Lennox''s POV


    As we moved deeper into the woods, the air changed almost immediately. It became thicker, colder, and too quiet. Even the wind felt like it was holding its breath.


    The five so-called elite trackers walked ahead, whispering to each other in anguage they tried to hide. But I heard it. My hearing was sharper than any of them imagined.


    Warriors followed behind me, wolf and human, their steps steady but alert for any trap.


    Golden walked beside my wheelchair, pushing me with one hand, sword on his back. His eyes were shifting left and right like he expected something to jump out at us.


    Good.


    He should.


    We were walking straight into a nest.


    After twenty minutes, the forest grew darker. Too dark. The branches twisted unnaturally, and the scent of blood floated in the air, old blood, rotten blood.


    Something was wrong.


    Very wrong.


    I lifted my hand slightly. Golden understood immediately and stopped pushing.


    "Hold," Imanded quietly.


    Three hundred warriors froze instantly.


    The elite trackers turned around, fake confusion on their faces.


    "Alpha? Why are we stopping?" the leader asked.


    "Because," I said softly, "this ce smells wrong."


    "It is the wind," he said too quickly.


    "No," I replied. "It is death."


    Golden stiffened.


    The warriors tensed.


    The trackers exchanged panicked nces.


    Got you.


    I narrowed my eyes. "Tell me something… why do you smell like the Shadow Fangs?"


    Their eyes widened.


    Toote.


    The leader''s face twisted into a smirk. "Smart Alpha."


    "Always have been," I muttered.


    He whistled sharply.


    The ground shook.


    Suddenly the forest around us exploded with movement, rogues, witches, masked warriors, crawling out from behind trees, bushes, rocks. Dozens, no, hundreds.


    They were waiting for us.


    A perfect circle of enemies closed around my warriors.


    Golden unsheathed his sword. "Alpha… it is an ambush!"


    I grunted. "Obviously."


    The elite tracker who stood closest leaned forward, grinning. "You walked right into it. Just like we nned."


    I smirked back. "Funny. I nned for this too."


    His grin faded. "What?"


    I raised my hand.


    Golden shouted through the link: NOW.


    Three hundred warriors shifted instantly, bones cracking, growls erupting, teeth snapping out. The entire ground vibrated with the force of it.


    The Shadow Fangs did not expect us to be ready.


    Chaos detonated.


    Wolves lunged. des shed. Witches screamed spells. Rogues howled.


    And I reached into my armor.


    Pulled out my sword.


    Golden pushed me forward, and I swung at the first rogue who jumped toward us, slicing clean through his chest.


    The elite tracker stared at me in shock. "You bastard, you knew."


    "I suspected," I corrected. "Then your stupidity confirmed it."


    Golden shouted, "The signal, Alpha!"


    Right.


    I looked up at the sky.


    Three short bursts of red light exploded upward from Golden''s device, bright enough for Louis and Levi to see from miles away that it was a trap and send another reinforcements on their way.


    I exhaled. "Good. Now we kill as many as we can before the reinforcements arrive."


    Golden smirked. "Yes, Alpha."


    But then a scream tore through the battlefield.


    High.


    Sharp.


    Powerful enough to shake the trees.


    Every warrior froze.


    Witches gasped.


    Even the rogues stumbled.


    Because that voice…


    That power…


    Was unmistakable.


    Another scream exploded, this time full of rage and anger.


    Then BOOM.


    A wave of blue-white energy sted across the trees, ripping through the circle of enemies, throwing bodies like toys.


    Warriors staggered back.


    Golden shielded me with his arm.


    I stared ahead, my breath frozen.


    Because stepping out of the trees, eyes glowing like burning stars, hair whipping around her face, power crackling around her like lightning, was Olivia.


    She was not teleporting anymore.


    She was furious.


    She was in goddess mode.


    And she looked like she was ready to burn the entire world to get her children back.


    She lifted her ming hand toward the enemies.


    "WHERE ARE MY BOYS?"


    Her voice shook the entire forest.


    Every Shadow Fang froze.


    Every warrior bowed their head instinctively.


    Even I felt my chest tighten.


    Golden whispered, "Moon above… we are dead."


    I smirked.


    "No," I muttered. "They are."


    "Where are my sons." Olivia yelled again in rage, the mes in her hands increasing.


    But then the rogues stepped forward, three of them, each holding one of my boys.


    Knives pressed to their tiny throats.


    My heart stopped.


    Leo whimpered. Leon whimpered.


    But Liam, Liam was not crying.


    He just stared straight at me, eyes wide, terrified, but trusting me.


    Trusting that I would save him.


    My chest broke.


    The leader stepped out, smirking. "Any wrong move, and the boys die."


    Olivia''s whole body med with lightning. "Release them!" she screamed. "Before I burn you bastards to ASHES!"


    The witches panicked. The rogues trembled.


    But the knives stayed right on my children''s necks.


    Olivia was seconds away from exploding, killing everyone, including the boys by ident.


    I could not let that happen.


    So I said the only thing I knew would stop this madness.


    "The head you want…" I shouted. "…take mine."


    Olivia spun to me instantly. "LENNOX, NO!"


    I ignored her and wheeled myself forward.


    "You want an Alpha''s head, right?" I growled at the leader. "Take mine. Release the boys."


    The leader grinned slowly. "Finally. Someone with sense."


    Olivia''s voice cracked. "Lennox, stop! STOP! You are not doing this! Do not you dare."


    I did not look at her.


    I could not.


    Because if I saw her face right now, I would break.


    "Release one," I demanded.


    The rogues hesitated for a second, and then he shoved Leo forward. Leo ran immediately, straight into Olivia''s arms. She dropped to her knees and hugged him tight, sobbing into his hair.


    I swallowed hard.


    "Release the second."


    They pushed Leon next. He stumbled, then Olivia pulled him in too, holding both boys like her life depended on it.


    Only Liam remained.


    My brave boy.


    The leader tightened his grip on Liam. "Thest one only goes free when YOUe here."


    Olivia screamed, "NO! LENNOX, DO NOT! YOU ARE NOT GOING NEAR THEM!"


    Her knees shook. Her powers red dangerously. The entire forest trembled.


    But Liam''s little voice cut through everything.


    "Daddy…"


    God.


    I nearly broke right there.


    I whispered, "It is okay, Liam. Daddy ising."


    Then I turned to Olivia.


    Her face was soaked with tears, her lips trembling, her whole soul breaking in front of me.


    "Do not do this," she whispered. "Please. Lennox, please."


    I forced a small smile. "It is for the best."


    She shook her head violently. "No. NO. Nothing about this is best. NOTHING."


    But I wheeled forward anyway.


    Golden shouted, "Alpha, STOP."


    The rogues raised their des.


    Olivia screamed.


    And I whispered in my mind, "Liam must live. All of them must live. Even if I do not."


    I kept moving, closer, closer, until I was just a few meters away.


    "Let him go," I said quietly.


    The leader smirked. "Come closer."


    I did.


    Olivia screamed again. "LENNOX PLEASE, STOP, STOP."


    I did not.


    Because this was the only guarantee the boys lived.


    When I reached the exact spot the leader wanted, he nodded, and two rogues grabbed my wheelchair. A third pressed a knife to my throat.