Both packs froze. Kendrick stayed still. He was sure that Ivan had made his decision after careful consideration. However, the stakes of Ivan’s game were incredibly high.
On the other hand, Ivan didn’t falter in the slightest. He met Connor’s threat with equal ferocity. He didn’t let go of Bethany as he continued to scan his surroundings.
Ivan spotted Ferdie. Their eyes met and the look in Ferdie’s eyes showed that he understood the task he had been given.
There was no room for doubt. Ivan sank his fangs into Bethany’s neck and completed his task. Bethany’s blood vessels burst and blood spurted everywhere. Bethany’s body dropped lifeless.
The Nimbria pack was shaken. Connor howled in rage. Then he howled again, giving the order to the wolf holding Usher hostage. He would make good on his threat; Bethany’s death would be paid for with Usher’s life.
The wolf immediately carried out the order. He threw Usher into the nearest pile of rocks. The Frostholm pack held its breath. Jemma closed her eyes and Kendrick tensed up completely.
But in that moment, Ferdie did his job perfectly. He may not have been the largest or most impressive werewolf, human or wolf. His body was tall and somewhat lanky, a trait that actually worked to his advantage.
Ferdie was incredibly agile. Even in wolf form, he could run with great speed and leap to impressive heights. So, there wasn’t a single mistake as he sprinted towards Usher. He jumped and successfully caught Usher in the air.
The warriors of the Frostholm Pack were quick to the rescue. They quickly surrounded Ferdie and formed a defensive circle. They made sure that no one from the Nimbria Pack would be able to touch Usher, let alone harm him.
Bethany’s death had clearly caused great anger within the Nimbria Pack. They mourned the loss of their Luna and thirsted for revenge.
Connor growled angrily. He ordered all Nimbria warriors to attack the Frostholm Pack once more. His desire to destroy the Frostholm Pack had reached an unbearable intensity. The ambition that had long been planted deep in his mind had now become an obsession, and then a fixation. His immense sense of loss had mixed with an unstoppable hatred. His eyes turned red as he glared at Ferdie and Usher, then shifted to Ivan.
Connor no longer cared for Kendrick. His only target now was Ivan. His thirst for revenge demanded immediate satisfaction.
But Ivan was prepared. He knew the risk he was taking when he decided to kill Bethany. He braced himself, with no intention of retreating as Connor lunged at him.
Ivan dodged Connor’s attack by jumping to the side. His claws dug into the ground, leaving deep marks. But Connor was too fast to be completely dodged. Their bodies collided, shaking the battlefield.
They rolled to the ground, then wrestled with brutal force. They grabbed each other with sharp claws, each looking for an opportunity to bite.
The battle between Ivan and Connor was fierce. On one side, Connor fought with a surge of anger and a burning desire for revenge. His attacks were powerful, but lacked precision.
On the other hand, Ivan remained calm and controlled. He used every move Connor made to his advantage. His focus was on strategy and precision. He used his agility and experience to evade Connor’s brutal attacks. Every time Connor swung his claws wildly, Ivan would jump or deflect the attack in a direction that posed no danger.
Ivan could clearly see that anger had made Connor more predictable. This emotion had caused Connor to lose concentration and focus, rendering his attacks ineffective. So, Ivan took advantage of every opening, launching quick and precise counterattacks aimed at the vulnerable vital points of Connor’s unprotected body.
Connor was pushed back, and so was the Nimbria Pack. Bethany’s death and the successful rescue of Usher had turned the tide against them.
The Nimbria Pack hit rock bottom moments later. The turning point came when Ivan managed to hit Connor with tremendous force. Connor crashed into a large rock, shattering it to pieces, and Ivan continued his attack.
Luckily for Connor, Marcus quickly tackled Ivan and saved Connor despite his badly injured state.
Connor rose to his feet, shaky and breathless, and watched as Marcus held his ground against Ivan’s onslaught.
But Connor knew that Marcus wouldn’t last long. The same could be said for the rest of the Nimbrian warriors, especially since Ronan had already fallen.
Connor growled in frustration. A shred of reason told him that it was impossible for him and the Nimbria Pack to win this battle. The fighting spirit of the Nimbria Pack was gone. Instead of attacking, they were now desperately defending. The Frostholm Pack mercilessly used this opportunity to crush them.
Darkness clouded Connor’s mind. The worst-case scenario was staring him in the face. If this situation continued, it would lead to their total destruction.
The battle was no longer balanced. Connor had to admit, however reluctantly, that the Nimbria Pack had lost. Moreover, he himself was battered and bruised. One thing was certain: he would not allow Kendrick and the Frostholm Pack to destroy the Nimbria Pack.
In a state of desperation and shame, Connor made a drastic decision. His pride was deeply wounded, but he had to withdraw his forces immediately. It was the only way to save the future of the Nimbria Pack, the only way to preserve the hope of one day defeating the Frostholm Pack.
Connor let out a long, loud howl and gave the order to retreat. He ordered the remaining forces to fall back to a safe position and stop any further attacks.
In his heart, Connor assured himself that this decision was not made out of a desire to surrender. On the contrary, he understood that a major defeat would destroy any hope the Nimbria Pack had left. So, he fled the battlefield with the remaining warriors.
Every step Connor took was accompanied by different emotions. His body felt hot, burning with the raging fire of anger. The battle had cost him dearly-not only his most trusted warriors, Ronan or even Bethany, but also his pride. He couldn’t imagine how he would face the world after such a defeat.
One thing was certain: Connor wouldn’t let the Frostholm Pack enjoy their victory for long. Soon, he and the Nimbria warriors would return to fight again and ensure that victory would be theirs. More importantly, he would avenge his personal loss. Bethany’s life had come at a price.
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