“My Alpha!” Richard shouted as Axel fell to his knees.
The fallen that stood before Axel let out a soft growl, recognizing a moment of opportunity. It raised its clawed hand into the air, taking a heavy swipe at Axel.
Though he felt the intense pressure in his chest and a mournful ache from somewhere inside of him, Axel snarled as he summoned another blade into his hand and thrust it with force into the shoulder of the fallen.
The beast screeched and stumbled backward. Unfortunately for it, Richard was already prepared to greet it. Having abandoned his daggers for a large two-handed axe, Richard swung with all his might, burying the heavy weapon in the fallen’s exposed, malformed back.
With a final wheezing groan, the fallen fell to its knees and then crumpled into the snow.
Richard hurried to Axel, helping him to his feet.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
Axel didn’t understand how he knew, but he did know that Lily’s Rest was gone.
