Chapter 44 THE CHOICE

Chapter 44 THE CHOICE
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

The letter remained on the council table long after everyone else had stopped speaking.

The crumpled paper sat there like a curse. A single piece of paper capable of tearing apart an entire pack.

Anna stared at it from her seat near the fireplace while arguments erupted around the room.

"No." Chris's voice cut through the hall like steel. His hands were planted firmly on the table. His eyes blazed with fury.

"We are not handing Anna over."

Steve exhaled heavily. "Nobody is suggesting that."

"It sounds like you're considering it." Chris muttered.

"I'm considering Tyler." The room fell silent instantly.

Chris's jaw tightened. The two men stared at each other. Not as Alpha and Beta but as brothers.

For the first time in years, neither seemed willing to back down.

The tension was thick enough to suffocate them.

Anna glanced toward Maya, who stood quietly near the window. She looked just as uncomfortable as everyone else.

"You know Draven won't honor any deal," Steve finally said.

Chris didn't answer because he knew that already.

If Anna surrendered herself, Draven would take her and the ritual would be completed, probably he would kill Tyler anyway.

Everyone in the room understood the problem was that Tyler was still alive, suffering and waiting for them. That made the choice harder.

"We need another solution," Anna said softly.

Several heads turned toward her.

Steve nodded. "Exactly."

Chris ran a hand through his hair. For the first time, he looked exhausted. Like the weight of leadership was crushing him.

"I sent Tyler on that patrol."

"Chris… don't…"

"No." His voice softened. "I did."

The guilt in his eyes made Anna's chest ache. "He trusted me."

"Tyler chose to go," Steve said firmly. "He followed orders."

"Because that's what good wolves do." The room fell quiet again at his voice. Nobody knew what to say.

Chris wasn't blaming himself logically, he was blaming himself emotionally and those wounds were much harder to heal.

\~~~

Hours later, the council meeting finally ended. The decision remained unresolved. No one would surrender Anna but nobody knew how to save Tyler either.

The uncertainty lingered like a storm cloud over Blood Moon. Outside, darkness had settled across the territory. Most wolves had gone home while others continued preparing defenses.

The entire pack seemed to move beneath an invisible shadow. Anna found Chris standing alone near the training grounds. Moonlight silvered his dark hair.

His shoulders were tense with his gaze fixed somewhere beyond the forest.

She approached quietly. "You disappeared."

A humorless smile touched his lips. "Just needed air."

Anna stopped beside him, for a while neither of them spoke. The sounds of the forest surrounded them. Crickets and distant howls from the patrols.

Normally those sounds brought comfort but tonight they only emphasized how much was at stake.

Chris finally broke the silence. "I hate this."

Anna looked at him. "The war?"

"No." His answer surprised her. "The choices."

He laughed softly, a hint of bitterness.

"When I became Alpha, I thought leadership was about protecting people."

His gaze remained fixed ahead.

"I didn't realize it meant choosing who gets hurt."

The confession pierced straight through her heart because it wasn't something Chris normally admitted. Vulnerability wasn't easy for him, especially not now.

Anna stepped closer. "You can't save everyone."

"I know."

His voice cracked slightly. The sound nearly broke her.

"But I want to."

For a moment neither moved. Then she wrapped her arms around him. Chris immediately pulled her closer. Holding her tight, almost desperately. As though he feared she might disappear.

The mate bond pulsed between them, mixture of love, fear and pain, all tangled together.

Anna buried her face against his chest. Listening to his heartbeat, it's pulse against his chest steady and familiar. It felt like home.

Neither noticed the pair of eyes watching from the shadows beyond the training grounds.

\~~~

Far north of Blood Moon territory, Tyler sat chained inside his prison. His wrists were raw from the scars. His muscles ached and he was beginning to hate the smell of damp stone.

Across from him sat the older prisoner he'd met upon waking. The wolf called himself Rowan.

He was the former Beta of Ash Valley Pack. Another victim of Draven. Another survivor. If surviving was the right word. Tyler leaned against the wall.

"You've been here for long?"

Rowan laughed. The sound held no humor. "Long enough."

"Mmhm… that's helpful."

"Glad to be of service."

Tyler rolled his eyes. For the first time in days, Rowan smiled slightly.

The older wolf studied him. "You're from Blood Moon."

It wasn't a question. Tyler nodded. "Proudly."

Rowan's expression softened. "I heard about your Alpha."

Tyler immediately straightened.

"What about him?"

"They say Christopher Whitmore is one of the strongest Alphas alive."

A grin tugged at Tyler's lips. "They're right."

Rowan chuckled. The amusement quickly faded. "Then pray he's stronger than the stories."

Tyler's stomach tightened. "What does that mean?"

The older wolf glanced toward the doorway, making sure nobody was listening. Then lowered his voice.

"There's something wrong with Draven."

A cold chill crawled down Tyler's spine. "You mean besides the obvious?"

"No." Rowan's expression became serious. "Something worse."

The humor vanished completely this time.

Tyler frowned. "What are you talking about?"

The older wolf hesitated as though debating whether to continue.

Finally he leaned forward. "I've seen wolves die."

Tyler blinked. "Okay?"

"I've seen wolves age."

"Also that's normal."

Rowan shook his head. "You don't understand."

His voice dropped even lower. "I've been a prisoner here for ten years."

The cell went silent.

Tyler stared at Rowan. Ten years? That's impossible.

The man didn't look old enough.

Before Tyler could question it, Rowan continued.

"In those ten years..."

His eyes darkened. "...Draven hasn't aged a single day."

A knot formed in Tyler's stomach because he believed him. Every instinct told him Rowan was telling the truth.

Then the older wolf whispered something even worse. "And he's not the only one."

\~~~

Meanwhile, Anna couldn't sleep.

The pendant rested against her chest as she lay awake staring at the ceiling.

Only three days remained, her thoughts drifted toward Tyler, Chris, the ritual. They all hit her at once.

Eventually exhaustion pulled her into sleep and immediately, the vision came.

Moonlight flooded her surroundings. The ancient temple appeared once more. Selene waited at its center.

Her silver eyes glowed softly. This time she looked troubled.

Anna approached. "Tell me how to stop him."

Selene studied her slowly. "You sound like your mother."

Anna froze. "My mother?"

The ancient Luna nodded. Shock rippled through Anna.

"She was Moonborn too?"

A sad smile appeared. "Every generation has one."

Questions exploded through Anna's mind.

But Selene raised her hand. "There isn't enough time."

Fear settled heavily in Anna's chest. "What aren't you telling me?"

The first Moonborn Luna looked away. For the first time since meeting her… she seemed afraid.

"The ritual can be stopped."

Hope surged inside Anna. "Then how?"

Selene met her gaze. "By choice."

Anna frowned, "I don't understand."

"You will."

The answer wasn't comforting, not even a bit. Then the vision began dissolving.

"No, wait…. "

Selene's voice echoed as the temple vanished. "The Blood Moon does not create destiny."

Her silver eyes seemed to pierce straight into Anna's soul. "It reveals it."

The vision shattered.

\~~~

Anna woke with a gasp. Darkness surrounded her bedroom.

Her heart hammered violently against her ribs. The words echoed inside her head repeatedly.

By choice.

A terrible feeling settled over her. One she couldn't shake away, one she didn't want to examine too closely.

Because for the first time… A dangerous thought had begun taking root.

If surrendering herself could save Tyler...

If sacrificing herself could save Blood Moon...

Wouldn't that be what a Luna was supposed to do?

Tears burned behind her eyes, she already knew what Chris would say. He'd never allow it.

Which meant if she chose that path… She would have to do it alone.

Somewhere deep inside her heart… that possibility terrified her more than Draven ever could.

\~~~

At dawn, another shock awaited Blood Moon. A patrol wolf burst into the council hall before sunrise. Breathless.

"Alpha!"

Chris immediately stood.

"What happened?"

The young wolf swallowed hard. "We found something."

"Where?"

"At the western border."

Steve exchanged a look with Chris. Neither of them liked the sound of that.

"What did you find?"

The scout hesitated, then quietly answered, "A second message."

Silence fell across the room.

Chris's expression darkened instantly, the first message contained a threat.

Which meant the second likely contained something worse and judging by the fear in the scout's eyes… It did.