"I sent a message to Ramon," Ferins said calmly, his voice low but firm.

Cade turned sharply toward him, his eyes narrowing as he searched his father’s face. "On the eve of a full moon?" He asked, trying to piece together the end goal of such a risky move. The timing felt deliberate, almost dangerous.

"Yes," Ferins replied. "I have been waiting for the perfect moment to respond, and today is that day."

Cade scoffed, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "You do know the messenger is not going to leave his pack alive? That’s if he can even gain entrance into it."

Alpha Ferins smiled, a slow, mischievous curve of his lips. He loved his children deeply, especially his first son, but sometimes their straightforward minds missed the deeper plays.

"That’s the point. The messenger was a necessary sacrifice. Ramon now knows exactly where I stand."

"Where do you stand, Father?"

Ferins met his son’s gaze, and his smile brightened with a touch of nostalgia. "Your mother hated me even before she saw me. She said she had heard I was a beast in human flesh." He paused, letting the memory settle. "Turned out she was my fated mate when we finally met."

"Don’t change the topic, Father," Cade said, refusing to let the conversation drift.

"I’m not changing it, Cade. I’m making a point." Ferins leaned forward slightly, his eyes intense. "From what you saw of our relationship, how would you describe it?"

Cade’s expression softened with genuine emotion. "Mother worshipped the ground you walked on, and it was the same for you. I’ve never seen two people more in love. I don’t even think that kind of love exists anymore."

Ferins nodded in satisfaction, his chest swelling with quiet pride. His point was landing. "It’s going to be the same for Ramon and your sister. First comes hatred, then attraction, and love follows. That’s if we don’t nip it in the bud on time."

Cade’s eyes widened. "What? First you allow Sonia to stay kidnapped by that fool, and now you want to forcefully bring her home? If you knew we were going to go get her, why didn’t you make that call in the early stages?"

"Good question." Ferins stood up slowly, brushing dirt from his hands. "I didn’t know they were fated mates at first. My decision changed the day I found out. Sonia will soon have to take a side, just like her mother did many years ago." He looked directly at Cade. "Guess which side your mother chose?"

"Yours," Cade muttered, understanding dawning in his eyes.

"Mine," Ferins breathed out, his voice fierce with the memory. "I’ll never forget the look on her father’s face when she insisted on staying with the monster instead of returning home to him—so he could sell her off to another alpha he could control. I’d die first before I let the same thing happen to my daughter."

Cade didn’t respond right away. He studied his father closely under the fading light. What he saw was both admirable and sad—a man trapped in a circle with no end, history repeating itself in blood and bonds. Ferins was a fighter, born to challenge fate itself. He would battle until the last breath. But Cade wondered if victory was even possible.

There was no bond stronger than love. He had witnessed it every day with his parents. If Sonia truly fell for Ramon, and he for her, could anything break that pull? The thought unsettled him.

He didn’t know which side to stand on. Loyalty to his father should be automatic. But Sonia was his sister. She had already endured so much at such a young age. The path ahead would be painful, yet it sparked a deep curiosity in him.

"What message did you send, Father?" Cade asked, hoping the trust ran deep enough.

Ferins’ smile returned, sharp and knowing. "An eye for an eye."

Cade’s brow lifted. "What I’m hearing is you’re ready for war?"

"We’re always ready for war. It’s the way of the wolves of Silverpaw. And so far, we’ve never lost." Ferins’ voice carried the weight of years of battles won.

"But this is Ramon we’re talking about," Cade pressed. "He rose from the ashes and built Bloodmoon into what it is today. It won’t be easy. He also holds one of the greatest weapons, the possibility of love. Even if we have the fighters, how do we defeat that?"

Ferins placed a strong hand on his son’s shoulder. "I have seven sons, Cade. Seven strong boys who can stand against any pack army. Just the seven of you. Ramon won’t be any different. He won’t stand a chance. And he will never get to enjoy the benefits of a love like that. I’m taking my daughter back."

Cade rose to his feet and bowed deeply, his decision made. He might not know how this story would end, but he knew his duty, to his father, his pack, and especially his sister. "What do you need me to do?"

"Gather your brothers. Tell them that immediately after the full moon’s celebration, they must head to the borders. Let Ramon bring his best. Whoever wins the borders gains free passage into the rival pack. And by whoever, I mean the seven of you."

"Are we going to fight his warriors alone?"

"Of course not. You’ll have other men with you." Ferins gave him a piercing look. "Don’t tell me you’re afraid?"

"I’m only afraid of one person," Cade replied steadily. "And that fear comes from respect. You, Father. Just you."

"Good." Ferins nodded, satisfied. "The plan is simple. We get Sonia back, and then I’ll have a hopefully short chat with Ramon."

Cade bowed once more and turned to leave. It would be welcome news for some of his brothers. Wolf, for one, would be the happiest of them all, always eager for a fight. But he wondered what Seth would think. Seth often saw things differently, quieter and more calculating.

As if the thought had summoned him, Cade bumped straight into Seth on the narrow path leading away from the field. The collision was solid, both of them steady on their feet.

"That look in your eyes," Seth said, pointing at Cade’s face. "I’ve seen it before."

"Where?" Cade asked, pausing.

"On the battleground." Seth’s gaze sharpened. "Father has made a decision?"

Cade didn’t stop walking. "Let’s go get our brothers," he replied, striding past him into the gathering twilight.

The full moon was rising soon, and with it, the winds of war. Silverpaw would not yield. Ferins would not lose his daughter to the same cruel fate that had nearly destroyed his own mate. But as Cade moved through the familiar paths of their territory, the weight of what was coming settled on his shoulders. Love and hatred, blood and bonds—they were all tangled now. And no one could predict which force would win.

The night air grew cooler, carrying distant howls from wolves already feeling the pull of the moon. Cade quickened his pace. Whatever happened next, the Fenris brothers would stand together. For their sister. For their pack. For the future their father was willing to bleed for.