98: A Beautiful Glow to Remember
Aiden’s POV
At dawn, the sky blushed orange and pink at the light, creating a beautiful yet eerie glow of bright clouds overlooking the battlefield. Adrenaline shot through me, and my heart pounded like a freaking drum in fear of how close the rogues were. Snarls and growling filled the air, a chilling reminder of exactly what it was we were up against.
I leaned closer to Hayley, whispering, “Hold on,” watching the danger approach. She nodded, resolve and determination painted on her face. I saw it in her eyes, and that only fanned the flames for me. I was attracted to this woman from day one.
There was an explosion of motion from the heart of the woods, pair rogues running free and wild at their eyes with malevolent glee. Their muscles lashed beneath their fur as they all but stalked.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.
The pack steeled itself for an attack, weapons at the ready. The atmosphere was thick, and the moments were long as we all waited for something worthy to happen.
“Here they come!” Then silence, and suddenly a voice cried out. The fight began with a blur of motion and noise, steel on steel clanging as they dove in.
I charged the nearest rogue-a big werewolf with a scar going down his face. Growling, his claws swished through! I side-stepped, my own claws sprouting as I swiped back. The impact staggered him, but he caught himself quickly, rage filling his eyes.
“Good start,” he growled, then lunged for me. He came at me, and I intercepted his attack, our claws clashing in a flash of sparks. I felt the power of the pack, and it awakened me. I could feel Hayley beside me; her presence was grounding energy.
Arm in arm, we fought in unison. It was like we were one, bonded beyond chaos. The control of the elements was a new weapon, and Hayley’s skills became even more blurred in motion. Her eyes glinting fiercely, she raised grand currents of air to drive our foes away from us.
“Watch out!” Scattered slightly behind her on the main drag, she cried out. I barely was able to turn in time before I saw another rogue lunging at me from behind. Then my claws slashed through the air as I spun. The yelp of a rogue cried out in pain, the strike he had intended to inflict foiled.
“Thanks,” I responded, then briefly nodded at her. A flicker of a smile passed between them in the middle.
The fight continued, every second changing our capabilities and will. There was no stopping the rogues; strikes came from everywhere.
But our pack was resilient, as strong a match against the powerful devices that would come from us.
How are we doing, Luna Elara? I screamed, looking back. Her collected behavior was a calming force in the midst of action, where she stood fighting.
We are holding our ground, she said fiercely, and then more softly, with her voice breaking slightly. “However, we must repel them. We cannot allow them to break through our defenses.
I nodded, a fierce flow of resolve beginning to return. We had to maintain a secure home at any cost. And then I charged with a wild roar at the first rogue who was nearest to me, and my claws found their way through his defenses. He tripped his eyes bug-eyed with shock.
“Hayley, we have to repel them! I shouted, my voice louder than before. “Yes,” she said, her gaze burning with resolve.
We have a legacy to protect. Her words were filled with anger. With an upraised hand, the power around her snapped. A gust of wind and a powerful force knocked the rogues from their feet. The trees acted as a momentary block, but it was the gap we needed.
“Now!” I shouted, rallying the pack. As one, we advanced-bbetween all three of us, they would be overpowered. Their attacks collapsed, and they fell back. Over the course of approximately two months, community members began uniting as an unstoppable force in a battle that seemed to have insurmountable odds.
But as we began to force the rogues back, I noticed Alpha Lucas and Luna Elara directing from their places within. They helped keep us grounded, reminding us that we weren’t fighting this alone. Their leadership led them to fight with a ferocity that helped navigate us through the fray.
“Keep pushing!” Alpha Lucas announced his booming voice over the cacophony. “We can’t let them regroup!”
We chased, and our strikes were fearsome. The rogues retreated; we were wearing them down with our resolve to stand together. But they had not lost the war. This time they stood up, their eyes sort of desperate.
“Watch out!” Hold your horses! It was Hayley’s voice; she sounded frantic. I spun, and an aberrant was leaping at me with his claws out. I performed a last-ditch dodge to the left, and my own claws swiped right by me. An enraged roar curled the flesh around him as the rogue-yelper drove his chainmail gauntlet into Will’s upper rear.
“Good effort,” I groaned, glaring at the rogue. His eyes glinted with anger as he growled. But before he could strike again, a heavy gust of wind upended him. Hayley was standing next to me, her arms raised and her eyes blazing fiercely.
“Thank you,” I replied with a curt nod. A smile-aa flash of camaraderie in the chaos.