Chapter 46. The Corruption Spreads

It started small at first then it grew worse every day.

Two warriors—brothers—clashed during training. A simple misstep, a wrongly timed block, and fists flew with unrestrained fury. Blood stained the ground before others pulled them apart. When questioned, neither could explain the sudden rage.

“I just… saw red,” one muttered, hands trembling. “Like something snapped in me.”

Soon, more began to change.

A healer forgot her herbs. An elder lashed out at a pup. A scout claimed he saw ghosts in the trees—shadowy figures whispering his name. The peaceful rhythm of Shadow Fang was fraying at the edges.

Ella stood at the heart of it all, her heart heavy. Her dreams were filled with fire and ash, her wolf pacing restlessly inside her. The land felt unnatural. The forest, once alive with spirit, had gone quiet.

Even her bond with Damian began to flicker.

One morning, she found him standing at the balcony, staring out toward the northern border with