Two days had passed since the battle, but the grief in my heart felt as raw as the moment Kieran fell into the chasm. The sky was a muted gray, the sun hidden behind heavy clouds, as if mourning alongside us. We gathered in the heart of the Moon Shadow pack's territory, wolves and humans standing side by side in solemn silence. It wasn’t just a memorial—it was a moment to honor a hero, a leader, and a brother. As I stood beside Luca, my heart ached for him. Kieran wasn’t just the previous Alpha; he was his brother, his blood. The loss had carved a wound so deep it would take a lifetime to heal. Luca stepped forward, his face a mask of stoic determination, though I could see the pain in his eyes. His voice carried over the crowd, firm yet tinged with sorrow. “Kieran was more than a brother to me,” he began, his words measured. “He was my challenger and although he did wrong in the past, he proved himself worthy of being called an alpha. And though he’s no longer with us, his spirit
Damian stretched his hands forward without a word, and his army surged toward us like a relentless tide.Ahead of my army, Luca and I didn’t hesitate. With a shared glance, we charged into the fray, breaking through Damian’s men with swift, brutal efficiency. The sounds of battle roared around us—clashing blades, howling wolves, and cries of pain—but none of it mattered. My focus was singular: Damian.His soldiers came at us from all sides, but we carved a path through them, our movements a deadly dance. My claws slashed through flesh and bone, my senses heightened as the red energy burned through me. Beside me, Luca fought with unmatched ferocity, his strikes precise and lethal.Damian stood in the distance, unmoving, his eyes cold and calculating. Flanking him were his two dark priests, their presence radiating a dark, oppressive energy. He didn’t flinch as we cut through his wolves, his confidence unshaken.The ground beneath us trembled as the battle raged on. My army clashed with
I stood frozen, my knees weak and my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest. Tears blurred my vision as the weight of Damian’s words settled over me.“I can’t go against them,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. Even as I spoke, I hated myself for saying it.Damian’s sharp eyes locked onto mine, and his lips twisted into a cruel smile. He didn’t need to hear me—he had read my lips. That wicked grin of his made my stomach churn.He turned and strode toward my mother, who was bound and broken in those heavy chains. The sound of them scraping against the cold, hard ground sent shivers down my spine.“You give me no choice, Cathrine,” he said, his voice loud enough to cut through the silence.I wanted to scream, to fight, but my body refused to move. I could only stand there, trembling, as Damian grabbed my mother’s chin with his hand.“Out of my generosity,” he said with a mocking smile, “I’ll offer you one last chance to speak. Any final words?”My mother, he
I stood frozen, my knees weak and my heart pounding so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest. Tears blurred my vision as the weight of Damian’s words settled over me.“I can’t go against them,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. Even as I spoke, I hated myself for saying it.Damian’s sharp eyes locked onto mine, and his lips twisted into a cruel smile. He didn’t need to hear me—he had read my lips. That wicked grin of his made my stomach churn.He turned and strode toward my mother, who was bound and broken in those heavy chains. The sound of them scraping against the cold, hard ground sent shivers down my spine.“You give me no choice, Cathrine,” he said, his voice loud enough to cut through the silence.I wanted to scream, to fight, but my body refused to move. I could only stand there, trembling, as Damian grabbed my mother’s chin with his hand.“Out of my generosity,” he said with a mocking smile, “I’ll offer you one last chance to speak. Any final words?”My mother, he
I took a cautious step forward, my army moving as one behind me. The earth beneath my boots seemed to pulse with the weight of the moment. The tension was suffocating, the distance between us and Damian’s army feeling like a fragile thread ready to snap. My gaze never left Damian’s face, though my peripheral vision picked up the shifting forms of his wolves. They were restless, teeth bared, waiting for the command to strike.But then, Damian raised a hand, and his wolves parted once again. This time, another figure emerged from their ranks—a man I knew all too well.“Dennis,” I whispered, my chest tightening.He walked with measured steps, his head bowed slightly, a gleaming sword clutched in his hand. His shoulders were stiff, and his movements lacked the usual confidence I remembered. My heart ached as I saw him stop just a few paces from Damian, the blade in his grip trembling ever so slightly. He turned his head just enough for me to see his face—teary-eyed, conflicted, and filled
After days of relentless marching, we arrived at the border of Damian’s territory. The dense forest seemed darker here, the trees more twisted and suffocating. Each breath felt heavier, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and something foul I couldn’t place. My heart pounded, though I kept my expression cold, my head held high. I couldn’t let the others see even a flicker of doubt.But when we broke through the tree line, I froze. Damian was already there.He stood at the head of his army, a wall of snarling wolves behind him. His presence was as commanding as ever, broad shoulders squared, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. Beside him, his generals stood tense, their claws glinting in the faint light. Every one of them was poised to strike.For a brief moment, I questioned everything. How had he known we were coming? Had someone betrayed us? Or was Damian just that arrogant, so confident in his rule that he expected us to challenge him eventually? It didn’t matter now.I