The siege began exactly on schedule.
Two thousand wolves descended on the northern approach, banners flying, drums beating. Council forces mixed with the Shadow Alpha's soldiers, a coalition built on mutual hatred of everything Reign represented.
She watched from the highest tower as they made camp just beyond arrow range. Organized, patient, confident. They had numbers, resources, time.
She had terrain and desperation.
"First wave will come at dawn," the Fire Prince said beside her. "Standard siege tactics. Test our defenses, probe for weaknesses."
"Let them probe." Reign pointed to the choke point where the approach narrowed between cliffs. "Twenty wolves can hold that gap against two hundred. And when they try to flank through the ice fields, they'll find surprises waiting."
Hidde
