The colossal golden dire-wolf clamped its massive jaws shut, biting through the thick silver chains of Maya’s cart with an ear-splitting snap.
Sparks of blinding light flew across the Great Feast Hall as the iron links shattered into pieces. With a gentle toss of its massive head, the beast flung Maya into the waiting arms of Beta Vance. Vance caught the trembling girl against his polished steel breastplate, instantly shielding her behind his broadsword.
Before Alpha Viktor or Lysander could even raise their blades, the golden beast dissolved into a shimmering vortex of molten light. From the heart of the golden aura stepped King Kaelen in human form, towering in full battle-armor of blackened steel, his massive dire-wolf broadsword planted firmly into the flagstones.
The raw shock wave
