THE HOWL OF BATTLE

ASTRID

A few hours later, I awoke to the sound of screams and the unmistakable clash of swords. My heart pounded as I bolted upright, disoriented and weak. My body ached from the silver chains that had burned into my skin, but the sounds demanded my attention.

I looked at them, struggling to open my eyes as night. They erupted into chaos. The rogue wolves who had captured me were now locked in fierce combat with another group—one far more organized and deadly.

The new arrivals fought with an almost frightening precision, their swords slicing through the wolves. They moved as one, each strike synchronized, each blow perfectly timed. I could barely keep up with their movements as they danced around their enemies, efficiently cutting down the rogues.

"Get back! Protect the Alpha!" one of the rogues shouted, his voice tinged with panic as he swung his sword wildly. He was met with the steely gaze of a man who looked like he had seen a thousand battles.

Another rogue lunged at him, but the man sidestepped effortlessly, his movement fluid and controlled. "Is that all you've got?" he taunted, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "I've fought pups with more bite than you."

The rogue snarled, shifting into his wolf form, desperately trying to overpower his opponent. But the man was ready. He dropped his sword, letting it clatter to the ground, and shifted into a massive brown wolf. The transformation was instantaneous, and before the rogue could react, the brown wolf launched itself at him, tearing into his flesh with powerful jaws. The rogue howled in agony as he was ripped apart, his blood spraying the ground.

My stomach churned at the sight, but I couldn't tear my eyes away. I recognized one of the rogues—he was the one who had taunted me with food, a sick grin on his face as I starved. Now, he was nothing but a bloodied corpse on the ground, his life snuffed out by a single, well-placed strike from one of the attacking wolves.

"Keep pushing forward!" another voice rang out, deep and commanding. I strained to see who it belonged to. My gaze landed on a man who stood at the center of the fray, his sword dripping with the blood of his enemies. His hair was dark, almost black, and his eyes brown. He moved with precision. Every swing of his sword was lethal.

Two rogues attacked him simultaneously, but he dodged their blows with ease. "You think you can take me down?" he sneered; his voice filled with cold amusement. "You'll have to do better than that."

The rogues snarled in response, but their movements were sloppy, desperate. The man's sword flashed again, and one of the rogues fell, his throat slashed open. The other rogue, trembling with fear, tried to retreat, but the man was relentless. He caught the rogue by the arm and twisted, forcing him to his knees.

"Who sent you?" the man demanded, his voice like ice. "Why are you attacking our lands?"

The rogue spat blood; his eyes wild with defiance. "We'll never stop. You'll never be safe," he hissed. "We'll hunt you down, every last one of you. Our Alpha will see to that."

The man's eyes narrowed, and he leaned in close, his voice a deadly whisper. "Your Alpha is nothing compared to us. Tell him that when you see him in hell." With that, he drove his sword through the rogue's chest, ending his life.

My heart pounded as I watched the battle unfold, fear and awe mingling in my chest. The men fighting the rogues were unlike any wolves I had ever seen. They were disciplined, powerful, and terrifyingly effective. For a moment, I wondered if they were here to save me—or if they were simply here to kill.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of clashing swords nearby. I turned just in time to see the rogue who had tried to molest me earlier shift into his wolf form, a snarl twisting his features. He lunged at one of the attacking men—a tall, broad-shouldered warrior who appeared to be the group leader.

The leader didn't flinch. He sidestepped the attack quickly and swung his sword in a wide arc. The blade sliced through the air, catching the rogue across the chest. Blood spattered the ground, but the rogue wasn't finished. He lunged again, this time with more ferocity, his claws extended as he aimed for the man's throat.

But the leader was faster. He dropped his sword and shifted into his wolf form—a massive brown wolf that dwarfed the rogue. The two wolves collided with a bone-shattering impact, their bodies tumbling across the ground in a violent struggle. They snarled and snapped at each other; their fur matted with blood.

For a moment, the rogue might gain the upper hand. He sank his claws into the leader's flank, tearing through flesh and fur. The leader let out a pained growl but didn't back down. Instead, he used the momentum to roll over, pinning the rogue beneath him.

With a powerful bite, the leader sank his teeth into the rogue's throat, tearing through flesh and bone. The rogue let out a gurgling howl of pain, his body convulsing as the life drained out of him. The leader didn't stop until the rogue was dead, his body limp and lifeless on the ground.

The brown wolf stood over the corpse, his chest heaving with exertion. Blood dripped from his muzzle. He threw his head back and let out a triumphant howl.

The other wolves joined in, their howls mingling with the screams of the dying rogues. It was a chilling sound that sent a shiver down my spine. These men—these wolves—were unlike any I had ever encountered. They were more than just warriors; they were predators and had come to claim their territory.

As the battle raged on, I felt the silver in the chain that bound me, beginning to wear off. The burn on my skin was less intense, and I could feel a faint strength returning to my limbs. I knew I had to act quickly before the battle ended, and these new wolves found me.

I struggled against the chain, pulling with all my strength. My wrists throbbed with pain, the silver still biting into my flesh, but I couldn't stop. I had to get out, had to escape before I was caught again.

As I pulled and twisted, the metal links began to give way, the once impenetrable chain weakening under my desperate efforts. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the pain that shot through my body with every movement. I couldn't let myself think about it. I just had to keep going; I had to break free.

Finally, with one last agonizing tug, the chain snapped. I fell to the floor, gasping for breath as the pain washed over me. My hands were raw and bloody, and my body was trembling from the exertion. But I couldn't afford to rest. I had to get out, had to escape before the wolves found me.

I forced myself to my feet, my legs shaky and weak. Every step was a struggle, but I pushed through the pain, stumbling towards the door. I could still hear the sounds of battle outside, the growls and snarls of wolves locked in combat. I prayed they wouldn't notice me slipping away.

As I reached the edge of the camp, I paused, my heart racing. The woods loomed before me. I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and then I ran. I ran as fast as my battered body would allow, the fear of being caught driving me forward.

Branches scratched at my skin, tearing at my clothes as I stumbled through the weeds. My lungs burned, and my legs screamed in protest, but I didn't stop. I could still hear the sounds of the fight behind me, the growls of wolves, the clash of swords, and the screams of the dying. Every sound pushed me to run faster, to get as far away as possible.

I didn't dare look back. I couldn't afford to. All I could do was focus on the path ahead, on the trees that blurred past me as I fled into the night. My breath came in ragged gasps, my vision swimming as exhaustion threatened to overtake me.

But I couldn't stop. I couldn't let myself be captured again. I had to keep going; I had to escape. The thought of being caught and dragged back to that camp was more terrifying than the pain that wracked my body.

But as I ran, my strength began to wane. My steps grew slower; my breaths were more labored. My vision blurred, and I stumbled over roots and rocks, my body screaming in protest. I was so tired, so weak. I didn't know how much longer I could keep going.

The world around me started to spin, the trees blending in a dizzying whirl. My legs gave out from under me, and I collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. My eyelids fluttered, heavy with exhaustion.

The last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me was the huge tree standing in my view.