Chapter 50

Chapter 50
Calla’s POV 

"Did you hear that?" Raiden approached me with an alert but subdued tone in his voice.

I nodded slowly. The howls reverberated across the forest, and my heart raced in response. The sounds we heard came neither from our fighters nor the Shadow King’s beasts. These were real wolves. Living ones. And there were many of them. Too many. 

The wind carried their scent to us. The breeze brought an unknown, powerful scent that filled my chest with terror. Raiden stood before me, and his jaw had clenched. He smelled it too. The approaching party showed no ties to Silver Moon or neighbouring allied packs. This was a foreign force. And they were heading straight for us. 

I faced the warriors who remained gathered behind me. Some were sitting. Some were tending to wounds. Others were already burying our dead. The soldiers had exhausted faces and ragged clothes, yet remained on their feet. The most devastating battle of our existence had just ended. The battle appeared to continue as we still faced threats to overcome.

I announced with urgency as I moved toward them that we needed to act quickly. "Get the wounded to the temple ruins. Protect the children. Join our ranks and fight if you have enough strength left. We face a new threat." 

People groaned and murmured, yet no one showed hesitation. They obeyed because they trusted me now. The elders showed their respect by looking at me. The experiences leading up to this moment transformed me from the rejected Luna into something more. I was their Alpha. Through bloodshed and truth, I had acquired my position.

The Betas received orders from Raiden as he barked instructions to them. Rowan and his companions dispersed to establish a defensive barrier. Although Elara's wound was still bleeding, the medics brought her to safety, and she survived. My belief in her survival became necessary. My current priority was to safeguard the remaining members of Silver Moon.

I became my wolf form as my skeletal structure locked into position. As soon as I came down onto all fours, my feet sensed the ground shake slightly. The footsteps were close now. The forest trembled with their movement. These were not simple scouts. This was a full army of wolves. Whoever they were, they came with a purpose. 

Raiden shifted beside me. The black wolf stood taller than his pack mates and dominated the height of those around him. I stood beside him, our shoulders brushing. The connection between us reached its highest strength while I experienced his emotions vividly. He was angry. Ready. But beneath it, I sensed fear. Not for himself, but for me. 

We ran forward together. The rest of our warriors followed. Our group halted at the clearing located right before Silver Moon territory's main border. The trees parted revealing a vast field with the enemy positioned across from us. I had never seen wolves like them. 

They were larger than most. Most of their fur was dark with shades of black and grey, while some displayed brown tones. Their eyes were glowing red and gold. The first wolf in the line showed a scar that stretched down its face. The wolf transformed into a tall human who had long black hair and strong muscles. His eyes locked onto mine. 

Using a powerful voic,e he called out "Alpha Calla of Silver Moon." As the leader of the Blood Fang Pack, I stand before you as Alpha Magnus.

I returned to my human shape and advanced forward without fear. Their powerful structure and organization became clear to me as I observed their commanding stance even though I had no prior knowledge of the Blood Fang Pack. I looked over at Raiden who kept his wolf form yet stayed near.

"What do you want?" I asked, keeping my voice calm. 

Magnus gave a slow smile. "We heard that Silver Moon was weakened. We came to take what is left. Your lands. Your wolves. Everything." 

I stared at him in disbelief. "We just fought off the Shadow King. We lost good people. Now is not an appropriate time to face another war.

"We came specifically because of this situation," he answered. "Because you are weak. And we are not. We do not believe in peace. We believe in strength. You've lost all the strength that you once had.

I clenched my fists. Smoke and blood clung to my skin as a pungent scent. My legs ached from running and fighting. But my heart burned with anger. The man before me sought to destroy our remaining resources. He showed no interest in either justice or honor. He only wanted to rule. 

I told him Silver Moon would stay with us.

Magnus chuckled. "Then you will die with it." 

He suddenly turned back into his wolf form. His pack moved forward in a rush causing the earth to tremble once more. My fur bristled while I shifted to respond immediately. Raiden sprinted ahead and snarled loudly behind me. The rest of our warriors followed. The final battle had begun. 

Fur and claws moved rapidly across the field while blood stained the ground. I collided with a dark brown wolf and tore into its shoulder before it managed to regain its footing. From behind, I was tackled by another wolf, and we ended up rolling across the ground. I used my back legs to push it away and immediately lunged forward. My mind went blank. All I saw was red. 

Raiden fought right next to me while his jaws broke skin and shredded the enemy's flesh. His movements were quick and lethal like a shadow. Every time we defeated a wolf, two more wolves would attack us. The Blood Fang Pack turned out to be bigger than I had originally expected. And they were ruthless. 

A howl went up on our side. Rowan defeated a Beta but sustained a serious wound with a deep chest gash. Two warriors pulled him back. I surveyed our position and understood that we were steadily retreating. We were outnumbered. Again. 

But this time, I was not afraid. 

I jumped on a black wolf and sank my claws deep into its side, which made it topple over. While I stood above the defeated black wolf, something unusual occurred. The soft light beneath my fur illuminated my body with a faint glow. I felt power rising inside me. The Whisper. She was awake. 

The sound of her voice entered my thoughts with soft yet firm tones. "You are more than you know, Calla. This is your birthright. You were not chosen by accident." 

The wolf underneath me emitted a whimpering sound before quickly scampering off. As I raised my gaze upward, I noticed how the light emanated from me and reached out to the others. Each warrior started to shine with identical golden illumination. The wolf belonging to Raiden emitted a strong silver glow while he maintained eye contact with me.

The Whisper was not just inside me. The Whisper unlocked ancient powers within each of us. The core of the ancient energy rested beneath Silver Moon roots. We were not weak. We were not broken. We were still here. 

I released a loud howl that reverberated through the field and toward the heavens. The light expanded outward like a shield that repelled the enemy forces. The Blood Fang wolves stumbled, confused. Their strength was fading as ours grew. The Whisper achieved its goal through its mysterious actions.

Raiden lunged forward and caught hold of Magnus's leg with his teeth before dragging him to the ground. I stepped alongside him and we confronted the enemy Alpha as a united front. Although he snapped and clawed at us we outran him. Smarter. Stronger now. 

Magnus made a move to escape, but I jumped onto his back and bit into his neck. His screams of agony continued until I bit biting until he ceased to move. The battlefield became silent after I released my grip.

The Blood Fang wolves were retreating. The Blood Fang wolves had lost their will to fight after their Alpha left them. The wolves retreated into the forest one after another. We did not chase them. We remained motionless while our heavy breathing filled the air as we observed the enemy retreat.

I transformed into my human shape and positioned myself at the centre of the field. My body ached. Blood covered my arms and legs, which was partially my own but also included someone else's. Raiden moved to join me at my side. He touched my arm gently. 

"You did it," he said softly. 

"No," I replied. "We did." 

Our warriors gathered around us. As daylight broke the horizon the battlefield was illuminated with golden light from the rising sun. The fires had died down. The forest was quiet. The battlefield fell silent for the first time in days. Only peace. 

I surveyed the faces of those who had fought alongside me. Elara had survived. Rowan was wounded but alive. Raiden was still at my side. Though many of our comrades had falle,n we remained alive. And Silver Moon was safe. 

I raised my hand slowly. "The battle is over," I said. "Silver Moon still stands." 

A cheer rose from the crowd. It was not loud. It was not wild. The crowd's response showed both exhaustion and relief in its gentle volume. It was the sound of survivors. 

Raiden faced me and pressed his hand against my heart. "We are stronger together. That will never change." 

I nodded. I believed it now more than ever. I had lost so much. My life had been marked by rejection and betrayal while I endured being hunted and wounded. But I had risen. I had fought back. I had protected my pack. 

Silver Moon would rebuild. 

And I would lead them.