Shadows of the Alliance

**Dimitri**

The atmosphere in the mansion was heavy and filled with distrust, as if everyone was waiting for the next wrong move. Kael and his wolves were housed in the farthest quarters of the mansion, but even at that distance, their presence felt like a constant shadow over all of us. Allowing them to stay still seemed risky, but with the growing threat of new enemies, allying with Kael seemed like our best chance, at least for now.

I was in the meeting room with Angel, Leonardo, and some of our most trusted warriors. The tension was palpable as we reviewed the terms of the alliance with Kael, trying to draw a clear line between cooperation and control. Everyone in the room knew we were walking through a minefield—one mistake, and we could be opening the doors to a disaster greater than anything we faced with Lucian.

Angel was beside me, flipping through the recent patrol reports. She was focused, but I knew that inside, she was still dealing with the return to the mansion and what it meant for us. Since our last conversation, a thread of reconnection had emerged, but the challenges ahead left little room for us to breathe.

"Kael's wolves are maintaining their positions, but there have been some movements that we couldn't track," said Leonardo, his voice cutting through the silence of the room. "They are stealthy, and they don't trust us as much as we don't trust them."

Angel looked at him, her expression firm. "We need to maintain vigilance, but without provoking them. They are our allies now, and we need to give them the benefit of the doubt, at least until we have clear reasons to act."

There was a murmur of agreement in the room, but I knew that many present were still far from accepting this alliance. What worried me most, however, was not just the distrust of my own people, but what was going on in Kael's mind. He had shown himself to be cooperative, but I knew well the look of someone planning something beyond what was said.

"I'll talk to Kael," I finally said, standing up. "We need to clarify some things, face to face."

Angel looked at me, a momentary concern passing over her face. "Do you want me to go with you?"

I hesitated for a second, but shook my head. "I need to do this alone. But stay alert. If things get out of hand, you need to be ready."

She nodded, her eyes never leaving mine. Her trust in me was something I was still trying to earn again, and I knew that any mistake now could jeopardize everything.

I walked through the mansion's corridors toward Kael's quarters, feeling the weight of each step. When I arrived, two of his wolves stood guard and allowed me to enter after a brief exchange of wary looks. Kael was standing, observing a detailed map of the region, as if studying the terrain for something beyond a simple alliance.

"Dimitri," he said, without turning around but aware of my presence. "Come to check if we're still on your side?"

"I want to make sure we understand what this really means," I replied, keeping my tone firm. "We're in this together, but any wrong move and this alliance ends."

Kael finally turned to face me, a calculated smile on his lips. "You know me well, Dimitri. You know I'm not here to play. We both want to survive, but we are not friends. Our alliance is one of convenience, nothing more."

His brutal honesty left me somewhat surprised. There was something almost refreshing in his lack of pretense, but it also reminded me that Kael was a dangerous wolf, an ally who would need to be closely watched. "And what do you hope to gain from this?" I asked, watching his every move.

"Protection for mine, a safe place," he said, crossing his arms. "And maybe a bit of power. But don't worry, Dimitri, I'm not interested in your throne. Yet."

I laughed, a dry sound that reflected more skepticism than genuine humor. "Make sure it stays that way. As long as we're on the same side, there's room to cooperate. But if you step out of line, there will be no mercy."

Kael nodded slowly, not losing his calm. "Understood. Let's see where this takes us."

I left Kael's quarters feeling that our conversation had clarified his intentions but had not removed the doubts. He was an experienced player, and as long as he was by my side, I would need eyes in the back of my head.

When I returned to the meeting room, Angel was waiting, her intense gaze meeting mine. She didn't need to ask how it had gone—we both knew this was just the beginning of a new kind of battle.

"And now?" she asked, a hint of fatigue in her voice.

"Now, we keep playing his game," I replied, trying to keep my tone confident. "But never forget, in this game, every move could be the last."

Angel nodded, and as our eyes met, there was a silent understanding that together, we would face whatever came. But this alliance with Kael, like everything around us, was a fragile balance, on the brink of collapse at any moment.

And, looking at the horizon that began to darken, I felt that the real fight was just beginning.