Chapter 13: The Wolves Within
224 Words
Dawn crept through the thick canopy, painting the forest in pale gold. The Silverfang and Blackfang warriors gathered quietly, their breaths visible in the cool morning air, eyes sharp and bodies coiled like springs. They had spent weeks preparing for the inevitable assault, forging fragile alliances and training harder than ever before.
Aria paced near the fire, her hand resting on her growing belly. Calen sat nearby, his wolf shifting and swirling beneath his skin, restless and eager for battle. “Mother,” he whispered, “will I be strong enough?”
Aria smiled softly, brushing curls from his forehead. “Stronger than you know. Strength isn’t just muscle or claws—it’s heart. Courage. Love.”
Lucien approached, his usual cold mask softened by years of pain and hope. “We fight not as pack leaders or outcasts,” he said, voice steady, “but as wolves bound by blood, bond, and purpose. Tonight, we end this.”
A howl rose in the distance — the enemy was coming. Aria’s wolf stirred with anticipation, fierce and ready. But beneath the adrenaline, a whisper of fear lingered — for what would become of the child she carried if they failed?
Lucien caught her gaze and nodded once. “We protect the future.”
And with that, the wolves within them unleashed their full power.
- Writer
