201

201
Logan’s POV
The three guards spread out. Trying to surround me. Basic pack tactics.
I went left. Feinted toward the smallest one. He flinched. That half-second of hesitation was all I needed.
I pivoted right. Crashed into the largest guard with my full weight. We went down in a tangle of fur and claws.
His jaws snapped at my throat. I twisted. His teeth scraped across my shoulder instead. Barely broke the skin.
My claws found his belly. Tore deep. His insides spilled out onto the ground.
The other two attacked together. One from each side. I let the one on my left get close. Then I spun. Used my momentum to slam him into his partner. They went down in a heap.
I was on them before they could recover. Jaws on the first one's throat. Rip. Tear. Done.
The last guard scrambled backward. Fear in his eyes. He turned and ran.
I let him go. He wasn't important.
Elton was already at the tree line. Disappearing into the forest.
I chased after Elton into the forest. The trees closed in around us. Branches whipped past. Roots tried to trip me up.
But I was faster. Stronger. Built for this.
I could hear Elton ahead. Crashing through the underbrush. Breathing hard. Panicked.
The scent of his fear was overwhelming. I burst through a stand of bushes. There he was. Just twenty feet ahead. Still in human form. Too scared to stop and shift properly.
I lunged.
My front paws hit his back. We both went down. Rolling through dead leaves and dirt.
Elton screamed. Tried to crawl away. My claws dug into his shoulder. Pinned him to the ground.
He thrashed wildly. "No! Wait! Please!"
I shifted back to human form. Kept my hand on his shoulder. Claws still extended. Still pinning him.
"Please!" Elton's voice was high. Desperate. "We can negotiate! I can give you Emerald Grove Pack! The whole territory! You can rule both packs!"
I said nothing. Just stared down at him.
"I have gold! Resources! Anything you want!" Tears were streaming down his face now. "Just let me live! Please!"
"You poisoned Alpha King Winston," I said. My voice was flat.
"That was Soren's idea! He planned it! I just helped!" Elton was babbling now. Words tumbling out in a rush. "It wasn't my fault! He threatened me! Said he'd destroy my pack if I didn't help!"
"You're lying."
"I'm not! I swear on the Moon Goddess! Soren forced me to do it!"
I pressed my claws deeper into his shoulder. Blood welled up around them. Elton shrieked.
"You allied with Ashwood," I continued. "You were going to help him destroy Valdoria. Sell out every pack in the kingdom."
"No! That's not true! I was stalling! Buying time!" Elton's eyes were wild. Frantic. "I was going to betray Ashwood! I was going to help you! I swear!"
"More lies."
"Please!" He was sobbing now. Mucus running from his nose. "I don't want to die! I'll do anything! I'll serve you! I'll kneel! I'll—"
He lost control of his bladder. I smelled it immediately. Urine soaking into his clothes.
"You killed innocent people," I said. "You betrayed your own kind. You chose power over honor."
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He was wailing now. Completely broken. "I made mistakes! But I can change! Give me a chance! Please! I have a family! I have—"
"You should have thought about that before you poisoned father."
I pulled the short sword from my belt. The blade gleamed in the moonlight filtering through the trees.
Elton's eyes locked onto it. He started thrashing again. Trying to get free. But my claws held him firm.
"No! No! Please! I'll give you anything! Everything! Just don't kill me! Please! I'm begging you! I—"
I raised the sword.
"PLEASE! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! I DON'T—"
One swing. Clean and fast.
His head separated from his body. Rolled a few feet away. The eyes were still wide. Still full of terror.
Blood sprayed from the neck stump. Hot and thick. It soaked into the ground.
The body twitched. Legs jerking. Arms spasming. Then it went still.
I stood up. Looked down at what was left of Elton.
No satisfaction. No triumph. Just necessity.
I wiped my blade on some leaves. Sheathed it. Then I picked up Elton's head by the hair.
Pulled a cloth from my belt and wrapped it carefully. Tucked it under my arm.
Valencia, I sent through the mate bond. I'm done. Where are you?
Eastern edge of the settlement, she responded immediately. By the main road. Are you alright?
I'm fine. Mission accomplished.
I started walking back toward the settlement. Through the trees. Over roots and rocks.
The sounds of chaos were already fading. The fires were still burning but there was less screaming. Less panic.
Emerald Grove Pack was broken. Destroyed. They wouldn't be a threat to anyone for a long time.
I emerged from the tree line. The settlement stretched before me. Every major building was either burning or already collapsed into ash.
Bodies littered the ground. Most burned beyond recognition. Some still moving. Crawling. Trying to get away from the flames.
Warriors who'd survived were focused on rescue efforts now. Pulling people from burning buildings. Trying to organize water lines.
No one paid attention to me. They had bigger problems.
I walked through the destruction. Heading toward where Valencia was waiting.
A few Emerald Grove warriors saw me. Recognized me. But they didn't attack. Didn't even try.
They just backed away. Terror in their eyes. I reached the main road. Valencia was there. Still in dragon form. Her massive body crouched low. Wings folded against her sides.
Her golden eyes tracked me as I approached.
I held up the wrapped bundle. "Mission accomplished."
She lowered her head. Brought her massive face close to mine. I felt her hot breath wash over me.
Well done, her voice came through the mind link. No injuries?
Nothing serious. You?
I'm fine. Better than fine actually. Alduin and I worked perfectly together. The fire breath was almost effortless.
I climbed onto her back. Settled between her shoulder blades. Gripped the ridges of her neck scales firmly.
"Let's go home," I said aloud.
She stood. Spread her wings wide. She launched herself into the air. The force of her takeoff created a gust that scattered debris across the road.
We rose quickly. Higher and higher. The burning settlement fell away below us.
I looked back once. Emerald Grove Pack was a sea of orange and red flames. Smoke rose in thick columns toward the sky.
It looked like a vision of hell.
Valencia circled once. Making sure no one was organizing a pursuit. But there was nothing. Just scattered groups of survivors trying to save what little they could.
She turned north. Toward home. Her wings beat in steady rhythm. Carrying us away from the destruction.
How many do you think died? I asked through the mind link.
Two hundred at least, she responded. Maybe more. The explosions from the weapons storage killed dozens immediately. Then the barracks. Then the fires spreading to residential areas.
Her mental voice held sadness.
This was necessary, I reminded her. They chose to follow Elton. They chose to ally with Ashwood. This is war.
I know. It doesn't make it easier though.
We flew in silence for a while. The landscape passed beneath us. Dark forests. Moonlit rivers. Sleeping villages.
The flight took three hours. We flew fast. Valencia's endurance was incredible. No signs of fatigue. No slowing down.
Finally, I saw familiar mountains in the distance. The peaks that surrounded Cliffwatch Pack territory.
Valencia began her descent. Angling toward the courtyard. It was still dark but I could see lights. Torches. Guards on duty.
Valencia's massive form touched down in the courtyard. Her claws scraped against stone. The impact sent tremors through the ground.
A few warriors were standing guard. They stared at us with confusion. Elias came running out. He had a thick blanket clutched in his hands. His face was flushed. Excited.
"Alpha! Luna!" He rushed toward us. "Did it work? Was the mission successful?"
Valencia shifted back to human form. Elias stopped a few feet away. Kept his eyes carefully averted. Held out the blanket without looking directly at her.
I slid down from Valencia's back. Took the blanket from Elias. Walked over and wrapped it around Valencia's shoulders myself.
"Thank you," Valencia said quietly.
I turned to face Elias. Met his eager gaze.
I nodded once. "It worked. Mission accomplished."
Elias's face broke into a huge grin. "You actually did it? You destroyed Emerald Grove Pack?"
"Burned it to the ground. Their weapons storage, barracks, grain supplies, everything. The settlement is a smoking ruin."
"And Elton?"
I patted the wrapped bundle still tucked under my arm. "Dead. I have proof."
Elias let out a breath. Relief and excitement mixing together. "This is incredible. The pack needs to know. Everyone needs to hear this."
"Agreed. Gather everyone in the great hall. Now. We'll make the announcement there."
"Yes, Alpha!" Elias was practically bouncing with excitement. "Right away!"
He turned and started running toward the castle. Shouting orders as he went. "Everyone to the great hall! Emergency assembly! Alpha's orders!"
Inside the great hall, pack members filled every available space. Standing room only. More were still filing in through the doors.
I walked to the head table. Set down the wrapped bundle I'd been carrying.
The room went quiet. Everyone watching. Waiting.
I unwrapped the cloth slowly. Deliberately.
Elton's head stared up at the ceiling. Eyes glazed. Mouth frozen in a scream.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Then shocked silence.
I lifted the head by the hair. Held it high so everyone could see.
"Elton is dead!" My voice boomed through the hall. "Emerald Grove Pack is destroyed! Their army is scattered! They are no longer a threat!"
For a moment, nothing. Just stunned silence.
Then someone cheered. Then another. Then the entire hall erupted.
Roars of approval. Fists pumping the air. Warriors banging weapons against shields.
The sound was deafening.
I set the head back down. Raised my hand for silence. It took a while but eventually the noise died down.
"Last night, Luna Valencia and I flew to Emerald Grove Pack territory," I continued. "We conducted a surprise raid. Destroyed their weapons storage. Burned their barracks. Eliminated their food supplies. And I personally hunted down and executed their traitorous Alpha."
More cheers. I waited for them to quiet again.
"The enemy thought we would wait here. Trapped. Surrounded. Helpless." I looked around the room. Met as many eyes as I could. "They were wrong. Cliffwatch Pack doesn't wait for death. We bring death to our enemies."
The cheers were even louder this time.
Valencia stepped forward. She'd changed into proper clothes now. Simple leather pants and tunic. But she looked powerful. Radiant.
The crowd quieted immediately when they saw her move.
"Last night I burned Emerald Grove Pack to ash. I destroyed their military in a single night. And I did it because this is our home. These are our people. And I will defend them with everything I have."
Her eyes blazed gold for just a moment. "Ashwood is coming. We all know this. He has seven hundred warriors at our border. But now he knows what will happen if he attacks. Now he knows that Cliffwatch Pack has a dragon. And dragons don't lose."
The hall exploded with noise again. Cheering. Howling. Warriors chanting Valencia's name.
I moved to stand beside her. Took her hand in mine.
"We will protect this pack!" I shouted over the noise. "No matter what comes! No matter how many enemies! This is our home!"
"THIS IS OUR HOME!" the crowd roared back.
The celebration continued for several more minutes. Warriors embracing each other. Crying. Laughing. Relief and joy mixing together.