Gaia decided to put everything behind her. Whatever Kael's arrival meant—trouble or fate—she had chosen to believe that what would be, would be. Weeks passed. Kael had fully recovered and was now strong, active, and surprisingly helpful around the village. The healer, who once watched over him with a cautious eye, now smiled more around him. She even boasted about how useful he'd become, sending him on errands and getting help with chores she normally struggled to finish alone.
Kael didn't complain. He chopped wood, fetched water, and joined patrols without being asked. He was energetic and good with his hands. Darius, who usually handled most of the heavy lifting around the pack, was relieved when Kael started taking over some of the tougher tasks—especially splitting thick logs, which Kael handled with ease. He and Gaia had grown close. They didn't speak much about the Bloodfang or curses. Instead, they talked about the present—what needed to be done, how the forest was changing, which route was safest for patrol. They often took night watch together, walking the borders in silence or quiet conversation, listening to the woods and sharing thoughts only when necessary. Some villagers liked him, especially the women. The older ones appreciated his strength and manners, while a few young lasses smiled too brightly when he passed. But not everyone was welcoming. A few older men remained suspicious of him, and some lads around Kael's age clearly didn't like how quickly he'd settled in.
One afternoon, Kael walked down the main street carrying a bundle of herbs the healer had asked him to fetch. He didn't see the group of young men until he was right in front of them.
"Look who thinks he's one of us now," one of them sneered.
Another leaned forward, pretending to sniff. "Smells like outsider."
Before Kael could react, someone tossed a handful of dried leaves and bits of old food at him. It hit his shoulder and scattered on the ground.
He stopped, turned slowly, and walked a few steps toward them.
"You want to fight?" one of them taunted. "Go on. Show us that rogue temper. We know it's in there."
Kael clenched his jaw. His fists were tight at his sides. But he didn't move forward.
Instead, he turned around and started walking away.
That was when Gaia appeared, walking from the other direction.
She slowed down when she saw the look on his face.
"Hey," she said gently. "Where are you headed?"
He gave a small nod, forcing a calm expression. "Nowhere in particular. Just finished an errand for the healer,going back to give her this." Kael said touching the herbs.
"I'm going to the market," she said. "Alpha needs a new pair of glass."
"I'll come with you," Kael offered, without hesitation.
"But you have bundle of herbs with you? Go drop them"
"She's not in dire need of them"
They walked off together, leaving the jeers behind them.
While life in Crescent Hollow seemed to be moving on, something dark was brewing beneath the surface.
Among the pack members was someone who watched Kael too closely—not out of concern for the village, but out of envy. His name was Jarin. He had known Gaia since they were young, had always harbored quiet feelings for her, though he never found the courage—or the strength—to act on them. He was average in every way, and that had always bothered him. Then Kael arrived—tall, strong, mysterious—and suddenly, Gaia's attention had shifted. She smiled more around Kael. She trusted him, defended him. Even when others doubted Kael's presence, Gaia remained firm. That burned Jarin from the inside out.
At first, he tried to ignore it. But the more Kael thrived in the village, the harder it became. When Kael started helping with patrols and sharing night watches with Gaia, the jealousy tipped into something uglier. The final straw came one morning during training. A few warriors had gathered in the clearing near the eastern border for morning drills. Gaia was there, sparring with Darius under her father's watchful eye. Jarin had been hanging around, hoping to pair up with Gaia as he usually did. But before he could step forward, Kael stepped into the ring.
"I'll go a round," Kael said calmly, picking up a staff.
Gaia raised a brow but didn't object. "Try not to go easy on me," she smirked.
Their sparring was lighthearted at first, but it quickly became intense. Kael moved with surprising agility and strength, and Gaia met him step for step. The two of them laughed between swings and footwork, clearly enjoying the match. At one point, Kael caught Gaia off guard with a sudden pivot, gently tapping her side with the staff.
"You're getting better," he said, offering his hand to steady her.
"Or maybe you're getting predictable," she shot back, brushing a strand of hair from her face with a smile.
The group laughed, except for Jarin, who stood stiffly at the edge of the ring, the wooden staff in his hand trembling slightly. Nobody noticed he didn't laugh. Nobody noticed how his jaw clenched when Gaia casually touched Kael's arm. They all saw strength. They all saw charm. But Jarin? Jarin saw someone stealing the future he thought he was owed.
One evening, when no one was watching, Jarin slipped away and crossed the village's boundaries under the cover of dusk. He went to a place he had once sworn never to return to—a hidden path near the western ridge, where he knew Bloodfang scouts had been seen in the past. There, he left a message. He didn't speak. He didn't need to. A signal here, a scratched mark on a tree there. It was a code—one that meant: I have something for you. He returned to the village before anyone noticed he was gone, blending back into the group like nothing happened.
A few days later, a raven came. Not a common one—sleek, black, and bearing a tiny cloth tied to its leg. Jarin found it exactly where he expected it to be, and read the tiny note with shaking hands. It contained only four words: When the time comes.
From that point on, he began feeding the Bloodfang information. Little things at first—Kael's daily routines, how the patrols moved, where the healer lived. Nothing too noticeable. He told himself it was for the good of the pack. That Kael was a threat. That Gaia had been bewitched somehow. But deep down, he knew the truth: he wanted Kael gone, and he didn't care what it would cost.
The attack came suddenly—wolves from the Bloodfang pack charging into Crescent Hollow under the cover of night. Chaos spread as they set parts of the village ablaze, clawing and tearing at anything in their way. But Crescent Hollow fought back. The warriors stood their ground, and by the time dawn broke, every last intruder had been killed. They had defended their home, though not without loss—two to three houses were left half-burnt, and several injured were being tended to. Whispers spread by morning. Suspicion turned to accusation. The timing was too perfect, and the target too specific. The villagers began pointing fingers—and they all pointed to Kael. A meeting was called in the gathering hut. Gaia sat close to her father, tense and worried. Kael stood alone before the elders and warriors, his face a mix of confusion and disbelief.
"I didn't bring them here," Kael said, firmly. "You have to believe me."
Some looked uncertain. Others looked angry. Jarin stepped forward, arms folded. "You just happened to be here, and now Bloodfang shows up? You expect us to believe that's coincidence?"
"I swear, I didn't lead them. I've been helping this village since the day you found me."
Jarin scoffed. "You've been helping to blend in. Making us trust you so you can strike when we're not looking."
Kael clenched his fists but held himself back. "If I wanted to hurt Crescent Hollow, I had chances. I didn't. I fought for you."
"And still, they came," Jarin said coldly.
The room fell into murmurs again, and finally, Gaia's father raised a hand.
"Let him speak. Tell us what you know, Kael."
Kael nodded. "The Bloodfangs didn't just come for Crescent Hollow. They're looking for something—or someone. I'm… connected to it. They believe I'm a key, a piece of a prophecy or clue that leads to a person—someone with the power to either raise the Bloodfangs to their peak… or completely destroy them." That drew silence.
"They think I can help them find this person," Kael continued. "That's why they're hunting me. And that's why they attacked. They're getting desperate."
"Which makes you a danger to us," Jarin snapped. "You should've told us this the moment you got here."
Kael looked around the room. "I didn't know they would have the temerity to enter Crescent hollow, and if I stay, I'll only bring more trouble. So I'll go. Not because I'm guilty, but because I want to protect the pack."
The elders murmured among themselves. The decision was made—Kael was to leave Crescent Hollow.
As Kael prepared to leave, Gaia stopped him. "You're not going alone."
He looked at her, surprised. "Gaia—"
She turned to her father. "I'll come back, I promise. But Kael is part of something bigger. I believe that. And if he's going to find the truth, I want to be there too. We'll find out what the Bloodfangs are really after. And we'll come back with answers. With a way to end this for good." Her father looked torn but didn't stop her. So, together, Gaia and Kael left Crescent Hollow.