Always And Forever | ENG

Chapter Sixteen: The Face of the Enemy

The creature that emerged from the shadows was unlike anything we had encountered before. Standing at nearly seven feet tall, it was humanoid in shape, but its features were distorted in ways that made it impossible to recognize as anything familiar. Its skin was mottled with dark patches, a sickly grayish color, and its eyes-glowing a vivid yellow-seemed to pierce through the forest like twin lanterns. It had the form of a beast, but there was something undeniably intelligent in the way it moved, a purposeful grace that sent a chill down my spine.

It wasn't just a creature. It was something else, something that had been twisted and warped into a weapon. And it was standing right in front of me.

"Stay close," Ace whispered, his eyes locked on the creature. "This isn't just a scout. It's a messenger. They want us to see this."

I nodded, gripping my dagger tightly as I motioned for the pack to stay low. The creature didn't move toward us. Instead, it stood there, observing us with a cold, calculated gaze, as if it were waiting for something.

I wasn't sure how to read the situation, but every instinct told me this was no ordinary attack. This was a challenge. A statement.

And we had no idea what was coming next.

The creature let out a low growl, its voice deep and guttural, vibrating through the air like a distant storm. It stepped forward, slowly and deliberately, its eyes still locked on mine. I felt the weight of its gaze, like it was trying to peel away everything I was, everything I had worked for.

"You'll pay for your defiance," it finally spoke, its voice rasping and harsh, like it had been long deprived of human speech. The words didn't seem to come from its mouth, but rather from the air around it-an eerie, unnatural sound that made my skin crawl.

I took a cautious step forward, my breath steadying, though my heart raced in my chest. "Who are you?" I demanded, my voice louder than I intended. "What do you want from us?"

The creature's lips curled into a twisted grin, revealing rows of jagged teeth. "What we want?" It laughed, a sound like gravel being crushed underfoot. "What we want is what has always been ours: your pack. Your land. And soon, your blood."

I felt a shiver run down my spine, but I refused to back down. I could feel the pack behind me, waiting for my command, waiting for me to lead. We couldn't just stand there and be intimidated. This was the moment-the moment that would define us.

"You're not taking anything from us," I said, my voice strong despite the fear curling in my gut. "We'll fight to protect what's ours."

The creature tilted its head, its glowing eyes narrowing as it seemed to appraise me. "Oh, I know you'll fight. That's what makes this so much more fun."

Before I could respond, the creature lunged forward, faster than I could react. My pack members scattered, but Ace was already at my side, his weapon drawn and ready. He moved to intercept the creature, but it was too quick. It was a blur of motion, its claws slashing through the air like a deadly storm.

The clash was immediate. Ace and the creature met in a flurry of movement, their weapons colliding in a burst of sparks. I watched, my heart in my throat, as the battle unfolded in front of me. The creature was strong, too strong. Its blows were like thunder, each strike sending Ace staggering back.

But Ace was relentless. He fought with everything he had, using his speed and precision to keep the creature at bay. The pack joined the fray, surrounding the creature in an attempt to overwhelm it. But every time we thought we had it cornered, it would move with inhuman speed, dodging our attacks with unnerving precision.

"This isn't working!" one of the younger wolves shouted, frustration and fear creeping into his voice. "We can't keep up with it!"

I couldn't let that be the truth. I couldn't let them see fear in me-not now, not when they were looking to me to lead them through this.

"Stay focused!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the chaos. "We fight together. Watch each other's backs. We're stronger as a pack!"

I dove into the fight alongside them, my dagger slicing through the air, but it was clear that we were outmatched. The creature was too fast, too powerful. It was as if it had been designed to take us down. To destroy everything we had built.

And then, just as the fight seemed to be tipping in the creature's favor, I saw it. A figure in the distance, emerging from the shadows of the trees.

It was the figure we had seen before-the one controlling the creatures. The one who had been pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

The figure stepped forward, its cloak billowing around it like a shadow, its face hidden beneath a dark hood. I couldn't see its features, but I could feel the power radiating off of it. It was the same feeling I had felt earlier, when the creature had spoken to me. This wasn't just an attack. This was a warning.

"I told you," the figure's voice echoed through the clearing, a deep, resonant sound that carried through the forest like a storm. "This pack belongs to us. And you will bow before us, or you will be crushed."

I felt a surge of rage flood through me, but it wasn't just anger. It was something deeper-a need to protect, a need to fight back. The figure had taken so much from us already, and now it was time to make them pay for every moment of fear they had caused.

"We'll never bow to you," I said, my voice filled with defiance. "You'll never have us."

The figure's laugh was cold, cruel. "We'll see about that."

With a flick of its wrist, the creature let out a deafening roar and charged at us once more. But this time, something was different. There was an energy, a power, radiating from the figure. The creature was no longer just an enemy-it was a tool. A weapon controlled by something much darker.

I knew in that moment that this wasn't just about a fight for survival anymore. This was about something much more insidious. We weren't just battling for territory. We were battling for our very existence.

The figure turned, its cloak swirling around it as it vanished into the shadows, leaving us with only the creature and the weight of its words. It had given us a taste of what was to come. But I wasn't ready to let it end here.

"Get up!" I shouted, my voice sharp with command. "We're not done yet. This isn't over. Not by a long shot."

The pack rallied around me, bloodied and bruised but determined. We weren't backing down. Not now. Not ever.