Chapter 39 This Is Our Chance

Chapter 39 This Is Our Chance
Lyra

I didn’t sleep much last night. My mind kept returning to the woman who looks exactly like me. Why had she acted like she was Tessa’s friend? What did she want, and why was she in Running River at all? Is she from Blue Raven? Who is she?! Even in the quiet dark, her existence taunted me with questions I can’t answer.

By the time noon rolls around, my restless thoughts are interrupted by movement at the edge of the clearing. I turn to see Serena, Mitch, Frank, Jeanie, and a stranger I haven’t met, as well as  little Reed holding Serena’s hand. They’re smiling, their eyes bright with relief. Serena’s shoulders are relaxed, and Mitch carries himself with a lightness I haven’t seen in him before. Frank grins, though he tries to keep it contained, and Jeanie’s eyes sparkle as she steps forward. Even the stranger moves with an easy confidence, nodding politely at Bram and me. Reed tugs gently on Serena’s sleeve, bouncing on the balls of his feet. They’ve come with good news. I can feel it before anyone even speaks.

Serena approaches first. "Lyra, Bram," she says, "this is Jonah. He's one of our messengers from the eastern territories."

Jonah nods, his expression unreadable. "The Lunarae Rite is approaching," he announces. "Half of our warriors are expected to return within the next week. Some have already crossed into Song’s farthest borders. Others are only a day behind."

Reed perks up at that, his small voice carrying more joy than all the rest of them combined. “That means Papa’s coming home too, right?” He tugs harder on Serena’s hand, his eyes searching her face.

Serena smooths his hair gently. “Yes, Reed. Papa’s coming home.” 

The Lunarae Rite is a traditional celebration where the packs gather to reaffirm their unity, strength, and survival. Running River usually doesn’t participate because they don’t want to be united with any of the other packs.

I exchanged glances with Bram. There's a twinkle of hope in his eyes, quickly masked by caution. "Thank you for bringing the news, Jonah," he says. "We'll prepare."

Jonah nods. “Not everyone can come home. Some of the men still have work to attend to, but you can expect about fifty men over the following days.”

"We thought you should know," Serena says. "We will warn everyone as they begin to get closer through the mind-link that the two of you are here and that you’re friends.”

Jeanie adds. "Family, even.” 

Bram smiles. “Thank you. That means a lot to us.” He squeezes my hand. 

My mind starts racing, plotting, calculating. Half of Song’s warriors returning will be more than enough to tip the scales in our favor. 

“We should plan an attack on Running River while we have the extra numbers,” I blurt out, though I’m still attempting to keep my composure. “While most of Song’s warriors are home, and Running River is celebrating the Lunarae Rite–probably alone. It’s the perfect opportunity.”

Bram nods. “Yeah, but what do we do? How do we get Kaelen and his warriors without putting any of the innocent people at risk?”

“You’re right. We don’t want to hurt the servants or the women and children. But I’ve seen their patrols,” Mitch speaks up. “They’re restless and predictable. If we coordinate carefully, we can catch them during the celebration when their defenses are even weaker.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, feeling the gravity of it all, but also the surge of determination. “We’ll make a plan tonight. We’ll go over every detail.”

Serena nods, her expression hardening. “Then it’s decided. We use the return of the pack to our advantage.”

“Our first step has to be convincing the men they can do this,” I say, glancing at Bram and the others. “After the last war against Running River, they might doubt themselves, and fear failure. That hesitation could cost us everything.”

Frank nods, his jaw tight. “They remember that defeat. Some of them still carry the scars, both physically and in spirit. We’ll have to remind them of who we are, what we’ve survived, and why this time is different.”

“It is different,” I agree. “This isn’t a war Kaelen can dominate. Running River isn’t the same pack it was before. With their Alpha’s debts, all the soldiers we’ve eliminated, and their disloyal warriors… they’re crumbling from the inside. This time, they don’t hold the upper hand.”

I pace the porch, the sun high above us, casting shadows across the yellow house. Thoughts spin in my head, pieces of a plan starting to take shape. The pack is returning, Running River is dissolving, and the Lunarae gives us the perfect opportunity.

I stop mid-step, turning to Bram and the others, my eyes bright with determination. “Here’s what we do,” I say, my voice low but commanding. “Someone gathers a whole supply of wolfsbane. I’m talking enough to fill an entire room with smoke.  Another person will set it on fire, but carefully, so the smoke spreads like a thick gas through their celebration hall. It won’t kill anyone, but it’ll knock everyone out.”

I pause, letting the words sink in, imagining the chaos. “Once they’re unconscious, and the fog begins to clear we will slink in and remove the innocent people from the hall. Women, servants, children, anyone that’s not part of the Alpha’s inner circle. Then…” I glance at Bram, my heart hammering. “…Alpha Kaelen and his men wake up to Song Pack, ready and waiting in their own castle. They’ll have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.”

Serena and Mitch exchange looks, impressed but tense. Frank’s grinning, already imagining the battle. Jeanie nods, quietly approving, her expression hardening with resolve.

I continue, “We’ll have teams stationed outside the hall, ready to carry any of our warriors who collapse to safety. Every entrance, every exit will be guarded.”

Bram steps closer, eyes locked on mine. “Lyra, you’re brilliant. 

The plan is dangerous, audacious, and perfect. This Lunarae Rite, we unleash our vendetta against Running River, and Kaelen will finally pay. Yet, even as the fires of revenge ignite my ferocity, one face won’t leave my mind. Tessa. She was once my closest friend, now Luna of the pack I’ve sworn to destroy. Does she deserve my mercy, or is she too far gone, complicit in his greed? I wonder if she chose this path, or if Kaelen chained her to it as he chains everyone around him?