"My beloved, have they come yet?" Elvira's voice slipped into the quiet air as she appeared behind Ben, her smile satisfied and warm.
Ben still sat on the wall, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
He did not turn. "Not yet," he said.
"But I felt a few more mana bursts after that red lightning.
Looks like they're still busy tangling with the Ravagers."
His senses were not perfect yet, but after so much practice he could at least read the atmosphere.
The tremors in the mana told him enough.
He could even recognize some of the signatures now.
His lips curled into a grin. "Pretty sure the alpha's dead.
That bastard didn't last long against our new guests."
"One less target for us," Elvira said smoothly, stepping up beside him.
Ben nodded, calm.
There was no fear in him.
If he had to face that alpha again, he knew what would happen now.
He would crush it.
No tricks, no backup.
He would win, straight and clean.
"How's your side?" he asked.
