2026-02-04 18:14:07"Harry."
The voice wasn't loud. It was almost drowned out by the rustle of the morning wind. But it was enough to make Harry's body go rigid instantly.
He stood at the edge of the trees, one foot still planted on the damp forest soil, the other barely touching the foreign, hard ground. The city light crept slowly over the horizon, pale yellow, cold, and stinging his eyes. The smell of hot asphalt, exhaust fumes, and rusted metal assaulted his nostrils, so different from the scent of pine and wet earth that had been his world until now.
"Harry."
This time it was clearer. Closer.
He knew the voice, even before he turned around. The voice that had led him for years. A voice that never gave commands, yet was always obeyed.
Harry took a deep breath, then turned slowly.
Alpha stood a few yards behind him, precisely on the thin line between the forest shadows and the city light. The massive body stood tall, solid, as if integrated with the ground beneath it. The six other wolves crouched nearby, their eyes sparkling with alertness. Not one stepped forward. They knew this was the boundary. A boundary only Harry could cross alone.
"Alpha," Harry said finally. His voice cracked, far from the confident tone he intended to show.
Guilt weighed heavily on his chest, like a stone. He felt like a child leaving home without truly knowing where to return.
Alpha did not move. His golden-yellow gaze was deep and calm, filled with painful wisdom. There was no anger. No growl. Only acceptance.
Harry took one step back, his bare foot pressing into the forest floor for the final time. Cold. Damp. Familiar.
"I have to know who I am," he said, more firmly now, though his throat felt tight. "This isn't to disrespect you. Or what we have."
He raised his hand, palm open, a slight old gesture, a gesture of peace. The gesture of a pack member.
"I'm going to miss you," he continued softly. The words felt strange on his tongue. "I'm going to miss our nights."
Wolves don't cry. But hot tears still welled up in his eyes.
Silence enveloped them. A heavy silence, full of meaning, far deeper than human words.
Then Alpha raised his head.
He howled.
Not a howl of war. Not a hunting howl. It was a long, deep howl, full of loss. The sound wound through the pine trunks, rising toward the fading sky.
One by one, the other wolves joined in. A piercing chorus, celebrating and releasing.
Harry closed his eyes. The howl seeped into his bones, into his blood. As if the pack were marking his soul, binding him forever, even as he left.
"Thank you," he whispered.
When the sound subsided, Harry knew he mustn't look back. If he did, he would return. He would stay. And the question would kill him slowly inside.
He turned his back on Alpha.
He walked.
Throughout the night, Harry followed the line of the old, barely maintained highway. The cracked concrete beneath his feet felt hard and cold. Each step away from the forest felt like peeling away the protective layer Alpha had built around him.
He remembered his dreams. The painful light. The strange laughter. The feeling of being snatched away.
As dawn broke, concrete buildings began to loom ahead, cutting the horizon like broken teeth. The air grew heavier. There was no longer the scent of wet leaves. Only dust and pollution.
Harry stopped at the edge of the main asphalt road.
Cars sped by, their noise deafening. Much louder than the worst storm in the forest. Humans moved quickly, enveloped in clothing and purpose.
He touched his necklace.
Cold. Heavy.
I don't know how to be one of them.
But he had to try.
He stepped onto the sidewalk.
The sound of his leather boots hitting the asphalt seemed too loud. Several people glanced at him: his hair messy, his clothes shabby, his gaze wild.
He was an anomaly.
"Where do I even start...?" he muttered.
Suddenly
"HEY!"
A horn blared.
A large bus drove too close to the sidewalk, taking a sharp turn.
Harry's instincts flared.
He calculated the distance. Speed. Angle.
He jumped.
Not a human jump.
His body shot several meters, too fast. He landed in a narrow alley near a pile of garbage boxes, trying to dampen the noise.
His breath came in gasps.
"Damn it," he growled. "I can't do that here."
He leaned against the cold brick wall, trying to calm his heart.
Not far away, a pair of old eyes watched him from behind the shadows.
"Young man," a hoarse voice said, "you look like you just ran from a bear."
Or maybe, the voice continued, "from something far more dangerous."
Harry tensed.
He stared back at the old man, who had a thin body, a tattered long coat, and tangled white hair. But his eyes were sharp. Too sharp for an ordinary vagrant.
"I'm not looking for trouble," Harry said warily.
The man smiled faintly. "I'm not the one who jumped that far, kid."
Harry clenched his fists.
"What did you see?" he asked coldly.
"Enough," the man replied lightly. "Enough to know you're not ordinary."
Harry felt the hairs on his arms stand on end.
The man stepped out of the shadows slightly. "Relax. If I wanted to shout, you'd be chased by now."
He looked at Harry from head to toe.
"Your name is Harry, isn't it?"
Harry's world stopped.
"What...?" His breath caught.
The old man looked at the necklace around Harry's neck.
"Your father used to wear that," he said softly.
Harry took one step back.
"Who are you?" His voice trembled.
The man smiled, but the smile wasn't warm.
"Someone who's been waiting for a long time," he replied.
"And believe me, kid, if you think that forest was dangerous..."
He took a step closer.
"...you haven't seen anything yet."
Harry opened his mouth to ask...
But the man whispered first,
"Now there's only one question."
He stared deeply into Harry's eyes.
"Are you ready to know why you were there, what happened that night, kid?"
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Chapter 63
"Arthur..." Clara whispered, her voice choked. She looked at Harry, then toward the unfamiliar streets beneath the same overcast sky. A hollow, piercing sensation took hold of Harry’s chest. They had managed to escape the explosion; they had managed to avoid the danger. But at the cost of Arthur. M.V.'s betrayal felt like a crushing blow, exacerbated by the reality that they were trapped here, separated from Arthur, and that The Veil had seemingly vanished after dropping them off."We have to go back," Harry said, his voice cold. A lupine tone began to creep into every word. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the distant city skyline, where strange flashes of light were visible again. That familiar yet alien wave of energy could be felt once more, a sign that a new threat was not only lurking, but spreading. "We are going back for him.""But the portal is closed, Harry," Clara said, her eyes radiating a mix of desperation and resolve. She gripped her tablet tightly, as if it were her o
Chapter 62
Harry felt the cold forest air creeping across his skin, the remnants of a battle that had only just ended. His body still screamed with exhaustion, yet beneath it, a new strength flowed through him. The obsidian artifact, now calm in his hand, felt lighter, more attuned to him. The rite had succeeded. He had endured the artifact’s wildest power, and in doing so, he had mastered the part of himself that had long been in turmoil.Alpha stepped closer, brushing his nose against Harry’s arm in a gesture of sincere respect. “You have proven yourself, Guardian,” his voice echoed in Harry’s mind, filled with newfound reverence. “You are part of this balance.”Clara smiled with relief, dusting off her sleeve. “You were incredible, Harry. Truly incredible.” Arthur, though visibly tired, smiled with pride. “You did your best, son. The balance has been restored.”Yet the peace felt fragile. Silas’s promise, the leader of the Crystal Order who had escaped, rang in Harry’s ears. “We will return.
Chapter 61
Another group of wolves emerged from behind the trees, low growls rumbling in their throats. Their gazes were cold, laced with doubt. Harry felt their sharp eyes piercing through him, judging. The Alpha beside him remained calm, but his voice echoed in Harry's mind, "They do not approve. They deem you unworthy. You must prove yourself, Guardian."Harry tightened his jaw. Proving himself. He had been doing that his entire life. Every step of his journey had been an act of validation. He looked at the Alpha, then shifted his gaze to Clara and Arthur standing behind him, their faces tense. Worry was etched clearly upon them, but so was an unwavering trust. That was enough for him."I will prove it," Harry said, his voice steady—not just for the Alpha and the doubting pack, but for himself. He pulled the obsidian artifact from his bag. The object's coldness now felt familiar, like a part of his own self he had just discovered. The energy from the circle of sacred stone
Chapter 60
The morning air bit at his skin, but it wasn't the cold that made Harry shiver. It was a subtle sensation, like a strand of cold silk brushing against his back, a sign he knew all too well. They knew. Arthur's words about the guardian's rite and Anya's whispers from The Veil about destiny finding its way swirled in his mind. Today, they were heading to the ancient forest, the place Arthur believed held the key to pacifying the artifact, and Harry knew they wouldn't be alone there."Are we ready, Harry?" Clara's voice sounded tense. She carried a backpack that looked stuffed to the brim, a tablet in her hand displaying a digital map. A worried crease sat between her brows, a shadow of exhaustion from sleepless nights spent tracking the movements of the Crystal Order on her laptop."As ready as we'll ever be," Harry replied, exhaling. He checked the contents of his bag, ensuring the artifact was secure in the special pouch Arthur had fashioned. The cold of the obsidian bled through the
Chapter 59
Harry could still feel the coldness of Anya's gaze, the echo of her threats lingering in his mind. He closed his eyes, trying to cast off the creeping sense of unease, but could only feel the burden of his inheritance growing heavier. "She's right," Harry muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "We need answers. And we need them now."Arthur pointed to the notebook open before him. "I found something else. These notes mention the 'Rite of the Guardian.' It sounds like something that could contain or control the power of this artifact."Clara leaned in, trying to decipher Arthur's intricate handwriting. "A rite? You mean some kind of ancient ritual?""Yes," Arthur replied, his voice trembling slightly with a mix of excitement and exhaustion. "But not just any ritual. There are vague hints about a specific location, a place with strong natural energy, and several rare elements that must be gathered." He sighed. "Unfortunately, the description of the location is very cryptic. It only
Chapter 58
Harry coughed, the lingering traces of cold mist still bitter in his throat. His muscles screamed in exhaustion; every movement felt heavy. The transformation had drained him down to his bones. Clara supported his arm, her worried gaze never leaving him. Arthur watched the recently closed door with a tense expression. The man from the Crystal Order was gone, but the ghost of his presence still hung in the air, like the shadow of a deferred death."Harry, you need to rest," Clara sighed, helping him into the nearest chair.Harry shook his head slowly. Sleepiness tugged at him, but his instincts refused. Not now. He felt something. A cold sensation crept over his skin, as if eyes were watching him—piercing the walls, reaching into the depths of his soul. He knew this feeling. It was the same scrutiny he had felt at the clinic when he first realized the existence of The Veil."They're watching," Harry whispered, his voice raspy. His eyes narrowed, staring at an empty spot on the wall whe
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