Chapter 29
Zachary’s POV
Two quiet days had passed since the last rogue sighting. No news of Maximus or his army, and no word from the warriors returning from Blue Moon. Life at Night Blood had slipped into an eerie normalcy, with drills and preparations filling our days, but no real action to justify the tension.
The morning was no different. I sat at the head of the dining table at the pack house, sipping coffee and reviewing strategy maps with Mason. Sam was on patrol duty, ensuring the perimeter remained secure. The warriors were at ease but prepared, waiting for the inevitable.
Suddenly, a sharp growl rang through the pack mind link.
“Breach! South border under attack!”
Chaos erupted instantly. I stood so fast my chair toppled over.
“Mason, get your team to the south border now!” I ordered through the mind link.
“On it, Alpha!” Mason responded, already shifting into his wolf. “Sam, I want you covering the east border. This could be a diversion” I order Sam.
“Got it” Sam replied.
The dining hall emptied in moments as warriors shifted and raced to their positions. I followed suit, Aiden surging forward in anticipation of the fight.
The stench of rogues hit me before I reached the south border. Blood and earth mingled with the acrid tang of unwashed fur. As I crested the hill overlooking the battlefield, the sight below was grim.
Dozens of rogues poured through the shattered barrier, their red eyes glowing with malicious intent. My warriors met them head-on, their claws tearing into the enemy with precision, but the rogues kept coming.
I let out a thunderous howl, signalling my arrival. My warriors rallied, their movements sharpening with renewed vigor. Aiden charged forward, crashing into the nearest rogue and tearing into its throat with ruthless efficiency.
“Focus on formation!” I barked through the link. “Don’t let them break our lines!”
Mason’s voice came through next. “South flank holding steady, but there’s too many. We need reinforcements!”
I tore through another rogue before responding. “I’m sending backup. Hold your ground!” The battlefield was chaos. Wolves clashed, teeth and claws flashing in the dim light. Blood sprayed as my warriors fought relentlessly.
“Mason!” I called, spotting him a few feet away, locked in combat with two rogues.
He snarled, snapping the neck of one before throwing the other to the ground. “They’re targeting the weak spots in our defences!”
“Then we’ll show them why Night Blood is the strongest!” I growled, lunging at a rogue sneaking up behind him.
Mason nodded, his grin sharp and wild. “Let’s send these bastards a message”
Sam’s voice cut in through the link. “Alpha, the east border is under heavy attack too! These aren’t random strikes they’re coordinated”
I cursed. “Can you hold it?”
“For now. But if they push harder, we’ll need help”
“Mason, I’m heading east. You stay here and hold the south” I ordered.
“Go” he said, his tone grim but determined. “We’ve got this”
Aiden and I raced toward the east, the sounds of battle growing louder with each step. When I arrived, Sam was already in the thick of it, his wolf a blur of fur and fury as he took down rogue after rogue.
“They’re relentless!” Sam shouted.
“They’re desperate” I replied, ripping apart a rogue lunging toward him. “Maximus is testing our strength before he shows himself”
Sam growled. “Then he’ll learn the hard way”
For hours, we fought. The rogues kept coming, wave after wave, but we refused to give an inch.
By the time the sun began to set, the battlefield was littered with rogue corpses. The attacks slowed and finally, silence fell over the pack lands.
I shifted back to human form, breathing heavily. Blood and dirt covered me and my muscles ached from the relentless battle. Mason joined me soon after, limping slightly but alive.
“We held them” he said, his voice rough. “Barely”
“Where’s Sam?” I asked.
“Here” Sam called, emerging from the shadows with a few warriors in tow. “East border is clear”
I nodded. “Good. Everyone regroup at the pack house. We need to assess our losses and prepare for whatever’s next”
Mason frowned. “You think Maximus will strike again tonight?”
I stared out at the horizon, where the setting sun painted the sky in shades of red.
“He’s testing us” I said quietly. “The real attack hasn’t started yet”
And as we made our way back to the pack house, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Maximus was watching, waiting for the perfect moment to make his move.
The pack house was a frenzy of activity as we returned from the battlefield.
Dr. Smith and his team worked tirelessly to treat the injured, while the women of the pack kept the children safe in the bunker below the main hall.
I moved from room to room, ensuring order was maintained and lending a hand where needed.
Mason sat on a makeshift bench, wincing as one of the healers wrapped his injured leg. “You should be resting” I told him.
He gave me a dry look. “And you should be leading a pack through a rogue invasion, not get worried about your friend. We’re both ignoring good advice, Alpha”
I shook my head but couldn’t help the small smirk tugging at my lips.
Just as the chaos seemed to settle, a deafening howl pierced the air, followed by the rumble of distant growls.
“Alpha! Maximus has been spotted near the north border. He’s brought a massive wave of rogues with him this time!” The mind-link sent my heart pounding. I turned sharply to Mason. “Stay here. Your leg won’t hold in another fight”
He growled in frustration. “Zach, you can’t go alone”
“That’s an order” I snapped. “The pack house and bunker need you more right now. Protect them”
Reluctantly, Mason nodded, his expression grim. “Don’t get yourself killed”
I shifted into Aiden and sprinted toward the north border, the cold night air slicing through my fur. “All warriors regroup at the north border immediately” I commanded through the mind-link.
As I neared the battlefield, another voice broke through the link. “Alpha, the warriors from Blue Moon have arrived. They’re fighting at the north border”
A spark of hope lit inside me. Reinforcements were a relief, though the uneasy restlessness from Aiden persisted. Something felt... off.
Then came the next message that sent a jolt through me. “Alpha... Luna is here. She came with our warriors from Blue Moon”
Aiden roared in my head, his fury and protectiveness surging. “Mate is here! It’s not safe for her! Protect her!”
“What the hell is she doing here?” I growled through the link, pushing my legs faster.
When I reached the north border, the scene before me was nothing short of chaos. Warriors clashed with rogues, their snarls and growls reverberating through the dense trees. And there, in the thick of it, was Amara in her wolf form.
She was leading the charge, her movements precise and deadly. Eva is sleek and powerful, she tore through the rogues with an unmatched ferocity and speed. The warriors followed her lead, their attacks synchronised and efficient.