Chapter Forty-Eight

N I C C O L O

The sensation of something cold touching my lips is what rouses me out of the floating trance that I sank myself into when I realized I no longer could feel my wolf. Slowly, I try my best to pry my eyelids open, but then I feel a warm liquid trickling into my mouth.

The bitterness that instantly invades my taste buds jolts me right into attention. I gasp and get up, expecting myself to still be surrounded by the warriors, but I find myself in a makeshift tent.

And kneeling right in front of my cot is Hardy.

“You’re finally awake, Alpha,” he says in a neutral, almost careful tone. “We were worried about you.”

“What?” is the only thing I can say with my throat dry and my mind completely disoriented. “How did...”

“We found you in the forest,” he explains briefly, stopping when suddenly the sound of clinking armors and thudding boots emerges from outside. He doesn’t look remotely bothered even when I flinch, and he just says, “We were on our way to the Blood Moon Pack because Luna Florence’s father contacted us and said we should come. We have not heard from you in quite a long time and we were wondering what happened. Then we found you lying on the ground motionless in the forest, pumped full of wolfsbane. I gave you the antidote, and you should be alright soon.”

I frown, rubbing my face with my hands. So Alpha Amos didn’t set me up to die. He had a plan, but it just so happened that Alpha Isaac was well ahead of him. “But we were corresponding through the letters...”

I trail off. How could I have been so blind? Of course the letters weren’t real. They were probably staged by Alpha Isaac; that’s why they were so vague.

It seems that Hardy figured out that this happened, because he just pats my shoulder. “That Alpha Isaac is a lunatic and he needs to be put down. We have heard so much about him just making this journey alone, so don’t feel bad.”

My heart swells with emotion when I hear him say that. I remember the last fight we have and it makes me feel horrible, but it’s awfully comforting to know that Hardy is still looking out for me. I lower my head in shame. “I apologize for everything.”

Hardy opens his mouth to say something, but it seems that my words have taken him aback because he just shakes his head. For a long while, he doesn’t speak, and when he finally does, his voice is so soft it’s almost inaudible. “You truly have nothing to apologize for.”

“But I do.” I sigh and face him. “You’re right about everything. I have been too fixated on all the stuff going and it seemed that I lost care for my people. They don’t deserve that. And neither do you. That night we fought, I found out who I truly am. I am the tyrant’s cursed son. That’s why my wolf form looks like that. He stole power and transferred it to me by taking my mother against her will.”

His eyes go wide. “I... I didn’t know that. And I really am sorry for saying all those things to you.”

“All is forgiven,” I tell him, and finally he cracks a small smile.

“Enough of the sappiness before you cry,” he jokes, then he turns serious. “We have to save our Luna.”

He holds out his hand and we shake, and right at that moment I could tell that our brotherhood is strong.

“So, who did you bring to this little journey of yours?” I ask. “Did you bring Gamma Taylor?”

“Him and many more,” Hardy says proudly, and with that, he leads me out of the tent and stands aside to let me see the view. “See?”

My mouth falls open. Down the hidden slope of the mountain, there are hundreds of tents. About a thousand of my warriors are standing outside waiting for me, lining up with their armor and their swords at the ready. A good number of them have already shifted into their wolf forms, and they also have new sets of armor specially made for them.

They are truly prepared for battle, and it’s a sight to behold.

Hardy looks at me and beckons me to come forward. “They’re waiting for you, Alpha.”

My heart jumps in my throat. I can’t believe that even after what I have put them through, they will still rally to my cause and put their lives on the line. Pride, sadness, and joy all swirl in my chest as I step to the front, watching my men all turn to me.

Then, they kneel.

Hardy hands me armor and a helmet. I wear it with pride, holding my sword and touching the insignia of our pack.

“Thank you all for coming together for this,” I announce. “I will be forever grateful for the dedication and care that you have for our pack, and the bravery that you all carry in your hearts. Whatever happens tonight, I know that we will emerge triumphant, and I will lead all of us to victory. We will take back our Luna and her land, and make the people behind our suffering pay.”

They all rise to their feet and put their swords up.

And with that, we march toward the Blood Moon Pack.

* * *

F L O R E N C E

“Wake up. Please, wake up...”

The familiar male voice slowly pulls me out of the dreamlike state that I’m submerged in. Light seeps through my eyelids and I choke, feeling a small surge of pain in my chest.

When I finally open my eyes, I see Dad sitting on the bed that I’m lying on, staring at my face with some kind of salve in his hand. I notice that my chest area is wet, and when I look down I see the same pink goop in his bottle spread all over the wound on my chest.

It’s a healing salve for my cut. I can slowly feel the wound closing up further, assisting my Alpha healing and making sure I don’t lose any more blood.

The memories of what happened to start to come to me, and I sit up, glaring at him. “What are you doing here?” I demand. “You’re supposed to be with your boss—”

He covers my lips with his finger. “Lower your voice. He doesn’t know I’m here. He... hurt you and I knew I had to make things right, as soon as possible because as we speak, he is gaining more and more power. He has conquered more lands and acquired more soldiers to fight for his stupid cause. He wants to build an empire.”

“I know, and you were helping him,” I hiss, slapping his hand off me.

“Florence...” Dad sets the salve down. “I was only playing along with his plans. I had to make it look real, because only then would he trust me enough to tell me what he wants to do. Tonight is the full moon. He’s planning to make you his bride, that’s why he instructed someone to heal you.”

“What?” I splutter, then I notice a servant gagged and unconscious in the corner. “You beat that servant up?”

He nods. “Yes. I came here to do the job myself, then we’re getting out of here.”

He takes my hand and makes a move to assist me to leave the bed. I get up quickly, feeling no more pain, but I still feel weak. I know I have lost so much blood.

“What about Niccolo?” I ask as he assists me. “What did you do to him?”

Hope and pride spark in his eyes. “I had it all planned, I told you. I already contacted his pack so they would meet him halfway and fight with him once he gets out—”

The rest of his words get interrupted when suddenly, the servant in the corner starts to groan and wake up.

Dad wraps his arm around my waist and basically carries me towards the door, but just as we’re about to get out, an explosion from outside shakes the entire room.

He looks at me. “The war has started. Niccolo is here.”