Chapter 40

MAGNAR’S POV It was my duty tonight, and the forest was silent save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. The chill of the night wrapped around me, but I barely noticed it as I patrolled the third round of the boundary. My focus was unwavering, my instincts sharp. This expansion project couldn’t afford any setbacks, especially under my leadership. That’s when I saw it—a faint column of smoke rising in the distance, barely visible under the moonlight. I froze in my tracks, narrowing my eyes to make sure I wasn’t imagining things. Who would light a fire at this time of night? It couldn’t be rogues; they rarely announced their presence so openly. But then again, rogues were unpredictable. Worse, it could be hunters. Humans had their ways of blending into the forest, waiting to ambush unsuspecting wolves. My heart quickened, but I kept my composure. I immediately mind-linked one of my patrol teams stationed nearby. "Yannis, take your warriors and check the source of that smoke.