Chapter 202 202

Chapter 202 202
Xander burst through the burning tent without hesitation. The flames roared around him, casting wild shadows across the canvas walls as he rushed toward Alyna. His sword sliced through the restraints holding her, and the silver chains fell away with a metallic clang.
"Alyna!" he shouted, grabbing her shoulders. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head, still coughing from the smoke.
"No."
Relief flashed across his face.
For a brief moment, all the fear and frustration he had carried for weeks disappeared. He had found her alive.
"I'm glad," he said quietly. "I'm glad nothing happened to you."
Before Alyna could respond, another deafening roar echoed across the battlefield.
Both of them turned.
Outside the burning tent, the battle was reaching its peak.
Fire spread from one structure to another. Warriors fought desperately beneath the glow of burning torches. The night sky itself seemed stained red by the flames.
And at the center of it all stood Asher and Sarmon. Their fight had become terrifying.
Both Alphas were covered in blood. Asher's silver-gray wolf was breathing heavily, deep wounds visible across his shoulders and flank. Yet he continued attacking with relentless determination.
Sarmon's massive dark wolf looked equally battered. Chunks of fur were missing from his body. Blood dripped from multiple wounds.
Still, neither showed any intention of stopping.They crashed into each other again. The impact shook the ground. Alyna's heart clenched.

"Asher..."
Xander followed her gaze.
Without thinking, Alyna grabbed his arm.
"Help him."
Xander looked at her.
There was no hesitation.
He simply nodded. Then he shifted. His body expanded, bones cracking and reforming. Within seconds, a powerful black wolf stood where he had been. The wolf turned toward Alyna briefly.
Almost as if assuring her he understood. Then he charged into battle. Alyna watched as Xander joined the fight.
Now two Alphas attacked Sarmon together. The battlefield seemed to pause. Even the surrounding warriors slowed, staring at the impossible sight.
For years, Asher and Xander had been enemies. Now they fought side by side.
Sarmon immediately realized the danger. The combined force of both Alphas was overwhelming. Asher attacked from the front.
Xander struck from the side. They moved with surprising coordination. One created openings. The other exploited them.
Sarmon found himself retreating for the first time in years. Alyna stood frozen.
She didn't know what to do. Part of her wanted to run. Every instinct screamed at her to flee. She was finally free. She could escape. She could save herself. But her legs refused to move. She couldn't leave. Not while they were risking everything for her. Vivi stirred weakly inside her mind.
We need to protect ourselves. Alyna tried but nothing happened.
Her wolf remained exhausted from the silver chains and everything Sarmon had done to suppress her. She was trapped in her human form.
The fighting grew more violent. Asher landed a brutal strike across Sarmon's side. Xander followed by knocking the rogue Alpha backward.
For the first time, Sarmon stumbled. The mighty Alpha who had conquered countless territories looked vulnerable. His breathing became ragged. Blood soaked his dark fur. His movements slowed.
Alyna felt a spark of hope. Maybe they could win. Maybe the vision was wrong.
Then Sarmon looked at her. Everything changed. His eyes locked onto hers across the battlefield. And suddenly Alyna understood.
He wasn't looking at her. He was thinking. Calculating. The way a predator calculated. The way a strategist calculated.
Sarmon realized something. The two Alphas weren't fighting for victory. They were fighting for her. She was their weakness. The center of their attention. The thing both men desperately wanted to protect. And Sarmon had survived centuries by attacking weaknesses.
A terrible feeling settled in Alyna's stomach as she remembered what he said.
"No."
Sarmon moved. Not toward Asher. Not toward Xander. Toward her.
The realization hit too late. Asher saw it first. His wolf let out a furious roar. Xander immediately turned. Both Alphas lunged after Sarmon. But Sarmon was faster.
Desperation gave him strength. For one brief moment he shoved both wolves aside. Asher crashed into the ground. Xander rolled across the dirt.

The opening lasted only seconds. But it was enough. Sarmon sprinted directly toward Alyna. Everything seemed to slow.
Alyna stood frozen. The battlefield disappeared. The screams disappeared. The fire disappeared.

There was only Sarmon. Rushing toward her. His eyes burning with determination.

Vivi screamed inside her mind.
Alyna tried. Her body refused. She was too slow. Far too slow. Sarmon reached her.

And then, a sharp, unbearable pain exploded through her chest.

Alyna gasped. The world tilted. She looked down. Sarmon's claws had torn deeply into her side.

The strike was devastating. Fatal.

Blood immediately soaked her clothes. For a moment she couldn't even understand what had happened.

Then the pain arrived. Overwhelming.
Her knees buckled. A cry escaped her lips. The battlefield went silent.
Asher stopped. Xander stopped. Neither had expected it. Neither had been fast enough.

"Alyna!"

Asher's voice echoed across the battlefield.

Pure terror filled it.

Alyna had never heard him sound like that before. Xander's face turned pale. Disbelief filled his eyes. Sarmon staggered backward, breathing heavily.
Even he looked surprised by what he had done. But it was too late. The damage was done. Alyna collapsed to the ground. Blood pooled beneath her.
Her vision blurred instantly. The stars above seemed distant
Xander reached her first. He shifted back into human form before dropping to his knees beside her.

"Alyna."
His voice shook. His hands pressed desperately against the wound. Blood continued flowing between his fingers.

"No."

The single word sounded broken.

"Stay with me."

For the first time since Alyna had known him, he looked completely helpless.

Neither Alpha cared about the battle anymore.

Neither cared about Sarmon. All they saw was Alyna.

Alyna looked at them both.

Her vision was fading.

The pain was becoming distant.

Strangely distant.

And that terrified her more than anything.

Because she remembered the vision.

The one that had made her run away years ago.

The one she had feared every day.

The vision of her death.

And now, lying in a pool of her own blood between the two men who loved her, she wondered if fate had finally caught up to her after all.

The darkness at the edge of her vision grew larger.
And Asher's desperate voice became the last thing she heard clearly.

"Alyna... don't leave me," Xander said.