CHAPTER 151

CHAPTER 151
Vision of Blood

Joel slumped in his study, parchment unrolled across his desk like battle leaves. The hearth fire danced, shadows leaping on stone walls. He flipped through the latest border reports, each one more dire than the last: unmarked wolf tracks, patrols absent at sundown, sightings of a massing force.

His wolf raged within him, a hum of warning.

Something's coming.

Joel's jaws clenched. He set the scroll on the desk. "Dammit," he said. He rubbed his temples, closing his eyes, but the thudding in his head increased… pounding like some savage beat.

The room spun.

He lurched forward, holding the edge of the desk. The fire danced, the walls crumbled, and he collapsed into darkness.

He landed hard on ground, sky being red. The moon was fractured silver, in twain. Wolves howled in the distance, but their songs were distorted, shattered into a pain's song.

Joel rose to his knees, armor cumbersome, sword slung at hip. But blood covered the blade, dripping onto the ground and pooling at his feet. He looked down and saw his own hand pass through red liquid… his flesh vanished, transformed into scales.

A child's voice blew on the wind:  Blood remembers.

Trees under his feet curled up like snakes. A root jutted out, catching at his boot. He ripped it loose and stumbled deeper into the forest.

He glimpsed her in the distance: Emerald, bound by chains of iron, standing before a pyre. Fire capped her head, but she didn't burn. Her eyes glittered with defiance. and sorrow.

"Emerald." he cried, but the sound emerged as a death rattle.

She spun, lips working, but no words came out. And then Lena's shadow danced behind her, veiled in darkness. Her eyes pierced Joel's soul.

Choose me,  the ghost breathed.  Or let her die.

Joel steeled himself. "No," he shouted, drawing his sword. The blade burst into flames, cutting the chains from her wrists. She stumbled forward, a scream tearing from her throat.

He sprang to catch her.

The world exploded.

Joel leapt up, panting. His heart pounded like war drums. He stood in his study once more, firelight steady. There were pieces of parchment scattered around him. There was a smell of smoke clinging to him as if he had lingered near flame.

He splashed water over his face in a basin. His white, wild-eyed face stared back at him in the mirror.

It wasn't occurring.  His wolf growled.

But as he wiped the sweat from his brow, movement at the window caught his attention. A bird on the windowsill, a black as midnight, crest-like band painted around its chest. two crossed swords beneath a growling wolf's head.

Joel froze. The Raven Clan's ancient marking.

He stood up, coming to the window in silence. The bird leaned its head to one side, one coal-colored eye looking into. Joel's breath caught.

It starts.

The raven croaked and dropped a rolled-up parchment onto the windowsill. Its claws scratched the wood. Joel tore the parchment open.

King's Road, north pass, it read in scribbled ink. Blood debt paid in blood. War is declared. Your village awaits.

Below the letters, there was a crude drawing of a corpse, nailed onto a gate made of iron. Joel swallowed.

There was a deafening crack of thunder outside, though no clouds had drifted in.

In a flash of anger, he slapped his fist against the desk. "War room readiness. Immediately."

The door splintered, and Lynk strode in, boots clanking stone. Behind him, Beta Moran and two scouts walked in, their faces like ghostly silhouettes.

Joel shook the raven's scroll. "Read this."

Lynk broke the seal and read. His eyebrows sprang up into his forehead. "The Raven Clan," he spat.

"They were wiped out generations ago."

It's them," Moran whispered. "Our patrols found their banner burning on the north ridge two fortnights ago."

Joel's brows furrowed. "They're alive. They're harder than we gave 'em credit."

Lynk ran a hand through his hair. "They're waging war. On us."

Joel slapped the parchment onto the desk. "They're demanding a girl."

Lynk blinked. "Emerald."

Joel nodded. "And vengeance."

Moran gulped hard. "We must warn her."

Joel's glower froze the younger wolf in place. "I'll do it.".

He turned, anger vines crawling through him. "Lynk, call the guard. Prepare siege tactics. This war will not be honorable. They brought it to us."

Lynk bowed his head. "Immediately."

Moran hesitated. "Alpha…"

Joel halted him. "Now."

Moran bowed and left. Joel stood there, breathing hard. His wolf raged.

They want her blood.

Joel clenched his fists.

The fire in the hearth flared.

He examined the parchment once more. Underneath the text was one phrase:  
BLOOD REMEMBERS.

A memory came back to him: his father's last order…  
Crush the Blood Fang forever.  
The Iron Order purge. Killed innocents for power.

He clenched his teeth. He would protect his pack. And her. He would wage this war as his father had never done… by not being the monster his blood demanded.

The door groaned. Out of the shadows emerged the butler, cloak dripping with rain.

"Alpha Joel," he spoke, his voice low and gruff. "Miss Lena is waiting."

Joel's breath snagged. "Take me to her."

The butler hesitated, concern in his gaze. "She's ill. She…"

“She’s mine,” Joel said softly, but his voice cracked. “I won’t lose her.”

He strode past the butler into the hallway.

Emerald sat on the couch, pale as moonlight, staring at the flickering blaze. She hugged knees to her chest.

Joel entered without knocking, cloak dripping, sword still at his side.

She looked up. “You’re back.”

He dropped to one knee next to her, placing the raven's parchment in her lap. "They've declared a call to war."

She studied the rough drawing and the dreaded crest. Her breath caught.

Joel swallowed. "They're searching for you."

Her eyes overflowed. "Why?"

Joel placed a hand on hers. "They blame you for an ancient injustice. They want your blood."

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I… "

He touched a finger to her lips. "Shh."

He stood, standing her up. "I'll stop them. I swear it."

She clung to him, trembling. He wrapped his arms around her.

She puffed softly, "Blood remembers."

Joel closed his eyes, swallowing guilt and resolve. "I remember too."

They held still for a moment as the fire crackled.

And beyond, the first boom of war shook through the forest.