Chapter 15: Blood and Oaths

Chaos broke the forest apart.

Growls clashed with steel. Bodies collided. The air filled with the scent of blood and earth as wolves lunged from every direction.

I barely had time to breathe before Kael's arm moved in front of me, blocking a strike meant for my throat.

"Stay behind me," he commanded.

I didn't argue. But I didn't stay still either.

A wolf broke through the line, eyes locked on me. Instinct took over. I moved sideways, just as Kael had drilled into me, and drove my elbow into his ribs. The impact slowed him long enough for one of our warriors to take him down.

This wasn't training. This was survival.

To my left, Rhen fought two wolves at once, his movements sharp and efficient. To my right, another of Kael's warriors fell, blood staining the forest floor.

They weren't just testing us anymore. They were trying to break us.

"Hold formation!" Kael's voice cut through the noise.

But the enemy had no intention of letting us stay organized. They moved differently. Coordinated. Focused. Every attack angled toward one point.

Me.

"They're targeting her!" Rhen shouted.

"I know," Kael replied, his voice low, dangerous.

Another wolf lunged straight at me. This time, Kael didn't just block. He attacked.

The shift was instant. Power surged through him, raw and dominant. His movements turned lethal, precise in a way that left no room for survival. The wolf didn't get a second chance.

For a moment, everything around us seemed to pause. Even the enemy hesitated. They felt it. The Alpha.

But hesitation didn't last. More wolves emerged from the trees. Too many.

"They planned this," I said, breath tight.

"Yes," Kael replied. "And they expected us to be weaker."

Darius staggered to his feet nearby, still bleeding but gripping a fallen weapon. "I told you," he muttered, stepping into the fight. "This isn't just a raid."

Rhen shot him a sharp look but didn't argue. There was no time.

A sharp whistle cut through the chaos. The enemy froze for half a second. Then they shifted formation.

"They're pulling back," one of our warriors called.

"No," Kael said, eyes narrowing. "They're changing tactics."

The ground beneath my feet felt wrong. Too still.

Then, a net snapped upward from the forest floor. It wrapped around me before I could react. The force yanked me off balance, dragging me down hard. Pain shot through my ribs as I hit the ground.

"Elara!" Kael's voice broke through everything.

I struggled, but the net tightened, binding my arms. A shadow loomed above me. The same lead wolf stepped forward, that cold smile still on his face.

"Told you," he said softly. "We're not here for a fight."

My heart slammed against my ribs.

"We're here for you."

Kael moved. Fast. Too fast. But the moment he did, blades pressed to my throat. Three wolves. Close. Precise. Waiting.

"Another step," one of them warned, "and she dies."

Kael stopped. The entire forest seemed to hold its breath.

Rhen shifted slightly, ready to strike.

"Don't," I said quickly.

His jaw tightened.

The lead wolf crouched in front of me, studying my face like I was something to be claimed.

"You've caused quite a disruption," he murmured.

"Let her go," Kael said, his voice steady but lethal.

The wolf smiled. "No."

Silence stretched, sharp and suffocating.

"You want her?" the wolf continued. "Come and take her."

The challenge hung in the air. Dangerous. Calculated.

Kael's eyes darkened. "You don't understand what you're asking."

"Oh, I do," the wolf replied. "But I don't think you understand your position anymore."

My pulse quickened. This wasn't just an attack. It was a message. A test.

The wolf leaned closer to me, his voice dropping. "You're not as protected as you think."

Fear crept into my chest, but I forced myself to stay still. Think. Watch. Wait.

Kael's voice cut through the tension. "You take her," he said slowly, "you start a war you won't survive."

The wolf tilted his head slightly. "War already started."

The words settled like a final verdict. Then he stood.

"Fall back," he ordered.

The wolves moved instantly. Fast. Controlled. Dragging me with them.

"No!" Kael stepped forward, but they were already retreating into the trees.

Rhen lunged after them, but Kael's arm shot out, stopping him.

"Wait," Kael said sharply.

Rhen froze, disbelief flashing across his face. "They're taking her!"

"I know."

Kael's gaze remained locked on the forest. Calculating. Controlled. Furious.

"They want us to chase blindly," he continued. "That's how we lose more."

My heart pounded as I was pulled deeper into the trees. I twisted against the net, trying to slow them down. It didn't work.

The forest swallowed the pack behind me. Kael's figure disappeared from view.

And for the first time since this began, I was alone.

The lead wolf glanced back at me, that same cold smile returning. "Don't worry," he said. "You're far more valuable alive."

Fear settled deeper this time. Not sharp. Not sudden. Heavy.

Because now I understood something worse than being hunted. I had been taken.

And whatever came next, I would have to face it without Kael.