All Chapters of The Wolf That Betrayed The Moon : Chapter 31 - Chapter 37

The meeting place felt like a trap waiting to spring. Riven rode to the agreed spot with Thorne and a small escort. He refused to bring an army despite his council's objections. "We go small. Sable asked for a truce meeting. We honor that." Garrick had argued back at the keep. "Too risky Alpha. She could ambush you." Riven answered firmly. "I decide the risk. Lucien comes with me. His bond might sense lies." Lucien insisted on accompanying him. "Sable's demand has always centered on me Riven. I should be there." Riven reluctantly agreed. "Stay close then. No heroics. We talk and leave." They reached the meeting place in the open field. Sable waited with her own small group. She spoke first. "No army Riven. Good. I did not come to fight today." Riven stayed on his horse. "You destroyed an allied pack. Why call for truce now?" Sable shook her head. "I did not order that destruction. Several of my own warriors have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Someone plays us both.

The murder inside the keep sent fear through every corridor proving the killer was someone with access to Riven's own fortress.Riven locked down the keep immediately. "No one in or out until the traitor is found. We stay united. Distrust is exactly what the enemy wants."Thorne stood beside him. "The men grow scared Riven. They look at each other with suspicion now. How do we keep order?"Riven answered firmly. "By reminding them we fight the same enemy. The shadows want us divided. We do not give them that."Lucien joined Thorne's investigation despite many warriors still eyeing him with suspicion. He uncovered small clues others overlooked. "Look here Thorne. This footprint matches the ones in the old tunnels."Thorne knelt examining it. "You see things I miss Lucien. Maybe I judged you too quickly."Lucien smiled a little. "We all make mistakes. Now we find this traitor together."One warrior watched them. "The prisoner helps now. Maybe he is not the enemy after all."Another answ

The failed attempt to catch the spy left the keep on edge like a blade pressed to every throat.Riven gathered Thorne in a quiet corner of the main hall. "The spy slipped away again. The enemy works from inside our walls now Thorne. Place trusted guards around the abandoned tunnels. Watch every exit without raising alarm."Thorne nodded keeping his voice low. "I continue the investigation in secret. No public accusations. The men already eye each other with suspicion. One wrong word and trust breaks completely."Riven placed a hand on his shoulder. "Exactly. We cannot let fear do the spy's work for him. Report only to me. Stay safe out there."Thorne answered. "I will. The footprints lead somewhere deep. I follow them carefully tonight."Lucien noticed the strain on Riven later that day. He found him alone on the walls. "You carry too much Riven. The lines on your face show it. Rest a little. The weight of the keep shows."Riven sighed looking out at the forest. "Every decision now fe

Sable's warning unsettled everyone in the keep like a storm cloud ready to break.The council hall filled with worried voices as soon as the news spread. Garrick spoke first. "The Hollow Moon searches for powerful hosts instead of attacking at random Mara. Who is the next target?"Mara answered. "The ancient records say it seeks strong bloodlines. The next vessel could be any of us."Another alpha stood up. "Then we protect our own families first. Lucien draws the danger. Send him away before more packs fall."Thorne argued back. "Blame solves nothing. The attacks prove a hidden enemy manipulates us. We stand united."Riven raised his hand. "I refuse to let fear decide our actions. Scouts protect the remaining old bloodlines before another family is lost. No more division."Garrick shook his head. "Your choice protects one man and risks us all Riven. The packs will not forget this."Riven met his stare. "The packs will remember we fought the real enemy. Lucien stays. We hunt the shado