Chapter 14: The battle for the pack

Chapter Fourteen: The Battle for the Pack

The air thickened with tension as Damien and Aric locked gazes, the gravity of their confrontation filling the clearing. Ava could feel it crackling between them-a storm waiting to explode. She stood frozen, heart pounding in her chest, every instinct screaming at her to move, to do something-anything-but she couldn't tear her gaze from the unfolding scene.

Aric took one step forward, his eyes blazing with some dark, carnivorous hunger. "You always were too soft, Damien," he sneered, the tone low, full of disdain. "You believe one can lead with mercy? That's what has gotten you into this mess. You never saw it coming, did you?

Damien's fists were clenched, his body tense from the urge to strike, though he did not move his gaze from Aric. "You're wrong," he growled, as if his voice were some sort of thunder. "You don't understand loyalty, what it means to protect those you care about.

Aric's lips curled into a smirk. "Loyalty? Protection? Those are just words, Damien. Power is what matters. And I'm going to show you just how little control you really have."

Without another word, Aric raised his hand, and from the shadows of the trees, the wolves appeared-fast, vicious, and clearly trained for this moment. They surrounded the clearing, their glowing eyes watching with hunger, waiting for the signal to strike.

Ava's breath caught in her throat. There must be at least six of them—more, maybe. She had never realized just how big a threat Aric was, how many people were with him. This wasn't a skirmish. It was a fight for power.

Damien's jaw tightened as he watched the wolves, his eyes flickering with an intensity that spoke volumes. He wasn't just defending himself—he was defending everything he had fought for, everything he cared about. Including her.

"Stay behind me, Ava," Damien ordered, his voice low and commanding.

But Ava wasn't about to stand by and watch. She wasn't going to let him face this alone. She could see the danger in his eyes, the uncertainty of how many they were up against, but her resolve was just as strong as his.

"I'm not leaving your side," she said firmly, her voice filled with determination. She wasn't just his human companion anymore. She was part of this fight—part of his world now.

Damien shot her a glance, his eyes filled with conflicting emotions. But before he could respond, Aric let out a sharp whistle, signaling the pack to attack.

The wolves sprang into action, their movements fluid and fast, closing the distance between them and Damien in a blur. Damien turned into his wolf form in an instant, his massive frame growing in size as fur rippled across his skin, sharp fangs bared in a ferocious snarl. He was no longer just a man; he was a warrior, a leader of his pack, and he wasn't about to let anyone take that from him.

Ava barely had time to react before the first wolf lunged, but Damien was there, his wolf form colliding with the beast in a bone-shaking impact. The force of the collision sent the wolf sprawling, but it quickly regained its footing and charged again.

Ava watched in awe as Damien fought with precision, smooth and calculated. She had never seen him like this before-so raw, so fierce. It was as if the wolf inside him had taken full control, and he was a force of nature, unstoppable and deadly.

But there were too many of them.

As another wolf barreled toward him, Damien twisted in time to dodge, though the creature managed to lay a blow, its claw digging into his side. Damien howled in a pain that echoed through trees and sent a jolt of panic through Ava's chest.

Damien!" she yelled, her voice hoarse with fear. But even as she called out to him, she knew there was no time for hesitation. She had to act.

Her gaze swept the battlefield, and she saw a single wolf approaching her, its eyes fixed on her with predatory intent. The realization hit her like a punch to the gut. They were going to come for her next.

Ava instinctively reached for the small knife at her side, shaking fingers closing over the handle. She held no illusions concerning fighting skills comparable to those of Damien; however, she would most definitely not be one that had been taken easily down, not when it all might be at stake.

The wolf growled, closing in quickly, but before it could pounce, Ava threw herself to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding its claws. The wolf let out a frustrated snarl, circling her like a shark, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Ava was breathing in rapid, shallow gulps, and her body was shaking from the surge of adrenaline; yet, she didn't back off. This little knife was all that gave her any kind of nerve to face down this thing at all.

"Come on," she muttered under her breath, her heart thudding in her chest.

The wolf leaped again, and Ava was ready. In a desperate, quick motion, she swung the knife, connecting with the wolf's side. It yelped in pain, but not enough to stop it; it was still coming.

Just as the wolf leapt, a great shadow loomed over it, and with a deafening snarl, Damien plunged into the beast, casting it to the ground. He was a blur of rage, his claws and teeth sinking with fearsome precision into the wolf's flesh.

Ava watched, wide-eyed, as Damien fought off the creature with ruthless efficiency, his wolf form a blur of motion. He was protecting her—he was always protecting her.

But she wasn't going to sit back anymore. She had to help him, had to fight for them both.

A resolute Ava plunged into the combatants, avoiding the wolves which lunged at her; the blade of her knife flashing in the moonlight, she was not a fighter, but she was strong-enough to take care of herself in this battle.

One moment melded into another in an endless dance of fur and blood, the wolves striking without cease. They didn't aim just to bring down Damien; they aimed at the spirit, at destroying what he had fought for all his life. But that was something Damien would never allow to happen. Not now, not ever.

And as the battle raged on, one thing became clear-this was only the beginning. The pack was about to face its darkest days, and the wolves at the gate were only the first wave of what was to com

e.

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