The moon hung high, casting a silver glow over the dense forest. Shadows stretched between the towering trees as four figures raced through the underbrush—silent, swift, and in perfect sync.
Nani led the run, his sleek, midnight-black wolf a blur against the darkened landscape. The wind rushed past him, carrying the scent of earth, pine, and the lingering traces of their packmates who had patrolled earlier. Running like this—wild and untamed—was freedom.
Behind him, Pond's massive earth-tone wolf kept close, his strides powerful and unwavering. Always the shield, always the first line of defense.
To his right, Dew's onyx, silver eyes wolf moved with calculated precision. Every step measured, every flick of his ears scanning for hidden dangers.
And just behind them, Win's pearly white wolf was a steady, quiet presence—watchful, unreadable, the anchor that kept them grounded.
They weren't running for battle or duty tonight. Just instinct. Just the call of the wild.
Nani let out a playful huff, pushing himself faster. The others immediately responded—a silent challenge accepted.
Pond, naturally competitive, surged forward with a low growl. You think you're fast, huh?
Dew matched pace easily, his voice brushing against their pack bond. Let's not pretend you're not already panting, Pond.
Pond snapped his jaws playfully. I'll bite you, strategist.
Win, as expected, didn't engage in the banter. But Nani could feel his amusement ripple through their link.
They ran like this for a while—shadows weaving through the trees, the heartbeat of the forest thrumming beneath their paws.
Until the scent hit them.
Faint. Unfamiliar. A scent that didn't belong to their pack.
Nani slowed first, ears perking. The others followed suit, forming an instinctive perimeter around him.
Pond bristled immediately. "That's not ours."
Dew's nose twitched. "No. And it's fresh."
Win's amber eyes flickered toward the distance. "We're close to the border."
Nani exhaled, steadying himself. They hadn't meant to get this far. Their run had taken them closer than intended—to the edge of their land, where the unknown loomed.
And just beyond? Stormveil territory.
The pack none of them had ever encountered… yet.
-----
The group slowed their pace, paws pressing lightly against the forest floor as they settled along the ridge. The wind shifted, carrying the crisp scent of pine and distant water—clean, untouched.
"Stormveil's territory is just ahead," Dew murmured, his silver eyes scanning the darkened treeline.
Pond snorted, ears twitching. "Hard to believe a pack actually thrives out here. They don't even have a city base like us. What do they even do all day? Hunt deer? Stare at the moon?"
Win huffed a quiet chuckle. "Unlike you, some wolves actually enjoy nature, Pond."
"Hey, I enjoy nature." Pond lifted his chin. "Through a penthouse window. While drinking coffee. Like a civilized werewolf."
"Yeah?" Nani smirked, tail flicking as he teased, "And what happens when we actually have to fight a wild pack like Stormveil? Gonna bribe them with espresso?"
Pond grumbled. "If they had taste, it might work."
Dew, ever the strategist, ignored their back-and-forth. His gaze remained sharp, calculating. "You joke, but have you ever wondered why we never hear much about them? No scandals, no internal fights spilling into the public. Even their warriors—no known weaknesses. That means something beyond our expectation."
The thought made them all pause.
Stormveil was… elusive. Unlike the Four Fang Alliance, who operated in both human and supernatural society, Stormveil stayed in the shadows. They didn't run corporations, didn't build political influence among humans. And yet—no one dared challenge them.
"How big do you think their pack actually is?" Pond asked, his voice thoughtful for once.
Dew let out a soft growl. "On record? Smaller than us. But unofficially? No one knows. We only see their outer forces. Scouts. Guardians. Never their true numbers."
Nani frowned. That was strange. F4 was the largest structured pack in the region—four bloodlines, multiple pack branches, and thousands of members spread across industries, enforcement, and intelligence. They were an empire.
But Stormveil? They barely showed themselves, yet they held just as much power.
"Honestly," Pond muttered, "I wouldn't be surprised if they lived like cavemen. No phones, no WiFi. Just 'the pack' and 'the bond' and 'nature's calling' or whatever crap old-school wolves believe in."
"Sounds peaceful," Win said dryly.
"Sounds like hell," Pond countered.
Nani smirked. "I bet you'd last an hour before trying to run back to the city."
"Please," Pond scoffed. "I wouldn't even make it past the first five minutes. I'd start a rebellion."
Dew sighed. "And this is why you're not allowed in diplomatic meetings."
Pond shot him a glare, but before he could retort, Win steered the conversation back. "And their Alpha?" His gaze flickered toward Dew. "What do we actually know about him?"
Silence.
Stormveil's leader was a name spoken with caution. Not out of fear, but out of uncertainty.
"I've never met him," Dew admitted. "Not directly."
"Me neither," Win added.
Pond's ears flicked back. "Well, I know one thing—no Alpha's ever tried to challenge him and walked away the same."
That was true.
Nani knew power. He grew up surrounded by Alphas born from bloodlines that ruled nations. Yet, even among them, Stormveil's leader remained an anomaly.
A ghost in their world.
And something about that didn't sit right with him.
-----
The journey back was calm at first. The moon hung high, casting silver streaks through the dense forest. The four wolves ran in a loose formation, the night wind rushing past them.
"Do you think they even have showers in Stormveil?" Pond mused aloud.
"You're obsessed," Nani teased.
"Just mentally preparing myself in case we ever have to visit their 'natural paradise.'"
Dew rolled his eyes, and Win smirked. But just as Pond opened his mouth for another quip, a distressed howl cut through the air.
The group stopped instantly, ears pricking up, instincts sharpening. It was faint but close—just beyond the ridge. And it wasn't from their pack.
"That's an Omega," Win noted, already shifting stance.
Nani's pulse quickened. No Omegas should be alone this close to the border.
A second howl followed—weaker, desperate.
"That's close," Win noted, ears flicking toward the west.
Pond didn't wait. He was already moving, instincts taking over as he bolted toward the sound, dirt flying under his paws. The others followed without question, their formation shifting as they wove through the trees.
As they broke past a ridge, the scent of blood hit them first.
Then, the scene below.
A silver-gray wolf lay cornered against a fallen tree, one hind leg stained with blood. Three rogues surrounded him, their eyes glinting with hunger, lips curled back in eager snarls.
The Omega was defensive but wounded. He growled, hackles raised, ready to fight despite the odds.
"Three against one?" Pond snarled. "Cowards."
And then he launched himself forward.
The Fight
Chaos erupted.
Pond slammed into the largest rogue, sending them both crashing into the ground. Snarling, he snapped his jaws inches from the enemy's throat. The rogue twisted, claws raking against Pond's side, but he didn't flinch—he overpowered, brute force driving the rogue down.
Dew was calculated. He moved like a shadow, slipping behind another rogue before sinking his fangs into the back of its leg. The rogue yelped, twisting to swipe at him, but Dew had already vanished—ducking under and striking again.
Win took position at the ridge, watching, analyzing. When one rogue tried to flee, Win was already there—a silent flash of white fur, cutting off their escape.
Nani lunged for the last rogue, clashing mid-air. They rolled, snapping and thrashing, but Nani was faster—a precise swipe sent the rogue crashing into a tree.
The Omega, despite his injury, didn't cower. He lunged at the nearest rogue's flank, sharp and practiced. His bite was clean—not desperate, but trained.
The rogues, realizing they were outmatched, snarled before breaking away into the forest.
For a moment, silence fell, only the sound of heavy breathing remaining.
Pond turned toward the Omega, ears flicking back. "You alright?"
The Omega snorted. "I had it handled."
Pond blinked. What.
Nani, Dew, and Win exchanged looks.
The Omega shifted first, revealing a lean, sharp-featured young man with dark brown eyes that held too much bite for someone so small. His uniform was clean despite the blood, a strange crest pinned to his chest.
An unfamiliar crest.
"You sure?" Pond scoffed, shifting back. "Because from where I stood, you were about to be dinner."
The Omega raised an eyebrow. "And yet, I'm still here."
Pond bristled. This guy was impossible.
Before Pond could fire back, a new presence emerged.
From the shadows of the trees, a wolf stepped forward.
Larger than all of them. Sleek. Golden-eyed.
A shapeshifter.
The wolf moved differently—fluid, silent, effortless. Too controlled to be normal.
The air shifted. Something about this presence wasn't right.
Nani took a step forward, tense. Dew and Win didn't move, but their focus sharpened.
Then, the wolf shifted.
A man stood before them now—tall, lean, and smirking. His golden eyes glowed slightly in the dark, amused yet unreadable.
"Well," he said smoothly, hands in his pockets, "this is interesting."
Phuwin's expression twisted into irritation. "Bright?"
Bright's grin widened. "That's me. What the hell are you doing getting yourself torn up?"
Phuwin crossed his arms. "Handling things. What are you doing here?"
"Cleaning up your mess, apparently."
Pond frowned, glancing between them. They knew each other?
"Wait—who the hell are you two?" Nani finally asked.
Bright tilted his head, studying them.
Then, slowly, his eyes met Win's.
The smirk wavered. Just a fraction.
Win stared back, unreadable as always.
The moment stretched—something unspoken passing between them.
Something electric.
Bright's fingers twitched at his side, but his expression stayed relaxed. "Well," he murmured, "this just got a lot more interesting."
Phuwin rolled his eyes. "You're always dramatic."
Pond scowled. "You still didn't answer the question."
Bright laughed. "Didn't I?"
The air felt different now.
Something told Pond that this Phuwin guy was going to be an absolute pain in the ass.
And something told Win that Bright was going to be even worse.
----
The tension had eased, but the air between them still buzzed with something unspoken. The fight was over, yet the presence of these two strangers lingered in a way Nani couldn't quite shake off.
Bright stretched, rolling his shoulders. "Well, that was fun. But I guess this is where we part ways."
Phuwin shot him a deadpan look. "Fun? You mean the part where I almost got ripped apart?"
Bright smirked. "Exactly. Builds character."
Pond scoffed, crossing his arms. "You're lucky we came across you in time."
Phuwin huffed, brushing dirt off his sleeve. "Right, because I definitely wasn't handling it myself."
Pond arched a brow. "You were flat on your ass."
Phuwin shot him a glare. "I was dodging."
Pond snorted. "Is that what you call it?"
Phuwin's eye twitched. "Listen, rock-brain, I didn't ask for your hero complex. You just jumped in uninvited."
Pond leaned in slightly, smirking. "And yet, here you are. Safe and sound. You're welcome."
Phuwin opened his mouth to retort but snapped it shut, clearly fuming.
Bright, looking far too entertained, patted Phuwin's shoulder. "Aw, don't be shy. Just say thank you."
Phuwin whirled on him. "I will not."
Win, who had been silent the whole time, let out a small chuckle. "Pond, you've made a new friend."
Pond rolled his eyes. "I'd rather eat my own tail."
Phuwin crossed his arms. "Likewise."
Bright grinned. "You two have chemistry."
Pond and Phuwin both turned to glare at him in unison. "Shut up."
Bright just laughed.
Nani, watching all of this, pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, enough." He turned his attention back to Bright and Phuwin. "Where exactly are you two headed?"
Bright gave an easy shrug. "Oh, just passing through. We tend to move around a lot."
Dew, ever sharp, narrowed his eyes. "That so?"
Phuwin exhaled, clearly done with this entire conversation. "Anyway, thanks, I guess. Not that I needed saving."
Pond smirked. "Sure."
Phuwin shot him one last glare before turning on his heel. "Let's go, Bright."
Bright gave a lazy two-finger salute before following. "See you around, F4."
The group stood in silence as they watched the two figures walk away. The shadows of the trees stretched long across the forest floor, and then—
They saw it.
Just at the edge of their vision, Bright and Phuwin crossed an invisible threshold. A subtle shimmer in the air, a shift in the scent.
Nani's breath hitched. Stormveil territory.
Dew's eyes darkened. "…That explains a lot."
Pond tensed, his jaw clenching. "Damn it."
Win exhaled slowly. "We just had a run-in with Stormveil's people."
Nani swallowed, his mind racing. "And we didn't even realize it."
The wind carried the last remnants of Bright and Phuwin's scent away, leaving only the weight of realization behind.
This was far from over.