Chapter 60

60
Third Person’s POV
+8 Pearls
In the wilderness, Adelaide raised her silver spear and thrust it at Ellen’s right shoulder.
Ellen burst into laughter–was this weak strike even worthy of being called a battle move?
The fifteen–thousand–strong Ironthorn Army joined in the mockery. Judging by her grip, she probably couldn’t even match a wolf pup’s claws.
Yet, in an instant, Adelaide’s fingertips burst with silver–blue bone spikes. Her seemingly delicate hands had partially shifted into wolf claw.
The silver spear, sensing the awakening of ancient blood, instantly crawled with frost–tooth runes. As the spear tip pierced the air, it emitted a shrill howl.
Ellen’s muscles beneath his hardened scales suddenly convulsed–an instinctive reaction of a lower–ranking wolf to bloodline suppression.
His elongating canines hadn’t fully transformed when Adelaide’s spear blade, adorned with a silver moon crest, illuminated his shrinking pupils.
Before the Ironthorn Army’s laughter had even faded, the frozen earth erupted with a sound like ice splitting.
“Wolf claws?” Adelaide’s voice carried a faint sneer as her spine burst into a protruding bone tail, tearing through her cloak.
The moment the spear tip grazed Ellen’s iron pauldron, her hand fully transformed into a wolf’s claw.
Ellen froze. If he tried to snatch the spear now, his entire arm would be shattered.
Panicking, he attempted to retreat but was a step too slow.
The spear tip grazed his left scapula, piercing through the iron–clad armor and drawing blood that dripped down the blade.
“Excuse me,” Adelaide said, releasing her wolf claw. The front–rank wolf warriors dropped to their knees, uncontrollably.
The front–row warriors saw the blood seeping from beneath Ellen’s pauldron, drop by drop, staining the snow crimson like plum blossoms.
Ellen’s face turned pale.
What was the point? He couldn’t even last a minute.
In the deathly silence only the north wind howled.
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Ellen knelt on one knee, sheathed sword in hand, his voice still trembling, “I, Ellen, from this day forth, pledge unwavering loyalty to you, Gamma Adelaide.”
Ulrik’s POV
From atop the distant battlements, Velda burst into laughter.
“Is that it? How perfunctory. Did Lance stage this farce to prop up Adelaide? No dodge, no parry —just standing there to be stabbed. And she wins in one move? Unbelievable.”
The distance between the battlements and the wilderness shielded us from the pheromones and the specifics of their bout.
All we could see was Ellen standing there, accepting the strike.
In Velda’s eyes, this was nothing but a charade orchestrated by Lance to elevate Adelaide.
After her laughter subsided, her voice bristled with fury, “The Ironthorn Army bends to Lance’s will. If he says bow, they bow. Why the theatrics? Treating the troops like monkeys.”
I too was puzzled.
Lance had no need for such theatrics–Adelaide’s combat skills were more than decent. If it came to a real fight, Ellen might not even be her match.
Could Adelaide’s repertoire be so limited?
Last time she struck at me, I was caught off guard.
Regardless, today’s so–called challenge was a joke.
Resentment simmered within me.
It’s not uncommon for noble wolf pups to enhance their glory on the battlefield, but handing over the Ironthorn Army to Adelaide and staging this “Challenge Decree” was nothing short of absurd.
How could this not dishearten the wolf warriors who fought and bled?
“I’ll challenge her,” Velda said, turning to leave.
Her wolf’s restlessness was palpable , the surging pheromones unmistakable.
I grabbed her arm sharply. “Don’t be reckless. She’s in command of the Ironthorn Army. Even if you beat her, where does that leave Lance and the Ironthorn Army’s dignity? With a major battle looming, we can’t afford internal strife that shakes the troops‘ morale.”
She huffed, “Their special treatment started this. Why should I care?”
I lowered my voice, “Do you still want to earn merits ? The battlefield commander here is Alpha
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Velda, reminded, realized we were on the southern border battlefield, under Alpha Lance’s jurisdiction.
Most Gamma here were former subordinates of Alpha Bentley, no friends of ours.
Velda kicked the battlement, her armored body making a dull thud. “All because of her birthright! This fame–stealing wretch, I’ll never let her have it easy. Once battle starts, if she hides at the back, I’ll drag her to the front line.”
I looked at her reddening eyes and sighed. “Alpha Lance wants to use Adelaide to restore the Davidson family’s glory. She has to be on the battlefield. Just… many wolf warriors will likely protect her in secret.”
Velda let out a discontented wolfish howl, suppressing her rage.
“On the battlefield, life and death are in heaven’s hands. She hasn’t seen the Bloodscar Border’s cruelty. This time, no such luck.”
“The Bloodscar Border’s nothing compared to the southern battlefield,” I said, recalling how Adelaide’s uncle had taken a blade for me, still sending chills down my spine.
She glared at the Ironthorn Army’s formation in the wilderness and sneered, “Infinite variables on the battlefield. If these fifteen thousand are just here to bolster her merits, I’ll expose her in the capital after we return, let everyone see how she disgraces Alpha Bentley’s name.”
My heart was a tangle of emotions.
On one hand, I understood Lance’s intentions in promoting Adelaide–to rally the troops around the Davidson family’s legacy.
On the other, this “special treatment” felt glaringly unfair.
Everyone else earned merits with their blood, yet she climbed the ranks under protection.
Thinking this way, I couldn’t help but feel that Velda and I were in an especially tough spot, even tinged with tragedy.
The lingering guilt I’d harbored for Adelaide gradually curdled into disdain.
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