Chapter 89 THE FIRST STRIKE
DEREK’S POV
The moment I heard the news, my chest tightened like a trap. My father’s beta had been attacked. One of our own, wounded, bloodied, barely alive and worse, the captured attacker belonged to the Spirit Pack. I felt my stomach twist, a cold fury settling deep inside me. Amber wasn’t here. She wouldn’t be here to calm me, to reason with me. The worry for her had been gnawing at me all day, and now this.
I stormed into the room where the soldier was held, the man chained to the wall, defiant and sneering.
“You thought you could touch us and get away with it?” I spat, the words tasting like venom.
The soldier lifted his head, a smirk dancing on his blood-smeared lips.
“You’ll never stop us, Derek. You think your pack is strong, but weakness hides behind every corner.”
I slammed my fist against the wall inches from his face, making the chains rattle. “Weakness?” I growled.
“You’re about to find out how strong we really are.”
They’d told me to interrogate him, to get answers. I didn’t need gentle methods. He had already shown his cruelty, killing one of my father’s men. That was enough to justify whatever I would do.
I grabbed him by the collar, lifting him off the ground.
“Where are your people planning to strike next?” I demanded.
The smirk didn’t falter. “You’ll see soon enough,” he taunted.
I felt a surge of rage, hotter than I’d ever felt. He was mocking me, testing me. Testing my patience. I shoved him against the wall, feeling the chains bite into his skin, and leaned close enough that he could smell my anger. “You’re going to tell me everything. Every plan, every location, every weak point, or I swear…”
The chains rattled as he tried to pull back. “You wouldn’t dare. You’re no alpha yet. You’re just a boy playing at war.”
That was it. That was the challenge. I slammed my palm across his jaw, over and over, until the wall shook. Pain blurred my mind, but I could see the fear finally flicker across his eyes. Good. That fear was the key.
“Talk!” I shouted. My voice cracked with the mix of fury and desperation.
He coughed, blood dripping from his split lip. “You… don’t understand. Our strike… it’s imminent. At the southern borders… tomorrow night… we… will move when the moon is high. You cannot stop us all.”
I released him slightly, letting him sag in the chains.
“Who’s leading it? Who gave the orders?”
The fear deepened. “Trent… he… he’s the one. The Spirit Pack… he’ll…”
I slammed my hand down again. “Stop stalling! I will break you!”
Finally, he gave me the names, the locations, the times, every detail I needed. I memorized it, every twisted corner of their plan, every trap they were ready to lay.
I left him hanging there, groaning and bleeding, and stormed out. My mind raced. This was it…the first real strike. If I didn’t act now, my father’s pack would pay in blood. I clenched my fists, thinking of Amber. I wished she were here, wanted her sharp eyes to help me see through the chaos. But she wasn’t, and I had to move alone.
I ran through the halls, barking orders to the pack guards. “Double the patrols along the southern borders! Everyone, I mean everyone, be ready at sunset!” My voice carried authority, cutting through the tension like a blade.
They obeyed without question, their eyes wide but determined.
I stopped for a moment, taking a breath, trying to steady the storm inside me but there was no time for calm. I had to plan, to anticipate, to strike first before they even reached us. The Spirit Pack had made the first move, but I wouldn’t let them dictate the rest.
By nightfall, I had positioned our scouts along every ridge, every tree line. My heart pounded, every shadow making me flinch, every distant sound putting me on edge. I thought of Amber again. The thought was a stab of longing, but I couldn’t let it weaken me. Not now.
Then I saw them…figures moving in the darkness, shadows against the dim moonlight. The Spirit Pack was coming, just as the soldier had said. I signaled the archers.
“Hold your fire until they’re within range,” I whispered, voice tight with focus.
They crept closer, unaware that they were being watched, that we were ready. I moved through the shadows like a predator, silent but deadly. Every step, every heartbeat, sharpened my senses. I felt alive in the chaos, every nerve screaming for action.
Suddenly, one of our scouts gave the signal.
“They’re within range!”
I nodded. “Now!” The volley of arrows cut through the night air. The first wave hit, scattering them, creating confusion. I charged forward with the pack’s warriors at my side. Steel clashed with steel, and the smell of blood mixed with the cold night air.
I fought like a man possessed, every swing of my blade fueled by the fury of knowing they had dared attack my family. I could hear their cries, their orders, their fear. It felt righteous. It had to be.
I spotted the soldier I had interrogated among them. He froze for a split second, recognition flashing across his face. I leapt forward, cutting him down before he could escape. He fell silently, a bitter grin still on his bloodied lips.
The fight lasted minutes that felt like hours but finally, the Spirit Pack began to retreat, their strength broken, their pride wounded. I stood in the aftermath, chest heaving, hands trembling from exertion and adrenaline.
I looked around at my pack, at the wounded and the victorious alike. They had followed me, trusted me, fought for me. I felt a surge of pride, but it was tempered with a cold, gnawing dread. This was only the first strike. There would be more. And Amber… I had to find her.
The night grew quiet again, leaving only the heavy scent of blood and the distant echo of retreating footsteps. I sank to my knees, pressing my palms to the earth, grounding myself. The battle was won, but the war was far from over.
I clenched my fists, swearing silently. Whoever dared touch my family, my pack, my home… I would not forgive. I would not stop. And I would find Amber, no matter the cost.
The first strike had been ours, but the fight h
ad only begun.
SHADOWS IN FLIGHT