Shadows Of The Pack (Aria and Knox)

Chapter One Hundred and Three: Blood and Blades

A tense hush fell over the battlefield as Malachi and Isolde locked eyes. The swirling chaos of the battle

seemed to recede, leaving only the two of them in a silent standoff.

Malachi inhaled deeply, his eyes never leaving Isolde's. "I can feel it," he murmured, his voice carrying

a dark undercurrent, "the power seeping from it."

Isolde held her ground, her posture unwavering. "You will not come anywhere near that pup," she

declared.

A cruel smile twisted on Malachi's lips. "Why don't you stop me then?" And with that, he lunged

forward, his movements fluid and predatory.

The world erupted into chaos once more as the battle resumed in full force. Antonio, with a frenzied

determination in his eyes, launched himself at Knox. Their bodies collided with a bone-jarring force,

and they tumbled to the ground in a tumultuous grapple.

Despite the loss of his wolf, Knox remained a formidable fighter. He blocked Antonio's attacks with a

mix of skill and brute strength, refusing to yield to the vengeful Alpha's onslaught.

Elsewhere on the battlefield, the Alphas armed with weapons unleashed a fierce assault on both the

werewolves and the hunters. The clash of blades and the twang of arrows filled the air as they fought.

Liam, in the midst of the chaos, moved forward with purpose. The battle was not his concern. He

dodged a swung sword and rolled under the arc of an arrow, his agility and combat instincts serving

him well. He knew that every second counted, and he couldn't afford to be distracted by the chaos

around him.

Meanwhile, inside the pack house, Aria's agonized screams pierced the air. She clutched Lydia's hand

with a bone-crushing grip, her face contorted in pain. "Why isn't he coming, Lydia?" she cried out, her

voice filled with desperation.

Aria's breathing came in ragged gasps as she struggled to manage the excruciating pain. "I'm really

tired," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper as she fought to maintain her composure.

Lydia, her eyes filled with worry, continued to offer words of encouragement and support. She gently

rubbed circles on Aria's swollen stomach, trying to provide whatever comfort she could. "You're doing

great, Aria," she assured her. "I'm sure Elara will be here any minute. Just keep controlling your

breaths."

But Aria's resolve was waning as the pain intensified. She knew what needed to be done. "I need you

to go," she said, her voice resolute.

Lydia looked at her with confusion, her brow furrowing in concern. "What?"

Aria's grip on Lydia's hand tightened, her gaze unwavering. "I need you to go and find someone to help

me get this pup out of me."

"But, Aria," Lydia began to protest, "Shana and Melody—"

The room quaked, its very foundations trembling, as the mark on Aria's arm suddenly blazed with a

blinding light. Aria's scream filled the room, echoing her anguish. "Go!" she screamed, her voice a

command laced with pain and urgency.

Lydia's hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor as she made her way through the pack house, her

thoughts consumed by the urgency of her mission. She needed to find someone, anyone, who could

help Aria in her time of need.

As she rounded a corner, she nearly collided with Elara, who was moving with equal urgency. Their

eyes met, and without exchanging words, they both knew where the other was headed.

"Elara, it's Aria," Lydia blurted out, her voice quivering with worry. "She's in labor, and it's... it's bad. I

need help."

Elara nodded, her own concern etched across her features. "I was just on my way. Let's go."

Together, they rushed back to Aria's room, their hearts pounding with dread as they approached the

door. But as they reached for the handle, they noticed that it was locked from the inside.

"That's strange," Elara muttered, exchanging a worried look with Lydia. "Aria couldn't have locked

herself in."

Rebecca removed the key from the door then turned her gaze to Aria, "I don't remember mine being as

painful as this."

Aria turned her head toward the voice, surprise evident on her face. "What are you doing here,

Rebecca? And why aren't you with your pup?"

Rebecca smiled, a cold and calculating glint in her eyes, before stepping further into the room.

"The better question," Rebecca retorted, "should be how quick do you want your death? Of course,

after you've given me your pup."

Aria's heart raced, and she shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "I don't understand. What are you doing?

Whatever is wrong I'm sure we can talk about it."

Rebecca's lip curled in a sneer. "You always want to see the good in people, don't you? That will be

your downfall."

With a menacing glint in her eyes, Rebecca produced a knife from her clothing. Aria's breath caught in

her throat as another contraction gripped her.

"What are you doing?" Aria pleaded, her voice quivering.

Rebecca snorted derisively. "I don't know why you get to have all this power. There is nothing to you.

First, you were marked by the moon goddess, and then she gave you an all-powerful pup." Her eyes

flashed with anger. "Why do you have to get everything?"

As another wave of pain surged through Aria, Rebecca raised the knife high above her, a cruel

coldness in her gaze. Aria shifted backward on the bed, her eyes darting around the room in

desperation. "Rebecca, we can find another way. You don't have to do this."

Rebecca's grip tightened on the knife, her features contorted with rage. "You always think there's

another way. You always think people can change. Well, they can't."

At that moment, as Rebecca prepared to strike, Aria's eyes began to glow with an ethereal light. The

room seemed to pulse with energy, and a sudden burst of power surged through her. It sent Rebecca

hurtling backward, her body crashing against the wall with a sickening thud. She slumped to the floor,

unconscious.

The room fell into an eerie silence, the tension that had hung in the air now replaced by a sense of awe

and disbelief. Lydia and Elara, who had been pounding on the door, finally burst into the room, their

eyes widening at the scene before them.

Aria let out a loud scream, her voice echoing through the room as she writhed in pain. Her body

seemed to radiate with an otherworldly energy, and a blinding light enveloped her. An eerie quiet

followed, and then the room was filled with the cries of a newborn child.

Lydia rushed to Aria's side, tears of relief streaming down her face as she cradled the tiny, squirming

infant in her arms. Elara quickly assessed Aria's condition, her healer instincts taking over as she

began to tend to the exhausted Luna.

**************

In the midst of their urgent search for Elara, Seraphina and Nicole felt a sudden shift in the Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

atmosphere.

Seraphina halted in her tracks, her senses on high alert. "Did you feel that?" she whispered to Nicole.

Nicole nodded, her brows furrowing. "Yes. What do you think it was?"

Before they could speculate further, Liam emerged from the shadows, his presence casting a dark

shadow over their encounter. His appearance elicited a collective intake of breath from the two she-

wolves.

Liam wasted no time with pleasantries. "Aria's pup has been born," he stated bluntly, his voice laced

with an unmistakable undercurrent of malevolence.

Seraphina's eyes hardened as she regarded the unexpected visitor. "What are you doing here, Liam?"

He took a step closer, his intent clear in his piercing gaze. "I'm here for two things," he declared, his

voice low and dangerous. "One, I'm going to kill you. Two, I'm going to take Aria's pup."

Seraphina couldn't help but scoff at his audacity. "You? Are going to kill me?" Her tone was laced with

mocking disbelief.

But Liam was not one to be deterred by words alone. He swiftly drew a gleaming blade from its sheath,

and Nicole's eyes widened in alarm. "Seraphina, maybe we should run," she urged, her voice trembling

with fear.

Before they could make a move, Liam lunged at Seraphina, his movements swift and brutal. The two

she-wolves collided with a resounding thud, and a tussle for control ensued.

Liam's hands found their way around Seraphina's neck, his fingers closing in a vengeful grip. "This is

for everything you did to me, bitch," he spat, his eyes seething with anger.

Desperation and survival instincts kicked in as Seraphina fought back with every ounce of strength she

could muster. She managed to block his attempts to stab her, but the struggle was fierce and

relentless.

Nicole, her heart pounding with terror screamed and lunged at Liam, determined to protect her

packmate. The two she-wolves grappled with Liam for control of the blade, their strength matched in a

deadly dance of survival.

But then, amidst the violent struggle, a heart-wrenching cry pierced the air. Seraphina's eyes widened

in realization, and her hands instinctively went to her stomach. Her world started to spin as blood

surrounded her.