"Have they gone?" Rina Ookaze asked as the last of her group's members arrived in her room.
"Yes, elder," the young man replied respectfully. "As usual, they retreated to the adjacent building, leaving this one empty." He gestured to indicate that, aside from the five of them from the Wind Pack, the guest house was devoid of any other presence.
Rina Ookaze fell silent for a moment, her thoughts running deep. "This clan is truly unusual," she murmured. As the number one Salutary in the land, she had visited countless packs, but none had been like the Shadow Wolf Pack. For one, their security was lacking. In most packs, sentries were always on the move, ensuring no intruders could slip past. Security personnel were stationed at regular intervals around the territory, not to mention the roving guards. But here? Aside from a few stationed at the gates, they had seen no sign of any other guards. It was strange—especially for the most powerful clan in the world.
"They're really confident that no one would breach their territory," another member remarked with disdain. Despite the Shadow Wolf Pack's reputation for being formidable, the territory had been underwhelming. The Wind Pack had arrived expecting to see something far more imposing.
Although the Shadow Wolf Pack had beautiful, even luxurious buildings—far grander than their own—this territory felt more like a human community than a lycanthrope's domain.
"Isn't this better? It's like we're on holiday in human territory," another member chimed in, a smile on their face. "The food and amenities here are top-notch."
"Don't get complacent," Rei Ookaze, who had been silent up until now, scolded her group. "Don't forget that powerful surge of aura we felt when we arrived," she reminded them. Instantly, the room fell silent as the memory came rushing back. They all remembered the overwhelming, suffocating waves of aura that hit them the moment they stepped out of the car a week ago. It had been so strong they had nearly choked, fear freezing their bodies in place.
"Haha, right," the same member who had earlier compared the Shadow Wolf Pack's territory to a human settlement mumbled, now looking uncomfortable. "That's why they don't need so much security." The others shifted uneasily, recalling the terror they'd felt for those brief seconds. They hadn't sensed the aura since, and had quickly pushed the memory aside.
"Delta Iori and Beta Jushin Kagerou were with us that time," another female whispered, her voice barely audible.
"That can only mean one thing," Rei replied, her tone low and tense.
"It's Hizuki Kagerou," Rina Ookaze finished for her. Before coming here, Rina had been skeptical that the Lycan King was as powerful as people said. They had never seen him or his wolf. The last sighting of Hizuki had been after the war, when he was just eight years old. Lycanthropes didn't usually bond with their wolves until they turned eighteen, so no one knew how strong he really was. Many believed he was just a myth, hyped up by the Shadow Wolf Pack to maintain their reputation as the pack of the Lycan King.
But they had been wrong.
"This is news," Rina added, her voice tinged with disbelief. Even Alpha Akechi Ookaze had underestimated Hizuki Kagerou, dismissing him as a rumor. If their Alpha knew what they now suspected, Rina feared their entire plan could be in jeopardy. She wasn't sure if she could even continue with their mission. That aura, though only a brief tap of its full force, had been enough to rattle her. If that was just a taste of Hizuki's power, how much stronger was the real thing?
"Elder," the young man called out awkwardly, his uncertainty evident. "Are we still going to…"
"We are," Rei Ookaze interrupted firmly, her voice resolute. "We're going through with the plan."
Rina studied Rei's face, noting the fierce determination there. It was clear that Rei's resolve had been solidified by the power they had felt upon arriving. After all, who wouldn't desire that kind of power, even just a fraction of it? But more than that, Rei had seen Hizuki before, or at least a photograph of him, before he disappeared from the public eye. Growing up, she had believed that the boy would be her future husband, and now she was determined to make that vision a reality.
The Salutary sighed. She was conflicted, torn between duty and caution. The plan felt increasingly dangerous. Setting Hizuki Kagerou aside, the power emanating from Iori Kagerou was equally, if not more, terrifying. Rina had met Gen Kagerou, the former alpha of the Shadow Wolf Pack, and she knew that Iori could easily rival his strength. Gen had been considered the strongest of his time, which meant that Hizuki Kagerou was an entirely different and far more dangerous kind of monster.
"Child," Rina began, her voice heavy with warning, "if we make a mistake, we will all die." She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in. "Don't forget, the Shadow Wolf Pack doesn't care about other clans. If we fail, I might be spared, considering I'm the last Salutary capable of dealing with the curse. But you…" She met the gaze of every young person in the room, her eyes serious. "I cannot guarantee you'll meet the same fate."
"But…" Rei frowned, her hands clenched into tight fists on her lap. It was clear she didn't want to back down, and Rina understood her determination. But the risk was simply too high.
"Elder," another girl spoke up, her voice filled with hesitation. "It might be riskier now that we know the alpha is really strong. But didn't the book say that unless the person has the primordial wolf, anyone can be put under the spell?"
Primordial wolves were the original wolves born to the Lycan Kings. There were seven in total, but they had long passed, along with the first Lycan Kings. While there was always the possibility for wolves to reawaken in different individuals, there had never been a case of a primordial wolf resurfacing. The chances of encountering one again were zero.
Rei's face suddenly brightened, her eyes widening in excitement, as though she had been given a lifeline. "That's right, elder. No matter how strong Hizuki Kagerou is, as long as his wolf isn't a primordial one, he can't resist the spell. We can make him my husband, and our clan will merge with the Shadow Wolf Pack. I'll be the Luna."