Chapter 3 : First Battle

Silver moved like lightning.

The silver wolf tore through shadow creatures. Claws ripped. Teeth snapped. Black mist sprayed with every kill.

But there were too many. Dozens. Hundreds. Pouring from the rift.

Alex ducked behind a tree. Heart hammering against his ribs. This wasn''t a documentary. This wasn''t history. This was real. Blood. Death. Right in front of him.

Silver fought three creatures at once. Dodging. Striking. A dance of death.

Then Alex saw it. A fourth creature. Sneaking up behind Silver. Claws raised. Ready to strike.

"No!"

Alex didn''t think. He just moved.

He grabbed a thick branch from the ground. Ran. Swung.

The branch hit the creature''s back. Solid. Like hitting concrete.

The creature shrieked. Turned. Red eyes fixed on Alex.

Oh shit.

Claws swiped. Alex stumbled back. The claws missed his face by inches.

Then Silver was there. Jaws closed around the creature''s neck. A crunch. The creature dissolved into black mist.

Silver turned to Alex. Wolf eyes blazing. He growled—a sound that said, *Stay back, idiot.*

But more creatures were coming. Surrounding them.

Alex backed against the tree. No weapon. No magic. No way out.

Wait.

Magic.

Silver said he had magic. Dormant. Buried deep.

Alex closed his eyes. Focused. Remembered the pull in his chest when Silver''s hand had hovered over him. That warmth. That energy.

*Come on. Come on.*

Heat bloomed in his palms. Alex opened his eyes. Orange light. Flickering. Unstable.

Fire.

He thrust his hands forward. A weak stream of fire shot out. Hit a shadow creature.

The creature screamed. The fire clung. Spread. The creature thrashed. Dissolved.

It worked.

Alex tried again. More fire. Stronger this time. He hit another creature. Then another.

Silver noticed. Changed tactics. Instead of fighting alone, he started herding creatures toward Alex. Letting Alex burn them from a distance.

Teamwork.

They cleared a circle. Creatures lay dead around them. Black mist fading in the morning light.

But more kept coming. An endless stream.

Silver changed back to human form. Breathing hard. Blood on his arms. Scratches on his chest.

"We need to close the rift," he said.

"How?"

"Temporary seal. Buy us time." Silver raised his hands. Silver light gathered in his palms. "Cover me."

Alex nodded. Turned to face the rift. Raised his hands. Fire bloomed again.

He focused on the creatures coming through. Burn them before they reached Silver.

Silver''s light grew brighter. Brighter. Then he thrust it forward. A beam of silver light hit the rift.

The black tear shimmered. Shrank. The flow of creatures slowed. Stopped.

The rift sealed. A silver barrier glowed where it had been.

Silver dropped to one knee. Breathing ragged.

"It''s temporary," he said. "A few days at most."

Alex lowered his hands. The fire died. His whole body trembled. From adrenaline. From exhaustion.

"You''re hurt," he said.

Silver looked at his arms. Shrugged. "Scratches."

"Let me..." Alex approached cautiously. "I can help."

He didn''t know why he said it. He had no medical training. But something in him needed to help. To touch.

Silver watched him. Those green eyes unreadable.

Alex knelt beside him. Tore a strip from his own shirt. Started cleaning the blood from Silver''s arms.

The skin was warm. Smooth over hard muscle. Alex''s fingers trembled.

"You fought well," Silver said quietly.

"I almost got killed."

"You saved me first." Silver''s eyes held his. "Thank you."

Alex''s breath caught. Up close, Silver was even more... everything. The sharp jawline. The full lips. The intensity in those eyes.

He finished cleaning the wounds. His fingers lingered on Silver''s skin.

Silver didn''t pull away.

The moment stretched. The forest quiet around them. Just their breathing. The beat of Alex''s heart.

Then Silver stood. Broke the contact.

"We need to return to the forest," he said. "Prepare for the real war."

Alex stood too. His legs felt weak. "What real war?"

"That was just the beginning. The rift will open again. Bigger. More creatures. We need an alliance. All the races together. Or we all die."

He started walking back toward the forest.

Alex followed. His mind raced with questions. But one thought pushed all others aside.

He was stuck here.

No way home. No Oxford. No England. No family.

Just this forest. This war. This silver-haired man who looked at him like he was both a problem and... something else.

They reached the clearing. The other wolves were waiting. They looked at Alex differently now. Respect in their eyes.

Silver addressed them. "Prepare for travel. We go to Frostkeep. The alliance must be formed."

He turned to Alex. "You''re coming with us."

"To Frostkeep?"

"To the alliance meeting. You have insights. You see patterns. We need that."

"What if I want to go home?"

Silver''s expression softened. Just a little. "There is no home for you to return to. Not anymore. This is your world now."

The words hit like a physical blow. Alex had known it. Felt it. But hearing it said aloud...

He looked at Silver. At the forest. At this impossible, dangerous, beautiful world.

Maybe... maybe this was where he was meant to be.