CHAPTER 4: Intruders

Mira's POV

I lay on the guest bed, looking at the black ceiling as if it owed me answers, but sleep would not come. I flipped once more after turning to my side and then to the opposite side. "Can you cooperate for once?" I whispered as I pounded the cushion at one point.

My thoughts continued to repeat everything yet everything remained flat and pointless. The last snap of our relationship, Kael's voice rejecting me, and Aria's loud groans reverberating in my mind like a terrible soundtrack I never requested.

"Excellent," I mumbled. "Exactly what every Luna who has been rejected wants to think about before going to bed."

I rolled over once more, groaned, and thought I heard something. A little sound, such as a shuffle or scrape.

I froze.

Perhaps it was simply a bat or something. There were too many bats in this pack, but then I heard it once more. A little thump that was unmistakably not a bat.

My wolf perked her ears as I gently sat up. There's a problem.

I got up and left the room. The corridor seemed too deserted. Particularly at night, there were typically guards around every turn.

"Hello?" I didn't even get a snore when I whispered.

As I made my way to the front of the home, I observed that the night was quiet as soon as I stepped outdoors. unusually serene, and even the insects seemed to be holding their breath.

As I followed the shadows, I noticed a little movement, followed by another.

I squinted, and when I saw them, my heart skipped a beat. Sneaking between bushes, dark intruders snatched a guard from behind, sliced his neck, and gently put him down as if to assist him in napping.

"What?"

A huge object crashed into me from the side before I could complete my thinking. The wolf was enormous, growling, and biting at my neck with its jaws.

I responded based just on instinct. With a single, perfect cut, the wolf collapsed at my feet as my long, sharp claws flew forth. I hardly had time to breathe.

"INTRUDERS!" With all of my might, I yelled. "WE ARE ATTACKED!"

Like an alarm bell, the yell echoed through the still night. Wolves transformed mid-run, guards stormed out of the pack house, and as intruders surged in, the entire area erupted into turmoil. However, I just had one idea. Magnus.

I ran back inside, sprinting past guards who were running to engage in combat. Nothing else mattered to me. The fight didn't concern me. All that mattered was my son, my only kid.

I arrived to the corridor close to his room.

...and froze because Magnus, my kid, was in Aria's grasp, her claws pressed against his little neck, and she was standing there with her claws extended.

"Aria?" My voice cracked. "What are you doing? Give him up.

Like the wicked witch that she was, she grinned.

"Oh, my dear Mira," she remarked. "You don't understand it, do you?"

I lifted my hands and said, "Aria, please." "Look, come with me. Anything you desire. Please don't include my son in this.

She chuckled uncontrollably.

"You believe this has to do with your son?" She enquired. "This pack is being taken by the Lycan King, and guess what? It was me that opened the door for him.

My stomach fell.

"You... what?"

"Yes, indeed. Like a nice girl, I opened the door. Kael? She smiled more broadly. "He was completely unaware of it. After all the pleasure I gave him, he slept like a baby.

She had to bring that up, of course.

"Aria," I muttered. "whatever you believe you're doing. He is a little boy. Please. Consider.

Her eyes shone brightly.

"No."

"Aria..."

My son's blood splashed on the floor as she pulled her claw with one agonisingly long stroke and a terrible, last cry. Before I could even yell, Magnus fell!

My own roar was not audible to me. All I could do was feel it tear out of me like fire, and I lunged, only to have intruders charge towards me from behind Aria. Her lips curled into a grin as she looked back.

"Ah, exactly on time," she mumbled.

I turned in time to escape being seized, realising that I was unarmed and only wearing my nightgown. I ran on instinct, my heart breaking with each stride. When I got to a window, I hurled myself through it and changed in midair. My wolf leapt to the ground.

I continued. The grass was splattered with blood, the pack was on fire, the night was filled with cries, wolves were fighting everywhere, and I just fled.

Until I came to the well-known road that led to my family's compound, I raced as if something inside of me had burst open and spilt out.

I started running again, tripping and sobbing as I got to the gate. I banged the door with my fists.

"Dad! Mom! Please! It's me!

Before I could finish breathing, the door opened and my mother pulled me inside.

She said, "Oh moon goddess." "What happened to you, Mira?"

"Magnus." My voice broke. "Aria murdered him. The group... The pack is gone, mum. They were from all around. Everyone is being attacked by them.

I dabbed at my face.

"I require my former armour. I'm returning. I must assist.

"No." My dad took a firm hold of my shoulders. "Pay attention to me. The other packs could also collapse if Evergreen collapsed so quickly! It's only a question of time. You have to go now!

"I'm not concerned!" I sobbed. "My son has passed away! I'd want to fight!

"Mira!" he yelled. "You have to flee. Next, they'll arrive here. You must endure.

"But you two..."

We all froze as the front door was pounded loudly. My dad's eyes got bigger.

"It's them."

I retreated and replied, "No... no, you're coming with me."

With tears running down her cheeks, my mother clutched my face.

"You are loved. You have always been adored by us.

"Then accompany me!" I pleaded. "Don't do this, please."

A tiny entry to an ancient escape tunnel was concealed behind a carpeted panel on the floor that my father pulled open.

"Enter," he commanded.

"I won't abandon you!"

"You have to!" he growled. "Go, Mira! "Now!"

My mother shoved me in the direction of the hole as the hammering on the door evolved into a full-on bashing.

"Live," she muttered. "Please. Live for us.

"No... Dad... Mom... please..."

My father pushed me into the hallway as the door noisily shattered. Before I could reach out to stop them, the lid crashed shut when my mother grabbed it.

I couldn't open it since there was no hinge or clasp on the inside.

"Dad! Mom!" I pounded the underside of the cover while screaming. "Please! Don't leave me, please!

Snarls and heavy footsteps could be heard, followed by their cries.