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111 | ONLY THE START
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Alpha Ares 112 | DIVE IN
“It’s not too late.” I held Mum’s gaze. “It can’t be. Call the retreat. Now!”Ares squeezed my hand one last time before letting go. He crept backwards, inching slowly – on trembling legs held up by knocking knees – towards the tree line. I felt around desperately for his feelings, for a mindlink, but we were still cut off from one another. My heart dipped.“They’re closing in,” he whispered, half-turning to face us before twisting around to look out at the clearing again. “But there’s still a chance. There’s still time.”Mum was silent. Her eyes were glazed; I realised a moment later that she was talking to my dad through a mindlink when she said, “You’re right. Hang on…” She trailed off. Ares wobbled back to my side. I could feel my strength failing, and I had no doubt that his was, too. This battle couldn’t have come at a worse time. I nudged him gently. “Whatever happens, we need to get out of here. We’re sitting ducks, so long as we can’t mindlink or shift.”Mum strode over to
Alpha Ares 113 | HALF THE WORLD AWAY
It pounced at Mum. At me.And I felt relieved. Relieved, because at least it wasn’t attacking Ares. Yet.Mum flung herself at it. I felt her growl before I heard it: it rolled, menacing, through her chest, vibrating up and across her withers and back. I clung to her desperately as she sprung forward, the jolt of the movement sending me sliding backwards.Colours swayed and blurred around me, making me dizzy. With nothing I could do but hold on tight, I squeezed my eyes shut and put all my focus into keeping my balance. My consciousness was barely hanging on by a thread. If I fell, I was certain that the knock would send me into oblivion.Thud. Thump. I felt every blow Mum and the grey wolf traded. My arms were weak, like two useless ropes bound loosely around her neck. I peeled my eyes open a crack – and saw teeth, yellow teeth, slick with saliva and blood. I cried out, and the wolf’s large eye rolled around to meet my gaze.Mum pulled back. I twisted around, panic flaring as she ope
Alpha Ares 114 | EVERY ROLL OF THE DICE
Wherever we went, I heard the terrifying beat of paws following us. They trailed into my dreams, too, as I dipped in and out of consciousness. At some point I’d been repositioned, and I was now slumped forward over someone’s wolven back. I couldn’t even open my eyes for long enough to look at the colour of the fur on the back that carried me. Somehow, the dreams were worse than the nightmarish reality I currently existed in. They were swirling, inky darkness and endless, icy cold; they were the chains around my legs and the feel of water swallowing my head whole. My lungs were pulsing with cold water, and every breath I took brought me closer to death. Then I would jolt awake – only to remember where this torturous journey was taking us. If we even survived it. To Nazte. To the man that had done that to me. Mercilessly, I was plunged back into the hazy horror of my memories, and the circle began all over again. Sometimes, the memories I was plagued by changed. I saw Ares, slumped li
Alpha Ares 115 | A SPLINTERED ARMY
I looked down at my leg, the burn in it seeming to grow as I gave it my full attention, trepidation making my chest feel tight. Infected? No – it couldn’t be. I was a werewolf, after all; a slash of claws like that should have already begun to heal, even if it had not yet healed entirely. “Infected?” I repeated, my voice sounding too quiet, and strangely tinny, to my own ears. “How can it be infected already?”My leg was stuck out straight. Red stained what was left of my trousers, and tattered slips of fabric fell limply to the wooden slats of the floor. The claw marks cut deep, and their edges were raw and dark and angry and swollen. It still burned, even hours after I’d been clawed; by now, it would usually feel like a dull throb, if anything at all. I winced and dragged myself into a better seated position, pulling my knee up slowly so that I could inspect the injury.Peeling back the makeshift bandages, I wrinkled my nose. It smelt rotten.“That bloody wolfsbane,” muttered Nana
Alpha Ares 116 | SNOWFALL
I winced as the medic tapped on my freshly bound leg. Medic Olia was a middle-aged woman with hair just starting to grey at her temples, which made her look distinguished and wise rather than old. I’d expected to be treated by the same medic that had seen me before, but Cendres had told me that Winterpaw trained up a lot more of their wolves as medics, due to the harsh nature of their territory’s climate, as he’d guided my family and I to the medical centre. I’d been glad of the change as she’d looked me over, the fire warming one side of my face, snow falling outside and piling up on the windowsill.But, even though she’d been nothing but nice to me – shockingly, considering how I’d been treated by Winterpaw Warrior wolves in the past – I’d remained stiff as a log the whole time she’d been looking at my cuts. Her visage had blurred every time she’d bent over me, her face becoming youthful and enthusiastic – her face becoming Flora’s.“The poultice should draw out the infection,” she
Alpha Ares 117 | THAT FIRST RUMBLE OF THUNDER
I settled myself in my usual seat around the large table. It felt wrong to be in a meeting in Winterpaw without Ares, but I tightened my core and held myself tall. The heat of the fire warmed my body, but until he awoke my heart and soul would remain frozen over within.A candle had almost burned down to its stub, slightly off the centre of the dented table. The white sky outside was as yet unchanging, casting the grey room in an eerie shade of pale winter’s light.Cendres cleared his throat. “I guess I should begin.” He shifted uncomfortably; I’d never seen him looking so ill at ease. He tucked a lock of long, light brown hair behind his ear – only to slide it back out again straight away and repeat the cycle. His bold, blunt features were creased with doubt as he said, “We should start with introductions. This is something of an unusual gathering, but I would like to thank you all for coming at such short notice.”I nodded. Everything in my life felt like a whirlwind now. “Indeed,”
Alpha Ares 118 | HANS AND HANNA
The days dragged on. If my life had been a whirlwind before, now it became the stagnant water of a green pond. The more time I spent back in Winterpaw, the more bizarre the normality of it all began to feel. There was an undercurrent of unease that cut through every too-normal conversation, that was present every time a wolf called me Luna or ducked their head in respect when I passed.I fell into a routine of malaise: I woke to the knock of the medic, who checked on Ares, who was still yet to wake, and then checked my leg, which was healing well. I trained as best I could, sitting on an upturned bucket and exercising my arms with a sword, wishing Ares would wake all the while. I watched my dad integrate with the Winterpaw Warrior Wolves, and watched my mum keep her distance from them, a scowl permanently fixed on her mouth. I dug the tip of my sword into the snow with a sigh. Across from me, Nana Baspy folded her arms.“We’re training for a battle,” I muttered, my gaze sliding over
Alpha Ares 119 | WE NEED TO TALK
“Yes,” I snarled, turning on him, “we do need to talk, Cendres.” My mouth flapped uselessly as my anger overwhelmed me. The flickering torchlight became dancing flames shooting from my palms, aimed at him and ready to burn. “I – I – I can’t believe you,” I spat, after a too-long pause. “You were there. And Nazte is missing! Stars, I–”He smiled ruefully at me as he interrupted. “I know. Everything you’re about to say, I’m pretty sure I can guess. Look – let’s go upstairs, yeah? We can talk there.” He held my gaze, his pale blue eyes unusually serious, unnaturally sombre, and something in his expression gave me pause. Slowly, I nodded.“Fine.” “Follow me.”We walked in terse silence. I listened to the steady thrum of my heartbeat and the slap of our boot soles against the stone floor and the ever-present pulse of water in my right ear. It calmed me; even if I had nothing and nobody else to trust, I had myself. I was no longer torn between loyalties. I knew where I stood and what was r
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- Alpha Ares 141 | EPILOGUE
- Alpha Ares 140 | COME TOGETHER
- Alpha Ares 139 | KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE
- Alpha Ares 138 | SURRENDER AND SACRIFICE
- Alpha Ares 137 | BATTLE OF THE MOUNTAIN
- Alpha Ares 136 | THE END OF US
- Alpha Ares 135 | BE AMONGST THE STARS
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- Alpha Ares 133 | ON THE WINGS OF FATE
