"Never defy your alpha," Dean declared in a commanding voice. "You belong to me, and I provide for you. I've given you food, clothing, and protection. Yet, you chose to betray me? Then you'll share the same fate as her." Dean's gaze swept the crowd before nodding to the person holding the fire, signaling them to ignite the pyre.
"No, please have mercy on me! I'm begging you! Please don't do this!" Elisa screamed, her eyes filled with tears, but it didn't shake the alpha's heart.
As the person stepped forward to ignite the pyre, a voice interrupted the crowd.
"My alpha!" Ryan's voice rang out, capturing everyone's attention as he entered the crowd, catching Dean's eye.
His eyes locked with Elisa, who appeared exhausted on the pyre. He was taken aback by her presence, evident from his expression, even though that wasn't the reason he had called out to the alpha.
Quickly turning his attention back to the Dean, Dean noticed him breathing heavily. "My alpha, Max has returned alone, and his homecoming isn't favorable," Ryan announced, while Dean observed the person still clutching the burning fire. 
He then shifted his focus to Ryan, trying to comprehend the message.
Dean, reluctant to inquire further, abruptly left the gathering to personally check on Max.
Stepping out from the crowd, he spotted Max's approach. However, Max's gait was unsteady, and Dean was perplexed by his return without the car they had departed in and without Athena accompanying him.
Amidst the onlookers, Dean folded his arms and waited until Max finally reached him.
Bloodstains covered Max's body, and he panted heavily, locking eyes with Dean.
Dean, at a loss for words, pondered what could have caused the mighty Max to bleed and move in such a manner. 
"Max...?" Dean called out, watching as Max shook his head, groaning in pain.
"What happened to you?" He asked, extending a helping hand as he guided Max to a nearby bench, where he eased him into a seated position. 
Max remained in evident agony, with Dean and the others present awaiting an explanation.
"As we were returning home, Athena and I were attacked by an unknown creature," Max announced, immediately piquing Dean's interest. Ryan, who was already looking at Dean, now glanced at Max.
"What kind of creature was it? Did you manage to get a good look at it?" Dean inquired. Max shook his head, still breathing heavily.
"It resembled a werewolf but was faster and stronger. Athena was mortally wounded, and I barely escaped," Max recounted, prompting Ryan to glance back at Dean.
Ryan could sense Dean's growing fear. Previously, Dean had been unconcerned, relying on powerful allies like Max and Athena to secure victories in battles. Now, with Athena dead and Max severely injured, the situation seemed dire.
Dean took a deep breath and locked eyes with Ryan, who stepped closer to him.
"I warned you, but you wouldn't listen! Perhaps now, with a little time left, you should let go of all this," Ryan exclaimed, gesturing towards Elisa, who was bound to a stake in the woods, awaiting execution.
"Let's prepare for what's to come. This creature is real," Ryan declared before walking away, leaving Dean staring at Elisa, lost for words.
•
•
•
Inside The Dungeon.
Mula sat hopelessly inside the cell, waiting for his inevitable fate. Suddenly, the dungeon door swung open with a loud creak, and Dean entered, making his way towards Mula's cell.
Seated on the cold floor, Mula kept his gaze down, but he recognized Dean's presence as he approached.
"Are you here to end my life now? Is it my time to face death?" Mula murmured softly.
Dean reassured him, "I haven't come to take your life, Mula. I'm here to propose a deal."
Startled, Mula lifted his head to confirm that it was indeed Dean speaking to him.
Dean's sudden change of heart from discussing killing him to offering a deal took Mula by surprise.
"A deal? Some sort of unusual agreement, right?" Mula asked, a faint smile on his face, assuming it was another one of Dean's schemes to take away people's possessions.
However, it was Ryan who responded to Mula's remark.
"This deal is not as crazy as it sounds. There's a grave threat looming over our world - a creature targeting werewolves. We need to band together to find a solution and defeat this threat, or we'll all perish," Ryan explained, as Mula struggled to grasp the seriousness of the situation. Dean then passed the cell key to Ryan before leaving the dungeon.
Mula watched in astonishment as Ryan unlocked the cage.
"You must be famished! Some food has been prepared for you. After you've eaten, we can discuss our defense strategy together," Ryan said before departing, leaving Mula bewildered by the events unfolding before him.
It seemed unbelievable to him as he gazed at Mula, his face filled with surprise. He hesitated to step out of the cell, questioning the reality of the moment.
As Ryan walked away, he realized Mula wasn't following him. He paused, retraced his steps, and found Mula timidly emerging from the cell.
"Come on, let's go!" Ryan exclaimed, gesturing for Mula to join him. However, as they exited the dungeon, Mula hesitated, watching Ryan move ahead before stopping as he noticed Mula wasn't by his side.
Taking a deep breath, Ryan reached out to Mula, locking eyes with him.
"This is not a joke or a trap. I understand your doubts, but trust me, this is real, it's on the way like a force of nature," Ryan declared, while Mula smirked, gazing at the sky and stretching.
Ryan could sense the skepticism in Mula's eyes, knowing that his actions contradicted his beliefs.
After stretching, Mula approached Ryan, their eyes meeting. "You expected me to trust you? After everything?" Mula inquired, as Ryan took a deep breath, choosing silence over words.
He remained speechless, acknowledging his betrayal. He grappled with the difficulty of expressing his remorse for being deceived by Dean.
Silently gazing at Mula after he finished speaking, Ryan felt unsure how to respond. Without a word, he turned to walk away, only to be forcefully grabbed by Mula.
He tried to free himself from Mula's grip, but Mula covered his mouth and nose, almost choking him. However, Mula then noticed the open dungeon and promptly threw him inside.
"No!" Ryan screamed, desperately trying to escape, but Mula locked him in.
"Do you think I'm foolish enough to fall for your trap again?" Mula shouted before walking away.
"You're making a grave mistake, Mula! The creature is real and it's coming!" Ryan yelled, but Mula paid him no heed, continuing on his path. He knew he had to find Elena; he would take her and flee.