Chapter 27

Chapter 27 

Ethan’s POV

The forest shook under the crash of the ridge above. Sparks of fire and energy lit the treetops, casting long, flickering shadows. My pack tensed, low growls rolling through the ranks. Something was wrong. Something more dangerous than the stories we had been told.

“Kyra and Damon…” I murmured, teeth clenched. “They’re in the ridge. And something else is there. Something we’ve never faced.”

The pack’s leader, Rafe, stepped closer, black fur bristling. “We move fast, or they’ll be crushed. You saw the fissures? The ridge is breaking apart.”

I nodded, heart hammering. My wolf surged beneath my skin, instincts screaming, muscles coiling. I could feel the echoes of Damon and Kyra’s bond, like distant sparks reaching me. They were alive, fighting together, but they were trapped—chains cutting into them, energy tearing at the ridge.

“Stay sharp,” I ordered. “We go in, flank the Watcher. Keep them covered. Kyra’s wolf will fight, but she can’t handle everything.”

The pack moved like shadows, silent, coiling energy beneath each one. Branches snapped under padded paws, leaves brushed away as they shifted toward the ridge. I scanned the dark silhouettes, noting every movement, every glimmer of energy. Something twisted, unnatural, pulsing in the shadows. The Watcher. And another, smaller pulse lurking, waiting.

“Ethan…” Rafe growled. “That one. It’s faster than anything we’ve faced. If it reaches them, they won’t last a heartbeat.”

I could see the ridge from below now, sparks and smoke curling into the sky. Kyra’s chains flared red where they bit her wrists. Damon’s fists clashed with shadows, energy surging around him. The bond between them was bright, a flare cutting through the darkness.

“Cover them,” I whispered to the pack, voice low but commanding. “We flank left and right. Draw the smaller one out. Do not engage the Watcher directly—its power is too strong. Keep them alive.”

My heart twisted as I saw Kyra’s knife flash, forcing the hidden pulse into the open. Sparks hissed where shadows met metal. Damon slammed his fists into another, wolf muscles rippling beneath his skin, coiled energy slamming into the ridge with every strike.

I shifted, lunging forward, wolf form breaking through the underbrush. My claws tore into a shadow wolf, energy flaring, teeth snapping at the edges. Another pack member dove beside me, forcing the pulse away from Kyra. Sparks erupted where chains met claws, hot and cutting.

Kyra’s eyes met mine across the ridge, fire and resolve burning in them. I could feel the strain on her wolf, muscles coiling, energy stretched thin. Damon pressed against her, shoulder to shoulder, heat and bond anchoring her.

“Not far now,” I growled, voice tight, teeth bared. “Hold on. We’re almost there.”

The hidden pulse shifted, twisting through the shadows faster than I could follow. It lunged at Kyra, teeth flashing, energy hissing along its form. I slammed into it, claws digging in, forcing it back. Sparks bit into my fur, and I snarled, heart hammering.

Damon pressed against Kyra, fist meeting shadow, energy bursting outward. Her chains rattled violently, cutting into her skin, but she moved with him, knife flashing, claws striking. The bond between them flared brighter than anything else, coiling through the chaos like a living thing.

Then the ridge shook again. A massive crack tore through the earth, and a chunk of rock slid over the edge, smoke and sparks billowing. Kyra stumbled, chains digging deeper, and Damon reached for her, shoulder pressing into hers, anchoring them both.

I lunged forward, forcing the hidden pulse back, but a flash of red caught my eye. Another fissure was forming beneath us, wider this time, and the ridge threatened to collapse entirely.

“Damon! Kyra!” I shouted, voice raw. “Move! Now!”

They didn’t hesitate. Kyra yanked Damon sideways as the ridge split, sparks flying, chains rattling violently. My pack surged with me, claws and teeth driving the smaller pulse back, but the Watcher roared from above, shadows twisting like smoke, energy flaring, eyes glowing like fire.

A jagged crack tore through the ridge. Kyra’s knife glanced off a shard of stone. Damon’s fist met a shadow wolf’s snout, energy scattering. Sparks flew, smoke curled, wolves growled, claws scraped rock. Chaos, fire, and raw energy collided in the night.

Then the ridge shifted again—larger this time. Rocks, dust, and sparks fell toward the abyss. The Watcher’s roar split the air, deafening. My heart jumped. Kyra’s chains cut deep. Damon pressed close, eyes locking onto mine for the briefest moment.

“Ethan…” Kyra hissed, voice strained. “The Watcher… it’s going to…”

Her words cut off as the ridge beneath them crumbled.

I lunged forward, claws and paws shredding the air, instincts screaming. Sparks, shadows, and energy collided around us, a storm of chaos.

And then—darkness swallowed everything.