Aries’ POV The only thing I could feel besides my own heartbeat was the rush of the battlefield. After one last look at Rex, I plunged into the chaos, my hand locked around the nearest warrior’s throat and I snapped it. The sound was swallowed by the screams and clashing metal. I didn’t waste a second. I moved, throwing bodies aside, more warriors falling at my touch. I kept glancing toward Rex, but she vanished into the crowd. All I could do was hope she was safe. My sights were set on Ron, but I couldn’t abandon my pack, not until Lilly and the allies arrived. I shed my human skin in a fluid motion, letting my wolf form take over to save energy. I couldn’t afford to tire this early. I snapped my jaws and flung one attacker away, blood smeared across my muzzle as I turned to the next. Their forces seemed endless—every kill birthed two more. Our numbers were bleeding out, and if it kept up, any advantage would die with us. Rex’s voice cut through the mayhem at the perfect
Rex POV Everyone was gathered outside the barrier that Zane had perfected. Warriors stood sharp and alert, their gazes fixed forward like blades ready to strike. Less than five minutes now. The enemy was almost here, closer with every breath of wind. The women, children, and elderly were safely tucked inside the safehouse along with Lucy and Alpha Charles. Even if by some miracle of misfortune the barrier was broken, lives would not be so easily stolen. I stood beside Aries, watching his jaw tighten as his eyes scanned the tree line again and again. His breath left him in a steady exhale, but I knew his thoughts were anything but calm. “She’ll be back in time,” I whispered, already knowing who he was searching for. “Lilly will come with the allies. Trust her.” He gave a sharp nod, shoulders squaring before he stepped forward to address the crowd. “This isn’t how we pictured this fight,” his voice rang deep and certain, “but we will not back away just because it isn’t picture pe
Rex’s POVThe hairs on my skin prickled as the scout finished speaking. They were here?Here where?“What are you talking about?” Aries cut in sharply, eyes narrowing. “They are where?”“Forgive me, Alpha,” the scout stammered, anxiety spilling from every word.“I didn’t ask you to beg,” Aries seethed. “Clarify yourself.”The scout swallowed hard, then straightened. “The Blue Crescent pack is on their way here, Alpha. If I’m not wrong, they’ll be on your grounds in about thirty minutes.”My feet wobbled. “I thought you said they wouldn’t be ready until tomorrow,” I snapped, trying to steady myself.“We were fooled,” Aries said softly, his hand finding mine.“That’s right, Alpha,” the scout added quickly. “They worked slowly at first, like I reported. But a few hours ago I saw them march out fully prepared. More than enough troops. We… we need to act now. Our previous plan, to meet them on neutral grounds, won’t work. They’ll reach here before we can gather all our warriors—let alone o
Ron’s POVWe reached my pack at the break of dawn, and I stormed in, ignoring the complaints of the warriors trailing behind me. Weaklings. They had no idea what it meant that Rex was back , that she chose the joining ceremony of all things to flaunt it and mock me. They couldn’t even begin to grasp the weight of it.I wasted no time marching toward the Elders’ cabin. Presentation didn’t matter, they’d been summoning me for days, and now they’d finally get their wish. Only this time, I wanted no “guidance” from them. No long-winded lectures or wimpy advice. All I needed were forces. Troops. Soldiers who could bleed for me. Anything else was noise.I shoved the door open sharply, eyes locking on their startled faces.“Well, that’s one way to welcome me after all those letters you’ve been sending these past four days,” I said dryly as I dropped onto the couch, crossing one leg over the other.“Alpha Ron,” Elder Varne said, his eyes narrowing, “you seem to have lost all respect for the p
Rex’s POVAs Aries led me back to our room, I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, but I ignored them, focusing only on his touch guiding me forward. My mind was steady, but my heart refused to cooperate, thumping against my ribs like it wanted to break out.The moment the door shut behind us, I finally exhaled. Aries placed me gently on the bed before joining me.“Are you okay?” he asked, his hand running through my hair.I nodded quickly. “A bit shaken, but not anymore. If I hadn’t acted, someone else could’ve been hurt.”He smiled softly, pulling me closer.“You need to stop worrying about others and protect yourself first, Rex,” he whispered. “The knife was pointed at you. Don’t be afraid to say you defended yourself, love.”His words made sense, even though my instincts didn’t fully agree.“Protecting yourself comes first. Even before me.”I squinted at him. “I don’t agree with that, but… I’ll let it slide for now.”He chuckled, and a calm silence fell over us.“Did everything go we
Rex’s POV I could tell how intense things had gotten just by watching the field. Warriors and pack members were scrambling, arms full of supplies, voices rising and falling in hurried conversations. Every corner buzzed with movement, but the tension wasn’t chaos, it was preparation. Robin walked beside me, his expression steady, though I could sense the same weight I carried pressing on him too. Three days. That’s all we had. It should be enough. A day and a half to arm the warriors. Half a day to finalize strategies. And if the Allies didn’t drag their feet, we could move out the following morning. I clung to that thought, repeating it like a prayer. We would pull through. We had to. “How many of the warriors do you think will actually fight?” I asked as we approached the house where the banished members were gathered. Robin didn’t even hesitate. “All of them, Rex. This isn’t just about you or me, it’s about reclaiming the lives stolen from them, protecting the home they’ve