Chapter 16: The Dream

“Malakai planned to hold the children of each alpha family of the realm hostage in exchange for each pack swearing fealty to him and proclaiming the Kingdom of the Moon pack the King and overall Alpha of the realm.” My father explained. The fire popped in dramatic timing.

I gasped. The idea of being taken from papa and mother shook me to my core. “Th-that’s awful” I stammer barely above a whisper.

“It was absolute panic. All the alphas awoke after the blood moon to discover their children had vanished. Each pack assembled hunting parties to search for the missing children. Malakai had taken the children into the deep cave system on the Kingdom of the Moon pack territory.”

“Malakai then called a summit of all Alphas. It was held at the edge of our territory. Where the black woods meet the wheat fields at the northernmost tip.”

My father had always warned against venturing too close to the black woods. The woods were so thick with trees and underbrush, it was shaded even on the most