Chapter Sixteen__Part:2

The plan snaps into motion. Joran locks into combat with one, and Torin engages another, leaving the last two raging rogues barreling toward me. With a surge of adrenaline, I leap, my claws slashing through the air, and tear the head clean off one of them in a single, fluid motion.

Mid-air, I spot the second rogue, its claws poised to strike. Before I can react, pain sears through my back as its claws rake across my spine. The agony ignites a fury within me. I land hard but pivot immediately, my gaze locked on the enemy. With a roar, I charge forward, seizing its leg and ripping its right side clean off in a savage display of strength, leaving its mangled body crumpled on the ground. Torin steps in and finishes the job with a swift, final strike.

I raced past my warriors, who were locked in battle deeper within the forest, the clash of steel and growls filling the air. Joran was close on my heels, with Torin not far behind. I mind-linked them. Sven is here somewhere. Stay alert. He’s dangerous. Avoid engaging him one-on-one.

Yes Alpha, they responded in unison, their loyalty unwavering. This kind of trust wasn’t something that could be bought, it is earned through blood and sacrifice.

We moved through the forest, my breath steady but tense, every muscle coiled and ready to spring. The scent of blood lingered in the air, carried on the wind along with the stench of the rogues Sven had sent to do his dirty work. Rabid rogues have a certain smell to them, and it's almost rancid.

He’s not here, I realized, the sharpness of the truth cutting through my thoughts. Sven had sent his pawns, but he was nowhere near Rathguard.

Coward, I thought bitterly.

Alpha, Joran’s voice echoed in my mind. I don’t smell Sven, just rogues.

I know, I replied, my frustration clear. Sven had never been one to get his hands dirty. He sent his forces to weaken us, to test our defenses while he hid in the shadows, plotting his next move. But this time, he had gone too far. His attack wasn’t just on Rathguard. It was personal. He knew I was vulnerable with Astrid gone, and he was taking advantage of that.

We broke through the tree line and found the small encampment where the rogues had gathered, their crude tents scattered among the trees. The rogues, in both human and beast form, prowled the area, oblivious to the danger that was closing in on them.

Joran, Torin, and I exchanged a glance. We didn’t need words to know what had to be done.

We end this quickly, I mind-linked them. No one gets out alive.

The three of us moved as one, striking fast and hard. Joran flanked the left, tearing through the rogues with lethal precision, while Torin circled to the right, his movements swift and calculated. I surged through the middle, my claws ripping through flesh, blood splattering the ground as rogue after rogue fell to the force of our attack.

It was chaos, but it was over quickly. Too quickly. These weren’t Sven’s strongest fighters. They were a distraction, meant to slow us down, to keep us occupied while he stayed out of reach.

In the midst of the battle, one rogue tried to flee, his panicked steps crashing through the underbrush. I spotted him immediately, his red eyes wide. A messenger, I realized. If he escaped, Sven would know exactly how this had played out. I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

Take him down. I ordered it through the link.

Joran moved like lightning, cutting off the rogue’s escape route and dragging him back into the fray. With one swift motion, he ended him, the rogue’s body hitting the ground with a thud.

Silence fell over the clearing, broken only by the heavy breathing of my warriors. I stood still, the scent of blood thick in the air, but my mind wasn’t on the battle. It was on Astrid. She was still out there somewhere, and now I knew Sven had plans that reached far beyond this pitiful rogue attack.

Torin approached, his brow furrowed. “This wasn’t an all-out assault. Sven’s testing us.”

I nodded; my jaw clenched. “He’s keeping us distracted, biding his time. He knows we’re vulnerable.”

“He’s playing a long game,” Joran added, wiping the blood from his blade. “He’ll strike when we least expect it.”

“And when he does, he’ll come for Astrid.” The words burned in my throat. Sven’s obsession with the amulet and Astrid. It was his driving force. He wouldn’t stop until he had what he wanted.

“We can’t let that happen,” Torin said, his voice hardening. “We need to fortify the borders and increase patrols. If Sven’s building up to something bigger, we can’t afford to be caught off guard.”

I looked toward the horizon, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on my shoulders. “He’s not going to get her,” I said, more to myself than anyone else. “Not while I’m still breathing.”

Joran and Torin stood beside me, their loyalty unwavering. “What’s the next move, Alpha?” Joran asked.

“We get back to the palace,” I said firmly. “We regroup, we fortify our defenses, and we prepare for whatever Sven throws at us next. This was just the beginning.”

As we turned to leave the clearing, a familiar gnawing fear clawed at me. Astrid was still out there, somewhere, and I had no way of reaching her. There was no way of knowing if she was safe. But I pushed it down, forcing myself to focus on the immediate threat.

Sven could send as many rogues as he wanted. He could hide behind his magic, behind his schemes. But sooner or later, he would show his face.

And when he did, I would be ready.