EPISODE 14: TERRITORY BREACH
874 Words
Nyra POV
The night was heavy with tension. Rowan’s territory had never felt so alive—or so vulnerable. The pack moved cautiously along the tree line, ears twitching, claws skimming the earth, wolf senses on high alert. Something about the wind, the smell of the forest, the unnatural silence of the usual night noises—my instincts screamed that danger was here.
“Stay close,” Rowan whispered beside me, eyes scanning the shadows. His wolf hummed beneath him, taut and ready. " The collectors are here. They’ve crossed the boundary.”
I nodded, though a spark of reckless excitement flared inside me. I could feel my wolf itching to move, to strike, to test our strength. “Then let’s find them,” I said, teeth bared slightly.
Rowan growled low, warning me, but I was already moving forward, heart pounding, senses alive, unaware that my eagerness was about to cost both of us dearly.
The first wave hit suddenly. Collectors —larger, sharper, eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight—burst from the shadows, teeth bared, claws extended. They had crossed the territory silently, expertly, their pack cohesion a mirror of ours.
I lunged instinctively, taking down the first attacker with a swipe, the wolf surging beneath me. Rowan intercepted another, muscles coiled, teeth and claws moving with lethal precision. The forest exploded into chaos—growls, snarls, clashes of claws, and the scent of blood thickening the air.
I was fast, lethal, instinctive—but my attention was split. My wolf focused on the fight in front of me, my mind already calculating the next target, when a second collector wolf circled from behind.
Before I could react, Rowan dove between us, intercepting the attack I hadn’t even noticed. His body slammed into mine, claws raking, teeth snapping, wolf coiling protectively. Pain shot through me—not mine—but I felt it in every nerve as his wolf roared in warning.
“Nyra!” he barked, eyes locked on mine for a split second. “Focus! Don’t let your carelessness get us killed!”
Guilt flared, burning hotter than any physical injury. My attention sharpened, the wolf surging in perfect sync, claws and teeth moving with deadly precision. We fought together, instinctively, but the chaos of the collectors' coordinated attack pushed us to the limit.
The forest became a blur of motion—wolves colliding, teeth and claws striking, growls echoing in every direction. The collectors were relentless, testing our defense, probing weaknesses. I moved to flank a wolf, misjudged a step, and Rowan was there again, placing himself between me and another strike.
This time, the wolf’s claws caught him, slashing across his shoulder and side. Rowan went down hard, growling through the pain, teeth snapping at the attacker. Rage and guilt coiled in my chest like a living thing.
“You’ll pay for this!” I snarled, leaping forward, wolf and body moving in perfect harmony, driving the attacker back with everything I had. Another collector tried to flank us, but I intercepted it, teeth sinking, claws slashing.
Rowan groaned, rolling to avoid another attack, but the blood was clear. I felt my heart tighten, wolf surging with protective fury. My carelessness—my need to prove myself—had almost cost him his life.
Finally, the collectors retreated, perhaps satisfied with the chaos they had caused, or regrouping for a later attack. The forest fell quiet again, save for the heavy panting of wolves and the low hum of tension in the air.
I rushed to Rowan’s side, the wolf circling him protectively. He leaned against a tree, breathing hard, eyes sharp but clouded with pain. Blood seeped from a deep scratch across his side and shoulder, the wolf still coiled in alertness.
“You’re hurt,” I said, voice tight, guilt and fear mixing in every word.
“I’m fine,” he replied, gritting his teeth, but I could see the strain. “You need to learn… control. Awareness. Not just power.”
“I know,” I whispered, the wolf pulsing in agreement, muscles tense. “I… I wasn’t careful. I—”
“You almost got us killed,” he interrupted, his voice low but softening slightly. “But you’re learning. That’s what matters. Now… focus. The pack. The collectors won’t wait for us to recover. They’ll come again.”
I nodded, the wolf coiling beneath me, my heart hammering with adrenaline and guilt. I stayed close to him as we regrouped with the pack, realizing the cost of recklessness firsthand.
The night was alive with tension, every shadow a potential threat. The collectors had tested us, pushed us, and shown the vulnerability that my impatience had exposed. I felt both fear and exhilaration—fear for Rowan, for the pack, and exhilaration at the fight, at the raw survival instinct that had surged through me.
I pressed my hand to Rowan’s shoulder carefully, the wolf coiling around us both. “I’ll be better,” I said, voice steady despite the adrenaline. “I won’t let carelessness put anyone at risk again.”
He looked at me, eyes sharp but approving beneath the pain. Good. Because next time…
We will be ready for everything.
- Writer
