Chapter 56: The Rescue

I sat on the bed. Waiting. Listening.

The mate bond was alive. Burning. Cole was getting closer. Fast.

I felt his fear. His love.

And something else. The pack bond. Faint but there.

He wasn't alone. He brought help.

My phone rang. Erica again.

"You think he can save you? I have twenty wolves outside that motel. Armed. Ready." Her voice was cold. "The second he shows up, we attack. He dies. You watch. Then I kill you too."

"You're lying."

"Am I? Look outside. Top floor. Blue car. See it?"

I looked. There was a blue car. Someone inside. Watching.

"That's Marcus. He's got a rifle. One shot takes out your Alpha." Erica laughed. "Want to test me?"

My heart raced. She wasn't lying.

"What do you want?"

"You. Outside. Now. Get in the black van by the office. You come quiet, I call off the attack."

"And if I don't?"

"Cole dies. Right in front of you." She stopped. "Two minutes. Decide."

She hung up.

I looked outside. Saw the black van. The blue car. More cars everywhere.

She was right. They were here.

If Cole came, it would be a war. People would die.

I couldn't let that happen.

I grabbed my jacket. Went to the door.

Through the bond, I felt Cole close. Maybe ten minutes away.

I had to move fast.

I opened the door. Started walking to the van.

Then I felt it. A pull. Not Cole. Someone else.

The pack bond. Stacey.

"Lita, stop. Don't get in that van. It's a trap."

"I know. But if I don't, they'll kill Cole."

"They'll kill him anyway. And you. This is Erica. She lies."

Stacey was right. But what choice did I have?

"I can't let him die for me."

"He's Alpha. He knew the risks." Stacey's voice was firm. "Trust us. We're ready."

"What plan?"

"You'll see. Just don't get in that van."

I stopped walking. Five feet from the van.

The driver got out. Big. Mean.

"Get in. Now."

"No."

"Wrong answer."

He grabbed my arm.

I shifted. Fast. My silver wolf.

Bit his hand. Hard. He screamed. Let go.

Gunshots. From the blue car. The rifle.

But not at me. At something else.

I turned. Saw wolves. Lots of them. Coming from everywhere.

The pack. They were here.

Cole's big dark form led them. Eyes on me.

"Get down!" Stacey's voice. She was here. In wolf form. Running to me.

More gunshots. Chaos. Fighting everywhere.

The van man shifted. Tried to attack me.

Cole hit him mid-air. Took him down hard.

The pack fought Erica's wolves. So many.

I shifted back. Ran to Cole.

"You came."

"Always." He shifted. Pulled me close. "You okay?"

"Yeah. But Erica has snipers. Guns."

"I know. We planned for it." He pointed up. "Look."

On the rooftops. More wolves. Our wolves. Taking out snipers.

"Alex set it up. We've been tracking you since you opened the bond." Cole smiled. "Erica thought she was smart. But we were smarter."

An explosion. The blue car. Fire everywhere.

"What was that?"

"Andres. He rigged their cars." Cole looked proud. "We planned."

The fighting got worse. Our wolves were winning but barely.

Then I saw her. Erica. By the motel office. Watching. Smiling.

She had a phone. Finger on the screen.

"Cole, she's got something. A trigger."

"For what?"

Before he could answer, Erica pressed it.

Beeping. From inside the motel. My room. Other rooms.

"Bombs!" Cole screamed. "Everyone back! Now!"

The pack ran. Away from the building.

The motel exploded. Fire and junk everywhere.

I hit the ground. Cole covered me. Protected me.

When the smoke cleared, the motel was gone. Just fire.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked.

"Checking." Cole spoke through pack bond. One by one, wolves answered. All alive. Some hurt but alive.

I looked for Erica. She was running. To a car down the street.

"She's getting away!"

"Not for long." Cole shifted. Chased her.

I shifted too. Followed.

Erica got in the car. Started it.

Cole jumped. Landed on the hood. Claws digging in.

The car swerved. Crashed into a fence.

Erica got out. Running on foot.

We chased. Me and Cole. Together.

She was fast. But we were faster.

She reached the woods. Went into trees.

We followed. Through brush. Over logs.

Then she stopped. Turned. Faced us.

"You think you won? This isn't over." She pulled out a knife. "I'll kill you both."

Cole growled. Moved forward.

"Wait." I stepped in front. "Let me."

"Lita."

"Please. This is between us. Let me finish it."

Cole waited. Then nodded. Stepped back.

I walked toward Erica. Shifted back to human.

"You really want to die?" Erica laughed. "Fine. Come on."

She lunged. Knife aimed at my heart.

I dodged. Grabbed her wrist. Twisted.

The knife fell. I caught it.

Now I had the weapon.

"Your turn to choose," I said. "Leave. Never come back. Or I end this."

"You won't kill me. You're too weak." Erica smiled. "You don't have it in you."

"You're right. I don't want to kill you." I dropped the knife. "But I will stop you."

I shifted. My silver wolf. Jumped.

Not to kill. To hold down.

My jaws closed on her shoulder. Held her.

She screamed. Fought. But couldn't break free.

Cole came over. Shifted back. "The pack is here. They'll take her. Lock her up. She'll face justice."

Wolves came. Surrounded Erica. Tied her up. Silver ropes.

She couldn't escape.

"You'll regret this," she said.

"Maybe. But not today." I shifted back. Looked at her. "You lost."

They took her away. Back to the gym. To a cell.

I stood there. In the woods. Covered in dirt and blood. But alive.

Cole pulled me into his arms. Held me tight.

"Don't ever do that again. Don't ever leave me."

"I won't. I promise." I looked up at him. "I'm sorry. I thought I was protecting you. But I was just scared."

"I know. But we're okay now. We're together." He kissed me. Deep. Real. "That's all that matters."

The pack gathered. All in human form. Smiling. Happy.

"Luna's back!" Alex shouted.

Everyone cheered. Howled. Celebrated.

Stacey hugged me. "Don't do that again. I thought I lost you."

"You didn't. I'm here. I'm staying."

We walked back to the cars. Left the destroyed motel.

On the way, I felt it. The pack bonds. Stronger. Clearer.

Because I'd stopped blocking them. Stopped pushing away.

I was Luna. Part of something bigger.

And I wasn't alone.

Back at the gym, The Elder was waiting.

"Welcome home, Luna. We have much to discuss." She looked serious. "About Erica. About the wolves who helped her. And about what happens next."

"What happens next?"

"You prove yourself. For real this time. Six months start now." She smiled small. "Think you're ready?"

I looked at Cole. At the pack. At my family.

"Yeah. I'm ready."

Because I wasn't the scared girl anymore.

I was Luna Alpha.

And I had a pack to lead.