Chapter 23: The Drive to Seattle

We left at midnight.

Two cars. Cole, Stacey, and me in the first. Andres and Marcus in the second.

Twelve hours to Seattle. We'd arrive around noon.

Time to scout before the meeting at sunset.

I sat in the passenger seat. James's journal on my lap. Reading it again. Looking for clues.

"Anything?" Cole asked.

"Not really. Just more about his training. His worries about me." I flipped pages. "He mentions someone. Calls them 'The Elder.' Says they came to the gym. Talked to you."

Cole's hands tightened on the wheel. "The Elder?"

"You know them?"

"Maybe. There's a council. The Wolf Council. They oversee all packs in North America. Make sure we follow old laws." He glanced at me. "The head is called The Elder. She's ancient. Powerful. Dangerous."

"She? A female Alpha?"

"The only other one we know. She's been alive over three hundred years. Maybe longer." Cole's jaw was tight. "If she's involved, we're in trouble."

"Why?"

"Because The Elder doesn't get involved unless something major threatens all wolves." He looked at me. "Like a new Luna Alpha."

My stomach dropped. "You think she called me?"

"Don't know. But we'll find out."

We drove in silence. Stacey slept in back. The road was dark and empty.

"Cole?" I said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"What if I'm not strong enough? What if I can't be a Luna Alpha?"

"You are. And you can."

"How do you know?"

"Because I've seen you. Watched you fight. Protect the pack even when you were terrified." He took my hand. "You're stronger than you think."

"James said the same thing."

"He was right."

I squeezed his hand. "Thank you. For believing in me."

"Always."

We stopped for gas around six in the morning. Small town in Oregon. Just fields and forest.

While Cole filled the tank, I went inside.

The gas station was old. Dirty. One person working. An older woman behind the counter reading.

She looked up. Her eyes went wide.

"Silver," she whispered.

I froze. "What?"

"Your aura. It's silver. You're a Luna Alpha."

My heart raced. "How do you know?"

"Because I'm a witch. And I can see what you are." She stood. Came around the counter. "You're going to Seattle. To meet The Elder."

"How..."

"Because she told me you'd come through. Asked me to give you a message."

"What message?"

The woman pulled out a small velvet pouch. "She said give you this. Said you'll need it."

I took it. Opened it. Inside was a silver pendant. A moon with a wolf howling.

"What is it?"

"Protection. Against dark magic. Against possession." She looked serious. "The Elder says forces are working against you. Forces that want to use you. This keeps them out."

"Why is she helping me?"

"Because you're important. More than you know." She touched my arm. "Be careful. Not everyone in Seattle wants you to succeed. Some want you dead. Others want to control you. Trust no one except your mate and pack."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

She smiled. Sad. "You don't. But the pendant works either way. Put it on. Don't take it off."

I put it on. It felt warm.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. Long road ahead." She went back behind the counter. "Oh, and tell Cole that Margot says hello."

I walked out. Cole was waiting.

"You okay? You were in there a while."

"Yeah." I showed him the pendant. "A woman gave me this. Said her name was Margot. Said to tell you hello."

Cole's eyes went wide. "Margot? Margot the Seer?"

"She said she was a witch."

"More than that. She can see the future. Read auras. She helped me when I first became Alpha." He looked at the pendant. "If she gave you that, wear it. Always."

"She said it protects against dark magic."

"It does. Powerful. Old magic." He touched it gently. "We're walking into something big."

"Yeah. I think we are."

We got back in. Started driving.

But I felt watched. Like every mile closer to Seattle, we were walking deeper into a trap.

Around eleven, we crossed into Washington.

My phone buzzed. Text.

You're almost here. Meeting location changed. New address attached. Come to the docks. Warehouse 13. Sunset. Don't be late.

"She changed the location," I told Cole.

"Of course. Classic power move. Keep us off balance."

"The docks? Even more isolated."

"More danger. But also more privacy. If things go bad, fewer witnesses."

"Not comforting."

"Not meant to be."

We pulled into Seattle around noon. Found a hotel near the docks. Two rooms.

"Get rest," Cole said. "We scout at four. Meeting at sunset. Six thirty. Two and a half hours to prepare."

I tried to sleep but couldn't. Too much adrenaline. Too many questions.

Who was The Elder? Why did she want to meet me? What did she know about James?

Why did I feel like everything was about to change?

At four, we drove to the docks.

Warehouse 13 was at the end of a long pier. Old. Rusted. Windows broken.

Perfect for an ambush.

"Don't like this," Marcus said.

"None of us do," Cole said. "But we're here. Might as well see it through."

We walked around. Checked exits. Looked for traps.

"It's clean," Andres said. "No obvious dangers. But that doesn't mean no hidden ones."

"We go in together," Cole said. "Stay close. Watch each other. If anything feels wrong, we leave. Immediately."

"And if she won't let us?" Stacey asked.

"Then we fight."

At six twenty-five, we approached the door.

Unlocked. Opened with a creak.

Inside was dark. Candles lit the space. Dozens. Creating a circle of light in the center.

And in that circle stood a woman.

Tall. Elegant. Long silver hair. Ageless face. Eyes that glowed gold.

The Elder.

She smiled when she saw me.

"Lita Dillard. The Luna Alpha who shouldn't exist." Her voice was like music. Beautiful. Haunting. "Welcome. I've been waiting."

"You know who killed my brother?"

"I do. But first, we talk about why you're really here." She gestured to the circle. "Come. Sit. Let me tell you about your bloodline. About who you really are. And about the war that's coming."

"What war?"

"The war for the future of all wolves. The war that you, little Luna, are destined to lead."

My blood went cold.

"I don't understand."

"You will." Her smile was sad. "By tonight's end, you'll understand everything. And you'll wish you didn't."