Chapter 41 - Drums of Battle

Charmaine stands at the edge of the Hydra Pack's training grounds, her cold eyes scanning the ranks of soldiers assembled before her. One hundred men. That is all Alpha Cortis has given her—a pitiful number considering the task at hand. The Redbone Pack of Clovis City is not just formidable; it is legendary. Wilson, their Alpha, is a force to be reckoned with, his lieutenant Jason a lethal shadow that follows in his wake. But Cortis, in his arrogance, has dismissed this threat. He sees this attack as a mere test, a probe into Redbone's defenses.

Charmaine knows better. This is no test; it is a death march. These one hundred men, with their steely eyes and sharpened claws, are marching to their graves. She can see it in their faces, the fear they hide behind bravado, the doubt in their gazes when they think she isn’t looking. They are strong, yes, but strength alone won’t save them. Not against the Redbone Pack. She clenches her fists, nails digging into her palms until blood pools in