G15
Joshua’s POV
I spun around just in time, barely dodging the rogue’s fangs as they snapped inches from my throat. Adrenaline surged through me as I countered, shifting mid–motion and lunging at him in my wolf form. My teeth tore through his flesh, and a gurgled cry escaped him before I flung his limp body aside. But there were more. Too many more.
Through the haze of battle, I caught sight of the Elders standing at a distance, their expressions eerily composed as they watched their warriors do their dirty work. Fury burned through me. They had sent these rogues to weaken us, to distract us, while they plotted their real move.
A savage growl erupted from my throat. I wouldn’t let them take my daughters.
A sudden, powerful force slammed into my side, sending me skidding across the ground. Pain radiated through. my ribs as I scrambled to my feet, my vision momentarily blurred. The rogue who had tackled me stalked forward. He was stronger than the rest, his aura reeking of dark magic.
“Alpha Joshua,” he rasped, shifting into his human form. “You can fight all you want, but you know how this ends. The Elders will take what they are owed.”
Rage roared through me, my wolf clawing to break free. “You think I’ll let you touch my family?” I spat, shifting back to my human form. Blood trickled down my arm, but I ignored it, my focus locked onto my opponent. “Over my dead body
The rogue smirked. “That can be arranged.
He lunged.
I met him head–on, and we grappled, exchanging blows that echoed through the night. I had to protect Mauve and our daughters. But the rogue was strong, unnaturally so. He clawed at my side, drawing blood, but I refused to back down. My wolf snarled in defiance, feeding me strength even as exhaustion pulled at my limbs.
Through the mind–link, my Beta’s voice rang clear. “Alpha! We’re being overwhelmed. We need to fall back!”
I turned my focus back to my opponent just as he lunged again. This time, I was ready. I ducked low, sidestepping his attack, and in one swift motion, I drove my claws deep into his chest. His eyes widened in shock before he crumpled to the ground, lifeless
Panting, I glanced around. My warriors were struggling, fighting off the rogues with everything they had, but we were losing ground. We needed to change the tide.
Then, a new scent hit me.
Dark magic.
I turned sharply, my gaze locking onto one of the Elders as he stepped forward at last. His lips curled into a cruel smile as he raised a hand, chanting in a language I didn’t recognize.
And then, everything went still.
A deafening silence blanketed the battlefield, followed by an unnatural gust of wind. Shadows coiled around the Elders, writhing like living serpents, and suddenly, I felt my chest, like something was being ripped from me.
My knees buckled. My wolf howled in agony. The bond. “Mauve,” I choked through the link. “Something’s wrong.
Her voice was panicked. “Joshua? What’s happening?”
The Elders‘ magic was severing my connection to my pack. To Mauve. To my daughters.
I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stand. I couldn’t let this happen. I couldn’t lose them!
With one final burst of strength, I launched myself forward, straight toward the Elders–only for my body to betray
me. Agony lanced through my chest, and I collapsed to my knees, barely able to breathe.
“I’m terribly sorry, Mauve,” I whispered through the link, my vision swimming. The magic was suffocating, sapping my strength with every passing second.
Then, a sound cut through the eerie silence. It was a deep, dangerous howl, growing closer. My body tensed instinctively. The scent that followed was familiar, stirring something deep within me.
Before I could say his name, chaos erupted. A blur of massive wolves tore through the battlefield, their sheer size and speed making them unstoppable. They weren’t from the neighboring pack. No–these warriors bore the unmistakable aura of power, their fur marked with the colors of nobility.
Redwood Palace.
The Elders barely had time to react before the largest of the wolves launched at them, ripping through their ranks. The rogues fell like leaves, torn apart by the newcomers. Their howls of terror were drowned out by the victorious roars of the Redwood warriors.
The situation had changed.