Chapter 75

Chapter 75
{Nox’s POV}

Ali barely had enough time to grieve his fallen ally before the grimness of the situation settled on him.

The other wolf — Ali’s last man — wasn’t looking good.

A deep gash tore through her upper thigh, slick with blood. She was panting, her steps uneven, and her stance drooped like a tree ready to fall.

Every action was a struggle, yet she kept her frame squared, growling under her breath, refusing to collapse.

But she was bleeding out nonetheless. And Ali didn’t look much better.

On the other hand, Rohan barely had a scratch. His coat was speckled with dirt, some blood on his flank that didn’t even look like his. His breathing was steady. Relaxed. Eyes cold. He hadn’t even broken a sweat.

The fight wasn’t fair.

And then it got worse.

Three new wolves burst into the clearing behind Rohan, panting hard, clearly fresh off a long sprint. One of them skidded to a stop, scanning the mess of blood, broken trees, and bodies.

“So this is where they were hiding…” His gaze landed on the corpse of Tevin, then slid to the injured wolf still standing. “Guess that makes cleanup easier.”

“Late,” Rohan growled, not even turning to face them.

They froze.

Even from where I stood, I could smell it, the way their energy shifted. One of them dipped his head, eyes suddenly low.

They feared him. Just as much as they fear Aurelius… maybe more.

I doubt they revered him as an ally.

Rohan didn’t bark or growl again.

He didn’t have to.

I crouched beside Ali watching it all play out, knowing exactly what I had to do.

Things had gotten as mad as they could — and even worse than that.

‘The moons don't make this easy, do they?’ I mused internally. Thinking of all the ways we could slip out of this predicament unscathed. 

This was the moment to act.

I reached into my side pouch and pulled out the horn. A smooth obsidian shape, carved with all the ingenuity of Moonskin craftsmen.

I lifted it to my lips and blew it once. Long and loud.

The note split the air with force far louder than its size should've permitted, cutting through every breath, every thought, every wolf in the clearing.

The heads turned fast. Rohan’s included.

I flung the horn aside with a tired sigh as I leaped forward. 

My boots slammed into the earth with purpose. Dust swirled at my landing, cloak sweeping behind me like smoke off a flame… what was left of my cloak at least. 

I probably looked worse than the grandiosity of my entrance.

Rohan’s eyes locked onto mine.

His voice came out low. Along with a flood of hidden emotion.

“Nox.”

I smirked. “I don’t like my name coming from the jaws of ugly lapdogs.”

The tension cracked like ice beneath a boot.

Ali’s remaining comrade straightened slightly, but her posture still screamed of confusion. She had no idea what to make of me yet — and neither did the others. That was fine. This too was welcomed.

She moved calmly to Ali’s side, pulling out a strip of silver vials from my belt, some tonics I'd gotten from Ryanna. Not the good stuff like Cyclis Bloom, which I refused,  but potent enough to make a difference.

‘I should’ve gotten that Cyclis Bloom… tsk.’

“Drink,” I said, handing one each to Ali, his woman, and uncorking one for myself.

Ali sniffed it, eyes narrowed.

“What is it?”

“Take it,” I said. “... it'll slow the bleeding and clear your head a bit.”

The wolf with the thigh wound was the first to go down. She flinched at the taste, winced a little more, but then her shoulders rolled back as her breathing steadied.

Ali followed.

His wounds were bad, but the moment that brew hit, I saw the clarity return to his eyes. His paw flexed. His head lifted. The color came back into his growl.

I drank last. The warmth hit my gut first. Then it surged up into my chest, dulled the ache in my ribs, and numbed the sting of bruises I didn’t have time to count.

I turned toward the two of them. “You ready to fight?”

Ali blinked, still catching up. “That was good.”

I gave him a dry look. “Do I look like the type to give low-quality services?”

“anymore…” I coughed.

His comrade grunted a laugh, half-relieved, half-dazed. “Not sure who you are, but yeah… we can work with you.”

Ali just nodded, eyes still on Rohan. “If we’re doing this, we do it right.”

A low, venomous growl broke through the tension.

“So, Ryanna even got that from Moongrave…” 

He took a step forward. “That worm.”

I smiled, baring teeth. “A worm who will outlive every snake in your den.”

My bones cracked and realigned as I shifted.

Fur stretched across my back in a rush of heat, claws pushing through skin like blades touching light. My snarl rolled through the trees as I dropped forward into my wolf form. Taller than most, shoulders broad, fur black as pitch with streaks of dark bronze glinting beneath moonlight.

I stepped past the others and faced Rohan directly.

“Give my regards to Aurelius,” I started. “And tell me, how’s he keeping stable without his precious stimulants? He seems calm.”

Rohan’s snout twitched. “You’ll regret crawling out of whatever hole Ryanna dragged you from.”

“Maybe. But not tonight.” I said. 

Rohan pounced.

And the clearing exploded.

Ali lunged for the wolf on the right, jaws locking around their foreleg, dragging them into the dirt with a roar. His comrade tackled the middle one, both tumbling through underbrush in a storm of claws and snarls.

And me?

I met Rohan head-on.

Our impact shook the trees, two towers of muscle and hatred slamming into each other in a rush of growls, claws, and unholy momentum.

He bit down on my shoulder. I let him, just long enough to drag him in before I slammed a foreleg into his throat.

He staggered back, grinned through blood, and came again.

The real fighting had begun.