Outside the pack

Greg’s POV

I revved the engine of my Bugatti, the powerful growl of the car reverberating through my chest as I pulled out of the palace grounds.

The sleek machine was my one escape from the suffocating walls of the kingdom, from my brother’s shadow and the constant surveillance that plagued my every move. I needed to get away, to think, to breathe.

I couldn’t stay here anymore. It was getting out of hand.

I pushed down on the gas I zipped through the kingdom with the engine revving heavily.

It was the envy of the town seeing as everyone looked to my direction while I moved.

As I approached the gate of the pack, the chief of security stood there, eyes sharp but respectful.

He nodded as I slowed down, his expression unreadable. I couldn’t help but wonder if he knew what was happening inside these walls. If he was aware of the tension between me and Cole, or if he was just another pawn in my brother’s game.

I nodded back, pressing the gas pedal, feeling the rush as the car surged forward. The gates opened, and I sped through, feeling a strange sense of freedom wash over me. But that feeling was short-lived. As I drove past the front of the pack, my heart sank.

The landscape before me was a scene straight out of a nightmare.

Hundreds of dead bodies littered the ground, their lifeless forms twisted and broken. Blood stained the earth, soaking into the dirt, and the air was thick with the stench of death.

I slowed down to take in the sights, my stomach churning at the sight. What had happened here? My first instinct was to assume it was an attack, that someone had breached the pack’s defenses. But then I saw him—Elder Raxon, barking orders at the guards and soldiers as they moved the bodies.

I clenched the steering wheel, my mind racing. There was only one person who could’ve done this, and that was my brother, Cole.

He had unleashed his fury on these rogues, tearing through them without mercy. It was a warning, a display of power, and a reminder of who ruled this pack. It was something he excelled at: making a statement that no one would forget.

I gritted my teeth, pushing those thoughts aside as I drove away from the carnage. I needed to be far from here, away from the madness.

I drove for what felt like hours, the scenery blurring past me as I headed to a place I knew no one would follow. The abandoned ruins of an old pack that my father had destroyed when he was alpha, long before Cole and I had grown into the men we were today. The place was a ghost of its former glory, with broken-down temples and crumbling structures overrun by nature’s relentless grasp.

I parked my car and stepped out, the sound of my boots crunching on the gravel echoing in the empty place.

I walked toward one of the old temples, its stone pillars cracked and worn by time. It was here that I often came to clear my mind, to practice my powers away from prying eyes.

I pushed open the heavy, weathered door and entered the dimly lit space. The air was thick with dust, and the faint scent of old wood and decay lingered, but it was quiet—perfect for what I needed.

I sat down on the cold stone floor, looking at my hands, flexing my fingers as I summoned the familiar hum of magic that moved through my veins.

My powers were a constant reminder of the duality that defined me—a wolf born of both werewolf and witch, a prince with powers that set me apart from everyone else. My brother may have had strength, but I had something far more dangerous.

I began practicing my abilities, channeling the fire first.

Flames burned to life in my palms, moving wildly as I controlled their movements with a flick of my wrist. I shaped the fire into orbs, watched it twist and twirl, feeling the heat sear against my skin.

Then I shifted to wind, summoning gusts that swirled around me, lifting dust and debris off the ground in a chaotic storm. I practiced manipulating the wind into sharp, precise slices, honing my control.

Lightning came next, crackling to life in bright, jagged streaks that lit up the darkened temple. It was raw power, chaotic and untamed, but I wielded it with ease, letting the electricity dance along my fingertips before hurling it at a stone pillar, watching it shatter on impact.

I moved on to earth, feeling the ground tremble beneath me as I raised rocks and dirt from the floor, shaping them into solid barriers and jagged spikes. And finally, water—cool, fluid, ever-changing.

I conjured it from thin air, forming whips and tendrils that lashed out at invisible enemies, moving like a serpent. I could feel every element, every ounce of power coursing through me. It was exhilarating, empowering.

As I finished, I lowered my hands, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down my forehead. My powers were growing stronger, more refined, but they still felt like a double-edged sword. I could do so much, yet every use of magic made me more of a target, more of a threat in my brother’s eyes.

I was about to sit back and catch my breath when I sensed a presence behind me.

My eyes snapped to the entrance of the temple, and there she was—Anna, standing in the doorway with a small smile on her face, her eyes gleaming with a mix of admiration and something else I couldn’t quite place.

I zipped to her, closing the distance between us in an instant. “Anna,” I hissed, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her inside, out of sight. “Are you out of your mind? You shouldn’t be here. It’s too dangerous.”

Anna looked at me, unflinching. “Greg, relax. I’m not here to get us caught. Elder Raxon called me and told me to follow you, said you might need…support.”

I frowned, my grip on her arm tightening as I pulled her further inside the temple. “Raxon sent you?” I asked, suspicion creeping into my voice. “Why would he do that?”

She shrugged, her expression softening. “He’s probably spying on you. It’s nothing much. He probably wants to know where you are and all of that stuff.”

“Sounds like him,” I sighed.

I released her, pacing back and forth, my mind racing. I didn’t like this one bit. “I don’t trust him,” I muttered, shaking my head. “He’s always playing games.”

Anna stepped closer, reaching out to touch my shoulder. “Maybe. But right now, I’m here for you, not for him. You’re not alone in this, Greg.”

I looked at her, really looked at her, and for a moment, all my doubts melted away.

“Why do you stick around?” I asked, my voice low. “You know this is dangerous. If Cole finds out, he’ll—”

Anna cut me off, her expression firm. “I’m not afraid of Cole. I’m afraid of losing you. Besides, I’ve been in worse situations, remember? My whole life has been a balancing act between loyalty and survival.”

I nodded, though I still didn’t like it. “Raxon sent you, which means he’s keeping tabs on us. On me.”

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me.

The dead rogues, Cole’s warnings, Raxon’s schemes—it was all too much. I looked back at Anna, her presence somehow calming despite the chaos swirling around us.

“I need to figure out what to do next,” I said, my voice softer now. “Cole’s not going to stop until he has complete control, and that means he’s coming for me.”

“As much as I love your idea, how about we…”

She didn’t finish as I heard something whizzing towards us.

An arrow pierced into my chest as it exploded, blasting us into the distance.