"Fine…" Rina sighed, the weight of her decision settling heavily on her shoulders. Age had made her more cautious, more reluctant to rush headlong into danger. But as she thought of the dwindling clans, their fates slipping away into history, her resolve began to waver. The world around them was changing, and their survival depended on making the right move. Despite how impossible their task seemed, they couldn't back down. They had to try—for the future generations, for the survival of their people.
The responsibility weighed on her heavily, and for the first time in many years, she questioned her own decisions. Would this plan lead to their downfall, or could they somehow still succeed? She didn't know, but she knew they had no other choice. The consequences of failure were far too great to ignore.
But there was a troubling question lingering in her mind. Despite a week spent on the territory, they had yet to lay eyes on the alpha. Hizuki Kagerou had made no effort to meet with them, as if they weren't worth his time. The frustration gnawed at them all, adding to the growing tension. And the vastness of the territory, the sheer scale of the Shadow Wolf Pack's domain, only added to the sense of helplessness.
They had been relegated to the outer edges of the domain, near the modernized areas where Shadowlane Logistics was located—a far cry from the heart of the pack's territory. There was a thick, almost palpable barrier keeping them from venturing further. The inner domain was strictly off-limits. No one was allowed beyond the boundaries of the outer territory. The real Kageoden, the home of the Alpha of the Shadow Wolf Pack, seemed like a distant, unreachable fortress.
The only reason Rina knew of its existence was because she had visited long ago, in another time. She had been there to check on the previous Luna during her pregnancy. It was supposed to be a routine task—just a visit to provide assistance, to ensure everything went smoothly. But fate had interfered. An emergency had pulled her away at the last moment, and she had never been able to fulfill her promise.
A deep sigh escaped her as the old memories washed over her, making her feel like the passage of time had stolen away something precious.
"Elder, when do we move?" The young man's voice snapped her back to the present, filled with eager anticipation, his tone nearly vibrating with excitement. He seemed so ready, so eager to charge ahead, as if putting the alpha under their spell was an adventure they were meant to unfold.
Rina's sharp gaze cut through him, silencing his eagerness. "What do you mean? We don't even know where the alpha is," she replied firmly. "Even if we know the main manor lies in the heart of the territory, how are we supposed to know if the alpha is even there?"
The young man faltered, his excitement draining away. A girl next to him spoke up, her voice filled with doubt. "Exactly," she added, shaking her head. "It's not like we can just march in and hope to find him. There's no guarantee he's anywhere near that manor."
Rina nodded, her expression thoughtful, feeling the weight of their uncertainty. "Right," she agreed, the gravity of the situation deepening. Since that overwhelming surge of power upon their arrival, they hadn't felt anything like it again. It was safe to assume that the alpha had complete control over his aura—or perhaps, he wasn't even in the domain at all. It was more likely he wasn't on the territory at all. After all, power like that couldn't stay hidden forever. There would have been moments when his energy would have leaked out, and they would have felt it. But it never happened. The silence surrounding them felt heavy, almost suffocating, and it only deepened their uncertainty.
"But how could he not be at home? Isn't he a recluse alpha?" The young man asked, his confusion clearly written across his face. The very thought of the alpha being absent seemed unthinkable to him, as if it went against the natural order.
Rina pressed her lips together, considering the question. "That's just a rumor," she replied coolly. "How would we know he doesn't go out? It would be easy for him to wander the streets incognito. After all, no one really knows what he looks like."
Her words had an almost biting edge to them, underscoring the uncertainty and doubt that plagued them all. Hizuki could be anywhere—or nowhere at all. The mystery surrounding him only grew, and it seemed like every answer only led to more questions. How were they supposed to navigate this? How could they act without knowing the full scope of the situation?
"Oh…" The young man deflated like a balloon, the air of excitement quickly replaced by worry. "You mean, he could have been mingling among us, and we didn't know?"
Rina met his concern with a hard gaze, her eyes sharp and unwavering. But before she could respond, Rei spoke up, her voice calm and steady. "That's possible, if it were any other alpha," she said, her tone measured and thoughtful. She paused, the memory of the powerful aura they had felt on their first day haunting her. She remembered the black-and-white photo of the young boy—so much had changed since then. "But…" Her voice trailed off, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I doubt we'd miss him. No matter how much he tries to hide his power, that kind of aura? We'd always know."
Her voice carried an undeniable certainty, as if she had already made up her mind about what was true. And there was no denying it—there was no hiding that kind of presence, not for long. They would have felt it.
As if on cue, a surge of energy—a wave that was both cold and hot—swept over them, suffocating and overwhelming in its intensity. Their bodies froze, eyes wide with fear, as the force gripped them. It lasted only a couple of seconds, but in those moments, they were reminded just how insignificant their own strength was in comparison. The power was far stronger than before, and it felt different—like the owner of this force was irritated, perhaps even agitated. The air around them hummed with the weight of that emotion, a subtle but terrifying reminder of the alpha's dominance.
"Elder…" The four young people called out to Rina, instinctively drawing closer to her as if seeking protection from the overwhelming power.
"What was that?" one of them asked, though they all knew the source of the energy.
"At least now we know the alpha is back home," Rei said, her voice steady as she recovered from the initial shock. The look of determination returned to her face, as though the monstrous aura had no effect on her at all.
The group fell into a tense silence, waiting to see if the energy would return. It was an unnerving feeling to be subjected to such raw power without warning. Had they known it was coming, they might have been able to brace themselves, but as it was, the sudden surge had rattled them all.
"Elder, do we move tonight?" The young man asked again, his voice tinged with urgency. "We won't know when the alpha might be at home again. At least now, we know he is."
The four young people turned their gaze toward Rina, who sighed heavily, the weight of their expectations pressing down on her. They were right. There was no other way they could know when the alpha would be present. It made sense to move now, while the opportunity was still there.
"We'll wait a couple more hours," Rina said, her voice calm but resolute. "Be sure to be careful. We can't afford to let anyone see us."