Jordan
Three weeks. Three weeks, since we had seen a glimpse of Ember’s beautiful face. She told us in our link not to come for her, or she would pay the price. Of course, being her mates, we attempted to come for her, but were blocked off by hundreds of Wars soldiers blocking the border. We could have killed our way through them easily, but not at the risk of Ember getting hurt again. We lost communication with her right as she said he was putting the bracelet back on her. The blue moon was less than seventy-two hours away.
Many of the allied shifters from Black Diamond agreed to fight with us to not only get our mate back but defeat an enemy that seeks to destroy us all. We were bringing War to War, and taking our mate back in the process. We could only hope she knew what she was doing. A phone call came through from an old business partner of mine, Roland Black, Alpha of the Black Alder packhouse in South Carolina, to discuss the plan. He, too, had heard of the coming war, and his forces were three times the size of ours, which would be a huge help. His wife, Elena, was a friend to my mother as well. They offered us some of their warriors as they had issues of their own, they were dealing with, and we were grateful.
With the battle approaching, everyone gathered on our pack lands, making camp. Come the blue moon, it would be time to march out. With Ryder dead and War in charge of his body, that meant the treaty with his family pack was now over. We would be able to cross over with the spell broken. Be ready, Ember, because we are coming for you, and we are bringing Hell with us!
Ember
“I want this fucking bracelet off”, I demanded War. Surprisingly, ever since he forced me to go with him, he has left me alone. He figured without my powers; I was only human. Unable to defend myself. He was currently speaking with some of the eyeless men.
“LEAVE”, I commanded them, and they took off at once. War turned to me with an eye raised. He had been wearing Ryder’s skin lately, and I had grown used to recognizing him as War and accepting that the Ryder I knew was no longer alive.
“No”, he simply said before walking past me. “You know why you are bound. I won’t have you plotting against me”, he said as I walked behind him.
“As if that would fucking change anything. You are holding me hostage. I am the mate of four of the most powerful alphas on this earth. You do realize they will come for me”, I told him. He stopped walking, turning around and I ran into his hard body, falling back onto the ground.
“Of course, I know they are coming for me. My scouts report they have already tried it. Your mates are gathering an army as we speak to march on me. If a death sentence is what they wish, then it is what they will get. My plans shall still go on”, he said.
“RISE, MY ARMY, AND TAKE YOUR PLACE AMONGST ME”, he commanded, shifting into his true form. The ground rumbled, as if an earthquake had suddenly hit, forming a huge hole in the ground in front of Ryder’s mansion. Zombie-like creatures came crawling up with smoky eyes like his. Spider-like creatures with the heads of men crawled out of the hole, spinning webs and disappearing into the trees, waiting. Huge black demon-like lizard creatures with three horned tails rose out and made a barrier all around the mansion, on guard and ready.
Many more dark creatures rose up from this hell pit and all I could think about was how there was no way my mates were going to be matched enough to fight these hell creatures. They were simply werewolves and only Damien possessed one power of phasing. I could not even warn them.
The blue moon was making its appearance soon, and I remembered what Iris told me about his ring. I would indeed get close enough to War and take his ring, but only at the right moment. Without his ring, he would not hold any more control over these creatures or the eyeless men, which would hopefully make them vulnerable enough to kill.
“Please, please, prepare. He has hell creatures. Some of the darkest creatures ever created”, I said through my bond, sending a mental picture of the creatures War has risen. I knew my mates could not hear me, due to the bracelet, but I could only hope.
Damien
We all felt the buzz in our bond as we surrounded the main table, to go over the plan of attack. Jordan, Carter, Seth, Ben, Jessica, Jax, Agatha, and some of the other shifter leaders made up the leads of each of the plans we were making. Each of us had a part to play, and I was certain we would play it to perfection. Jax, being who he is, already made sure to have plan B and C, should things go sideways. The buzz my brothers and I felt was like an energy that we have only ever felt from one source. It was Ember. She sent us all a mental picture of what she was seeing. The creature’s War was rising for his own army. It was truly the stuff of nightmares. She looked down at her own body, and we saw that, for now, she was okay. Relief flooded the bond with myself and my brothers at this news, as we had not heard much from her since the connection ran silent.
Ember also had a plan of getting close enough to War to snatch his ring. Our goal was to make sure she had a clear enough path to do so, once the battle broke out. The sounds of guns cocking filled the air from ours and other packs.
“Guns will be useless. The creatures he has summoned will not be killed by them. We will need to use our own talents here”, I told everyone. Agatha was able to share the kind of creatures War raised as a mental image to everyone, so we would all be prepared.
” Actually, pure silver among all species will injure them. These creatures included. I will take all the ammo you all have to be blessed by Selene in my hut. They will be effective in injuring them and slowing these creatures down, but it will be on you to kill them.” Agatha stated, and we all nodded.
“The plan will work”, Seth said to everyone, reassuring us.
” The Black Alder warriors are here”, Jordan said.
” Who leads them?” Carter asked them. The doors opened and I saw their Beta Cole coming through, with his mate, Mia Black. Jordan and I have engaged in business affairs in the past with Alpha Roland Black and Cole, so we knew we could count on them to lend a hand.
” Alpha Seth, Carter”, he greeted them with a small bow and shook their hands before turning to Jordan and I.
“Jordan and Damien. What have you fuckers gotten into this time?” he greeted, laughing as he put a hand on both of our shoulders.
” End of the world shit”, Jordan told him, as we greeted him back with a hand on the shoulder before letting go.
” Ah. The battle never stops, does it? This is my mate, Mia, Roland’s sister. She will command the second half of the army. Roland and Elena send their regards. They are busy raising newborns”, he said. We nodded.
“No worries.”, I told him, and explained the plans to them. He gave his insight on battle strategy, and, alongside Jax, they both had great ideas, which were both going to be used with the plan.
“Alright, Everyone. Get some sleep. In two days, we will attack these fuckers and take back our mate”, Carter said.
” War will learn just what happens when you mess with the Woodstone clan”, Seth growled, and the growls of our pack followed in acknowledgement.
Ember
The air chilled as the day of the Blue Moon had come. With it, its promise of destiny. In which hand destiny tended to rule was unknown to us all. I felt that my mates had received my message and were making preparations.
“Can you smell it?”, War said, as I ate breakfast for what could possibly be the last time. Horned-tailed creatures were on each side of me, and were commanded to protect me at all costs, making sure no one came close to me.
“You’re coming to defeat?” I asked him. He smiled, wearing the skin of Ryder.
“It’s funny that you naturally assume that. I am War, Ember. This is the shit I fucking live for. No one on this earth has ever had the power to defeat me.” he replied.
“Then why fight the coming war, if you are so determined that you will win? Why not just attack them now, and be done with all this”, I told him. He looked up at me, through Ryder’s eyes.
” Why not? Fighting is all I have ever known. I will be the first of my brothers to consecrate this mortal realm for Ares to come and rule, knocking that bitches control right out of this realm.”, he replied.
“You do know that no matter if you win this war or not, I will not ever rule beside you. I will kill myself before I allow you to have me”, I told him, and I meant it. He raised his hand and chains sprung from the armrest of the chair, restraining my body in my seat. The metal chains were thick, and I could not break out of them.
“I have already come to that conclusion. Luckily, it is not your love I require. Only your blood. I will complete my ritual before the start of this war. Your stupid mates think the Blue Moon will make me weak, and while that may have been the case before, your God blood will indeed turn the tides on that” he said, before disappearing from his seat in a wisp of smoke. I looked to the left and right of me but could not see him. I suddenly felt a hand on my throat from his presence behind me as he snatched my head to the side.
“Be still. It will hurt a lot less.”, he commanded, and before I could understand what he meant, his bite pierced me.
“AAAHH”, I screamed, as the white-hot pain of his bite was sent through my entire body. I thrashed around, and the pain had only gotten worse. I could feel my blood seeping into him and it weakened me. He pulled back from my bleeding neck as my blood poured slowly from my wound, down my body and dripped onto the ground. He was draining my very essence. He spun the chair around and made me face him. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes, but I would not let them. I am not weak.
“You think I am stupid, Ember. You think I didn’t know you being here was to trap me somehow. I am always one step ahead. That is the reason I have not touched you, until now. Your god-blood is heightened now as the blue moon approaches, and I need you in perfect health and under my watch, ” he said. His skin started to melt off and, in its place, the very skull I had become repulsed by. His robe of darkness replaced the clothes and skin he wore, leaving nothing but his true self.
” Your going to fucking die”, I said, slurring my words.
“Patch her up”, I heard him say as the blood loss made me pass out.