Anger consumed Torin. His emotions burned, clouding his judgement, and his next attack was reckless. He aimed for Usher’s neck, his fangs almost hitting the target, but Usher turned quickly, sinking his teeth into Torin’s leg and throwing him aside with brutal force.
Torin’s body crashed to the ground with a thud, dust and blood swirling around him. Pain shot through his entire body, every nerve screaming in agony.
Usher approached, his steps heavy but deliberate, radiating unshakable confidence. His golden eyes glowed with controlled fury, promising Torin a fate of utter destruction.
Torin growled, rising to his feet, his gaze never leaving Usher’s. Despite his injuries and weakened condition, he refused to show fear. Instead, he grinned, as if daring Usher to continue.
Torin’s defiance sent a wave of unease through Usher. His steps slowed and then a rumbling sound made him turn.
Usher froze. A large group of warriors had suddenly arrived and surrounded the battlefield.
Torin’s pain vanished in an instant as he grinned, silently signalling to Usher that the war was far from over. In fact, the real battle to the death had only just begun.
Torin knew that the Nimbria pack still had a good chance of victory, even though the Frostholm pack had been freed from Bernathra magic and the spies had been executed. His confidence remained unshaken, bolstered by the fact that the first wave of the battle had already claimed many Frostholm wolves. In terms of numbers, the Nimbria pack had a clear advantage over Frostholm.
Still, Torin would not act recklessly. Experience had taught him to anticipate every possible outcome. The memory of Frostholm’s unpredictability was still fresh in his mind. Mireya’s death and the breaking of Bernathra magic were stark reminders of what happened when he underestimated them.
For this reason, Torin refused to take unnecessary risks. He planned carefully and strategically. Together with James and the others, he orchestrated a surprise attack to be carried out by his most elite warriors.
Torin was confident that this ambush would shake Frostholm’s morale. Even if Frostholm had dominated the early stages of the battle, Nimbria would eventually take control and that’s exactly what happened moments later.
The fight had been evenly matched, with Torin increasingly pushed into a corner. Usher had successfully pinned him down, and had the situation continued, Frostholm would surely have claimed victory. But the tide turned abruptly when the surprise attack was unleashed. The Frostholm pack was caught off guard as a swarm of Nimbria warriors descended, scattering their formation.
Nimbria’s surprise attack quickly shifted the momentum of the battle. Frostholm’s advancing warriors were suddenly overwhelmed. Nimbria’s elite warriors surrounded them, attacking from all sides. Their fangs tore through Frostholm’s defences, biting and tearing at their warriors with merciless force.
Torin watched the scene with satisfaction, especially as he noticed that Usher’s concentration was beginning to break. Usher no longer targeted him, no longer launched attacks in his direction. Instead, Usher was forced to turn his attention to rallying Frostholm’s warriors.
Usher fought desperately to keep his pack from descending into chaos. Storm, too, struggled to issue commands, trying to hold their formation together. But Nimbria’s brutal attack had already shaken Frostholm to its core. Their warriors were forced to retreat, and their attacks became disorganised and chaotic as they lost control of the battlefield.
The momentum of the battle had shifted in Nimbria’s favour. Frostholm’s forces were steadily being pushed back, and Torin was certain that the battle would soon end in their victory.
A sudden cry of pain made Torin turn. His eyes scanned the chaotic battlefield and he noticed something unusual in their surprise attack formation. The once solid circle of Nimbria’s ambush force was beginning to crack. A gap had appeared-one of the warriors was missing!
Torin was confused, and at the same time another scream echoed, clearer this time. His confusion turned to concern, for the scream wasn’t coming from Frostholm. It came from one of Nimbria’s elite warriors.
What’s happening? Torin looked around, but saw nothing strange except for the fact that the gaps in their formation were growing. Where were the warriors going? Why were they disappearing as if swallowed by the earth?
Torin’s questions were answered moments later when a long howl cut through the din of battle. It came from the hilltop. There stood a large wolf with shimmering silver-white fur. The wolf’s eyes glowed a piercing, icy blue in the darkness, cold and penetrating.
Torin growled. Vione!
*
One day before the battle…
“Give me a hundred warriors. Command me to go there, Alpha.”
“I don’t doubt Storm at all. I know his strength and skill, but this is the only way to turn the tables and destroy them completely, Alpha.”
“The Nimbria pack hasn’t made a move yet. They must think we’re still confused. So, we can’t waste this chance, Alpha. We need to create a scenario where they think we’ve really been tricked. Have Storm lead the warriors to the location they’ve set up while I ambush their main force at their real hideout. They will definitely be suspicious if Alvin leads the warriors or if Storm goes without him. Both options are risky.”
Vione’s body froze as memories of the future Vione flashed through her mind. She remained motionless, weighed down by all the speculation that was brewing.
Nimbria was a cunning pack. They would surely use any means necessary to ensure victory. Vione’s brow furrowed as her eyes darted around, unfocused. If they could deceive with a surprise attack in the future, they could do it now.
Vione tensed. “No. I have to warn Usher.”
In a hurry, Vione made her way to the meeting room. She ignored the Omega’s urging to rest in her room, her body shaking with worry. She burst in, bringing the discussion to an immediate halt.
“Vione?” Usher was surprised at her arrival. “What’s wrong? Why are you-”
Vione quickly approached Usher and said, “They’re going to trap us.”
Usher frowned. “What do you mean?”
“They’re going to trap us,” Vione repeated. She looked at the map spread out on the table and pointed. “The Nimbria pack is hiding their chosen warriors here, on the south side of the Amerotha Forest, near the Eresca Valley.”
*