THE REBORN OF THE ANCESTRAL WOLF

The Ridge Is Lost

Alpha Derek stood atop the highest tower, his piercing gaze fixed on the brutal war raging below.

His jaw tightened so much as both pain and fury flashed across his face.

He immediately mind-linked his Beta, Kael, his second-in-command.

Kael, I’m coming down to join the war. You’re not stopping me this time. But before I do anything else, I have to see my wife and kids first.

Kael grunted as a rogue wolf slashed him from behind, his claws tearing through flesh.

“He staggered but quickly regained his footing, his eyes flashing with fury.

“Alpha, stay with the Luna. Don’t come down here. We can take care of them,” he replied through the mind link, his words strained through gritted teeth.

Before the rogue could strike again, Kael lunged forward, driving his claws deep into its chest and sending it crashing to the ground.

But there was no time to catch his breath.

Another rogue wolf charged straight toward him, a silver dagger clutched tightly in its hand. The blade glinted under the moonlight, its edge coated with deadly wolfsbane.

Kael sensed the incoming danger just as he leapt into the air, twisting his body before driving his fist into the rogue wolf’s jaw. The impact was devastating—his punch carried enough force to punch a hole straight through solid concrete.

The rogue wolf cried out in pain as the dagger flew from it's hands into the air

Kael moved with incredible speed, snatching the dagger out of the air before driving it straight into the rogue’s heart.

“Go burn in hell, you piece of s**t,” he snarled as he wrenched the dagger free.

Kael looked ahead as he spotted more rogues flooding in.

He roared with so much anger inside him as he raced forward with that same incredible speed, relentlessly slashing at the rogues as adrenaline surged through him.

Alpha Derek raced down the tower and into his chambers, throwing on his full gear as his eyes shifted from bloodshot red to ocean blue.

Forty warriors waited silently among the trees, already in position and awaiting his orders.

Derek stood by the door.

Armor on.

Claws out.

His face rigid.

Then he heard the sound of footsteps—light footsteps, like those of a child, accompanied by the heavier steps of an adult.

Lyra came down the stairs.

His Luna.

In one arm, their son, Milo, one year old, asleep against her shoulder.

Her other hand held their daughter, Ada, five years old, whose hair was done in messy braids. She clutched a stuffed wolf in her hand.

Lyra’s face was calm, but tired.

Derek’s face only cracked for one second as he beheld his little family.

Ada ran towards him.

“Daddy, are you going to the bad wolves?”

Derek bent to his knees, his face softening with affection.

“Yes, baby. I have to.”

Her eyes searched his, worry flickering across her face. “Will you be safe?”

He gently squeezed her cheek, earning a small, reluctant pout from her.

“I’ll be safe,” he said with a playful smile. “Because I have to come back to you.”

Then he stood.

Took Milo from Lyra.

The little boy stirred, smelled his dad, and settled on his shoulder.

Derek’s face unbreakable and breaking at the same time.

Lyra stepped close.

She didn’t cry. Lunas don’t, not before a fight.

She just straightened his collar.

“Bring them back safe,” she whispered.

Derek’s face remained steady, as it always did, but his eyes softened.

He kissed her forehead. Quick.

Then he bent and pressed a kiss to Milo’s hair.

Finally, he knelt in front of Ada and kissed her knuckles.

“Guard your mom and brother for me, okay?”

Ada puffed out her chest, suddenly very serious.

“I will.”

A faint smile tugged at Derek’s mouth.

“I know you will.”

He handed Milo back to her.

His voice dropped low, meant for Lyra alone.

“If I don’t—”

“Don’t.” She cut him off, her face fierce.

Derek went still.

“You will,” she said, holding his gaze. “Because we’re waiting.”

For a moment, he simply looked at her.

Then he nodded.

“I will.”

Derek looked at all three of them— his reason, his life.

He turned as he grabbed Elena his gamma.

“Elena, they are all yours.”

“Got it, Alpha.” she replied with a fierce look

"If I don't return take them to the den and hide till kael finds you"

Elena nodded once as her face crack with sadness but immediately masked it back with that same fierce look.

He walked out.

Didn’t look back.

Because if he did, he wouldn’t leave.

Behind him, Lyra held both kids tighter.

With a deep concern but she masked it with a calm look as ada fixed her gaze on her father's retreating figure....

**THE BATTLEFIELD**

Derek Hale, Alpha of the Crescent Pack, stood at the edge of his territory with forty warriors behind him.

His rule had always been simple:

Defend the territory. Protect the den. Protect the pack.

Nothing more.

But tonight, twenty-five rogues had crossed the boundary.

No pack.

No laws.

No loyalty.

Only hunger, violence, and the desire to take what belonged to someone else.

At their head stood Kade—a wolf Derek had exiled three years ago.

The reason had never been forgotten.

Kade had killed a pup.

Derek had banished him without mercy, believing the matter was finished.

He had been wrong.

Earlier that evening, one of the scouts had found a message carved deep into an ancient tree at the edge of the territory.

It was a message from Kade which read.

STEP DOWN AS THE ALPHA KING,

OR I CLAIM IT FROM YOUR CORPSES.

Derek’s face all calm with that same unreadable expression

“Form up.” he yelled as he charged at the rogues and their alpha.

Rogues hit at moonrise.

Not head on. From the cliffs.

Traps. Rocks. Arrows dipped in wolfsbane.

Crescent lost 3 before they even shifted.

Derek roared.

His warriors surged.

Kael tore through the left flank.

Marcus held the center with a spear.

Derek went straight for Kade.

They fought in the mud.

Claw for claw.

Kade’s face laughing with a mocking face“You got soft, brother.”he sneered,

Derek’s face was all bleeding but still maintain that calm expression as the both kept on with the fight.“You got desperate.”

Crescent was winning.

Rogues were breaking.

But in a flash Derek froze

That’s when Kade smiled.

Three more rogues emerged from behind them, dragging hostages along.

Two pups.

And an elder.

Derek stopped.

His face twitched as he let out a slow sigh. Always playing dirty.

“Stand down,” Kade said.

His voice was quiet.

Deadly.

“Or I paint the snow.”

Derek looked at his warriors.

Looked at the pups.

His claws slipped in as felt weak all of a sudden

Then kade took the opportunity, he moved swiftly and drove the silver dagger into his chest.

He didn’t want him dead.

That would’ve been easier.

Kael gasped as he tried moving forward but the look on Derek face made him stopped

Derek mindlinked kael immediately telling him to retreat and grabbed everyone and run for safety, he will buy time.

Kael nodded once as he let a sharp roar into the sky before retreating with the others.

Kade yelled after his rogues

"Go after them no one must make it out of here alive and also get me his son."

Then he shifted his gaze unto Derek as he gave him a deadly smile.

"Once am done with them I will kill your son in front of you and let you watch as I also violate your wife and daughter till there is no more breath in their lungs anymore" he whispered into Derek's ear as grinned crazily.

Then he faced his rogues

"Grab him, his coming with us "

They cuffed him with chains made from high-quality Wolfsbane.

Dragged him to the rogue camp on the other side of the ridge.

Kael still fleeing with the others looked back once again with pain visible in his eyes

Across the distance, Derek looked back at him too.

Their eyes met.

“Protect them all,” Derek whispered.

Kael didn’t cry.

He only nodded.

Through the mindlink, he reached for his Alpha one final time.

I’ve got them, he replied.

Then Kael turned away and disappeared into the pale light of early morning.

Crescent retreated.

They lost the ridge.

They lost their Alpha.

And as the first rays of dawn broke over the battlefield, Kael carried the weight of both losses with him.