Chapter 21
It was misfortune after misfortune.
The quiet of the night shattered as the first agonized howl echoed through the Shadow Pack‘ s grounds. Wolves raced into the darkness, fur bristling, claws extended, each of them fighting with every ounce of strength they had to protect their home. It had been a peaceful evening, one of rare quiet, and they were unprepared for the flood of rogue wolves that crashed into the pack’s territory, their snarls filling the air, sharp and deadly.
Panic rippled through the warriors as they fought against the ferocity of the attackers, who moved with unnerving coordination, as if guided by a dark, cunning force. The pack was thrown into disarray, their defensive line breaking as the sheer numbers of the rogues overwhelmed them. Wolves fell back, regrouping only to clash once again, every instinct pushing them to
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defend the heart of their pack. But the rogues were winning, their relentless onslaught pushing the Shadow Pack warriors to the brink.
Amid the chaos, Beta Roven fought at the forefront, his massive wolf form tearing through rogue after rogue, each movement filled with deadly precision. His breaths came in sharp, controlled bursts as he tried to cover as many of his pack as he could. Each time he brought down a rogue, it seemed two more took its place. Blood matted his fur, but he kept fighting, refusing to let his pack fall to the rogues. who threatened everything he loved.
“Hold the line!” Roven’s voice thundered through the mind–link, an order that broke through the chaos and gave his warriors a much–needed rallying cry.
But the command was met with an underlying current of fear from those who answered him. They were overwhelmed, desperate, and their voices shook with
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fatigue and terror.
“Beta, there are too many!”
“They re… they re everywhere!”
“What are we going to do? Alpha Nathan’s not here-”
Roven pushed through the rising wave of panic that clawed at him, his mind racing to find a strategy to keep the pack safe. His heart ached, knowing that tonight would not end without casualties, and his body ached with the weight of this inevitable
truth.
A sharp cry filled his ears, and he turned to see his mate. Isabel, surrounded by rogues. Her form was blurred in motion as she spun, claws raking against any wolf foolish enough to come too close. She fought with fierce, relentless energy, her love for the pack driving her as she fended off their attackers. But even she, with her strength and skill, was beginning to falter.
“Isabel!” Roven‘ s voice echoed through
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the bond between them, laced with a desperate urgency.
Isabel’s voice came back, calm and unshakable even in the chaos. “I’m fine, Roven. Just… keep fighting. We can’t let them reach the heart of the pack.”
Roven’s heart twisted, pride and fear warring within him as he watched her battle with fierce resolve. But his chest tightened as he caught sight of a figure approaching through the chaos, one whose sinister presence seemed to part the crowd of rogues like a king among his followers.
The Rogue King.
A menacing figure of darkness and power, his eyes glinted with a twisted pleasure as he took in the chaos and fear around him. His lips curled into a vicious smirk as he advanced toward them, his every step calm, confident, savoring the terror he inflicted.
“Ah, Beta,” the Rogue King sneered, his
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voice carrying above the chaos like an iron lash. “And without Alpha Nathan… I thought tonight might be a bit more challenging.
Roven snarled, stepping forward to shield Isabel as his eyes burned with fury. “You think you can just take what doesn’t belong to you? This is our home, our family. You’ll pay for coming here.”
The Rogue King laughed, a cold, heartless ound. “Family? A quaint notion.” His gaze shifted to Isabel, an appraising look that made Roven‘ s wolf bristle. “Do you really believe you can protect them all, Beta?”
Roven‘ s growl reverberated through the night, a warning laced with pure rage.
“Try me.”
With a dark chuckle, the Rogue King lunged forward, his claws flashing in the moonlight. Roven met him head–on, their bodies colliding with a force that shook the ground beneath them. The two fought with
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deadly intent, their growls filling the air as they clashed in a violent display of power.
Isabel moved to support her mate, her eyes blazing with determination as she joined the fray. They fought together, side by side, each covering the other’s weak spots as they clashed with the Rogue King and his relentless swarm. But for every rogue they defeated, two more seemed to appear, their jaws snapping, eyes gleaming with malice.
In the chaos, a rogue managed to break through, claws slicing across Isabel‘ s chest. She stumbled, pain flashing across her face as she staggered back, blood staining her fur. Roven’s heart stopped, his breath hitching as he saw his mate falter. His wolf howled within him, the need to protect her overwhelming every other thought.
“Isabel!” he cried, lunging toward her. His heart shattered as he took in the wound on her chest, knowing she wouldn‘ t survive another attack like that. He fought
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harder, his every movement driven by a single, desperate purpose: to keep her safe, even if it cost him everything.
But then, in a moment of blinding agony, Roven felt the Rogue King’s claws sink into his back, tearing through muscle and bone. His vision blurred, darkness
creeping in at the edges as he stumbled forward, the pain searing through him. He fell to his knees, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps.
Isabel’s eyes widened as she saw him fall, her voice a broken whisper of pain and horror. “Roven… no…
She dropped to his side, her hands pressing against his wounds, her own pain forgotten as she tried to stop the blood pouring from his body. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she looked at him, her heart breaking with each shallow breath he took.
“Don’t leave me,
she choked out, her
voice raw with desperation. “Please,
Roven… stay with me.
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Roven’s vision dimmed, but he forced himself to focus on her, his mate, his love, the one thing that had kept him grounded all these years. He managed a weak smile, his hand lifting to cup her cheek as he looked at her, his voice barely a whisper.
“I’ll always… be with you, Isabel. Always…”
The Rogue King‘ s eyes gleamed with triumph as he looked down at Roven‘ s fallen form, the scent of Lycan blood filling the air, thick and intoxicating. His lips twisted into a satisfied smirk as he knelt beside Roven‘ s body, inhaling deeply, savoring the unique, potent scent.
“Ah… Lycan blood,” he murmured, his voice thick with greed. “Do you even understand what you‘ ve given me, Beta? The power in this blood… it will make me unstoppable.‘
With the last of his strength, Roven reached out through the mind–link, forcing his thoughts to travel miles, reaching out to
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the only one who could carry his legacy.
“Marissa…” his voice was a faint whisper in her mind, a desperate, fading call. “My daughter… forgive me. Stay strong… protect the pack… for our family…
A tear slipped down his cheek as he felt the connection falter, the last of his strength ebbing away. But he clung to the bond, even as the darkness closed in around him. His last thought was of Marissa, his daughter, his hope for the future, and he sent one final message, a message laced with love and pride.
“You are my legacy, Marissa. Be strong… protect them… remember me.”
And with that, Roven’s hand fell from Isabel‘ s face, his eyes closing as his body went still. A heart–wrenching silence fell over the battlefield as Isabel cradled him, her broken cries filling the night. The bond between them severed, a wound deeper than any physical pain, and her wolf howled in sorrow, her grief raw and
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uncontainable.
The Rogue King, watching her anguish with cold amusement, straightened, wiping Roven’s blood from his hands with a
casual flick. His eyes gleamed as he surveyed the scene, his triumph complete.
Isabel s gaze turned hard, her grief twisting into a rage that burned brighter than any flame. Her voice was a low, deadly whisper as she looked up at him, her eyes. filled with a fury that promised vengeance.
“This isn’t over,” she spat, her voice trembling with a strength that defied her broken heart. “You will pay for this. I
swear it.
