Chapter 60
Kane's POV
Two days later, at the end of Frostbite Canyon.
I stood at the front line, warriors arrayed behind me in tight formation. What filled my ears wasn't the wind, but the dull echo of wolf paws striking ice—coming from the far end of the canyon, dense and urgent, carrying that savage rhythm I knew too well.
Silver Moon had cast an ice wall here, three meters thick, sealing the canyon's only passage. Now, that wall was being carved through piece by piece.
When the first hole appeared, I saw a wolf's head emerge, gray-brown fur crusted with ice shards. Then came a second hole, a third—a dozen holes simultaneously clawed open, ice fragments flying, the wall beginning to fracture. I heard roars and commands from the other side. The holes grew larger, their edges licked and melted by flames, until the entire ice wall resembled a gnawed skeleton, teetering on collapse.
Then the first wave of Blood River wolves burst through.
Their fur was dirtier and more matted than I remembered, eyes burning with a kind of feral madness. These were the vanguard—tasked with clearing the path, testing our defenses, filling Silver Moon's first assault with their lives. I recognized that look in their eyes: the desperate gaze of those promised promotion if they survived.
I drew a deep breath. Dark flame churned in my chest, threatening to burn through my lungs.
"Let blood soak this Silver Moon soil!" I roared, my voice echoing through the canyon.
Behind me, warriors responded with a collective howl that nearly drowned out the Blood River wolves' snarls.
I shifted first. Bones shattered and reformed inside me, black wolf fur piercing through skin, my vision rising then dropping as I landed on all fours. I felt Blaze growl deep in my consciousness. His voice was more savage than ever, dark flame rampaging through us both, threatening to incinerate reason itself.
I threw back my head and howled.
Behind me, hundreds of wolves howled in unison, the sound tearing through Frostbite Canyon's silence. We charged forward. Snow churned into deep furrows beneath our paws, the crack of splintering ice merging with the pack's roars.
The two armies collided at the canyon's center.
The first impact was carnage. I sank my teeth into a gray wolf's throat and tore. Warm blood sprayed across the snow. He struggled to counterattack. I dodged aside, dark flame erupting from my claws, leaving a charred gash across his chest. He fell, but more wolves lunged forward.
I weaved left and right, exploiting the terrain—this was our territory. I knew every jutting rock, every weak point in the ice. I slammed a brown wolf into the canyon wall. His spine struck stone with a sickening crack. Another wolf attacked from the side. I whirled, claws trailing dark flame through the air, cleaving his skull open.
The battlefield filled with roars, screams, the sound of breaking bones. The stench of blood was overwhelming. Snow turned dark crimson. I glanced up mid-battle and saw our warriors pushing the enemy back—the canyon's narrow confines limited Blood River's numerical advantage, and the dark flame I unleashed kept them at bay.
Blaze murmured in my consciousness: "Most warriors still alive. Mental link stable."
I could feel it. That ineffable connection—like countless threads extending from my mind, linking to every Silver Moon warrior. I sensed their rage, fear, pain, but more than that, their hunger for battle and will to defend our land.
We were winning.
Just when I thought this would be a long but manageable war of attrition, a powerful force suddenly surged through the enemy ranks.
This was no ordinary wolf.
Through the mental link, warrior after warrior's consciousness suddenly vanished. Not injured, not unconscious—utterly, cleanly dead. Like threads severed by a blade, countless screams echoed through my mind before falling silent.
I jerked my head up.
Dozens of warriors were flung skyward by some massive force, bodies tumbling through the air, already lifeless when they crashed down. Dust obscured my vision, but I could feel it—something beyond that haze was approaching.
The smoke cleared.
A massive silver-white wolf appeared at the battlefield's center.
Three vicious scars ran from her forehead to her jaw. Purple flames wreathed her four paws. Each step left scorched marks in the snow.
Seraphina.
She smiled with wicked amusement—even in wolf form, I could read that twisted pleasure in her eyes.
Then a voice pierced my mind.
Stella's voice, cold and seething with hatred: "Did you think betraying me would let you survive, Kane?"
My entire body tensed.
Stella's voice reverberated through my skull. "Victoria's unborn child died because of your choice. Now it's your turn to pay for everything."
Before I could react, Seraphina was already charging.
Her speed was terrifying, purple flames trailing behind her like a comet's tail. I barely dodged. Her claws raked my flank, leaving a deep gash. Dark flame and purple fire collided at the wound, emitting a harsh hiss.
I counterattacked through gritted teeth, dark flame surging from my claws toward her face. She didn't dodge. Fire formed a barrier, absorbing my attack completely.
"You think your dark flame can hurt me?" Mockery laced Stella's voice. "That's power I gave you, Kane. Using my fire against me—pathetic."
Her paw slammed down. The massive force sent me flying, crashing hard into the ice wall.
Blaze roared in my consciousness: "She's too strong! We can't beat her!"
"I know." I struggled to my feet, blood dripping from my mouth.
But I couldn't retreat.
Behind me lay Silver Moon territory. My mother's grave. The place where Ella once stayed.
I charged at Seraphina again, knowing this might be the last time.