Episode 9

All froze at the werewolf's actions, gripping the child with powerful claws, causing her delicate neck to bleed.

"Evil female!"

He proclaimed, then threw her against a tree. He picked her up again and shook her by the shoulders as if to shake something out of her. The sound of breaking bones was heard, and the child screamed, as did Luna, transformed into her wolf form, who launched at him to free little Luana.

Elias and Natalia also raced over and stood around the defenseless little figure on the ground, while other wolves tried to restrain Henrique. He was very strong as a human and as a wolf, but as a werewolf, no one could stop him.

He hurled each one away; some landed on rocks, others broke trees and lay on the ground. Throughout, he kept asking:

"What is your purpose, girl?"

No one understood, except for Alpha Tulio, watching from afar. After all, he had asked the girl the same question when she was still newborn, and the answer was a blue glow in her eyes and a slight dominance.

He saw in his son a true Alpha, who knew what he was doing. He was inquiring about what was inside that child, to understand her true intentions within the Pack. However, the child passed out and lay sprawled on the ground, emitting no light nor any dominance.

As a werewolf, Henrique approached the still child again and calmed down. He reverted to wolf form and dashed into the forest, leaving everyone in shock.

Elias took his daughter and carried her to the clinic, where the doctor examined her. He used the CT scanner to check the broken bones, informing Elias:

"She has a fractured clavicle and two ribs, luckily they are not displaced. I'll immobilize her as a precaution, but I believe she should be healed within a week at most."

"Thank you, Doctor. Will you be prescribing any medication?"

"Just a painkiller, and make sure she rests."

Elias gazed at his daughter lying on the stretcher, unable to reconcile the situation, knowing he had to stop Henrique. Fortunately, she hadn't shown the blue light again since the Shaman had treated her. That had protected her, but now that Henrique had transformed, it could become much more dangerous for her.

"What's gotten into Henrique to chase after the girl like that?" the doctor wondered.

"At first, I thought he just wanted to impress his father, but now, I think he sees her as a threat. I just don't know why she would venture into the forest today, of all days."

"Curiosity. The young ones love to snoop around," the doctor remarked, as he bandaged Luana.

When the doctor finished, he allowed Elias to take her home. The concerned father carefully carried his daughter home, where Natalia had already prepared the bed and a hearty broth for the girl for when she would awaken.

In the days to come, they would have to be very cautious to ensure her full recovery and prevent Henrique from catching her again.

*

Henrique, in wolf form, ran through the forest. He hunted, ate, and bathed in the river afterward. Returning to human form and seated on a riverbank stone, he pondered:

"She hasn't shown that blue light again; why is that? It's been some time since I've seen her like that, nor has she become defiant again; in fact, I hardly see her around the pack. What was she doing witnessing my transformation? This female is quite peculiar."

Afterward, he went to guard the border. Since they had conquered the territories of the gray wolves and the red wolves, their land had expanded, and the border had become more distant. That day, with the full moon and the feast, he wasn't required to guard, as this was Chief Gideon's responsibility.

He observed the wolves' feasting, which had already hunted and were mating with their chosen partners. The carcasses, as usual, were tossed into the bonfire they made on full moon days. If there were many, some would keep the hides and throw only the remains into the fire to keep the forest tidy.

As he ventured further into the other territories, he noticed small animal carcasses haphazardly strewn along his path. This struck him as odd; they didn't seem the work of adult hunters targeting larger game but rather like a small group or children, out hunting.

He noted the location, leaving everything as it was, planning to return with another guard to inspect the area the following day. He felt the strength of his lupine form enhancing his senses and vigor, which he used to fell some trees, marking the border.

He returned to his Pack, saw that his parents had retired for the night, but his Uncle Dimas awaited him, seated on a log. He sat beside his uncle, in human form.

"You seem different from the others, even shifting back into human form clothed! How do you feel?"

"I feel strong and powerful, different indeed."

"And what was that attack on Luana all about? You had stopped, so why start again?"

"It wasn't me; it was my wolf. He wanted to draw something out of her."

"She was taken to the clinic with some broken bones but will be alright."

"I want you to come with me to the lands that were once the Red Blood Pack's."

Dimas found the request odd, but he agreed. Over the years, he had learned to trust Henry. Despite his abrasive actions, he had sound judgment about life and taking care of things, so joining him on some peculiar mission was no trouble.

The next day, Elias stood guard at the border, and although he didn't want to leave Luana alone and overburden Natalia with everything to be done, he couldn't shirk his part of the job. He bid her farewell in mid-afternoon, kissed Luana on the forehead, and left.

The area he was to cover coincided with where Henrique was going to check with Dimas. His brisk run quickly brought him to that sector, and he too came across the discarded carcasses. Deeply inhaling the air, he detected an unusual scent and following it, arrived at a cave.

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