CHAPTER 40
Vlad suddenly shot to his feet, his eyes fixed on the darkness. His voice was rough but resolute:
"He's coming… Ethan. And he's not alone. He's bringing his own pack."
Two Months Ago
After the explosion, Ethan and Jessica were lying at the base of a mist-covered, rocky slope. A towering figure slowly emerged from the haze.
He was over two meters tall, his body scarred with the marks of old battles. His long hair reached his shoulders, and his beard flowed down to his chest. A deep gash ran across the center of his torso. He spoke with a voice heavy with command:
"Ethan... Maybe you took one of us. Maybe one of my men. And maybe these men behind me are already thinking about joining you because they've seen your power. But know this: if you join me, if you become one of my top warriors, you'll gain powers beyond anything you've imagined."
The man extended his hand.
"I'm Malcolm," he said. "Leader of the pack."
Ethan hesitated, then reached out. "Why are you helping me?"
Malcolm lowered his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "Because if someone defeats one of ours, they deserve their place. The dead didn't earn it. The winner moves forward. Never forget
a pack is only as strong as its weakest link. You're one of us now.
And maybe one day… you'll take my place."
He smiled.
Now
Vlad broke the silence.
"He's got someone by his side. A leader named Malcolm. He's an apexian werewolf one of the strongest. And… he's my half-brother. We share the same father. But we grew up… very differently. He became a ruthless leader. I chose knowledge. Our father always loved him. For me… the one who felt like a father was our uncle."
Mike nodded. "So you're saying… now we have to fight your family?"
Marcus stepped in. "Look, there are hundreds of us here. They're coming as a pack, and they'll strike during the next full cycle one month from now. That's why we need to put the old leader Vlad's uncle back in charge. Only then do we stand a chance against Malcolm and his wolves."
Mike paused. "But why wait? Why not now? Why are they attacking a month from now?"
Marcus looked up at the sky.
"Because in a month… it'll be the Sinscar Moon. The most savage state of the wolf. It happens once every ten years. The only time the ritual can be completed. Ethan has to perform it at its peak or wait ten more years.
So they have to strike now."
Zack furrowed his brows. "Sinscar Moon? What the hell is that?"
Marcus answered grimly:
"It's the phase where wolves turn on each other to grow stronger. All instincts explode. We those of us here overcame that chaos centuries ago. But for Ethan, the timing is crucial.
We have to protect Vlad."
Mike stepped forward. "Then we have one month. First, we secure this place. Marcus, do you have a map of the tower and the surrounding perimeter?"
"I do, but"
Vlad cut in. "No. I need to do this. I must face the ones inside. Alone. It's my past."
Mike shook his head. "No, you're not going alone. We're here so no one has to die. I'm going with you. The rest Marcus, Zack, Emily, Svetlana they'll hold the defenses. But I'm taking that tower with you."
Mike took a step back and closed his eyes.
His body began to darken. Black fire erupted through his veins as his skin was enveloped in shadows. For a year he had trained to control this form. Now, the black flames no longer consumed him they were part of him. Runes carved across his chest flared to life. His eyes blazed like fire. A silhouette fused with darkness rose from his back.
He was the shape of wrath itself.
At the same time, Vlad dropped to one knee. His claws extended, muscles tightened, and a thick coat of ash-grey fur surged along his spine. His eyes burned crimson.
Feral but noble. No longer mindless. This was a predator in full control.
Mike launched into the air with a single beat of his wings.
Vlad tore through the snow-covered ground like a bullet.
One soared from the sky...
The other stormed from below...
Both heading toward the same target.