Chapter 5: Echoes of the Crimson Howl

Blood of the Forgotten

The Bone Valley did not welcome visitors.

It lay like a scar between the mountains—lifeless, grey, and cracked open like the Earth had tried to forget it. Bones littered the valley floor. Not just animal remains, but the remains of wolves—hundreds, perhaps thousands, frozen in twisted, broken forms.

The wind carried a howl that didn’t belong to any living creature.

Azhar walked in silence beside Mia, his boots crunching over ancient remains. With every step, a strange pressure coiled around his chest. Like the valley remembered him.

Mia: “You feel it too.”

Azhar nodded. “Like something here is waiting.”

They climbed a ridge of crumbling stone, and below it, half-buried in the dust, stood the remains of an old stone hall. The roof had caved in, and vines—ashen and brittle—wrapped around shattered pillars. Above the doorway, faded and cracked, was a carved insignia: a wolf’s head flanked by crimson flames.

Azhar stopped cold. His heart kicked against his ribs.

Azhar: “That was my pack’s symbol.”

Mia placed a hand on his shoulder. “Then we’ve found it. The last sanctuary of the Crimson Howl.”

They stepped inside.

---

The air was dry and stale, but the silence was thick with ghosts.

Broken weapons and torn banners lined the walls. Claw marks scarred the floor. There was no blood left—just the remains of battle. At the far end of the hall stood a massive stone altar, carved with runes and names. Azhar stepped closer, his fingers tracing one of the names.

“Eliah… my Second.”

His voice was distant. Cold.

Then the memories hit.

A flash of her smile.

Her voice, calling his name as fire raged around them.

A blade at her throat.

Beau’s voice whispering, “Bend the knee or bury your pack.”

Azhar clenched his fists. The mark on his hand flared red-hot.

Mia studied the altar. “These aren’t just names. They’re bound spirits. This was a memory stone. A way to preserve the souls of fallen Alphas.”

Azhar frowned. “They’re trapped?”

She shook her head. “Protected. Hidden from enemies. Only one with the Alpha Mark can awaken them.”

The glow in Azhar’s hand deepened. The stone beneath his palm pulsed in response. Then a soft hum echoed through the chamber—and the walls began to shimmer.

Ghostly shapes emerged from the air.

Dozens of wolves. Transparent. Silent. Proud.

One of them stepped forward—her eyes glowing with familiar warmth.

Eliah.

She looked exactly as he remembered—short hair, armor cracked from battle, eyes sharp.

Eliah (softly): “You returned.”

Azhar’s throat tightened. “I failed you.”

Eliah smiled sadly. “No. You survived. And now, the bond is restored.”

Mia stepped back, watching in awe.

Eliah: “Your memory was taken to protect you. After the massacre, your spirit was fractured. We sealed your Alpha Mark until the time was right.”

Azhar stared at her. “Beau... he planned it all.”

Eliah nodded. “He wanted the mark. But he couldn’t kill you. Your bond with the pack was too strong.”

Azhar lowered his head. “So what do I do now?”

Eliah (firmly): “Rebuild. Reclaim. The Crimson Howl may be gone, but the bloodline is not. You are the last of the First Alpha blood. The others—those who remain—they will answer if you call.”

She turned to Mia.

Eliah: “And this one... she walks beside you for a reason. Trust her.”

Mia blinked. “I didn’t ask to be part of this.”

Eliah: “No one ever does. But your soul is tied to his now. You’ve seen it in battle. You’ve felt it, even if you haven’t spoken it.”

Mia looked away.

Azhar stepped forward. “Can you tell me where Beau is?”

Eliah’s image began to fade. “He’s no longer hiding. He’s calling to the fractured packs. Offering them power without code. If he completes the Rite of the Blood Moon, the balance ends.”

Azhar: “Then I stop him.”

Eliah: “Then awaken what you were. And find the others. We will guide you... as long as we remain.”

And with that, the spirits dissolved into mist.

---

They left the hall in silence.

Mia finally spoke as they reached the edge of the valley. “How do you feel?”

Azhar paused. Then: “Whole.”

She gave a half-smile. “That’s new.”

He looked down at the mark on his palm. It no longer pulsed faintly—it burned like a heart on fire.

Azhar: “I remember who I was. But I’m not that person anymore.”

Mia: “Good. That guy let Beau destroy everything.”

Azhar met her eyes. “And this time, I won’t.”