Alisha's POV
I saw under the night sky, my pack was covered in flames everywhere, and the air was filled with the constant cries of pain. My warriors were being attacked by rogues, their blood staining the ground, but they remained fearless, bravely picking up their weapons to continue the fight.
However, the rogues seemed to possess an undead-like ability. They were shrouded in an ominous black mist, making them seemingly impervious to attacks. Even when bleeding, they felt no pain or avoidance. These rogues had become pure fighting machines.
Gray and Orathe activated the Dyess family's inherited Gift - Blood Hell. They could control the blood of all enemies in an instant. Gray enjoyed making enemies' blood vessels burst, causing their demise, while Orathe turned the enemies' blood into countless tiny blood arrows, piercing them from the inside out.
Usually, no one could resist such attacks, which helped our family to become the ruler in the northern part. But this time, it failed because the rogues shrouded in the black mist seemed invincible. After one batch fell, the black mist enveloped them, and they rose again like zombies. However, Gray and Orathe's energy was limited.
We were bound to lose, and the cause of all this was me! My blood caused this disaster!
What could I do? Without my wolf by my side, I had no basic fighting ability, just like before. I could do nothing to help them in the battle now! Damn it! I clenched the whip in my hand, a wave of frustration and guilt engulfing me.
Wait! Since all this was due to The Lord of Dark, as long as I beat him, Gray and Orathe could handle the rest rouges easily!
Thinking this, I immediately ran towards Dark Forest! The closer to Dark Forest, the denser the black mist. I used this mist to conceal my movements. Thanks to losing my wolf, I barely had any werewolf scent, so with a bit of caution, those zombie-like rogues wouldn't easily detect me.
Following the black mist, I slowly penetrated the forest. Just when I was about to reach the core of Dark Forest, where the mist was thickest, I unexpectedly encountered two people—Erma and Joey!
"This success is all thanks to my curse mark working. Otherwise, with Blood Dawn's defense, we wouldn't be able to get the blood. The Lord of Dark will surely grant me the best territory!" Joey said triumphantly.
"If it weren't for my Gift- Shadow Stealth, getting Alisha's blood, you would probably end up with another failure like last time. I am the most important!" Erma said disdainfully.
"Hmph, I'm the Alpha of Black Furies; you better show some respect!"
"Are you serious? In front of me, you don't need to put on airs. It was clearly you who contacted Dark Forest's rogues before, colluded with them to start a coup, and gained the Alpha position. Shame on you! I remember you were recently defeated by Alisha, slinking away like a beaten dog, right?"
"What qualification do you have to say that? You are just a Dark Forest rogue, still daydreaming of becoming Golden Crest's Luna. Alisha saved your life, yet you betrayed your own master, a whore is just a whore! Maybe you will betray The Lord of Dark in the end!"
"You even secretly left a magical mark in your own daughter's soul just to sacrifice her to save yourself. Coward! You will betray everyone around you!"
Hearing Erma and Joey quarreling, made me burning with anger. However, I had more important things to do, so I couldn't afford to be disturbed by them. I planned to bypass them and find The Lord of Dark.
However, their argument escalated, and eventually, they even started fighting. Erma was clearly no match for Joey, but the various shadows in the night seemed to be her best refuge. Joey frequently couldn't locate her, grew furious, and began destroying trees, trying to force Erma out.
When a large tree fell next to me, I inadvertently exposed myself while trying to avoid it. When Joey noticed me, his face changed drastically, and he quickly stepped back.
Yeah, he still didn't know I had lost my wolf and basically had no combat power, so he should be afraid of me. I pretended to calmly grip the whip in my hand, assuming a combat stance. "Although you could escape last time, I won't let you go this time!"
Joey indeed showed a fearful expression, then turned and fled. I was relieved that he hadn't discovered my reduced strength. However, Joey suddenly stopped and knelt on the ground, raising his hands to the sky, shouting, "The Lord of Dark, a sinner from the Dyess family has appeared. Your humble servant requests your power to punish her!"
I felt dangerous, and indeed, many rogues suddenly appeared around me. In the darkness, their eyes emitted an ominous green glow, surrounding me and closing in. Joey looked at me with a sneer, triumphant.
I tightened the whip in my hand, cold sweat dampening my back. At this moment, the shadow of a tree to my right suddenly moved. I immediately swung the whip at that shadow. A dagger was sent flying, and I saw Erma in the shadow! She seemed to want to blend into other shadows under the cover of night. My whip immediately entwined around her neck, and with all my strength, I dragged her toward me. Erma struggled desperately, even reaching out to Joey, shouting hoarsely, "Save me!"
Joey had already shifted into a wolf and rushed towards me with the surrounding rogues. I had no strength to stop them, but I still didn't release my hold on Erma. I was ready for the inevitable.
Just when I was about to be overwhelmed by Joey and the rogues, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky. Amidst the roaring thunder, I saw the bodies of the wolves attacking me turn charred and carbonized, quickly turning into a pile of corpses. Some didn't even leave a body, turning directly into ashes.
I was firmly embraced by someone, isolating me from the roaring thunder and lightning outside—it was Archie.
After everything calmed down, the weak Erma pleaded with me, "Master, forgive me...please..." I pulled out the short sword behind me and directly stabbed her in the chest. "I said I would avenge Magaly. You, along with Evita and Joey, go repent in hell."
After dealing with Erma, I looked at Archie. "How did you get here?"
"My wolf told me everything before it went into a coma, so I planned to go to Golden Crest to stop you...but I seemed too late...when passing Dark Forest, I found The Lord of Dark awakening, and rogues were attacking your pack. I wanted to rescue you, but I smelled your scent, so I followed it and found you here."
"My scent?" I had lost my wolf; even rogues couldn't discern my scent. How did Archie manage it?
"Your scent was already engraved in my memory, although I didn’t realize it until you left."
I remained silent, not responding.
Archie seemed to not expect me to say anything and said, "I will escort you out. The Lord of Dark has awakened; it's too dangerous here."
"No, I came here for The Lord of Dark."
Archie frowned, "You have to leave. I promise, I will lead Golden Crest to help Blood Dawn later." Saying this, he held me into his arms, trying to forcefully take me away.
I struggled, pounding his shoulders. "Archie, even if it's just once, can't you respect my decision for once? It's all because you always be so autocratic that we..."
I didn't finish my sentence because Archie suddenly stopped. He lowered his head, looking at me with a profound gaze.
"Fine, I am begging you. I have to deal with The Lord of Dark now. Otherwise, my pack, my family, will be in danger. I can't run away by myself. I..."
"How do you plan to do it?" Archie interrupted my words, suddenly asking.
"You agreed?" I asked incredulously.
"Answer my question."
"I...I have my own way, no need for you to bother." For some reason, looking into Archie's eyes, I daren't speak out my plan.
Archie seemed to sense something, his eyes containing a pain I couldn't understand. I turned my head aside, unable to meet his gaze. Then I continued struggling to get down. But he still held me firmly, hoarsely saying, "Alisha, I can't...even if you hate me, I..."
His words were not finished when suddenly the surrounding black mist began to thicken, even covering the moon in the sky. A nauseating and foul stench filled the air. I widened my eyes, staring ahead. In the black mist, an immensely huge wolf manifested its form. The trees around it appeared petite in its presence. In its eye sockets were two crimson flames that emitted an ominous glow within the black mist.
The Lord of Dark had appeared.
"Let! Me! Down!" I immediately shouted angrily at Archie. Archie paid no attention, and another thunderstorm descended directly toward The Lord of Dark. It was only then, amidst the thunderstorm, that we discovered the black mist composed its flesh. It was a colossal wolf skeleton, adorned with bits of decaying flesh.
The omnipotent lightning and thunderstorm couldn't harm it. After the black mist was scattered by the thunderstorm, it started gathering together again. The Lord of Dark lifted its bony forepaws and swiftly slapped toward us. Archie immediately threw me aside to avoid the attack, and he himself was sent flying, crashing into a large tree.
"Archie!" I shouted loudly. Then, looking at the colossal creature before me, my eyes filled with anger and hatred. If it continued like this, letting it leave Dark Forest would mean doom for Blood Dawn and possibly other packs.
I closed my eyes, then used the short sword to cut my palm. Holding the fresh blood, I shouted loudly, "I, Alisha Heimann, the Alpha of Black Furies, am willing to sacrifice my soul to forever banish The Lord of Dark into the black flames!"
Archie let out a mournful howl, "No!"
I felt a heat boiling inside me, my whole body becoming feverish. I rushed a final smile at Archie. "I forgive you, Archie. From now on, we owe each other nothing." Then, I felt my soul leaving my body, turning into a burst of flames, heading towards The Lord of Dark.
This terrifying creature made of white bones seemed to sense the threat of the black flames. It frantically summoned the surrounding rogues to form a wall, attempting to block me. Surprisingly, it turned and ran in the opposite direction.
At this moment, Archie, from who knows where, gathered strength. He pounced over, tightly embracing the hind legs of The Lord of Dark, refusing to let it leave even at the cost of his life.
In the end, the flames successfully swept over The Lord of Dark's skeleton and Archie. "Alisha, I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, couldn't bring you happiness. At least, let me die together with you." Archie's final words were engulfed in black flames, disappearing along with the collapsing skeleton into the wind.
---
Three years later.
A black wolf suddenly appeared in the backyard of Nova's house. It ran excitedly to a white wolf lying on the lawn, then affectionately asked, "Dear, do you want to go to Moon Lake with me tonight?"
"No, tonight Alisha will attend the award ceremony." The white wolf, with closed eyes, lazily replied, wagging its tail leisurely.
"Oh, right! I heard Alisha won the Most Popular Female Singer and Songwriter awards! Alisha is amazing, a human star as well as the most beautiful Alpha in the werewolf world! I want to witness her winning moment!"
"Isn't Archie going? Wherever Alisha goes now, he follows. Won't he be absent? And tonight, Louie, as the CEO of DM entertainment, will also be there."
"Ah! Since Archie found out that Alisha signed with Louie, he also opened an entertainment company, thinking of ways to snatch her! Going crazy with jealousy, he doesn't even dare to get angry at Alisha, just secretly smashing pillows, hahaha! He is really a fool!"
"If you are so happy about it, be careful when Archie finds out. He might beat you up."
"Humph, dare he?! If it weren't for me, he would die three years ago! Thanks to me and you, as their soul incarnations, they gained an extra life. Otherwise, both of them would have turned to ashes now. How can he beat me?"
"Up to you. Don't come crying to me if you are driven out by Archie again."
"Hey, when did I... last time was just an accident, okay?"
"What about the time before that? And the time before the time before that?"
The black wolf seemed a bit embarrassed, then lowered its head and lay down next to the white wolf, bringing its head close. It then said, "It's all Archie's fault! Every time Alisha ignores him, he gets mad at me. I really don't understand what those humans are thinking. Louie clearly likes Alisha, but after waking up, he canceled the engagement, saying he wants to pursue her again. My silly master, ecstatic on one hand, and grinding his teeth to curse Louie on the other. He also said he would pursue Alisha again. Dear, tell me, who does Alisha really like?"
The white wolf didn't answer but stood up from the ground, gently wagging its tail, then walked forward. The soft tail even brushed over the black wolf's body.
The black wolf immediately followed, "Dear, regardless of who Alisha chooses in the end, I will always like you, love you the most. I am ready..."
As the two wolves chatted, they strolled toward the house, the lawn behind them lush and green, under the brilliant sunlight.