One thing Usher would remember for the rest of his life was that war never brought anything good. On the contrary, only bad things came out of war-death, pain, loss, suffering. For this reason, he would do everything in his power to ensure that there would be no more wars in the future-at least not in his lifetime-even if it meant making extreme choices.
Usher hated war and he hated killing, but this time he put those feelings aside to ensure the safety of the Frostholm Pack. He had learned from experience that Kendrick’s compassion could never touch the humanity of the Nimbria Pack. In truth, greed had blinded the Nimbria Pack, causing them to ignore the opportunity presented by the Frostholm Pack. Worse still, the Nimbria Pack saw Kendrick’s decision as a sign of weakness, leading them to attack again whenever they had the chance.
So, this time, Usher abandoned all compassion and humanity. The Nimbria Pack didn’t deserve it. Instead, he would make sure that the Nimbria Pack felt all the suffering that the Frostholm Pack had endured for so long.
Immediately after the battle ended in victory for the Frostholm Pack, Usher didn’t order them to return to the palace. Instead, he ordered them to head for the territory of the Nimbria Pack. The war resumed, this time with the aim of burning the Nimbria Pack to the ground, killing them all and leaving no one behind.
The arrival of the Frostholm Pack sent the Nimbria Pack into a panic. Nimbria’s guards tried to protect the borders, but Frostholm’s warriors broke through their defences.
The panic within the Nimbria Pack grew. Shrieks and screams echoed everywhere. Pale faces ran aimlessly, desperately seeking refuge.
In the palace, Connor froze. The news of Torin’s death had just arrived and now he saw with his own eyes the massive attack by the Frostholm Pack.
“No, that’s impossible,” Connor whispered, his voice shaking. Chaos was everywhere. Omegas and women ran back and forth in terror. The Nimbria Pack was truly on the brink of destruction. “This can’t be happening.”
Connor ordered the palace warriors to fight to the death. He mobilised all the remaining strength of the Nimbria Pack to repel the attack of the Frostholm Pack. But it was all in vain. The Frostholm pack defeated them and entered the Nimbria palace as the sun rose.
The Frostholm wolves surrounded Connor. There was no way out. He couldn’t escape, and that was when Usher appeared in his human form.
Connor glared at Usher with intense hatred. Then, with a curse, he jumped. In mid-air, he changed into his wolf form, intending to attack Usher, to kill him, to vent all his anger and hatred.
Usher didn’t flinch. He did nothing, for at the same moment Garth sprang into action.
Garth leapt and crashed into Connor, sending him rolling across the floor. Then he attacked Connor. It didn’t take him long to kill Connor.
Connor’s death left Usher in deep thought. He realised that the decision to destroy the Nimbria Pack, though difficult, was the right one. From Connor’s behaviour just now, Usher could bet that Connor would have looked for another opportunity to attack the Frostholm Pack in the future.
Usher took a long breath. His eyes scanned the area, taking in the ruins of Nimbria Palace. There was no sign of the Nimbria Pack until, moments later, an Omega appeared, panting as it carried a baby-Phillip.
“Please,” the Omega begged, tears streaming down her face. She held Phillip tightly. “Don’t kill us. You can’t kill Phillip, can you? He’s just a baby. He knows nothing.”
The air caught in Usher’s chest. It was then that he remembered the cruelty of the Nimbria pack that had nearly killed him and Jemma. Had it not been for Ivan and Ferdie, they would have been dead long ago. Now fate had ironically reversed the situation. The Nimbria Pack said the same thing they had said decades ago.
“Usher.”
Usher blinked. He turned to find Vione gently touching his hand. They looked into each other’s eyes and he understood what Vione meant.
Phillip had been Usher in the past. They were both babies, both unaware of the cruelty that had taken place, and neither should have been involved. Just as he shouldn’t have fallen victim to the brutality of the Nimbria Pack, neither should Phillip.
Usher took a deep breath. Then he spoke. “Give Phillip to me. I will see to his safety and his future.” Though it was difficult, he had already decided to raise Phillip within the Frostholm pack, without any trace of the Nimbria pack’s influence. In doing so, he hoped that Phillip could grow up without ever knowing his true identity. It was the compromise he had chosen. “He will live with the Frostholm Pack. You needn’t worry.”
The Omega remained silent. She stared at Usher unblinkingly, as if searching for the slightest hint that he was lying. “Do you think I believe you?” she asked bitterly, snarling. “You have the heart of the devil. You killed Madam Mireya. You killed Alpha Torin, too, and now you expect me to believe that you’ll guarantee Phillip’s safety?” She shook her head. “No. You’ll kill him just like you killed the others.”
“Do you think we would have killed Mireya and Torin if they hadn’t set foot on Frostholm territory?” Usher replied, his voice trembling. He pointed at the Omega. “You are the ones who have repeatedly tried to destroy us, and now you accuse us of being ruthless when we defend ourselves?”
The Omega fell silent. A small part of her rational mind agreed with Usher, though she refused to admit it. Worse, she still chose to cling to her pride. “No.” She shook her head again, clutching Phillip tightly. “I will not trust you.”
Without hesitation, the Omega ran. The warriors immediately gave chase. Usher had promised Phillip’s safety, but not the Omega’s. For this reason, the warriors wanted to capture her to eliminate any chance of future revenge.
The Omega tried to find a way out of the palace, but the Frostholm Pack had surrounded the area. She was cornered, and her panicked mind drove her to run aimlessly.
Her steps stopped as she realised she had reached the top of the palace tower. This time she was truly trapped. In front of her was a broken parapet, damaged by the battle, and behind her stood the warriors of the Frostholm Pack.
“Don’t come any closer!” the Omega shouted, panting. Desperation flickered in her eyes, but she refused to give up. She would still try to escape with Phillip. “You bastards!”
Usher and Vione arrived. They motioned for the warriors to step back so the three of them could talk.
“Listen, you’re surrounded,” Usher said cautiously, his eyes fixed on the Omega. “So, it’s better if you surrender.”
The Omega scoffed. “Surrender?”
“All for Phillip’s sake!” Vione joined the conversation this time. She looked at the Omega with a soft gaze. “You could hurt him.”
The Omega’s expression changed, became vicious. “You hypocritical woman. Do you think I trust you?” She shook her head and started walking again, making her way along the parapet. “Never.”
Vione couldn’t deny the resentment she felt as she looked at Phillip. She knew Phillip wasn’t Usher’s child, but Mireya had once used Phillip to deceive Usher. Seeing Phillip reminded her of those dark times. It hurt her, but her humanity still didn’t want Phillip to be harmed.
“You have no choice now but to trust us,” Vione said again, quietly. She held out both hands. “I promise you, Phillip will live a healthy and happy life with the Frostholm pack.”
The Omega was silent for a moment. She stared at Vione intently, not blinking, as if trying to gauge Vione’s sincerity. But after a moment she sneered. “Impossible. After everything the Nimbria Pack has done to you, it’s impossible that you would let Phillip live.” She shook her head, her face hardening. “I will never trust you!”
At that moment, the Omega ran again. The absence of the Frostholm warriors gave her a chance. She kept running, unaware that the parapet was no longer as stable as before.
Her movements caused vibrations. The already cracked parapet began to crumble. The sound of falling stones echoed loudly as the structure could no longer support the weight. More cracks appeared, spreading across the floor of the tower.
The Omega’s eyes widened. In her arms, Phillip cried out loudly, as if sensing the impending danger.
“Phillip!”
Vione reached for her hand, but Usher quickly pulled it back. He held her tight and they retreated as the entire parapet collapsed.
The Omega lost her balance. Her body was thrown, and in that terrifying moment, she fell with Phillip.
The Omega’s scream echoed in the air, mingled with Phillip’s escalating cries. Then the sound of the impact was loud and terrifying. After that, there was silence. There was no sound.
Vione closed her eyes. She buried her face in Usher’s chest, unable to bear the sight of the grim reality.
Usher, on the other hand, could only exhale deeply. This was not the end he had wished for. Despite his determination to wipe the Nimbria Pack from the face of the earth, he had never intended to see Phillip die, especially in such a tragic way.
But fate had its own plans, and once again Usher realised that war would always leave a trail of suffering in its wake.
*