Chapter 1: Orion

  For 16 years, Orion has watched the forest since the day Gleindein came. Many times, he watched Aldero control another of his wolf brothers. Though he longed to free them, his paws remained glued to his hiding spot. Until one day, everything changed.

  As usual, Orion was watching the path that Aldero took everyday. Strangely, he didn’t come today. Cautiously, he peeked his head out just a little, straining to remove his paws from the ground. No one was there. Orion sighed and settled back. Maybe he’s just busy today or preoccupied with one of my brothers or on one of his hunting trips, Orion thought, and felt sorry for the animals Aldero would have killed if he were hunting.

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  Unfortunately, Aldero was even closer than Orion had imagined, for when Orion felt something cold touch his neck, he whipped around—

  —and was bundled into a sack.

  As the sack bumped along, Orion thought, it’s the first time my paws have finally been released from nature! But immediately he went back to cautious mode. Who or what is carrying me? What do they want? Why does this sack smell like-

  Orion realized the sack smelled of his brothers’ fear and anger. It finally dawned on him where he was taken to and who was taking him.

  He was being taken to Black Mountains, where Aldero built his lair at the top so that we could have a magnificent view of his forest. And the one carrying his sack was none other than Aldero himself.