MasukLunara blinked back tears as she watched Theron shut the door, the sound of his footsteps receding with every step he took. She was torn between staying out and going after him, but eventually, she resigned to sinking into the velvet sheets draped across the bed.Theron was increasingly hard to please as the days went by. She kept wondering if it had something to do with the war months ago. He was now burdened by the war, or if he was just getting tired of her.Sleep evaded her despite the cool night air from the rain that pounded incessantly against the rooftops. She sat up and threw the sheets away, putting on her footwear and walking out the door.Her first thought was to look for Theron, to make sure he was safe, but what was even the point? Soon, she found her legs leading her to the dungeons, the cold wind sending her hair billowing out behind her. As she got to a corridor with the walls opening on one side, she shivered as splashes of water hit her bare skin.Finally, she was a
Maera hesitated.“Yes… I would.” Theron sighed and bit his lip, looking away. He slid further onto the bed and lay back, staring up at the ceiling. After a moment, Maera moved beside him and did the same.The rain hammered harder against the roof. The curtains floated in the wind ans while Maera knew rain waa making it’s way through the windows, she chose to ignore it “It is not because I do not want to,” she added quietly.Theron turned his head toward her.“Because this is… wrong?” he asked. “Because we are men?”Maera swallowed.“It is wrong,” she said carefully. “You are the Alpha. I am a commander.”Theron scoffed softly.“Wrong?” he murmured. “The Moon Goddess says you are the perfect match for me and somehow that is wrong?”Maera exhaled slowly.“You have a wife.”“If I didnt have a wife, would things be different.”“Again, you are the alpha. You need a wife who will birth a strong heir flr ypu. And you have to abide by the rules of the pack and tradition irrespective of if t
"He passed out," Maera commented, staring at the unmoving body of the boy she found. Still, but the sound of his shallow breathing was just the only indication he was still alive.Theron dropped the tongs, breathing hard. His tunic was soaked with sweat. "Lock him up. Put two guards on the door. No one goes in or out without my word.""Yes, Alpha," the guard said.Maera went back to the dungeon three hours later. That had to be enough time for the boy to regain his consciousness. She hadn't informed Alpha Theron that she was going there—she needed to do things her own way, her own method.Theron tended to act on his impulse and anger, and it often got him nowhere.She walked down the stairs. Her lamp cast shadows that were shaky against the walls. She reached the cell and noticed the guards were not there.A slight tremor of fear coiled in her stomach. She pulled her dagger and walked to the iron bars. She looked inside and saw the boy lying on the floor, his body twisted in an unnatu
Chapter 31Maera got down from her horse, her legs feeling really heavy as she strode across the ground. She had expected a lot more vigor from the enemy, but it seemed like they had expected less, so they didn't give it their all.Well, too bad for them.It hurt to breathe because her ribs were sore but did not show it on her face. She watched her men take the prisoners to the fort. The prisoners had ropes around their hands. Theron came to her, his face was dirty with soot and blood."We won," he said, looking at the field where they fought."We did not really win," Maera said to him. "We just survived." She cleaned her knife on a piece of cloth that was on the ground and put it away. "The other side knew where to attack us. They knew our southern watch was not strong. That was not luck."Theron said, "I know." He looked towards the path leading to the palace and his eyes looked sad. "Let us go home now."The Council Hall was quiet when Maera went in an hour later. She still had blo
Maera turned to Theron. "I am going to the armory " she said."Can you ride a horse?" Theron asked her. He looked at her stomach, his eyes showing a flash of worry."I have to " Maera said.She walked out of the hall, her pace was quick even though her ribs hurt. She made her way to the level of the fort where the soldiers were busy checking their gear."Yule!" she called out. He was probably here somewhere.Yule appeared from behind a rack of spears. He was holding her sword and a clean cloak. His face looked uneasy. He did not say anything about her injury. He had seen Lady Ravvyne follow her into the room and put two and two together. He knew there was no point in arguing."Help me with the vest " Maera said.Yule stepped behind her. He pulled the leather straps of her vest until they were tight. Maera bit her lip to keep from groaning as the leather pressed against her bruised skin. He buckled the plates over her chest and shoulders."Your horse is ready Commander " Yule said. He
Ravvyne stared at her for a long second, then nodded. She reached for the leather vest and started to pull the straps tight, her face set in a grim line.“Hurry on then. I shall join you later, I need to find oht some things,” lady Ravvyne said. The bells were still ringing when Maera reached the center of the hallway. She ignored the fire in her ribs and walked right up to Theron. He was surrounded by guards, his face looking dark and angry.“What exactly is going on?” she asked, stopping him in his tracks. “They shouldn’t have come to attack so quickly.”Theron turned around quickly. He looked at her with a mix of surprise and worry. “You should be in your room, Cael.”“Answer me,” she said, her voice sounding even. “The Council, Alpha,” another messenger gasped as he ran uo to the rwo of them. He leaned his back against the stone wall. “The scouts heard the enemy shouting from across the river. They are laughing. They say the Crescent Moon Pack sent a letter two days ago begging







