Tolu's eyes snapped open, his chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. The world around him was silent, save for the rustle of leaves swaying in the night wind. He groaned as he pushed himself up, his muscles stiff and aching as though he'd been trampled.
His hands trembled as they pressed against the ground, and when he looked down, his heart skipped—his chest was soaked, sticky, darkened with blood. For a moment, panic surged through him. Am I dying? Did he finish me off?
But no—the gashes along his chest had already sealed, the skin knitting itself back together, faint scars vanishing before his eyes. That blood wasn't his.
His breathing grew heavier. He remembered the fight. The forward's grin. The taunts. The way his blue eyes glowed like fire in the dark. The clash of claws and teeth. The last strike he'd thrown in desperation.
Slowly, fear pricked at him, and he spun his head around, scanning the tree line, expecting glowing blue eyes to appear from the shadows, ready to lunge again.
But instead…
His gaze fell to the ground a few feet away. His breath hitched.
There, lying still on the forest floor, was the boy.
His body sprawled unnaturally, fur matted, slick with blood that spread into a dark pool beneath him. His chest did not rise. His claws were frozen mid-curl. His eyes—those once bright, searing blue eyes—were wide open but empty, staring into nothing.
Tolu froze where he was, horror spreading through his veins like ice.
Tolu's hands fumbled as he reached for his pocket, every movement heavy, his fingers slick against the phone screen. His chest rose and fell unevenly, not from injury, but from the weight pressing down on him.
He scrolled to Ore's name with trembling hands and pressed call. The dial tone dragged, each beep echoing in his head until finally—
"Hello?" Ore's voice came, sharp with alertness.
He swallowed hard, his voice low, ragged. "Ore… you need to come. To me."
There was a pause on her end. "What happened? Are you hurt?"
His eyes flicked once more to the body lying motionless in the blood-soaked grass. His throat tightened. "Let's just say… I messed up."
The words came out broken, drained of all strength. Not frantic, but weighted, like they cost him something to speak.
"Where are you?" she demanded.
He quickly shared his location, his thumb dragging across the screen clumsily before the message sent.
"I'm coming," Ore said, her tone leaving no room for doubt. "Stay there. Don't move."
"Yeah," Tolu murmured, his voice so faint it barely carried. "I'll… be here."
The line went dead. He let the phone slip from his hand, the glow of the screen fading into the dark as he sat back against a tree, staring blankly at the ground. The sound of rainwater dripping from the leaves filled the silence around him.
The rain had eased into a drizzle, the forest floor damp and heavy with the smell of blood. Ore arrived quickly, her sharp eyes darting through the trees before they landed on Tolu slumped near the body.
She rushed closer, her voice low but urgent. "What happened?"
Tolu's gaze stayed on the ground as he spoke, his voice quiet, flat. "He followed me. I caught his scent… we fought. He was about to finish me off when—" he paused, swallowing hard. "When I blacked out. When I woke up… he was already dead."
Ore's brow furrowed. She knelt by the body, her fingers brushing the torn flesh. Her eyes narrowed in assessment. "Well… it's certain a wolf did this. Bigger than you, for sure." She turned back to him. "So relax. You didn't kill him."
The weight in his chest loosened just a little, and he let out a long, trembling sigh before slumping fully to the ground. Ore crossed over and lowered herself beside him. Her hand hovered for a moment, then rested gently on his arm.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly.
He didn't answer. The silence stretched, broken only by the steady drip of rain from the leaves above. Finally, his voice cracked through, low and shaky. "I'm sure I saw my life flash before my eyes. I thought I was done."
"I know," Ore said, her voice carrying both firmness and care. "You've been through a lot today. So just… wear your clothes, relax. I'll walk you home after I bury him."
Tolu shook his head, forcing himself upright. "No. I'll help you. The digging… should get my mind off things." He pulled his trousers back on, fastening them with unsteady hands. "Where's the shovel?"
Ore gave a half-smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I didn't bring any. But we've got these." She raised her hands, flexing her fingers like claws.
Then, with no hesitation, she stripped away her clothes, even her underwear, tossing them onto a dry patch of ground. She looked back at him, expecting his usual teasing remark—but found him staring blankly, his eyes hollow, distant.
Her chest tightened. His mental state is a mess. She sighed softly, then shifted, bones cracking and fur sprouting as her wolf form took over. A guttural growl rumbled from her chest as she dug into the earth, claws tearing soil apart.
The sound snapped Tolu out of his daze. His eyes flickered to her, then down at his own trembling hands. He slipped his trousers back off, his body shifting violently as fur burst forth. In seconds, a wolf stood where he'd been.
Ore's digging halted. Her eyes widened.
Tolu's fur was darker than she remembered—but that wasn't what made her pause. It was his eyes.
Not indigo.
Blue. Bright, glowing blue.
For a moment, they only stared at each other, the rain pattering softly around them. Then, without a word, Tolu began digging beside her, his movements sharp and determined, soil flying beneath his claws.
Ore swallowed down her shock and joined him again, though her mind raced with questions she wasn't ready to ask.
---
In a shadowed mansion on the far edge of Melody Heights, a single lamp cast a dim glow over a polished oak table.
A knock came at the heavy oak door before it creaked open. A man stepped in, bowing his head slightly. "You called for me, sir."
The one seated behind the grand desk didn't look up immediately, his fingers drumming slowly against the armrest. When he finally raised his gaze, his eyes glowed faintly in the dim light.
"I felt it," he said, voice low and edged with steel. "The death of one of ours. A young one."
The man standing straightened, alarm flickering across his face. "The scout we sent?"
"I'm getting the feeling it was him," the seated man replied.
"But sir, it shouldn't be possible," the man stammered, almost pleading. "He was strong enough for a newborn. Unless—"
"Unless what?" the leader snapped, his tone slicing through the room. He leaned forward, anger simmering in his expression. "All it takes is a higher-ranked wolf, Alamu. Don't fool yourself with talk of 'impossible.' Our blood isn't untouchable."
Alamu lowered his head quickly. "Forgive me, sir."
The leader stood, his presence filling the room, the faint hum of power rippling in the air. His jaw tightened. "They've drawn first blood. And if they think we'll ignore it…" His eyes burned brighter. "It's time we meet. Prepare the pack."
"Yes, sir," Alamu said, bowing deeply before retreating from the room.
Left alone, the leader let out a long breath, his hands tightening into fists. "War has already begun," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.