Chapter 47 – The Rising Flame

Chapter 47 – The Rising Flame
Calla’s POV

“NO!”

The word tore from my throat as the Shadow King raised his hand over Elara, his palm glowing with dark energy. She lay crumpled at his feet, her silver dagger still lodged in his side. Blood—real blood—poured from the wound. But he didn’t care.

He wanted her dead.
I ran faster than I had ever run before. Around me, the battlefield disappeared. The screams, the fire, and the smoke all faded into the background. My mother was all I saw. My soul was screaming, and that was all I felt.

"Avoid touching her!" I shouted.

Just as I got to them, he turned to me. Before I could think, my body moved. I used all of my strength to slam into him. My claws twisted the dagger further into the wound Elara had left. With a cry of agony, the Shadow King staggered back.

Elara's eyes fluttered open as she gasped. "Make a call."

I knelt next to her and whispered, "I have got you."

Abruptly, Raiden appeared as well, eyes burning, sword ready. His body trembled with pain and rage as he stood between us and the Shadow King.

"We must retreat," he declared. "He is not strong enough. This is not how we will win.

I knew that he was correct. Every moment we stood here meant that more of our people would perish. We could not take on him by ourselves. The pack was necessary. We had to be one.

"Elara," I murmured. "Are you able to move?"

She gave a feeble nod. "Assist me."

I carefully lifted her by slipping my arms beneath hers. She was thinner and lighter than I remembered, but her eyes were just as strong. As we moved, Raiden hid behind the wall of warriors who were still fighting to the death.

I looked toward the remnants of our warriors as we finally arrived at the center of the area, just beyond the main watchtower.

There was smoke in the air.

Body parts were all over the floor.

However, we were still alive.

Raiden took a step next to me. Despite his bloody skin and cracked armor, he maintained his composure.

"Come in, everyone who is still breathing!" he yelled.

They arrived one by one. Wolves with burns, blood, and a limp, but unwavering. Others remained in wolf form, forming a wide circle around us, while others changed back into human form.

I glanced over at them. elderly fighters. young people. Omegas. Gamma. betas. All of them had arrived.

And everyone was staring at me.

Raiden grounded me with a hand on my back.

I took a step forward.

"We do not have time for speeches," I declared, raising my voice higher than I had intended. "You have all seen the challenges we face. This Shadow King will not rest until the whole area is a cemetery. until all we are is dust beneath his boots.

The audience watched in silence.

I continued, "But we are still here." "We have lost. We have bled. However, we are intact. Not just yet.

I gestured to the south wall's ruins, where the enemy forces were still lingering. Beyond them, like a storm cloud about to burst, loomed the Shadow King.

He believes that we are weak. that we are going to run. that we will separate. However, he will never comprehend what we have in common—each other.

Raiden moved to stand next to me once more. "We must fight together if we are to put an end to this. No more uncertainty. Do not wait any longer.

After glancing at each of them, he said, "Follow me." or lag behind.

The pack responded with a howl.

It resembled thunder.

Even the enemies paused at the sound, which shook the trees.

A change in the tide was imminent.

One of the healers had been sitting Elara gently beneath a nearby tree, and I turned to her.

"Remain here. Please, I said in a whisper.

She smiled slightly. "You have my admiration."

I made an effort to hold back my tears.

Rather, I moved.

I broke and reformed my bones. My skin rippled with fur. My wolf arose, more powerful than before.

Beside me, Raiden moved, his dark alpha wolf towering and ferocious. We looked at each other.

And we ran.

The pack trailed behind.

Like a surge of rage and fire, we smashed into the enemy. Yes, the rogues were more powerful. However, we had hope, which was more potent. goal. one another.

I gave it my all in the battle. My claws broke off. My teeth dug into the skin. Around me, magic flared with each blow. I was not afraid for the first time in a long time. I knew who I was. Why I fought, I knew.

Raiden was unstoppable next to me. We moved together, shoulder to shoulder, back to back. He was always there when I faltered. I was there to cover him whenever he stumbled.

There was a blur of roars and blood on the battlefield.

However, we persisted.

deeper.

In the direction of the one who initiated it all.

The King of Shadows.

He now gathered his strength and stood in the middle. Black clouds swirled in a spiral of chaos in the sky above him. He raised both hands, and creatures I could not even name emerged from the shadows. Bat-like wings. coal-burning eyes. Beasts without souls that scream.

"Go on!" Raiden snarled. "This must end immediately!"

I used my magic to illuminate my path as I leaped through the throng of adversaries. Like blades, my fire sliced through the night. As they burned, the beasts let out a scream.

The pack behind me battled more fiercely than I had ever witnessed. Even the injured got back up to fight. No longer were we distinct wolves. We were powerful.

The Shadow King was aware of it.

He gave me his whole attention.

"Little queen, do you think this ends with you?" His voice echoed like thunder as he sneered. "You are just the start."

I made a lunge.

He slammed me to the ground after catching me in midair.

My ribs exploded with pain.

He was on me again before I had a chance to stand up.

Then Raiden sank his teeth into his shoulder and tackled him from behind.

The Shadow King flung him off with a howl.

I shifted.

Quick.

I grabbed Elara's dagger, the silver one that was still glowing from her magic. Half-buried in mud and ash, it had fallen during the battle.

I wrapped my hand around it.

I pivoted—

He was also present.

Awaiting.

He smiled.

He remarked, "You will never be strong enough." "Not at the expense of what is important."

I did not respond.

I hurled the blade.

It struck him right in the chest.

He let out a scream.

An actual scream. It rocked the battlefield. Burning from the inside, silver flames lit up his body.

But he laughed despite his burning.

"You believe that I am the end of this?" He let out a gasp. "You have not seen anything."

Then—

He disappeared.

vanished in a flash of fire and shadow.

No one moved for a long time.

The animals then turned to ash.

The outlaws ran away in all directions.

There was silence.

However, it was not a win.

It was not finished.

Standing but bleeding, Raiden approached me.

"He is still alive," he declared.

"No," I muttered. "But now he is scared."

Then, from the forest behind us, came a scream.

We pivoted.

Blood was streaming down the side of a figure that staggered toward us.

Theo was the one.

One of the scouts.

He gasped and dropped to his knees.

"What is it?" Raiden knelt down and asked.

Theo's face was white with fear as he looked up.

“He… he found the Luna Temple,” he said. "He will go there next."

My blood froze.

The temple of Luna was revered. old. shielded by ancient magic. Should the Shadow King have tainted it—

Eyes hard, Raiden stood.

"We have no time to relax."

With my heart racing, I nodded.

Then Theo spoke once more.

He remarked, "There is something else." "He is not by himself. He has roused something else.

I scowled. "What do you mean?"

After coughing up blood, Theo muttered—

"Her."

and fell.