Chapter 63: The Hidden Council

Claire’s POV

The acrid scent of smoke and blood lingered as we retreated from the crumbling fortress. It vomited fire into the clouds, a dark portent of the destruction Jared had unleashed. My chest seared, and my body ached with pain, but I could not stay.

Derek pulled ahead of me, his fist firmly clenched around my wrist as he pulled me through the ruin. Rowan and Theo pushed behind us, half-dragging a half-unconscious warrior that they'd scooped up in the first blast. The rest had pulled out, fighting their way clear of Jared's ambush trap.

We'd entered a nightmare.

And when finally we emerged into deep cover under the woods, more than hazard waited.

Rowan leaned against a tree, panting. "What the hell just happened?"

Derek rubbed his soot-covered hair, his expression dark. "Jared had advance notice that we were coming. He didn't just set a trap—he murdered his own men to make sure that we went along with him."

I clenched my fists into fists. "That wasn't war. That was crazy."

Theo, who was still panting, faced me. "What are we supposed to do now? Redwater is preparing to fight, but with Jared attempting something like this." He shivered. "We don't even know what we're doing here now."

I was going to answer when a rustle in the woods caused us all to turn.

Derek unsheathed his sword. "Get behind me."

The person emerged from the shadows, dressed in a dark grey hooded cloak. The hood obscured their face except for a thin line, but as they addressed me, my blood ran cold.

"You don't have much time." The voice was a woman's, soft but firm.

Derek didn't lower his sword. "Who the devil are you?"

The woman took a step forward and slowly pulled back her hood, revealing piercing silver eyes and a fall of dark hair.

"I am Elara. I have a message."

I raised an eyebrow. "From whom?"

Her gaze moved to me. "From the Lunar Council."

There was a silence from our pack.

Rowan scoffed. "The Lunar Council? The same council that has been turning a blind eye to this war for months?"

Elara's expression was impassive. "They are no longer doing so. An emergency meeting has been called to negotiate the war."

I looked at Derek. "Why now?"

Elara’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Because Jared’s actions have threatened more than just your packs. He has defied the laws of the council itself. If this war escalates any further, it will spread beyond Redwater and Midnight Moon. The council will not allow that.”

I folded my arms. “And what exactly do they plan to do?”

She hesitated.

Derek stepped closer, his voice low. “You’re holding something back.”

Elara's silver gaze locked with his. "The council is debating an ultimatum. If neither side will stand down, they will get involved. And their involvement will not be peaceful."

My stomach turned. The Lunar Council wasn't merely a ruling body—they were the oldest, strongest group in the werewolf world. Their rule was law. If they chose to take things into their own hands…

It wouldn't be diplomacy. It would be destruction.

Theo swore under his breath. "So we either accept whatever terms they propose to us, or they destroy both sides?"

Elara didn't nod. She didn't need to.

Derek breathed sharply, turning to me. "We can't ignore this."

I nodded slowly, my mind reeling. If the council had finally stepped in, that meant they considered this a threat to their reign. And if they considered us a threat…

We had already lost.

Elara stepped closer. "The council meeting will be three nights from now, at the Eclipse Hollow. Redwater and Midnight Moon representatives must attend." Her eyes narrowed. "If you don't, the council will interpret that as defiance."

I straightened. "Jared will never agree to this."

Elara's voice was icy. "Then his fate is sealed."

A heavy silence existed between us.

Derek turned to Rowan. "Go back to Redwater. Tell them what we've learned. We need to prepare."

Rowan nodded, but a worried glint played in his eyes. "What about you?"

Derek turned to me. "Claire and I will go to that meeting."

A lump formed in my throat, but I forced myself to nod. This wasn't about Redwater alone anymore. If we failed to end this war before the council acted, none of us would survive what came after.

Elara's voice cut into my musings. "There is one more thing."

Derek's expression turned dark. "What?"

Her gaze snapped to me. "There's a reason the council has taken so long to act. There is a traitor among them."

The air seemed to chill.

Theo's eyebrows creased. "What do you mean?"

Elara hesitated, then took a slow breath. "Someone on the council has been feeding Jared information. Shielding him."

My pulse accelerated. "Who?"

Elara's silver gaze met mine. "I don't know. But if you attend that meeting unprepared, you won't be walking into negotiations." She paused, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"You'll be walking into an execution."

I gasped.

Derek's fists were tight. "Then we find out who the traitor is."

Elara looked at us for a moment before she nodded. "Three nights. Eclipse Hollow. Don't be late.".

With that, she pulled up her hood and dissolved into the night.

Theo spoke up the moment she was gone from view, saying, "Well, that's not frightening at all."

Rowan ran a hand over his face. "A war on one front, a council stacked against us on the other. Great odds."

Derek ignored them, turning to me. His blue eyes blazed with intent. "If this is a trap, we need to be ready."

I swallowed. "We don't have an option."

His jaw hardened. "Then we fight."

I nodded, but the dread in my stomach didn't leave.

Because if the council had been compromised, if there'd been someone helping Jared all along…

Then entering Eclipse Hollow wasn't just dangerous.

It was a death sentence.