Chapter 44
Julian's POV
Watching Blaze's black wolf form standing between Stella and me, a complex emotion I couldn't quite name surged through my chest.
This brother who once filled me with wariness, this rival who had stood against me in our struggle for power—in this moment of life and death, he had ultimately chosen the right side.
But the situation before me left no room for contemplation.
The black thorns bursting from the earth had already spread hundreds of meters, their twisted vines burning with heart-stopping dark purple flames. The air reeked of scorching heat, the temperature rising sharply as if the entire forest would be consumed. I could feel the ice element churning within me, Sage growling deep in my consciousness, urging me to unleash that forbidden technique I had yet to fully master.
"Frozen Moon's Shadow."
It was the only way to resolve this crisis.
I sent a command through the mental link to Blaze: "Guard me. Everything for the Silver Moon Pack."
He didn't respond, only charged without hesitation toward those writhing thorny vines, his sharp fangs tearing at the manifestations of dark magic.
I turned toward Brian and the others. Though I couldn't communicate through the mental link, these battle-hardened generals needed only a glance to understand my intention. Brian nodded, leading Gregory and Zachary toward the shadow witch Uma.
Frost condensed around me into armor as six massive ice walls rose from the ground, enclosing me at their center. I closed my eyes and began channeling the violent ice element within.
This technique demanded absolute concentration. Any interference could lead to failure, or worse—backlash.
Stella clearly sensed the threat. She transformed into that silver-white wolf Seraphina, wrapped in eerie dark purple flames, charging straight for my ice walls.
Her speed was terrifying, closing the distance in an instant.
Just as she was about to crash into the barrier, Blaze threw himself between us.
The black wolf and silver wolf collided in mid-air with a dull impact. Though Blaze was noticeably smaller, he clamped his jaws onto Seraphina's foreleg, fangs piercing through fur deep into muscle. Seraphina roared in fury, using her weight advantage to slam Blaze to the ground. Her front paws pressed heavily on Blaze's chest—I heard the sharp crack of breaking ribs.
Blaze howled in pain, but his hind legs kicked upward violently, his claws tearing three bone-deep gashes across Seraphina's belly. Purple flames erupted from the wounds like an ignited oil well.
The two wolves rolled and clashed, each collision raising clouds of dust and debris. Seraphina was more experienced—she feinted retreat, luring Blaze to pounce, then suddenly whirled and seized his neck in her jaws. Blaze's throat was pinned to the ground, Seraphina's fangs sinking deeper and deeper, blood spraying across the rubble.
She turned her head toward Victoria in the distance, a questioning look in her eyes—should she bite through this traitor's throat? Victoria shook her head, tears in her eyes.
Seraphina hesitated for a moment, and that moment gave Blaze his opening. He twisted violently, heedless of his neck tearing further, and wrenched himself free from Seraphina's grip. He surged back to his feet, drenched in blood, but those eyes burned with unyielding battle spirit.
I could feel the ice element tearing at my meridians, trying to break free. I clenched my jaw, forcing them under control.
Finally, the technique was complete!
Behind me, an enormous frozen moon slowly rose.
Frost-white radiance spilled down—not warm, but bone-chillingly cold, as if it could freeze all life itself. The moisture in the air instantly crystallized into snowflakes, each one sharp as a blade, glinting with cold light beneath the moon's glow.
The temperature plummeted. I watched the water on the ground freeze at visible speed, ice spreading outward from beneath my feet with crisp crackling sounds, like countless panes of glass shattering simultaneously. The still-burning wood extinguished instantly, surfaces coating with white frost.
A violent blizzard swept across the battlefield.
The wildly growing thorny vines halted their spread under the frost's assault, the black tendrils rapidly coating with thick ice crystals before beginning to shatter with glass-breaking sounds. The entire thicket collapsed like dominoes, reduced to scattered ice fragments.
The battle between Blaze and Seraphina was also affected—the blizzard sliced through their fur. Seraphina's dark purple flames were suppressed, their glow dimming considerably as she was forced to divert power to resist the cold's invasion.
On the other side, the three Claw Generals coordinated their assault on Uma. Golden, copper, and iron-gray wolf shadows wove together, trapping the shadow witch at their center. Uma tried to counter with dark magic, but before these seasoned warriors, her methods seemed clumsy and ineffective.
She attempted to summon more thorns, but the Frozen Moon's Shadow was too powerful—all dark magic froze and shattered the moment it formed.
"Mother, my stomach!"
Victoria suddenly cried out in agony, clutching her abdomen, face deathly pale.
Cold sweat beaded on her forehead—clearly the Frozen Moon's chill had penetrated through the blizzard into her body, threatening the child in her womb. Her lips began turning purple, her breathing rapid, white mist visible with each exhale.
Hearing her daughter's cry, Seraphina immediately abandoned her assault on Blaze, turning toward Victoria. She shielded her daughter with her massive form, dark purple flames surging around them to create a protective barrier against the frost and blizzard.
She seized her daughter in her jaws and fled toward the forest depths without looking back.
Seeing defeat was inevitable, Uma transformed into a black shadow and vanished into the darkness.
I released the Frozen Moon's Shadow technique, the cold moon slowly dissipating.
Blood-soaked Blaze staggered back to human form. Brian also returned to human shape, lifting the unconscious Ella, preparing to leave. Gregory and Zachary stood guard on either side, eyes scanning the surroundings.
"Wait," I spoke, my voice particularly clear in the silent ruins. "That girl is a slave of our pack. You cannot take her."
Brian whipped around, amber eyes blazing with fury. "I spared your life out of consideration for fighting alongside us. You dare insult the Crimson Flame Warlord's daughter as a slave? You court death?"
Kane also stumbled forward, drenched in blood yet firm in tone. "She's mine. You can't take her. I'll kill anyone who tries."
Brian's claws extended, sharp nails gleaming in the moonlight. "Then we have no choice but to fight!"
Just then, Zachary suddenly pointed at Kane's face, voice filled with disbelief. "Boss! Look! Don't you think he's..."
All three stared at Kane's features, their expressions shifting from confusion to shock, finally transforming into towering rage.
Brian roared almost explosively, "So it's you! The informant from back then—you deserve death!"
Before the words finished, all three shifted into wolf form and lunged at Kane.
Both Kane and I froze, completely bewildered by what was happening.
Informant? What did that mean?