Ch. 3 - Luna

Kiera POV

"Luna?" Andy looked at me in fear, washing away my own. I needed to protect my pack.

"Find Devon, save as many as you can," I ordered him. Andy nodded obediently and took off.

"Jackson!" I called desperately through our mind link, temporarily forgetting about his encounter with that woman.

When I was met with a thick cloud, I knew Jackson had his mind link blocked, and rage began consuming me again.

"Forget that pathetic Alpha!" Athena demanded of me. "We are the true strength of this pack."

"Athena, we need our Alpha." I scolded my wolf as my head looked around, surveying the area for any attackers.

"Not so tough anymore." The man that I brought to his knees mocked me.

I shook my head, not having time to deal with him. "I'm tough enough to take care of you." I spat out just as I grabbed a candle stick and knocked him over the head with it. The giant man fell to the floor with a loud thud and eyes tightly closed.

"Jackson!" I tried again to reach my husband, but again, I was met with a thick cloud. "He better have a good excuse, or I swear I'll kill him myself," I muttered as I walked back to the grand hall.

Too much was happening that I couldn't allow myself to wonder what he was doing or why he blocked me out of his head.

People were scattering everywhere, screams and fear filling the air around us. I climbed on top of a table to better scan the area, but I saw nothing other than a few small explosions went off.

"Luna! We need to get you to safety." Andy grabbed my hand to pull me off the table, but I pulled back.

"What happened? I don't see any threats?"

"I don't know, and I can't find our Beta or Alpha. Your lead warriors are escorting as many as we can to the training grounds. We need to get you in your chambers."

"You can't be serious? We aren't hiding! If the Dark Wolves want a war, here on my territory, then let's give them one." I spoke confidently, Athena strong in my words. My wolf would never let me back down from a battle.

"The Alpha is going to kill me." Andy sighed, resigning any efforts to hide me away for safety.

"Kiera! The Second Lunas are out by the old pack house." A familiar voice that sent annoyance through my bones shouted.

"What are they doing out there?" I shouted back.

"They were having their own little party while their husbands paraded around their fated mates." Katherine, my younger and very manipulative sister, explained as we ran out of the ballroom

"Own party?" I questioned.

"Well, they don't exactly find your little get-togethers all that amusing. It's a reminder that they are no longer first in their pack or husband's desires." Katherine noted.

I had nothing to say back to her, knowing she was right. I couldn't help but feel a deep cut by her words, too. Would I become a Second Luna? No! That won't be my future!

Screams echoed around us, and I quickened my pace, Athena pushing her way through me to transform.

'Not yet, Athena." I warned her. She was too eager to fight, and I didn't trust her not to kill first and ask questions later.

'They are in danger!' Her words rammed inside my head.

'And we will save them.' I fought against her, preventing my body from shifting.

Just as we arrived at a large opening in the field, we were met with six women surrounded by three feral wolves encircling them.

My eyes sharpened, noticing at least a dozen more wolves in the forest not too far off. We were under attack and currently outnumbered.

"Luna, we need reinforcements," Andy whispered beside me, his body ready to shift at any second.

"They are on their way. Ten minutes out." I told him, but we both knew that wasn't fast enough. I almost rolled my eyes noticing that Katherine had disappeared. She was never one to put herself in harms way to save others.

"I'll take the two on the right; you take the larger one," I ordered Andy, creeping closer to the wolves drooling over their victims.

"Luna, you can't take two on. Plus, there are more enemies just outside the border."

"Then we die trying." My eyes heated, black fully encompassing my irises. I couldn't just walk away, leaving six helpless women at the mercy of these feral wolves.

"Luna!" Andy growled, not so willing to sacrifice me. It was ingrained in pack member's soul to protect their Alpha and Luna, just as it was rooted in mine to protect my people.

I growled out just as a wolf lounged at one of the crying women they had trapped. My tone was deathly, stopping all the attackers in their tracks.

I was met with another growl though. One that came out through the forest, one deep with an ominous pitch, sending waves of fear around us all. My eyes softened, darting around the area to locate where it came from. I knew it was a threat, but something ignited within me. I needed to know who it was.

"Dark Wolf!" Andy's voice trembled. He felt the profound evil behind that growl, as we all did.

'Athena, he is too powerful.' My voice cracked inside my head—fear coursing in my veins. I looked at the six women huddled together, all crying in distress. They looked to me to save them, as if I were their unwavering hope, but in this moment I felt utterly hopeless. There was no way Andy and I could take on the infamous Alpha of the North.

'He is powerful.' Athena swooned in my head, making my eyebrows furrow in confusion. She can't possibly be drooling over our enemy?

The three wolves circling the woman turned towards the woods, growling along with their pack members. Soon, yelps and terrifying cries echoed through the air.

Seeing the wolves distracted by all the commotion, I ran to the women, prepared to defend them with everything I had.

Andy, get them out of here!" I ordered him, Athena behind my words to make him compelled to listen.

"Luna, we all need to get out of here." He pleaded, knowing I would be the last to leave the battle.

Just as I reached the women, one of the wolves spun and snapped at my dress. I twirled from his sharp jaws and landed a kick swiftly in his snot with my heel. Blood rushed out of the wolves face, and the other two jumped at me. I hit the ground and rolled away from their advances, but now I had three very angry wolves growling over me.

I slowly stood, taking a defensive stance and drawing a blade I had concealed around my thigh. The first wolf lounged, meeting my blade straight through his stomach. The second wolf was already in the air, only inches from my face when a massive black wolf bum rushed him mid-attack.

My eyes became glued to the glorious midnight wolf. He was enormous, strong, and seemed almost godly. The wolf slammed his victim hard to the ground and quickly ended his life, sending the third wolf whimpering into the woods to retreat. No one would be foolish enough to take on this creature before me.

I couldn't speak as I watched the most gruesome yet amazing display of strength. His fur shimmered in the moonlight, and his dark eyes seemed to sparkle at me.

"Who are you?" I whispered, bewildered by this strong beast before me.

I was met with only a dark growl. This man wasn't happy with me, but I didn't feel an ounce of fear, only intrigue. His large paws stepped to me, canines long and dripping blood.

"Luna, we should retreat." Andy pulled at my arm from behind, and the black wolf growled viscously at him.

"Leave him!" I ordered the mysterious werewolf, standing before Andy and feeling an overwhelming need to protect him. Oddly, I also felt like I had the power to stop the Dark Wolf with just my command.

His wolf growled again, deep and foreboding. His black eyes bore deep into mine, and I felt waves of his hate for me. I thought he would do something, but he just turned and took off in the wind, disappearing into the shadows.

"I told you to retreat." I scorned my Delta.

"You told me to get the Second Lunas out of here, and I did. Then I came back for you." Andy gave me a half-smirk on how he outsmarted me.

"You're foolish, Andy. That midnight wolf was ready to attack you."

"And you. I won't abandon my Luna." He proudly spoke, and I gave him an appreciative smile.

I disagreed with him though. I felt no danger from that wolf, and he actually saved me. Whoever that man was, he couldn't have been who we thought. He wouldn't have saved his enemy. Would he?

"I think they are all gone," I said as we began to walk back to the training grounds. The whole thing didn't make any sense. It all happened so fast, then suddenly, it was over.

Andy and I settled our pack members while scouts surveyed our grounds for any additional threats. No one heard a peep from Jackson or Devon the whole time.

Everyone returned home, and I ordered extra guards to watch our parameters. There was nothing else I could do; it was well into the middle of the night now. I finally headed to bed, alone and worried. Jackson had never returned, and the woman I saw him with no one seemed to know who she was.

After hours of self-loathing, I finally cried myself to sleep, but it was restless. I tossed and turned with nightmares of being cast aside for his fated.

Blackness took over my vision and my soul. I reached for my wolf for comfort, but she was too angry with Jackson and myself. I had no one left.

When morning came, I laid in bed for a long time, staring out of my window. The sun was high in the sky, and its rays bathed my bed in its warmth. I felt no comfort, though, no happiness.

Jackson's scent was faint in our bedroom, so I knew he hadn't returned. Thinking of him in her bed all night made my stomach turn. Her red lips on his, his hands on her body, them tangled in the bed sheets. It was too much for me.

I finally made my way downstairs when I was hit with his scent. Jackson was here, but I wasn't ready to face him. I wasn't prepared to let go of the perfect life I thought we had.