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Taking the well-worn path, I hike further into the remote part of the mountains that form part of the neutral territory between my pack and my brother’s land. The most sensible thing our mean old father ever did was recognize that three alpha sons could never live in harmony and put a plan in place to divide the island into three packs.

As the eldest, I was able to choose first, and I chose wisely, snagging the coastline and abundant forests furthest away from the mainland and the trouble visitors bring. I have my ports and a large fleet at my disposal for anything we need, but I was happy to let my younger brother Tristen to deal with the constant influx of newcomers who are either welcomed as visitors or turned back on the dock.

However, as I crest the ridge that gives me the best view of the mountain ranges, I can’t help but feel a pang of jealousy over the central lands that were left to Aiden, the youngest. It really is something out here. The trees here are tall and hardy, their trunks thick with age and their branches reaching up to touch the sky in all directions. Moss clings to the rocks in vibrant shades of green and purple, and wildflowers litter the ground beneath the towering ferns that sway gently in the breeze. It may have been the last area chosen, as Aiden is the youngest, but with his small port to the north, I sometimes wonder if his wolf might be the happiest in his mountain kingdom.

At least, he might have been, if it weren’t for the fact rogue wolves tend to favor the mountains since they provide cover and easy access to all three packs. They’re a thorn in all our sides. As brothers, we haven’t always gotten along—too proud and stubborn, I guess. I hesitate to think we’re anything like Ralph; the thought that any of us could be as bad as our cruel dictator of a father doesn’t sit well.

However, sometimes I struggle to deny the resemblance in myself.

After all, I know I have a mean streak, too. And I’ve no doubt I’ll end up as sad and lonely as Ralph because of it.

The crucial difference between my father and me, though, is that while I may have driven love away, I run my pack for the benefit of everyone and not just myself. I’m sure of that. The eastern pack is thriving under my leadership, and that is where I’m putting all of my focus. I pause at the head of the trail, only a few minutes from the meeting spot, and breathe deeply. Inhaling the fresh mountain air, I attempt to push down the unwelcome thoughts that rise whenever I’m alone with too much time to think.

The softness of her blonde hair haunts me, and her soulful dark eyes stare back at me through the years. My hands itch to feel her tiny frame again, my body dwarfing hers as I held her against me. My hands ball into fists as I curse my wolf for not just letting this go. It doesn’t seem to matter how many women I fuck, Ava still haunts me.

Perhaps this is my punishment for being just like Ralph—an evil bastard.

The pack would never have accepted Ava, though. They would never have accepted Ava with me. She was weak and small, lacking any of the power shifters associated with a successful pack. Her family is made up of outcasts and criminals, considered beneath our society. It’s true her brother Charlie has successfully integrated, but he was different from a young age, a uniquely strong wolf who aligned himself with the pack from the time he was a pup and broke free from his family the moment he could. Even then, it took the pack years before they fully accepted him.

Ava should have known I could never be with her. I hadn’t even known she was missing until weeks had passed, busy dealing with the aftermath of Ralph’s death. Her parents never requested a search party; they were probably just glad she wasn’t under their feet anymore. Eventually, I heard rumors that she’d run off. Run off where?

I’m pulled from my thoughts by the sound of voices ahead. I sigh as the familiar sound of my brothers’ fighting grows louder—our father may have been many things, but he was not wrong about our inability to lead together. While we would never go to war and break the sibling bond completely, our leadership styles are too different. Tristen is hot-headed and quick to act, while Aiden is more deliberate and softer all around. I like to think I strike a balance between being deliberate in my actions and being slightly wiser in my approach due to the years of extra training under Ralph. For better or worse, he certainly prepared me well as the eldest for power. I assume he thought he had more time to school my brothers. It certainly isn’t a job I want.

As I approach, their voices become more volatile, Tristen accusing Aiden of being too soft on the rogues while Aiden argues that we need to find a way to manage them better. The scent of anger fills the air as they argue, circling each other. The mountain wind whistles past my ears as I clear my throat, and both of them turn to look at me with matching expressions of irritation.

"What?" they growl out in unison.

“I didn’t come here to listen to you two idiots fight,” I snap. “If these meetings are going to lead to anything positive, we need to actually discuss the issue, not just squabble about it.”

Tristen takes a step back, smirking. “All right, Dad. Let’s get to it.”

Aiden looks the angriest, but I can see he’s trying to temper it. “Very fucking funny,” he glares. “If he was Dad, he’d have told us to fight it out.”

“Exactly,” I snap back. “So can we just get on with it?”

They nod but barely look at each other, both directing their glares at me. At least I can unite them in something. I walk past them, heading over to dump the beers I brought next to the fire that one of them already started. Slowly, begrudgingly, they both wander over and grab a beer. I’ll take a truce for tonight if it means I can get this over with.

To be fair to my brothers, we’ve had some pretty constructive meetings over the last few months like this, away from our packs and the constant interference of others’ opinions. But I’m not sure they seem in the mood to be productive tonight. I know I’m not.

“So, how many more attacks?” Tristen spits out. “We had three over the last two weeks alone. Bastards.”

Aiden nods. “About the same, along with a skirmish by the port. I think some of the rogues are trying to establish smuggling routes with the mainland.”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been noticing, too,” I mutter. “They’re getting bolder. We couldn’t figure out how they were moving goods undetected until we found some evidence of magic. They’re masking.”

Tristen looks momentarily surprised, scratching his stubble. “They’re evolving. Where are they getting magic from?”

Aiden face is filled with concern. “We need to stop this, now. Dad always said the rogues were just an annoyance, but this is getting out of hand. My people are losing shipments and valuable equipment.”

The truth is, they were just an annoyance for a long time. Rogues

who either couldn’t settle within the pack or were banished for various crimes lived on the outskirts of the pack, populating the mountains and less prosperous areas of Ralph’s island. They were generally considered annoying misfits but not particularly united or dangerous. That all changed when Ralph died, and the pack was divided. Some members didn’t like the changes and chose to become rogues; attacks increased almost immediately, and now even our towns are being hit. I can almost hear Ralph’s ghost laughing at us. He always said we were too soft for the job. I’ll be damned if I prove him right.

I sigh before focusing on my brothers. “It doesn’t matter where they’re getting magic from, only that we stop it and enforce controls within our packs and in the neutral areas. For the good of all our members,” I say firmly. “Double the patrols and ensure all magical protocols are taken. We also need to use any contacts we have to establish why the rogues are escalating and who is making the decisions.”

“What about your beta, Charlie?” Aiden asks. “He’s a good wolf, but he comes from rogue stock. Didn’t they all go? Maybe he’s still in touch and could ask some questions.”

I grind my jaw, irritated by the question. “I believe the mother is dead. I don’t know about the others, and neither does Charlie,” I snap. “Focus on your own contacts, and we’ll follow up.”

Tristen and Aiden exchange a mocking glance, one they surely know is just pissing me off even more. Neither says anything, though. Tristen hands out more beers, and they begin to bicker about the best methods for blocking the masking magic that the rogues are using. They’re giving me a headache, and I’m tempted to just leave them to it. I take a long drink from my bottle and try to tune out their noise for a minute, but all that does is let my mind wander to thoughts of Charlie's family. More specifically, his sister, Ava.

The familiar question raises its head—is she a rogue now, or just gone forever?

With the increased rogue activity, I find myself constantly searching for signs of her. I quiz people on descriptions after attacks and visit specifically so my wolf can try to sense her. It’s ridiculous. What would I even say? Nothing has changed.

Except…everything else in my world.

My role as alpha is all-consuming, and I try to allow it to distract me, but she still exists in the corners of my mind. Deep down, I know she’s still out there; I can sense it. It's almost as if she could round the corner on a trail at any moment and appear before me. I’m constantly on edge, anticipating her presence. And yet, she never appears. And I’ve never outright searched for her, because that would risk exposing the truth—that I had a relationship with an outcast.

My judgment would be questioned—something I cannot allow.

Those weeks we spent together with the rest of the pack occupied by the tournament are embedded in my mind. I felt like someone really understood me for the first time. Really saw me. And then I destroyed it.

I wonder what she would make of the man I’ve become, or if she would even recognize me. I know I have to force myself to rejoin the conversation, even though my heart isn’t in it. I have a pack to protect and a job to do. The rest will have to wait.

“Are you even listening?” I’m vaguely aware of Tristen’s voice.

“Sorry, what?” I feign interest, “I was just thinking about my patrol rotations.”

He gives me a sideways look but doesn’t press it. “I said, we need to act decisively, and soon. We can no longer afford to sit around and let them take potshots at us. We need to reclaim our borders.”

Aiden grunts in almost reluctant agreement. “I actually agree with Tristen for once. We need a show of force.”

“A show of force, huh?” I mutter. I’m not so sure it’s that simple, but maybe they’re right. Maybe it’s time to change our approach and put them down once and for all. “Fine. We’ll each hold a pack meeting tomorrow evening and inform our people of the plan to seek out and eradicate the rogue threat once and for all. We’ll start with the border towns and work inwards, reestablishing control over our lands.”

My brothers nod, but I don’t feel like standing around and talking anymore, so I don’t give them a chance to say anything. “I’m outta here. Let’s get in touch after the meetings.”

I leave them talking. It’s late now, and I want to be back in town before morning. They seem more on the same page than when I arrived, but as I disappear down the trail, I hear the familiar sound of them bickering. Hopefully, they’ll go their separate ways before it ends in another fight. There was a time I’d have joined in, but now I can’t even find it in myself to do that.

Back on the dark trail to my pack, I subconsciously look for signs of her, a never-ending haunting I brought on myself and will suffer for the rest of my days.