The sky above Ravenshade churned with thunderclouds, and Hayley welcomed the storm.
She stood at the edge of the cliff behind the Silverfang Den, wind lashing her hair around her face as her thoughts screamed louder than the thunder. Damien lingered nearby, watching her with a quiet intensity, but he didn't speak. He knew better than to interrupt the fury building in her bones.
Riley.
Her Beta. Her second in command. Her closest friend.
The name burned hotter than betrayal ever should. It didn't make sense. Riley had bled for the pack. Protected it with unwavering loyalty. If the name hadn't come from the Midnight Society, Hayley would have dismissed it as a lie.
But Lucien didn't bluff. Not when it came to blood.
She turned sharply and walked past Damien without a word.
Riley stood in the training yard, barking orders at a group of younger wolves. Her golden braid whipped behind her as she moved with the same precision and authority Hayley had always admired.
Hayley's approach was silent, but Riley turned as if she felt the storm inside her Alpha.
"Hayley," Riley said, straightening. "I was just"
"Inside. Now."
The command cracked like a whip, and the trainees scattered. Riley's eyes narrowed, confusion flickering across her face, but she followed.
They entered the war room, doors slamming shut behind them. Damien leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, watching.
Hayley didn't waste time. "I know."
Riley blinked. "Know what?"
"The bounty. It was you."
Riley's eyes widened. For a heartbeat, the air went still.
Then she laughed. "You can't be serious."
"Lucien Vale gave me your name."
"That smug bloodsucker would sell his own mother for leverage," Riley snapped. "You believe him over me?"
"I believe what my instincts tell me. And right now, they're screaming something's wrong." Hayley stepped closer. "You've been secretive. You've made excuses. You intercepted that vampire before I ever knew he existed."
Riley's mouth opened, but no words came.
"Tell me the truth," Hayley demanded.
Riley's gaze dropped to the floor, shoulders stiff. "I didn't put the bounty on you."
"But you know who did."
Silence.
Damien moved forward, low and menacing. "She asked you a question."
Riley's lips pressed into a hard line. Then, finally, she looked up.
"I was protecting you."
Hayley's fists clenched. "From who?"
Riley swallowed. "From your past."
Two hours later***
The war room was quiet. Riley sat stiffly in one chair while Hayley paced like a caged predator.
"You should've told me," Hayley said, her voice barely above a growl. "Everything."
"I didn't know who I could trust."
"I'm your Alpha!"
"You're more than that!" Riley snapped, then caught herself. Her eyes softened. "You're… important to me, Hayley. You always have been. I couldn't risk the truth hurting you."
Hayley froze.
The vulnerability in Riley's voice was real. But it made the betrayal feel worse.
Damien's voice cut in like steel. "What truth?"
Riley hesitated, then said, "It wasn't just a bounty. It was a warning."
Hayley frowned. "A warning?"
Riley nodded slowly. "There's a group forming in Ravenshade. Not just rogues, former pack wolves, exiled shifters, witches, and even a few vampires. They call themselves The Hollow Fang. They're building an alliance... and they want a new order. One where no Alpha rules alone."
Hayley's stomach turned.
The Hollow Fang. She'd heard whispers,rumors passed in back alleys and bloodstained bars but nothing concrete.
"And what do I have to do with them?" she asked.
Riley looked up, eyes haunted. "You're the symbol. The last true Alpha holding Ravenshade's balance. If you fall, everything collapses. Chaos follows. And they rise."
Hayley shook her head. "That still doesn't explain why someone close to me would sell me out."
Riley's voice dropped. "Because you were born for more than this."
Hayley stilled. "What?"
"You've always been more than a leader. More than a wolf. The Hollow Fang knows what's in your blood, Hayley. So do I."
Damien frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Riley looked up at Hayley, gaze unwavering.
"You're not just an Alpha. You're a blood heir."
Hayley stared at Riley like she'd grown a second head. "That's not possible. My family was wiped out during the uprising. My bloodline ended with my parents."
Riley stood slowly, reaching into her coat. She pulled out an old, worn scroll sealed with wax, the symbol of a crescent moon encircling a clawed paw.
Hayley's breath caught.
That sigil hadn't been seen in over twenty years.
"It's not just a rumor," Riley said softly. "Your mother wasn't just a pack Alpha. She was part of an ancient bloodline… one tied to the Primordials, the original wolves. You carry their blood."
Hayley's hands trembled as she took the scroll. The moment she touched it, her wolf stirred violently under her skin, reacting as if it had been waiting its entire life to be acknowledged.
"No," she whispered.
"Yes," Riley said. "The Hollow Fang found out. That's why they put the bounty on your head. They don't just fear you… they fear what you could become if you unlock that bloodline."
Damien swore under his breath. "This changes everything."
Hayley's heart pounded in her ears. If what Riley said was true, she wasn't just leading the Silverfangs.
She was carrying the legacy of the original Alphas.
And someone wanted that power buried along with her body.
Later that night***
Hayley stood alone in her room, the scroll laid open across her desk. Her fingers traced the ancient symbols inked in faded red. The moonlight filtering through the window cast silvery shadows over the text warnings, prophecies, blood rites.
She understood now.
The attacks. The bounty. The vampires sniffing at her door. The Midnight Society's interest.
They weren't just after control of Ravenshade.
They were after her blood.
She wasn't sure what scared her morethe enemies waiting in the shadows, or the truth rising on her own.
A knock sounded at her door.
Damien.
She didn't turn as he entered, but she knew he was watching her closely.
"Do you believe her?" he asked.
"I don't have the luxury not to."
He stepped closer. "What are you going to do?"
Hayley turned, her eyes glowing faintly gold. "I'm going to find the Hollow Fang. I'm going to tear them apart piece by piece. And if what Riley said is true…"
She picked up the scroll and held it tight.
"…I'm going to unlock whatever power my ancestors left behind."
Damien gave a slow, approving nod. "Then let's find out what kind of Alpha you really are."