Chapter 11

I wake to the warm glow of the evening sun shining through the window. I stretch my arms, finding the bed empty and my heart begins to race in panic. I fly out of the bed and search the bathroom and then the closet, but before I can rush for the door, it swings open and I’m met with the piercing green eyes of my mate. He looks like he’s unsure of whether to be amused or concerned by my unnecessary panic, but I’m just relieved to know it wasn’t all a dream.

“I made dinner while you were asleep. Are you ok? Is everything alright?” I let out a sigh of relief and nod, feeling slightly embarrassed by my current state, though my embarrassment is nothing compared to my relief.

“Yeah, I’m ok, just had a moment of temporary insanity, but it’s all good now. Wait, you cooked…for me?” The gesture clearly surprises me and he smiles proudly, clearly pleased with my reaction.

“Yes, I cooked dinner and invited your aunt, uncle and brother. I figure we have much to discuss and it’s best we get it out of the way now since I have absolutely no plans of letting you go now that I have you.” I hadn’t even thought about my family and a sudden pang of guilt pulls at me, but the fact that he’s making it very clear that he wants me and accepts me helps to ease my guilt greatly.

“That was very thoughtful of you. I’ll get cleaned up and make myself presentable then I’ll be right out.” He walks up to me, pulling me into his arms and kissing my head gently. I feel the sparks pulsing through me everywhere he touches and goddess how I love it!

“I had my beta, Wes, bring some clothes for you. They’re in the dresser and there are some outfits in the closet as well.” I pull back, rise up on my toes and press my lips to his which has him tightening his embrace and deepening our kiss then he slowly pulls back with a soft smile lighting up his face.

“You should get ready before I decide to call your family and cancel our plans. If I had it my way, I’d take you right here, right now. I would have you over and over until the sun rises in the morning sky. You, my precious mate, are going to quickly become my addiction.” I feel my face flush as he makes perfectly clear that he wants me just as much as I want him. Once he exits the room, I rush to shower and change, putting on just jeans and one of his t-shirts that I tie on the side then head out of our room to find my mate.

I reach the end of the hall and can hear voices coming from a room on the other side of the foyer, so I follow them to find my brother, aunt and uncle sitting on a black leather sofa right across from Tristan who’s sitting alone on the loveseat. Tristan, of course, is the first to notice me, likely having known I was coming before I even left our room.

“That was a lot faster than I expected. Come, sit with me so we can all go over some things.” He smirks at me, causing my cheeks to redden. The others look over and as soon as he sees me, Liam rushes to me and pulls me into a hug.

“What are you doing still staying in the guest room at the alpha’s house?! Do you realize what the rest of the pack is going to think? I thought you were going back to Aunt Avery’s after you saw your friend!” Liam whisper yells into my ear, clearly forgetting that everyone in the house is a wolf and can very easily hear every word he whispers.

“Well, that’s a funny story actually…I’m not actually staying in the guest room.” Liam steps back, his hands still on my shoulders as he studies me with a curious expression.

“Yes, everyone please sit and we’ll gladly explain everything.” Liam reluctantly returns to his seat and they all watch with eager expressions as I slowly make my way to sit beside Tristan. Their eyes are focusing on our every move and all of their eyes widen in unison when Tristan takes my hand in his lacing his fingers with mine.

“No fucking way. Are you serious?! You’re with the alpha?! How…why…when did this happen?!” Liam fumbles out with his jaw hanging open. My aunt smacks his arm, but he doesn’t even seem to notice. I watch as his eyes move up when I sweep my hair off my shoulder, his gaze stopping on the mating mark on my neck which brings an instant smile to his face.

“I’ve known for quite some time that Omara was my mate. I’ve dreamt of her since I was a child and the day you brought her to my house for dinner, I had no doubt that she was the one. I felt the pull instantly, but I recalled our discussion about her having suffered a great deal, so I didn’t dare to push her. After she told me of the reason for her coming here, I knew I had to wait until she and Kira were ready.” His eyes meet mine and I feel the love radiating from him. “She needed time to heal and I needed to give her time to realize that I wouldn’t hurt her. She owned me without even realizing it and I would’ve waited a lifetime if it had come down to it. She’s more than worth the wait.” He squeezes my hand gently, but the loving look he’s giving me only intensifies tenfold.

“Omara, sweetheart, are you happy?” My aunt asks with a soft tone, her need to worry is warring with her desire to be happy for me.

“Honestly, yes. He’s right though. If he had come to me when I first arrived, I would’ve rejected him just out of a need to protect myself. I’d be lying if I said that part of me isn’t still scared shitless, but I truly feel that he’s honestly worth the risk that I’m taking by opening myself to him.” My aunt smiles widely and places both hands over her heart, barely containing the loud screech we all know she wants so desperately to let out.

“If you’re happy, we’re happy for you.” My uncle chimes in, granting us the rare privilege of hearing him speak.

“Why don’t we sit down for dinner and we can cover any other questions there.” Tristan stands up and pulls me up into his chest then breathes my scent in deeply before kissing my forehead. He leads the way to his dining room where the table is already set and the food is already laid out perfectly. Tristan sits at the head of the table with my uncle on the other end, me at his right, Liam at his left and my aunt at the right of my uncle. We enjoy light conversation and laughter in between answering every question they have during our meal and for the first time in a long time, I feel whole.

Chapter 12

A week has passed since Tristan and I marked each other and only four days since he made the announcement to the rest of the pack. The rest of the pack welcomed our union and they’ve all been kind toward me, something I’m still getting used to. Thanks to Liam, my parents found out I found my second chance mate and have announced that the alpha and beta of the White Crest pack will be traveling with them to come out and meet my mate, not at all an unusual thing for them, but something I wish was not part of our pack’s tradition. This means my former mate, who’s now the beta since the former alpha stepped down a week after I was rejected, will be coming to meet my current mate, but the thought of it doesn’t bother me nearly as much as it would have only weeks ago.

I’ve just finished my first cup of coffee while Tristan is at the training grounds, when Kira begins to stir. I haven’t had time to let her run this week because Tristan and I have been completely consumed by one another.

“Can we please go today?”

“I know you’ve been couped up all week and I truly am sorry. I’ll link Tristan and let him know that we’ll be taking a run.”

She howls in excitement and I can’t hold back my chuckle. I open a link to Tristan, immediately being hit with waves of excitement. It seems training is going well.

“I am going to let Kira go for a run. I should be back by the time you’re done with training.”

“Be careful. You should take one of the guards.”

“I’ll be fine. I don’t need to be babysat.”

I feel his frustration, but I’ve been independent my entire life and not even the mate bond will change that. I clean my coffee cup, strip off my clothes then step outside and let Kira break free. I watch as she tears through the trees and leaps over rocks and branches with the forest bed crunching beneath her feet. We run several miles and the scent of the pack is barely detectable from this distance. Kira slowly walks through the trees and toward the clearing with the clear pool of water. She walks to the edge of the crystal clear water and lowers herself down to lie beside it.

The breeze is soothing and draws in the scent of pine and wet soil. I feel the energy pulsing around us like a heartbeat, but a sudden shift in the energy and a scent in the air send Kira onto high alert. I recognize the scent with ease, rot and decay swirls with the afternoon breeze. I try to open a link to Tristan, I try to warn him, but there’s no response. At this moment I can only hope he can feel my fear and Kira’s rage. I tell her to run, but she clings tightly to the memory of Blaine lying helpless on the ground.

“They could hurt our people. We can’t run. We have to fight.”

“Kira, something isn’t right. We NEED to go!”

“NO! I will NOT run. WE will not.”

I’m beginning to panic as I’m forced to watch from the background, knowing she won’t give in. The scent is flooding our senses as the beast gets closer and we hear a loud, menacing growl come from the tree line ahead of us just before the dark brown wolf emerges. His fur is matted and covered in foliage, making me realize that this creature is more beast than man now. Two more wolves step out of the shadows then two more. Thankfully, Kira realizes we’re severely outnumbered. She bolts in the other direction, tearing through the trees and leaping over rocks while dodging branches. We can hear their thundering footsteps behind us and she leaps high, managing to land on a branch that sits more than fifteen feet off the ground. As one of the wolves steps around the tree and stops below us, she pounces on him, snapping his neck with a twist of her jaw. She runs further ahead and ducks into a bush to wait for the next rogue to arrive.

We watch as two wolves step into the small clearing in front of the bush and she lunges at the wolf that’s closest to us, ripping out his throat then pouncing on the next and shreds through its flesh with her claws, tearing through its windpipe and carotid artery. Three down, two to go. She hears more footsteps and quickly rushes into the trees and stops when she comes face to face with the large brown wolf. He snarls and growls and is answered by a deep angry howl in the distance. I know Nuro is coming, but I can’t sit around and wait for him to show up.

The wolf leaps at us, but we manage to dodge him with ease only to slam into the other wolf. We’re about to attack when Nuro flies out of the bushes and tears into the smaller wolf while Kira focuses on the brown wolf. We take him to the ground, rolling until I’m on top of him, but he swipes his claws and lands a hit against our side. His claws part our flesh with ease, but it only fuels Kira’s rage. She bites his throat, clamping down tightly, then jerks her head violently, severing his head completely. She lets out a victorious howl and is immediately joined by Nuro. He quickly shifts and Tristan drops to his knees at our side and scans us for injuries.

“Kira, it’s safe now.” I feel Kira slowly push me forward, leaving me on my hands and knees on the forest floor.

“Are the rogues usually this bad here?” I pant out as I raise my eyes to meet his.

“In my five years as alpha, I have never seen one until the attack on Blaine. We need to get back and warn the others.” I nod and we both run the rest of the way to the pack house. By the time we arrived at the packhouse wearing ill fitting clothes that were found in one of the stash boxes in the woods, my wounds are almost healed. We go straight to Tristan’s office where he instructs his beta, Wes, and head guard, Titus, to meet us. I’ve seen both around the pack, but have only formally met his beta, Wes, so far. A few minutes after he links them, both men walk in and I know they can smell the rogue’s scent and blood on us both.

“Five rogues breached our border. They attacked Omara and their bodies are now scattered to the west.” The head guard steps forward with his head bowed slightly.

“Alpha, we haven’t had a rogue attack since before you took over as alpha. They started after your mate arrived…” Before he can finish his thought, Tristan let’s out a deep warning growl, but I’m curious because I know there’s more to what he’s trying to say. I place my hand on Tristan’s thigh and give him a gentle squeeze.

“Titus, please continue.” Tristan places his hand over mine and laces our fingers then gives Titus a nod, letting him know it’s okay to continue.

“Everyone in our pack who was at the spring ball saw her and knows she’s special, so it’s no surprise that they’re talking about why the rogues would start showing up after she arrived. They don’t blame her for the attacks, but they all seem to be of the same mind, insisting we protect her. Their wolves demand that they protect her.” Without warning, Tristan grabs my waist and lifts me out of my chair that sits next to his then places me in his lap, wrapping his arms around me tightly.

“I think it might be time to pay Elder Taurou another visit, see if he has any useful information.” Wes and Titus nod in agreement while my mind wanders, but not to thoughts of the rogues. My thoughts shift to the unwanted visit from my former alpha and worthless former mate that will be arriving tomorrow.

“I’ll dispatch guards to clear up the bodies.” Tristan nods at Titus who quickly leaves, likely to supervise the task.

“Well, you two should go clean up before that rogue stench seeps into the furniture.” Wes smirks and shakes his head at us then makes his way out of the office.

“I do believe he just implied we stink.” Tristan’s mock offense is comical, but the second I lean in to breathe in his scent, I have to admit Wes was right.

“Dear goddess, he’s not wrong. Let’s go wash away this crap. I prefer the scent of my mate untainted by rogue blood.” When I go to stand, he quickly stands behind me and sweeps me into his arms, carrying me out of his office and out the front door of the packhouse.

“I can walk.” My playful tone has him smiling brightly as his hold tightens.

“And I can carry you. I love the feeling of having you in my arms and I waited a lifetime for it, so I’m making up for lost time.” Brief flashes of the memories he shared with me pop up and I can’t even deny the truth in his words. Besides, I honestly love being in his arms, so we’re both getting what we want without the need to compromise. As soon as we’re back home, we get showered, eat dinner and then spend the rest of the night lost in each other until we can no longer fight our exhaustion.

Chapter 13

Morning comes with the blinding sunlight flooding the room through the window of our bedroom, reminding us both that we failed to close the drapes before ravaging each other all night. I slide out of the bed while Tristan still balances between the realm of dreams and consciousness, making my way to the bathroom to quickly shower and push through my morning routine. In a matter of a few hours, I’ll be facing the man who threw me away like trash. As I stare at my reflection in the full-length mirror in the walk in closet, I realize that I’m not really nervous about seeing him now and I know I have Tristan to thank for that.

“You look stunning, Omara.” My eyes lift to meet his gaze in the mirror and I can’t even fight my smile.

“I was thinking maybe we could eat breakfast with the pack today.” Since discovering that Tristan is my mate, I have yet to eat with the pack. My heart knows they’re nothing like my old pack, but my mind still clings to the abuse and torment from my former pack members. Thankfully, Tristan has let me move at my own pace, but it helps that he’s seen the memories of how I was treated in the past, so he knows the reason behind my fears.

“Are you sure?” I barely have time to nod before he closes the distance between us and pulls me into his arms.

“I’m sure. It’s time to put the past behind me. You and this pack are my present and my future.” He places a soft kiss on my temple then quickly grabs a black t-shirt and a pair of light blue jeans, throwing them on before rushing to get his boots on.

“Are you ready to go?” His wide smile is contagious and when he holds out his hand to me, I don’t hesitate to place mine in it and let him lead me away. When we arrive at the packhouse, no one shows that they’re surprised to see me walking in, but they do all look happy as Tristan and I walk in, hand in hand. We take our seats at the head of the crescent table and I don’t miss the ear splitting grin on Wes’s face. The kitchen staff bring out large trays of food that are filled with everything from eggs, sausage and bacon to waffles, French toast and pancakes. Tristan surprises me by taking the empty plate in front of me and placing eggs, two sausage links, two strips of bacon and a piece of French toast on it before setting it in front of me.

“I know these are your favorites, but is there anything else you would like to try?” I’m so glad the goddess blessed me with such a thoughtful and observant mate.

“No, this is perfect, thank you.” He bends down and gives me a sweet, chaste kiss then starts filling his plate. We eat as the pack carries on various conversations and I realize that this is something I was missing in my old pack, a sense of acceptance and belonging. I finish my meal and, without giving it much thought, I grab my plate as well as several others that were stacked at the end of the table and carry them to the kitchen while many of the pack members watch me with confusion and, if I’m correct, a little curiosity.

“Oh! Let me get those, luna!” The woman by the sink seems almost panicked to see me carrying the dirty dishes in, but I offer her a warm smile as she takes the plates from my hands.

“Thank you. Would you like help getting the dishes washed?” Now the poor woman is staring at me like I’ve grown a second head!

“Oh, no, we’ve got them, but thank you, luna.” She gives a slight bow of her head before setting the plates on the counter with the other dirty dishes. Just as I turn to head back to the dining hall, I stop when I see Tristan standing in the doorway with his arms folded over his chest and an amused smile on his handsome face.

“My goddess, you really are perfect. Come, our guests should be arriving any minute now.” He offers his hand and, of course, I accept it as I let him lead the way to his office. No sooner than we step through the doors than I hear Kira’s voice.

“They’re here.” The words are delivered on a growl as she begins pacing in my mind.

“They’ve arrived. Why don’t you go speak with Mary in the kitchen and have her make coffee and tea for our special visitors.” I see the mischievous look in his eyes and I already know what he has planned. Liam told my parents I found my second chance mate, but he never told them who my mate is. Tristan intends to have a little fun and I’m more than happy to help him. I do as he asked, but before Mary even finishes brewing the coffee, I can already smell Kyle’s scent. Unlike before where his scent would bring me unbearable heartache and fill me with longing, now it only irritates my senses. After a few minutes, Mary hands me the tray and I thank her before heading back toward the office where the door is already open.

“Ah, thank you, Omara.” I haven’t even made it through the door when Tristan brings the room’s attention to me and I’m not at all surprised to see that not only did Alpha Andros bring his beta, Kyle, but also Kyle’s chosen mate, Nina, who sits in the chair beside him while my parents stand at Andros’ side. I see the taunting looks of amusement Kyle and Nina send my way as I make my way to the coffee table by the couch in the sitting area, setting the tray down gently while fighting the urge to smile.

“You’re welcome, Tristan.” I see the looks of shock and hear even my parents gasp in shock at how informally I addressed the alpha.

“You dare disrespect Alpha Tristan when you’re a guest in his pack?!” Alpha Andros looks enraged while Kyle is smirking, likely anticipating the punishment he’s so sure will come.

“Oh! You all are here to meet my new mate!” I can tell that my lack of acknowledgement of his scolding infuriates him, almost as much as my excitement does.

“I pity the poor creature who gets stuck with such a disrespectful and unworthy mate.” Kyle’s voice is dripping with disgust while Tristan lets out a warning growl that has all their attention snapping in his direction while I catch my dad sending a subtle glare in Kyle’s direction, yet neither he, nor my mom, speak to my defense.

“Well, allow me to introduce you to that poor creature. Mom, dad, Alpha Andros, Kyle, Nina…meet my mate, Alpha Tristan.” I walk over and he opens his arms for me, letting me settle into his lap before he wraps his arms tightly around me.

“You…your mate is the alpha?” Tristan raises his hand and moves my hair out of the way, revealing my mate mark and I move the collar of his shirt to reveal his, but take it a step further by placing a kiss on his mark which has him releasing a growl of satisfaction which has Alpha Andros choking back whatever words he had planned to follow up with.

“I really must thank your beta, Alpha Andros. Were it not for him, I wouldn’t have been gifted this wonderful creature. I assure you that if he had known how amazing she is, he would’ve thought twice about trading her in for someone so inferior in every way. His loss was not only my gain, but it has already been a great benefit to my entire pack. She’s fought off rogues not once, but twice in her time here. She’s put herself in harms way to save members of my pack, of our pack, and proven herself to be an amazing luna before even being sworn in. One thing that’s been made clear since the moment I met her, she was born to be a luna and being stuck as your beta’s mate would’ve been a waste of her spectacular talents.” Before any of them can provide a response, I feel the pack link open and the frantic voice of Titus breaks through.

“Rogues, eastern border. At least twenty.” I know I shouldn’t be hearing the pack link because, until my luna ceremony, I’m not technically a member of the pack. I don’t let myself dwell on that detail though, there’s no time for it. I practically leap out of Tristan’s lap and lock eyes with my mother and father, who’ve both remained silent this entire time.

“Both of you get to Aunt Avery’s. Alpha, Kyle, Nina, I suggest you remain in the packhouse where it’s safe. Wouldn’t want you breaking a nail.” Tristan doesn’t argue with me, only proceeds to follow me out of the packhouse where I immediately shift before my feet even touch the grass. Tristan follows suit, but unfortunately, so do Andros and Kyle.

Chapter 14

Kira picks up the scent of the rogues right away and heads straight for them, reaching them much sooner than I had expected which means they made it much closer to the packhouse than they should’ve which has Kira feeling enraged.

“We need to find the one leading them! Look for the largest wolf and he’ll probably be watching the fight rather than participating in it!” I heed Kira’s advice, scanning the forest around us until I spot it…a large tan wolf with matted fur and wild eyes that are observing the fight taking place before him. I see Tristan’s black wolf tackle a rogue that had been charging at me then make the split-second decision to slip around the fight and get behind this rogue leader. I succeed at getting around the fray and slowly make my way toward the bastard in charge, lunging at him the second I’m within attacking distance and catching him completely off guard. I pin him beneath me with my claws digging into his neck, just to the point of breaking skin.

“Tristan! Can you hear me?!” I feel warmth flood through me seconds before his beautiful voice responds.

“Omara?! Where are you?!” I inwardly smile at his concerned tone then push through the image of what I see around me.

“I have their leader! We need to get him back to the dungeon.” I hear an amused huff come through before he responds.

“I’m on my way, beautiful. Just had to save your ex-mate’s ass.” My laughter fills our link until I see him break through the trees. He shifts back into his human form, giving me a perfect opportunity to appreciate his gorgeous body shamelessly.

“Shift!” The wolf beneath me tries to fight the command, but it’s pointless when his wolf realizes that even I am too strong for him, so no way in hell could he take on Tristan. His bones begin to break and reshape until I’m standing over a dirty, malnourished man.

“You attacked my pack, mutt. You will give me answers, but for now, you’ll go sit in a cell while we clean up this mess.” I turn my head when I hear footsteps approaching and find Titus coming up with a pair of silver shackles. I move aside and let him take the man away then watch my mate shift before we head back to the fight.

As we reach the area that’s stained red with blood, I see a few rogues still fighting, but it’s the grey rogue sneaking around the trees toward Kyle that catches my attention. I rush forward, leaping over Kyle and onto the rogue, my jaws wrapping around its throat as I jerk my head to the side as we tumble to the ground, snapping his neck.

“Holy shit! I…thank you!” I look up at Kyle who’s shifted into his far from impressive human form. I know he doesn’t know who just saved him because I never did show him my wolf, but that’s about to change. I watch as Kira steps back and lets me come forward, both of us enjoying the look of shock that takes over him.

“You’re welcome.” I feel Tristan’s arms wrap around me as his bare chest presses against my bare back, his warmth seeping into my very bones.

“Do you wish to question your prisoner, or would you like me to?” His warm breath fans across my neck, heating me in a whole new way that isn’t necessarily appropriate in our current setting and there’s no way Kyle and Andros, who now stands beside him, don’t smell my arousal.

“I’d like to question him, but I’d like for you to be there with me.” He kisses my mark, sending delicious sparks shooting through me.

“The goddess herself couldn’t keep me away.” Suddenly Blaine is running up to us, holding out a large t-shirt to me and a pair of shorts to Tristan.

“Thought you might like to cover up so you aren’t being ogled by the unworthy.” He shoots a scolding glare at Kyle who’s definitely staring too intently for a mated wolf. I pull the shirt over my head then give Blaine an amused look when the damn thing hangs to my knees.

“It’s a dress…” Tristan bursts out laughing while Blaine tries to hide his own laughter, but quickly fails.

“Blame your mate since it’s his shirt!” I lift the fabric to my nose and breathe in the scent of my mate deeply, no longer caring if the damn thing hangs to my knees or the damn ground, just as long as it smells like him.

“Alright, let’s go get cleaned up and then we’ll deal with the interrogation. Alpha Andros, perhaps you would like to see my luna in action?” Tristan’s confidence in me is enough to melt away any insecurities I feel being around Kyle and Andros.

“You’re letting her conduct an interrogation?!” Tristan looks amused by the question, but I know better. I can feel his anger through our bond, so I step in front of him and wrap my arms around his waist then place a kiss on his bare chest, right over his heart. His green eyes look down at me and a soft smile curves his full lips.

“I am. Perhaps you’ll learn something from her.” He sweeps me off my feet and heads back toward our house with me cradled in his arms. He doesn’t stop moving until we reach our room and even then, he only stops to turn on the shower and adjust the water temperature. He finally sets me down and gently slides the shirt up over my head then tosses it on the floor before I grab the waist band of his shorts and carefully slide them down his legs where I let them drop to the floor at his feet. He lifts me in his arms, my legs automatically wrapping around his waist as he steps into the warm spray.

“You were incredible out there, Omara. Every time I think you couldn’t possibly be more amazing, you prove me wrong.” His words are filled with conviction and reach to my very soul. One second, we’re staring into each other’s eyes and the next, we’re sealing our love with hot kisses, hungry touches, moans and cries of ecstasy. More than an hour passes before we finally head to the packhouse and straight to the main floor’s sitting room where Andros and Kyle are waiting with less than amused expressions.

“I assume you both are ready?” It’s an unnecessary question since they’re both staring at us with cold glares, but Tristan seems intent on making them as miserable as possible and I have no plans to stop him. They follow us to the stone building on the east side of the packhouse then down the stone steps to the dungeon. The rogue is chained in the last cell on the right side and we all stop just outside the cell door.

“Ah, I see you missed me?” His raspy voice is as unsettling as the wicked grin on his filthy face, but Kira urges me to see beyond the mask of filth and false bravado.

“Open his cell door, please.” Tristan doesn’t hesitate, but I can feel his worry. Even though he’s not comfortable with this, he still trusts me and that means more than anything right now. He retrieves the keys and opens the door, but he stands in the open doorway once I step inside, making sure he’s close enough to jump in if anything should happen.

“What a weak alpha you must be if you’re allowing your mate to handle your dirty work.” He taunts Tristan, but my eyes remain locked on his.

“My mate is supporting me in my choice to speak with you. There is nothing weak about him and if you keep pushing your luck, he’ll be more than happy to prove that to you. Now, why have the rogues been attacking this pack?” His eyes quickly shift to meet my gaze, narrowing slightly as Kira pushes forward, no doubt her teal eyes are shining in the darkened room.

“I’m not telling you a damn thing, bitch.” I let Kira take control, our claws extending and teeth elongating, but we don’t fully shift, though the next time we speak, there’s no denying the voice that leaves us is hers.

“You can tell me willingly, or I can force the answer from you. Perhaps losing your ability to connect with your wolf will make you talk.” His eyes widen slightly, almost imperceptibly.

“You’re no witch, so that’s impossible.” I feel our lips curl into a sinister grin, one that surely leaves our razor sharp teeth on full display.

“Is it? I am god-touched, so perhaps we should test my abilities.” Kira raises our hand, slowly reaching for his forehead which has him panicking and speaking before we even get within an inch of his flesh.

“Okay! Fuck! It’s one of the elders on the council! I don’t know his name, just that he’s old and smaller than an alpha should be! He offered to save our people, to bring us into a strong pack so we’ll be safe. I have a mate and pups to protect!” We can see the truth in his eyes, but there’s more that he’s left out, whether intentional or not, we need to know everything.

“What reason does he have to send you here? Why this pack?” This time I see the fear in his eyes and I know what his answer will be before he speaks it, though part of me really hopes I’m wrong.

Chapter 15

Before the rogue even speaks, I can feel it in my bones that I’m right about what his answer will be and I know Tristan can feel my tension through our bond, but I don’t know how to calm myself as I prepare for the rogue to turn our worlds upside down.

“We were to kill Alpha Tristan’s mate. He told us she was going to be a problem and he wanted us to eliminate her. We didn’t know you were blessed and we damn well didn’t know you’re one of the Moon Born. We were just trying to ensure the safety of our families.” Kira seems to perk up at the mention of the Moon Born, seemingly sensing something familiar in the name, though even she seems lost as to why.

“It seems I’m the last of my kind.” He nods his head, but his expression is a somber one.

“Yes, I believe you are. Maybe that has something to do with his interest in you, I don’t know,” I glance back at Tristan who has a mess of emotions tearing through him.

“I have an idea, but I need you to trust me.” The second my voice reaches his mind, his green eyes meet mine and his expression softens. I have a feeling he knows what my idea is, but he doesn’t give anything away.

“I trust you. Do what you feel is right, luna.” I turn to face the rogue, deciding to follow his advice and trust the decision my heart is telling me to make.

“What’s your name.” The rogue looks at me with a furrowed brow.

“Ryan.” Kira steps back, giving me full control.

“Ryan, what if we offered you and your family a place in our pack? We could extend the same offer to the others traveling with you as long as they submit themselves to questioning from me and my mate. We can help you, but only those of you who will earn your place here. We won’t be able to help those who are too far gone.” His face lights up and he looks to Tristan for confirmation and I know he nods in agreement.

“We would be forever in your debt. We never wished to hurt anyone. Some of those that died today were fighting because the councilman has their mates and pups held captive. They’ve killed many already. A few of the others were lucky enough to join me when I took my mate and pups, hiding them away where the councilman can’t find them, but many weren’t so lucky. Many thought they could defend their families on their own.” This news infuriates me and Kira shares my rage over hearing of our council’s tactics.

“We will send a group of our fighters with you to retrieve your family and anyone who wishes to seek sanctuary within our pack. They’ll be required to earn their place here just as our other members do. If they choose to come here, they will be sworn into the pack and will have a place here and all the protection and benefits that come with it.” Ryan bows as far as the chains will allow, tears streaming down his face.

“Thank you, oh goddess, thank you!” I hear Tristan link Titus and moments later, the beast of a wolf walks in, ready to take on a task he never asked for, all because he trusts Tristan and I to make the right choice here.

“Titus, this is Ryan. We’re sending you and a group of fighters to retrieve his family and any others who wish to join us. Ryan will be the peacekeeper between you and the others. Please treat them with the same respect you show our pack members.” Titus agrees without hesitation and quickly removes Ryan’s shackles then leads him up to one of the guest cabins to shower and he even links one of the packhouse staff to get him clean clothes and shoes, though they’ll spend much of the journey in wolf form no doubt.

“So, rogues attack you and you show them mercy? They were sent here to kill you, the mongrel said it himself, and you invite him to live among your people?!” I turn to face Andros, ignoring my mate’s angry growl.

“I won’t punish him for the circumstances he had no control over. Unlike your beta, who mated me then rejected me, this rogue was not setting out to hurt me out of malice, he did so to protect those he loves. I spared your beta who wasn’t worthy of being saved, so why wouldn’t I save Ryan?” Judging by the look on Andros’s face, he wasn’t aware of what lengths his beta had gone to in his attempt to break me.

“You mated her when you had no intention of marking her?!” Kyle sends an angry glare my way then returns his gaze to his alpha.

“It wasn’t until we mated that I realized I couldn’t mark her. I couldn’t be with someone so weak and she couldn’t even satisfy my sexual needs!” I can feel how angry this entire conversation is making Tristan, so I place my hands on his chest and slide them up around his neck, drawing his attention to me and away from the pathetic males in the dungeon with us.

“I assume the failure to be satisfied was strictly on your part, Kyle. Trust me when I say that my mate is very good at satisfying my every need. Also, it seems I need to remind you that it’s the very wolf you thought to be weak who saved your worthless life earlier.” He bends his head down and gives me a toe-curling kiss to drive his point home and trust when I say, he can prove this point all day every day and I won’t complain.

“We should go check the warriors, assess injuries and prepare them for our new pack members.” Tristan smiles down at me then kisses my forehead before lacing his fingers with mine and leading me out of the dungeon with Andros and Kyle following behind us in a tense silence. We almost reach the packhouse when I see one of the fighters limping toward us, wincing with each painful step.

“Luke, you should be at the infirmary.” Tristan’s deep voice makes the fighter, Luke, stop in his tracks.

“Doc has his hands full at the moment, so I was going to head to my cabin and clean it up myself.” I free my hand from Tristan’s grasp and instruct Luke to sit down in the grass while I examine his injury. He has a bite mark and three claw marks running down the side of his thigh that aren’t healing nearly fast enough with how much he’s bleeding. I place my hands over the worst of the wounds and focus, not entirely sure what the hell I’m doing, but it feels right. With my eyes closed and my mind picturing the wound knitting back together, my focus only breaks when I hear a soft gasp.

“Holy shit, luna! You’re a healer?!” I open my eyes to find Luke staring at me with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. I look down and, sure enough, the wounds are all almost completely healed.

“Um…I guess?” Tristan helps me up then helps Luke to his feet while smiling down at me, looking like the proudest wolf in the world.

“Like I keep telling you…amazing.” His words are whispered in my ear, but I know the others heard him. I catch the furious glare that Andros gives Kyle, likely realizing the gift that Kyle threw away, a gift that not only would’ve benefitted Kyle, but the entire pack as well. Tristan seems to find their silent exchange amusing, but when my stomach growls rather loudly, all of his attention shifts to me.

“Come on, beautiful, let’s get you something to eat.” He sweeps me into his arms and heads straight to the packhouse kitchen with the two jerks from my old pack trailing behind us. As soon as we’re inside, he sets me on the counter then asks the cook to prepare us something to eat.

Chapter 16

We’re standing in the packhouse kitchen when I notice Tristan’s thoughts becoming somewhat chaotic and his thoughtful expression gives nothing away. His emotions aren’t negative, so I allow him time to process whatever he’s thinking about, letting him tell me when he’s ready…which doesn’t take long.

“Baby, why don’t we invite your parents to dinner so you can spend some time with them before they head back to their pack tomorrow?” While it’s a thoughtful suggestion, part of me feels like I don’t really need to see them, or maybe I just don’t want to. Something that I’ve realized while being here is that while they did provide for me in the most basic sense, they never really did offer me the most fundamental emotional comforts. Sure, I had felt like I was loved when I was with them, but after seeing what real love looks like, I realize the only one back home who truly loved me as if I were blood is Liam. Maybe it’s because I was never truly theirs, or maybe it’s a result of them witnessing first hand the way their alpha and beta disrespected me while they remained silent, but the truth is that Liam is the only one in my old pack who truly cared for me beyond the level of obligation. I end up nodding in agreement, but only because I know Liam will be leaving with them tomorrow and that thought makes my heart ache.

“When will you be holding your luna ceremony?” Andros’s question actually surprises me, almost as much as the soft tone he delivers it in.

“If my beautiful mate is okay with it, I was thinking next week on the full moon.” I smile at Tristan, loving that he always takes my feelings into consideration.

“Sounds perfect to me. I’d do it right now if you wanted.” I shrug my shoulders, letting him catch the seriousness of my tone before his eyes even meet mine and the smile he gives me in response makes my heart melt.

“I mean, it is just a formality. You’ve been mated, marked and announced to the pack, so we can do the ceremony tonight while your parents are already here.” I leap from the counter right into his arms, peppering his face in kisses until I reach his lips.

“Kyle, you should go inform your mate and Omara’s parents of the plans. We’ll leave tomorrow in the late morning, so everyone can enjoy the festivities tonight.” I hear the sound of a chair scraping across the floor then heavy footsteps as Kyle leaves.

“Omara, I’m glad you found a mate who could treat you as a mate should. I assure you I had no idea that Kyle had mated you without any intention of marking you. His actions are unforgivable.” While I can appreciate his apology, he was aware of many of the other issues I faced in his pack, yet never once did he bother to do anything about them. Rather than dwell on the past, I allow myself to let it go, unwilling to taint my happiness now with the darkness of my past.

“It was awful and, yes, unforgivable, but I’m happy now and I’m surrounded by a pack that loves and respects me. I believe the goddess needed me to suffer as I did so I could truly appreciate what she had in store for me. Everything I went through brought me to this moment right now, it brought me home.” Tristen slides his arms around my waist, holding me tightly from behind.

“You are home, beautiful. This place will always be your home.” I turn in his arms so that my chest is pressed to his and gaze up at my gorgeous mate.

“You are my home, Tristan. The wolves in this pack are my home. The rest of this is just a place.” I hear a soft sniffle from behind Tristan and peek around him to see Mary holding a tray with sandwiches while she dabs at her tears with the corner of her apron.

“Awe, Mary, don’t cry!” She chuckles softly and quickly steps around us to place the tray on the counter.

“They’re happy tears, sweetheart. You’re the luna we’ve been waiting for and I’m so very glad Tristan found you.” Tristan’s arms tighten around me as he hums in agreement. We get situated and start eating the lunch Mary prepared for us with Kyle and Nina joining us moments after we start eating. By the time we finish, several pack members are already getting the backyard set up for the ceremony that’s going to be more of a pack barbeque with a brief ceremony to swear me in before we all sit down and eat. Tristan takes me to our cabin to get ready while the pack finishes up the preparations.

To keep an element of surprise, Tristan gets ready in one of the guest rooms and leaves before I’m dressed, that way he’ll get to experience the shock of seeing me walking down the aisle to him in full effect. Tristan doesn’t know that Blaine had picked up a dress for my luna ceremony right after finding out Tristan was my second chance mate, so even though this is an informal ceremony, I put on the dress that was in the back of the closet.

It’s a beautiful dress, but isn’t overly extravagant. It’s shimmering ivory, ankle length with a slit up both sides that stop mid-thigh, has an open back, spaghetti straps and a deep V in the front that stops at the bottom of my sternum. With us doing the ceremony outdoors, I choose to go barefoot and style my hair in an updo with my white strands curled into loose curls. Once I’m ready, I link Blaine to meet me at the door so he can escort me to the packhouse. As soon as we’re inside, I see my parents, but more importantly, I see Liam.

“Damn, sis, you look stunning! Alpha Tristan won’t be able to keep his hands off you.” He cringes at the end which has us all laughing at his expense, but as always, he doesn’t mind. With luna ceremonies, the luna walks the aisle alone, but I haven’t done much in life the traditional way so far and don’t plan to start now.

“Mom, dad, Liam, Blaine…will you all walk me down the aisle?” My mom and dad seem unsure, but Liam and Blaine agree without question.

“Omara, this isn’t like a human wedding. The future luna walks the aisle alone.” I fight the urge to roll my eyes at my mother.

“And this is my ceremony, so if I want my family there to walk me down the aisle, I assure you that Tristan will want me to have them there. If you don’t want to, it’s fine.” My dad, always a man of very few words, walks up and links his arm with mine, giving me his support without needing to utter a word, something he’s never willingly done before. Mom sighs and finally walks up and links her arm with dad’s other arm while Liam takes my right arm and Blaine takes Liam’s.

The music begins and we walk out together, everyone in the crowd smiling brightly, but none as bright as Tristan. No one shows surprise at my entourage that escorts me to my mate, not even when we reach the small wooden stage where each of my family members take turns giving me hugs and congratulating me before I take Tristan’s hand and step up in front of him. The elder recites the usual speech, I agree to swear my loyalty to my pack and to protect them then Tristan and I slice open our palms with the ceremonial dagger, letting our blood drip into the blessed chalice before pressing our open wounds together to bind us by blood.

“Ember Ridge, I present to you Luna Omara!” The crowd cheers and screams in excitement while Tristan sweeps me into his arms and crashes his lips into mine.

“My beautiful luna. That dress…it’s fucking sinful.” I smile against his lips and lock my eyes with his.

“Blaine picked it out…” He doesn’t let me finish my sentence, silencing me with a kiss.

“Remind me to thank him.” He sets me back on my feet then walks me off the stage while several of our pack members help rearrange the chairs while others bring out the tables. We’re seated at the head table that’s placed where the stage had been and my already present smile widens when Liam and Blaine join us.

“So, I have some news for you, sis. I’ve known since I got here, but I wanted to wait to tell you until I was sure I wasn’t going to be rejected…but…Blaine is my mate and I’m moving here to be with him.” I let out a very unladylike screech as I pull Liam in for a hug then reach across him to hug Blaine too.

“This is amazing! This night couldn’t be more perfect!” I was wrong, but that’s okay. We hear a commotion coming from the western woods second before our fighters walk into the clearing with nearly two dozen rogue women and children followed by Ryan and Titus.

“I think it just got better, my beautiful mate.” Not one of the pack members seems bothered by their presence, a fact I’m eternally grateful for.

“Please, join us. We’ll get you all fed and then we can work out housing and get you all sworn into the pack. Welcome home.” I see the instant wave of relief wash over them all as the fighters help bring around more tables to accommodate the newcomers. The rest of the night is a blur of celebration, getting to know most of our new members and in the end, we agree to meet with the new she-wolves in the morning to discuss locating their mates and arranging jobs for them to help around the pack. Tristan and I finally retire to our house around one in the morning, both feeling thoroughly exhausted, but that doesn’t stop us from making love twice before finally allowing sleep to claim us both.

Chapter 17

I wake to the faint glow of the morning sun cresting over the mountains in the distance, my mate’s arms still wrapped around me tightly. It takes some finesse, but I manage to escape his hold then grab a change of clothes and head to the guest room next door to shower and get dressed for the day. I go straight to the large cabin where the newest pack members are staying for now and am greeted with warm smiles and giggling pups.

“Luna, we have a list of the mates that are missing. Several of us have lost our mates to this useless war, but others have mates that are simply lost or still under the council’s control.” Gina, the one who seems to be the self-proclaimed leader of the group, is quick to fill me in on the progress she’s made in helping us to reunite as many families as we can.

“Perfect. Ryan will be working with our guards to locate as many of your mates as we can. He also is helping compile a list of the names of those who fell when they attacked us. For everyone who lost their mate in the battle, we will hold a ceremony to allow their families to say goodbye. They may have attacked us, but it’s no less than any of us would have done to protect the ones we love.” She bows before me, her tears falling freely as she mourns their losses openly.

“Your kindness is something we can never repay you for. You’ve given us hope and in the world we live in, that is more valuable than any treasure.” I link the kitchen staff to have them send enough food over to feed the whole group, not wanting to force them into the crowded packhouse until they’re more comfortable. Just as I’m preparing to head to the packhouse, I hear Tristan’s voice push through my thoughts.

“I see my beautiful mate has been busy already.”

“I was just checking in with the new members. I’m heading to the packhouse for breakfast and would love it if you’d join me.”

“I’m waiting there for you now.” I pick up my pace, arriving at the packhouse in under five minutes where I find Tristan sitting on the front steps, waiting just like he said.

“Well, hello my handsome mate. Are you ready to eat?” He smiles wide as his eyes scan me with undeniable hunger.

“Oh, I’m definitely ready to eat, but we’ll have to settle for breakfast with the pack for now. We have our guests leaving and I believe you have things you wish to discuss?” I nod, loving the way he reads me so well. He gets up and takes my hand, leading me into the packhouse and straight to the dining hall. I quickly notice that Kyle has an angry look on his face while his mate is sitting at the other end of the table with one of our guards, I believe his name is Mike. Tristan and I take our seats just as the kitchen staff bring out the trays of food for the tables.

“Alpha Tristan, it seems Nina has found her fated mate, one of your elite guards. She’s requesting permission to transfer.” Andros almost sounds amused, but as much as Kyle hurt me, I don’t know how to feel about him having to suffer after sacrificing me for a wolf who refused to make the same sacrifice for him.

“We can arrange for her transfer after we eat.” Andros nods while Kyle continues to stare angrily at his empty plate. After we finish dishing up, one of the new members, Lila, walks in with two empty trays, heading for the kitchen, when Kyle’s head snaps up. I see it right away and instead of being happy, I worry that he might hurt her as he did me. I watch cautiously as he stands and slowly makes his way over to the she-wolf who looks equally thrilled and terrified.

“My goddess, you’re beautiful.” He gently takes the trays from her and sets it on the empty service table beside them then shocks us all when he drops to one knee in front of her.

“I don’t know why the goddess thought me worthy of a second chance, but I swear to you, if you accept me as your mate, I’ll spend the rest of my life proving myself worthy of you.” Tristan must sense my overwhelming emotions and it’s made clear that he misinterprets them when he stands up and exits the dining hall with pain and sadness echoing through our bond. I quickly get up and follow him out then down the hall to his office where he walks straight to the window, staring aimlessly at the grassy field and trees.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I’m fairly certain I already know, but I want him to talk to me, to let us work through things without me having to dig through our bond for answers.

“You’re upset that he found his mate.” It’s not a question, but it most certainly is an assumption and an incorrect one at that.

“No, I was upset that he might hurt her the way he hurt me. I’m worried for her because all of the new members have suffered enough without one of them risking taking on a mate who may just hurt them.” I can feel his doubt, his worry, all the insecurities he feels, but he has no reason to feel them, not when it comes to me.

“Are you sure you aren’t hurt that he’s willing to accept a rogue after rejecting you because he finds a rogue to be more worthy than you?” I know he doesn’t mean it and the words are spoken from a place of hurt and fear, but they definitely cut deep.

“Fuck you, Tristan. I don’t know what the hell your problem is, but clearly you don’t trust me and you don’t know a damn thing about me if you think I’m sad because my bastard ex-mate found someone new who he thinks is more worthy of being his mate than I was. I’m going to go say goodbye to my parents while you pull your head out of your ass.” I turn and storm out of his office, slamming the door closed behind me and throwing up a block so he can’t reach out to me until he’s calmed down…until we’ve both calmed down.

Saying my goodbyes is not as painful as I thought it would be, but I think it’s because Liam is staying behind, so I know I have someone here to lean on. As soon as they leave, I decide to take a walk to clear my mind. I make it to the clearing with the clear pond and take a seat on a rock at the water’s edge. I don’t know why this place brings me peace, but I instantly feel my emotions calming. I smell him long before I hear him and while my anger over our argument has faded, the hurt still remains.

“Omara, I’m so fucking sorry. I was completely out of line and I should never have spoken to you that way.” I honestly don’t know what to say, so I remain silent, simply pulling my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms tightly around them.

“Please forgive me. I know I don’t deserve it, but I’m begging you, please.” He’s now standing so close that I can feel the warmth of his body beside me.

“I followed you so I could talk to you and you chose to be a prick. You chose to hurt me.” I don’t know why those are the words I chose, but saying I forgive him seems dishonest because the hurt hasn’t lessened after his apology.

“I know and I was a complete asshole. I was so damn wrong and you didn’t deserve to be the target of my fear. I know you don’t feel anything for him, but my jealous, foolish ass was acting like a damn child. I really am sorry, Omara.” I lower the block on our connection, deciding that letting him feel the pain he caused is easier than trying to explain it. Within seconds, he’s dropped to his knees beside me, his eyes glistening with unshed tears as I finally meet his gaze.

“You hurt me, Tristan. You treated me like crap, like you don’t trust me and then you threw in my face the fact that a piece of shit like Kyle decided I was unworthy of being his mate. If I’m unworthy of him, then how the hell could I ever be worthy of you?” Saying what’s been going through my mind since I walked away from him has tears flowing freely down my cheeks and I can feel the guilt, sorrow and regret he’s feeling because he knows he’s the cause of my broken state.

“That’s where you’re wrong, Omara. I only proved that I’m not worthy of you. I’m so sorry. Please, don’t cry. I swear to you I’ll do better. I reacted out of fear and that has nothing to do with you, but I’ll do better, I’ll do anything just…please forgive me.” The second his first tear slips free, I know I’m done for.

Chapter 18

I turn my body then slide into his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck while his wrap tightly around my waist, pulling me impossibly closer to him. With all the emotions flowing between us, I need this closeness to ease the pain and sadness, I need him.

“I forgive you.” My words are barely a whisper in the afternoon breeze, but he hears them, I knew he would.

“Thank you, thank you for everything amazing that you’ve brought to my life. I love you, Omara.” As soon as the words leave his lips, he pulls back and looks me in the eye. I worry he may have said them out loud as an emotional reaction to our current situation, but then…

“I love you, goddess how I love you. I never thought I’d ever be so lucky, but you’re so much more than I could ever have hoped for. I love you.” He further emphasizes his point with a mind-numbing kiss that leaves my head spinning until he rests his forehead against mine, allowing me to catch my breath.

“I love you too.” He takes a deep, fortifying breath, dragging in my scent as his eyes glow with the golden flecks that let me know Nuro is standing at the forefront.

“My luna, my queen, we’ll never doubt you again.” The guilt amplifies, so I let Kira come forward, helping to push our love through the bond to soothe both our man and our beast, our mate.

“You’re both forgiven.” To prove our point, we take our mate right there on the edge of the crystal waters. After sealing our forgiveness with the most intimate moment, we head back to our house to shower and prepare to meet with Ryan and the mates of the rogues. We meet in the conference room, a necessary evil since there are so many wolves present for our discussion.

“We have a list of nine rogue mates that are still living and need to be returned home to their families. I’m fairly certain that I know where we can find them and by now, some might know their mates have been moved. We need to reach them before they try to attack, they’re likely assuming the councilman has taken their mates and pups.” I nod in agreement with Ryan and Tristan takes my hand in his, squeezing it in a silent show of support while continuing to allow me to lead this mission.

“Alright, we can send a group of twenty warriors with you to retrieve them as well as send picture evidence of their mates and pups being safe. We need to make this as quick as possible because I have a feeling that the council will be doubling their efforts soon enough. We need to get them back here, now.” Ryan and Titus, who seem to have become friends since their first journey to retrieve the she-wolves and pups, both agree without hesitation.

“We’ll prepare the men and leave by nightfall. How are we going to handle the council if they do attack?” It’s something I’ve thought about a lot lately and there’s only one obvious answer.

“Then we fight them. We don’t have any other choice, but if they come for us unprovoked, the other packs will support us, but even without them, we can take them. The council has been abusing their power for far too long now and we’re not the only pack to suffer from it. While you’re out finding the others, my mate and I will reach out to our allies and see who will stand with us.” Tristan gives my hand a squeeze then decides to add his own input as well.

“We’ll be increasing training, anyone willing and able to fight will be included in the sessions. We’ll also be increasing the patrols from six to ten wolves per group. We’re not going to be caught off guard and we have even more members now who need our protection.” Everyone agrees to the changes, even Wes who’s just returned from his overnight trip to the Evergreen Trail Pack where he was hoping to find his mate.

“Alright, everyone get to work, we have a lot to accomplish today. Wes, can you please come with me?” Tristan and Wes both seem surprised by my request, but Wes nods and follows us out of the room. I take Tristan’s hand and lead the way to the cabin where the new members are staying.

“Alright, my beautiful mate, want to clue us in on why we’re here?” I stop on the top step and turn to give them both a warm smile.

“I want to see if Wes can help me make more permanent housing arrangements for the new members.” Wes actually smiles, clearly pleased with the task he’s being given. I open the door and barely get a foot inside when I hear a growl from behind me.

“Mate…” I turn slowly and stare wide eyed at Wes as he slips past me and quickly moves through the house until he reaches the sitting area where one of the she-wolves whose mate was killed is sitting with her two pups.

“Well…shit. Looks like that trip to Evergreen was unnecessary.” Tristan bursts out laughing and pulls me to his side as we watch the magic of Wes and Farrah embracing then he makes tears spring to my eyes when he scoops up both of her pups and brings them all in for a group hug.

“I’m starting to think you’re this pack’s lucky charm.” He kisses the top of my head and leads me out of the cabin to give them some privacy.

“We’re going to have to make more permanent arrangements soon, but it can wait until we have a final head count, I suppose.” Tristan hums in agreement, but before either of us can carry the conversation further, Liam links me and his urgent tone has me and Kira on high alert.

“O! I just heard from Kyle and I think you need to get over here and hear what the hell’s going on in White Crest.” I look at Tristan who’s already looking at me with concern.

“We need to get to your office.” He doesn’t ask question, just grabs my hand and walks quickly back to the packhouse, not slowing his pace until we reach his office where Liam and Blaine are already waiting.

“O, Kyle contacted me because something shady is happening in White Crest. Three of the council members showed up while Andros and Kyle were here. He said the guards sent out an S.O.S. and warned them not to come back. They’re in Oslow waiting to hear from us on what they should do.” I look at Tristan and he knows exactly what I’m thinking…this is the council’s first move.

“Tell them to head back. Our men should be back in less than two days and in the meantime, we can see if we can reach anyone in White Crest to find out exactly what’s happening.” Tristan nods in agreement, so Liam pulls out his phone and calls Kyle to tell him the plan. Andros and Kyle agree to return and claim to have a few wolves they can reach out to in their pack that shouldn’t be on the council’s radar, so we’re hopeful that we can get information from them to gauge the situation. I’m thankful that my parents are with Andros and will be returning with him as well. We may not be a close-knit family, but their safety is still more important to me than I think even they realize.

“It’s almost dinner, so why don’t we go dine with the pack and then we can take Nuro and Kira for a run to blow off some steam.” Tristan’s suggestion is perfect, exactly what we both need right now. We all head to the dining hall and visit with our pack, including Wes’s new mate and pups. Farrah worked for the clinic in her old pack, so Wes has agreed to help get her set up with our pack doctor and also offered to help the others find suitable job placement within the pack.

Once we’re finished eating, we waste no time getting to a safe place to shift and let our wolves take over. They run for hours, playing and pouncing on each other, finally ending their adventure in the cave where Tristan and I first claimed each other. Kira pushes me to the back of her consciousness while she proceeds to mate with Nuro, finalizing our mate bond when they mark each other before relinquishing control.

“Well, that’s not where I saw things going…” Tristan’s cheeks flush pink, but I’m honestly surprised they haven’t mated sooner…though now I’m feeling the heat pooling between my legs as I stare at my mate’s perfect body. The bond is so much stronger and no matter how much he’s acting shy about our wolves’ encounter, I can feel his arousal from being in front of his naked mate too.

“We have time before the others will arrive.” His brow rises to his hairline as I crawl across the cold stone cave floor, my eyes devouring every exposed inch of him until I’ve climbed into his lap. I wrap my leg around him and secure my arms around his neck then lean in and lick his mark, relishing the way his body trembles beneath me and his hard cock twitches against my core.

“Oh, you wicked woman. Don’t tease me, love.” I give his mark another lick then press my lips to his ear and whisper the challenge that’s guaranteed to shatter his restraint.

“And if I do?” I can barely manage to blink before he has me on my back and in a single thrust, he’s buried to the hilt as I cry out in a perfect mix of pleasure and the most delicious pain. With every powerful thrust, my back scrapes along the stone floor, but the stinging pain only adds to the intensity of the moment, leaving me clawing at his back and moaning loudly. His lips crash into mine, the kiss full of fierce hunger and passion, bringing the pace to a more slow and purposeful rhythm. His thrusts are slow and deep, as his eyes lock with mine and one hand cups my cheek, his thumb gently stroking the heated flesh there.

“I love you, Omara.” He pants out each word, punctuating each one with a deep thrust, the final one sending me over the edge and coming undone beneath him. He thrusts three more times before howling out his own release and collapsing against me.

“I love you too.” His hot breath warms my neck for several minutes before he begins trailing kisses from my neck, to my jaw and then finally reaching my lips.

“You’re my world, Omara. My sun, moon and stars.” My heart skips a beat, his declaration touching me to my very core.

“And you are mine. We should head back before the others get here. I’d like to shower with my mate before we have to deal with the disaster that surely awaits us.” Unfortunately, he knows I’m right. Neither of us are under any illusion that the council went to White Crest for anything other than to further their unholy agenda.

“Sounds like the only way to prepare for such an unpleasant meeting.” He places one last soft kiss on my lips then stands up and offers me his hand. We return to our clothes then carry them back to our house and head inside to shower and change.

Chapter 19

It’s just past nine when Liam links me to tell me the others have arrived, the moment of truth is finally here. Part of me is worried about how bad the situation is back at White Crest, but the other part of me is trying to focus on the next step, what we’ll need to prepare to do, what we must be prepared to lose, to help the pack that had never treated me like I was one of them. I tell Liam we’ll be there after we get dressed then Tristan and I head to the packhouse and go straight to his office where the others are waiting.

“Has there been any news from White Crest?” Tristan jumps straight to the point, but I know it’s because he’s not only anxious to know, but he’s also tired as hell after our extended love making session that began in the woods then continued in the living room, the kitchen, our bed and finally reached its conclusion in the shower.

“My guard reached out just before we arrived back here. The council has my gamma and the head guard locked in the cells. They brought back-up, the Mirror Coast Pack sent roughly thirty guards with them. They’re standing guard throughout the pack which makes it difficult to reach out to any of my higher rank members.” The Mirror Coast Pack is a pack of mercenaries, fighters for hire who have no moral compass and they can be swayed by money or resources that can be sold to make money. They’re really a lawless group of greedy bastards.

“If we take White Crest back, will your people be willing to fight for you?” Tristan seems surprised by my question, but he doesn’t know how Andros and his father have led the pack. They haven’t been led with respect, they’ve been ruled by fear and while I was one of the main targets once my ability to be invisible was taken by Kyle, I wasn’t the only one to suffer and deep down, the whole of White Crest knows it.

“I know we’ve not always treated you well…hell, I doubt we ever have, but I assure you that I plan to be a better alpha than my father was. I know I have many things I need to change, but hopefully my pack will see that I’m trying.” I can tell he means his words, but the problem is that he hasn’t shown them that he’s different, so they don’t see. Words and intentions mean nothing until you’ve proven yourself with actions.

“I would suggest having my mom and dad reach out to the members they can. I don’t doubt your desire to make changes, but you haven’t given the pack reason to believe that you will make the necessary changes. If they’re asked by members like themselves, they might be more open to working with us. Also, if reaching out to the higher ranked members is an issue, then this will be our best bet. If we reach the lower ranking members, they can get messages to the others. No one is more invisible in your pack than a low-ranking wolf. They can sneak into places no ranked member could. They handle everything from housekeeping to maintenance and even cooking.” Andros isn’t happy with it, but I can see in his eyes that he knows I’m right. I don’t doubt that being called out on your failures in front of the alpha of another pack is humiliating, I’m sure, but he knows I’m right. After a few minutes of silent contemplation, he nods in agreement.

“You’re right. We’ll have them contact everyone they can and I’ll have the guard I’ve been in contact with spread the word as well. We’re going to have to make our move soon though. We can’t risk the council getting any closer to their end goal, whatever it may be. There has to be a reason they chose White Crest and I damn well want to know what it is.” I know he’s right and while our fighters are strong, it’s hard to ask them to march into a battle against wolves that exist with the sole purpose of killing for money. He also has a point about the council choosing to invade White Crest when there are so many other packs they could’ve chosen from.

“Titus and the others should be back tomorrow. We can make plans to leave in two days. That gives Titus and those that return with him a full day to rest and prepare for what’s to come. I’m sure many of the rogues will want to join us to get justice for their fallen if nothing…I certainly know I would.” Tristan and the others agree without question, knowing they would feel the same if our roles were reversed.

“Alright, everyone should get some sleep because tomorrow we have to approach the pack with our plan. We need to make sure everyone is prepared and we need to check our armory because the council won’t be fighting fair. We’ll need to go in armed and ready for the fight of our lives.” I smile at Tristan, loving that he’s working with me to handle this rather than expecting me to stay silent while the ‘males’ handle the situation. Andros and Kyle leave to find my parents and explain everything so they can handle their part in this while Liam and Blaine head to Blaine’s house.

“Are you ready for this? It’s going to be messy and we might lose some of our people in this.” I feel the weight of everything settle in and I know Tristan feels the same.

“Whether we’re ready or not, this is happening and there’s no stopping it now. We may not have started this war, but we damn well are going to end it. The council is killing innocent wolves, manipulating them, kidnapping and killing their families to further their own sick and twisted agenda. I won’t stand for it.” Tristan’s anger is only slightly stronger than his exhaustion right now, but I feel the same way.

“We’ll finish this…together. It’s time the council knows who the fuck it is that they’re messing with. I want our new members to truly know what it means to be free, to not have the safety and wellbeing of their families be held over them and used as leverage. I want them to have a place where it’s safe for them to raise their pups and their mates can be their strength as they’re meant to be, not some weakness being exploited by evil, greedy bastards with an insane god complex.” He pulls me into his chest and we both take a moment to calm each other with our combined scents, letting the mate bond work its magic.

“You’re an amazing luna, Omara. We’re doing this together and we’re going to make the council regret ever fucking with us. Come on, let’s go get some sleep.” With our plan for tomorrow in place, Tristan and I head home to get some much needed and well-deserved rest.

Chapter 20

I wake to an undeniable heaviness settled into everything around me, even the air feels heavier as the universe seems to hold its breath in anticipation of what’s to come. As I roll to my side of the bed to get up, a strong arm wraps around me and pulls me back against a firm chest, offering a small amount of comfort, even though I can feel his emotions through the bond and they mirror my own. Neither of us are looking forward to asking our pack members to risk their lives and loved ones for a war brought on by the greed of others.

“Take a shower with me before we head out to face the day?” The way he asks makes it clear he needs me as much as I need him in this moment, so I nod and get up, following him into our luxurious bathroom. We make slow, sweet love, savoring the connection without any focus on our release, though we do find it and too damn soon. Once we’re cleaned and dressed, we walk hand in hand to the packhouse to eat breakfast with our pack, enjoying one last moment of normalcy before we drop the bomb that will send everything into a tailspin. My parents, Andros, Kyle, Liam and Blaine all sit near us, all of them looking as somber as Tristan and I feel.

“We need to talk before you two address the pack.” I stare at my mom, noticing the seriousness of her expression, and give her a stiff nod before pretending to eat the breakfast I truly don’t even want. When the others are finished, we head to Tristan’s office to figure out the next step before we break the news to the pack.

“Alright, who wants to go first?” Tristan sits in his chair and pulls me into his lap while I scan the people in the room, waiting for one of them to talk.

“Your father and I reached out to the omegas and the few guards we keep in touch with. They all agree to fight at our side. The council executed Elder Soril and Doctor Morris. They claimed they were guilty of plotting against the council.” The slight growl in her voice makes it clear that her wolf, Juno, is lurking close to the surface.

“I spoke with all of the guards I could reach, which was only about half of them. They’re all prepared to fight and will be awaiting our signal. I also was able to contact Alpha Byron of the Black Spire Pack and he’s heard about the council’s invasion of our pack. He’s willing to fight at our side and pledges one hundred of his guards to aid us.” I’m impressed with the effort Andros is putting into saving the pack from the council and I can tell Tristan feels the same.

“I reached out to my former pack and Alpha Orion said, and I quote, we’re not taking the council down without him. He pledges eighty warriors to the cause.” I give Blaine a smile of approval, knowing it must’ve been hard for him to reach out to his old pack, but he seems well and truly over his rejection thanks to Liam.

“It sounds like we have the numbers we need to make this a walk in the park, but the council has a lot of packs still under their thumb.” Liam isn’t wrong and we all know it.

“Tristan, can you ask Elder Taurou to call the office line so we can speak with him?” I can tell he’s curious, but part of that is likely due to the intensity of my determination shining through our bond. Moments later, the phone rings and he puts the call through on speaker.

“I assume our luna has questions?”

“You assume correctly. Hello, Elder Taurou. I won’t bother explaining the situation we suddenly found ourselves in because I have a feeling you already know. What I would like to know is what you know about the reason the council is making a move now. They’ve had all this time, a lot of it where the pack was weaker and would’ve been easier to take on, so why now?”

“Oh, child, the council isn’t after the pack. They’re after you. News has spread of the god-touched and they seek to end the one who can destroy the empire of lies that they’ve spent over a century creating. With your family residing in White run, they likely believed they could use them to lure you out. From the research I’ve done, it seems that when you were born, your birth mother had a witch cast an enchantment on you that would hide you from the council until such time that you were mated.

“She likely knew that she couldn’t hide you forever and that the council must be stopped, but I believe she wasn’t strong enough to do it herself. She surely knew you would be the savior of our people, so she made sure you would be given the chance to succeed. Once you mated with our alpha, the enchantment broke. It makes sense and everything I read shows that the others of your line had often sought the aid of witches for enchantments to help hide themselves.”

“How am I meant to be a savior, Taurou? I’m unique, I get that, but you said I should have all these enhanced abilities and I just…don’t.”

“But you do. Your wolf has been holding back, but I promise you that she’s much more than she lets others believe, even you. When it comes down to saving her people, she won’t fail you.”

“Thank you, Taurou…I think.”

“May the goddess be with you, Omara.” The call disconnects and I feel everyone’s eyes on me.

“Well, no pressure, right?” It’s almost comforting to see that everyone in the room looks as lost as I feel right now…almost.

“Hey, you aren’t doing this alone. I’m with you and we have a lot of packs willing to back us. We’ve got this.” I feel Tristan’s arms tighten around me as he whispers the words into my ear, his tone firm and not a hint of doubt that he believes this to be true.

“Alright, we need to reach out to as many packs as we can. We can expect that if the council gets wind of what we’re about to do, they’ll pull in everyone who’s loyal to them. It would be amazing if we knew what packs will fight for the council, but we don’t so…” Before I can finish, my usually silent father speaks up and quickly proves that there’s more to him than meets the eye.

“Actually, we do know. I’ve worked with the council for the last twelve years, mostly grunt work. It’s why I was always having to travel so much. I can get you a list of all the council’s allies, but there aren’t nearly as many as you would think. I also think we should reach out to an old friend. Having him back our cause would greatly tip the scales in our favor.” Liam, my mom and I all stare slack jawed at the fact that not only has he spoken more in the last three minutes than he generally does in a month, but it seems that none of us were aware that he worked for the council.

“Um…okay…who’s this old friend?” A mischievous grin tugs up his lip before he says the last thing any of us would’ve expected to hear.

“I’m sure you’ve all heard of Lord Darius? He aided Queen Cora in their battle against the council nearly seventy years ago.” He knows Liam and I have heard about him because he used to tell us the story of the great battle between the hybrid queen and the supernatural councils. He not only helped take on the shifter council, but the council of the covens as well.

“You mean…the vampire lord?” Andros looks to be either shocked or disgusted, but I’m completely intrigued by the idea honestly.

“I assume you know how to reach him?” My dad nods and Tristan places a kiss by my ear.

“I told you, we’ve got this.” We decide to take a break to get lunch while my dad contacts Darius and we wait for the others to return. As we all sit in the dining hall, I scan the group of people, some of whom I would never have imagined fighting alongside, and can’t help but smile. Tristan holds my hand as I take it all in. Wes sits with Farrah and her two pups, looking like the perfect, happy family. Nina sits with her mate, Mike, both looking absolutely thrilled. Kyle sits with his mate, Lila, doting on her and feeding her pieces of roast beef like a loving mate. Liam and Blaine sit beside each other, both smiling and laughing. Even Andros, who has yet to find his mate, seems to be soaking in the joy around him.

“You’re happy.” Tristan’s breath warms my ear as he leans in to speak to only me.

“I am. I mean, this is one unlikely group of allies, but…it fits. We fit…all of us. Hell, even the idea of working with the vampire lord feels strangely right.” He hums in agreement then kisses my shoulder.

“It does, doesn’t it?” I push away my half eaten plate of food then lean into Tristan’s shoulder, loving how his arm wraps around me without him even thinking about it, almost like his body acts on instinct. Then comes the link we’ve been waiting for…the others have returned. Tristan and I excuse ourselves while he instructs Titus to bring the others to the cabin where their mates are staying so we can go through the questioning and swear them in before we make the pack announcement.

Chapter 21

When we arrived at the cabin, we had fourteen new wolves to question and in the end, all fourteen were sworn into the pack. Watching the reunions was bittersweet because two of the wolves they brought back were ones whose mates were killed by the council, but their pups were here and we got to watch the mixture of joy and heartache as they embraced each other. When everything settled, we arranged for four of the she-wolves and my Aunt Avery to stay with the pups while we instructed the others to follow us to the front of the packhouse for the meeting and linked the rest of the pack to join us as well. Now we stand before two hundred and thirty-seven of our pack members as Tristan begins the meeting.

“You’ve all been asked here because we, as a pack, have become a target. The rogue attacks over the last few months were not random attacks and they weren’t perpetrated by the rogues. In fact, those rogues were as much a victim in all of this as we were. The true evil behind these attacks was the shifter council. They took the mates and pups from these wolves and used them as leverage to force the wolves to do their bidding. Two of these wolves had their mates murdered by the council, a cruel tactic to keep them in line, to force obedience.

“Every one of the surviving mates and pups have been brought into our pack and today, their mates have been reunited with them. This will not be the end of the council’s war on us and right now, they’ve invaded White Crest, killed an elder as well as the pack doctor and are holding the pack members prisoner in their own homes. They’ve brought in around thirty warriors from the Mirror Coast Pack and we all know there are other packs who will side with the council if a war against them should start.

“We have someone who will provide us with a list of their allied packs and right now, only three of the council members are in White Crest, so there may be a chance that the others do not agree with the agenda. We have several packs willing to aid us and we’re reaching out to Lord Darius to seek aid from him as well. I know it would be an unlikely alliance, but we will do what’s necessary to ensure the fewest casualties possible. This fight isn’t just to defend our pack because we aren’t the only ones suffering at the hands of those who were designated to protect us. Right now, White Crest is suffering at their hands, but it won’t be long before they move on to other packs as well. We’re fighting for the freedom of our race and justice for those who have fallen at the hands of the corrupt, something far bigger than just one or two packs.

“If you are willing to fight, you’ll need to be at the training fields at seven to go over battle strategies. If you aren’t, you’ll be expected to stay back and help defend our pack in our absence.” It’s easy to see that the training field will be packed because our entire pack seems prepared to stand by us in this battle, but…something Tristan said has me thinking…if only three of the nine council members are in White Crest…where are the others and are they a part of this at all? We head to the war room where Andros, Kyle, Titus, Ryan, Liam, Blaine, mom, dad and Wes are already waiting.

“Darius agreed to help and will have his best fighters here with him at dusk.” I can hear what they’re saying, but my thoughts are elsewhere and it doesn’t take long for Tristan to figure it out.

“Omara, what’s on your mind, beautiful?” Jolted from my thoughts, I scan the room, unsure of whether or not I should share my thoughts out loud.

“The council, it still consists of nine members, right?” Andros and Tristan both answer at the same time.

“Yes.” When my eyes meet my dad’s, I know he’s figured out where my thoughts are.

“If only three are in White Crest, then maybe the other six aren’t aware of what’s happening, or maybe they don’t support the movement. Is there a way for us to find out where the other six stand in all of this?” Andros nods, clearly having a plan.

“I can contact my cousin. He works in the archives building.” He pulls out his phone, dials a number then places it on speaker while we all wait in silence.

“Andros? Please tell me you’re alright!”

“Yes, I’m fine, but I can’t say the same for my pack members.”

“I heard Councilman Gilroy led an attack on your pack. I’m sorry, cousin.”

“As of right now, there have been two deaths and the rest of my pack are being held captive. Was this attack sanctioned by the council, or is Gilroy acting alone?”

“Gilroy, Jessup and Marx have gone off the rails. They drugged and imprisoned the rest of the council. There are mercenaries here and they’re killing anyone who steps out of line. I’ve remained off their radar because it seems no one bothered to check the archives building. Right now, there are five of us here and we’ve been laying low until this all blows over.”

“Cousin, it won’t be blowing over. Gilroy’s actions are an act of war. We need to free the other council members and get them to Ember Ridge. Is there any way you can get them out if we can transport you all to safety?”

“Yes, we can use the sewer tunnels to get to the dungeons. The main tunnel will lead us to about a quarter mile past the city border. I can text you the coordinates.”

“That’s great, now…don’t panic, but the group who’ll be meeting you at the pick-up location are with Lord Darius.”

“The vampire lord? I’ve read a lot about him. If he’s fighting at your side, you’ve got quite the advantage, cousin. I’ll send the coordinates as soon as I have the councilmen.”

“Be safe and I’ll see you soon.” When the call disconnects, there’s no wave of relief, no easing of the tension in the room because the betrayal of three councilmen has brought on a war that has already cost too many lives, but we all know the bloodshed is far from over.

“Darius and his men can get from here to Frost Crest City in mere minutes, so once your cousin is ready, we’ll get them out of there. With the help of the six loyal councilmen, we might be able to turn the tables with some of the packs that are loyal to the council. Ultimately, I doubt any of them want to face a war, especially not one they stand no chance of winning.” Once again, my dad surprises us all with his insight.

“You’re right. For now, go, spend time with your loved ones until it’s time to meet at the training field.” Tristan and I remain seated as the others file out of the room until only the two of us remain.

“I hope we can pull this off. I don’t want to lose any of our people. The members of our pack, especially the newer ones, have suffered enough.” Tristan lifts me out of my chair and pulls me into his lap, one hand gently pressing the side of my head against his chest.

“I know, but we aren’t being given a choice. It’s not only our pack that’s suffering and we aren’t the only ones who stand to lose wolves to this war. I know what you’re thinking. You think that they’re doing this to get to you and you think that if you give yourself up to them that they’ll back off, but they won’t. They’re power hungry and greed doesn’t stop once they obtain what they’re seeking. They’ll always want more and won’t stop until there’s nothing left to gain.” He’s one hundred percent right. I’ve been thinking about this since Taurou told me that I’m what they’re after. I know he’s right thought. Greedy people don’t ever stop trying to get more…more money, more land, more power.

“I know, you’re right. I just hate this.” He squeezes me tighter and places a kiss on my forehead.

“I do too, but we’ll do whatever we have to. If Elder Taurou was right, you may want to have a word with Kira. If she’s been holding back, we need to know what your true abilities are before we march into battle.” I hear Kira whimper at the slight scolding tone, but even she can’t deny that our mate has a point.

“Head to the training grounds and I’ll reveal everything we are.” I’m pleased with how easily she’s agreeing and am eager to learn what I’m capable of.

“She wants me to go to the training grounds so she can show me what she’s been hiding.” It seems Tristan is just as eager as I am because he jumps up with me still in his arms and speed walks us right out of the war room.

Chapter 22

It takes only a few minutes to reach the large clearing that’s used for training and, thankfully, there are no other wolves present when we arrive. Tristan sets me down and gives me a sheepish smile when I arch a brow at him, though his strange need to carry me around is amusing, it just seems very impractical…but I secretly love it.

“Alright, Kira, show us what you got.” I take a deep breath and let her push forward. As soon as our paws hit the ground, she takes off at speeds that are nearly double what Tristan is capable of reaching. When she sees the excitement on our mate’s face, she decides to show off for him as she runs at a large tree, leaps at it then slams into it with her front paws, causing the tree to fall over from the force of the impact.

“We have enhanced strength and speed, but we also have a few other tricks that aren’t safe to practice here. We have a howl that will disorient our enemies and our healing is far more accelerated than the average shifter. An injury that would take our mate days to heal from will take us only hours. We can mind link with shifters who aren’t part of our pack too. We have a heightened sense of smell which is how you picked up the scent of that rogue that attacked Blaine and our vision is better than your average shifter.” I internally smile when I realized she shared this conversation with our mate as well, keeping me from having to relay everything to him later.

“We have all these strengths, but I’m sure they don’t come without added weaknesses?” I know the whole balance of nature thing, just like with witches, so I need to know what all these extra abilities will cost me.

“It’s not what you’re thinking. Unlike witches who must trade power to receive power, we don’t seek a balance because we ARE the balance. We were sent here to balance out the scales. We do still have the same weaknesses as normal shifters. Silver and wolfsbane are still effective, though our resistance to their effects is higher.” Tristan approaches us, clearly in awe of everything he’s learned, but hell, so am I. To spend my whole life feeling like an outcast who was unworthy of being treated with even an ounce of decency only to find out I’m actually some super wolf blessed by the goddess herself?! My life is more ridiculous than a damn fiction novel.

“You’re truly amazing. We should keep this under wraps for now, essentially, you’re our secret weapon. I don’t want to risk the rogue council members catching wind of what you’re capable of because if they don’t know, they can’t defend themselves against it.” I love how clever my mate is and he’s definitely right about the element of surprise. I can’t wait to surprise the hell out of those bastards before I rip their throats out.

By seven, we have two hundred and four pack members gathered at the training field as Tristan, Wes and my father explain battle strategies and they divide the group into five groups with designated attack points for when we rush White Crest. Darius and his ‘vamp squad’, as Liam dubbed them, arrive at seven thirty and are here for less than fifteen minutes before taking off to the city to retrieve the council members and Andros’s cousin as well as whatever survivors they find.

I don’t think any of us considered how the vampires would transport the council members back, but them arriving in a black cloud definitely wasn’t on my crazy crap bingo card. Along with Andros’s cousin, they managed to retrieve fifteen others and claim to have inflicted only a few casualties on the intruders to do so. From the moment they arrived, the council went straight to the conference room to begin making calls to their loyal packs, letting them know of the unsanctioned attack on White Crest. With the help of Darius and his group, they manage to transport in another eighty wolves and the council has almost one hundred others that will be meeting us at Oslow, the town that sits less than an hour away from the border to the White Crest territory.

With every one of our fighters shifted, we begin the journey to Oslow, a trip that takes us nearly ten hours and has us all needing to rest for a while before we meet up with the others who should arrive in approximately five hours. Tristan leads me to a small cave so we can rest without being surrounded by so many wolves and I barely manage to curl up to him before losing my battle with sleep.

“Omara, it’s time to wake up. The others are here.” I open my eyes, finding Tristan’s green ones staring down at me while he wears a soft smile.

“Alright, I’m up. Let’s go kick some ass so we can go home and sleep in our comfortable bed.” He offers me his hand and helps me to my feet then walks me out of the cave to where we find ourselves surrounded by wolves as far as the eye can see.

“Omara, we didn’t have a chance to meet properly when we arrived. My name is Darius and I must say it’s a true pleasure to meet the moon born.” Darius is a handsome creature with his tall, lean body, pale skin, long black hair and his eyes are red with a swirling black mist. He bows before me with flourish then stands to his full height.

“It’s nice to meet you too. I appreciate you coming to help us.” He nods his head, his eerie eyes scanning the large group of wolves surrounding us.

“The councils all seem to be incapable of keeping themselves out of trouble. I’m truly surprised we’ve had a little over seventy years of peace.” He gives me a bone chilling smile that flashes his fangs before turning his attention to the group of vampires making their way toward us.

“They have more than thirty standing guard, but we saw no patrols. If we’re going in, we should go now.” Darius looks at me for confirmation, which I give with a single nod.

“Alert the others.” All twenty of his vampires fade into mist as we approach the center of the crowd of wolves.

“It’s time! You know your positions! Go!” Tristan’s commanding tone has everyone running to get in place while we shift and move to the location where our group is to cross the border. We have twenty-four wolves with us as we cross into the territory I know all too well, which makes it easy for me to lead the charge. Within fifteen minutes, we’re just outside the town as we slowly break apart to move between the houses, slowly taking out the guards as we come across them. These must be from one of the packs the rogue councilmen called on because they aren’t anything like the mercenaries we were expecting to face.

With each house we clear, the White Crest pack members begin joining in the hunt for the bastard council members, rapidly increasing our already impressive numbers. Once we reach the packhouse, we find the mercenaries we had expected to encounter much sooner, but instead of thirty, there are more than fifty of them and they don’t hesitate before attacking. I notice it too late, the glint of light off silver tipped claws.

“Watch their claws! They’re tipped in silver!” The fighter in front of me catches my warning in time, dodging to the side so the mercenary’s claws hit the gravel as he falls forward from the momentum of his attack. As we take a few brief seconds to scan our surrounding, we see several of those fighting with us have fallen and it’s almost enough to make us hesitate…almost. Kira refuses to watch another of our fighters fall, so she tears through and lunges at the mercenary who’s just getting back to his feet. Our teeth rip through the flesh on his arm then sink deeper until we hit bone. She thrashes her head frantically until she’s ripped the limb from his body.

With a brutal swipe of her claws, she tears through his throat just as Nuro leaps over our head, attacking another mercenary who was trying to get the jump on us while we were distracted. One by one, the mercenaries fall, but not without us suffering a few more casualties of our own which only serves to further enrage Kira. When one of the vampires shouts that we have incoming wolves, Kira has finally had enough. She tilts her head to the sky and unleashes a howl that sends a pulse of energy through the entire area, disorienting the enemies while seemingly having no effect on our own fighters.

Chapter 23

I push through wave after wave of wolves until I reach the packhouse where I pick up on the scent of fear and it’s so thick that it could choke a lesser wolf. With a swipe of our paw, Kira tears the door from the hinges and sends it flying into one of the mercenaries just as he prepares to attack Wes. We stalk into the house, following the putrid stench of fear until we reach one of the safe rooms that has a reinforced steel door. Kira isn’t phased by it, not even a little. She rears back on her hind legs and slams her front paws into the door over and over until it gives way, falling with a loud metal clang that echoes through the whole house.

I can hear the war raging on outside as more reinforcements have arrived to fight for the betrayers, but even their noise can’t drown out the thundering heartbeats in this room. I feel Nuro approaching and I can scent Darius not far behind him. Darius uses his inhuman speed to sweep through the room, fastening silver shackles and collars onto all three wolves right before they shift.

“I believe that should hold them. I’ll have my men transport them to the Council’s dungeon so they can stand trial for their crimes.” Once Darius’s men have removed the betrayers, Nuro and I rush out of the room, but instead of heading back to the battle, I rush up the stairs to the second floor balcony that overlooks the field of fighting wolves. I shift and face the battle, ready to end the bloodshed.

“Enough! Gilroy, Jessop and Marx have been apprehended! The ones you fight for are gone! Their false promises are not worth bleeding for and they damn sure aren’t worth dying for! The remaining six councilmen are alive and well, so unless you want to face an imminent execution, I suggest you return home, bury your dead and mourn your losses because staying here is a death sentence you don’t want to face!” As my words are carried out across the field, slowly but surely, the fighting stops and while some refuse to leave, most flee, unwilling to die for a cause that’s not their own.

“Um, luna?” I look down and see one of our guards, Noah, pointing toward the tree line where a green fog is rolling in, looking like a cloud of toxic gas. Within seconds of the guard’s alert, everyone’s attention is on the growing cloud and we can now hear a symphony of groans and heavy footsteps landing on dry leaves and twigs. I don’t think any of us were prepared for what would emerge from the toxic fog, but I’m fairly certain none of us had reanimated corpses on our minds.

“Shit, they had a fucking necromancer?!” One of the wolves below shouts and, well, I get it. Who the hell works with necromancers anyway?! They’re lawless, self-serving pricks who have loyalty to no one but themselves and don’t even get me started on their smell!

“Okay, what the hell do we do now?” I look over to see Wes stepping up beside me while Tristan stares out at the new army we apparently get to face.

“Fighting the hordes will be ineffective. We must find the puppeteer. Kill the one pulling the strings and the puppets will fall with them.” Kira’s voice is a welcome sound and her information is invaluable at this moment since I highly doubt any of us have ever fought a necromancer.

“Kira said we have to kill the necromancer. She says fighting the zombie-skeleton-rotter things will be pointless.” I hear Kira huff out what sounds like a wolfish laugh before she speaks again in an amused tone.

“I never said zombie, skeleton or rotter.” She huffs out another laugh as she moves closer to the surface to observe the ‘horde’ that has stopped a little over one hundred yards from where our wolves are gathered.

“So, you think our heightened abilities will be enough to tip the scales in our favor here?” I stare out at the army of rotting flesh and decay, their scent making a rogue smell seem mild.

“I do. Let’s show these bastards why you don’t mess with the moon born!” Kira pushes forward, leaping off the balcony and shifting mid-air. As soon as our paws make contact with the ground, she lets out a howl, a war cry that has our wolves charging into battle while Tristan links our pack to warn them to seek the necromancer and I hear Andros shouting the same to the others. As I tear through rotting corpses and skeletal foes, I see glimpses of Darius and his vampires doing their weird vaporizing crap as they pop in and out of view, slaying the undead rotters before returning to mist only to appear further out to take down more.

I catch sight of something, just a brief glimpse of something moving nearly too fast to be spotted in the trees roughly eighty yards ahead of me. That’s when the winds change, dragging a new scent my way that’s almost drowned out by the stench of rot and decay, but I catch it…frankincense, myrrh and ash. Kira seems to know that this is it, the creature pulling the strings like a damn wizard hiding behind the curtains while his minions fight his battle. I feel Nuro’s presence getting closer as Kira charges at the cowardly bastard leading his mindless horde from the shadows.

To his credit, Nuro is hot on my heels, though I know Kira isn’t pushing herself as hard as she could be, not yet. I see the movement again, it seems more frantic now then I see the strange, blurry form practically fly up a tree at clearly inhuman speed. We stop at the base of the tree, watching as the life of the tree slowly fades, sending dry, dead leaves falling around us like snow as a deep, menacing laughter fills the forest.

“Foolish dogs! You think you can destroy me and my army?! For every one of my husks you destroy, three more will rise. Soon you and your worthless mutts will tire and we’ll slaughter you all!” Nuro growls as he begins pacing, but I watch from the background as Kira takes in our surroundings. This tree stands alone with no others in a thirty foot radius. She looks up and I can feel her wicked, wolfish grin as she stands on her hind legs, presses her front paws to the tree and instead of knocking the damn thing down like I thought she would, she shocks the hell out of me when she begins scaling the trunk using her claws like a damn cat instead of acting like the wolf she is.

“Let’s show this bastard the error of his ways.” I smile internally as I realize her plan. We’re only ten feet down from him and I can finally see what he looks like and honestly, I think I was expecting something…more? He has pale, ashen skin, dull, almost lifeless, pale blue eyes, stringy silverish grey hair and his body doesn’t look much different than the skeletal creatures he resurrected. A good, strong wind would likely blow the creepy bastard away. Kira gives him a wolfish, teeth baring smile then tilts her head back and lets out a loud howl that seems to paralyze the ugly creature. We watch as he slowly falls backwards, his body crashing into the ground below us while Wes, who seems to have appeared out of thin air, rushes over and fastens silver spelled shackles around his wrists and a spelled collar around his scrawny neck. Kira pushes off the trunk of the tree, freeing her claws as we fall and land gracefully on all four paws.

“Holy shit, luna! You sure you aren’t part cat shifter?” Kira looks at Wes and huffs, giving him an eye roll as we turn to face the forest where all of the rotters are now scattered across the ground, the magic that reanimated them now blocked by the spelled shackles their master is wearing.

“Kira, you did it. They’re gone.” We look back as Liam and Blaine walk up to me. Liam is holding a blanket and quickly throws it over me once he’s close enough. Kira steps back, finally feeling the exhaustion from today’s events. I barely return fully to my human form before Tristan lifts me into his arms while Liam quickly pulls the blanket over me so that I’m covered, likely knowing Tristan won’t handle it well if the others are looking at his mate’s naked body.

“Darius, can you see to it that this creature is properly secured in the council’s dungeon until his trial?” I look up to see Darius standing there with a sinister smile that reveals just the points of his fangs.

“Gladly. You, luna, are a fantastic little beast. Alpha Tristan, cherish her always. You were truly blessed with this one.” Tristan’s hold on me tightens and he places a kiss on my temple.

“Always. Thank you for your help. While you handle him, we’ll tend to our wounded and dead.” I hadn’t thought about our losses until this moment and it brings a sudden wave of sadness that has tears welling in my eyes while I scan the gathering crowd, seeking the faces of my pack as I try to register any that might be missing.

“Take me to our dead.” Kira pushes forward just enough to wiggle us free of Tristan’s arms then leads us to where the others are already laying out the wolves who fell in this useless war. Each familiar face, some from my new pack and some from the old, makes my heart ache, but Kira is urging me forward until we stop in front of the grassy field where their bodies are being laid out in a line.

Chapter 24

I look out over the grassy field, seeing the unexpectedly overwhelming number of dead wolves…wolves who died fighting a battle that should never have been necessary. My heart is aching, completely breaking for the loss of those who fought at our side. Kira stirs, a strange feeling taking over as energy begins surging through us.

“Selene is granting us this one freebie. While it’s never wise to tamper with fate, their deaths were not dealt by fate, but something much darker. We’ve been granted permission to restore their fate, to let them return to the lives they were meant to have. They will still die, but only when it’s their time.” I can’t believe what she’s saying, but I’m willing to do whatever I can to undo the damage the council and their minions have done. The moon is already rising in the sky and as the white light shines down upon us, I feel a surge of energy that flows into me and Kira pushes it forward, letting it flood the field, soaking into the bodies before me.

“Holy shit…they’re…they’re coming back!” Wes’s voice is filled with confusion and awe while the others watch in disbelief, but who can blame them?! I’m literally resurrecting the dead! I feel the last of the energy fade and open my eyes to see the bodies now filled with life and free of wounds as they stand and are embraced by their family, friends and fellow pack members.

“Goddess, you are too damn amazing. How the hell did I get so lucky?” I look over my shoulder to find Tristan standing only inches behind me, his gorgeous green eyes instantly locking with mine.

“Well, this particular party trick was a one and done. The goddess was undoing the damage that was done, putting fate back in control. I won’t be able to raise the dead again, but apparently, I can add tree climbing to my list of badassery.” He bursts out laughing and is quickly joined by Wes, Oscar and several other wolves who overheard our little exchange…including Andros and Kyle.

“Omara, you saved us all and we’ll forever be in your debt.” I look at Andros who looks both grateful and regretful, something I never thought I’d see, especially not directed at me. It’s strange to realize that I feel no lingering anger toward this wolf.

“You owe me nothing. All I ask is that you do better, be a better alpha for your pack because they sure the hell deserve it. Be the alpha your pack needs and we’ll call it even.” He extends his hand and I accept it, giving him a firm shake as Tristan wraps his arms around me and his chest presses against my back.

“Let’s go home, beautiful.” We say our goodbyes then begin the long journey home while the others begin the journeys back to their own packs, our new alliances forged in blood and blessed by the goddess herself.

The trip home took a lot longer due to us all being so damn exhausted, but we made it by eleven the morning after the battle. Tristan and I head to our house while the others retreat to their own homes to get some well-earned rest with the promise that we’ll celebrate with a pack barbeque the following day. I didn’t realize just how tired I actually was until I walked into our room and didn’t even have the energy to ravage my mate before crashing on the bed and losing consciousness, but he seemed to have the same idea since he hit the bed merely seconds after me, pulled me into his arms then faded with me into the darkness.

Epilogue

It’s been one month since the battle at White Crest and things have never been better. The council has been reformed while the fallen members stood trial for their crimes. I think everyone was pleased to hear that, with the help of Lord Darius, the Mirror Coast pack was eliminated for their part in the crimes against not only White Crest, but multiple other packs that came forward at the beginning of the trials.

Things around our pack have been peaceful and Tristan has made sure we invite Blaine and Liam over for dinner once a week while we spend every other night of the week eating with our pack. While things may be peaceful and calm here right now, we chose to continue to offer the increased training so we’ll never find ourselves unprepared again. Tristan and I have been participating in the increased training, but I just wasn’t up for it today, so Tristan went without me.

‘Goddess, why am I so tired?!’ I had meant it as more of a playful complaint than an actual question, but I also never would’ve expected Kira to have an answer…let alone the answer she gives me!

‘We’ll be tired for a while, but it happens when you grow a pup.’ Huh…well…that was not an option I had even considered for my sudden bought of unexplained exhaustion.

‘I suppose that makes sense, but how the hell are we going to tell Tristan?! We’ve never even discussed having pups!’ Kira…the little shit…huffs a wolfish laugh at me while rolling her eyes.

‘Mate will be happy. We should tell him now!’ I understand her excitement…at least I do if he’s actually going to be happy about this whole thing. Before I have a chance to think of the reasons I shouldn’t tell him yet, I hear the front door open then close which has Kira laughing harder.

“Omara?” I sit up in the bed and swing my legs over the edge, but when he enters our room, I can’t bring myself to look at him.

“Hey, how was training?” I can feel his worry, but I know it doesn’t help that he can feel how badly I’m trying not to panic and I don’t doubt he felt the spike of panic when Kira first informed me of our current condition.

“It was fine. Hey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Before I can even respond, he’s dropping to his knees in front of me then he gently grabs my chin and tilts my head until my eyes meet his.

“I mean…yeah? I…I think so. What are your thoughts on having pups?” I know, I’m being a damn coward, but at least I’m easing my way into it!

“Well, I want to have pups. Do you?” I nod my head, but his fingers don’t release my chin, almost like he just knows I’ll look away or lower my head if he does.

“Yeah, I do. How far in the future are you thinking? Like…months? Years?” The worry I felt flowing from his side of our bond has been completely replaced by confusion and curiosity, which is definitely a better emotion for the current situation.

“I’d be happy to have pups whenever you’re ready, hell, I’d be ready right now if you said the word. Are you saying you’re ready? How long do you want to wait, Omara?” I grab his hand, the one not holding my face, and place it on my still flat stomach, my eyes watching his reaction as it slowly sinks in. First, his eyes widen ever so slightly, then his eyes drop to the spot where his hand rests and then his eyes meet mine again and I see the unshed tears glistening in them.

“Being ready is overrated, right?” He chuckles, sounding like he’s still in shock, but then he nods.

“Completely overrated. Are you okay with this? Are you happy?” I take a second to think about my answer, but it really does come so easily.

“I’ve never been happier.”