Victor's Point of ViewThe coppery scent of blood hangs thick in the air as I rip my claws from the chest of the Crimsonclaw wolf beneath me. Its body slumps with a dull thud, and I barely spare it a glance. I lift my head, scanning through the chaos, and that’s when I see him.A Lycan, taller than the rest, surrounded by the enemy. Four Crimsonclaw wolves are closing in on him like vultures. For a split second, I consider turning away. He’s a Lycan, he should be able to handle himself. But I realize he is injured and instinct takes over before doubt can dig in to deep. He’s outnumbered, injured and he’s a part of our fight. That’s all that matters.I leap forward, my muscles burning as I cross the clearing in seconds. One of the wolves turns at the last moment. Too slow. I think, smirking to myself as I slam into him with full force, knocking him off his feet. We hit the ground hard, and I don’t give him a chance to recover. My claws tear into his ribs, finding vital organs. He howls
Jensen's Point of ViewThe scent of blood and ash hangs heavy in the air as I run, my paws thundering across the torn up ground. The earth is littered with bodies by now. Luckily most of them seem to be from Crimsonclaw but our side will have some loss too.All around me I hear others still snarling with fading rage as they fight for what they believe in. But as I run my mind is locked on one thing: get to the convoy, find Freya and put a stop to this. Once and for all.A snarl rips through the trees on my right, and I spin just as two Crimsonclaw wolves break through the underbrush. They come at me together, coordinated, fast. The first one launches himself towards my flank, its jaws snapping for the tendon behind my knee. The second circles wide, trying to flank me from the other side.I pivot fast, swiping my claws across the first one’s face mid leap. He yelps, and skids past me, blood streaking from a torn eye. But there’s no time to track him, the second wolf is already on me. H
Rosalee's Point of ViewI turn to look at Josh. He’s locked in a brutal fight, his towering Lycan form moving with lethal precision, claws slashing, fangs snapping. Blood splatters the ground around him, some of it his, but mostly the enemy's. I know he can handle himself, but my heart still clenches as I see another wolf lunge at him.I want to help, I want to stay, but something pulls at me... I need to go after Nyx.I meet Josh’s eyes for a brief moment, just long enough to hope he sees the apology and determination there, before I turn and run.The forest rushes past me in a blur of muted greens and browns, my black paws pounding against the earth in long, powerful strides. The sounds of battle echo behind me, snarls, howls, the crash of bodies, but I leave it all behind, my focus narrowed to one thing: Nyx.I saw her disappear, slipping away from the fight like a shadow, and something inside of me said follow her. I don't know if it is instinct or something deeper, but I trust wh
Rosalee's Point of ViewThe battlefield is in complete chaos, snarls, growls, the clash of claws against claws, the metallic scent of blood thick in the air. Josh and I fight shoulder to shoulder, a rhythm forming between us, even in the madness. His movements are sharp and efficient, every strike calculated, every step protecting me. I do my best to hold my own, my claws slick with blood that I can’t tell if it is mine or the enemy's.We’re still trying to push through, trying to make our way towards the convoy, but for every wolf we put down, two more seem to appear. They are relentless. My muscles are burning, my adrenaline keeping me upright more than strength now. I can see the path ahead, the faint shimmer of the convoy beyond the treeline. We're close. We are so close.But something twists in my gut.I haven’t seen Freya. Not once since this started. She should have made her move by now. I scan the shadows between trees every time I get a chance, hoping to spot her silver-gray
Nyx's Point of View I move like a shadow through the trees, every step measured and silent, my eyes locked on the retreating form of Alpha Ellias. I expect treachery, some hidden agenda, maybe an ambush for one of ours. But as I approach a ridge and peer through the undergrowth, what I see stills me. Ellias isn’t planning betrayal. He’s in trouble. Down in the hollow below, the Alpha is cornered, breathing hard, blood matting the fur along his ribs and shoulder. At least five Crimsonclaw wolves circle him, silent, coordinated, too controlled for a random attack. They’re toying with him, testing his movements, forcing him to spin, to tire. They know he’s injured. They smell the blood like sharks in the water. Ellias lunges at one and misses. The wolf ducks away and another snaps at his hind leg. He stumbles. I don’t hesitate. With a growl, I leap from the ridge, crashing through the underbrush and landing hard behind one of the circling wolves. My claws tear into its spin
Nyx's Point of ViewI crouch down low behind a moss covered ridge, my eyes locked on the narrow stretch of road below, where the trees press in so tightly it feels like the forest itself is holding its breath. The tension coils in my gut like a wound spring, but on the surface, I’m still, calm, composed, calculating. Ronan is just ahead of me, silent as stone, his eyes narrowed, muscles coiled and ready.To my right, not far, I keep Rosalee in my periphery. She’s tucked behind a tree next to Josh, shifting from foot to foot, her breathing too quick, too shallow. I can smell the anxiety on her. She tries to hide it, tries to stay still, but I see it, the way her hands clench and unclench at her sides, how she chews on the inside of her lip.She says she’s ready. Jensen believes her. Josh guards her like she’s already proved herself. But me? I don’t trust easily. And I’m not about to let the fate of this operation hinge on whether or not Rosalee thinks she’s strong enough. So I watch he
Rosalee's Point of ViewThe forest is alive with tension. Every rustle of leaves, every distant howl sets my nerves on fire. I press my back against the rough bark of the tree, trying to steady my breathing, but it’s no use, my heart is hammering so hard it feels like it’s echoing through the woods. I glance at Josh, standing tall beside me, calm, but alert, his eyes scanning the shadows ahead.Why did I think I was ready for this?The weight of the decision I made this morning presses down on me, but there’s no turning back now. The time for doubt is over.Josh turns to face me, his expression softer than usual, his voice steady as he says, “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”That promise, simple and solid, cuts through my fear like a blade. I force a small smile and whisper, “Thank you for having my back.”He nods his head, the corners of his mouth lifting just slightly. “Always.”We fall into silence again, the kind that crackles with anticipation. Around us, warriors a
Jensen's Point of View We’re crouched low along the rocky ledge of the overlook, the sharp scent of pine and damp earth thick in the air. From up here, the road below twists through the forest like a gray ribbon, and the convoy crawls along it in a disciplined line, four armored SUVs, flanked by wolves in human form, heads turning constantly, alert. Beside me, Victor and Marcel’s voices break the tense silence as they say. “Just like clockwork.” At the same time they share a small amused smile. My eyes snap to where Victor’s pointing, and sure enough, emerging from the treeline to the north, ten wolves move with precision and speed, their purposeful stride giving them away. Crimsonclaw. But they don’t attack. Instead, they spread out across the road, a tight crescent that blocks the direct route to Dark Moon. Their eyes burn with challenge, but they don’t strike. They don’t need to. They’re herding the convoy, giving them only one option: divert down the narrow, winding rive
Freya's Point of View The scent of old wood and earth fills my lungs as I stand in my cabin, the flickering lantern light casting long shadows across the worn map spread out on the kitchen table. The surface is cluttered with markers, notes, and lines drawn in red and black ink, each one representing a step in the trap that we have spent days perfecting. Ravena stands across from me, her arms crossed over her chest, her posture sharp and ready. Her crimson hair catches the light like flame. “I’ve already arranged everything with our pack,” she says, her voice calm and cool, laced with focus. I nod my head, my eyes scanning across the lines once again. “That’s great. Let’s go over this one more time. I'm not leaving anything up to fate. There is no way Celine walks away a second time.” The corners of Ravena’s mouth pulls up into a sharp smile as she leans over the table and taps a point on the map. “I’ll go with a group of ten wolves. We will intercept them here, just before the fo