The forest was too quiet.
After the retreat of the mutated wolves and the fall of the two Alpha Killers, even the wind seemed hesitant to move through the trees.
The Cursed Pack stood frozen around the battlefield.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Because what they had just witnessed…
Should not have been possible.
Leila was still in Dominic's arms.
Her body felt weak, like every ounce of strength had been drained from her. The glow of her Eclipse Form had faded, leaving only faint traces of silver and shadow flickering beneath her skin.
Dominic looked down at her, his expression tight.
"That power…"
Leila exhaled slowly.
"I didn't mean to do it."
Marcus let out a low whistle behind them.
"Yeah… you don't accidentally make two Alpha Killers kneel."
Kael stepped closer, his eyes fixed on Leila.
"That wasn't purification."
Leila nodded faintly.
"No."
Her voice was quiet.
"It was something else."
The First Bloodline stirred again inside her.
But this time…
It didn't feel calm.
It felt awake.
Dominic helped her stand, keeping one arm around her for support.
"Can you still feel it?" he asked.
Leila hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Yes."
Her hand moved slightly toward her chest.
"It's… stronger now."
Marcus frowned.
"Stronger is good, right?"
Leila didn't answer immediately.
Because it didn't feel like simple strength.
It felt like something ancient had just opened its eyes inside her.
Kael crossed his arms.
"The warlock called it Eclipse Command."
Dominic's expression darkened.
"Which means he knows exactly what it is."
Leila looked toward the Iron Mountains in the distance.
"He expected it."
Marcus groaned.
"Of course he did. Why wouldn't he?"
Dominic turned toward the pack.
"We move in ten minutes."
Marcus blinked.
"That fast?"
Dominic nodded.
"We don't give Malachar time to prepare another test."
Kael stepped forward.
"You're walking straight into his territory."
Dominic looked at him.
"That's the point."
Leila straightened slowly, regaining her balance.
"He wants us to come."
Marcus snorted.
"Then maybe we shouldn't?"
Leila shook her head.
"No."
Her silver eyes sharpened.
"If we don't go to him…"
"He'll come to us."
Silence followed her words.
Because they all knew it was true.
Dominic turned back toward the mountains.
"Then we finish this."
One Hour Later
The deeper they moved into the Iron Mountains, the more unnatural everything felt.
The trees grew thinner.
The air colder.
The ground harder beneath their feet.
And beneath it all—
A faint vibration.
Like something alive was buried deep within the mountain.
Leila slowed slightly.
"You feel that?"
Dominic nodded.
"Yes."
Marcus frowned.
"Feel what?"
Kael answered instead.
"The laboratory."
Marcus looked disturbed.
"I don't like the sound of that."
Leila placed her hand against a nearby rock.
The First Bloodline reacted instantly.
Her eyes widened.
"It's not just a lab."
Dominic looked at her.
"What is it?"
Her voice dropped.
"It's a network."
Kael stiffened.
"That's not possible."
Leila turned toward him.
"They've built tunnels… chambers… connected structures."
Her eyes darkened slightly.
"Spread across the entire mountain."
Marcus cursed under his breath.
"So we're not attacking a base."
Dominic finished.
"We're attacking a fortress."
Leila nodded slowly.
"And something else."
Dominic watched her closely.
"What?"
She hesitated.
The First Bloodline pulsed again.
This time, it showed her something deeper.
Darker.
"There are wolves inside…"
Her voice tightened.
"Hundreds of them."
Marcus frowned.
"Prisoners?"
Leila shook her head slowly.
"Subjects."
Kael clenched his fists.
"They're still experimenting."
Dominic's expression turned to stone.
"Then we end it."
Leila suddenly staggered slightly.
Dominic caught her again.
"What is it?"
Her breathing quickened.
"The power…"
Her eyes flickered with silver and shadow.
"It's trying to take over again."
Marcus looked concerned.
"That doesn't sound good."
Leila grabbed Dominic's arm tightly.
"I can feel them."
"Who?"
"The Alpha Killers."
Dominic's body tensed instantly.
"How many?"
Leila's voice dropped to a whisper.
"All of them."
The forest fell silent again.
Marcus blinked.
"…All twelve?"
Leila nodded slowly.
"They're inside the mountain."
Kael exhaled sharply.
"Then Malachar wasn't exaggerating."
Dominic looked toward the towering peaks ahead.
"Good."
Marcus turned to him.
"Good??"
Dominic's eyes burned faintly.
"They're all in one place."
Leila looked up at him.
"You're thinking of ending this in one strike."
Dominic nodded.
"Yes."
Kael shook his head.
"That's suicide."
Marcus added, "Even I agree with him, and I usually like your crazy ideas."
Leila stepped forward slowly.
Her strength returning.
"No."
They both looked at her.
"It's not suicide."
Her silver-and-black eyes glowed faintly.
"It's exactly what Malachar wants."
Dominic frowned.
"Explain."
Leila took a breath.
"He wants us to face all the Alpha Killers at once."
Marcus crossed his arms.
"So we don't."
Leila shook her head.
"No."
Her voice steadied.
"We do."
Silence.
Dominic studied her carefully.
"You have a plan."
She nodded.
"Yes."
Her hand lifted slightly.
The First Bloodline pulsed again.
"I don't need to fight all of them."
Marcus frowned.
"Then what do you need?"
Leila's eyes hardened.
"I just need to reach them."
Kael's eyes widened.
"You're going to use Eclipse Command on all twelve?"
Leila didn't answer immediately.
Because even she didn't know if it was possible.
But the First Bloodline inside her…
Believed it was.
Dominic stepped closer to her.
"That kind of power could destroy you."
Leila met his gaze.
"Or it could end this war."
The tension between them was thick.
Then Dominic sighed softly.
"You're not doing it alone."
Leila gave a small smile.
"I wouldn't want to."
Marcus clapped his hands once.
"Well, that settles it."
He looked toward the mountains.
"Let's go fight twelve nightmares."
Kael muttered, "I can't believe I'm part of this."
Dominic shifted partially, his wolf energy rising again.
"Stay close."
Leila stepped beside him.
The First Bloodline surged once more.
Stronger.
Brighter.
More dangerous.
And as they reached the base of the Iron Mountains—
The ground beneath them began to tremble.
Deep within the mountain…
Something had awakened.