Zara

Ryan and Mason took the front seats, and the rest of the men settled into the back. The engine roared as Ryan climbed behind the wheel. The tires screeched as we pulled away, my heart pounding in time with the clatter of the gravel road.

"Zara! Zara, are you there?" Kane’s desperate voice filled my mind, sounding somewhat intermittent, as if we were having a bad connection. "I feel you." The connection... It’s weak, but I can feel it."

The skin around my wrists had healed faster than after the blood I’d drawn earlier that day. The skin around my hands was still red and sore, but not as badly. Burned and blistered. Even while my wolf was still asleep, I felt the bond beginning to form, binding me to Kane.

"I’m here! Alpha, I’m here!" I screamed, desperately searching for him in the darkness of my mind. "Did something happen? What’s wrong?"

"Everyone was safely evacuated," Kane snorted. "Wherever you got that information, it was correct. Your father’s men came from the north; the rest are moving through the city, trying to ambush us. They’re here, Zara. The war is beginning."

Alpha’s voice faded in and out of the mental link, no doubt because he had joined the battle. I heard anger and delight in his voice, and my heartbeat quickened as anxiety washed over me.

My skin flushed a bright red, and I nervously took off my jacket. Every mile felt like hours, and by the time the kilometer marker for our town appeared, I was on the verge of exploding.

Ryan discussed our plan on the way home, but I spent most of the conversation lost in my thoughts. Even though I was physically sitting in a moving car, I was with Alpha the entire time. Our connection burned brightly within me, reminding me that he was still alive, still safe, at least for now.

Ryan stopped at a small gas station on the outskirts of town. The lights in the small, cube-shaped building were out, and no one was visible.

This gas station was technically outside Alpha’s territory, but close enough to require evacuation. I glanced gratefully at Marcus, seeing the empty store.

While the rest of Kane’s men, Ryan, Mason, and I, went into battle, Marcus was tasked with getting Holly to safety. It was a last-minute idea, but I entered the address of Sophia’s late aunt’s house into my GPS.

Sophia had once visited Govinda there, and it seemed appropriate to use it again. I handed the keys to Marcus with a stern look.

I trusted him more than I ever wanted. First, I trusted him with my life, and now with my half-sisters. Even though I barely knew this girl, I knew she deserved a better life than this.

Marcus pulled away abruptly, with a pale Holly in the passenger seat. Ryan reminded him to stay off the main roads and avoid werewolves at all costs.

The rest of us disappeared into the woods. Nova was unconscious the entire way, drawing strength from constant contact with silver. I managed to coax her to stir, and winced as she yawned loudly.

"There’s not enough time to explain everything, but it’s time to wake up," I called to her. "The battle has already begun, and we’re about to enter it."

"I’ll wait for more details later," she replied, and I winced as the bones in my body began to shift.

I couldn’t transform while being held captive by my father, so the process was unpleasant. My muscles stretched, my bones cracked, and my teeth lengthened. I resisted the urge to scratch my skin as large tufts of hair appeared.

Standing on all fours, I followed Ryan, Mason, and the other warriors into the forest. Our feet thundered across the damp ground, kicking up dust and grass.

I stuck out my tongue and sighed heavily. A week without training hadn’t done me any good. I pushed myself harder, feeling the burn in my muscles as I kept up with Ryan and Mason.

I heard the fighting and smelled blood even before I saw anything. Growls, howls, and squeals, wolves and brown wolves and demons alike, filled the air. The scent of blood drowned out everything else.

I no longer smelled the wet earth or the warm breeze caressing our fur. The metallic scent was everywhere.

The battle unfolded in a large forest clearing, partially within the city limits. We emerged from the forest onto the outskirts of the city. There were only a few houses and a small farm.

The entire battle was chaos, bodies scattered across the ground, most of them still bleeding freshly. There were no boundaries to distinguish one side from the other.

Some werewolves still fought in human form, using elongated claws and fangs to kill their enemies. Others transformed and fought, their teeth snapping as they pounced on the demons.

"Alpha?" I called. "Where are you?"

A few seconds of silence passed before his voice echoed in my head. Even in the current situation, Alpha managed to playfully say, "Right in the middle of it all, where else?"

His voice warmed me, calming my nerves and clearing my clouded mind.

Alpha Kane’s men were skilled, strong, and fast. His troops could fight several demons at once, but I had underestimated the number of my Father’s followers. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Some of the demons looked younger than me, but they were fighting for their lives. I wondered how many truly wanted to fight, and how many were forced.

We rushed into battle without hesitation, sinking our teeth into every brownwolf who raised a hand against us. The entire struggle shone with an unmistakable silver gleam, but I kept my gaze fixed on myself.

I knew Alpha Kane’s wolf without even seeing him. My gaze was fixed on one wolf. Larger than the others, his fur was the color of midnight. Alpha’s honey-colored eyes were reflected in his wolfish ones.

Ryan, Mason, and I fought our way through the ranks of brown wolf, reaching Alpha. Their numbers continued to dwindle, but I couldn’t tell who was winning. My heart pounded, and an uneasy feeling ran across my skin.