hesitate. Not

erbrush, claws ripping into bark, teeth gritted. His wol

was

o

ke

screamed at him: Find her.

rawing blood, but he didn't care. Pain was irrelevant

he night, voice low and th

answer

silver glowed ahead, fli

fro

ion. Not the moo

had felt it before, but now it called to hi

ves, shadows, even the air itself seemed to part fo

claw marks on the trunks of the ancient

eant she was

ye

e enemy pack. Not just Varun. Something old

thrummed i

taken. She is

claws itched for blood, and his teeth ached to

e smel

Metalli

os

. Ahead, a clearing opened-moonlight spilled across it, ill

and etched with runes that p

side..

t the bars. Her small frame shuddered with exhaus

ound shattering trees, e

er eyes met his-bright

cracking. "Help me! Plea

f the cage. Silver sparks danced, sizzling agains

the earth. His wolf su

ou die. You touc

thought aside.

live because of me. An

. Shadowy figures flickered between the tree

en't just wards. They were feeding on Aria. Sip

ran thr

orter than

ed to a

rt hammering. The wolves out

augh cut throu

, sinister voice. "The Untouc

ears f

hadows, a cruel smile on his fac

e line," Lykos gro

isunderstand. I'm not here to fight you.

ween Lykos and Varun. "Why... why a

ecause she's mine. And bec

erhaps. But more importantly...

prophecy. The legends. But hearing it now, seeing her trapped,

l give them power?" h

imagination. And she-your ma

"Activate it?" she breathed, voice sh

. "Soon enough. But first... yo

ilver light shot into Aria's skin, burning faintly, siphoning he

olf howle

o

the air, teeth bared. His speed

ready inside the clearing. The wards resisted, burning against h

heat as his claws scratched against them

ing against the cage. "Ho

shining with tears. "I... I c

ry ounce of his cursed power surged-but it di

truth that ke

th

ickered beh

, staff glowing with dark energy

fe... her stolen soul... all of it belongs to me.

rk as midnight. "Not if I ha

Low, cruel, echoing

e, Alpha. You're strong... but not

through her. Her body glowed faintly under the silv

s dy

nd that shook the leaves and branches.

t. He had to r

ed at t

in a violent wave. The wards burned at his claws, forcing

bars, trembling. "Lykos...

e growled. "

her. You cannot save her. And yet... I see it. The bond-we

sliced t

. unde

e. The thought of losing her... l

. Wide, terrified, but a

for her. Kill gods for h

ad t

, past the wards, past the

break t

ld sav

fight the

ady to tear the wards apar

ng pain explode

, invisible-cutting through

you touch her... she dies. I

muscle locked. Ev

a flared brighter-stronger

en she

I can feel it..

earing at the air.

was t

violently, the f

ody... began

y, as though something-or someone-was p

shouted, sur

he could

ld went

ing wen