The first horn, a warning that broke the tenuous calm of the Night Wind Pack, had just begun to fade the happy echoes of Samuel and Henrietta's wedding.
Because of his refined instincts from years of combat, Jacob was the first to respond. He turned to Leah, his expression dark with realization. "It has started."
The enemy was outside the castle walls. With mercenaries and rogue wolves howling in anticipation, Edmund Boris stood at the head of his gathered army. Sharpened steel reflected the light of the flickering torches in the chilly night air. The weight of an impending war made the ground tremble.
Leah hurried to Serafina's side, her heart racing. The little girl's eyes were wide with terror as she held on to her sleeve. Leah put a comforting hand on Serafina's back and whispered, "Stay close to me," before leading her to the locked rooms located deep within the castle.
Before the final attack began Darius and Samuel successfully gathered all the soldiers under their command. Soldiers positioned themselves as archers across the battlements while gate defenses were reinforced to create an entire fortress filled with war drum sounds. Physically and emotionally linked through their shared connection of survival and commitment these pack warriors concentrated on preparing for battle.
As he climbed the main tower, Jacob's sharp eyes scanned the battlefield. Ever the strategist, Edmund had defended the castle from three sides. The rogue Alpha's taunting and mocking voice reverberated throughout the night. Let Jacob Barduff out! I will burn your priceless house to the ground if you don't face me!
Jacob's hand gripped his sword's hilt more tightly. He refused to back down. He nodded to Samuel and yelled commands. Protect the walls. Keep them at each gate. We don't break.
The initial wave hit hard. As the enemy charged forward, arrows flew from both sides. The air was filled with the snarls of fighting wolves, the cries of the wounded, and the clash of steel. Jacob was right in the middle of it, slicing through enemies with deadly accuracy. He was accompanied by Samuel, who moved quickly and relentlessly.
Leah led the medical staff from inside the castle, caring for the injured as her thoughts were filled with plans. She was aware that using force alone would not win the battle. They needed to outthink Edmund, to find his weakness.
Then, a different sound—a battle horn, but not Edmund's—reverberated throughout the battlefield.
Alpha Marcus Irving led the White Dawn Pack's warriors, who charged the battlefield from the eastern flank. Marcus had responded to Leah's appeal for help. His disciplined and ferocious warriors leveled the playing field by crashing into Edmund's forces like a tidal wave.
Nightfall moved through the battlefield when the Shadow Fang warriors emerged from darkness to attack Edmund's troops. They fought with merciless precision as they terrorized Edmund's forces in dark-cloaked forms under the alliance with Leah.
The battle's momentum changed.
The combined power of the Shadow Fang elite, the Night Wind Pack, and the White Dawn warriors proved to be too much. Edmund's forces started to falter as severe casualties piled up on his side.
The castle walls shook as the siege continued. Debris flew after a portion of the outer barricade exploded in a fire. Leah's breath hitched. They had underestimated Edmund's level of readiness.
Furthermore, he was far from done.
The fight for Barduff Castle was just getting started.