MasukThe narrow path between the glowing cliffs grew tighter with every step. Rocks scraped against my sides as the walls slowly closed in. I could feel the cold stone pressing against my fur. Damien stayed right beside me, limping badly, his breathing rough and labored. Blood still dripped from the deep wounds on his shoulder and side, leaving a dark trail behind us. "Keep moving, Elara," he said through our bond, his voice strained but determined. "Do not stop. I am right here with you." I pressed against him as much as the narrowing space allowed. "I am not leaving you behind. Not even for a second." Mira and Lila were further back, struggling to keep up. The sound of rocks grinding together filled the air. The path was barely wide enough for two wolves now. If it kept closing, we would be crushed. The pup’s voice came through, full of fear. "Mama… the walls are alive. They are listening to her. Selene tricked us. She wants me separated from you." Damien growled and pushed me forwa
The glowing flowers in the Heart of the Valley gave off a soft light that made everything feel almost peaceful. I lay curled tightly against Damien near the small spring. His breathing was shallow and rough, but he was still alive. I pressed my body closer to him, trying to share what little warmth I had left. His blood had dried on both of us, but I did not care. I just needed to feel him. Damien stirred and nuzzled my neck weakly. "You are still here," he said through our bond, his voice tired but warm. "That is all I need right now." I rubbed my head against his chest. "I am not going anywhere. Not without you." Even hurt and exhausted, his body reacted to mine. I felt him growing hard against my side. He licked slowly along my mark, the spot still sensitive. "If I had the strength," he murmured, "I would take you right here. I would spread you open and bury myself deep inside you until the only thing you feel is me." Heat spread through me despite how tired I was. I pushed bac
The silver wolf stepped fully into the clearing, her fur shining like moonlight on water. She was not as massive as the Warden or the True Ancient One, but something about her made the air feel heavier. Every wolf around us went still. Even the Warden took a small step back. Damien stayed pressed against me, his body trembling from pain and exhaustion. Blood still seeped from the deep wounds on his side and shoulder. I could feel how weak he was through the bond, but he refused to move away from me. "Who are you?" the Warden growled, its golden eyes narrowed. The silver wolf tilted her head slightly. Her voice was calm and ancient, carrying the weight of generations. "I am the First Mother. The one who gave birth to the original bloodlines. The one who watched the first pacts being made. And this child," she looked straight at my belly, "carries my direct blood." The scarred ancient wolf laughed from the side, but it sounded nervous. "You have not been seen in centuries. Why show
A tall figure stepped out. It looked like a wolf, but its fur was pure white and its eyes were gold. Power rolled off it in waves. "I am the Warden of the Border," it said calmly. "No cursed blood is allowed to cross into these lands." It looked straight at my belly. "Especially not one that carries the end of our world." Damien growled and tried to stand in front of me again. The Warden smiled. "And now… you have brought it straight to my door."The Warden stood tall at the edge of the trees, its pure white fur almost glowing in the moonlight. Its golden eyes locked onto me, then slowly moved down to my belly. Power rolled off its body in heavy waves that pressed against my chest and made it hard to breathe. This was not just another alpha or ancient wolf. This one felt different. Older. Colder.Damien pushed himself in front of me, legs shaking but refusing to back down. Blood still dripped from his wounds, but he stood as tall as he could. "Stay behind me, Elara," he said thr
I woke up to complete silence. The kind of silence that feels wrong after so much noise and fighting. My body hurt everywhere. My shoulder burned, my ribs ached with every breath, and my head felt heavy. Damien was lying beside me, completely still. His eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow. "Damien?" I whispered, nudging him with my nose. "Please wake up." He did not move at first. Panic rose in my chest. I pressed closer, licking his face desperately. "Damien, please. Do not leave me. I cannot do this without you." After what felt like forever, his eyes slowly opened. He looked at me, pain clear in his gaze, but there was still that familiar fire behind it. "Elara… you are okay," he said through our bond, voice weak. "That is all that matters." I stayed pressed against him, sharing what little warmth I had left. "We are both alive. That is enough for now." The pup’s voice came through, very faint. "Mama… Dad… I am still here. But I need to sleep for a long time."
The ground kept shaking as the massive shadow moved closer. Trees snapped and fell like dry sticks. I held Damien tighter, my paws pressed against his bleeding shoulder, trying to stop the blood. He was breathing hard, barely able to stay conscious, but he still tried to push me behind him. "Stay back," he growled weakly. "I will protect you." "You can barely stand," I whispered, tears running down my face. "Just stay with me. Please." Nyra stepped forward, her silver fur glowing under the moonlight. "This is the True Ancient One. The first of our kind. Even I have only heard stories about it." The scarred wolf laughed through its pain. "Now you will all die. The True One has awakened because of the child’s power. It will take what it wants." A huge black paw stepped into the clearing. Then another. The True Ancient One was enormous, bigger than any wolf I had ever seen. Its fur was pitch black with streaks of silver, and its eyes burned like red coals. Power rolled off i







