The resonant roar reverberated throughout the entire fortress, not from the arena itself but from the depths below. The sound traversed the mountain like thunder trapped underground, ancient and furious.
Dust descended from the ceiling as cracks extended across the stone walls.
Every Alpha within the arena became immobile, including Magnus. The creature, chained beneath the arena, suddenly expressed agitation, thrashing violently against its broken restraints.
"No..." one Elder muttered in horror.
Lucien's expression darkened immediately. "There is more than one."
My stomach sank. "What do you mean by more than one?" I inquired. The creature beneath the arena chuckled again, this time with a tone of excitement rather than mockery.
"The prisons awaken..." Another roar erupted from below, closer and more intense.
The ground trembled so violently that several wolves lost their balance. Magnus directed his gaze toward the shattered floor, now devoid of any amusement.
"You buried multiple corrupted beasts beneath this mountain?" he asked.
The Elders remained silent, their silence conveying everything.
Kaiden muttered under his breath.
"You should be more careful."
The lead Elder finally spoke, his voice trembling. "The First Luna imprisoned them centuries ago. We believed the seals to be permanent."
"Permanent?" Orion interjected. "One has already broken free!"
The chained creature smiled slowly.
"Because the Luna has returned." All eyes shifted toward me again. I disliked the attention.
My mark burned painfully beneath their gaze.
"It continues to react to me," I whispered.
Lucien's expression grew grim. "Your awakening is destabilising the ancient seals."
"That is impossible."
"Much of what is happening tonight is equally impossible."
This point was valid.
Another violent tremor interrupted us, causing the floor near the Council platform to crack open completely. Dark energy surged upward.
Suddenly, screams erupted outside the arena.
A wounded guard staggered through the entrance.
"The lower prison levels have collapsed!" he announced. Panic spread immediately. Kaiden grabbed the guard's shoulder. "How many creatures escaped?" The guard appeared pale with terror.
"We do not know." A distant howl resonated through the fortress corridors, not from a wolf but something wrong, twisted, and predatory.
Magnus immediately ordered his warriors.
"Seal every northern exit." His command was calm, decisive, and absolute.
Unlike Kaiden's aggressive dominance, Magnus ruled through certainty—efficient and dangerous. The creature beneath the arena watched us carefully.
"You fear what was created..." it said.
Lucien narrowed his eyes. "Created?"
The creature's smile widened. "The First Luna did not merely rule wolves."
Silence followed before it stated a chilling fact:
"She created weapons."My blood ran cold.
The Elders looked horrified. "You lie," one snapped. The creature chuckled again.
"Then why do your prisons exist?"
Nobody responded, for nobody could.
Another explosion rocked the fortress closer this time, and screams followed.
Kaiden immediately moved toward the entrance. "Something has breached the inner halls," he declared. Magnus stepped beside him without hesitation."For now," Magnus said calmly, "we deal with the monsters before we deal with each other."
Kaiden looked as if he disliked agreeing but nodded once. Ragnar cracked his knuckles nearby. "Finally, something straightforward."
Orion sighed dramatically. "Wonderful. Ancient nightmare beasts. Just what I wanted to spend tonight doing." Despite everything, I nearly laughed—almost.
Then, the creature beneath the arena looked directly at me again. Its glowing eyes narrowed. "They seek you first," it said. Fear coiled in my chest. "What?" "The awakened Luna calls to them." My mark pulsed painfully.
Then Something slammed against the arena doors from outside, once, twice, a third time, bending the solid metal inward. The entire room fell silent.
A deep growl echoed through the hall beyond the doors—hungry, violent, waiting. Kaiden slowly stepped in front of me. Magnus moved beside him.
Two formidable Alphas standing shoulder to shoulder, prepared for combat.
The doors exploded inward, and the first creature entered the arena.