204

204
Logan's POV
The canyon stretched before us like a perfect trap. Narrow walls on both sides. Dense forest at the northern entrance. Open plains at the southern exit.
I crouched behind a boulder with Ryan and Bastian. Below us, four hundred warriors hid in the trees and rocks.
"They should be here within the hour," Ryan whispered. He checked his sword for the third time. "Scouts confirmed they're still on the main road."
Alpha Kestrel moved up beside us. "My people are ready," she said quietly. "We'll make Ashwood pay for what he did to our pack."
I nodded. "When they enter the canyon, wait for my signal. Let them get deep inside. Cut off their retreat."
"Understood."
Kestrel moved back down the slope to where her warriors waited.
Through the mate bond, I felt Valencia. She was flying south. Fast. But she was far away. Too far to reach us quickly if something went wrong.
Are you alright? I sent through the bond.
Her response came immediately. Exhausted but alive. The northern army is broken. I'm flying to you now.
How long until you reach us?
Three hours. Maybe less. Did you engage Ashwood's forces yet?
Not yet. They're still approaching. Stay safe. Fly carefully.
I will. Be careful, Logan.
I closed my eyes briefly. Three hours. That should be enough time. We'd ambush Ashwood's army. Kill as many as possible. By the time Valencia arrived, the battle would be over.
"Logan." Ryan touched my shoulder. Pointed down the road. "Movement."
I looked.
In the distance, I saw dust rising. A large group moving toward us.
Ashwood's army. All in wolf form. Moving in tight formation.
They entered the canyon slowly. Cautiously. Like they suspected something.
My heart pounded. Just a little further. A little deeper.
The lead warriors reached the halfway point.
Now.
I raised my hand. Prepared to give the signal.
Then I heard it.
Howling. From behind us.
I spun around.
Warriors poured out of the forest to our north. Hundreds of them. Red and gold banners.
Ashwood's forces.
But they were supposed to be ahead of us. In the canyon.
"It's a trap!" Ryan shouted.
More howling. This time from the south.
I looked back at the canyon. The warriors we'd been watching weren't slowing down. They were speeding up. Charging straight toward our position.
And from the east, through the dense forest on our right flank, more warriors emerged.
We weren't ambushing them.
They were ambushing us.
"DEFENSIVE POSITIONS!" I roared. "FORM UP!"
Our warriors scrambled. Trying to regroup. Trying to form a coherent line.
But it was too late.
Ashwood's forces hit us from three directions at once.
The clash was immediate and brutal. Snarling. Screaming. The sound of claws tearing flesh. Jaws crushing bone.
I shifted into Axel. A brown wolf lunged at me. I caught him by the throat. One shake. His neck snapped.
Two more attacked from my left. I spun. My claws raked across the first one's face. Tore through an eye. He yelped and fell back.
The second one managed to bite my shoulder. His fangs scraped against my thick Lycan hide but didn't penetrate deeply.
I slammed him against the ground. My jaws closed around his skull. I bit down hard. Felt bone crack. Tasted blood.
Around me, the battle was chaos.
Ryan fought three wolves at once. His brown wolf form was smaller but faster. He ducked under one attack. Pivoted. Tore out the throat of another.
Bastian fought back-to-back. Their formation was tight. Professional. But they were vastly outnumbered.
Kestrel's warriors were scattered. Trying to regroup. But Ashwood's forces kept pressing. Kept pushing them apart.
"HOLD THE LINE!" I roared through the pack bond. "DON'T LET THEM SPLIT US UP!"
But it was useless. We weren't holding a line. We were surrounded.
I saw one of Kestrel's young warriors go down. Three enemy wolves on him at once. Tearing him apart.
I charged over. Threw two of them off with my massive bulk. Killed the third with a swipe of my claws.
But the young warrior was already dead. His throat torn open. Eyes staring at nothing.
How did Ashwood know? How did he know about our ambush?
A spy. Had to be. Someone had betrayed us.
An enemy wolf, larger than most, came at me. Black fur. Scarred face. Experienced fighter.
We collided in midair. Both of us snapping and clawing.
He was good. Fast. Strong.
But I was Lycan. I was bigger. Stronger.
I got my jaws around his foreleg. Bit down hard. Felt bone break.
He howled. Tried to pull away.
I didn't let go. I shook him like a rag doll. Then threw him into two other enemy wolves. All three went down in a heap.
"ALPHA!" Ryan's voice came through the pack bond. Urgent. Terrified. "LOOK!"
I turned.
In the distance, moving through the battle like he owned it, was a figure I recognized immediately.
Winston Ashwood.
But he wasn't in human form. And he wasn't a wolf.
He was a lion.
A golden lion. Massive. At least twice the size of my Lycan wolf form. His mane blazed like fire in the sunlight. His eyes were cold. Predatory.
I'd never seen a lion shifter before. But there he was. Real. Terrifying.
Ashwood moved through the battlefield with brutal efficiency. Every swipe of his paw crushed skulls. Every bite tore bodies in half.
He wasn't just killing. He was slaughtering.
I watched him grab a Cliffwatch warrior in his jaws. Shook once. The warrior's spine snapped like a twig.
Another warrior tried to attack from behind. Ashwood's massive paw swung backward. Caught the warrior mid-leap. Sent him flying thirty feet. He hit a tree. Didn't get up.
Fear crawled up my spine. Cold and sharp.
I'd fought many enemies in my life. Killed dozens of warriors. Faced impossible odds.
But I'd never felt fear like this.
Ashwood was a different level of threat. Something that made every instinct in my body scream to run.
But I was Alpha. I couldn't run.
I had to face him.
I charged forward. Pushing through the mass of fighting wolves. Heading straight for Ashwood.
He saw me coming. His golden eyes locked onto mine.
We collided like thunder.
My claws raked across his shoulder. Drew blood. But barely. His hide was thick. Tougher than any wolf's.
His paw came up. Massive. Faster than something that size should be able to move.
It hit me in the chest like a battering ram.
I flew backward. Crashed into the ground. Rolled several times before I stopped.
Pain exploded through my ribs. At least two broken. Maybe more.
I struggled to my feet. Blood dripped from my mouth.
Ashwood stalked toward me slowly. Deliberately. Like he had all the time in the world.
I lunged at him again. Went for his throat.
He caught me mid-air. His jaws closed around my shoulder. Fangs punched through my Lycan hide like it was paper.
I howled in agony.
He shook me. Then threw me aside like I weighed nothing.
I hit the ground hard. My left foreleg wouldn't support weight properly. Dislocated or broken.
Ashwood circled me. His tail swished lazily. He was toying with me.
"The famous Logan," he said. His voice was deep. Rumbling. "The Lycan. The unstoppable warrior. You're weaker than I expected."
I shifted back to human form. Blood poured from the wound in my shoulder. My left arm hung useless at my side.
"How did you know?" I asked. Each word hurt. "How did you know about the ambush?"
Ashwood shifted to human form as well. He was tall. Muscular.
"You think I'm stupid?" He laughed. "You think I wouldn't have spies in your territory? I've known about your movements for days. I knew that girl flew north. I knew you marched south. I knew exactly where you'd try to set your little trap."