Attack
1304 Words
IRIS’ POV
My footsteps faltered the moment I heard Kael's words, and it didn't take me long to realize what he meant.
He was coming with us.
Yesterday, during the meeting, it had already been decided that Darius and I would personally inspect the packs where wolves had suddenly gone mad and attacked their own people to investgate. But nowhere in those discussions had it been mentioned that the Alpha King himself would accompany us.
Yet here he was.
Great. Just great.
I had just spent the entire night hiding from this man, and now he was accompanying us on this trip.
I exchanged glances with Darius, knowing he hadn't expected this either.
“Be careful. Don’t expose yourself.” He warned me in our the mind-link.
Kael’s beta, Luis, then approached us.
"It will take approximately one hour to reach the Ironfang Pack if we travel in wolf forms," he informed us. "Will you be traveling in your wolf forms as well?"
My body immediately tensed.
No. Absolutely not.
Last night, Kael had seen me in my wolf form. If I shifted now, all my efforts escaping from him would become meaningless.
I immediately mind-linked Darius.
"I can't shift. Kael Draven saw me in wolf form last night."
He immediately understood at once.
"We won't be shifting," he turned to Luis and answered calmly.
Several warriors glanced at us in surprise. Even Luis raised an eyebrow slightly. Running alongside wolves while staying in human form wasn't exactly common.
But Darius simply spoke with confidence.
"You don't need to worry," he said. "We'll keep up with your pace."
Although surprise and doubt still lingered on their faces, I also stepped forward and spoke.
I deliberately lowered my voice before speaking. The last thing I needed was for Kael to recognize me as the woman from last night.
"Please lead the way."
For some reason, after I spoke, I immediately felt his gaze on me.
Gods.
Was he studying my voice? Did he recognize something?
Fortunately, he immediately turned and said nothing else. He simply ordered his warriors to assemble before shifting first, with Luis and the others quickly following behind.
Despite seeing him last night, his wolf form still somewhat intimidated me. His black fur seemed to absorb the morning light around him, and his massive body radiated the kind of power that demanded respect. He was larger than any wolf I had ever encountered, and those silver eyes were every bit as intense and piercing.
I quickly looked away.
Focus on the mission, Iris.
Not him.
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We departed a few minutes later.
Darius and I kept pace beside the wolves with ease. At first, I could still feel the curious glances from the Northern warriors, but they eventually stopped paying attention after realizing we weren't falling behind. They probably hadn't expected us to keep up in our human forms. Unfortunately for them, speed was something Lunaris wolves excelled at.
Soon, the scent of a wolf settlement drifted through the air, telling me we were already approaching the borders of the Ironfang Pack.
Then, without warning, Kael, who had been leading the group in his wolf form, abruptly stopped.
At the same time, Aria stirred uneasily inside me.
The air shifted.
Something's wrong.
Before we could react, a rogue burst from the trees and started lunging towards us.
Then another.
And another.
The battle started immediately.
Fortunately, there weren't many of them. Kael and his warriors handled the first wave easily. Darius and I also fought alongside in our human forms, our blades flashing through the air. One rogue fell beneath my dagger, blood spraying across the ground.
Only for him to get back up.
I froze.
What?
Nearby, Darius had just knocked down a rogue when the creature staggered back to its feet.
"They're healing," Darius sneered.
Before I could think further, more rustling sounds echoed around us. Another group emerged from the forest, their snarls filling the air.
My expression hardened.
Around us, Kael in his massive black wolf form tore through the battlefield like a force of nature. He suddenly threw back his head and roared. The sound thundered through the forest, carrying the overwhelming pressure of an Alpha King.
Suddenly, I heard his command.
"Target the vital point!"
I know the order was intended for his warriors, but somehow, it also reached me.
I faltered for a second, surprise flashing through me. My mental barriers trembled slightly as the command brushed against them. It wasn't enough to force obedience, but I still heard it clearly.
My eyes widened. That shouldn't happen.
Normally, an Alpha's command only reached wolves under his authority. I wasn't one of his pack members. I wasn't even from the Northern Territories. I was a Lunaris.
For the briefest moment, confusion stirred inside me.
Why could I hear him?
But another rogue lunged at me, forcing the thought away.
I drove my dagger into the creature's throat and immediately shifted my focus back to the battle.
The battle became fiercer. I drove my dagger into a rogue's eye before twisting aside to avoid another attack. Nearby, Darius moved like a shadow, his strikes precise and merciless.
Then my eyes narrowed when I noticed something.
Luis had just slammed a rogue to the ground and turned his attention elsewhere. But the creature he defeated rose again.
And it was right behind him. But he was too far for me to aid him in close combat.
I immediately raised my hand. Silver fire exploded from my palm.
The flame shot across the battlefield and pierced the rogue before it could reach Luis. It screamed and collapsed permanently.
Luis immediately stopped.
His wolf turned toward me and lowered his head slightly in gratitude.
I nodded once.
Then I felt another stare.
I turned instinctively and froze.
Kael had already dealt with the rogues surrounding him, their dead bodies surrounding him. Now, his silver eyes were fixed entirely on me.
My heart skipped.
For a second, I felt slightly nervous. Had he recognized something? But I quickly shook the thought away.
It was probably because he saw me shot that silver fire.
Stories about the Veilwalkers and their silver flames had existed for generations. Perhaps he was surprised to see me display it.
Still, the intensity of his gaze made my heart beat faster.
I immediately looked away and continued to the fight.
Fortunately, after discovering their weakness, it didn't take long before we finally dealt with the remaining rogues. Silence gradually returned to the forest, broken only by heavy breathing and the smell of blood hanging in the air.
Soon, I heard the sound of bones cracking. I saw Kael shift back first, followed by Luis and the others.
He surveyed the battlefield with cold eyes.
"Secure the area."
His warriors immediately dispersed.
I was about to inspect the bodies when someone called out to me.
"Miss Irene."
I turned.
"Thank you for earlier," Luis said as he approached me.
"You're welcome," I replied.
His gaze shifted to the rogue I had burned moments ago. "I've long heard stories about the invincible silver fire of the Veilwalkers. They say those flames exist to punish the wicked and criminals. It truly lives up to its reputation.”
"It’s nothing," I said simply.
But even as I answered him, I could still feel another person's gaze lingering on me.
Kael.
Again.
I ignored him and crouched beside one of the bodies sprawled on the ground. The rogues had already shifted back into their human forms. Their skin was unnaturally pale, and even in death, something about them felt wrong. Their bodies looked twisted, almost as if something beneath the skin had been struggling to claw its way out.
Whatever these creatures were, I had a feeling they were far from ordinary.
- Writer
