Chapter 4 — The Red Alpha’s Shadow

Derek

The metallic tang of blood clung to the air as Derek Veiler crouched low, his piercing silver-gray eyes scanning the forest floor with methodical precision. His fingers hovered just above a patch of disturbed earth where crimson streaks painted the moss-covered ground, stark against the muted greens and browns. The chill of the evening seemed to deepen, and the heavy, electric quiet pressed against his heightened senses. Moonveil Forest was rarely this silent—it was the kind of stillness that carried unspoken warnings, an omen of a predator’s lingering presence.