All Chapters of SHADOWBORN: The Rise Of The Dragon Wolf : Chapter 171 - Chapter 180

Chapter 146AlexThe final day before battle dawned with oppressive stillness that made every wolf in camp uneasy, made the air feel thick with anticipation of violence that would arrive with moonrise.I woke to find Nyx already gone and voices raised outside our tent, and when I emerged I discovered Liam and Lyra had apparently resumed their argument exactly where they'd left it last night."I don't need you hovering over me like I'm incompetent," Liam was saying while his hands worked methodically sorting ammunition. "I know what I'm doing.""If you knew what you were doing you'd organize by caliber first and then by coating density," Lyra said while standing with arms crossed. "Your current system is inefficient.""My current system works," Liam argued without looking up. "Not everything needs to meet your impossible standards of efficiency.""Efficiency saves lives in combat," Lyra countered. "When seconds matter you don't want to be fumbling through disorganized ammunition.""I w

Chapter 148Alexander"We've chosen to stand together," I corrected while moving to Nyx's side."She's mine," he snarled. "She was always meant to be mine.""She's her own," I corrected while moving to intercept. "And she chose me. Chose loyalty over obsession and love over possession.""How poetic," Adrian sneered. "Let's see if poetry stops claws from tearing flesh."He howled and his forces surged forward as one, surged toward our defensive positions with numbers that made our situation seem hopeless."Hold formation," I commanded while alpha authority rang in my voice. "Let them come to us."Our wolves held steady and I felt pride at their discipline, felt them trusting in our preparation despite being badly outnumbered."Now," Lucien shouted.Gunfire erupted from our lines and I watched Adrian's front ranks stumble as wolfsbane bullets found their marks, watched the charge falter as wolves fell screaming.Adrian's wolves fell in waves that should have been impossible, fell to wea

Chapter 150Alex "I'm the thing you fear most, proof that your precious species barriers are illusion built on prejudice rather than biology."She launched herself skyward with single powerful beat of her hybrid wings and I felt the wind from her takeoff nearly knock me over, felt the sheer force she could now command.The lead dragon tried to bat her aside again but this time when massive scaled paw swung toward Nyx she moved with speed that made her blur, moved with wolf reflexes enhanced by dragon strength and aerial maneuverability.Her claws, elongated and burning with inner fire that was hotter than any flame I'd seen her produce before, raked across the dragon's scales and drew blood that had never been drawn by wolf claws alone.The dragon shrieked with pain and shock, shrieked while actual fear entered her ancient eyes for the first time."She's stronger," Lucien said with awe making his voice shake. "By the moon, when you're touching her she becomes exponentially stronger.

Chapter 152Alex They clashed in the sky above us and I felt Nyx's exhaustion finally becoming critical, felt her consciousness beginning to flicker like a candle in high wind."Nyx," I called while panic seized me. "Stay with me.""Tired," she murmured while her transformation wavered. "So tired, Alex.""I know," I said while trying to support her through our bond. "But you have to hold on a little longer.""Can't," Nyx said while her eyes began closing. "Sorry, can't."She collapsed and I caught her before she hit the ground, caught her while her transformation faded completely and left her looking small and fragile and utterly human."No," I said while shaking her gently. "No, you don't get to quit now, we won, Nyx, we won."But she was unconscious and our bond had gone quiet in ways that terrified me, had gone so quiet I could barely feel her presence at all.Around us the battle was winding down as Adrian's forces broke and fled, as our coalition pressed advantage and drove them

Chapter 154Alex"Define secure," I said while my voice came out flat."Somewhere we can't reach him," she explained. "Somewhere he feels safe enough to negotiate.""Adrian doesn't want to negotiate," I argued. "He wants to possess Nyx, he's not going to trade her for anything.""Then he'll eventually make a mistake," the woman said. "Eventually he'll get complacent or careless and we'll find our opening.""Eventually isn't good enough," I said. "Nyx could be hurt or dying right now and we're just sitting here.""We're recovering our strength and preparing for the next confrontation," Lucien said while appearing with his own exhaustion visible. "We're making sure that when we do find Nyx, we have the resources to actually rescue her instead of getting slaughtered in the attempt."His logic was sound but I hated it, hated being forced to be patient when everything in me screamed to act.The day passed with agonizing slowness while scouts continued searching the roads and trackers trie