Chapter 4 The Pull Between Worlds

• Kieran P.O.V
• I am Kieran Veylor, Beta of the Crescent Shadow Pack—a soldier forged by discipline and tempered by instinct. Strategy came easier to me than sleep, and loyalty ran deeper than blood. Shade, my wolf, was the other half of that balance—raw, relentless, everything I fought to control. Together, we carried the weight of keeping the pack safe, even when the line between dreams and duty began to blur.
• Heat clung to my skin the moment I woke, sweat slick along my chest and arms. My muscles ached as though I’d run for hours, my lungs still catching in short, ragged pulls. The remnants of the dream lingered like smoke: a shadowed forest, my son clutched to my chest, and the gnawing sense of being hunted. Shade stirred beneath my skin, low and restless.
• I swung my legs over the side of the bed and felt the morning air wash over me for a moment. Then, with a resigned sigh, I moved toward the shower, letting hot water scald away the sweat, adrenaline, and the lingering echo of the forest. Even so, the image of my son, small and wailing among shadowy trees, refused to fade. I didn’t know her or my son's name in that world, yet the pull of that life kept gnawing at me, relentless and unyielding.
• I headed out of my suite and went downstairs to grab a light snack and a large cup of coffee before heading to training. I walked into the kitchen to see that Lucian and Caelan were already there, having their own coffee in hand.
• “You look rough,” Caelan said, leaning against the counter with a mischievous grin, tousling his dark hair. “Dreams again?”
• Kieran nodded, taking a bite of toast. “Yeah. And Shade wasn’t exactly helpful this time.”
• Shade rumbled beneath my ribs, an almost amused growl.
• “Figures,” Caelan laughed softly. “You two need to talk it out, soon. But the Alpha’s expecting us at 4:30 sharp.”
• By 4:30 a.m., Alpha Lucian appeared on the training grounds, tall and commanding. Gamma Caelan followed, calm but taut with energy, and I fell into line as Beta. The three of us ran together through the forest trails, pushing pace, testing endurance, perfecting shifts, and reading each other’s movements.
• At 5:00 a.m., the rest of the pack’s warriors joined us. We ran five miles through the forest in human form, weaving between trees, jumping over roots, and navigating uneven terrain. The crisp morning air carried the scent of damp earth and pine, and the rising sun filtered through the canopy in golden streaks. Feet pounded against soft soil in rhythm, breaths coming in steady bursts as the pack stayed together. It wasn’t just about speed; it was about endurance, focus, and unity.
• Returning to the training grounds, Lucian called for a water break before starting combat practice. The warriors exchanged quiet banter as they caught their breath. Then, hand-to-hand combat began. Lucian, Caelan, and I paired up with different groups, correcting stances, demonstrating strikes, and helping each warrior with their movements. The sound of fists hitting and bodies hitting the dirt echoed across the clearing.
• “Keep your guard up, Ronan!” I called, stepping in to show him how to block a shoulder feint. Caelan barked a laugh nearby as Elena managed a clean sweep of her opponent. Once everyone completed a few rounds, Lucian nodded to Jake, the head warrior, who called the command to shift. Wolves emerged, and the pack seamlessly transitioned into wolf training. Commands and encouragement flowed through the mind-link, the morning sun catching across coats of tawny, silver, red, brown, and gray. Wolves lunged, parried, rolled in the dirt—fierce, precise, unstoppable.
• By the time Lucian called an end to the session, everyone was covered in dust and sweat, but the feeling of achievement was undeniable. The morning had strengthened more than muscles; it had boosted trust, unity, and the unspoken loyalty that held us together.
• We all headed back to the pack house for a hearty breakfast, complete with bacon, eggs, hash browns, pancakes, and a variety of beverages, including coffee, juice, tea, and milk, to fuel the pack for the day ahead.
• Lucian, Caelan, and I moved into the Alpha office afterward, sifting through reports, border patrol notes, and supply logs. Morale had been slightly strained: new recruits were eager but inexperienced, seasoned warriors were pushed to their limits, and minor complaints were starting to surface. We discussed various solutions, including dividing training groups, offering recognition at the next gathering, rotating more challenging assignments, and introducing a monthly combat challenge to sharpen skills. I've gone over everything with Lucian and Caelan, and we have a game plan in place for the next month.
• After leaving the Alpha’s office, I headed to my own to finish some work. Before I started, I took a moment to do some research, pulling out my tablet to dig deeper into the strange, recurring visions that had been haunting me. At first glance, every lead, ancient record, field note, historical account, and old map seemed like thin, scattered fragments that didn’t form a clear picture. But as I continued, subtle patterns began to emerge: symbols carved into the margins of centuries-old logs, references to territories not depicted on our maps, and names whispered in the footnotes of battle reports. Threads that initially seemed disconnected were gradually weaving together across time—and maybe even across realms.
• No matter how deeply I searched, the answers remained just out of reach. I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. Maybe I was overthinking it, or perhaps it meant something more.
• I quickly realized I couldn’t do this alone. There was one person I trusted completely, someone whose knowledge of the pack’s history and secrets was unmatched: Elder Thane. With nearly two centuries behind him, Thane bore the weight of time lightly—his silver-streaked hair and deep-set amber eyes radiated the calm authority of someone who had witnessed generations rise and fall. Werewolf blood slowed his aging, and although his body resembled that of a man in his sixties, the years he had lived and the wisdom he had gained far exceeded that.
• “Elder Thane, could you come to my office for a moment?” I asked.
• It didn’t take long before a knock sounded at the door. Elder Thane entered with his usual calm demeanor.
• “You called?” he asked, voice calm but carrying a subtle strength that demanded attention.
• “Yeah,” I said, motioning toward the chair across from my desk.
• “I need your insight on something... something I haven’t told anyone else but Alpha Lucian and Gamma Caelan.”
• He arched a brow but sat without hesitation. “Go on.”
• “I’ve been having these dreams,” I began slowly, trying to put words to the impossible. “They started a few months ago—always the same forest, always the same feeling. There’s a child… and a woman. My mate and child, or at least that’s what it feels like. We switch off protecting him. We are never together in these dreams, only together long enough to hand the baby off, then she fades, as if she is waking up, or I fade as I wake up in the morning. But in these dreams, we are being hunted by something so evil you can taste it in the air; they want my son, and I don’t know why. I know I must protect him. It’s so vivid, it doesn’t feel like just a dream. It feels real.”
• Elder Thane listened silently, hands folded, his expression unreadable.
• “Thane, I need you to look at something,” I said, sliding the device across the desk.
• These dreams aren’t normal. There are symbols, territories, even references to names I’ve never heard. However, patterns are emerging, and I’m unsure whether it’s just a coincidence or something more important.
• Thane leaned in, studying the images and records with patience honed over decades. His brow furrowed slightly as he traced his finger over one of the symbols.
• “I’ve seen something like this before… not in living memory, but in the old chronicles. These aren’t just marks, Kieran. They’re boundary sigils, ancient ones; the markings indicate passageways, doors between realms. Rare, dangerous, and always tied to those born with unique bloodlines.”
• I swallowed hard, trying to mask the rising anxiety. “I feared as much. And the territories don’t line up with our maps at all. It’s like… there’s another layer to our world that I can’t see.”
• Thane’s eyes met mine. “You’re starting to see it because the blood that runs in you and your mate, whoever they are, is connected to it. These dreams and visions are warnings, yes…but they are also instructions. You need guidance, not just brute strength. That’s why I’m here.”
• I flipped through the files, showing him recurring shapes and patterns.
• “See these three marks? They appear in dreams and in field notes from different areas over the past hundred years. Every time they show up, someone with the ability to cross realms was involved.”
• He nodded slowly. “Interesting. That is not just a coincidence. And look here…” Thane pointed to a faded map on the tablet, the edges fraying with age. “This area, near the northern edge, appears to intersect with what your dreams hint at. You’ve been seeing it in fragments, but there’s a whole… ecosystem of movement and conflict layered over this map.”
• I leaned back, running a hand through my hair. “And my mate and son… the ones I keep seeing. I don’t know who they are yet. But if these threads are real, someone, or something, is after them.”
• Thane’s gaze softened, his centuries of experience radiating reassurance. “You are not wrong to worry. And you are not alone. I’ll help you track the patterns, discern the symbols, and find connections in the chronicles. But you must be cautious. The knowledge you’re uncovering is dangerous in the wrong hands.”
• I felt the weight of the moment, but also a flicker of hope. With Thane’s guidance, maybe I could finally begin untangling the web connecting my waking life and the life that haunted my dreams.
• A faint shiver ran down my spine as I imagined the forest from my dreams. The child strapped to my chest, shadows flickering among the trees, and a man whose face I didn’t yet know—but whose presence I felt as strongly as my own heartbeat. I knew deep down that whatever was coming next would demand every ounce of vigilance, skill, and cunning I possessed.
• Thane’s hand briefly rested on my shoulder. “We begin by documenting everything,” he said. “Every vision, every symbol, every detail you can recall. Then we cross-reference the pack records, ancient maps, and lore. The answers will come, though they may take time. And you, Beta Kieran, must be ready when they do.”
• I nodded, taking a deep breath to settle myself. With the Elder beside me, the morning’s exhaustion, the tension from training, and the lingering fear of the unknown all felt a bit more manageable, at least for now.
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