Chapter 40: The First Strike

The horn’s echo faded into the morning air, leaving behind a heavy silence that settled deep in my bones.

No one spoke. No one moved.

Then, all at once, the world snapped back into motion.

Wolves rushed past me, warriors shouting orders as they took their positions. The scent of adrenaline thickened the air, mixing with the crisp bite of the early morning wind. The packhouse doors slammed open as more warriors flooded out, some already shifting, their bodies twisting and snapping into powerful wolf forms.

Dax was still gripping my hands, his thumb absently stroking over my knuckles. His expression was unreadable, but I could feel the tension radiating off him like heat from a wildfire.

“They’re early,” I murmured.

“They’re desperate,” Dax corrected, his eyes scanning the treeline. “They think they can catch us off guard.”

I swallowed hard, forcing down the rising panic. “Can they?”

His jaw tightened. “Not if we stick to the plan.”

The plan.

Draw them in. Make them think they had the upper hand. Cut them off before they could regroup. It had sounded solid when we discussed it last night. But now, with war pressing against our doorstep, the cracks in our confidence felt more apparent.

A figure appeared beside us—Jack, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Unlike Dax, he didn’t bother hiding his excitement. His wolf craved blood, and war was the perfect excuse to spill it.

“They’re moving fast,” Jack said, his voice edged with something dangerously close to glee. “We should hit them now.”

Dax shook his head. “We wait. We lure them in.”

Jack sneered. “And if they don’t take the bait?”

“They will,” I said before I could stop myself. Both men turned to me, surprised. I straightened my shoulders, keeping my voice steady. “Kael knows Dax too well. He thinks we’ll fight like our father. He won’t expect us to be patient.”

Jack scoffed, but Dax gave a small nod of approval.

A warrior ran up to us, breathing heavily. “They’re coming through the east border. Maybe fifty, sixty of them.”

Jack’s eyes flashed. “That’s it?”

Dax didn’t look relieved. “It’s a test.”

I felt a chill crawl up my spine. “They’re holding back.”

Dax nodded grimly. “They’re feeling us out. Alpha Gideon will send a second wave once he knows how we react.”

Jack cracked his knuckles. “Then let’s give him something to think about.”

Dax hesitated for only a second before nodding. “Take a small unit. Drive them back, but don’t overcommit. We need to make them believe they’re winning.”

Jack grinned. “Oh, this will be fun.”

He shifted mid-step, his body morphing into a massive dark wolf before he charged toward the battlefield. Half a dozen warriors followed him, their forms shifting as they ran.

The ground trembled beneath their paws.

I let out a slow breath. “This is happening.”

Dax turned to me, brushing a hand over my cheek. “Please stay inside.”

I wasn’t a warrior, but I wasn’t useless either. I knew the battle plans. I knew our defenses. I would fight in the way I could.

“I will.”

He gave me one last look before shifting. His wolf—large, golden, and fierce—was the embodiment of power. He let out a deep, rumbling growl before taking off, leading more warriors into the fray.

And just like that, the battle began.

I moved quickly through the packhouse, heading toward the war room.

From the balcony overlooking the battlefield, I could see flashes of movement in the trees. Growls and snarls echoed through the air, punctuated by the occasional scream. The warriors at the eastern border had clashed with Kael’s forces, the fighting swift and brutal.

Blood splattered the earth.

My stomach twisted.

Even knowing this was inevitable didn’t make it any easier to witness.

A scout rushed into the war room, his face pale. “They’re pushing back harder than expected. Jack’s group is holding them, but they’re not retreating.”

I frowned. Dax had been right—this was a test. But if the enemy wasn’t backing down, did that mean they had changed their strategy?

Or was this a distraction?

I turned sharply. “Where’s Pierce?”

The warrior guarding the door stiffened. “Patrolling the western border.”

My heart skipped. “Get him back here. Now.”

Something wasn’t right.

I grabbed a map from the table, scanning the marked locations of our traps and defenses. We had fortified the eastern border because it was the most obvious point of attack, but if I were them…

I exhaled sharply. “The south.”

The room stilled.

“What?” one of the strategists asked.

I jabbed a finger at the map. “The south border. It’s the least defended. He’s trying to pull us east so he can hit us from behind.”

A few warriors exchanged uneasy glances.

“Gideon is leading the attack at the east,” someone pointed out.

I shook my head. “No, he’s not. If he was, this would already be over.”

Dax had told me once—Gideon was dangerous because he thought three steps ahead. He never struck without reason. And this battle? It wasn’t meant to defeat us in one blow.

It was meant to wear us down.

I grabbed a dagger from the table and shoved it into my belt. “I’m going.”

A warrior stepped forward. “Alina, you should stay—”

“I’m going,” I repeated, my voice firm. “Send reinforcements to the south border now.”

I didn’t wait for permission.

I sprinted out of the packhouse, my pulse hammering in my ears.

The southern border was too quiet.

As I approached, the scent of wolves filled my nose—wolves that weren’t ours.

Damn it.

They were already here.

A shadow moved between the trees, and before I could react, a wolf lunged at me.

I barely had time to draw my dagger before I was tackled to the ground.

I hit the earth hard, the air rushing from my lungs. The wolf above me snapped its jaws inches from my face, its breath hot and foul. I shoved my forearm against its throat, struggling to keep its teeth from sinking into my neck.

Adrenaline surged through me.

With all the strength I had, I twisted my dagger upward and plunged it into the wolf’s side.

It yelped, stumbling off me. I scrambled to my feet, my hands slick with blood. More shadows moved through the trees—more of Gideon’s warriors.

Too many.

I reached for my dagger again, but before I could react, another wolf slammed into me from behind.

Pain exploded in my ribs as I crashed against a tree. I gasped, struggling to stay conscious.

The wolf shifted, and I barely had time to register the smirking face above me before darkness swallowed me whole.

The last thing I heard was a voice, low and taunting.

“Checkmate.”