15. Atticus

15

ATTICUS

J oren stood tall and ready. Next to him, Lyza’s slight frame belied her formidable spirit. Hale’s hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, a predator awaiting release. Mia’s lithe form moved near me. She was focused. She knew the stakes.

“Circle up,” I said.

They formed around me, a protective ring of defiance against the encroaching threat of Crimson Fang. The other rogues who’d aligned with us, who had been patrolling, fell into place.

I stepped into the center of the circle. “Tonight, we stand on the precipice of a battle that will decide the fate of our home,” I said, looking over each of them. “The Crimson Fang seeks to claim what is not theirs to take. But we are more than just rogues. We are guardians of these lands. Remember, we are united, not by blood or by law but by choice and courage. Each of you has chosen this, chosen to stand beside me, chosen to defend what we hold dear.”

Joren nodded, his jaw set.

“Let Crimson Fang hear our howls and tremble, for tonight, the darkness itself will rise in our defense.” My voice rang out over the gathered crowd. “Our claws and teeth will tell the story of our resistance. And when dawn breaks, it will shine on a land still free. Still ours.”

A collective murmur of assent rippled through the group. We were ready to fight, to protect, and to emerge victorious from the darkness that threatened to engulf us.

“Friends, allies, will you stand with me for our home, for freedom?” I raised my fist, and the chorus of affirmation that followed was a declaration of our shared will to prevail.

My heart surged with pride. These were not mere rogues. They were warriors, each of them a true protector.

The crowd dispersed, melting into the trees. Each step I took was heavy with the burden of leadership—these people were my responsibility now—and every rustle of the leaves amplified my anxiety for the confrontation that lay ahead.

Yet, there was a split in me, a fracture. Aria was absent from my side. Her impulsive courage wasn’t here to bolster my own. It ate at me, an unyielding worry that clung to my soul. What struggle was she facing without me?

But the time for reflection was a luxury I could scarcely afford. My focus sharpened as we approached the site where destiny would unfold its cruel hand. The other rogues flanked me, their presence a silent oath. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, demanding action. This forest, our home, was entrusting its fate to our claws.

A surge of energy helped me push harder, faster. The others kept pace with me. We were all acutely aware of what we were rushing toward, a battle that was ours to win or lose. I would carve out safety for my allies with tooth and claw, and I would return to Aria, our home secured.

The trees began to thin, and the sounds of the enemy invaded the natural harmony of the wilderness. Our destination loomed closer, and with it, the inevitable clash of fangs and fur.

I sent a silent prayer skyward, hoping the winds would carry it all the way to Silver Claw Manor.

Let Aria be safe .

The underbrush gave way to a clearing where the Crimson Fang pack stood before us, their numbers a dark scar on the land. We slowed, our bodies tensing as if the ground beneath us had turned to ice, and faced them in an unbroken line of resistance.

I took in their postures, the tilt of their ears, the set of their chins. We were a tableau of raw instinct, two forces poised on the brink of chaos. Time froze, and the forest seemed to hold its breath.

My fur bristled, not solely from the chill of the night, but from the adrenaline rippling beneath my skin. I ached to leap forward, to tear into the enemy that dared threaten what was ours. But I held back the impulse and stared down the opposing beta.

“ Stand firm, ” I projected the command through the bond that linked me to my allies. They responded, a subtle shift in stance. They were ready. Our unity was our armor, and our will our swords.

The beta of the Crimson Fang pack stood before me, eyes flashing with malice. Moonlight glinted off his bared teeth as he stepped forward, a growl rumbling from his chest.

“Your time is over, rogue,” he snarled. “The alpha has claimed the Silver Claw border. Leave now, or suffer the consequences.”

His words were a veiled threat. Fool. I wasn’t just any rogue. I’d become the protector of these lands, of those who called them home. I would not let them down.

“Your alpha has no dominion here,” I stated, and a surge of anger threatened to overwhelm me. “We stand united, and we will not yield to the likes of you.”

The beta’s eyes narrowed in acknowledgment of the battle lines drawn between us. The thought of Aria, possibly in danger at the Silver Claw border, sent a fresh wave of worry through me. But I could not allow that fear to unbalance me.

“Then prepare to fall.” The beta’s body tensed in anticipation of the inevitable clash.

My feet dug into the soft, rain-soaked ground as I fought to keep my composure. It would have been easy to succumb to the rage, to let it consume me and unleash my wolf. Yet, I held firm. I was the bulwark against which their tide of aggression would break.

“Your threats are as empty as your claim,” I said. “This land belongs to us, and your presence here is an affront that will not be tolerated.”

At my side, my companions shifted restlessly, their loyalty a tangible force that bolstered me.

The beta took a step back. Was that respect on his face? He knew that to engage with us was to dance with destruction itself. But the dance would be ours to lead.

“Tell your alpha that if he wishes to avoid bloodshed, he will withdraw,” I said.

The standoff stretched on, a taut string ready to snap. Though my wolf snarled for release, I kept him at bay.

“Consider this your final warning,” the beta growled before turning away, his message delivered.

As he disappeared, I decompressed a bit. The confrontation had ended, but the war was far from over. The true struggle lay ahead.

Suddenly, a snarl ripped through the serenity of the forest, and chaos erupted around me. Crimson Fang members emerged from the foliage, their fur bristling with hostility. In a split second, the rogue lands and Crimson Fang territory became a battleground, where every snap of teeth would be a declaration of our will to survive.

I shifted and ran into the fray. “ Protect the flank.” My vision tunneled as the fight erupted all around me.

Hale met the charge of an enemy wolf, his form a blur of muscle and fury. Joren fought with a fierce precision that turned his paws into instruments of retribution. My wolf howled alongside theirs.

With every foe I faced down, the shadows in me stirred, eager to be unleashed. But I held them close for now, focusing on the tangible wrath of tooth and claw.

There, in the heat of battle, surrounded by the chorus of defiance that came from my pack and the rogues who stood by our side, my senses sharpened to a razor’s edge. The rich loam gave way beneath my paws, each scratch and bite nothing more than an annoyance. I was the storm incarnate, untamed and ready to unleash destruction.

“ Left flank, watch out!” The command rippled from my mind to the others as I spotted a wolf darting toward Mia. There was no room for hesitation, only the need to protect, to guide.

“ Joren, with me!” Lyza shouted, her ice-blue eyes locking with mine for a brief second.

The underbrush rustled violently, and I turned just in time to see the boars she had summoned barrel into a cluster of Crimson Fang warriors. Their wild charge was a thing of raw beauty, nature’s fury unleashed at Lyza’s will. The birds above us swooped down, avenging spirits, their talons flashing in the sunshine that broke through the canopy.

“Keep them disoriented,” I told my friends through our link. “Use the terrain to our advantage.”

Lyza’s connection to the beasts was more than mere talent; it was proof of the symbiosis between shifter and nature. The creatures of the forest became extensions of us, as though the very wild heeded her call.

“Behind you.” The warning came from Hale.

I pivoted, my jaw clamping down on the leg of an enemy who’d hoped to take me unawares. I shook my head fiercely, bringing the Crimson Fang warrior to the ground.

“Drive them back!” Lyza’s gift was turning the tide, each animal one step closer to victory.

“Right flank, Hale! ” Joren’s voice pierced through the chaos, a command swiftly heeded as Hale pivoted and tore into an assailant who had crept too close.

There was beauty in the raw savagery of it all, the clash of tooth and nail for something far greater than ourselves.

It was time to use my gift. The shadows of the forest heeded my call, tendrils rising like serpents from the loamy soil. They writhed and twisted with a life of their own, seeking out the Crimson Fang warriors with predatory intent.

I moved through the trees, the darkness my cloak and shield. The enemy recoiled as my shadows ensnared them, confusion in their eyes as they struggled against the dark bindings.

“Push forward ,” I said with the authority of the alpha I had become. This land—every tree, rock, and stream—was under my protection, and I would suffer no trespasser.

The rogues rallied to my side, emboldened. Here, we weren’t outcasts. We were the guardians of these woods, defenders of a home forged from unity and resilience.

The fight ebbed and flowed, the balance tipping ever so slightly in our favor. With each shadow or beast that lashed out, with every cry of a fallen enemy, our victory drew nearer.

We stood fast in the forest that had borne witness to our struggles and triumphs.

“Atticus, they buckle under your command!” Hale howled as he dispatched another foe.

With renewed fervor, I led the charge, my shadows an extension of my will, each one a promise to Aria that I would return to her.

Shifting back into my human form, I raised my arms to the heavens like a conductor before his orchestra, then swept them downward in a grand, commanding arc. The darkness heeded my call, rising in dark waves from the forest floor, enveloping the advancing Crimson Fang members. They were not a mere absence of light but a force, alive and writhing, cloaking the enemy in disarray.

Growls of confusion rippled through the Crimson Fang as they stumbled blindly, their menacing forms now merely wraiths lost in the engulfing darkness. The ordered lines of their attack dissolved into chaos, warriors colliding with one another, their snouts lifted in frustration, their eyes darting wildly in search of a threat they could no longer discern.

I strode forward, every nerve alight with the electric thrill of battle. Shadows clung to me, swirling with my movements, a dark menace that followed my every command.

But for all our might and unity, the Crimson Fang were an implacable tide, their numbers vast. They surged forward, wave after wave of feral intensity with the singular purpose of conquest.

“Stand firm, ” I said. I leaped forward, shifting mid-air, my form blurring as darkness cloaked my movements. Fangs met fur in a brutal dance, and bodies slammed against mine. Yet, I was undeterred. Each time they thought they had me cornered, the darkness responded to my call.

“ Atticus !” Joren cried out.

I whipped around, my heart lurching. A cluster of Crimson Fang warriors had singled him out. Joren fought valiantly, but a well-aimed swipe sent him reeling.

“ Lyza !” I called, desperate for her intervention, but fate was cruel in its timing. She was encircled, her connection to the wild creatures severed by the ring of gleaming eyes and snapping teeth that had closed in on her.

Panic was a foreign sensation, but it clawed at my sanity now.

No! Not now. Joren, Lyza, they were my responsibility. My family.

“ Fight !” I bellowed to my pack. “ For home and one another! ”

I launched myself into the fray, shadows extending from me. Each step was precise, each movement an extension of will. The forest floor became a canvas on which we painted a violent tableau, a struggle penned in tooth and claw.

The Crimson Fang, so confident in their numbers, began to falter under the onslaught of our united front. Retreat snaked through their ranks, a whisper that grew into a shout. Their unity splintered, and the tide turned.

“Stand strong!” I called. “They break.”

The invaders’ line wavered and then buckled. Our enemies’ retreat was a ragged, discordant rhythm that signaled their defeat, the notes of their desperation fading into the darkness of the woods.

Their withdrawal left behind the echo of combat in our ears and the aftermath of survival in our hearts. We stood, panting, a band of warriors connected by loyalty and the bold joy of victory.

I shifted and cast a quick, searching glance around my battered allies. “Is everyone accounted for?”

Joren nodded. Lyza, surrounded by the small woodland creatures who revered her, grimaced in triumph.

We were whole. We had held.

In the moments after, the tempo shifted. The Crimson Fang’s retreat was not as it seemed. It was a ploy, perhaps, leading to something more sinister. I looked across the terrain, gaze landing on Mia as she darted through the trees, her lithe form a blur of motion.

“Stay alert,” I cautioned. This battle was far from done. I felt it in my bones—a prelude to further strife, the scent of blood still thick in the air.

And then, it came. A sharp spike of fear that was unmistakably Aria’s. Our connection, unseen yet unbreakable, tugged at me with a force that demanded action.

Without hesitation, I shifted and raced through the forest, desperation driving my every step. My paws dug in, propelling me faster, deeper into the silence that cloaked the woods.

“ Atticus !” Joren’s voice was faint, but I couldn’t afford to look back. There was only forward, only Aria.

As the distance shortened, the tether of our bond tightened. She needed me, and nothing would stop me from reaching her side, even if it meant tearing down every tree in the forest to reach her.

I prayed to whatever forces watched over us to let me be in time.

Through the thicket, a glimmer of moonlight revealed a devastating sight. Aria, sprawled out on the ground, her silver tresses splayed in a halo around her pale face. My Aria, motionless, vulnerable, at the mercy of those who sought to claim what was not theirs to take.

Larkin towered over Aria, his presence an affront to all that was sacred. The few Crimson Fang warriors that lingered cast furtive glances at each other, their bodies tense with anticipation.

“Don’t kill her yet.” Malice dripped from Larkin’s every measured word. “We need to bring someone in to treat that wound. She needs to live long enough to be mated to me. That will seal my claim to the Silver Claw pack.”

Her stillness was a torment, her silence a blade to my gut. But I knew I must not act rashly. The lives of my pack—for that was how I thought of them now—the sanctity of our land, and our shared dreams were all at stake. I gathered the shadows to my will and prepared to unleash the full might of my wrath.

I steeled myself for the confrontation to come. Every second mattered.My world narrowed to the pulse throbbing in my ears, to Aria’s too-still form in front of me.

A shifter I didn’t recognize approached, silent as the whispering leaves, and I instinctively braced myself for the imminent assault. His eyes flickered towards Aria.

“Atticus?” he asked.

Warily, I nodded at the unfamiliar voice, feeling a surge of adrenaline as I prepared to fight if necessary.

“I come to you in peace. Time is short, so I’ll keep it brief. I’m Eldan. That woman lying there is one of my closest friends. We can work together and get her back.”

He stepped forward and positioned himself next to me, an unexpected yet undeniably welcome ally in this moment of reckoning. Then he nodded, the message clear: Let’s take them down.

It was time to show ourselves.

With the stealth of night itself, I called on the energy inside me. The darkness answered, rising at my command.

The Crimson Fang, fixated on Aria’s prone form, did not see the change until it was upon them. Shadows surged forward, a writhing mass that closed around them with the inevitability of nightfall. They stumbled in confusion, their panicked yelps piercing the stillness.

My attention never wavered from Larkin, the man who had again dared to lay claim to what was not his to take. I’d warned him what would happen if he didn’t keep his hands off her. Larkin’s inability to keep a promise was predictable, disappointingly unsurprising. The intensity of my stare promised retribution.

As the shadows wreaked havoc, disorienting the enemy, I advanced with predatory grace.

Larkin, his scorn now faltering, looked up to meet me. Only then did he know true terror. The shadows twisted around me, a darkness that heralded vengeance.

Larkin’s confidence shattered, his mask of bravado slipping away as he recognized defeat. With cowardice nipping at his heels, he turned sharply, a blur of motion that vanished into the thicket, fleeing from the truth of his weakness.

My muscles tensed, my wolf urging me to give chase, to hunt him down and exact the justice that pulsed through my veins. But a stronger call anchored me to the spot. Aria. Her name was a silent plea, a prayer that eclipsed the roar of vengeance whispering in my soul.

I moved to her side, my steps unsteady as I knelt beside her still body. The world narrowed until there was nothing but Aria. Eldan’s presence registered faintly, a peripheral ghost as I cradled her head gently in my lap, brushing back the silken strands from her pallid face.

“Aria,” I whispered. But she lay unmoving, fragile.

Eldan stood next to me in a contemplative silence. I’d heard Aria talk of him and knew he was a good friend, one I now owed dearly for helping me get to her. Our eyes locked in a silent exchange. Whatever he had been searching for in my gaze, he must have found it because he nodded in understanding. His nod had been the unspoken accord with warriors, and now our mutual worry for Aria forged a new, albeit temporary, alliance.

“Stay with me,” I whispered in Aria’s ear, my tone soft yet fervent, as if the force of my will alone could summon her back.“Fight,” I urged. “Your spirit is much too passionate to succumb to the night.” As I held her, the world beyond ceased to exist.

I wanted to tear through the woods, to hunt Larkin down and exact a ferocious vengeance. But the quiet sound of her breathing grounded me here, keeping her safe.

“Normally, I’d want to take her home, but if Larkin has double-crossed us, there’s no knowing who can be trusted,” Eldan said. “He has supporters in the pack, and it’s impossible to know if he has manipulated any of them. I’m trusting you to take her to safety. I’ll handle things here and relay any important news.”

I nodded. With utmost care, I lifted her into my arms and carried her from the clearing. Every step I took was an oath that I would protect her. The last vestiges of battle cries and clashing teeth faded behind us, replaced by the mournful whispers of the trees grieving their own scars of conflict.

Ahead, I saw my den, a haven that called out toward me. Aria needed healing, rest, the gentle touch of those who would tend to her with quiet reverence. Once she was secure, once the steady beat of her heart was free from peril, I would return to the fray. Larkin and his treachery would be dealt with, his threat to our future extinguished.

“Help!” I bellowed into the semi-darkness of our den.

The dim confines of the den burst into life as Mia rushed toward me. In a flash, she was at my side, her skilled fingers hovering over Aria’s fragile form. The soft cadence of her muttering melded with the rustle of leaves as she inspected each bruise, each mark marring the perfection of Aria’s skin. From her healer’s pouch, Mia drew forth an arsenal of nature’s remedies, her hands a blur as she concocted a salve potent enough to mend flesh and spirit.

I felt powerless, a beast with no outlet for its fury.

There, in the quiet of the den, time stretched into an endless void, punctuated only by the shallow rise and fall of Aria’s chest and Mia’s humming as she worked her healing arts. My mind, usually so clear and strategic when faced with adversity, now spiraled in the singular axis of Aria’s recovery.

“What can I do?” It was a plea to the universe, a desperate man seeking help, any help.

Mia didn’t pause in her ministrations, her focus unbroken as she blended the herbs with a precision that spoke of years of knowledge passed down through generations.

“Just give her space,” she said, steady and sure. It was a gentle command from one who knew the dance of life and death, a dance she had swayed to many times before. “She’s strong. She’ll pull through.”

In the stillness, I realized that love was not just the fierce protectiveness that drove me to fight, nor the passion when our bodies entwined. It was also this, the quiet vigil, the aching wait, the steadfast belief in the woman I loved.

And so I sat, watching over Aria as night bled into dawn.