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My Luna's Revenge - Chapter 24


Chapter 24


Mirage POV

As stubborn and overprotective as my dad was, if Elder Morris hadn't spoken up, he wouldn't have agreed to let me go.

We set off immediately. The Hills pack is quite far from the Light; we only arrived in the evening. Almost immediately, Alpha Jason and Alpha Collins arrived together; they probably met on the way here.

"I greet both Alpha Jason and Alpha Collins...!" "We greet both Alpha Jason and Alpha Collins...!" The guards all greeted in unison.

"I see Alpha Morgan sent his pup to a massacred ground to investigate..."

'Again with the pup.' I looked at Alpha Collins with clear dissatisfaction; he just ignored me and moved forward. Alpha Jason, on the other hand, just gave me a nod of approval. Not like I needed it, but it was more acceptable than calling me a pup.

We proceeded with the autopsy on the corpses that were barely intact. The doctors brought from all three packs were at work. Most of the bodies were severed; only brutal force can be said to have been used. It was getting late; the moon was the only source of light. Everyone was busy. In the moment of their distraction, I went to find the pup from last night.

I walked in the muddy waters as I went over to the place I left him; hopefully, he isn't dead. I could recognize the trees where I left scratch marks, not really visual except one looked closely.

I found the place; it looked a little different, maybe because of the weeded grasses and small tree branches as firewood for the night. But the boy was nowhere to be found.

I looked around for about five minutes, but there was no movement, not even the weird sound of heartbreak, well, except the crickets and the frogs as there was a swamp nearby.

I arrived at the swamp; it was empty. No one could be seen; nothing could be seen.

Were the frogs' noises in my head?

Suddenly, I heard footsteps—sneaky ones. I instinctively was on high alert. 'Could the pup have been caught and killed?' But there's no smell of blood or corpses.

The presence felt to be at my back; I couldn't see or smell, but my instincts couldn't be wrong. I felt danger, like I was being watched. In a flash, it disappeared—more like it fled.

"Mirage..." I looked forward to find Alpha Jason a few steps ahead of me, so I walked over to him.

"What are you doing here...?"

I had to think fast; I can't easily lie to this man; it's like he can read minds.

"I felt something here, so I came to take a look." Talking, I walked past him to join the others. 'Well, the pup has missed his chance.'

Alpha Jason is a strong Alpha; his aura alone was overwhelming. He is at least 9 feet tall; his deep blue eyes surveyed the environment as we walked.

I could not shake off the feeling of being watched; it was annoying, but the weird presence was gone. I felt a sharp, piercing gaze at my back; it was too annoying to ignore. I turned sharply, suddenly locking my gaze with Alpha Jason. I wanted to ask, but he answered before the question left my mouth.

"You're marked."

"What?"

"Who marked you...?"

"It's not a mating mark; it doesn't even belong to a werewolf." "Why are you marked?"

I didn't understand the question; I rarely leave the pack myself except with my dad, and how come no one in my pack mentioned this if I was to be truly marked?

He suddenly reached his hand behind my back, or more precisely, my spine, and I felt a shock. My knees trembled like I was being electrocuted; I fought against the dizziness as beads of sweat covered my face until the torture came to an end.

"Are you going to tell me the truth, or do I have to ask your father?" Panting heavily, I said, "I doubt my father can answer your question."

"Then tell me yourself. I have read maybe ancient texts on werewolves' markings, and the patterns you have don't fit any description."

"Have you activated your mark bond?"

"I don't understand."

"Have you gone through the mating process with anyone recently?"

I suddenly wished I didn't understand a word he said, but everything was clear and self-explanatory.

"No..."

"How come...?"

"I don't know. Look, Mr. Jason, I have no idea what you are talking about; likewise, I have no interest as long as it doesn't bother my life, so I would especially appreciate it if Alpha Jason would not mind my business."

"Except you won't be taking over from your father one day; this is very much my business, young Alpha Mirage, and I'll advise you to get rid of that thing before the werewolves' council takes notice of it."

"How did you even see it? It's inside my shirt...?"

"It's leaking aura; I doubt with Alpha Collins' position in the hierarchy he wouldn't notice it too."

"Come."

He raised his hand in my direction. I took a step closer, letting him place his hand on my head. Suddenly, I felt heavy, like a boulder was placed on myself. As fast as it came, a usually cooling sensation washed through me.

"What the...?"

"The Moon Goddess is a god after all; how can her children not have some spells at their disposal? Least we'll be sitting ducks for the witches."

"But...?"

"Your pack has the strongest spells in the entire race, but only a few know about it, and fewer can activate it."

"What about my dad? He's the Alpha?"

"Everything has its consequences. Just as your pack is the strongest in spells, it is usually weak in strength. For generations, until recently, the Royals have been in charge of the Light pack. Due to the witches' constant attacks, your pack proved useful." He paused, knowing fully well my interest was piqued.

"But your pack grew stronger rapidly, causing the Royals' faction to panic and decide to eliminate your pack. Your dad wasn't a pushover and refused to yield. Normally, the Levites don't interfere with the Royals' faction, but I met my Luna; it gave the Levites a reason to step in because matters of the Alphas are not taken lightly; it concerns the entire pack. We Alphas are like fathers to our packs."

Maybe I was overthinking, but I felt his words had underlying meanings, like he was giving me a clue to something.

We reunited with the other members; I could see the Levites' guard rushing to their Alpha like he just returned from a long journey.

"Alphas are like fathers to our packs." Maybe that's why my dad is so vulnerable but strong at the same time.




Chapter 25


Viona's POV

My stamina was so weak, I couldn't even last an hour. I would have been dead if this was a real mission. The candle wasn't even up to half when I awoke. The time I needed this spell the most, it failed me; maybe the distance was too much for my thirteen-year-old stamina.


I opened my windows and let the breeze in. It was late evening; I knew the Hills pack was not close like the rest of the packs within the Levites territory.


I was in no mood to sleep, at least not anymore. I played with my siblings and continued my studies as I awaited my dad's return.


Two Days Later

I woke up to the smell of blood and my father's scent. I jolted upright from my bed, only after I had confirmed the blood wasn't his by the sound of his heartbeat before I relaxed.


"Dad...?"


I slid out of bed, my feet hitting the cold stone floor with a muted thud. The manor was too quiet. No birdsong. No servants murmuring in the hall. Even the hearth downstairs had gone silent.


I found him in his office.


My dad stood with his back to me. His silver hair was unkempt, curling with sweat, and his sword—his family blade—was still strapped to his hip. That alone told me everything I needed.


He hadn't stopped to rest. He hadn't even removed his weapon. "Father," I called out again, softer this time.


He turned.


There were shadows beneath his eyes, hollows that hadn't been there three days ago. His jaw was tight, lips pressed in a line so thin it looked like a scar.


"Viona," he said, his voice roughened by sleep or sorrow—I couldn't tell, and it made my heart ache. "You're up early."


"I felt something," I admitted.


"How are your siblings?" he inquired, though his eyes were somehow distracted. 'What exactly happened there?'


"They're fine," I replied.


"And your mother?"


"She's doing well too."


"That's good to know."


I stepped forward. "And the Hills pack?"


He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he crossed the room and poured himself a glass of something dark. Not wine—brandy. His hand shook as he brought it to his lips. I felt scared because of his answer.


"Gone," he said finally. "Every last one."


I felt the floor fall out beneath me.


"Gone?" I whispered.


He nodded. "Burned. Not just slaughtered—obliterated. There were bones, child-sized, scattered in ash like dust. Whatever did this... it didn't just kill. It feasted."


One thing I always admired in my dad was his honesty, but now I just couldn't handle it.


I swayed. I had known the Hills pack in my previous life; I had trained with their young, learned tracking with their elders. Their matriarch, Lira, used to braid my hair in the old warrior style whenever I visited.


They were the only pack that wasn't deceived by my uncle after she took over after my father's death.


And now they were dust?


This didn't happen in my previous life, so now a lot of things have changed for the better, but I'm also losing trusted allies before even meeting them in this life.


"Who?" I asked, voice thick.


"That's the worst part," my father murmured. "There were no tracks. No scent trail. Not even residual magic. It's as if the whole massacre was scrubbed clean."


He downed the rest of the brandy and flung the glass into the fireplace. It shattered with a violent crack. I flinched but didn't speak. I swear I have never seen him this angry and frustrated.


Then—three knocks echoed at the door.


Sharp. Methodical. Too precise to be a maid. Too calm to be a guard.


My father was already moving, sword half-drawn. I trailed behind him as he flung open the heavy oak door.


No one.


Only the gray mist of early morning and the quiet crunch of leaves in the wind. No footsteps. No messenger. No rider in sight.


But something lay at the door.


A letter. Sealed with wax as black as coal, pressed with a sigil I didn't recognize—a waterfall under the full moon.


"The Death Clan," my dad mumbled as he bent to pick it up, his gloved fingers trembling slightly as he peeled away the seal. I stepped closer as he unfolded it.


There was no signature. No name. Just words written in a looping, too-neat script.


---


To the House of Levites


You send your hounds to dig through ashes. But it is not the dead you should fear.


We have risen. We remember.


And soon, so will the world.


Let the Hills be your warning.


The next will burn brighter.


Sleep well, Jason. You won't sleep long.


---


The silence that followed was more suffocating than any scream.


My dad handed the letter to me without a word, and for the first time in my life, I saw something in his eyes that terrified me more than any monster or blood-soaked story from the old wars.


Fear.


Not the sharp, battle-hardened kind that sharpened reflexes—but the kind that hollowed men out from within.


"This wasn't random," he muttered. "They knew I'd go there. They waited until I did."


I reread the letter. The words danced in my mind, not just threatening, but personal. It wasn't merely about the Hills. This was the beginning of something long calculated.


Not a message.


My gaze drifted back to the broken glass in the hearth. The fire was lower now, embers dulling to grey.


"Dad, I think we need to alert the Main Council," I said, fingers tightening on the parchment.


I wanted to give my dad a moment alone, but unanswered questions kept resurfacing in my mind.


"Dad...?"


"Hmm..." he said, absent-mindedly searching through some old papers.


"What is the blood sect?"


"Aren't there a myth or... like extinct...?"


He sighed. "Viona...?"


"Yes, Dad."


"Please, no questions for now... okay?"


"Of course... you should take a rest."


"Thank you." He gave me a pained smile, probably feeling guilty, but I assured him I was fine. "I’ll just go ask my mom."



Chapter 26


Viona POV

One Month Later

After several other incidents of massacre happening both near and far, the Pack members finally made a decision to hold the council meeting that has been postponed due to one death or the other.


The summons came with the rising moon, marked in blood-red ink and bound in leather stitched with silver thread. I watched as my father cracked the seal. His eyes scanned the parchment, and then he exhaled, long and grim.


"The Royals have also called for the main Council," he said at last. "Tonight." I stood from the window seat. "It took them long enough."


He nodded. "I think the letter must have rattled them too. Or... perhaps this isn't the first warning they've received."


I was so excited for the meeting. It is to be held in the Great Hollow, a place sealed by the moon goddess herself; only her messenger, the seer, has the key, and the place has been locked for decades since the last war centuries ago.


I'm so excited to go; I have never been to the Great Hollow. I have always wanted to go. Even after becoming the Luna of the Royals, I still wasn't allowed to go; instead, Flora always went in my place.


It was an insult, but who cares? If my Mate did not care, who else was left to speak up? Flora had always been the darling of the Royal faction, maybe not yet, but she is getting there.


Alpha Jones has always loved the daughter-in-law that listened to his every command and had a son who did the same, but I was a different case. I always tried to impress him by doing more and getting better results. My mentality was wrong; he threw me away the moment Nicolas was hospitalized, and I lost my influence.


I'm different now. I'm not the Luna of the Royals pack; I'm the princess of the Levites pack. My dad is alive, my uncle is not alpha, I have a biological younger brother and sister. I'm not Viona Smiths but Viona Nobel, the proud eldest daughter of Alpha Jason Nobel.


"You're not coming, Viona..."


"What...!" I heard the glass chattering, snapping me out of my inner self-motivational speech.


"But daddy..."


"No... Viona, you're getting more and more disobedient; you don't listen to me like you always did."


"It's not that... I want to come."


"Why can't you bring me?"


"It's dangerous."


"But dad, I'm already prepared to come."


"Then go change; it's late. You should be in bed."


"Daddy... please." I'm on the verge of tears; why is he being especially difficult today? Just when all hope was lost.


"Let her go with you." It was my Mom; she must have been standing at the door watching us for who knows how long.


"But..."


"She can go in my stead; I think she's mature enough," she said, cutting my dad off.


"It's too dangerous... she'll get hurt."


"You'll protect her; I know you would."


"I have to stay with the kids; I can't come with you... Okay?"


Slowly but surely, well... they kissed.


Yes, in front of me, it's weirdly cute; at least my dad's gonna take me.


Few Hours Later

We stood before the Great Hollow.


The Great Hollow was carved into the bones of the Earth itself—deep beneath the Mountains of Olde, where the echoes of the First Howl still lingered. It took them three hours on horseback and one more through the winding tunnels guarded by ancient sentries.


I walked beside my father, my boots echoing on stone. Every step toward the chamber carried weight. This was where wars were declared, where packs were banished, where alliances were forged in blood and oath.


And tonight, where answers—or more questions—waited.


The chamber yawned open before us like the maw of a great beast. Dozens had already gathered. Long cloaks. Moon-etched armor. Symbols of pack legacies stitched into leathers and silks. The Alphas and Elders of the two major Packs, and their seconds. The air was thick with tension and a charge of power that made the hairs on my arms rise.


At the center of it all stood Alpha Jones of the Royals Pack—tall, broad-shouldered, with silver dreadlocks tied behind his back and eyes as sharp as a hawk's. He stood on the raised obsidian dais reserved for the Summoner. I could see Nicolas sitting by his side, though it felt like he was avoiding my gaze. Mirage also sat at the opposite side, not even interested in our arrival.


The murmurs died as he lifted his hand.


"We are gathered," he said, voice thundering, ringing through the hollow. "Not by tradition. Not by ceremony. But by necessity. The hills run red. Our kin lie in ash. And still we wait, pretending this darkness will pass if we close our eyes long enough."


'We or you?'


He looked around. "I say no more. No more waiting. No more whispers. We face a threat not seen since the Riven War. Someone—something—hunts us."


A low growl rumbled through the room.


Alpha Varya of the Windclaw Pack stood. "The Hills were only the latest. Three dens in the southern wilds went dark last month. We thought it was feral strife. But now..." 


Alpha Collins stepped forward. "I visited the massacre site myself. There were no survivors. The remains were... grotesque. Nothing natural did this. No rogue, no beast. This was orchestrated."


My dad nodded. "And to prove the orchestration—" He held up a black envelope, identical to the one I had seen and read. "—we received this."


Gasps and snarls broke out. More than one Alpha leaned forward. "You were warned too?" asked Elder Garrek of the Stonehide Pack.


My dad passed the letter to a Council scribe, who unrolled it before all. The words were nearly identical:


To the House of Levites

You send your hounds to dig through ashes. But it is not the dead you should fear.

We have risen. We remember.

And soon, so will the world.

Let the Hills be your warning. The next will burn brighter.

Sleep well, Jason. You won't sleep long.

"I also received one." Alpha Dante from the Royal faction also handed his letter to the scribe, who unrolled it before all.


You gather in circles like wolves once did.

But we are not what we were.

We have evolved. You? Still clinging to ashes. Keep gathering. Keep howling.

It won't stop what comes.

We are the Shadow Beneath the Fur.

We will erase your name from the wind.

My blood chilled.


"That's not a threat," murmured Alpha Caelin of the Northern Frosts Pack. "That's a declaration of war."


"But who are they?" demanded a younger Alpha, his fists clenched. "Shadow Beneath the Fur? What kind of name is that?"


"A faction?" offered another. "Some exiled blood cult? A branch of witches?"


I stepped forward. I wasn't an Alpha, but my dad gave a subtle nod. I was the Levites princess. I had the right to speak.


"They're not just killing to destroy," I said, steady despite the weight of so many gazes. I gained confidence as I spoke. "They're killing to provoke. To send a message. That means they want us to be afraid and divided."


My dad nodded. "Exactly. And they succeeded. Half the packs still think these are rogue attacks. The others think it's sorcery. But I say again—this is warfare. Methodical. Clean. And mocking."


Elder Garrek grunted. "Then let us strike first. Form a combined war party. Hunt them down."


"And if they're watching us?" Varya countered. "They waited for Alpha Jason to reach the massacre site before delivering the message. They knew."


"Then someone inside the Council may be feeding them information," Mirage said quietly.


The silence that followed was thick and uneasy. Betrayal was a heavy word in the Hollow. It echoed too loudly.


My dad raised a hand once more. "Enough. We won't devour each other out of fear. That's what they want. We will act—but we will act together."


He turned to the scribe. "Record the declaration: a temporary Alliance of the Two. We form a joint patrol. One warrior from each pack. They will scout, track, and report directly to this Council."


"And if they find the enemy?" I asked.


My dad looked me dead in the eyes. "Then we rip out the Shadow by its roots."


The Council roared in approval, wolves lifting their voices in unison—a chilling, powerful sound that shook the cavern walls. Yet even in that unity, I felt something hollow behind it. The enemy had already struck first. Already taunted us. And we still didn't know who they were.


'If only I had a clue from my past.'


I looked at the burning seal of the black envelope and thought of the final word that had scorched itself onto my stone floor: "Soon."


Soon could be tomorrow.


Or it could already be here.


Author's Note:

"Temporary Alliance of the Two"


There are two major packs, a.k.a. the two factions:


The Royals, mostly decision-making, once the overall ruling pack.

The Levites, mostly protection, were in charge of military affairs in the werewolves clan, once under the Royals but with time became another faction.

Each faction has multiple packs under them. Before starting a pack, each alpha must seek approval from the faction leader he wants to be under. Please don’t be confused when I use packs and factions simultaneously.




Chapter 27

Mirage POV

"Alpha Jason seems to be quite familiar with these people... Am I wrong?" An elder from the Royal faction asked, not in a questioning tone, more like a claim.

"Yes, Young Elder Taras, back in the days of your grandfather, he and my father led the war which gave us the upper hand centuries ago. How come you don't know that...?"

I felt like giving him a high five for not being polite with that mocking tone at the end, coupled with the blush of embarrassment on the young elder's face; he was not particularly to my liking.

"That's enough," Alpha Jones commanded.

"I hope Alpha Jason wouldn't mind briefing the council on his knowledge of this forbidden clan."

"From my father's records, this clan has been a forbidden clan since millennia ago, slaughtering both witches, werewolves, vampires, and humans for blood."

"Wait..." Someone cut him off.

"If they kill from every race, what exactly are they?"

"They're hybrids, unknown origin."

"They mate with blood; they are diabolical."

I watched him say all this and more, marveled by his knowledge. I began to see why he was chosen by the moon goddess. He is a patient, reliable, and brilliant leader. My gaze subconsciously moved towards his right. I had to admit, the princess has really matured, coupled with that proud smile on her lips.

I found myself in a daze; her crystal blue eyes, though not staring at me, captivated me. I was unable to look away for a long while, and I found myself grateful that she hadn't noticed my stare.

I quickly schooled my expression. Suddenly, I felt a piercing gaze too hard to ignore; it wasn't hard to detect the source of that gaze.

"Nicholas Jones Smith," I called him out loud and clear. For some reason, it felt good messing with him; his already angry expression turned to one of pure hatred.

"It's been a while since we last met. How long was it again...?" I pretended to be deep in thought. At this point, everyone's attention was already on us.

"Yeah... during your engagement party."

"Oh... Then you already know I have a fiancée...?"

He must be thinking he got the upper hand here.

"Yes... of course, I'm glad Young Alpha Nicolas remembers that too," I smiled politely. Anyone with a brain would know I was insinuating something else.

"Is Young Alpha Mirage something...?"

'Well... this is the main council hall; of course, there is someone dumb enough to ask even when everyone is aware of the unsaid 'mind your own business' policy. We are wolves; everyone's ear is naturally perked up.'

I looked the idiot dead in the eyes with a bored expression. I wasn't intending on responding, as my message already went across: 'I'm so grateful he's not dumb,' judging from his slightly panicked expression. Whatever he has going on with that little girl is his business.

"Anything else...?" Alpha Jones asked, his question directed at Alpha Jason, who seemed to be having a conversation with his daughter.

"I sent a spy a few days ago, and his reports claim that the Death or Shadow Clan, as you may like to call them, are in a peace treaty with the vampires' Blood Sect. My spy confirms that they are in the vampires' territory, the survivors of the last wars, and they plan to procreate."

"S**t! Of course, it has to be those blood-sucking bastards," my dad cursed out of the blue. "Alpha Morgan, do you have something to say?"

"We were ambushed by the Blood Sect on our way back from the Levites pack three years ago, and some of our pack members keep going missing."

He's finally reporting this.

"Even when I had them travel in groups, one returned half dead with a vampire's fang stuck in his neck."

"Oh my...!"

"It's clear the vampires have formed an alliance with our enemies to take us down," Elder Garrak stated with a frown as the entire hall was draped in silence.

Alpha Jason stood from his seat, his voice echoing through the smoke-filled air.

"The vampires have aligned themselves with our enemies, spilling wolf blood without shame, without fear. No more hiding, no more waiting. Tonight, we declare war—not just for the Hills Pack, but for every clan bled dry by their treachery. We strike not as scattered packs, but as one."

"And let no wolf doubt—this betrayal runs deeper than fangs and shadows. I believe they are already prepared for this, as they have an informant within the werewolves."

He declared war on the vampires, his eyes turning golden. "Do I have the council's permission?"

"Yes...!" Everyone said in unison.






Chapter 28

Viona's POV
The wind howled through the high ridges of the Levites' territory, carrying the scent of storm and iron. Thunder rolled like distant drums as my father stood on the terrace outside his office, his broad shoulders squared against the dusk. Behind him, the war table was scattered with maps and crimson markers.

Since he came back from the council weeks ago, he hadn't been the same—strict and restless, as every word carried too much weight. Even my siblings were a little worried about approaching him.

Word of the Council's temporary alliance had already spread, but the vampires' silence remained deafening. And it seems my father is done waiting.

He turned as his second-in-command approached. "Summon the messengers. Prepare the war call. If the bloodsuckers won't speak, they'll bleed."

"But Alpha," Drake said carefully, "the Council hasn't sanctioned—"

"I don't need Council permission to protect my own," he growled. "The Hills are gone. The Frostborns are retreating into isolation. My people will not wait for ash to fall on our doorstep."

He slammed a fist onto the table, rattling the metal figures pinned over key vampire territories.

"We ride within the week. We hit fast. Hard. We take the southern edge of the Duskwind Vale—cut off their supply lines, force them to speak, or force them to burn."

Drake hesitated. "And if it starts a war we can't finish?" My dad's eyes darkened. "Then we finish it anyway." My soft voice cut through the tension.

"Then I want to come with you."

The room stilled. He exhaled, turning to face me fully. "You're supposed to be training."

"I've trained every day since I was four," I said, stepping forward. My small boots made no sound on the stone. "I'm ready."

He folded his arms. "You're thirteen."

"Exactly. Old enough for first blood. Old enough to stand beside my Alpha."

"You are my daughter," he corrected, his voice heavy with steel. "Not my warrior."

I squared my jaw. "But I will be. One day. Why not now? I know the formations. I can shift fast. I've tracked down full-grown scouts during drills—ask Trainer Mylin."

"She told me," he said. "Told me how you cornered a wild drake pup without blinking."

My eyes lit with hope; I have a chance.

"And how you cried afterward because its wing was broken."

My mouth pressed shut. 'Oh... Aunty Mylin, why did you have to mention that part? Can't you leave it at just me being cool?'

My dad stepped toward me, lowering his voice. "You have courage, Viona. Too much, maybe. But war... war doesn't care if your heart is strong. War chews through the brave and the reckless alike. It doesn't know you're my daughter. It only knows blood."

"I'm not afraid of blood," I whispered.

"You should be," he said. "Because I am. Your blood. Spilled on the battlefield. That's what keeps me up at night."

A long silence stretched between us. Outside, lightning forked through the sky, and the air thickened with rain.

My lower lip trembled—but I didn't look away. 'I know what he means. I have felt that before. You have no idea how I and Mom, the entire pack even felt when we heard the news of your death. I'm not giving up now.'

"You always told me the Levites fight for their family," I said. "That we protect our own. Isn't that what I'm trying to do?"

His heart cracked at the edges. He knelt before me, laying his massive hands on my shoulders.

"You will protect us one day, Viona. Of that, I have no doubt. You'll be stronger than me. Wiser, maybe. But right now, your duty is to grow. To learn. And to survive."

"I'm tired of surviving," I cried, my voice cracking. "I want to fight."

He brushed a strand of hair from my cheek, then leaned his forehead gently against mine. "You'll get your war soon enough, little wolf. Don't run to it before your bones are ready."

I looked away, blinking back the sting in my eyes.

"I thought you'd be proud," I murmured.

"I am proud," he said softly. "So proud it hurts. That's why I'm saying no."

He stood, pulling me into his arms, holding me tightly. I pressed my face against his chest and let the tears fall in silence. The thunder outside rolled closer, and my father held me as if the storm might take me from him if he loosened his grip.

Then a guard entered, bowing low.

"Alpha. A messenger from the Blood sect. A vampire envoy."

My father released me slowly. "Let him in."

The envoy was pale, tall, draped in silver and shadows. His eyes glinted with quiet malice as he entered the chamber.

He bowed with exaggerated grace. "Alpha Jason. I bring word from the Blood sect Court."

"You're braver than your kind, showing up here unannounced," my dad said.

"I'm not here to threaten," the vampire said. "Only to deliver."

He held out a scroll.

My dad snatched it and broke the seal. His brows furrowed as he read. Then he growled.

I stood at a distance, watching as my father crumpled the scroll in his fist.

"What does it say?" Drake asked.

"They deny involvement in the Hills massacre. Claim innocence. But say they're willing to talk—" his lip curled "—on neutral ground, with no armed escort. They want to meet during the Blood Moon."

"The Blood Moon?" Beta Drake hissed. "That's two nights away. They're trying to control the terms."

"They want us exposed," my dad growled. "Weak. Disarmed."

"They want to trap you," I said suddenly, stepping forward.

My dad turned, surprised.

I wiped my eyes. "They picked the Blood Moon on purpose. Wolves are weakest during the lunar veil. That's not a meeting. That's bait."

He stared at me. Then—slowly—he smiled.

Sharp. Proud. Dangerous.

"You're starting to think like a commander," he said.

"Then let me come," I said again, fire returning to my voice.

He ruffled my hair, then turned away.

"No," he said. "But you'll be here. Watching. Learning. And if anything happens to me..."

He looked back, and his eyes burned gold.

"...you'll lead."

My breath caught.

Then I nodded.

And in that moment, though still small, still thirteen, I felt the weight of my name settle on my shoulders like a mantle.

But hell no, I'm not gonna let my father die. "I'm coming too."

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