The Alpha's Instinct

**Dimitri**

After Angel left the room, I stood there, motionless, trying to ignore the whirlwind of emotions inside me. I knew I had been harsh with her, perhaps even unfair, but my son's safety was the priority. I couldn't afford to be complacent, especially with everything at stake.

As I tried to focus on my thoughts, I felt something strange. A growing unease, as if something was wrong with the pack. My alpha instinct had always been strong, and I had learned to trust it. This time, it was warning me of an imminent danger.

I left the office, following the sound coming from outside the mansion. As I got closer, the murmuring voices grew louder, and soon I realized it was the members of my pack, gathered in a circle in the courtyard.

When I reached the center of the group, I saw Leonardo, my beta, trying to control the situation. There was something in the middle of the circle that caught my attention—a wounded wolf, one of ours, panting and covered in battle scars.

"What happened here?" My voice came out with more authority than I intended.

Leonardo approached, his expression one of concern. "Dimitri, we found this wolf patrolling the northern border. He was attacked but managed to escape to warn us."

"By whom? Who would dare invade our territory?" I asked, my blood beginning to boil.

"He said it was Lucian," Leonardo replied, lowering his voice. "His pack is planning something big. They want the Moon's Heart."

The weight of those words hit me. Lucian, the alpha of a rogue pack, was known for his brutality and for rejecting the sacred traditions of the packs. If he had his eyes on the Moon's Heart, it meant he was planning something far more dangerous than a simple territorial invasion.

"Take him to the healers," I ordered, pointing to the wounded wolf. "And prepare the pack. We need to be ready for what's coming."

Leonardo nodded, but before he walked away, he turned to me with a serious expression. "Dimitri, there's something else. He mentioned that there's a traitor among us. Someone who has been passing information to Lucian."

Those words hit like a punch. A traitor in my own pack? The anger I was already feeling only intensified. As an alpha, it was my duty to protect my pack, but now there was an internal threat, someone I trusted was working against us.

"We can't accuse anyone without proof," I said, controlling the fury burning inside me. "But I want you to keep an eye on everyone, especially those closest to me."

Leonardo nodded again, his expression reflecting the same determination I felt. As he organized the other wolves, I stood in the courtyard for a few minutes, trying to process everything.

Lucian, a traitor, the Moon's Heart… It was a lot to take in at once. But one thing was certain: I couldn't let this destabilize my pack. We needed to be stronger, more united than ever.

As I walked back to the mansion, the weight of responsibility fell on my shoulders with renewed intensity. I needed to protect my son, my pack, and everything we had built. There was no room for mistakes. The Moon's Heart, an artifact so powerful, had to be protected at all costs.

As soon as I entered the office, I felt that strange sensation in the air again. Something was out of place, but I couldn't quite identify what it was. My thoughts returned to Angel, her pained expression when I accused her. Even with the fury and distrust, something in me doubted she was capable of betraying our trust.

I needed to find out who was behind this, who the real traitor was. But for now, I had to focus on preparing the pack for the war that was coming. Because if Lucian dared to step foot on our territory again, he would have to face the full wrath of an alpha determined to protect his own.

I sat down in the office chair, rubbing my face with my hands, trying to push away the growing guilt. How could I let this happen? How could I, Dimitri, the alpha of this pack, allow a traitor to infiltrate our ranks without noticing?

I had been so consumed by my internal conflicts—the doubt about Angel, the simmering anger, the power struggle with Haizel—that I lost sight of the real danger approaching. And now, my pack was vulnerable, and I had to fix this before it was too late.

I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, trying to calm the storm within me. I needed to get my priorities in order. I could no longer afford to let my personal life interfere with my duties as an alpha. My pack needed me, and I needed to be strong, focused, relentless.

The battle was about to begin, and I was ready to fight to my last breath to ensure the safety of everyone under my protection. But deep down, a small voice told me that the greatest enemy might not be out there, but much closer than I had ever imagined.