Chapter 07

The enemy who had praised my fighting skills wiped blood from his lips, his smirk faltering. I barely spared him a glance before turning to Damon. Before you know it, the enemy raises his sword, his body tensed and ready to lunge.

Too slow.

I moved first, dragging my blade upward to meet him with a sharp clang. The impact sent a harsh vibration up my arm, but I held firm, twisting my wrist to lock his weapon in place. With a sharp pivot, I yanked my sword free and, in one swift motion, brought the edge beneath his throat.

He stilled.

Fear flashed in his eyes, and though he tried to move back, he hesitated. He knew the slightest shift could mean his death. I pressed the cold steel to his skin as I stepped behind him, curling an arm around his throat. The others watched in frozen silence, their hands twitching toward their weapons.

I think he is the leader of their group and they never expected that their leader was as weak as an ant.

“Drop them,” I ordered. “If any of you move, he dies.”

For a second, no one reacted. Then, one by one, the clatter of weapons echoed through the forest as swords and daggers hit the dirt. The tension in the air thickened.

The enemy exhaled slowly, his voice low.

“Smart move.”

I ignored him, shifting my gaze to the men now standing unarmed before me. “Who sent you?”

Silence.

My grip tightened around his neck. “I won’t ask again.”

Still, no response. But I caught it. A flicker of hesitation in their eyes, the slight shifting of feet.

Fear.

Damon pushed one of the men to his kneels who tried to move forward to me, pulling himself out of the group and stepping forward. Without hesitation, he grabbed the youngest of the group by the collar, dragging him out from the others.

“This bastard killed one of our own,” Damon growled.

“You don’t need any confirmation, Alpha Rhea. These are Beacon’s men. They were sent to hunt you down.”

Beacon.

The name sent a ripple of cold through me. I had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed made my pulse spike.

I studied the others. Their faces were hardened with resolve, but something wasn’t right. Their postures were stiff not the arrogance of men who expected to win, but the careful restraint of those who weren’t entirely loyal to their cause.

My eyes swept over the bodies spread out on the ground some groaning in pain, others motionless. Their attire was different and mismatched. I frowned.

“Beacon’s men?” I repeated, eyes narrowing. “No. Not all of them.”

Damon followed my gaze, realization dawning on his face.

“You’re right.”

The others-the ones lying flat belong to Uncle Xavier.

A sharp breath left me. “Two different groups. Two different territories.”

What the hell was going on?

I turned back to the prisoners. “So tell me, why are my uncle’s men fighting alongside my enemy’s?”

No answer.

Fine.

I stepped closer to the youngest warrior Damon held, leaning my head. He looked barely twenty, his face still holding traces of youth. But his eyes were haunted, he had seen bloodshed, had taken lives.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

His lips pressed into a thin line.

I sighed. “You’re young. Too young for this war. Tell me why you’re here, and I won’t kill you.”

His throat bobbed. He hesitated.

Then, in a quiet voice, he muttered, “We were given orders.”

I raised a brow. “From who?”

He didn’t answer right away. But then his gaze flickered toward the others just a fraction of a second, but enough. Enough to tell me that he feared them more than he feared me.

That was a mistake.

I moved fast, slamming the handle of my sword into the side of his knee. He buckled with a pained cry, collapsing to the ground. The others flinched, shifting, but they didn’t dare move without weapons.

I crouched beside him, voice soft but sharp. “You’re already on your knees. Do you want to die without a fight?”

His breath was ragged. His fingers clenched the dirt beneath him. And then… “They wanted you dead before the full moon.”

The full moon. My blood turned to ice.

I exchanged a glance with Damon. That was barely three nights away.

“Why?” I demanded.

The boy swallowed hard, his voice cracking. “Because... because if you’re still alive by then, you’ll be unstoppable.”

Silence.

The weight of his words settled over me like a noose tightening around my throat.

They knew.

Somehow, they knew what the full moon meant for me. What it meant for my power, my rule. If they were desperate to kill me before then, it could only mean one thing… something was coming.

Something big.

Damon’s jaw tightened. “Alpha, we need to move. Now.”

I stood, my mind racing. “We’re taking them back with us.”

Damon hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“We need information. We need answers.” I turned to the remaining enemies. Tie them up. If any of them resist, kill them.

There was no argument. Within moments, the prisoners were bound, their wrists tied with thick rope.

********

The forest stretched around us, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and blood. Every step felt heavier than the last.

I walked ahead, my sword still unsheathed, the cool steel a reminder that danger lingered in every shadow. Damon followed closely behind, keeping a sharp eye on the prisoners. They moved in tense silence, their heads lowered, but I wasn’t foolish enough to believe they had given up.

My mind spun with questions.

The full moon was my turning point. My bloodline was tied to it in ways others barely understood. It was the night when my power would reach its peak when my connection to both my pack and my clan would solidify. For my enemies, it was their last chance to strike before I became untouchable.

I had trained for this moment since the day I took my title. My father had always warned me…

“Your power is your curse, Rhea. They will fear you. They will try to destroy you before you rise.”

He was right.

But he had also underestimated me.

Damon’s voice broke the silence. “You think Uncle Xavier and Beacon are working together?”

I frowned. “They hate each other.”

“Exactly.”

“Which means they have a greater enemy.” I inhaled deeply.

“Me.”

Damon nodded, his expression grim. “Then we don’t have much time.”

The wind shifted suddenly, carrying the scent of rain. The trees rustled, their branches creaking like whispered warnings.

I could feel it.

Something was coming.

Something far worse than a battle.

As we neared the fortress, the guards at the gate straightened, their eyes flicking to our prisoners. They didn't ask questions. They simply moved aside, their hands gripping their weapons tighter.

I turned to Damon. “Get them locked up. I want them alive for now.”

He nodded, leading the prisoners away.

I exhaled, my gaze lifting to the darkening sky.

Three nights.

Three nights until the full moon.

And if they thought they could kill me before then…

They had no idea what they were up against.