CHAPTER FIVE — BLOOD AND BONE

LENA POV

My father said to stay inside.

Obviously, I didn’t.

The fortress walls shook with every blast, dust raining from the ceiling like the building itself was afraid. The guards outside my door stood stiff, pretending not to see me pacing back and forth like a caged wolf.

“Alpha’s orders,” one of them said again, giving a side eyed look.

I stopped pacing. “Yeah, I heard him. About twenty times. Anything else you want to repeat?”

He said nothing.

Figured.

I went to the window. Outside, the night burned orange. The air shimmered with heat and smoke. Wolves ran across the yard in formation, steel blades flashing under torchlight. Farther out, dark shapes moved fast through the mist, it was too fast for a regular wolf.

Rogues.

My pulse picked up. The wolf in me stirred, she was restless.

I turned from the window, crouched by the bed, and pulled out a small wooden box. It was old, with splintered edges, dust was thick on the lid. I flipped it open carefully.

Inside lay my brother’s sword; short, practical, and lacking ornament.

Classic Ethan.

The leather grip was cracked from years of use. Ethan had given it to me the night before he left. He’d said, “Keep it close. It’ll make you brave.”

But he never came back.

I ran my thumb along the blade. It was cold.

“I guess it’s my turn,” I muttered.

I strapped the sheath to my belt, grabbed my jacket, and crossed the room. The guards were still outside.

“Stay here, Luna,” one said.

I opened the window instead.

The night air rushed in, it felt cold and filled with ash. Below, the courtyard was pure chaos. I climbed onto the sill, took a breath, and jumped.

The fall wasn’t far. I landed in a crouch, that stung my knees, my boots sliding against the icy stone. Regardless I drew my blade.

The nearest rogue came from the shadows, with his claws up, and teeth bared. I sidestepped and slashed through its throat. It went down with a gurgle, the spilled blood steaming in the cold.

Another came in from the right. I ducked, twisted, and stabbed up through its ribs. It dropped, twitching.

“Lena!” someone shouted from the wall. “Get back inside!”

“I’m a little busy!” I yelled, kicking the next rogue square in the chest.

The wolf hit the ground hard. I brought my sword down quickly, ending it before it could rise.

The yard was packed now, with smoke, and shouting, the clang of steel echoing everywhere. The air stung my throat with every breath.

I moved through it like I’d been born there, on the battle field I mean. My feet steady, and eyes locked on every motion. A soldier stumbled past me, bleeding from the arm. I caught him, and shoved him behind a pillar. 

“Keep pressure on it,” I said.

He nodded, trembling.

A rogue charged from behind. I turned, using the dead soldier’s dropped spear to parry before cutting low. My blade tore through its stomach.

One step, one swing. Every move was clean, and controlled. I didn’t stop to think.

The guards on the wall saw me again. “Get her back!”

Two of them jumped down. I waved the sword. “Don’t you dare!”

They hesitated, but the fight was already swallowing us all. I pushed deeper into the chaos, cutting down another rogue before it reached a group of healers.

“Thank you, Luna!” one called.

“Don’t call me that!” I shouted, stabbing another creature through the shoulder.

I yanked the blade free, turned, and slashed across another’s face. The blood sprayed warm against my cheek. My body ached, but I kept going, every motion was automatic.

The snow under my boots had turned black.

Something howled from the north wall; long, low, and not wolf. The sound crawled under my skin. I froze for half a second, scanning the field.

The others heard it too. Wolves paused mid-fight, heads jerking toward the sound.

Then the aura around changed.

Like a shift in the atmosphere, and it wasn't a good one. The torches flickered blue for a second, then steadied.

A shadow moved through the smoke.

At first, I thought it was just another rogue. But as it stepped closer, I saw it wasn’t right. It's body was stretched wrong; tall, and lean, like someone had built a wolf out of bones and moss. Its fur wasn’t fur at all; it rippled like smoke. The veins under its skin glowed a faint blue.

“What the hell…” I whispered.

It tilted its head. Then it charged.

I barely brought the sword up in time. The first hit sent me sprawling, and air knocked out of my chest. I rolled just as it's claws slashed down where my head had been. Sparks flew off the stone. And I couldn't be more thankful for moving in time.

I swung from the ground, cutting deep into its leg. The creature stumbled and snarled, but no blood came out. Just black mist.

Eh!

It lunged again and I ducked low, jamming the sword into its side,twistedly. It let out a blood curling scream.

The cold crawled up the blade, into my arm. And my fingers went numb instantly.

“Come on,” I hissed, yanking the sword free and backing up.

The creature straightened, slower this time. The gash I’d made sealed before my eyes.

“Of course you heal,” I muttered. “Because tonight wasn’t bad enough already.”

It lunged again. I dove sideways, hit the ground hard and rolled. My shoulder slammed into the wall. Pain shot up my back, but I pushed up before it could reach me.

The thing moved fast…faster than I could track. It's claws caught my arm. I sliced across its chest, kicked it off, but my strength was fading. The cut burned cold, spreading like ice through my veins.

It wasn’t just poison. It was something older and unfamiliar.

Magic?...Black magic!

My knees buckled for a second. I pushed off them, and swung again, this time catching it across the face. It hissed and it's blue veins flared bright.

The next hit sent me flying. My back hit the ground, hard enough to knock the breath from my lungs. The sword slipped from my hand, skidding across the dirt.

The creature loomed above me.

“Not today,” I growled, reaching for the blade. My fingers brushed the hilt, but it was too far.

It leaned down, claws pinning my shoulder. The cold spread fast, up my neck, and into my head. And my muscles locked.

I gasped once, but my breath was fleeting. The world blurred at it's edges.

Its face came close enough that I could see its eyes, black pits with a faint ring of silver light inside.

And then I saw it.

Carved deep into its arm, half-hidden by ash and blood, a mark burned into the flesh.

An Ironclaw crest.

The symbol glowed faintly, bright enough for me to know it wasn’t a mistake.

My body froze completely and the cold flooded everything.

Somewhere in the haze, inside me screamed. Maybe it was my wolf.

Maybe it was the bond.

But I don’t know which came first, the sound of my sword hitting the ground or the world going dark.