Chapter 2 02

Chapter 02

« Is it them ? » Zylen asked, her voice low and serious.

« No, Beta Zylen. It's not them. » April said, shaking her head as she looked at the ground, a hint of frustration creeping into her tone. « Some of the trackers sniffed them out near the south border. Patrol in a five-mile radius is closing in on them. There are only a couple. »

I frowned. The south border. It was far from where we usually had problems. But it wasn't something to ignore. Not with the threats we'd been dealing with lately.

« Good. I'll be there in a second with some fighters. » I said, keeping my voice steady as I turned to Zylen. « April, take charge of the patrols. We'll handle this. »

April nodded, her face set in determination as she bowed respectfully and ran off, her form quickly disappearing into the woods. I didn't have to tell her twice. She knew what was expected.

« Let's get the newbies, » I ordered, turning to Zylen.

Zylen raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at her lips. « Are you sure they're ready to actually fight? »

I met her gaze, letting her see the certainty in my eyes. « We'll be right there with them, just in case. April said it was a small group. Colby, grab some of our experienced fighters to stand by with the newbies. »

Colby, standing by my side, nodded without hesitation, her expression briefly turning thoughtful before she focused on the task at hand. Her eyes glazed over as she connected with the pack through the mental link, giving orders to the others.

After a moment, Colby's eyes cleared, and she gave me a short, confirming nod.

« Well then, let's go, » Zylen said, her smirk growing as she shifted.

In a blur of motion, her body contorted, her human form becoming the sleek and powerful blonde wolf she was. Her fur shimmered in the moonlight, a beautiful mix of golden and cream, her eyes dark brown with a distinctive red circle around her left eye.

Her wolf growled, the sound rumbling deep in her chest, as she crouched low to the ground, ready for whatever came next. She was always eager for a fight.

« Let's kick some wolf ass, » Colby winked, her voice tinged with excitement as she too shifted.

Colby's wolf was a striking contrast. Her fur was a deep red, almost like fire, and her forest green eyes sparkled with intensity. There was a bold red stripe across her left eye, marking her as a fighter, a warrior. Her body was slightly smaller than Zylen's, but the power in her stance suggested she was just as dangerous.

« Your turn, Ace, » Zylen called out from where she stood tall and proud in her wolf form.

I nodded, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. I loved this-loved the thrill of the chase, the adrenaline that coursed through my veins. As the experienced fighters rushed to my side, I didn't waste any time. They were ready, just like I was.

« Let's do this, » I said with a growl, the words coming out like a challenge. My fighters responded with an eager growl of their own, shifting into their wolf forms one by one. The sound of their transformations echoed through the clearing, their powerful bodies shaking off the weight of their human forms.

I jumped forward, shifting mid-air. The familiar, exhilarating sensation of my bones cracking and reshaping, my muscles expanding and contracting, was something I could never get used to, and I didn't want to. It was freedom.

'Feels good to be let out,' Ava, my wolf, laughed inside my mind, her voice filled with excitement.

I shook my silver fur out, feeling the cool night air ruffle through it. The color of my wolf was something I was always proud of. Bright, shiny silver, a rare and beautiful shade that gleamed in the moonlight. Above my left eye was a white crescent moon, a symbol that had been passed down through generations of our pack.

I looked around at the others, my bright electric blue eyes scanning the group of warriors. I knew what they were capable of. They were fierce, well-trained, and loyal. We were a tight-knit pack, and tonight, we would show the world just how strong we were.

With a sharp, commanding bark, I led the charge, sprinting ahead. Zylen quickly caught up to my left side, her blonde wolf easily keeping pace. Colby was right on my right, her red wolf matching my speed as we tore through the forest. The others were close behind, their presence a comforting reminder that we weren't alone in this.

Our pack was fast. During training, we focused on speed as much as strength. It was an edge that we had over many other packs. It didn't take long for us to close the distance to the south border.

'There!' Colby's voice crackled in my mind, alerting us as she picked up the scent of the strangers.

I slowed down, dropping into a walk. There was no need to rush anymore. They were close, but we had the element of surprise.

'On my count,' I said through the pack link, my mind sharp and focused. I glanced over at Zylen and Colby, who nodded in agreement, their eyes hard with determination. 'Ready to show us what you got, newbies?'

A chuckle bubbled up from Ava, the sound of it vibrating through my chest. She was eager, just as I was. We had trained the newbies well, but this would be their first real test. I had no doubt they could handle it, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to be right there with them.

'Always ready,' Colby's voice was a playful growl.

Zylen didn't say anything, but the look in her eyes spoke volumes. She was always ready for battle.

As we closed in on the group of intruders, the scent grew stronger. There were only a few of them-April had been right-but I didn't take that as a sign of weakness. It could be a trap.

We stopped at the edge of a clearing. The air was thick with tension. I could see the figures ahead, barely visible in the shadows. The strangers were unaware of our approach.

I took a deep breath, centering myself. « On my count, » I said again, my voice low, almost a growl. « Three... two... one. »

And with that, we moved as one, launching ourselves into the clearing, ready to take down whatever threat lay before us.