Ancient Wolves - Prophecy of the Ruins

Over the next few weeks, Tyra and Gunnar had been coming every weekend to help renovate the house. Sometimes Jelto joined, other times Cedric and Joseline. But because of Joseline’s poor health, she only joined a little later in the process and spent most of her time tidying up the garden. The sparkles in her eyes, whenever she could plant new plants, was wonderful to see. By now, she even started a herb garden project, so I could drink my favorite herb tea whenever I wanted. She also taught me how to make ointments with the things she had grown, which might prove helpful in the future.

With everyone coming over so often, I selected a room for Tyra so she could draw whenever she visited. Considering that she frequently stayed an entire weekend, I thought it would be only fair if she could continue working at my place, too. I have plenty of rooms to spare, anyway.

Gunnar occupied another guest room, and the children shared one as well. It made me happy to see them feeling comfortable at my place, and I gladly shared my space with them. It made me feel less alone, too. The house could feel so large whenever they weren’t there. I didn’t want to grow dependent on them, but over time I always dreaded the end of the weekend, the long lonely week ahead. I knew they had a busy life on their own, and I couldn’t exactly expect them to stay with me. Gunnar had his pack to care for, too. But I also couldn't help wanting them around me longer.

At least, I always had many things that reminded me of them. As promised, Tyra had painted every single room in the house. A few of them were simply in one color, but others, like the living room, had a wonderful field of sunflowers painted on the walls. It looked beautiful whenever the afternoon sun was shining through the large windows.

Gunnar helped me pick out most of the furniture and set them up with me. I wouldn’t have known what I would have done without them. My plan to do everything alone was thrown overboard so fast. Sometimes I wonder why I even refused to get help from them.

It all could have been so peaceful if it wasn’t for the letters I received weekly. Every Monday, another one appeared in front of my door with threats to kill or harm me. But it was just that - threats. Nothing ever happened besides that.

Now I doubted the Vindictoria pack was behind it. Wouldn’t they have shown their faces by now? What is stopping them from approaching me and setting their threats into action? I couldn’t even pick up a single foreign smell in my territory, and I have been actively roaming around to watch out for threats. Sometimes I even believe that the two old women just wanted to scare me, but I doubt they have it in them.

It was a Thursday evening when my doorbell rang. I just made myself a tea and wanted to relax after taking care of all the cleaning I had neglected. I opened the door and was greeted by two men I had never seen before.

I crossed my arms, staring down at them. They looked suspicious and reeked of wolves.

“Can I help you?”

“Didn’t you receive our letters?” One of them asked. His face looked like a face to punch. He had a smug smirk on his face, and his hair looked like it hadn’t seen water in months. It fell into his face like wet, overcooked noodles.

I smiled while my blood was running hot in my veins and my wolf was edging me to show them who the boss was. But this was neither the place nor the time to hurt or even kill someone. They didn’t harm me yet. They were only trying to scare me, and I wouldn’t let them get to me.

Aloysius died because he hadn’t been careful around the human territory and got shot. I couldn’t let my rage get the better of me.

“I did! Good thing I finally met the person who sent those letters. I had been dying to tell you to stop delivering this trash to my doorstep.”

The left eye of the wet noodle man twitched slightly, his jaw ticking. He looked like he tried to keep his calm as much as I did. “That’s rather rude. It is quite tedious to keep bringing them here.”

I laughed but didn’t respond. Instead, I glanced at the smaller guy standing next to him. I sniffed the air discretely and immediately recognized the man.

I growled. “You are the wolf that tried to attack me in the woods that night. You have bigger balls than I expected, coming back here after I told you to never step one foot in my territory again.”

He winced, stepping behind the other man, staring at the ground.

“We want you to leave this place and hand over the territory,” the taller man said. "This doesn't have to end with violence."

I turned my gaze back on him. “And who do you think you are? Do you think some random man can arrive here and demand from me to leave my home?”

“We got sent from the Vindictoria pack to deliver this message to you,” he answered, unfazed. I tried not to shiver when I heard this name. I thought it would shock me more than it did, but it had been a scenario I expected since the first letter, after all.

“You can tell your alpha that I don’t care what he wants,” I snarled.

The man clenched his hands into fists, his nostrils flaring as he tried to remain in control. His wolf was close to the surface, ready to jump. But I doubt he would let that happen, either, not in the open like this.

“You will regret this,” he said through clenched teeth.

“What will you do, kill my pack? Oh, wait. You already did that. You took everything I had, so do you think threatening my life would get you far?”

I bluffed. Getting killed seemed like an actual threat to me, but they didn’t have to know that. I had to act like I was the powerful alpha in this place, after all. They would have to rip this place out of my hands over my dead body, that’s for sure.

“You have a few more days to reconsider. We already gave you more than enough time to leave,” the man said with a sigh.

“I can’t wait to see you, two lovely boys, again. Do you know what I also can’t wait for? To see your dirty asses out of my territory. So leave before I make you,” I said and growled loudly, feeling my teeth getting sharper. My wolf fought against the restraints I put up, wanting to end him right here.

The smaller man whined and almost stumbled over his own feet, trying to get away from me. The other man looked more annoyed than anything else. He must be a higher-ranked wolf. Too bad for him he has to go on this ‘mission’ with a small omega tailing after him.

He glared at me before turning around and grabbing the smaller man by the neck, dragging him behind him to the car.

I watched them enter it and saw them drive off, but even though I knew they weren’t close anymore, I still felt uneasy.

How did they hide their obvious smell from me all these weeks, and why did the letter have no smell whatsoever? Am I failing to realize the enemies in my territory, or are humans working with them?