Zale
The only sound in the forest was the wind rustling through the trees. The first light of dawn crept over the horizon and spilt pale gold across the clearing where Emily lay under a bed of white lilies. The soft light made the memorial pendant stone shine a little, and her name was carved in silver.
As I knelt in front of her grave, my knees sank into the wet ground. The smell of wet soil and lilies was strong in the air. The light rain from the night before stuck to the grass and felt cool against my hands as I traced the letters.
In memory of Emily Valery Blackthorn with love
Luna of the Legion Pack
My love, heart, and soul. Mother, daughter, sister, and friend.
Gone too soon, but always remembered.
I said softly, "Morning again, love." Halfway through, my voice broke, which was too weak for an Alpha. "The world woke up, but I still can't."
The bond that had once felt like fire between us was gone. Now, where her heartbeat used to echo in my chest, there was only a hollow ache. I had seen wars, losses, and betrayals in my life. None of them had hurt me this badly.
I said, "I didn't think I could miss someone this much." "Every breath hurts." Every morning feels like a punishment.
It started to rain again, thin and cold, and it ran down my face in streaks, making it hard to tell what was rain and what were tears. I dug my fingers into the ground, and the mud got under my nails. "You should be here. You should be stopping me and telling me to calm down and think before I ruin everything.
I let out a dry, bitter laugh. "You always did that." "You made me feel human."
I took the small silver pendant she used to wear out of my coat pocket. The chain was broken and had dried blood on it. I found it near the river, where they said she fought her last battle.
The metal shook in my hand. "They took you away from me." They took our kid. The word made my throat close. "I would have given anything to hold her, even for a second." To find out if she had your eyes.
I pressed the pendant against my chest and swore in a low voice. "I swear on the blood of the moon and every breath left in me, Emily, that I will never love anyone else." Even after I die, my heart is yours. And I will burn down every kingdom that tried to take what was mine.
There was a flash of lightning far away, and the sound of thunder echoed through the mountains. The wind brought the faint howl of wolves from far away, mourning with me.
I got up slowly, my body stiff but my will strong like steel. "I'll make sure they remember your name, love." People will whisper it in fear.
The rain got heavier. One last time, I looked down at her grave. The pain in my chest turned into a goal.
I said softly, "Rest now." "Your revenge starts today."
Then I turned around and walked away, and the forest ate me up.
* * * * * * * * *
Kellen
The pass through the mountains smelt like smoke and blood. As I stumbled up the stone steps to Alpha Taros's fortress, the smell of burnt fur stuck to my skin. Every time I moved, pain shot through my ribs where Zale's warriors had hit me during the ambush.
There were two guards on either side of the iron doors. Their hands tightened around their spears when they saw me, and I showed my fangs.
"Move," I said, my voice rough and gravelly. "Your Alpha is waiting for me."
They looked at each other nervously but did what they were told and opened the heavy doors.
The hall was dark, with tall glass sconces on the walls that held blue flames. With every flicker, the shadows moved and stretched like living things. At the other end, Alpha Taros sat in a black cloak, his silver eyes cold as the moonlight. A man who could kill without making a sound.
He didn't look up when I came in. His fingers tapped the armrest in a slow, steady rhythm. Next to him, his advisor, a thin man with snake-like features, looked at me with open disdain.
I bowed my head and knelt. "Alpha."
Taros's voice was low and smooth, but it was loud enough to make everyone stop talking. "Kellen. I thought you would be here days ago.
"I was late," I said in a hoarse voice. "The Luna fought harder than I thought it would, and some warriors ambushed me."
That made him look up. His face didn't change, but I could see his lips getting a little tighter. "She is dead, though."
"Yes," I said with a smirk, even though my side hurt a lot. "I made sure of it." But the guards they sent were very strong, and I barely got away. The witches helped.
The advisor whispered something. Taros didn't pay attention to him. "You didn't kill Zale."
"I couldn't reach him, but I'll finish the job," I said quickly. "He's broken now." You should have seen how devastated he was when he found her. The great Alpha Zale cried. He'll be too sad to fight back.
Taros got up from his throne and walked down the steps slowly and gracefully, with each step echoing off the stone floor. His strength felt like a vice on me.
"You think he's weak because he's sad?" His voice was soft, almost like he was interested.
I stood up straight, my chest rising and falling. "He's lost his Luna and his daughter." No Alpha can handle that kind of pain and stay sane.
Taros's lips curved into a ghost of a smile. "You think pain is a sign of weakness. It can make a man sharper, but it can also make him worse.
I made fists with my hands. "Then what do you want me to do?" We can't just sit here and let him rebuild.
Taros stopped in front of him, his eyes shining. "You won't think less of him again." When Zale is sad, he will act without thinking, and that's when we attack. But first, we let him think he has time.
I blinked. "You want to get him out?"
A slow nod. "Exactly." Tell people in the underground that I'm meeting with leaders from the Northern Range who are not following the rules. Let it slip that we're putting together an army.
I frowned. "That will bring him right to us."
"That's the point," Taros said. "He'll come looking for revenge, and when he does, he'll walk right into our hands."
The advisor finally said something, and his voice was smooth as oil. "And when he falls, the other packs won't have an Alpha strong enough to stop you."
Even though Taros's face didn't change, the small spark of satisfaction in his eyes said a lot.
I straightened up, thinking about how Zale was broken and bleeding and how it made him hungry. "What about his borders?" His advice?
Taros waved his hand in a dismissive way. "When their Alpha dies, they'll fall apart." The rest will run away like scared puppies.
I smiled, showing my fangs. "Then think of it as done. I'll make sure he never sees the sun rise again.
Taros moved closer and whispered in a cold voice. "Don't let me down again, Kellen." You have already taken too much of my time.
The weight of Taros's power hit me like a wave. I fell to one knee and growled as my bones hurt from the weight. "I won't let you down, Alpha." I swear it.
Alpha Taros looked at me for a long time before turning away. "Go. Bring together what's left of your army. We will be moving soon.
I got up slowly, my heart racing in my ears. As I was about to leave, I saw Taros's reflection in the dark glass of the windows. The cold gleam of a predator who was already ten steps ahead of everyone else.
The wind howled outside, bringing the smell of rain and smoke with it. War was on its way.
* * * * * * * * * *
Zale
I stood over Emily's grave in the woods long after the rain stopped. The air was thick with the promise of dawn, and deep down inside me, the last part of who I had been was turning to ash.
I shut my eyes and let the night soak into my bones. My enemies were making plans somewhere outside of the borders. I could feel it like a pulse under the ground, calling for blood.
"Let them come," I said quietly. "Let them believe I'm broken."
I stepped back from the grave, and my wolf rushed forward, tearing through the wet ground with its claws. As the shift took over, my bones cracked, my muscles stretched, and a snarl ripped through my throat.
My black wolf stood tall in the moonlight, its fur wet from the rain and its eyes glowing red.
I took one last look at Emily's grave before turning towards the empty clearing and heading home. My growl echoed through the woods.
The hunt will start soon.