Chapter 75
Cassian stood over the map table in the war room, his eyes scanning the detailed sketches of the western ruins. Nathan and Anica flanked him, their expressions equally grim.
“If the tracks we found are leading to something bigger,” Nathan began, “then we need to act before the Lycan King has time to regroup.”
Cassian nodded, his jaw tight. “We’ll need more than just our warriors. The allied packs need to know what’s coming.”
“Good luck convincing them,” Anica said dryly. “Half of them are too afraid to act, and the other half would rather let your pack burn than risk their own.”
Cassian shot them a sharp look. “We don’t have a choice. If we stand alone, we lose.”
Anica shrugged, their golden eyes gleaming faintly. “Then you’d better make a hell of a case, Alpha.”
Before Cassian could respond, the door burst open, and a young scout stumbled inside, his face pale.
“The northern patrol,” he gasped. “They sent up the flare.”
Cassian’s blood ran cold. “Aurora’s with them.”
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Aurora’s heart pounded as the sound of snarls filled the air. The patrol had been ambushed by a pack of shadowy wolves—creatures unlike any she’d ever seen. Their forms were twisted and unnatural, their eyes glowing with a sickly green light.
“Hold the line!” the lead wolf shouted, his voice barely audible over the chaos.
Aurora and Iris stood back-to-back, their movements synchronized as they fended off the attackers.
“These aren’t Lycans!” Iris shouted, slashing at one of the creatures as it lunged.
“I know!” Aurora replied, her breath coming in short gasps. “They’re something else.”
The air seemed to grow heavier with each passing moment, the unnatural presence of the creatures pressing down on them. Aurora’s vision blurred as a sharp, metallic scent filled her nose.
One of the creatures lunged at her, its claws glinting, and she barely managed to deflect the blow. The force sent her staggering, and she cried out as her back hit a tree.
Before the creature could strike again, a blur of movement appeared between them, and Cassian’s blade sliced through the air. The creature fell with a guttural snarl, its body dissipating into dark smoke.
“Aurora!” Cassian called, his voice tight with urgency.
“I’m fine,” she managed, her voice shaky as she pushed herself upright.
Cassian didn’t pause to check further. He turned to the remaining creatures, his blade flashing as he tore through them with brutal efficiency. The other warriors joined in, their combined strength driving the creatures back.
Within minutes, the forest fell silent once more, the last of the attackers vanishing into the shadows.
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As the patrol regrouped, Cassian approached Aurora, his expression a mixture of relief and anger.
“You shouldn’t have been out here,” he said, his voice low but firm.
Aurora bristled. “I was helping the patrol. I’m not a prisoner, Cassian.”
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he glanced toward the direction the creatures had fled. “Those weren’t normal wolves. They weren’t Lycans, either.”
“They felt… wrong,” Aurora said quietly.
Anica arrived moments later, their gaze scanning the area. “Shadow beasts,” they muttered, almost to themselves.
Cassian turned to them sharply. “Shadow beasts?”
Anica nodded, their expression unusually grim. “Creatures of the in-between. They’re tied to the kind of magic the Lycan King is using. Summoned to weaken us, to test our defenses.”
“They’re gone now,” Nathan said. “We handled it.”
“For now,” Anica replied. “But this was just the beginning. He’s testing the waters. Next time, it’ll be worse.”
Cassian’s gaze shifted to Aurora, his chest tightening. He had promised to protect her, but the fight ahead felt more uncertain than ever.
