Chapter 29: The Choice

We sat in the common room. The whole pack around us.

I'd explained everything. The ritual. The price.

Now they were arguing.

"We can't risk freeing another demon," Marcus said.

"But we can't leave Lita like this," Stacey said. "She's barely sleeping."

"Maybe there's another way," Andres said. His laptop open. "Other rituals."

"We don't have time," Alex said. "That demon gets stronger every hour."

Cole sat beside me. Hand on mine. Quiet.

"What do you think?" I asked him.

"It's your choice."

"But it affects everyone."

"Then we deal with it." He looked at me. "You can't sacrifice yourself to protect us."

"Isn't that what a Luna does?"

"A Luna leads. You can't lead if you're fighting a demon inside your mind." His eyes were firm. "Do the ritual. We'll handle what comes."

"Cole's right," Stacey said. "If another demon comes, we fight it. Together."

I looked around. My pack. My family.

They were willing to risk everything.

"Okay," I said. "We do it."

The door opened. The Elder walked in.

"You've decided."

"Yes."

The Elder nodded. "Then we begin now."

She pulled out a knife. Drew a circle on the floor with her blood.

"Everyone back. Only Lita and I enter."

The pack moved back. Cole squeezed my hand once.

I stepped into the circle. The Elder across from me.

"Kneel."

I knelt. She knelt too.

"This will hurt. When I free the demon piece inside me, you must contain it."

"You want me to trap both demons?"

"Only for a moment. Then I send them both back to hell."

"And if I can't?"

"Then they're free." Her eyes met mine. "But I believe you can."

She cut her palm. Blood dripped onto the circle.

The symbols glowed. Red.

"Ready?"

"No. But let's do it."

The Elder began to chant. Ancient words.

The air grew thick.

Her eyes rolled back. Her body shook.

Black smoke poured from her mouth. The demon piece. Freed after three hundred years.

It screamed. Then lunged at me.

I opened my mind. Opened the cage just enough.

The demon piece rushed in.

Inside my mind, chaos.

Two demons now. Fighting each other. Fighting me.

"You fool!" the first demon screamed.

"We're free!" the second laughed.

"Not yet," I growled.

I slammed the cage shut. Trapped them both.

The demons howled. Pushed.

Pain exploded in my head.

I screamed.

"Hold on!" The Elder's voice. "Just a little longer!"

She chanted faster. Louder.

The symbols burned brighter. The circle became a vortex.

The demons panicked.

"No!"

"Watch me," The Elder said.

She pressed her bloody palm to my forehead.

Power surged through me. Through the demons.

They screamed.

Then they were ripped from my mind. Sucked into the vortex.

"NO!"

Silence.

The vortex closed.

I collapsed. Breathing hard.

The Elder collapsed too.

Cole was beside me. "Lita?"

I opened my eyes.

"They're gone," I whispered. "Both of them."

Relief washed over his face. He pulled me close.

The pack cheered.

But The Elder wasn't moving.

"Wait," I said. "The Elder."

Andres knelt beside her. Checked her pulse. His face went pale.

"She's not breathing."

"What?"

Stacey tried CPR. Marcus tried too.

Nothing worked.

"No," I said.

I crawled over. Placed my hands on her chest.

"Come on. You can't die."

Nothing.

Then I remembered. Maybe I had healing power.

I closed my eyes. Channeled everything.

"Come back. Please."

Silver light glowed from my hands.

For a moment, nothing.

Then she gasped. Her eyes opened.

"Lita?"

"You're okay."

"I died."

"You were. But I brought you back."

The Elder stared at my hands. Still glowing.

"Impossible. Luna Alphas don't have healing powers."

"Well, I guess I'm different."

Exhaustion hit me. My vision blurred.

Cole caught me. "You need rest."

"I'm fine."

"You just banished two demons and brought someone back from the dead. You're going to bed."

He carried me upstairs. Laid me on my bed.

"Sleep. I'll be here."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

I closed my eyes.

No demons this time. Just darkness.

I woke hours later. Dark outside.

Cole was asleep in the chair. Hand holding mine.

I sat up slowly. The demon was gone.

Freedom.

My phone was on the nightstand. Missed calls. Messages.

One from an unknown number.

Congratulations, Luna. You've passed the trials. Defeated the demons. Now comes the real test. The war is coming. In three days, the demon army will rise. You need every pack united. Come to Council Hall tomorrow at dawn. Alone. There is much you need to know. About what's coming. About who you really are. About the sacrifices you'll make. Don't be late. The Council

I stared at it.

Three days until war.

Council Hall tomorrow at dawn.

Alone.

Another message below.

Demon attacks have begun. Seattle. Portland. Vancouver. Small strikes. Testing defenses. They're coming faster than we thought. Be ready.

My heart raced. I got out of bed.

Cole stirred. "Lita? What's wrong?"

"The Council. They want me at Council Hall tomorrow at dawn."

"Why?"

"They didn't say." I showed him.

His face darkened. "They want you alone."

"Yes."

"I don't like it."

"Cole."

"I don't care. You're my mate. I'm coming with you."

"What if they won't talk?"

"Then I'll wait outside. But I'm coming."

I nodded. "Okay. But we tell the pack."

"Agreed."

We went downstairs. The pack was still awake.

They went quiet when we entered.

"Meeting," Cole said. "Now."

Everyone gathered. I explained. The message. The Council.

"Three days?" Alex said. "That's not enough time."

"Which is why we start now," I said. "Tonight. We train."

"For what?" Marcus asked.

"Everything. Worst case." I looked at them. "The Council will have more information tomorrow."

"So what do we do?" Andres asked.

"We fight," I said. "We train. We prepare. Tomorrow, I get answers."

Cole stepped beside me. "We start tonight. Everyone gets assignments."

The pack nodded.

"Alright," Alex said. "Let's get to work."

They dispersed.

Andres researched. Marcus checked weapons. Stacey started training.

I stood there. Watching.

Three days.

Tomorrow, I'd find out how bad it was.

Cole touched my shoulder. "You okay?"

"No. But I will be."

"We'll get through this."

"Will we? The message said sacrifices. What if it's something I can't do?"

"Then we find another way. Together." He turned me to face him. "Whatever comes, we face it as partners."

"Partners. I like that."

He kissed me. Soft. Quick. "Get rest. Dawn comes early."

I watched him go. Then looked out at the night.

Somewhere, demons were gathering.

Somewhere, war was coming.

Tomorrow, I'd learn what I was up against.

Sleep didn't come easy.

But when it did, I dreamed of fire. Of battle.

And of a choice that would change everything.