Queen Alia turned away and walked to a glass cabinet. From within it, she retrieved a leather-bound tome—old, brittle, and marked with symbols that made even Heiko's wolf stir uneasily. She placed it on the table and opened it carefully.
“Dark Alphas were not just powerful warriors. They were creators. Keepers of knowledge long forgotten. They had access to magic older than our bloodlines… including the ability to bend life itself. Some could heal wounds that would otherwise be fatal. Others could command nature, or bind wolves in ways that defied the Moon Goddess herself.”
Heiko narrowed his eyes. “You’re saying they had magic?”
Alia nodded. “Not magic like witches or seers. Something else. Something primal. Divine, even.”
She looked up, her eyes meeting his with intense weight.
“Tha
