LOGINOur formation had collapsed into a desperate cluster.Fourteen wolves, surrounded by hundreds of enemies, were still trying to push forward by sheer force of will.It wasn’t enough.“Luna!” Martin’s warning came too late.Something massive slammed into me from behind. I went down hard, skidding across the blood-soaked ground. Before I could roll to my feet, an enemy was on me, teeth aiming straight for my throat.Then Kael was there. He tore the attacker off with savage fury.“Get up!” he snarled. “We move!”I scrambled upright. My left hind leg wouldn’t hold weight properly. Something torn. Maybe broken. It didn’t matter. I limped forward on three legs, driven by pure stubbornness.The crystal pressed hard against my chest, still tucked
The objects slammed into the wall and exploded.Not with fire, but with magic that ate through stone like acid. Gaps tore open in our defenses almost instantly. Enemy forces poured through.“Plug those gaps!” Theron shouted, already moving to rally warriors to the breaches.I shifted mid-stride. The damaged connection with my wolf screamed in protest, but it obeyed. The change hurt more than it should have. I pushed through the pain, anyway.No time for weakness.An enemy wolf lunged at me through one of the new openings. I met it head-on, all teeth and fury. We crashed together in a tangle of claws and snapping jaws. It was strong, but I was desperate, and desperation made me vicious.I tore out its throat and kept moving to the next.And the next.Around me, Black River’s defenders fought with everything they had. Every inch of ground cost blood. But for every enemy we killed, two more took their place.“Fall bac
“Magic is imprecise at this level,” Aldric said as he pressed the small crystal into my palm. “But it’s your best chance. Maybe you're the only one.”I stared at the crystal. Such a small thing to carry so much weight.“And if it doesn’t work?” I asked.“Then we all become Seraphine’s puppets, and she rebuilds her empire using our bodies as tools.” His voice was bleak. “There is no backup plan, Sophia. Either you stop her, or everything ends.”“No pressure, then.”“I’m sorry.” He sounded genuinely regretful. “I’m sorry it’s come to this. Sorry I couldn’t stop her decades ago, before she slid this far. Sorry, the burden of fixing my failure now falls on you.”“It’s not your failure.”
“Alaric is safe,” I cut Kael off sharply. I couldn’t let doubt take root. “Cassius will protect him. That’s what we’re trusting. That’s what we have to believe.”“And the rest of the threat?” Martin asked, reading over Kael’s shoulder. “Burning Black River? Scattering our people?”“She’d do that anyway,” Helena said. “Whether Sophia surrenders. This is just her trying to dress up the slaughter as mercy.”“Probably,” I agreed.“But we should put it to a vote. Let the people decide if my life is worth their safety.”“No,” Kael said at once.I raised an eyebrow. “No?”“No,” he repeated, voice firm. “We’re not putting your life up for a vote. Th
All evacuations were finished. Every outer settlement stood empty. Their people—some willingly, most not—were now packed inside Black River’s walls.The fortifications had reached seventy percent. Not perfect, but strong enough to fight from.Our numbers sat at four hundred thirty-seven combat-ready wolves, plus the fifty reinforcements from Shadow Peak who arrived last night.We were as ready as we could be.Which wasn’t saying much.I stood on the eastern wall at first light, eyes scanning the quiet land beyond our borders. Somewhere out there, Seraphine was moving her pieces into place.We had one day left.One day to wait and wonder if any of it would be enough.“Couldn’t sleep either?” Erica’s voice came from behind me.I
Day two of the evacuation brought additional complications.The three scattered homesteads were digging in harder than the major settlements. Word of the forced removals had spread overnight, and now families were ready to fight back.“They’ve barricaded the doors,” the team leader reported. “Set up basic defenses. Nothing serious, but enough to slow us down.”“How many families?”“Fifteen total. Maybe forty wolves.”Forty wolves who would rather stand and fight than run.I should have respected that kind of stubborn courage.Instead, I just felt tired.“Give them one last chance,” I said. “Full evacuation by sunset. If they refuse, breach the barricades and move them by force.”“That could t
"Or..." I said, pieces clicking into place. Everyone looked at me."Or she's completing her own preparations. Something big. Something that needs time.""The ritual," Garrett realized."The one Drake mentioned. Binding divine power to mortal form.""Takes preparation," Thea confirmed. "Blood circle
"I taught her. As I have taught you. She was brilliant. Brave beyond measure. But terrified, always. The fear never left her."I sat down heavily on a supply crate. "Tell me about her. Please. I barely remember..."Thea's expression softened.She sat beside me."What happened to her?" I asked."She
"I know you'll need every edge," Thea said, gripping my shoulders firmly. "These runes will block three, perhaps four direct strikes before they shatter. After that, you fight without them.""Three or four is more than I dared hope for.""Thank you, Thea.""Do not thank me yet. Thank me if we all li
"How do we lure it here?" an assistant asked."That thing isn't going to just walk into an obvious trap."I looked across the field toward the distant walls. Toward where the monster waited. "I'll lure it.""Sophia," Kael started, his ancient voice edged with barely controlled fear."It wants me. S







