Luna Aurora novel (Alpha Fenrir) novel Chapter 10

The moon hung low in the night sky as Elyra led her forces toward the Riverstone Territory. Every step deeper into the darkened forest felt heavier, the air thick with an oppressive energy that made her heart race. The trees stood like ominous sentinels, their gnarled branches stretching toward her like claws.

Riding beside her, Selene’s expression was grim. The silver-haired Luna scanned their surroundings with sharp, wary eyes. “This isn’t right,” she muttered. “The shadows are alive here, moving with purpose.”

Elyra tightened her grip on her horse’s reins, her voice steady but low. “I know. He’s here. He’s waiting for us.”

Selene slowed her mount, reaching out to place a hand on Elyra’s arm. “You’re walking into his trap. Dain knows you’ll come for Riverstone—it’s exactly what he wants. You still have time to pull back.”

Elyra shook her head, determination etched into her face. “I can’t abandon Riverstone. If he takes it, he’ll have control over the eastern border. That gives him access to the heart of our territory. I won’t let him isolate us pack by pack.”

Selene sighed, her fingers tightening on Elyra’s arm. “You’re thinking like a Luna, but this is personal for him. He’s not just taking territory—he’s making a statement. You need to be ready to face him, Elyra, not as your brother, but as your enemy.”

The words struck like a blow, but Elyra didn’t flinch. She’d felt the bond between them fray with every choice Dain made. He wasn’t the same person who had stood by her side, promising to protect their packs together. Now, he was a shadow of himself, consumed by a power she barely understood.

Behind them, Cassian and Fenrir marched at the head of their warriors. The sound of armor shifting and swords clinking provided a steady rhythm to the tense silence of the forest. Cassian urged his horse forward until he was riding beside Elyra.

“Scouts reported movement near Riverstone’s southern border,” he said, his voice low. “Shadow wolves. Dozens of them. We’re heading straight into hostile territory.”

Elyra nodded, her jaw tightening. “We have no choice. We need to stop him before he consolidates his hold.”

Fenrir grunted from behind them, his sharp gaze fixed on the darkened woods. “If he’s got shadow wolves, that means he’s using the shard. He’s stronger than ever, Elyra. Are you ready for that?”

She didn’t answer immediately. The shard at her waist pulsed faintly, a reminder of the power she carried—and the burden it brought. “I have to be,” she said finally.

As they approached the Riverstone border, the forest grew eerily quiet. The usual hum of nocturnal life was replaced by an unnatural stillness. The trees seemed to close in, their twisted forms casting long shadows that danced unnervingly in the pale moonlight.

Cassian slowed his horse, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword. “Something’s wrong,” he muttered.

Selene dismounted, her sharp eyes scanning the terrain. She knelt, touching the frost-covered ground. “The shadow has corrupted this land. It’s not just him we’re fighting—it’s the territory itself.”

Elyra dismounted as well, her heart pounding. She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she reached for the shard. Its light flickered faintly, as though struggling against the oppressive darkness.

A low growl broke the silence, followed by another and another. Red eyes began to appear in the shadows, dozens of them, glowing with an unnatural menace.

“Shadow wolves,” Fenrir growled, unsheathing his blade.

His expression hardened, and his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “I’m not giving in. I’m rising above.”

With a wave of his hand, the shadow wolves lunged forward. Elyra barely had time to raise the shard as the first wave of darkness struck. Its light flared, forming a protective barrier around her forces.

“Hold the line!” Cassian shouted, his blade slicing through the first wolf that reached them.

Selene moved beside Elyra, her hands glowing with silver light as she sent beams of energy toward the advancing shadows. But the wolves kept coming, their numbers overwhelming.

The ground beneath them began to shift, frost spreading rapidly as the air grew colder. The trees twisted further, their branches reaching down like claws.

Elyra’s breath hitched as she realized what was happening. “He’s using the shard to corrupt the land,” she said, her voice trembling with urgency.

Selene nodded grimly. “If we don’t stop him now, the entire region will fall under his control.”

Before Elyra could respond, the shadows around them thickened, and new creatures emerged. Twisted, grotesque forms with glowing eyes and jagged claws stepped out of the darkness, their presence radiating pure malice.

-: Elyra’s heart sank as the shadow creatures advanced, their numbers overwhelming, and she realized too late that Dain’s ambush was more deadly than she had ever imagined.