Capítulo 24: Bloodstained Choices

The screams of both men and women erupted, their collective panic piercing the air as the cacophony spilled in from outside. Ravenna and I exchanged alarmed glances, our hearts pounding in our chests and Theo immediately made his way out.

"What was that?" Her quivering lips barely formed the words, and when I offered no immediate response, she cautiously approached the entrance door, cautiously peering outside. Her head retracted just as swiftly as it had emerged, her face contorting in disgust at the overpowering stench of blood, a smell I too could now perceive.

Blood could only mean one thing.

It was an attack.

"Una, I saw two gigantic wolves, one white, one black, and they seem to be going on a rampage," Ravenna noted, her gaze fixed on me, uncertainty shadowing her eyes.

The possibility of it being Zane and perhaps even Jaxon thrilled me, but it also stirred annoyance within me. How could he do this? Especially after he had ordered me to leave.

"We should stay here, stay safe," Ravenna suggested just as a woman's pained shrill voice suddenly pierced the air, a testament to the chaos unfolding outside.

"No, no. We should go; home is much safer," I told Ravenna urgently, my voice tinged with fear. If it was indeed an attack, our best chance of safety lay within the confines of our home. But the thought of an attack on our pack was unfathomable. Who in their right minds would choose to attack us?

Ravenna pulled me up, the effects of the sedative almost gone, and we bolted through the backdoor, running as fast as our legs could carry us towards her house. Panic coursed through us as we saw people running in all directions, and crimson splotches stained the floor. Another chilling howl echoed through the air, spurring us to run even faster, fear propelling us forward.

The sound of rapid footsteps reached our ears, and it was unmistakably the pounding of wolf paws. I couldn't help but let out a shriek as I accidentally slipped and fell, my palms disconnecting from Ravenna's. It was then that a ball of white fur leaped over me and pushed her down, growling menacingly. From its almost magical fur, I instantly recognized who it belonged to.

Zane.

Another ball of ginger-colored fur appeared and intervened, shoving the white wolf off Ravenna. The contrast in size was staggering, and the ginger wolf bared its teeth in a fierce display of protectiveness. There was no doubt—it was Fenrir, and he was fiercely guarding Ravenna.

Rex, with blood-stained teeth, licked his maw as he stared down at Fenrir. If I didn't somehow stop him, he would undoubtedly kill Fenrir. I scrambled to my feet just as another grey wolf charged toward us from the left. It was Theo, but he was intercepted by a larger black wolf, one I recognized as Jaxon.

"Ravenna, get up!" I called out, rushing to help her to her feet before turning my attention to the two raging wolves. Fenrir lunged at Rex, teeth snapping at his neck in a display of ferocity that mirrored the clash of their fangs. It was a thunderous symphony of growls and snarls, and their lightning-fast lunges narrowly missed fatal strikes.

"Una, who is that?!" Ravenna panted, her voice trembling with fear, her wide eyes fixed on Fenrir.

The battle continued, claws extending and retracting in a mesmerizing dance as they grappled for dominance. Fur flew through the air, painting the ground with a mosaic of ginger and white. Each wolf took turns on the offensive, attempting to outmaneuver and overpower the other.

With a powerful swipe, Rex struck Fenrir's jaw, knocking him over and possibly dislocating it. Fenrir whimpered in pain, struggling to regain his footing. It was then that I saw my cue to intervene.

I rushed to Fenrir's front as Rex prepared to descend upon him, stretching my arms out in a desperate attempt to halt the fight. Rex froze, growling at me in frustration as if trying to intimidate me into stepping aside.

I met his hazel eyes with determination, our breaths heavy and labored from the intense struggle. It was a tense standoff, but I refused to back down, determined to protect Fenrir and bring an end to this violent confrontation.

"Una, what are you doing?!" Ravenna screamed, but my mind was consumed by the intense connection I shared with Zane and his Lycan. Unspoken words passed between us, a silent language of understanding that seemed to resonate with the Lycan. Its aggressive stance gradually softened as it exchanged glances with Fenrir, a temporary truce forged in the midst of chaos.

"Una, look out!" Ravenna's frantic warning came too late. Four more wolves pounced on Zane in a sudden and brutal attack, their coordinated assault relentless. Zane's agonized howl pierced the air, echoing like a haunting lament. The sheer force of the collision sent me tumbling to the floor, disoriented and shaken.

Struggling to regain my bearings, I desperately scanned the chaotic scene. My eyes landed on Jaxon, who was holding Theo's wolf down with remarkable strength. Theo's wolf was almost as massive as Jaxon, a testament to the advantages of being an Alpha. Blood marred his once-grey fur, evidence of a fierce struggle.

Among the wolves attacking Zane, I recognized one as Kaden, Theo's father. He tore viciously at Zane's leg, showing no mercy in his assault. The brutality of the attack sent a surge of anger and fear coursing through me.

Summoning every ounce of courage and strength, I pushed myself to my feet and hurled myself at Kaden. My actions took him by surprise, and my small, human form was no match for his wolf's size and strength. Zane must have seen that my actions put me at risk because he immediately grabbed Kaden by his tail and used him to swipe the other wolves away, accidentally impaling him on a piece of broken wood.

From behind me, where Ravenna stayed with Fenrir, I heard a gasp that sent a shiver down my spine. The Lycan's once pristine white fur was now marred with blotches of blood and covered in painful bites. Rex, his strength waning, weakly met my gaze before turning to look in Jaxon's direction. Theo's wolf lay on the ground, whimpering in pain and frustration.

Without uttering a word, Rex nudged me with his head, silently urging me to climb onto his back. I didn't hesitate, realizing that this was our only chance to escape the chaotic battleground. I reached out to Ravenna, my voice filled with urgency, "Ravenna, please, come with us. I'll explain everything on the way."

She hesitated for a moment but ultimately grabbed my outstretched arm. Rex growled at her as she climbed onto his back, a clear warning, but he still turned around. With a resounding howl, he signaled to Jaxon's Lycan that they were leaving this violent confrontation behind.

Ravenna clung to me as we passed the gatehouse, and I gasped at the gruesome scene that greeted us. The ground was stained crimson with the spilled blood of the battle. From the far corner of my eyes, a massive black wolf started running toward us, and Jaxon intercepted it with fierce determination, biting at its neck and attempting to hold it down.

However, my heart sank as more wolves arrived and overwhelmed Jaxon, biting harshly into his fur and legs. One of them came dangerously close to biting off his ear. The agony of Jaxon behind suffering was unbearable, and I couldn't hold back my tears.

"We have to go back for Jaxon!" I cried out, my voice filled with desperation, but Rex didn't relent. He continued running, ignoring my pleas and the painful knowledge that we were leaving Jaxon behind.

"Zane!" I screamed once more, but he too ignored me, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. And so, we ran, leaving the Nightfang territory behind.