Hazel's POVAs I emerged from the depths of the forest, the unconscious corrupted slung over my shoulder, a crowd of soldiers approached, their leather armor gleaming in the dappled light filtering through the trees. I narrowed my eyes at them, my expression stern and commanding as I assessed their readiness for the task at hand."Soldiers," I called out, my voice cutting through the air with authority. "Form up into groups of ten. You have a task to complete."The soldiers obeyed without question, falling into formation with relative ease as they awaited my next command. I approached them with purpose, my gaze sweeping over their ranks as I divided them into smaller teams."You," I pointed to a group of soldiers nearest to me. "You will patrol the eastern perimeter. And you," I gestured to another group. "Take the western flank. The rest of you will divide the remaining sectors between you. Move out and secure the area."As the soldiers dispersed to carry out their orders, I turned m
Hazel's POVAs I hurled the third corrupted toward the soldiers, their rough, weathered faces contorted in a mixture of disgust and determination. Their gruff voices filled the air, exchanging terse commands and coordinating their efforts to contain the threat. "Secure the perimeter!" one of them - the guard captain I think - shouted, his voice carrying over the din of battle. "We've got more coming!"The people I had doing experiments on the corrupted had pulled through and provided a kind of scented mixture that drew the corrupted like moth to a flame. As much as I did not want to leave any lurking in the forest, I also wanted them all.That mixture has just saved a group of people quite a few beatings."You there!" I called out to a young soldier, his eyes wide with fear as he glanced in my direction. "Go find Damian and bring him to me. Now!"The soldier nodded frantically, his movements swift as he darted off into the fray, disappearing into the tangled mass of bodies that now th
Hazel's POV"You might want to let me breathe," Damian breathed. "I can not talk if I can not breathe."I released my hold on him slowly."Set me down maybe?" He asked with a cheeky little smile that I did not like.As I released Damian and let him slump to the ground, I fixed him with a stern glare, my expression unreadable as I waited for his explanation. I was acting, of course. For all Phelan had to know, the corrupted were only a nuisance I put up with because of him. "Well?" I demanded, my voice laced with a thinly veiled threat. "What do you have to say for yourself?"Damian scrambled to his feet, and "I-I was speaking with Alpha Phelan," he began, his voice trembling with nervousness. "When I heard about the corrupted in the forest, I immediately tried to contact him."I raised an eyebrow, my interest piqued. "And?" I prompted impatiently, gesturing for him to continue.Damian took a deep breath, steeling himself before continuing. "Phelan took a while to reply," he admitted
Mia's POVThe underground tunnels loomed before us, dark and foreboding, as Lycidas and I hurriedly slipped through the concealed entrance. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, driving me forward with a sense of urgency as we navigated the winding passages in search of Alpha Fenrir."We need to find him quickly," I whispered, more to myself than not, my voice barely audible over the sound of our footsteps echoing against the stone walls. There was nothing else I could think to do, truly.The urgency of our mission spurred us forward as Lycidas and I darted through the concealed entrance to the underground tunnels. The darkness swallowed us whole, but we pressed on, guided by the single-minded determination to find Alpha Fenrir and deliver our urgent message.As we navigated the labyrinthine passages with practiced ease, our footsteps quickened with each passing moment. The dim light of our torches cast flickering shadows against the walls, illuminating the way as we raced towards our
Lycidas' POV The dense foliage of the forest enveloped us like a cloak as Mason and I pressed forward on our reconnaissance mission, our footsteps barely making a sound against the thick carpet of fallen leaves beneath our boots. Shafts of sunlight pierced through the canopy above, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor as we moved cautiously through the underbrush."It's been quiet out here lately," Mason remarked, his voice breaking the silence that hung heavy between us like a tangible veil. "No sign of those twisted creatures since your run-in the other day."I nodded in agreement, my senses on high alert as we scanned the surrounding woods for any hint of movement. "Let's hope it stays that way," I replied, my voice low with apprehension. "I do not think we need any more surprises.""Things are going tits up ain't they?" Mason commented a few minutes later. "I know I've heard of the prophecy constantly and stuff but it is more scary than I'd imagined."I shrugged. "Easy to
Lycidas' POV The sun hung high in the early afternoon sky, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across the forest floor as Mason and I swiftly shifted into our wolf forms, our instincts guiding us as we set out into the warmth of the day. The transformation was seamless, the familiar sensation of fur sprouting from my skin and bones elongating into a sleek, powerful form washing over me like a wave.The familiar rush of power and freedom washed over me, a welcome sensation after the tension of our earlier encounter. With a flick of my tail, I signaled to Mason, and together we set off into the depths of the forest, our senses keen and alert.With a low growl of anticipation, I bounded forward, my senses heightened as I led the way to the hunting grounds we knew lay nearby. The forest stretched out around us in a vibrant tapestry of greens and browns, the scent of prey tantalizingly close as we moved with purpose through the dense underbrush. It was our turn to hunt for the pa
Lycidas' POV I scanned the surroundings more carefully. The feeling I had just had was gone like the wind and I could not help feeling particularly uneasy."Nothing is wrong," I told Mason. I did not want to make him worry more than he already did. "Just got a bad feeling. Keep an eye out, okay?""Okay, sure thing," Mason replied, giving me a wary, worried look.Quickly we got back to what we were supposed to be doing, prowling through the dense underbrush. The scent of prey still hung heavy in the air, teasing our senses with the promise of a successful hunt. With every step, I could feel the anticipation building within me, the thrill of the chase rising to a crescendo and coursing through my veins like wildfire, and my unease fading to the background.We moved with silent grace, our fur blending seamlessly with the shadows as we stalked our unsuspecting quarry. The forest was alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant calls of woodland creatures, but we remained focused
Lycidas' POVAs Mason and I made our way back to the underground entrance, the weight of the deer carcass hanging heavy between us, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the pit of my stomach. It was as if the eyes of some unseen watcher were boring into me, their gaze following our every move with unsettling intensity. The anxious feeling that had tormented me before we got the deer was back, unfortunately, and it seemed like it brought friends.I glanced nervously over my shoulder, my senses on high alert as I scanned the surrounding forest for any sign of danger. "Mason," I whispered, my voice tight with apprehension. "Do you feel that? Like we're being watched?"Mason's ears twitched in acknowledgment - more of my words than the veracity of my statement if the twist of his muzzle meant anything - his gaze sweeping over the surrounding foliage as he searched for any sign of the mysterious presence that seemed to be haunting us. "I don't see anything," he replied,