Chapter 323

And there were too many enemies.

How in the hells had she even found this many rogues? How had she amassed an army like this without anyone noticing? It was madness.

But that was exactly it. She was mad. And that kind of madness wouldn’t be held back by reason or logic.

“Silver Fang!” I shouted. “Fall back to the inner line-protect the stairs!”

They acknowledged instantly, one of my generals barking orders, but even as Silver Fang tightened formation I could see the strain. Every downed rogue was replaced by two more.

Felicity saw it too.

Her laughter echoed through the hall as she launched herself at me again, forcing me to commit fully just to keep her away from the staircase.

Time stretched into brutal seconds.

Strike. Block. Dodge.

My muscles screamed. Sweat dripped into my eyes. Felicity fought with reckless abandon, ignoring her own injuries entirely, her singular focus on getting past me- getting to Ellie-making her dangerously unpredictable.

I couldn’t disengage.

If I fell, even for a moment-

A thunderous crash shook the building.

For one terrible heartbeat, I thought the wards had failed.

Then came the sound of horns.

Not Silver Fang’s.

A different call-sharp, commanding, unmistakable.

The rogues hesitated. Everything went still, every breath held as they tried to make sense of the sound.

Felicity went still, too. Her eyes snapped from me to the open doorway.

Shouts erupted from outside. The clash of fresh steel. Wolves howling-not in rage, but in disciplined formation.

Hope slammed into my chest.

“Reinforcements!” someone yelled.

Felicity’s face twisted with rage as realization dawned; she knew that sound. I did too.

“No,” she snarled. “No-!”

The sound of heavy footfalls approached rapidly.

Pine Ridge colors flooded the hall.

They moved like a unit-tight, efficient, deadly. Their warriors cut into the rogue flank with precision, immediately relieving pressure on Silver Fang’s lines.

And at their head-

Kieran.

22

He took in the scene in a single sweep, eyes locking briefly with mine. There was no rivalry there anymore. No ambition.

Only resolve.

He lifted his blade and shouted, “Push them back! Do not let them regroup!”

Pine Ridge surged forward, the balance of the fight shifting visibly in seconds. Felicity screamed.

The sound was shrill, unhinged.

“Traitorous bastard! This isn’t over!” she shrieked, launching herself at me with

renewed desperation. “I’ll kill her-l’ll-!”

I met her charge head-on.

Steel flashed.

This time, when she stumbled, she didn’t recover fast enough.

I drove

my

shoulder into her chest and slammed her into the wall hard enough to crack stone. She slid to the floor, gasping.

I looked to Kieran again. He’d placed himself between the rogues and the staircase.

He wouldn’t be able to hold the line alone, though.

I wasn’t sure why he was doing this. I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

I knew that he cared about Ellie, so maybe I could put it down to that, but…

The look on his face when he’d come to tell me about Felicity’s plans after the debate suddenly flashed through my mind.

Kieran had been shaken, genuinely. He had sheltered her when I banished her. He’d given her resources and ignored the warning signs. Maybe this was his way of atoning.

Of showing that the harm he caused was something he was willing to take responsibility for.

If he’d only sent his warriors, that would have been enough, but he was here himself. Standing between the attackers and Ellie’s position.

Around us, the tide had turned.

Silver Fang and Pine Ridge fought side by side now, the rogues breaking under coordinated pressure. Victory wasn’t certain yet-but for the first time since the battle began, it felt possible.

Felicity looked up at me, hatred blazing even as her strength failed. She was shifting back to her human form, slowly and with unnatural jerking motions as if she was fighting to maintain her wolf form.

It was disturbing to see. I clenched my blade more firmly.

She was still dangerous; I couldn’t afford to let my guard down yet.

“She’ll die for this,” she rasped. “One way or another.”

I didn’t answer.

I didn’t need to.

Above us, the wards still held.

And Ellie-my Ellie-was still alive.

Whatever was coming next, whatever this war demanded of us before it ended-

We would face it.

Together.