Chapter 18:
The air was thick with tension when I faced Lyra. She looked like me. Her eyes, which I knew well, now had a strange red glow. It was like looking into another world, and it sent shivers down my spine.
“Lyra,” I growled, my voice carrying a new resonance in this form. “What have you done to yourself?”
A sinister laugh escaped her muzzle. “I’ve become what I was always meant to be, Aurora. True power, unbridled by your pathetic notions of morality.”
Before I could respond, Lyra lunged at me with inhuman speed. Even with my enhanced reflexes, I barely managed to dodge, her claws grazing my flank as I pivoted. My claws dug deep furrows into the earth where I landed, steadying myself for her next attack.
A group of twisted wolves surrounded us, their spooky howls filling the air like a bad dream. As Lyra and I moved around each other, I felt something big on my shoulders. This was more than a simple fight between two wolves.
We crashed into each other again. Our bodies moved so fast, it was difficult to see. We fought with all our strength and speed. Each impact sent shockwaves rippling through the clearing, the very air seeming to tremble with the force of our combat. A powerful energy was coursing through me, but dealing with Lyra was tough. She had been corrupted, making her a strong adversary.
As I started to get the better of her, a well-known howl pierced the noisy battle. Xander had arrived with reinforcements, turning our duel into a full-scale battle. The clearing erupted into pandemonium as my pack engaged the twisted wolves.
In the midst of the fray, I reached out to Xander with my mind, surprised to find I could communicate telepathically in this form. “Xander! The twisted wolves – they can be stopped with my touch. Spread the word!”
I saw an understanding flash in his eyes before he turned to relay the information to the others. But my momentary distraction cost me. Lyra, seizing the opportunity, charged straight for Xander.
“No!” I roared, throwing myself between them. I managed to deflect Lyra’s attack, but not before her claws raked across my shoulder, leaving deep gashes that burned with unnatural pain.
The battle spilled out from the clearing and into the surrounding forest. All around me, wolves were fighting fiercely. The noises of snarling, yelping, and bodies colliding filled the air. Yet, through the chaos, I spotted something hopeful. Whenever I touched a twisted wolf, a brilliant white light would surround them, making them unconscious.
We gradually started to gain the upper hand. More and more of the twisted wolves fell, their numbers dwindling. Lyra, realizing her advantage was slipping away, let out a furious howl and retreated deeper into the forest, her remaining minions covering her escape.
As the last of the twisted wolves fell, an eerie quiet settled over the battlefield. I stood there, panting heavily, my white fur stained with blood-both my own and my enemies’. The effort of fighting and holding this new form began to tire me out, but I knew I still had to keep going.
Then, a sudden disturbance at the edge of the clearing made me look over. A young wolf appeared, his fur all messy with blood and his eyes full of fear. He looked terrified. As he reached us, he shifted into his human form-a boy no older than sixteen, gasping for breath.
“Please,” he wheezed, collapsing to his knees. “You have to help us. Our pack… we’re under attack. So many rogues… we can’t hold out much longer.”
I exchanged a glance with Xander, seeing the same determination in his eyes that I felt. Despite the exhaustion pulling at my limbs, I knew what we had to do.
“We’ll help,” I said, my voice firm. “Xander, organize a response team. We move out immediately.”
Xander nodded, quickly selecting our strongest remaining fighters – Jaxon, Marcus, and a handful of others who seemed least worn from our recent battle. He looked at me with worry in his eyes, taking in my injuries and weariness.
“Aurora, are you really okay with this? You’ve had such a tough day,” he asked gently.
Ignoring the ache in my shoulder, I sat up straighter. “I’m sure. These people need our help, and I won’t turn my back on them.”
With a swift nod, Xander finished organizing our team. As we prepared to leave, I found myself struggling to maintain my White Wolf form. The power that once flowed through me easily now felt like it was slipping away, as if I was trying to hold water in my cupped hands.
We started moving at a tough pace, with the young wolf showing us the way to his pack’s land. Each step was a struggle against tiredness, but I kept going, finding strength I didn’t know I had.
As we got closer, we heard noises of a fight. It was like the air was filled with painful howls and anger. The smell of blood and fear was strong too. When we climbed a hill, what we saw made my heart drop.
The neighboring pack’s lands were in chaos. Their defenses had been shattered, and rogues swarmed everywhere. Pack members fought desperately, outnumbered and overwhelmed. I didn’t think twice. I threw my head back and let out a huge howl. It was so loud, it felt like the trees themselves were trembling.
The effect was instantaneous. The rogues froze, momentarily stunned by the power in my call. The embattled pack members rallied, a new fire lighting in their eyes as they realized help had arrived.
We charged into the fray, our fresh strength turning the tide of the battle. I found myself in the thick of the fighting, my claws, and teeth finding their marks with deadly accuracy. But as I fought, I noticed something strange about these rogues.
Their behavior was off, even for rogues. They seemed more feral, more uncontrolled than even the twisted wolves we had faced earlier. Their eyes held no intelligence, only a savage hunger that sent chills down my spine.
As I grappled with one particularly large rogue, I managed to make contact with my paw against its flank. I expected the same purifying effect I had seen with the twisted wolves, but nothing happened. Whatever was affecting these rogues, it was different from Lyra’s corruption.
The battle was intense and brutal, with our new allies giving us a much-needed boost. The neighboring pack fought with newfound strength, and we started to push the enemy rogues back. Gradually, we gained the upper hand.
After a long, grueling fight, the outcome became clear. The remaining rogues realized they were beaten and began to retreat into the forest. The surviving pack members cheered when the last one vanished.
Exhausted, I felt the energy of the White Wolf leaving me. My legs were weak, and as I shifted back to human form, I almost fell over. Xander quickly came to my aid, holding me up.
“Aurora, are you okay?” he asked, sounding worried.
I nodded weakly, too exhausted to speak. Around us, the pack was tending to their wounded and assessing the damage. The cost had been high, but they had survived.
As we began to help with the aftermath, a chilling howl echoed from the forest. Everyone froze, turning towards the sound. From the trees emerged a lone wolf, larger than the others we had fought. In its jaws, it carried a scrap of fabric.
The wolf approached cautiously, dropping the fabric at the feet of the neighboring pack’s alpha before retreating into the forest. With trembling hands, the alpha picked up the scrap and unfolded it.
His face turned pale as he read the message in what appeared to be blood. “They’ll be back,” he said shakily. “This is only the start.”
The wolves all fell quiet. The victory we had just achieved felt empty with this frightening warning. Looking around at the bruised and bloody faces of our two groups, it was clear the fighting wasn’t over.
Being the White Wolf, I felt the weight of what was to come even more. Some power or darkness was causing trouble in our world, and I knew I’d have to deal with it. But seeing the bravery and determination of my pack and our new friends gave me hope.
We had won against all odds today. Whatever was ahead, we’d tackle it together. When dawn’s first light began to show, I straightened up. The battle was done, but the war was just getting started. And I would be ready.