One hour until the moon is full
NOAH
An hour before the moon peaks and the pack was chaotic. All night, Beta Alex and I had been turning
the pack territory upside down, digging out weapons, traps, all kinds of random stuff we’d not even
realised that we still had after the last major battle a decade ago.
Anyone who could fight was ready to do so, with newer and weaker fighters backed up by more
experienced members in the areas that were best protected naturally.
We’d moved pups, pregnant women, the elderly, unwell and anyone else who couldn’t fight into the
safe rooms earlier in the day since we had no idea when the attack would actually come. Now… we
just waited… for the attack to come.
Rogues were lining up all around the border close to the trap that Ava and Jeremiah had concocted, so
we’d placed a good chunk of our forces there, with the remainder spread out around the rest of the
border to go after the stragglers.
I’d tried to reach Ava a few times over the last hour… I couldn’t remember the last time I got to tell
her that I love her, but I never had a response. I just had to trust in the plan, trust that Callum and
Oscar would keep her safe, and trust that if she was hurt, I’d know about it.
I was standing next to Alex looking out over Ava and Jeremiah’s funnel. Both of us were confused, I
could feel it. “What are they waiting for?” Alex asked.
“The moon, maybe? Maybe they’ve got to time their attacks with the Rogue King?”
“Maybe, my King, maybe,” Alex murmured, his face concerned. Both of his sons were off in the thick
of this mess, taking on the Rogue King himself. There was no good place to be in this fight, but with
the Alpha and Luna out of commission, looking after the pack fell to Alex and I.
“Never mind… I think they were waiting for that,” my voice was low, mouth open. The sky was still
stormy, but now, that storm had a red and orange tint, like the sky itself was on fire. Lightning danced
across the sky, lighting up the trees, casting Halloween-esque shadows across the ground.
As if by magic, the rogues suddenly sprinted towards the pack territory, some shifting and fighting as
wolves, others fighting in human form.
I gave Alex a nod and a small smile, before shifting and sprinting straight off into the chaos.
CALLUM
I’d needed the pep talk from Selene. I knew I needed to get to Ava, and quickly. My warriors and I
moved through the trees quickly, tearing apart rogue camps as we went. I might not have been able to
shift, but I was proving to myself that I could still protect Ava perfectly well.
I needed that. I needed to convince myself that I’m okay. That I’m perfectly capable of whatever I set
my mind to.
The sky started to change the closer we got to the clearing. We were heading towards the west side,
and if everything went as expected, Oscar would end up on the east side. Ava would be south, and
Elijah would be right in the middle.
About ten minutes before midnight, we were all around the clearing. I could see Elijah, I could see
Oscar, and I could feel Ava. I’m not really sure how I could feel her without Ares, but apparently I
could.
Even after my pep talk with the Moon Goddess, I still wasn’t 100% sure what part I had to play
tonight without Ares, I just had to trust that she wouldn’t lead me astray. That I’d know what I needed
to do, when I needed to do it.
I saw Ava start walking towards Elijah across the field, which meant only one thing.
The moon was in position.
It was time.
AVA
I’d slipped away from Oscar when we were near as is at the clearing. As soon as the moon was in
position, I’d come in at the south of the clearing.
As soon the moon was in the correct place, I started walking towards Elijah, trying to look more
confident than I felt. In reality, I knew it was very possible that tonight could still go very, very wrong.
As expected, he was standing right in the middle of the clearing, his arms open like he was trying to
come across as welcoming.
“I’m glad you’re here, mate,” his voice sent shivers down my spine, and not in a good way.
“You didn’t give me a choice, Elijah. I’m not going to let people die for you.”
I wanted nothing more than to smack the disgusting grin off his face as he looked between Callum
and Oscar. “My mate is not only beautiful and powerful, but she has a conscience too. I’ve hit the
jackpot with my mate and Queen, haven’t I, wolves?”
Everything was exactly as I expected it to be. As Selene led me to believe it would be. What I didn’t
expect, though, was that Artemis would pick that moment to wake up.
“Ava,” her voice hissed through my mind.
“No, Artemis, please, not now,” I begged. “He’ll win, if you’re awake, he’ll win. His mark will take.”
“It w…” her voice was suddenly cut off, leaving me unable to talk to my wolf again. At that point in
time, I couldn’t decide if that was a blessing or a curse.
Elijah, complete with disgusting smirk, appeared in front of me, spinning me around so both Callum
and Oscar would have a good view of me fighting to get away from him. His hand grabbed my hair,
yanking my head to the side to expose my mating spot where Callum and Oscar’s marks currently sat.
A flash of agony ran through my body when his canines sunk in, the silence of the clearing was
shattered by screams, and then everything went dark.