Chapter 132 Chapter 121

Chapter 132 Chapter 121
Nathaniel
The battlefield was a symphony of chaos. Wolves clashed tooth and claw, snarls and yelps echoing through the dense trees as the war against Andromeda’s forces raged on. Blood stained the ground, and the metallic scent of it hung heavy in the air. My wolf surged with adrenaline as I ducked, narrowly avoiding a swipe from a rogue. I countered with a sharp leap, my claws tearing through its side.
Beside me, Conor fought like a demon, his red fur barely visible in the blur of movement. Hold the line! I shouted through the pack-link, my voice reverberating through the minds of our warriors. Do not let them through!
Despite the chaos, we were holding. Barely. Every time we pushed the rogues back, they surged forward again, driven by some unseen force. They weren’t fighting like wolves - they were fighting like pawns, mindless and relentless.
I twisted mid-air to avoid another rogue, landing on my feet and snapping my jaws around its leg. A sickening crunch followed, and the rogue yelped, scrambling away. But there was no time to celebrate the small victory. Another wave of minions was charging, their glowing eyes a horrifying reminder of Andromeda’s dark magic.
Through the pack-link, I heard a strained report from Mia. Beta, they’re coming from the west now!
Conor! I barked, leaping back into the fray. Take a group and reinforce the west! Do not let them surround us!
Conor nodded sharply and broke away, rallying a dozen wolves as he went. The rest of us pressed on, holding the central line with everything we had. My muscles screamed with exertion, and my wolf roared with defiance as I tore through another rogue. Despite the odds, we refused to back down. This was our home, our family, and we would die before we let it fall.
But then something changed.
The air grew heavier, almost oppressive, and for a moment, everything seemed to slow. My wolf froze mid-lunge, his hackles rising as an unfamiliar stillness swept across the battlefield. The rogues I had been fighting stopped dead in their tracks, their glowing eyes dimming as if a light had been extinguished within them.
What the— I started to link, but the question died in my throat as I turned to see the minions, the terrifying, soulless creatures that had wreaked havoc on us, suddenly halt their charge. Without warning, they turned and began to flee, their grotesque forms scrambling away as if something had snapped inside them.
What’s happening? Mia’s voice came through the link, her tone frantic. The minions… they’re running!
I tore my gaze from the retreating monsters and focused on the rogues around us. They weren’t running, but they weren’t attacking either. Instead, they stood frozen, their eyes darting around as though they were waking from a nightmare. One by one, they began to back away, their movements tentative, unsure.
Fall back! Everyone, fall back! I ordered, my voice ringing with authority. I shifted back into my human form, chest heaving as I surveyed the scene. The battlefield that had been filled with snarls and violence mere moments ago was now eerily quiet.
Conor returned, his fur matted with blood. He shifted beside me, his expression a mix of confusion and wariness. “What just happened?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted, my breath coming in ragged gasps. My mind raced as I tried to piece it together. The rogues weren’t retreating like the minions, but they weren’t fighting either. Their movements were disoriented, hesitant, like they didn’t know why they were here in the first place.
And then it hit me.
“Andromeda,” I said, my voice low. “She’s dead.”
Conor’s eyes widened. “What?”
I nodded, the realization settling over me like a weight lifted. “The minions were bound to her will. Without her, they’re nothing. And the rogues… they were under her compulsion. She’s gone, and her control over them is broken.”
Conor exhaled sharply, his shoulders sagging with relief. “Then it’s over.”
I wasn’t so sure. “Maybe,” I said, scanning the forest warily. “But we need to regroup. Get everyone back to the pack house. We’ll sort this out once we know for sure.”
Conor nodded and began issuing commands, his voice steady despite the lingering tension in the air. As the wolves around us began to shift back and retreat, I couldn’t shake the unease coiling in my gut. Andromeda was gone, that much I felt certain of. But what had happened to Mer and Ethan? Where were they?
I closed my eyes, reaching through the link that tied me to my Alpha. Ethan? I said out, my mental voice urgent. Mer? Are you there?
There was no response.
And so, as the pack retreated from the battlefield, I couldn’t help but glance back at the empty forest, my heart heavy with unanswered questions. Ethan and Mer were out there somewhere, and I could only hope they were alive.