Chapter 161

Every passing minute of the three-hour journey tightened the grip of anxiety around my chest. I shifted restlessly in my seat, as though the very fabric beneath me had turned to needles. Icarus noticed—more than once—and each time, he offered a reassuring smile, a silent gesture meant to steady me. It worked for fleeting moments, until the next surge of unease stole the air from my lungs, leaving me teetering on the edge of suffocation.

The sight of the road sign—fifty miles to Crimsonville—sent an involuntary shudder through me. We had entered Southern Moon Pack territory. The long convoy of black vans pressed forward, weaving through the vast forest that wrapped around Crimsonville Mountain. It was an ideal hunting ground for wolves… or a concealed battlefield, one where bloodshed could unfold far from human sight.

Crimsonville sprawled across the base of the mountain, climbing its slopes like a beast with outstretched claws. The lower districts, furthest from the woods, housed humans and lower-ranked wolves. Higher up, those who contributed to the pack’s power—or my father’s wealth—claimed their place. And at the summit, surrounded by dense woods, stood Cassius Marwood’s mansion—our ultimate target.

Kenzo’s Blue Moon warriors would strike from the lower woods, while the open fields, further from the mansion, provided space for an all-out wolf battle. But the Royal Army would approach from the mountainside, a terrain that tilted the odds in favor of the vampires. The thick forestry was a hindrance to wolves in their beastly form, forcing them to fight as humans—where they were weaker. My father had chosen his fortress wisely, ensuring no outside wolves could reach him easily. Yet, in doing so, he had unknowingly crafted the perfect battleground for a vampire assault.

We knew the Southern Moon Pack’s finest warriors were already prepared. They had no illusions about what was coming. The Blue Moon Pack and the Royal Army had already dismantled the Great Five, leaving the Southern Moon Pack alone to fend for itself. There would be no reinforcements.

Night had long fallen when we finally reached the northern edge of Crimsonville Mountain. As soon as we stepped out of the vehicles, Icarus handed me a black, long-sleeved piece of armor, its fabric thick and rough beneath my fingers.

“Wear it,” he ordered.

I hesitated, then took a closer look at the material. My stomach clenched. Kevlar. A protective shield against bullets and claws. I glanced around, realizing everyone else wore similar reinforced gear. My pulse quickened. This wasn’t just another battle. This was war.

“Shit,” I muttered under my breath.

In human form, wolves had one significant advantage—they could use firearms. I could likely recover from a gunshot or two, but I had no intention of testing my limits. My accelerated healing didn’t erase pain, and despite my genetics, I wasn’t invincible. Silver bullets were lethal to vampires, and wolves could be taken down with aconite. As for me… any bullet could be my undoing. I pulled the armor over my shoulders, finding it surprisingly flexible, allowing me full range of motion. Yet, the moment it settled against my skin, my unease only deepened.

For an hour, we moved in wide formations, our boots soundless against the forest floor. Then, the wind shifted. The scent of our enemies reached us.

Icarus raised a fist—a silent order to halt.

“Snipers,” he murmured, his sharp gaze sweeping the treetops.

I followed his line of sight and spotted them—hidden among the highest branches, their bodies camouflaged by leaves, rifles poised to strike.

“They have snipers positioned at ten and eleven o’clock,” one of our own whispered from the left flank.

A second voice, this time from the right, added, “Another group—fifteen strong—moving in from three o’clock.”

Icarus’s expression didn’t waver. “Take them out.” His command cut through the tension like a blade. Then, turning to those of us on the ground, he spoke again, his voice firm. “Prepare to engage.”

The first bullets whistled through the trees—aconite rounds tearing into our enemies, silencing some before they even had a chance to react. But the attack had been noticed. The remaining wolves surged forward.

“Now,” Icarus barked.

Adrenaline ignited in my veins.

Some of the wolves shifted, their bodies contorting into massive beasts, while others raised their weapons, unloading a volley of gunfire. My vision sharpened, my hearing attuning to the high-pitched whistle of bullets slicing through the air. I tracked their trajectories, dodging with near-instinctive precision.

“Silver!” a soldier roared, his cry filled with agony.

“Eliminate the shooters!” Icarus ordered, already lunging toward those who had shifted into their wolf forms.

And just like that, the battle erupted in full force.

A chorus of furious growls echoed through the dense forest as vampires and wolves clashed in a relentless battle. The wolves fought with everything they had, their snapping jaws creating a symphony of enraged clamping, mingled with roars and howls. But within the thick shadows of the trees, it was clear—the vampires held the upper hand.

As our snipers picked off the wolves firing at us from the ground, the battle intensified into a head-to-head confrontation. I quickly learned to use the tree branches to my advantage, knowing that wolves could only jump so high. From above, I could drop onto their backs, incapacitating them with swift, precise strikes—knocking them out cold with either rapid movements or well-placed knife cuts. The surge of adrenaline propelled me forward, even as more wolf warriors flooded the battlefield.

We fought without pause, an unstoppable force driving forward for hours. Leaping through the trees became second nature, the thrill of scanning below for my next target adding to the rush. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t just surviving—I was hunting.

Fatigue never found me. My breath moved in perfect rhythm with my heartbeat, an eerie calm settling over me despite the chaos. Every time Icarus and I landed near each other, his sharp gaze found mine. He’d smirk, a knowing glint in his eyes, and I’d return the gesture with a wink—silently assuring him I was holding my own.

Dawn broke as the wolves’ numbers began to dwindle. In the dense mountain forest, they were no match for our speed and agility. Even the bullets whizzing through the air weren’t a major threat—though the one that struck my chest had burned like hell. But between my armor and my body’s regeneration, I was fine within seconds.

After what felt like an endless battle, the remaining wolves surrendered. They weren’t willing to die for an Alpha who had chosen to remain locked inside his mansion rather than fight alongside them. Pressing forward, we reached the towering four-meter fence that enclosed Cassius Marwood’s estate—the place I had once sworn never to set foot in again.

Only when I finally stopped, leaning against a tree, did I feel it—the violent tremors wracking my body. Exhaustion hit like a speeding truck, but there was no time to give in. We had only a moment to recover before facing the elite squad guarding the mansion.

"Drink this."

Icarus handed me a flask, its contents an unfamiliar dark liquid.

I didn’t hesitate, taking a sip. The taste was vile—sharp and sour—but within seconds, strength flooded back into my limbs.

"What the hell is in this?" I grimaced.

Icarus merely shrugged. "No idea. You’d have to ask Doctor Blackwell. Packs a punch, though, doesn’t it?" He chuckled.

Caspian Blackwell. The thought of the eccentric doctor brought a rare smile to my lips. He had been the first to uncover the truth about my unique genes. I hadn’t realized how much I missed him until now.

Shaking off the moment of nostalgia, I reached into my combat pants and retrieved my phone. I had promised to be the one to report to Kenzo once we reached our designated position. Typing out a message, I hit send—only for the screen to flash a failed transmission. Frowning, I tried again. And again. The message wouldn’t go through.

Frustration gnawed at me, and I decided to call him instead. Even if he was still in the heat of battle, he’d see my missed call and know I was trying to reach him. My thumb hovered over the green call button before pressing it.

What happened next was instant and excruciating.

Instead of the usual ringing tone, a distorted, ear-piercing screech tore through the speakers, slicing into my skull like shards of glass. A sharp gasp escaped me as I recoiled, the phone slipping from my grasp and hitting the ground. My head spun violently, my vision swimming as the piercing noise rattled my eardrums.

Icarus and two other soldiers rushed toward me, their voices muffled, as if I were submerged underwater. I forced myself to focus, my gaze locking onto Icarus’ mouth as it moved.

"...right?" The sound of his words reached me seconds after his lips had already formed them.

"Thalassa, are you all right?"

I blinked, my head still throbbing. "Y-yeah..." My voice wavered as I turned my gaze to the phone lying lifelessly in the dirt. Whatever had just happened wasn’t normal.

"What were you trying to do?" Icarus asked, his expression mirroring my unease.

"I... I was calling Kenzo. But something’s wrong with my phone." My fingers twitched, still tingling from the shock.

One of the soldiers cautiously picked it up and redialed the number, putting it on speaker. We all waited in tense silence. Then—

"The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable. Please try again later."