eline to the east, eyes sharp, shoulders tense beneath her heavy cloak. Each day that passed brought them closer to the Bloodfang attack. Each night, the

ior knew fear. A horn blew once from the western watchtower, low

w melting against the shoulders of his coat. His gaze sw

them until nightf

of them half-shifted, barely holding form. The Crescent Vale guards pul

utching a deep gash in his abdomen. "They've split-flanking us

d. "They're trying t

d scout added, blood smeared across his templ

elle

ckt

yal etched in Crescent Vale history

ry," he ordered. "Gavin,

illian of the Ironclaws slammed his fist on

h map. "They want to stretch our forces thin

Moonveil warrior. "Meet them at th

want. We leave the ridge undermanned, they'l

hold the high ground. Let

the ravine. Pull the lead wave in, collapse the

m," Alfred said.

ed through the Va

trenches dug and camouflaged. Hidden archers readied flint-tipped arrows soaked in wolfs

-her new armor laced in silver thread, her cloak bearing the c

a Luna born of a

his dark cloak billowing behind him. "T

hem come,

long beat. "If some

handwriting

o say thi

d. He hadn't call

me, "I want you to keep fighting. Lead them. You're the Flam

over his heart. We survive this. Together. His eyes closed at

their boots. The Bloodfangs had arrived. They came like shadows in the fog-hundreds of wolves, many half-shifted, some in brutal war forms

and, halting the front wave. A single figure broke from the Bloodfang line and approache

to think you'd ru

but deadly. "And miss

pt the line-and l

ted hi

ughter herself. The la

ghed. "Tell me, girl... do you even know what your blood

o protect, she wrote,

rkos sneered. "

his hand. The signal. Archers loosed

nks with burning streaks of silver and wolfsbane. The enemy surged forward, howling,

her blade singing, her wolf ju

harged f

e eastern slope. Annabelle turned- and found herself face-to-face with a

screamed, you kn

ed with him in midair, and she didn't stop. She didn't hesitate. She didn't mercy. The Bloodfang

t Vale's forces held the line, but the Bloodfangs were relentless. They surged through th

measured, every leap laced with rage born of blood and betrayal. But the moment she tasted the blood of the Blackth

around her shimmered with some ancient energy. As she stepped forward, her paw left a mar

we

and u

could strike, the ground beneath him cracked open with a burst of force

lowing, arms steady as she raised her blade. The Fla

was h

red and Varkos collided with a cr

agains

gainst

n his snout. His form was cruel, twisted by dark magic. Alfred, as

g flesh. Blood flew. But Alfred held the high ground, eve

abe

l burn like the rest o

e like thunder. "She is

en he

e of crumbled stone. Before the dark Alpha

rkos g

en know the t

hovered at Va

last Flame," Va

ore, an explosion rocked the

rs had lit one of the

ng through her as she spotted the black smok

ugh the chaos. "They've b

t Vale woul

n her

eneath the surface of her skin, the Flame burning brigh

dy twisting midair, landing with a fo

loodfang ro

light bleeding from her eyes,

she

ears-rang through the

home. You wil

nd with them came a surge of raw power-radiating from

my ranks. A gust of wind tore through the battlefield, forcing every

as th

lfred felt it too. His wolf howled from the ravi

shouted. "PUS

e tide

ys of sunlight broke through the storm- clouded sky. Dozens lay

into the smoke, wounded, humiliated- but not dead. T

d, her face bruised, but her back straight. Alfred approache

e," he sa

, eyes on

u, Belle. S

quiet. "It jus

was

ng into a soft, wry smile. "Now they w

You don't nee

lted h

t need t

ned. And in the distance, the pack howle