The days after the confrontation in the great hall passed with a restless energy. The forest seemed to sense the shift too—the usual morning chorus of birds was quieter, shadows deeper beneath the towering trees. Emily could feel the weight of Selene's presence like a cloud hanging over the pack, an unspoken threat that no one dared address openly.
Despite the unease, life in Raven's Hollow moved forward. The Blackclaw pack busied themselves with healing, training, and fortifying their territory. Luca remained the steadfast pillar of strength, but even he wore the fatigue of leadership heavily. Emily watched him closely, admiring the fierce determination in his amber eyes, but she saw the cracks beginning to show beneath his calm exterior.
One afternoon, Emily was practicing her healing magic near the small creek that ran through the edge of the forest. The air was cool, the soft babble of the water a welcome balm to her restless mind. She closed her eyes and focused, trying to steady the energy that sometimes surged unpredictably within her.
A shadow fell across the water, and Emily opened her eyes to find Maya standing nearby, watching her with a mixture of concern and urgency.
"You've been avoiding the others," Maya said softly. "Especially Selene."
Emily sighed, wiping damp strands of hair from her face. "I don't want to make things worse. Selene... she's dangerous, Maya. More than just jealousy."
Maya nodded, her dark eyes reflecting the weight of unspoken knowledge. "I've heard things. About what Selene's been doing when she's not with the pack. Meetings in secret, strange alliances."
Emily's heart quickened. "What kind of alliances?"
Maya hesitated before answering. "I don't know all the details. But it's clear she's planning something — something that could put all of us at risk."
The warning settled heavily in Emily's chest. The battle with the Nightfangs was no longer the only threat. One of their own was becoming a greater danger.
Emily's eyes narrowed as she listened to Maya's words, the soft murmur of the creek suddenly feeling louder, as if the forest itself was holding its breath. "Secret meetings?" she asked quietly. "Where? When?"
Maya glanced around, lowering her voice even further. "At the old ruins, near the eastern edge of the Hollow. Late at night, when most of the pack is asleep or training."
Emily's mind raced. The ruins were a place whispered about among the pack—ancient stone remnants, overgrown and forgotten, said to be haunted by the spirits of past warriors. No one went there unless they had a reason, and certainly not for anything good.
"Why would Selene go there?" Emily asked.
Maya shook her head. "I don't know. But I overheard some of the younger warriors talking about strange figures meeting with her — outsiders, maybe even Nightfangs."
Emily's heart pounded. Betrayal from within was a poison far worse than any enemy's fang.
"We need to tell Luca," Emily said firmly.
Maya hesitated. "I thought about it. But if Selene suspects we know, she might move faster. We have to be careful. We need proof first."
Emily nodded, determination hardening in her chest. "Then we'll find it. Together."
---
That night, under the veil of darkness, Emily and Maya slipped quietly through the forest, moving toward the ruins. The moon was a sliver in the sky, barely lighting their path, but Emily's heightened senses guided them through the shadows.
The ruins emerged slowly from the trees—ancient stone pillars and crumbled walls, draped in vines and moss. The air was thick with a cold stillness that felt alive.
They crouched behind a fallen archway, peering into the clearing beyond.
Selene stood in the center, her dark hair gleaming faintly in the moonlight as she spoke to a group of figures shrouded in cloaks. The voices were low, urgent. Emily couldn't make out the words, but the tension was unmistakable.
One figure stepped forward—a tall man with a scar running down his cheek, his eyes cold as steel. Emily's breath caught. He was wearing the colors of the Nightfang pack.
The betrayal hit her like a physical blow.
Selene's voice was firm, commanding. "The Blackclaws are weak after last night's fight. Their alpha is distracted. This is our chance. But we must be patient. The pack will fracture from within."
The Nightfang leader nodded. "We'll strike when the time is right. With your help, the Blackclaws will fall."
Emily squeezed Maya's arm to steady herself. "We have to get back to Luca. Now."
They slipped away silently, hearts racing, minds spinning with the gravity of what they'd just witnessed.
---
Back at the Blackclaw camp, Luca was waiting by the fire, his expression grave as Emily and Maya approached. She relayed everything—the secret meetings, the Nightfang alliance, Selene's betrayal.
Luca's eyes darkened with fury and disbelief. "Selene... I trusted her."
Emily placed a steady hand on his arm. "We still have time to stop her."
Luca nodded slowly. "Then we prepare. The pack must stand united. But first, we confront Selene."