In an instant, the night exploded into chaos.
Tyler and the pack shifted, their human forms tearing away to reveal fur, claws, and fangs. Shadows of wolves surged forward under the cold silver light. Tyler's black wolf lunged first, a blur of muscle and fury, but the vampire's hands blazed with molten-red energy. With a violent thrust, he sent Tyler hurtling backward, crashing into the earth.
Sophia and the others charged in, but the vampire moved like fire given form darting, twisting. He unleashed a scorching wave that smashed into James, flinging him aside.
The pack closed in from all sides. The vampire answered with a blazing eruption, spikes of fire ripping through the air, searing into fur and flesh.
Tyler rose with a snarl and came at him again. The vampire conjured a fiery arrow, hurled it but Tyler dodged, teeth bared. He slammed into the vampire's chest, weight and rage driving them down until a blast of burning wind erupted from the vampire's body, the whoosh so hot it warped the air, flinging Tyler across the clearing.
Jasper and Henry came next, wolves charging with raw, brutal force.
The vampire's eyes burned brighter. He threw his hands wide, and an atomic blast of fire detonated in the heart of the forest. Trees exploded into flame. The fiery wave slammed into them, sending Jasper and Henry crashing into a massive oak, groans of pain splitting the night.
The vampire laughed, cracking his neck, voice dripping contempt. "You wolves always claim you're strong… but you're all weak."
Flames coiled into his palm.
The pack rose, slow and battered, ash clinging to their fur.
How do we end him? Bella's voice trembled through the mind channel.
We surround him, Sophia's reply came, firm and sharp.
They fanned out, step by step, Sophia leading.
"You still want more?!" the vampire roared. His fiery orb tore through the air, exploding where they'd been a heartbeat earlier. The wolves barely dodged.
Sophia lunged but he was faster. His boot connected hard, slamming her into the ground.
A shockwave of fire blasted outward. Jasper was sent spinning through the air, a streak of fur against the burning night.
He pivoted, a precise burst of flame catching Bella full in the chest. She crashed to the dirt with a yelp.
Henry leapt in, jaws inches from his throat but a searing burst of fire smashed into him mid-air.
Then, with one final astral blast pure, roaring flame the vampire hurled Tyler and James into each other like broken dolls.
He stood over them, laughing, as the scent of scorched earth choked the midnight air.
"Once I feast on more blood," the vampire snarled, "I'll challenge one of the Twelve Council members. When I win, I'll stand in Susun's presence and be the strongest." A cruel, mocking smile twisted his lips.
Not on my watch, Tyler's voice echoed in the mind channel.
Without hesitation, he lunged at the vampire, but the creature twisted away with inhuman speed. James and Bella surged in behind him, a coordinated strike.
Fiery bolts erupted from the vampire's hands, scorching through the air but the pack dodged with practiced agility.
James propelled himself off the ground, and with a snap, the vampire's arm was broken.
Bella growled fiercely, driving her claws deep into the vampire's other arm.
The vampire retaliated, launching Tyler with a brutal kick into a tree. Tyler hit the bark hard but sprang back.
Summoning a thunderous roar, from the earth beneath them, a massive fiery compass ignited its burning sigils swirling and snapping with dark power.
The pack stared, stunned.
"You think you've won?" the vampire barked. "Handless, I'll crush you here and now."
Bella's voice cut sharply through the mind channel. That compass… it's highly potent dark sorcery. Be careful.
Rasping flames slashed toward the pack as they scrambled to evade. But the fire struck with terrifying precision Henry, James, and Jasper took heavy hits.
Tyler and Sophia slipped through the fiery onslaught, Bella close behind.
"You think you can beat that?" the vampire sneered.
He matched the fiery compass with another blast, unleashing massive boulders of blazing rock.
One slammed into Sophia, another crushed Bella. Tyler watched helplessly as they both grunted in pain, hitting large trees.
The vampire's cruel laughter echoed through the burning forest.
Rage flared in Tyler's eyes like wildfire. In a flash, he tore into the vampire's right leg with savage strength.
The vampire groaned, pain cracking his voice.
"I will " he began, unleashing a barrage of fiery boulders, but Tyler dodged them all with lightning speed.
With primal fury, Tyler crushed the vampire beneath his power, entering the realm of the One Mind Wolf.
In an instant, the vampire was torn to shreds his eyes flashing a hellish red as he shifted back to human form, weakened but still alive.
Tyler sprinted to Sophia and Bella, now in wolf form, collapsed and unconscious.
Jasper had shifted back to human as well, crashing down beside Bella.
Tyler moved to Henry and James, both unconscious in their wolf forms.
Jasper pushed Bella and Sophia gently, trying to rouse them, but they lay still.
The forest around them burned fiercely, flames licking the sky.
Tyler met Jasper's eyes,both filled with grim fear amid the chaos.