Chapter 18: Preparing for War

Mira woke with a gasp, her hand flying to her chest as the remnants of strange dreams faded. She had slept fitfully after the revelations of the previous day, her mind churning with questions that had no easy answers. Luna blood. The words still felt foreign, impossible, yet she couldn't deny what she'd experienced—the way her voice had commanded every wolf in the clearing, the silver light that had seemed to emanate from her very skin.

She rose carefully, her pregnant body protesting the movement, and found Elena waiting outside with a steaming mug of herbal tea.

"How are you feeling?" Elena asked, her weathered face creased with concern.

"Like the world shifted beneath my feet," Mira admitted, accepting the warm cup gratefully. "I keep thinking I'll wake up and this will all be some strange dream."

"The power you carry is real," Elena said gently. "As is the danger it brings. The Alphas have been up all night planning."

As if summoned by her words, Lucian and Rowan emerged from the main cabin, their faces grim with exhaustion and determination. Maps and weapons were visible through the open doorway behind them.

"Mira," Lucian said, relief evident in his voice as he saw her upright. "How do you feel?"

"Confused. Frightened," she said honestly. "But stronger than yesterday." She looked between the two Alphas, noting the tension that still existed despite their alliance. "What have you learned?"

Rowan gestured toward his cabin. "Come. There are things you need to know."

Inside, the table was covered with territorial maps marked in different colored inks. Patrol routes, alliance markers, and threat assessments created a complex web of information that made Mira's head spin.

"The scouts returned at dawn," Rowan began, his silver eyes serious. "Three separate packs are moving toward our territory. Kane's Ironback Pack is closest—they'll reach our borders by tomorrow evening."

"Kane?" Mira asked, though something cold settled in her stomach at the name.

"Alpha of the Ironback Pack," Lucian explained grimly. "Brutal, ambitious, with a reputation for taking what he wants. He's formed an alliance with two smaller packs, calling it a 'protection mission' for an 'unprotected Luna.'"

"Protection," Mira said bitterly. "They mean claiming."

"Exactly." Rowan pointed to markings on the map. "But there's worse news. The Stormcrest Pack has offered to mediate the dispute. They're positioning themselves as neutral peacekeepers."

"Let me guess," Mira said, understanding dawning. "They're anything but neutral."

"They want to emerge as the dominant power," Lucian confirmed. "If they can orchestrate this conflict, make themselves indispensable in resolving it, they'll have leverage over every pack in the region."

Mira studied the map, trying to process the scope of what they faced. "So we're outnumbered, surrounded, and facing enemies who want to either claim me or use me as a political tool."

"That's about the size of it," Rowan said grimly.

"What about your pack?" Mira asked Lucian. "Blackpine? Won't they come to help?"

Lucian's expression darkened. "They're three days' hard travel from here, and they don't know where I am. By the time word reaches them..." He shook his head. "We're on our own."

Elena, who had been quietly preparing more tea, looked up. "What about the power? Yesterday, every wolf in the clearing responded to her voice. Surely that's an advantage?"

"It is," Lucian agreed. "But Mira needs to understand what she's dealing with before she tries to use it again. Uncontrolled Luna power is as dangerous to the wielder as it is to everyone else."

"Then teach me," Mira said, decision crystallizing in her voice. "If I'm going to be hunted for this power, I need to know how to use it properly."

The two Alphas exchanged glances. "Luna training traditionally takes months, even years," Rowan said carefully.

"Then we'd better start now," Mira replied firmly. "Because from the look of these maps, months is a luxury we don't have."

Lucian stepped closer, his expression intense. "Mira, the Luna power responds to emotion, to will, to the depth of your connection to those you're protecting. But it can also drain you completely if you're not careful. Yesterday—"

"Yesterday I collapsed because I didn't know what I was doing," Mira interrupted. "Today, I'm asking you to help me learn. Will you?"

The determination in her voice seemed to decide him. "We'll start with basic control exercises. Small manipulations of authority, learning to direct the power rather than letting it overwhelm you."

"And if Kane arrives before I'm ready?"

"Then we fight," Rowan said simply. "Both packs, side by side, protecting what matters most."

Mira felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words—not the wild surge of Luna power, but something deeper. These wolves, who had every reason to be enemies, were willing to risk everything for her and her unborn child.

"Then let's begin," she said, rising from her chair. "If war is coming, I want to be ready for it."

The next few hours passed in intense training. Lucian guided her through meditation exercises to center her power, while Rowan helped her understand the political implications of what she faced. Elena provided practical support—herbal teas to strengthen her during pregnancy, advice on maintaining energy while channeling power.

By afternoon, Mira could summon small amounts of Luna authority without collapsing, could direct her voice to command specific individuals rather than affecting everyone in range. It wasn't mastery, but it was progress.

As the sun began to set, a scout arrived with urgent news.

"Alpha," he called to Rowan, his face flushed with exertion. "The Ironback Pack has made camp at Raven's Hollow. They'll be here by dawn."

Mira felt her stomach clench, but also felt a steely resolve settle in her bones. "Then we'll be ready for them."

Lucian moved to her side, his presence warm and reassuring. "Whatever happens tomorrow, we face it together."

Rowan nodded agreement. "Silverpine and Blackpine, united in purpose. They won't find us easy prey."

As night fell over the mountain camp, three unlikely allies prepared for a battle that would determine not just their fate, but the future of the northern territories. The Luna had awakened, and tomorrow the world would learn what that truly meant.