Chapter 5 Under The Hunting Moon

• The monthly transition was not a matter of choice; it was a biological obligation dictated by the celestial cycle. In the Redwood Pack, the night of the full moon was structured with military precision. Alpha Vance did not permit chaotic behavior among his subordinates. The pack assembled in the northern sector of their territory, an area defined by strict boundary markers that had remained unchanged for three decades.
• Elena stood among the members of her pack, keeping her distance from Marcus and her father. The transformation was an internal process that required mental preparation. It was the temporary suspension of human logic in favor of instinct, yet Elena fought to maintain her cognitive control. She knew the danger of letting her wolf mind take complete dominance. If she lost her human focus, her instincts would direct her toward the Crescent border.
• "Maintain the perimeter," Alpha Vance instructed the sentries. "The Crescent Pack has been active near the western boundary. Any crossing of the neutral line is a violation of the treaty, and we will respond with defensive force. Do not engage unless they cross, but if they do, ensure they do not return."