87
~Alex's POV
The night was thick with fog when we reached the edge of Crimson River's territory.
The air was damp, carrying the faint scent of pine and fresh earth, but beneath that was something else, the undeniable presence of war.
My men moved in silence, shadows in the darkness. We had taken out their communication towers an hour ago, severing their ability to call for reinforcements. Now, they were vulnerable.
Or so we thought.
The moment we breached their outer perimeter, chaos erupted.
Gunfire exploded from the trees, bullets tearing through the air. Wolves shifted mid-attack, their howls echoing as they lunged at my men. The scent of blood filled my nostrils as the first body dropped.
They had been waiting for us.
Dorian wasn't just prepared, he had anticipated this.
"FALL BACK!" I roared, ducking behind a fallen tree as bullets whizzed past my head.
