Chapter 128 The Fracture

Chapter 128 The Fracture
Alexander moved through the dense forest with his team close behind, the night air thick with the scent of pine and damp earth. Lydia’s information had pointed them to this remote valley, a supposed secondary stronghold of Moonthorn where they stored weapons and planned their next moves. The USB drive had given coordinates, guard rotations, and even a weakness in the eastern perimeter. It had seemed reliable enough to act on. But something in Alexander’s gut had whispered caution. He had brought only twelve of his best men, including Marcus, to keep the team small and fast. Now as they approached the ridge overlooking the compound he realized how badly they had been played.

The valley below was not a secondary base. It was a trap.

Moonthorn wolves were waiting. Dozens of them. Their dark fur blended with the shadows as they crouched in formation behind rocks and trees. Human mercenaries with silver laced weapons stood on the ridges. Alexander’s wolf snarled in warning the moment he saw the ambush. They had been expected.

"Ambush!" he growled.

The first shots rang out before his team could react. Silver bullets tore through the air like fire. One of his men went down with a choked yelp as a round ripped through his chest. Alexander shifted instantly, his white wolf form exploding into existence with a roar that shook the trees. He charged forward leading the counterattack.

The battle erupted into chaos.

Moonthorn wolves poured from the trees like a black tide. Alexander met the first wave head on. He slammed into a large black wolf tearing through its shoulder with his jaws. Blood sprayed across the ground as the enemy fell. Another attacker leaped at him from the side. Alexander spun and crushed its skull with one powerful swipe of his claws. His men fought beside him with desperate fury. Marcus, still in human form, fired precise shots from behind a rock taking down two mercenaries before shifting to join the fray.

The numbers were against them. Moonthorn had been waiting. They had known they were coming. Lydia’s information had been a lure. Alexander roared with rage as he tore through another enemy. A silver bullet grazed his flank burning like acid. He ignored the pain and kept fighting. One of his warriors was dragged down by three Moonthorn wolves. Alexander charged to save him but it was too late. The man’s scream cut off abruptly as claws ripped through his throat.

The fight was brutal and merciless. Alexander moved like a white storm ripping apart anyone in his path. He took down four more Moonthorn wolves in quick succession. Marcus fought at his side, his gray wolf forming a blur of teeth and claws. Two other Blackwood warriors remained standing, their fur matted with blood as they battled back to back.

But the enemy kept coming.

Alexander felt a sharp pain in his side as another silver bullet found its mark. He staggered but did not fall. He turned and tore the shooter’s arm off in one savage motion. The man screamed as he fell. Alexander’s vision narrowed with rage. He would not die here. He would not leave Maddie alone. He would not let their child grow up without a father.

"Retreat!" he roared through the bond to his remaining men.

Marcus and the two surviving warriors fell back with him. They fought their way up the ridge, leaving a trail of blood and bodies behind them. Moonthorn howled in pursuit but the alliance wolves were faster. They broke through the treeline and ran. The sound of gunfire faded behind them as they put distance between themselves and the trap.

Alexander did not stop running until they reached the safety of their vehicles. He shifted back to human form, his body covered in blood and wounds. A deep gash on his side burned from the silver. His shoulder was torn. But he was alive. Marcus and the two others were injured but breathing. The rest of the team had not made it. Twelve men had gone in. Only four had come out.

Alexander leaned against the SUV breathing hard. The pain was sharp but the rage was sharper. Lydia had played them. The information had been partially real to make it believable. The rest had been bait. He slammed his fist against the vehicle. The metal dented under the force.

"Get us home," he growled to the driver.

The drive back was silent except for the low groans of the wounded. Alexander sat in the back pressing a cloth to his side. His mind raced with plans. He would find Lydia. He would make her pay. But first he needed to heal. First he needed to see Maddie. The bond pulsed with her worry. She had felt the fight. She knew he was hurt. He sent back reassurance through the bond. I am coming. I am alive. Hold on for me.

When they reached the estate the healers were waiting. Alexander let them tend to his wounds but refused to rest. The trap had failed.