Chapter 111:
“Remember,” I whispered, my voice low but firm, “stay close to each other. Watch your partner’s back, and don’t engage unless you’re certain. We don’t need heroes today; we need a pack that fights as one.”
Ash gave a tight nod, his gaze steadying as he took a deep breath.
“We’re ready,” he murmured, his voice betraying both fear and courage.
“We’ll be right behind you.”
Elara was nearby, flanked by Osric and a few of our strongest warriors. Her eyes met mine across the line of wolves, and in that brief glance, I saw her trust, her confidence, and her resolve. She was a leader born for this moment, and despite everything we’d been through, I felt a fierce pride swell within me. She’d given her all to build this pack’s strength, to forge a unity that would endure even the harshest of trials. Today, we would put that to the test.
A faint rustling reached my ears, and I stilled, signaling to the others to do the same. The sound of footsteps—dozens, maybe more—filtered through the trees. Silas’s wolves were approaching, their movements cautious, careful. They didn’t yet know we were here, lying in wait, but they were close, too close to turn back now.
Elara raised her hand in a signal, her eyes scanning the treeline as she waited for the perfect moment. I gripped the earth beneath me, grounding myself, channeling the tension into a steady, focused energy. Every instinct urged me forward, but I held back, waiting for her lead.
Finally, her hand dropped, and we surged forward as one. The clearing erupted into chaos as we met Silas’s wolves head-on. Snarls filled the air, teeth bared, claws flashing. I found myself face-to-face with a burly wolf from Silas’s pack, his eyes narrowed in a fierce determination that mirrored my own. I braced, twisting to the side just as he lunged, my claws raking across his shoulder in a quick, precise strike. He stumbled but recovered fast, circling me with a low growl.
I didn’t give him a chance to attack again. Launching forward, I knocked him to the ground, pinning him down before delivering a final, sharp blow that left him dazed. Around me, the pack moved like a well-oiled machine, each wolf covering the other, shifting seamlessly to protect any gaps in our line.
Ash and Reed fought nearby, their movements quick but controlled. Ash looked over his shoulder, his eyes locking onto mine, and I gave him a nod, a reminder to trust himself. He returned the nod, his gaze hardening as he turned back to face the enemy. They were holding their own, but the skirmish was only intensifying, the sounds of growls and scuffling blending into a chaotic symphony.
Across the clearing, I spotted Elara locked in combat with a large, grizzled wolf from Silas’s inner circle. She moved with a deadly grace, her strikes precise, her focus unbreakable. She had trained for this, prepared herself in every way possible, and it showed. She was the heart of our defense, a beacon of strength that every wolf here looked to for guidance.
But the fight was far from over. Silas’s wolves were relentless, pushing forward with a brutal determination. I could see the toll it was taking on our younger fighters, their breaths coming faster, their strikes losing some of their initial force. I moved toward them, stepping into the fray to cover their flanks, giving them a moment to regroup. As I struck down another wolf, I caught sight of Reed faltering, his movements slowing as exhaustion crept in.
He stumbled, and a wolf from Silas’s pack lunged at him, fangs bared. I surged forward, intercepting the wolf before he could reach Reed, throwing him back with a fierce snarl.
“Stay focused, Reed,” I said, my voice steady but firm.
“Trust your training. We’re here to protect each other.”
He nodded, his expression hardening as he found his footing again. Together, we pushed back against the wolves that swarmed around us, moving as one, covering each other’s backs.
Just then, a bone-chilling howl split the air, a sound that froze every wolf in their tracks. Silas himself stepped into the clearing, his gaze cold and calculating as he surveyed the battlefield. His eyes landed on Elara, and I saw the flicker of a cruel smile cross his face.
“Elara,” he called out, his voice dripping with mockery.
“Is this the best your pack can do? I expected more from the great Talon Pack.”
