The Luna's Second Chance

Chapter 38: The Battle Begins

**Isla's POV**

The sound of distant howls echoed through the trees, signaling the beginning of the end. Isla stood at the edge of the palace grounds, her heart hammering in her chest as the first glimpses of Malachi's forces appeared through the forest. The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating, as the warriors on both sides prepared to clash.

The sun had long since set, and now the battlefield was bathed in the eerie glow of the moon. It felt as though the very air crackled with magic, with energy, as the armies lined up, waiting for the signal. Waiting for the inevitable bloodshed.

Isla's fingers twitched with nervous energy as she looked out over the clearing, her senses heightened. Her power thrummed through her veins, the magic she had unlocked in her training surging just beneath the surface. But despite the power coursing through her, the weight of what was coming pressed heavily on her chest.

Kian was out there. Somewhere. And she would have to face him.

Damian stood beside her, his expression unreadable as his golden eyes scanned the field. He was a picture of calm and strength, but Isla could feel the tension radiating off him. He knew what this battle meant, just as she did. This wasn't just a fight to protect their pack. This was a battle for survival.

"I can feel him," Isla said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Kian's close."

Damian's hand found hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Stay focused, Isla. You can reach him, but don't let your guard down. He's dangerous."

Isla nodded, though her heart ached at the thought. Kian was her brother, and despite everything, she still believed there was good in him. She had to believe it. If she didn't, she wasn't sure she could face him.

A horn sounded in the distance, breaking the tense silence, and the first wave of Malachi's forces surged forward.

"Here they come," Damian said, his voice low as he tightened his grip on his sword. "Stay close to me."

Isla's heart pounded as she prepared herself, her eyes locking onto the advancing army. Malachi's forces were a mixture of outcasts, rogue wolves, and creatures Isla couldn't even name. They moved with frightening speed, their eyes glowing with the same dark magic that had twisted Kian's mind.

And at the head of them, moving with deadly precision, was Kian.

Isla's breath caught in her throat as her eyes locked onto her brother. He looked different-his features sharper, more angular, as if the dark magic that Malachi had infused him with had changed him. His eyes, once a soft hazel like hers, were now glowing with a sinister, unnatural light.

"Kian," Isla whispered, her heart breaking at the sight of him.

Before she could process it, the two armies clashed with a deafening roar.

The air was filled with the sounds of steel clashing against steel, the growls and snarls of wolves in their battle forms, and the hum of magic as the witches on both sides unleashed their spells. Isla's body moved on instinct, her power surging as she fought off the rogue wolves and outcasts that came at her.

But her mind was elsewhere. Her mind was on Kian.

She could feel him-his presence, his power-growing closer. Their bond, once something she had cherished, now felt like a chain pulling her toward him, toward the inevitable confrontation. She had to find him. She had to stop him before it was too late.

With a final slash of her sword, Isla broke free from the chaos around her and sprinted toward the center of the battlefield. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she didn't slow down. She couldn't. She had to reach Kian.