to do with him."
My grip tightened around the phone.
"I'll bring Alexander," I said.
"Good," James replied. "Do not delay."
The call ended.
I stared at the dark screen for a moment before sliding the phone back into my pocket.
When I turned around, several wolves were already watching me.
"What happened?" one of them asked.
"The elder wants to see me," I said.
"And Alexander."
Their expressions turned serious.
"At this hour?" another wolf asked.
I nodded slowly.
"That means it's important."
I grabbed my Jeep keys and started walking toward my vehicle.
"Keep the patrols running," I ordered the warriors. "I'll return once I know what's going on."
As I opened the truck door, one thought kept circling in my mind.
If James Troy was calling an emergency meeting…
Then Lynx's return might be far more dangerous than we thought.
I entered into the jeep; before igniting the vehicle, I put a call through to Alexander, my brother, who is the Alpha of the pack. His phone wasn't going through.
"I need to go see him at his house." I said to myself.
I ignited the jeep as I drove away.