Extreme Rescue

In all my twenty years, I had never known the feeling of being on the edge of death—until my wolf power was utterly drained. The blizzard howled, carrying the sharp scent of silver dust. It coiled around me like invisible chains, choking the breath from my Inner Wolf, locking him deep within. My wounds—deep gashes from a brutal fight with Rogues—hadn’t even begun to heal. Blood oozed out, freezing almost instantly in the bitter cold. I had fallen into a crevasse. My limbs were numb. The wind screamed in my ears, and I could feel my life slipping away, breath by fading breath.

But I wasn’t afraid. Even as the end crept closer, I found myself smiling faintly, trying to comfort the two young wolf pups I had nearly died protecting—Holly and Lvan.

“Don’t cry, little ones,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “I’m just… tired. Go down the mountain first, okay? I’ll catch up after I rest a little.”

Lvan, stubborn as ever, kept digging at the ice with his tiny, bloodied paws, refusing to give up on me. Holly, a little older, snapped at him to stop wasting his strength.

“We’re too small,” she said sharply. “We’re not strong enough to save Seraphina. We need to find the rescue team!”

The silver dust in the air was eating away at my wolf. One of my eyes was already blind. The rumbling from deep within the ice grew louder. I knew—if they didn’t leave now, they’d be buried with me.

“Holly, you’re a smart girl,” I said softly. “My boyfriend, Xander—he’s the commander of the rescue squad. The strongest warrior in all of Silvermoon Tribe. He never fails a mission. Find him. He’ll save me.”

“Xander? I know him!” Holly’s eyes lit up. “We’ll find him right away!”

The two pups carefully leapt away, weaving around falling ice as they headed for safety.

I watched them go, filled with a fragile hope.

Xander… you’re amazing. You’ll find me in 24 hours. I know you will.

I prayed.

Then, light returned to the ice cave, warm and blinding. Through it, I saw a figure I knew by heart.

Xander…

Relief flooded me. I sprang up and ran into his arms.

Or tried to.

My body passed right through him.

“What… what’s happening?” I whispered.

I instinctively reached out to Maxin, my Inner Wolf, for answers—but he remained silent. He had been silent for a long time.

Then, I understood.

The rescue team moved through the cave, searching. They passed through me again and again.

I was no longer in my body.

My corpse lay buried, just beneath the ice. So close to Xander, yet invisible.

“Commander,” one of the scouts called, “the patrol team is requesting backup. They pursued Rogues into the glacier nearly 24 hours ago. They haven’t returned.”

My death report was handed to Xander.

Just as he reached out to take it, his assistant, Hudson, snatched it away.

“Xander—Daisy’s trapped in the glacier too. You know she’s just an Omega; she can’t survive out here alone.”

“I’ll send another team to help the patrol. You go to Daisy. Don’t forget… she’s carrying your pup.”

“No!” I screamed.

Rage surged through me at the mention of her name.

Daisy—she was the one who left Xander. But ever since I got together with him, she kept showing up, stirring trouble, pushing us into endless fights.

You could’ve sent someone else to rescue her! Xander, I’m your girlfriend. The patrol team is in danger—aren’t you worried I might be one of them? My body is about to be swallowed by the glacier. If you don’t come now… you’ll never see me again.

But he didn’t hear me.

Without hesitation, Xander stepped right through my spirit and leapt out of the ice cave—toward Daisy.

Xander, if you go to her… then I don’t want you anymore.

I reached out with everything I had left—but my hand caught only air.

I curled up on the icy ground, helpless, watching the man I loved disappear into the snowstorm.

Xander… in the end, was she always your first choice? Even if it meant losing me forever… would you still choose her without regret?