Chapter 86 Lira plan
Lira pov
"What's plan B?" Kael asked.
"Fight our way out." I grinned viciously. "Try to keep up."
The first guards reached us. I didn't hesitate. Moonfire erupted in a wave, forcing them back. Not killing—I'd promised Darion no innocent deaths—but definitely discouraging.
"Luna Lira!" One guard called out. "Stand down! Alpha Eldric demands"
"Alpha Eldric can demand all he wants." I advanced, flames growing brighter. "I don't take orders from usurpers."
More guards appeared.
"Lira." Kael touched my back. "Let me help."
"You're still weak" I started.
"I'm strong enough for this." He shifted mid-step, becoming the massive onyx wolf.
Together, we moved. His claws and teeth, my moonfire and rage. Guards fell back, none willing to die for Eldric's orders. We were almost to the border when Eldric himself appeared.
He stood in the center of the training grounds, flanked by a dozen warriors, his expression was cold fury.
"Luna Lira." His voice carried across the distance. "How kind of you to save me the trouble of hunting you down."
"Eldric." I stopped, Kael growling beside me. "I'd say it's good to see you, but we both know that's a lie."
"You've made a grave mistake returning here." He moved closer. "Especially with that." He gestured at Kael's wolf form with disgust.
"That is my mate." I let moonfire dance along my skin. "Show some respect."
"Your mate is a failure." Eldric smiled. "A broken alpha who yielded like a coward, why you'd want him back is beyond me."
"Because he's mine." The possessiveness surprised even me. "And I protect what's mine."
"How touching." Eldric signaled his warriors. "Kill them both."
The warriors hesitated. Killing a Luna—even one in exile—was serious business.
"Do it." Eldric's alpha command crashed through the grounds. "Or face execution for disobedience."
They moved reluctantly but Kael launched at the first group while i focused on the rest, moonfire forming a barrier. "Last chance to back down." They didn't, so I attacked.
Silver flames erupted in controlled bursts, forcing them back. I'd learned control from Darion's teachers—how to burn without killing, maim without murdering.
But control was slipping. Three days of brutal training, the strain of shadow-walking, bond-sickness recovery—all of it catching up.
The moonfire grew hotter, one warrior got too close but flames engulfed him completely as he screamed. I tried to pull the fire back but it was too late. He collapsed, burned beyond recognition.
Dead.
I'd killed him.
"Lira!" Kael's mental voice crashed through the bond. "Control it!"
I couldn't. The moonfire was responding to my rage, my fear, my exhaustion. It wanted to burn everything.
"See?" Eldric called out. "Your Luna is unstable, dangerous, a threat to every wolf here."
More warriors circled, but now they looked at me with fear. With the knowledge that I could kill them all.
"Stand down." I forced the words out through gritted teeth. "Please. I don't want to hurt anyone else."
"Then yield." Eldric moved closer, confident in his advantage. "Surrender yourself for judgment."
"Judgment?" I laughed bitterly. "You mean execution. I know about your plans. The berserker poison, the allied packs. All of it."
His expression flickered. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Liar." I gathered moonfire again, forcing control. "You planned to murder me and blame it on instability. Let Kael die from bond-death then maintain absolute power."
"Ridiculous accusations." But his eyes said otherwise. "You're clearly delusional."
"Am I?" A new voice called from the border.
Darion emerged from the forest, flanked by fifty rogue warriors. "Because I have three witnesses who heard your allied alphas discussing this exact plan." He moved into the training grounds. "Want to revise your statement?"
Eldric's face went pale. "You brought rogues into pack territory? That's an act of war."
"Actually." Selene's ancient voice rang out. "Under pack law, a Luna may summon aid when threatened by her alpha."
The old woman appeared from the packhouse, the entire council behind her.
"What?" Eldric spun to face them. "You can't be serious."
"Ancient law is clear." Selene's eyes gleamed. "If a Luna has reason to believe her life is threatened, she may invoke Outside Assistance, the rogues are here legally."
"This is insane." Eldric looked around wildly. "She killed one of our warriors! She's the threat!"
"In self-defense." Thomas pushed through the crowd, carrying documents. "We have statements from twelve witnesses that you ordered them to kill both Luna Lira and former Alpha Kael."
"They were attacking" Eldric started.
"They were leaving." Aria appeared beside Thomas. "Peacefully. Until you ordered execution."
I watched Eldric's support crumble in real time. Warriors backed away. Pack members whispered, even his loyal guards looked uncertain.
"You have a choice, Eldric." I stepped forward “Yield your position and face council judgment or fight me here and now."
"Fight you?" He laughed. "You're not alpha, you have no right to challenge."
"Actually." Selene spoke again. "She does. Under ancient law, when an alpha threatens his Luna's life, she may challenge for pack leadership."
"That's never been invoked." Eldric protested. "Not in centuries."
"Then let's make history." I summoned more moonfire, letting him see what he'd be facing. "What do you say, Eldric? Ready to fight a Moonblood?"
His eyes darted around, looking for support but finding none.
"This is illegal." He tried one more time. "The council won't allow"
"The council recognizes Luna Lira's right to challenge." Selene interrupted. "Do you accept, or do you yield?"
Silence stretched across the training grounds.
Kael shifted back to human form beside me, blood dripping from various wounds. "Yield, Eldric. You've lost."
"I haven't lost." Eldric's voice turned savage. "I beat you, I claimed this pack fairly."
"You beat a bond-sick wolf." I corrected. "Want to try beating one who's been training with rogue warriors for three days? Who's learned to harness moonfire without losing control? Who has absolutely nothing left to lose?"
I let the flames grow brighter, hotter. Let him see the power singing through my veins.
"Your choice." I smiled without humor. "Fight or yield, but choose quickly. My control only lasts so long."
Eldric looked at the fire I summoned, at the rogue warriors backing me, at his own pack members stepping away.
He'd planned for a weak Luna stumbling back in grief. Not this. Not a warrior backed by an army.
"I..." He swallowed hard. "I accept your challenge."
The training grounds erupted in chaos.
"The challenge is accepted!" Selene's voice cut through. "Combat will commence at dawn tomorrow. To submission or death, may the Moon Goddess guide the victor."
"Why wait until dawn?" I demanded. "Let's settle this now."
"Pack law requires preparation time." Selene's voice was firm. "Both challengers will have tonight to ready themselves. The combat happens at first light."
I wanted to argue, wanted to end this immediately.
But Kael's hand found mine. "You need rest, food , healing. You're running on fumes."
He was right. The shadow-walking, the fighting, holding moonfire stable—all of it was catching up.
"Fine." I glared at Eldric. "Dawn, don’t be late."
"I won't." His smile returned, cold and confident. "Enjoy your last night alive, Luna."
He turned and walked back to the packhouse, his remaining supporters following. I swayed, suddenly exhausted as Kael caught me.
"I've got you." He held me steady. "Let's get you somewhere safe."
"Nowhere's safe." I leaned into him. "Not until Eldric's dead."
"Then we make somewhere safe." Darion approached. "My warriors will establish a perimeter, no one gets near you without going through us."
"Thank you." I managed.
"Don't thank me yet." His expression was serious. "Eldric's planning something. I can smell it, he accepted too easily."
"I know." I pulled away from Kael, forcing myself to stand straight. "Which is why I need to prepare."
"Prepare how?" Ryn appeared, looking worried. "Lira, you can barely stand."
"Then I'll prepare sitting down." I started toward where Darion's warriors were setting up camp at the border. "I have until dawn to figure out how to kill an alpha without losing control of moonfire. Better I get started."
"Lira." Kael followed. "At least rest for a few hours."
"I'll rest when Eldric's dead." I didn't look back. "Or when I am. Whichever comes first."
Behind me, I heard Kael sigh deeply. Felt his worry through the bond.