Fourteen years ago, the forest vibrated with sudden alarm as birds burst from the treetops, their cries sharp and frantic. A brown wolf stumbled wildly down a steep embankment, branches clawing at his fur and dirt kicking up beneath his paws as he crashed toward the dense undergrowth below.

His momentum finally halted with a bone-jarring thud against the rough bark of an ancient oak, the massive trunk unyielding against his desperate flight.

Almost immediately, the soft sounds of pursuit transformed into a cacophony of snapping twigs and heavy pawfalls. From the thicket emerged a pack of wolves—each with eyes black as the midnight sky and teeth flashing like polished daggers. They surrounded the brown wolf with snarls that shattered the once-quiet woods.

The injured wolf turned his back to the tree, his body trembling as he braced himself against the circling enemies. His own teeth glinted defensively, but they paled compared to the fierce weapons baring down on him.

Summoning every ounce of courage, the brown wolf straightened his spine and emitted a low growl, a faint assertion of power amidst overwhelming odds.

Suddenly, a guttural roar erupted from the center of the pack—a sound so fierce and commanding it sent shockwaves through the very earth. One by one, the wolves dropped to their knees, their bodies folding under an invisible force of submission.

Through the parted ranks emerged a colossal black wolf, his fur shimmering with an almost ethereal blue sheen beneath the filtered sunlight. His paws were like boulders, capable of crushing anything beneath them, and his eyes shone with a chilling red-amber glow that seemed to pierce the soul.

Terror surged in the brown wolf's chest, yet he fought to mask it. If death awaited him this day, he would meet it with defiance—demanding to know why this mighty black wolf had turned against his own.

With agonizing effort, the brown wolf began the painful transformation. His bones snapped and realigned, joints popping as his once thick fur receded into bare skin. His senses dimmed, the sharp edges of his wolfish perception blurring into the more fragile awareness of his human form. His feet morphed painstakingly, toes separating to form hands and feet as the last vestiges of his lupine self faded.

When the change completed, a naked man stood pressed against the rough bark, the tree's surface biting softly into his back as if lending silent protection.

He cleared his throat, voice raw and cracked as he addressed the towering black wolf. "Why?" he demanded, the single word heavy with disbelief and pain. "Why betray us? We were family—our pack was everything to us!"

The black wolf, Justin, merely snorted, a cold, mocking sound. He shook his massive head, dismissing the plea without explanation.

"We trusted you," the man spat, anger rising despite the despair clutching his heart. "He trusted you—our Alpha, your own brother—and you chose this path for... what? Power? Position?"

The surrounding wolves growled low warnings, inching forward in anticipation. Their eyes never left the man, waiting for the signal to strike. Justin remained still, his gaze sharp and calculating.

A solitary tear slipped down the man's cheek, betraying the fierce storm raging inside. He knew Justin would not confess his reasons. Yet he pressed on, desperation lending strength to his voice. "Gabriel won’t let you escape this. When he finds you, he’ll tear you apart—until nothing but bones remain."

Justin’s patience thinned; his cold stare hardened. He had achieved the destruction he had plotted for more than a decade. The chase had only added to his twisted satisfaction. Now, faced with a lone man barely able to stand, the amusement waned.

With a curt nod, Justin gave the unspoken command.

The pack lunged forward, teeth bared and claws extended, the forest filling with the staccato sounds of attack and the man's final, defiant cries.