Chapter 225: The Threshold

Zahliver’s POV

Albericus, Lexero, and Fern emerged right beside me, each one emanating their own unique form of quiet fury.

"Did not think we recruited quite this many," Fern muttered under his breath, looking genuinely awestruck for half a heartbeat. But even as his dark eyes scanned the restless horde, I knew his mind was already racing ahead with battle formations, weak enemy points, and tactical projections. War always played out like a complex strategy game to him if not for the very real risk of death hanging over all our heads.

Albericus gestured toward the thick stretch of ancient forest lying directly ahead, his voice low but firm. "Venom said the hidden door is just past that ridge of trees. Everything is in place. All we need is your final command, Alpha. What is the call?"

His tone was steady, but I caught the searching look in his gaze. Was he checking to see if there was any hesitation hidden inside me? Any flicker of doubt? He would find none.

I looked where he had pointed, my eyes narrowing down to slits. Just past the dark tree line, beyond the movement and anticipation of the pack, I spotted it the gate to everything that would follow this night.

I turned back to face my commanders, the words already forming deep in my chest like hot fire.

"Get your men ready," I ordered coldly. "This is not going to be a simple battle it is going to be a bloodbath. And the victory is ours."

Fern chuckled darkly, already slipping smoothly into the chaos-hungry version of himself. "You heard the Alpha! Gather up, you wide-eyed pups today you truly become wolves."

Lexero grunted, his humor muted but still present beneath the heavy tension in the air. "Well, shit. Guess we are really doing this thing."

He would fight like a raging storm when the time came, but Lexero always needed that initial push like a heavy lion basking lazily in the sun before it finally decided the hunt was worth the effort.

Albericus did not say a single word out loud. He did not need to. His veteran men were already braced and ready, their eyes glowing in perfect sync with their Alpha’s silent command.

That left my own immediate squad.

I stepped forward, facing the fierce warriors I had personally trained, commanded, and bled beside. I raised my voice, amplifying it both out loud and directly through the vast pack bond, letting it reach every single mind even those standing far in the back.

"We are the first wave," I told them firmly. "That means we are the primary target. Some of you may fall before you even land your first strike. That is the harsh reality of war. But do not let fear take root in your minds."

I swept my glowing gaze across them, letting my heavy dominance settle over the pack like a second skin.

"No matter what hits your senses what you see, hear, or smell move to the right the second we are through that portal. Do not question it. Do not hesitate for a second. The worst enemies are always the ones you carry inside your own head. Fight them off."

I let the heavy silence hold for a single breath, then went on.

"The rest of the massive army will follow our lead. That makes us their anchor. If you spot something dangerous out there, speak up. Do not bottle it up or pretend it will pass on its own doing that gets good people killed."

I paused, letting the next part settle deep into their bones.

"You are all strong enough to take down entire enemy squadrons on your own but do not do it. This is not about seeking personal glory. It is about survival. Fight smart. Fight as one unified force. And remember your hard training."

My voice dropped down into something deeper, darker, and much more intimate.

"Good luck to all of you. And may the blood you spill today remind them why they fear us."

With those final words, I turned around and headed straight into the trees. The air thickened around us instantly, heavy with moisture and clouded by a thick, unnatural mist. The earth felt far too still, too expectant like the ancient forest itself was holding its breath.

Then I felt it a nearby pack. Small. Curious. Their Alpha was desperately trying to decide whether to approach us cautiously or prepare for a defensive stand. I could sense his heavy worry vibrating across the shared mental link that united all shifters. A gathering like ours could easily be mistaken for a declaration of all-out war.

I sent a sharp pulse of calm through the bond. A silent, wordless message. Stand down. This is not your fight. Only a true wolf Alpha would understand the deep meaning hidden in it. I simply did not have time to deal with a panicked Alpha getting in our way right now.

There was far too much at stake. And far too much blood waiting to be spilled on the other side.

Beyond the very last veil of trees, tucked safely out of sight from prying eyes and nosy creatures, stood the doorway. Or at least, what passed as a doorway in this forgotten place. Its shape never stayed the exact same sometimes it looked like solid stone, sometimes like twisted dark wood but today it looked like the crumbling remains of some once-grand medieval archway, half-eaten by thick moss and centuries of time. Of course, normal medieval ruins did not usually thrum with heavy godly energy, nor did they shimmer with an invisible defensive field that repelled even the boldest of forest animals. Not a single bird chirped anywhere near it. Not even the harsh wind dared to whisper too close to the stones.

As I approached the structure, the forest shifted quietly behind me. One by one, Lexero, Albericus, Fern, and Venom appeared silently at my sides, each with their own chosen men shadowing their every step. The collective presence of their elite soldiers and the wild beasts stirring within them thickened the air until power crackled between us like static electricity before a massive storm. Bloodlust pulsed thick in the air, eager and deeply primal.

They did not say a word out loud, but I could feel their collective tension. The kind of heavy tension that only comes right before bloody carnage.

I, unlike all of them, had passed through this strange door more times than I cared to count. A god among mortal men even if I was now exiled I still held a rightful claim here. The ancient force field recognized my soul. It did not try to stop me. So, when I stepped forward and crossed straight into it, I felt nothing unusual save for the familiar chill of divine energy sliding over my bare skin like cold mist.

The young soldier behind me was not quite so lucky.

He had followed just a fraction too close, and the exact moment his heavy boot touched the invisible barrier, his entire body ignited like dry parchment tossed into a blazing fire. He did not even have time to let out a scream just a single breathless gasp before his bones collapsed completely into a pile of fine ash right at my boots.

I stopped, turning my head slowly to glance over my shoulder at the smoking pile on the ground. The rest of the advancing soldiers froze mid-step, their youthful bravado snuffed out instantly like a candle in the wind.

My hidden grin stretched wide across my masked face. Not as a cruel warning, but out of sheer dark amusement.

Lexero cursed softly behind me, breaking the silence. "Ah, fuck, man. I have got kids back home. I actually need to go home after this fight. Do not tell me I am going to die before I even get to swing my heavy sword."

I could see it clearly in his eyes curiosity still clawed at him, tempting him with the urge to test the deadly field himself. Absolute idiot.

"Give me a brief moment," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "You will all get your chance to die soon enough. Unless you actually want to follow that fine pile of ash over there, Lexero. But by all means, please be my guest."

He wisely took two steps back and shut his mouth.