Chapter 33
Chapter 33
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The sound came from a distance, from the direction of Orion's pack territory border. Alena's heart sank.
"We're ambushed," Orion said, his voice flat, but his eyes lit up with realization. "Draven must have been waiting for us here."
Before they could move, the first arrow shot out from the darkness, piercing the tree next to Lena. A sharp hiss followed it, and then the growls of wolves, not their pack's wolves. These were Draven's wolves.
"To defensive formation!" Orion roared, his Alpha taking over. "Protect Ariel! Alena, stay behind me!"
Dozens of shadows darted out from between the trees, surrounding them. Red eyes gleamed in the darkness, fangs glinting. Their numbers were greater than Orion had anticipated.
"How... how did they know our route?" Lena asked, her voice filled with disbelief. This route was a secret path, known only to a few trusted members of the pack.
Orion didn't answer. He already knew. The cold premonition that had crept into his chest now froze into a terrible certainty. Someone had leaked the information. There was a traitor among them.
Battle erupted. Claws met claws, fangs clashed with fangs. Orion shifted into his large silver wolf form, roaring, attacking the enemy front lines with a brutality he rarely displayed. Lena and Liam, also in their wolf forms, fought by his side, forming a protective wall around Ariel and Alena.
Alena focused her power. She created a shockwave of moon energy, pushing back several enemy wolves attempting to break through their defenses. She could feel immense exhaustion, but adrenaline pumped in her veins, giving her strength to keep fighting. Draven's warriors came in endless waves. They were organized, brutal, and seemed to know every gap in Orion's formation.
"They know our tactics!" Orion roared, tearing at an enemy's throat. He felt a burning rage. This was not merely an ambush. This was a meticulously planned trap, utilizing inside knowledge.
Suddenly, from an unexpected direction, an enemy warrior slipped through a small gap, evading Lena, and darted towards Orion. Orion, busy fighting two wolves at once, did not notice the threat. The warrior raised its claw, aiming it at Orion's neck—
"ALPHA!" Liam shouted.
Without hesitation, Liam, who was fighting another warrior, leaped, throwing his body between Orion and the deadly attack.
RIIIP!
The sound of tearing flesh and a deep groan of pain. The enemy warrior's claw pierced Liam's side, tearing through his skin and muscle. Blood spurted into the air, drenching his grey fur. Liam fell to the ground with a heavy thud, blood pouring profusely from his wound.
Orion, now realizing what had happened, roared in fury. He tore at the warrior who had wounded Liam, tossing it aside like a ragdoll. He shifted back to his human form, kneeling beside Liam, who now lay helpless, his fur soaked with blood.
"Liam!" Orion cried out, his voice filled with despair and disbelief. "No... Liam, hold on!"
Alena rushed to Liam's side, her hands trembling as she touched the gaping wound on the Alpha's friend's side. The blood kept flowing, too much, too fast. Liam's eyes opened slightly, looking at Orion with painful loyalty.
"Alpha..." Liam whispered, his voice weak, barely audible. Blood filled his mouth. "The traitor... he... he led them..."
Orion felt his heart sink. A traitor. Within his own ranks. Someone he had trusted, or at least someone he had believed loyal, had betrayed them. Betrayed the entire pack. And Liam... Liam lay there, dying, because of his mistake. Because he had been too blind, too arrogant to see the danger approaching from within.
"Liam, don't speak," Alena said, her hands trying to staunch the wound, but in vain. Her healing moon power felt terribly weak after her fight with Draven. She looked at Orion, her eyes full of anxiety.
Around them, the battle raged on. Draven's wolves pressed closer, closing in from all directions. They were trapped, cornered.
Orion looked at Liam, who now closed his eyes, his breathing growing weaker. Guilt slammed into Orion like a sledgehammer. Failure. He had failed to protect his comrade, failed to protect his loyal Beta. And worst of all, he had allowed evil to creep into his own ranks.
"Who?" Orion asked, his voice hoarse, his eyes full of despair. He looked at Liam's paling face, searching for an answer. "Who is it, Liam? Tell me, who is the traitor—"
A shadow flashed quickly from the darkness, and the hiss of a bow cut through the air. An arrow with an obsidian tip glinted under the moonlight, aimed directly at Orion's head.
"ALPHA, LOOK OUT!" Lena screamed, she didn't have time to shift, could only shout a warning.
Orion turned, seeing the arrow coming too fast. He was too shocked, too burdened by guilt to react.
Just before the arrow reached its target, Alena, with a deep primal instinct, raised her hand. A silver energy shield pulsed before her, deflecting the arrow. The arrow bounced off with a loud clang, missing its mark and embedding itself in a tree behind them.
But the shield didn't hold everything back. An enemy wolf, seizing Orion's moment of distraction, darted forward, pouncing on Alena. It clamped its fangs onto Alena's shoulder, dragging her away from Liam and Orion, into the waiting crowd of enemies.
"ALENA!" Orion roared, he rose, his anger boiling, seeing Alena dragged into the enemy crowd, her hand still trying to touch the weakening shield.
He had to fight. He had to save her. But his gaze shifted to Liam, who lay bleeding on the ground. And then to Ariel, who was still unconscious.
Amidst the chaos, amidst the despair, amidst the brutal fight, Orion felt the world collapsing around him. They were ambushed. They had been betrayed. Liam was dying. And Alena... Alena was in grave danger, dragged into an unknown enemy crowd, her power weakening, surrounded by bloodthirsty fangs.
"Let her go!" Orion roared, his voice cracking amidst—