The familiar scent of his young one's blood struck the Alpha like a blade to the chest. There, in the shadows, he glimpsed them—the humans. The male, young yet sharp-eyed, the scent of magic lingering about him, and the female, wary but lethal. They hovered over the broken body of his young one, lifeless on the forest floor. A flicker of rage darkened his vision as he locked eyes with them, feeling a simmering hatred he'd never known.
With a roar, the Alpha lunged, his claws tearing into the earth as he charged toward the pair, who darted back into the shadows with practiced ease. His mate followed in stride, her low growl rumbling in support, but they were both slowed, their path diverted by a dense thicket of fallen trees and undergrowth. By the time they cleared it, the humans had vanished, their trail faint yet fresh, promising a chase he would take on gladly—soon.
A piercing howl left his throat, a mournful note that echoed through the night. His young one's blood coated the earth beneath him, a reminder of the vengeance he now owed. But the scent of goblins wafted toward him once more. He turned, hackles raised, his bloodlust reignited and directed toward these foes who continued to encroach upon his territory.
Reinforcements arrived in the dim light, a throng of goblins, shamanic chants droning like a death knell in the air. Four shamans, their hollowed eyes fixed on him, stood at the forefront, casting dark spells that sizzled in the night. They were flanked by a dozen chiefs, hulking brutes wielding crude weapons, and among them, the elder—a twisted being of raw malice. Its cloak billowed as it issued commands, pointing its clawed hand toward the Alpha and his mate.
The Alpha snarled, his oppressive aura expanding, pressing down upon the goblins like a tangible weight. Yet, even as he readied himself for the onslaught, his thoughts lingered on his surviving young. He could not reach them, not now, for he was here, occupied with this bloodthirsty swarm. A sense of helplessness crept in, fueling his fury further.
He was a storm of fangs and shadows as he struck, his mate fighting beside him in silent solidarity. The goblin shamans were first to unleash their magic, dark tendrils of energy shooting toward him. He dodged, weaving through the barrage, his every move calculated, every attack precise. His Shadow Slash tore through the goblin ranks, scattering the weaker ones, but the chiefs pushed forward, undeterred.
One by one, the shamans fell, but the remaining goblins crowded in, their sheer numbers an oppressive wave of malice and brute force. His mate was pressed back, her jaws snapping at the closest goblin chiefs, each strike more desperate than the last. He caught sight of her through the melee, her eyes meeting his with a flash of determination as she fought on, undeterred by the wounds marring her side.
The elder goblin released a guttural laugh, raising its staff and summoning a fresh wave of dark energy that barreled toward them. The Alpha growled, ducking and rolling to avoid the attack, retaliating with his Shadow Ball in a brutal counter. The elder staggered, its sneer fading as it shrieked in pain, its body scorched by the shadows that now clung to it like flames.
But amid the chaos, his heart wrenched as he felt the life of his remaining young one falter. In his peripheral vision, he saw his young being overwhelmed, a cluster of goblin chiefs tearing it down. A furious howl erupted from his throat, his muscles coiling as he prepared to break away, to shield his young, but a flurry of goblin bodies swarmed him, claws and weapons slashing at his flanks. He slashed back, tearing through the mob with ruthless efficiency, but by the time he fought his way free, his young one had fallen.
The forest was silent, the air thick with death and grief. His mate let out a keening wail, the sound raw and full of mourning as she saw their young lying lifeless, its body broken amid the goblin corpses. Their legacy, their future, had been taken from them. A rage unlike anything he'd known settled within him, cold and calculated.
Together, the Alpha and his mate unleashed a final assault, their every movement a testament to their wrath. He tore through the goblin chiefs, his mate following with vicious efficiency, her shadows lashing out and slicing through the thick bodies of their enemies. Every goblin fell before them, until the only sounds that remained were the soft rustling of leaves and the distant calls of night creatures.
With the last of their enemies dispatched, the Alpha and his mate turned to each other. Their bodies were marred with gashes and bruises, fur matted with blood. But they were alive, and they would survive. For now.
He met her gaze, a silent understanding passing between them. They both bore the wounds of the battle and the scars of their loss, but they would endure. With a shudder, he summoned his remaining mana, weaving shadows around his body. The wounds began to close, the healing slow but steady as he and his mate expended their strength to mend their injuries.
As his body mended, his mind raced, calculating, plotting. The humans had taken his young, slipping away from his wrath like cowards. But they would not evade him for long. He would track their scent, hunt them through every forest, across every shadowed glade. Tomorrow, he would begin his pursuit, and he would not rest until they had paid for every life they had stolen.
The night stretched on, silent and cold, as the Alpha lay beside his mate. He felt her warmth, her steady presence, and the faint pulse of her heartbeat. Together, they mourned in silence, their grief woven into the night as they drifted into a fitful rest.
But in the shadows of his mind, he could already feel the hunt beginning.