The horn sounded, sharp and urgent, cutting through the quiet afternoon air. Zayn was already on his feet before the last echo faded. His instincts kicked in immediately. There was no time for hesitation. He had trained his pack for moments . "Gather the warriors!" he commanded as he ran to their rally point.
Beta Ezra was the first to arrive, his face tense with worry. "Alpha," Ezra said quickly, his voice tight, "We don’t know where they came from. The mutated beasts just... appeared. The fields are covered in blood. Bodies everywhere. We can’t tell if it’s the work of one group or more."
Zayn’s jaw tightened as the distant growls filled the air. He didn’t need anyone to explain—it was bad. Real bad. f.r(e)e\webn.ovel.co\m
‘Who the hell is behind this?’ he thought. “Which rogue pack dares attack us now?”
He turned sharply to the warriors gathered around him. “Head to the fields. Now,” he ordered, voice low but firm.
Then, through the pack link, his voice rang in the minds of those not yet there. ‘All warriors, report to the fields. We’re under attack. Move!’
Without waiting for a response, he shifted. Bones cracked, muscles stretched, and fur burst across his skin. It was fast but painful, and by the end of it, the man was gone. Only the wolf remained.
Huge, dark, and fierce.
His wolf didn’t hesitate. He let out a deep growl and took off in the direction of the field, paws pounding the ground. Behind him, the others shifted too—one by one, warriors became wolves, and they followed their Alpha.
Zayn’s wolf ran at the front, instincts sharp, heart pounding. He didn’t need to speak. The others could feel his rage and purpose.
[Protect the pack. Kill whatever dared to threaten it.]
The fields were covered in blood and corpses. Mangled bodies of wolves and beasts lay scattered, the stench of death thick in the air.
Zayn’s senses were razor sharp, his nose filled with the metallic scent of blood, but there was something else. Something that cut through it all.
He shoved it aside to stay focused. His pack needed him. The beasts had to be taken down.
With a vicious snarl, he lunged at the nearest creature. His jaws clamped down hard, teeth ripping through flesh, warm blood gushing across his fur.
He moved quickly, every attack efficient and brutal. One beast after another fell beneath him, his wolf unrelenting in its fury.
But the scent came again, stronger now. Lily.
His wolf froze mid-stride, ears twitching, nose flaring. The pull was too strong to ignore.
His wolf growled low, deep, and guttural. [She’s hurt badly. Find her and protect her.]
Zayn tried to resist it, tried to stay locked on the mission, but his wolf wasn’t listening. The scent of blood and death was everywhere, but hers was overpowering. He had to move. He had to find her.
Zayn’s paws pounded the ground as he followed her scent. It was stronger now. Close. Then he saw them.
From a distance, his heart clenched as the beast grabbed Lily and flung her into the air. She hit the ground hard, her body went limp, blood spilled from her shoulder and stained the dust.
The beast let out a roar and stepped toward her, jaws wide open, ready to consume her whole.
Zayn’s wolf let out a broken, furious growl—a sound filled with rage, fear, and pain. [Mine. You won’t touch her!]
And then he charged, slamming into the beast with crushing force. Bones cracked beneath the impact. Snarls exploded through the air as claws tore into flesh and teeth sank deep. They rolled across the field, locked in a brutal fight, blood splattering, with the scent of violence thick around them.
Zayn’s wolf didn’t hold back. Every bite, every strike was fueled by pure rage and protectiveness. He would tear the world apart before he let it take her. Then, finally, the beast stilled.
Zayn stepped back, chest heaving, blood dripping from his fur. And in the next heartbeat, his body shifted—fur vanishing, bones cracking back into place. He stood where the wolf had been—covered with blood, chest heaving, and eyes wild.
He’d found her, but she was barely breathing.
“Lily,” he breathed, rushing forward.
He dropped to his knees and cradled her in his arms. Her head lolled against his chest, her skin cold. Her blood stained his arms, too much of it.
His breath caught in his throat. She looked so small. So fragile. And yet—she’d stood in front of a monster? Why? Why would she do that? Why didn’t she run?
Zayn stared down at her face, barely recognizing the girl he’d tossed into the fields. She was just a slave. And yet...
His grip tightened around her. Then he heard the voice.
Martha came running, dress flapping behind her, her voice sharp with panic. When she reached them and saw Lily’s state, her scream turned into a choked sob.
“Oh, goddess—no! Please, no!” She dropped beside them, hands trembling. “Lily, baby, stay with me.”
The battle continued to rage around her. Though his wolf desperately wanted to focus on her, Zayn knew he had a duty to fulfill. As the Alpha, the well-being of his pack came first. He carefully handed Lily to Martha, who was still in tears.
He joined the rest of his warriors and refocused on the battle.
Bianca sat on a low bench outside the healer’s station, her leg bandaged, her body ached. She winced with every breath, but her eyes weren’t on her own wounds. They were on the girl across the field. Lily.
Martha was on the ground, cradling her like a broken doll, crying out for help. Her voice was hoarse, desperate. “Please! She’s bleeding out—she needs help!”
But none of the healers even spared them a look, too busy with warriors. Some didn’t even glance her way.
Bianca swallowed hard. A tight knot formed in her chest. The girl everyone mocked. The one she laughed at. The one she kicked dirt at just hours ago.
She remembered the moment Lily recklessly threw herself between her and that monster.
No hesitation. No fear. Just... pure instinct. She didn’t even think about herself.
“She should’ve run,” Bianca whispered to herself. “She could’ve let me die.”
Her fated mate, Kael, was kneeling beside her, checking the dressing on her leg. He looked up when she spoke. “What?”
Bianca didn’t answer right away. Her eyes stayed locked on Lily’s limp body in Martha’s arms. Blood still poured from the girl’s shoulder. Her face and lips were pale.
Kael followed her gaze. “They said she’s mute. I don’t even think she cried out.”
Bianca’s throat tightened. “She saved me,” she said softly. “She... she jumped in front of it.”
Kael looked back at her, confused. “You’re saying she saved your life?”
Bianca nodded, eyes welling up with tears. “Yes. And no one’s helping her. They won’t even look at her.”
Kael hesitated, watching the scene, then turned back to his supplies. Bianca reached out and grabbed his wrist. “Please,” she whispered. “Please go to her.” fre(e)webnove.l.c.om
He blinked. “You want me to—”
“She saved my life, Kael. I wouldn’t be sitting here if it weren’t for her.” Her voice cracked. “Please.”
Kael studied her for a moment. Then he nodded. Without another word, he stood, grabbed his bag, and ran across the field toward Martha and Lily.
Bianca watched him go, her fingers twisting in her lap. She didn’t know if Lily would live; only the Moon Goddess knew.