Chapter 78

Sylvester’s POV

I walked through the woods, my senses alert, my muscles tensed, and my heart pounding in my chest. The threat of the dark pack loomed heavily over our heads. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down even for a moment. Suddenly, I heard the sound of twigs snapping behind me, and I whirled around, ready to face whatever danger lay ahead. To my utter surprise, I found myself face to face with Alpha Cody, who was supposed to have been dead for years.

He was standing there, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity, his chest heaving with each breath. He seemed to be different from the Cody I had known before. There was something dark and sinister about him that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I felt my muscles tighten as he took a step forward, and then another.

“What are you doing here, Cody?” I demanded, my voice low and steady, despite the knot that had formed in my stomach.

“I have returned, Sylvester,” he replied, his voice filled with