Chapter 9: THE VEIL

SERENA'S POV

Ever seen waves washing up the seashore? That was how they arrived. It wasn't wild or chaotic, but it was a organized.

Kael was right, as eight wolves burst through the tree line, and they began to spread out like they had been trained in the military. Two went to our left and another two to our right. Then the remaining four just came straight at us.

Good, because I had been expecting them. If they wanted a fight, then we were going to give it to them. My wolf surged forward and the next thing was silver fur, a total shift from human back to wolf. This change was earlier and it happened faster then the previous one, making it feel like something inside me had broken.

Kael was right beside me, and he kept snarling so much that the leaves around us shook with fever. We didn't talk to each other, there was no need for that.

The first rogue wolf came for my throat. I bent low and did a break fall, rolling under him then I tore into his hind leg. I heard his bone snap and he howled in pain. I made sure to finish him off before he even had the chance to crawl away.

I glanced at Kael to see how he was faring. He made contact with two at once, heavy force, aiming to be brutal. Well, brutality was like or the components of war generals. They mare sure that their strikes were deliberate and lethal, and sometimes they weren't even fighting to win. Just trying to test waters.

One of the wolves ran past us, heading for the wounded sentry.

"No," I said, and moved even neiree I had the time to think. But I was too far and too fast. Instead, the rogue suddenly changed direction and slammed into me instead, making me realize too late that it had been a trap.

We rolled across the forest ground, and he was stringer than the rest of them. I could see that in the scars on him. His jaws fell on my shoulder and I felt real pain. I roared as loud as I could.

Kael heard me and he lost himself to a sound of fury that tore out of his mouth. He plowed through the wolves in his path recklessly and hit the wolf who had attacked me like a tsunami.

His jaws crushed spine and everywhere went silent. The other rogues didn't move an inch. They looked at Kael then at me. Finally, they retreated.

Then one of them shifted and announced, "The Veil falls at the next moon!" Then he vanished with the rest, into the trees.

My shoulder burned with pain as I exhaled. Kael was beside me at once as I changed back. There was blood running like my arm and he seemed to be shaking, especially his hands.

"Why did you leave my side?" He demanded to know.

I blinked then said, "Because he was hearing for the guard. What else was I supposed to do?"

"Well, you just can't abandon position in an attack like this one, Serena. Didn't you see that they were coordinated?"

"Can't let my pack die."

"You could have.."

"I could have what?" I cut in. "Left the guard to die just because I had to follow stand by your side?"

His jaw clenched, as if he was disappointed that I had said that. He said nothing to that and reached to touch my injured shoulder. He paused, as if rethinking his move them pressed his palm over my wound.

The contact sent heat through me. I didn't know if he felt the same though. Then a silver glow appeared beneath his hand, and we both stared as the bleeding slowed and the would closed.

"You are not just Luna," he said.

"I know," I said.

Reinforcements that we hadn't called for from Silverfang arrived and they reaster their eyes at the bodies around. I was still in the ground with Kael's hand on my shoulder.

"Did they retreat?" One warrior asked.

"Yes," Kael said. "But I have no doubt that they'll come back. They weren't here for a takeover of our territory."

"No, they were not. They were counting time." And all eyes turned to me as I said this.

"The next full moon," I added. "That is when the Veil falls."

"Prepare the eastern and northern borders," Kael ordered. "Double the patrol rotations. No one moves alone from now on." Then his gaze fell on me. "Especially not you."

I wanted to argue, but when I saw the look in his eyes, I just let it go. He wasn't exerting control over me, he was just showing care.

Later, then the bodies were taken away and the injured sentry had been carrier off for treatment, Kael and I strolled toward the heart of the territory.

"You didn't answer me earlier," I reminded him.

“About what?”

“The Veil.”

He breathed out though his mouth. “The Veil was a binding between the five sovereign packs,” he said. “It kept them from open war. It required a claimed Luna to prevent something like that.”

“And if the Luna walks unclaimed?” I asked.

He didn't respond and his silence was an answer in itself. There would be war and kingdoms would rise to claim power.

"What about the rogues?" I probed.

“Well, they’re not rogues,” he said. “Not really.”

That stopped me in my tracks, you know.  “Then what are they?”

He stopped as well, and turned to face me. “They’re remnants of the other four kingdoms. They have been waiting,” he continued. “For an opportunity.”

“For a Luna who rejected her Alpha and refused to kneel,” I finished softly.

His gaze didn’t waver as he said, “Yes.”

“If the Veil depended on silence and obedience,” I said, “then it was already broken.”

“You’re right," he said and stepped closer. “Look, we don’t have a month, okay? If the other kingdoms are mobilizing, they’ll be at the borders within days. And you know what will happen then.”

“Then we don’t wait,” I replied.

He raised his brows in a question, "You’re thinking something reckless, aren't you?”

“I’m thinking we don’t defend,” I said. “We confront.”

He smiled dangerously then said, “Go on.”

“We find the Northern Veil. The original binding site. Before the next full moon.”

“It has been thirty years now and no one has seen it.”

“Then we’ll be the first.”

“Okay. We leave at dawn,” he said finally.

“Just us?” I asked.

“Yes.”

Well, well, well. What was Alpha Kael up to? I didn't want to think too much about the why.

“Silverfang cannot look like we are in a state of confusion,” he continued. “The council will disagree and the elders will panic. And fear isn't what I want getting out to the rest of the pack. Else, we lose authority.”

“So we disappear?” I asked.

“Yes. Just to find the answers that we need.”

The wind lifted my hair, carrying the faint scent of distant smoke.

Karl held my hand and he said to me, “For what it’s worth, when this is over… I won’t accept you out of duty.”

My heart felt like it was about to melt.

“I will earn you,” he finished.