Nymera's POV
The horn split the night again, deeper this time, shaking the ground under our feet.
The enemy wolves froze mid-snarl, ears twitching nervously.
Kaelith, still in wolf form, snarled low in his throat, his silver fur bristling.
I crouched protectively over Dain's limp body, my own wolf instincts screaming a thousand warnings.
From the treeline ahead, shadows moved.
Fast.
Too fast to count.
Dozens of them.
The enemy wolves tensed, a low whine slipping from one of them.
Whoever was coming... terrified them.
Good.
I bared my teeth and held my ground.
The first wolf burst from the trees—a massive beast, black as midnight, with a single silver stripe down its spine.
It was unlike any wolf I'd ever seen—larger, more feral, eyes gleaming like molten steel.
Behind him, more wolves surged forward, armored warriors following close behind.
Their insignias gleamed under the blood moon.
MoonBlood Pack reinforcements.
Dain's pack.
My chest loosened slightly.
We weren't alone.
Kaelith howled—short and sharp—calling them to arms.
The enemy wolves broke ranks, snarling, preparing to fight.
They didn't get the chance.
The black-striped wolf hit the enemy leader like a thunderbolt, driving him to the ground with a sickening crunch.
The battle exploded around us.
MoonBlood warriors crashed into Astra's forces, the clash of teeth and steel deafening.
I shifted back to human form, blood and mud clinging to my skin.
Kaelith shifted too, panting, blood streaking his torso.
"Help is here," he rasped.
I nodded, relief making my knees weak.
But we weren't safe yet.
Dain lay motionless at my feet.
I dropped to my knees, pressing my fingers to his throat.
A faint pulse.
Weak. Thready.
"Help!" I screamed over the roar of battle. "Medic!"
A MoonBlood healer, a small woman with fierce eyes, sprinted toward me, her hands already glowing with soft green light.
She knelt beside Dain, assessing his wounds with ruthless efficiency.
"He's fading," she muttered. "Too much blood lost."
Her gaze flicked to me.
"If you want him alive, you need to find something powerful enough to anchor him here."
I stared at her, heart hammering.
"What—what do you mean?"
She didn't answer.
She pressed both hands to Dain's chest, chanting under her breath.
I looked wildly around.
Kaelith fought like a demon nearby, blood flying from his fists.
The black-striped wolf ripped into Astra's warriors with terrifying speed.
And in the shadows beyond the treeline—
a figure watched.
Tall. Hooded.
Power radiated from him like heat.
I knew, somehow, he was the answer.
Without thinking, I bolted toward him.
The figure didn't move as I approached.
"You want to save him?" the hooded man said, his voice low and ancient.
I stopped a few feet away, panting.
"Yes," I gasped. "I'll do anything."
A slow smile spread across the man's shadowed face.
"Anything," he echoed. "Remember you said that."
Before I could react, he reached out—and pressed a burning brand into my forearm.
I screamed, falling to my knees as white-hot pain seared through me.
Symbols etched themselves into my skin, glowing with dark fire.
"You are marked," the man said. "A price has been set. One day, it will be collected."
He turned and vanished into the mist, leaving only the smell of scorched earth behind.
I staggered back toward Dain, clutching my arm.
The healer looked up sharply as I approached.
Her eyes widened.
"You did it," she breathed. "The bond—you've sealed it."
"What bond?" I croaked.
She didn't answer.
Instead, she pressed her hands harder against Dain's chest.
The green light flared—so bright it hurt to look at.
Dain arched off the ground, gasping in a ragged breath.
Alive.
I dropped beside him, tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Dain," I whispered.
His eyes fluttered open, unfocused but alive.
He caught my hand weakly.
"You came back," he rasped.
"Always," I said fiercely.
Kaelith dropped to his knees beside us, bloodied but grinning.
"You stubborn bastards," he muttered.
The black-striped wolf shifted into human form—a towering man with cruel scars and bright, fierce eyes.
He strode toward us, barefoot and wild.
"You saved our Alpha," he said to me. His voice was deep and raw. "You carry his mark now."
I stared at him, confused.
He pointed at my branded arm.
"The Blood Oath," he said. "Ancient magic. Forbidden."
Kaelith swore under his breath.
"You just tied your life to his, Nymera," he said grimly. "If he dies—you die."
The words hit like a hammer.
The black-striped warrior smiled grimly.
"Welcome to the real war."
Behind him, the blood-red moon bled brighter.
And somewhere deep in the forest—
Astra laughed.