The silver light from the ancient chamber faded as Aurora faced the thundering figure. Outside, the battle raged on, but another threat moved silently through the shadows, miles away from the mountain.
Dante wasn't dead.
His body, covered in burns and half-transformed with scales, dragged through the underground tunnels beneath the Alpha Alliance headquarters. The Spirit Wolf had nearly killed him, but centuries of dark magic pulsed through his veins. Death wouldn't take him so easily.
"I need..." he gasped, blood dripping from his mouth. "Just a little more time."
The headquarters stood nearly empty. Most warriors had followed Nath to battle, leaving only a skeleton crew to protect the elders and pups. Perfect.
Under cover of night, Dante slipped past two young guards who never caught his scent. The mixture of herbs he'd rubbed on his skin masked his presence, a trick he'd learned from the Crimson Sage.
