“One night stands out in my memory-she told me what she saw,” Louis continued.
“Do you believe this is relevant, Louis? That she meant Sophia?” Peter interrupted gently, his eyes brightening a fraction.
“I do believe she meant Sophia, and I am honor-bound to fulfill Lara’s request,” Louis affirmed sternly, meeting her mate’s gaze without flinching.
“You know I will follow you wherever you lead, Louis,” Peter nodded, yielding to her as the leader in this moment.
“The night before Maverick Billford arrived, Lara woke me in tears, her heart racing,” Louis recounted, her voice shaking. “She was sobbing, talking about a bloody battle. I shook her, screaming her name until my voice was hoarse. She woke suddenly and told me, ‘When you meet the girl with eyes of water and earth, help her. Give her what she needs, and the world will flourish.'”
“Eyes of water and earth,” I scoffed, turning to a gilded mirror on the wall. I shook my head, reluctant to believe that a child’s vision years ago could pertain to me. I desperately wanted not to be the girl she spoke of, but I couldn’t deny the possibility.
“I’ve always known war could come once the High Table learned about me. I accepted that I would fight alongside my pack and mates, to live or die together. This information confirms what we already knew, but it’s a lot to process right now,” I admitted.
“Having a great destiny is not something one wishes for. They are difficult, painful, and often messy. They rarely end as we hope,” Peter spoke firmly, unafraid of the challenges ahead.
“Change brings loss of life-it’s bloody and horrible, but it’s an unalterable fact of the world. Those who drive change will always face resistance,” Louis added softly, her gaze turning to me.
“I don’t need time to decide. My answer has always been clear, even if I wasn’t ready to admit it to myself,” I replied with conviction. “This cause is bigger than any of our personal desires. It’s worth fighting for, even if it means sacrificing our lives. We’ll save generations of children from being hunted, enslaved, and exploited for their abilities. White wolves will roam freely, as they should.”
“Those willing to adapt can keep their place at the High Table. But those who seek to deepen our suffering won’t survive in this new world,” Peter declared, his commitment unwavering. “Our pack stands with yours, Luna Sophia.”
“We understand you don’t wish for war, but we’re less optimistic,” Louis said with a gentle smile, her years under Maverick Billford’s rule evident in her eyes. “We’ve seen his power grow. He won’t yield unless forced.”
Kieran and I summoned our guards to escort us back to our suite. I felt lighter, more hopeful after spending another half hour conversing with Peter and Louis. I shared how I met the twins, and Louis recounted how she first encountered Peter when he was a young Alpha. Though we were still relative strangers, Louis’s honesty and fierce protectiveness were qualities I found easy to trust. Peter, though rough around the edges, bore every scar of his mate’s pain inflicted by the High Table.
___
“I doubt I’ll sleep tonight, especially with everything happening,” I sighed, leaning against Kieran’s chest. “Do you think Zack will really release Ethan once his wolves are safely out?”
“He better, or he won’t last long,” Kieran growled softly. “We’ve never been apart this long. It’s not like normal siblings. We’ve never fought, and neither of us wants to spend time apart. We’ve always been one.”
“It feels the same for me,” I murmured, curling against Kieran’s side. My throat tightened, and tears stung my eyes, but I refused to succumb to tears. A werewolf wouldn’t, and neither would a Luna.
“I feel like a part of myself is out there, just out of reach,” I confessed.
A knock interrupted us, drawing us from the bedroom to the living area. Kieran answered the door while I perched on the couch arm, clutching a cup of coffee. We were both staying up tonight; I’d been caffeinated since dinner, knowing sleep wouldn’t come. Tonight, we’d discover if our plan to transport Zack’s white wolf allies succeeded. The thought of having Ethan back soon was almost too much to bear-I was wired with or without the coffee.
Sebastian entered, followed by Williams. Sebastian blended effortlessly with the others, always impeccably dressed with a hint of aloofness. Though I no longer despised him, we were far from friends.
“Mind if-”
“Let’s get to it, shall we?” Sebastian cut in, pulling out a manila folder filled with documents. He rubbed his temples briefly before continuing. “These are the official offers from High Table members. Everything’s spelled out, including the fine print.”
“The question is, are you interested in any of them?” Williams added, shooting Sebastian a pointed look. Despite their age, they often squabbled like siblings.
“If Maverick Billford wasn’t the man I know him to be, his offer would’ve been tempting,” Sebastian scoffed, shaking his head.
“Damion’s offer isn’t much better. The fine print is filled with additional stipulations,” Williams added, laying out some papers from the manila folder. He pointed to highlighted sections, emphasizing, “He’d have extensive control over you-experiments, monitoring, tests-all at his discretion.”
“It’s a lot of power to grant someone over me,” I observed, wary. “All that could easily be turned against us.”
“Agreed,” Sebastian nodded, his protective instinct flashing briefly. I brushed it off, pretending not to notice. “Best not to entertain Damion’s offer at all.”
“That leaves Carlos Caddel,” Williams continued, handing over another set of papers. He chuckled lightly as he explained, “His contract is refreshingly brief compared to the others.”
“He just wants an alliance?” I raised an eyebrow skeptically. “That’s all?”
“Specifically, it states that under no circumstances are you obligated to defend Alpha Carlos Caddel or his pack using your White Wolf abilities,” Williams clarified, smirking. “He’s straightforward. Sometimes, that’s better than dancing around with fancy words.”
“They’re not fancy if you’re educated,” Sebastian retorted, his demeanor unrefined.
“What do you think of Carlos’s offer?” Kieran asked, pulling me closer on the couch where we sat together.
As Luna, it still surprised me to have this power to make decisions. “I think-I want to learn more about him. He seems straightforward, but there’s more to him than meets the eye. Accepting an alliance with someone we barely know isn’t wise.”
“I was thinking the same,” Kieran agreed with a chuckle. “Unfortunately, they’ll be expecting your answer tomorrow. We have little time to gauge Carlos Caddel’s character.”
“Also, Arnold Fox hasn’t made an offer,” Williams noted, dropping Arnold’s name. “It’s odd he hasn’t joined in considering the other members are making offers. Usually, he’s quick to back Maverick’s decisions.”
I struggled to conceal my surprise and guilt at the mention of Arnold’s absence. Kieran’s hand on my back and their continued conversation helped settle my nerves.
Nearly an hour later, Williams and Sebastian left after reviewing the plan for the white wolves once more. Kat arrived shortly after, visibly flustered and ready to stay up with us.
We tried to distract ourselves with movies and games, but eventually, we could only wait and think.
“Are you going to tell me what’s on your mind?” I asked Kat once Kieran slipped into the bathroom for a shower, leaving us alone.
“What’s on my mind?” Kat feigned innocence, though she knew exactly what I meant.
“Yeah, spill it,” I teased gently. “You’ve been itching to say something since you got here.”
“Oh-yeah,” Kat stammered, uncharacteristically unsure. Her discomfort worried me; she rarely got flustered. “I’ve been waiting for the right moment to bring it up.”
“Now’s as good a time as any,” I encouraged, my laugh fading as I sensed something deeper beneath Kat’s unease.
“I was just–something happened with Zack. Between us,” Kat admitted, a flicker of pain crossing her face. “I mean, with him and me.”
My mind raced through possibilities, but I held back from jumping to conclusions. “Did you two-”
“No! No, we didn’t,” Kat interrupted quickly, her tone defensive. “Don’t even go there. I can read your mind, Sophia. We didn’t sleep together. Don’t even joke about it.”
I waited patiently for her to continue, letting her gather her thoughts.
“I can feel the bond pulling between us. He’s trying to push me away, thinking it’ll weaken the bond, but it’s only making him more frustrated,” Kat confessed, her voice strained with emotion.
“Yesterday, I was outside video-calling my parents, and when I came in, I literally ran into him. He flipped out when he saw me, and you know I don’t take that crap. I stood my ground, and he backed me against the wall. Before I could react, he looked at my lips like he wanted to kiss me-I could feel it too. I froze. I couldn’t move.”
I chose my words carefully, knowing how delicate the situation was. “If he changed his mind, would the bond still be there between you two?”
“I don’t know what I want anymore, Sophia,” Kat admitted, her pain palpable. “The bond makes me want him, but how can I love someone who never wanted me in the first place? I wasn’t good enough for him, so how can I ever be?”
Her words shattered me. I fought back tears, feeling helpless. “Whatever you decide, Kat, I’m here for you. I support your choice.”
“I didn’t plan for any of this,” Kat continued, her anger rising. “When I imagined my mate, I saw a future-family, children, my parents. And to make it worse, Zack looks exactly like how I pictured him. Maybe someday he’ll regret what he’s done, but I won’t beg him to want me. A short life where I’m free is better than a long one trapped with a man who never truly wanted me.”
I listened quietly, letting Kat express herself fully. Despite her anger and colorful language towards Zack, her strength never wavered.
The three of us stayed up until exhaustion overcame us. The coffee, once sharp and bitter, now tasted stale. I drifted off, barely aware when sleep finally claimed me.
A sharp, insistent beeping woke me abruptly. It wasn’t a heart monitor, but something equally urgent.
“The phone!” I gasped, my voice rough with sleep.
Kat and Kieran were already reaching for it. Kieran answered, his face a mix of hope and dread as he listened intently.
I held my breath, waiting for the news that would bring Ethan back to us.
A wave of grief swept through Kieran, and I felt myself falter. I was falling, lost in my own thoughts until Kieran’s arms wrapped around me, anchoring me.
“They’re in Sebastian’s territory, Sophia,” Kieran murmured, holding me close as I cried with relief. “In a few hours, they’ll be in our town. The men did it-the white wolves are safe.”