Chapter 3 - The Gathering of the Pack
Maja stood paralyzed in the center of her tiny living room. Her fingers trembled against her apron. Wolves did not speak. Monsters from fairy tales did not knock on doors and call young women by their names.
The silver pup whined softly, hopping toward the door and scratching at the wood with its small paws. Its tail wagged in eager anticipation.
"Wait, don't!" Maja whispered nervously, but the creature paid her no mind.
Knowing she had no real defense against a force that could easily tear her fragile wooden cottage apart, Maja swallowed her terror. She stepped forward, unlatched the iron bolt, and slowly pulled the heavy door inward.
The icy night air rushed in, carrying the scent of pine, crushed snow, and something crisp and ancient—like lightning before a storm.
Standing on her porch was a man.
He was tall— towering over six feet four inches—with broad shoulders draped in a heavy cloak of dark fur and fine black leather. His raven hair brushed against his collarbone, framing a face carved from sharp, striking angles: a proud jawline, high cheekbones, and eyes of piercing, radiant gold.
He looked like a king from an ancient, forgotten empire.
Behind him, framed by the misty glow of the moonlight and the winter forest, stood the entire pack. Dozens of giant wolves stood in perfect, disciplined formation, their glowing eyes fixed upon her.
Maja took a instinctive step back, her breath catching in her throat.
"Do not fear me," the man said softly. His voice was warm, carrying a gentle weight that somehow steadied her wildly beating heart. "I have not come to harm you, Maja of Blackthorn."
"How... how do you know my name?" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper. "Who are you?"
"I am Kael," he replied, stepping forward across the threshold. The silver pup instantly bounded toward him, letting out happy yips as it leaned against Kael’s boots. Kael knelt down, his expression softening instantly into one of deep affection. He gently stroked the pup's head, checking the linen bandage tied around its leg.
"You saved my son," Kael said, rising to his full height again and meeting Maja's astonished gaze. "He wandered into a hunter's snare while trailing a scout party. My pack searched for him through the night, only to find his trail leading here."
"Your... your son?" Maja stammered, her mind racing. "He’s a... you are..."
"Shifters," Kael supplied plainly. "My people are the Lycans of the Northern Peaks. I am the Alpha King of the Frostblood Clan."
Maja’s hands flew to her mouth. The legends were true. The monsters the villagers spoke of were not mind-less beasts—they were a hidden nation, governed by ancient bloodlines and supreme power.
Kael took a step closer, his golden gaze sweeping over the cold, barren cottage—the empty hearth, the cracked furniture, the lone piece of stale bread crust resting on a plate.
"My scouts saw what happened last night," Kael continued softly, his voice heavy with solemn respect. "You had almost nothing to eat. You were cold and defenseless. Yet, you risked your safety to free a creature your people view as a monster. You wrapped his wounds with your own cloth, and you broke your last food in half to feed him."
"He was hurting," Maja said simply, holding her ground despite her trembling legs. "Kindness doesn't require a reason."
Kael stared at her, an unreadable emotion passing over his handsome features. "To humans, perhaps. But to my kind, kindness in the face of scarcity is the highest mark of honor."
He raised his hand. Outside, the great wolves parted.
A sleek silver wolf stepped forward from the front line. As Maja watched in breathless astonishment, the wolf's body rippled, reshaping itself seamlessly in a haze of moonlight until a tall, elegant woman stepped out of the shadow. She wore a gown of rich navy velvet, her silver hair flowing down her back.
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The Queen stepped into the cabin, her beautiful face filled with tears as she scooped the silver pup into her arms.
"My sweet Leo," the Queen sobbed softly, kissing the pup's face before looking up at Maja. Her deep blue eyes shone with overwhelming gratitude. "Thank you, young one. You saved our prince."
