Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Dark Arrival
The wind howled through the trees like a warning cry.
Rina stood at the edge of the western border, Kael close beside her.
The dark runes carved into the stones pulsed with a cold, unnatural energy.
"They're a curse," Kael said, his voice low and wary.
"Not just a curse," Rina replied. "A summons."
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
From the shadows emerged creatures unlike any the pack had seen — twisted wolves, their fur matted and eyes glowing with malevolent light.
"They answer to a darker master," Kael growled, drawing his blade.
Rina's flame flared, bright and fierce.
"Stand with me," she called to her pack.
The battle was fierce and desperate — fire against darkness, hope against despair.
When the last twisted wolf fell, the pack stood panting but unbroken.
But the true enemy was still out there, watching.
And Blackridge's greatest fight was only just beginning.