"My beloved, have they come yet?" Elvira's voice slipped through the air as she appeared behind Ben, her smile satisfied and warm.
Ben, still seated on the wall with his eyes locked toward the horizon, didn't turn. "Not yet," he replied.
"But I felt a few more mana bursts after that red lightning. Looks like they're still busy tangling with the Ravagers."
His senses weren't perfect—not yet—but after so much practice, he could at least read the atmosphere. And the tremors in the mana told him enough.
He could even recognize some of the signatures. 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 beside him.
Ben nodded, unfazed. There was no fear in him. If he had to face that alpha again? He could say it now without hesitation—he'd crush him.
No tricks, no backup. He'd win, straight and clean.
"How's your side?" he asked.
