Chapter 170: Made Wanda Aware
Draven.
A ripple spread through the crowd. Low murmurs, glances exchanged. Fear, but also resolve.
I let the words settle before I continued.
"Over a month ago, my brother Dennis was attacked by one of them. A creature faster than even I could catch. Pale skin, red eyes. They are not stories to frighten pups. They are among us."
Dennis inclined his head, the faintest mark still visible near his collarbone, though most wouldn’t see it in this light.
"But listen well," I said, my gaze sharp. "The humans of Duskmoor — the very people whose city we live in — are now being attacked too. Killed in the same brutal way. Which means two things: first, the vampires do not serve the humans. And second, they are unpredictable. Dangerous beyond reason."
The air seemed to tighten. The younger wolves’ eyes widened; older ones set their jaws, some nodding faintly as truth cut through rumor.
"They hunt at night," I continued, "but that does not mean the day is safe. I remind you of the rule I set before: no wolf walks alone. Not at night. Not in the quiet corners of the city. Pairs at the least. Groups, when possible. Especially for the young and the old."
My words dropped like stones into still water, heavy and deliberate.
"Train," I added. "Every day. In the yard, the woods, wherever you can. Your strength may save your life — or the life of someone beside you."
From the side, Wanda’s gaze lifted, cold and resolute. Jeffery stood still as stone, his expression unreadable. Dennis watched the faces, measuring who understood, who hesitated.