Chapter 13 The king’s army
Mara stared down at the mountain path. Wolves. Hundreds of them. Maybe thousands. All marching toward them in neat rows.
"How many?" Zevran asked.
"Too many," Riven said. "King Darius brought every soldier he has. This is not just a hunt anymore. This is a war."
At the front of the army, Mara saw a huge black wolf. Even from far away, she could feel his power. His rage.
King Darius.
"We need to run," Luna said. "Right now. We cannot fight that many."
"Run where?" Corin asked. "We are on a mountain. There is nowhere to go except up. And up there is just snow and cliffs."
"The safe house," Nyra said. "It has protections. Magic wards. King Darius cannot break through them easily."
"But he will break through them eventually," Zevran said. "And then we will be trapped."
"So what do we do?" Isla asked. Her voice was shaking.
Everyone looked at each other. No one had an answer.
Then Mara spoke. "We fight."
"What?" Riven stared at her. "Daughter, we cannot fight an entire army. We will die."
"Maybe," Mara said. "But if we run, we will die tired. At least if we fight, we have a chance."
"What chance?" Luna asked. "There are only thirty of us left. They have thousands."
"We have something they do not have," Mara said. She touched her chest where the bond glowed. "We have the truth. Everyone saw what Prince Ronan did. Everyone knows about the curse. Maybe some of those soldiers will switch sides."
"That is a big maybe," Corin said.
"It is the only maybe we have."
Zevran looked at Mara. His ice pale eyes were serious. "Are you sure about this?"
"No," Mara admitted. "But I am sure about one thing. I am tired of running. I am tired of hiding. It is time to stand and fight."
Riven was quiet for a long moment. Then he smiled. "You really are your mother's daughter. She never backed down from a fight either."
"So we fight?" Luna asked.
"We fight," Riven agreed. "But we do it smart. Nyra, how long can your wards hold?"
"Against that many wolves? Maybe a few hours," Nyra said. "But my magic is not endless. Eventually, I will run out of power."
"A few hours is enough," Zevran said. "We can use that time to prepare. Set traps. Make weapons. Maybe even send a message to the other packs asking for help."
"The other packs will not come in time," Luna said. "It takes three days to reach the nearest pack from here."
"Then we hold for three days," Mara said.
"That is impossible!"
"The Moon Goddess said I am a Moon Wolf. She said I am powerful." Mara looked at her hands. They looked normal now but she could feel the power inside her. Waiting. "Let me try to use that power. Maybe I can help."
"How?" Riven asked.
"I do not know yet. But I will figure it out."
They ran back up to the safe house. The army was getting closer. Mara could hear them now. Thousands of paws hitting the ground. Thousands of wolves growling and snarling.
At the safe house, Nyra immediately started strengthening her wards. She walked around the building, drawing symbols in the air with her fingers. The symbols glowed purple and sank into the ground.
"That should hold them," she said. "For a little while."
Riven gathered his remaining wolves. "Listen up! We are going to defend this house. I want fighters at every window. I want lookouts on the roof. And I want someone watching the back door at all times."
"We do not have enough weapons," one wolf said.
"Then make some! Use rocks. Use branches. Use your teeth if you have to!"
The wolves scattered, preparing for battle.
Zevran pulled Mara aside. "I need to talk to you. Alone."
They walked away from the others. Zevran looked nervous. Mara had never seen him nervous before.
"What is wrong?" she asked.
"The third chain," Zevran said. "Love. I think I know what the Moon Goddess meant."
"What?"
"To break the chain, we have to complete the mate bond. Fully. Completely." Zevran's face turned red. "Do you understand what I am saying?"
Mara felt her own face get hot. "Oh. You mean..."
"Yes. That."
They stood in awkward silence.
"But how can we do that now?" Mara asked. "There is an army coming to kill us!"
"I know. The timing is terrible." Zevran ran his hand through his hair. "But maybe that is the point. The Moon Goddess said true love is about being willing to live for each other. Maybe she means we have to choose love even when death is coming."
"That does not make sense."
"Love does not always make sense."
Mara thought about it. She thought about the bond between them. The golden thread connecting their hearts.
She thought about how Zevran had stayed behind to save her. How he had fought thirty soldiers alone. How he had almost died for her.
And she thought about how she had come back for him. How she had jumped off a cliff to save him. How she would do anything to keep him alive.
Maybe that was love. Maybe it was not about perfect timing or romantic moments. Maybe it was about choosing each other again and again, no matter what.
"Okay," Mara said.
"Okay?" Zevran looked surprised. "You mean..."
"I mean yes. I want to complete the bond. I want to break the last chain." Mara took his hand. "I want to be yours. Completely."
Zevran's eyes softened. He pulled her close and kissed her.
The kiss was gentle at first. Then deeper. Mara felt the bond between them grow warmer. Stronger.
"Tonight," Zevran whispered against her lips. "After the first attack. When things are quiet. We will complete the bond then."
"You promise we will survive that long?"
"I promise to try."
A howl echoed across the mountain. Long and loud and full of rage.
King Darius had arrived.
Mara and Zevran ran back to the house. Everyone was gathered at the windows, looking down at the army below.
King Darius stood at the front in his human form. He wore black armor. His crown sat on his head. Behind him, thousands of wolves waited.
"Zevran!" the King's voice boomed across the mountain. "I know you are in there! Come out and face me!"
"Do not answer him," Nyra said. "Let the wards do their work."
But Zevran opened the door and walked outside. Mara tried to grab him but he was too fast.
"Zevran, no!" she called.
Zevran stood in front of the safe house. The wards shimmered around him like invisible walls.
"I am here, brother," Zevran called back. "What do you want?"
"Brother?" King Darius laughed. "You stopped being my brother the day you tried to steal my throne!"
"I never tried to steal anything! You cursed me for a crime I did not commit!"
"Because you were too popular! Too strong! The people loved you more than me!" King Darius's face twisted with anger. "You should have died quietly. Instead, you found that half breed girl and now you are causing problems again!"
"Her name is Mara. And she is not a half breed. She is a Moon Wolf."
The army behind King Darius started whispering. Everyone had heard about Moon Wolves. They were legends. Myths.
"There is no such thing as Moon Wolves!" King Darius shouted. "The girl is an abomination! She should be killed!"
"The Moon Goddess herself appeared and blessed her," Zevran said calmly. "Will you call the goddess a liar?"
More whispers from the army. Some wolves were looking uncertain now.
"The goddess appeared?" one soldier asked another.
"I heard about that. They say she showed Prince Ronan's crime."
"Prince Ronan murdered Selene? But the King said it was Zevran!"
"Maybe the King was lying."
King Darius heard the whispers. His face turned red. "Silence! All of you!"
The army went quiet.
"I do not care what the goddess said!" King Darius continued. "I am your King! You obey me! And I order you to kill everyone in that house! Do you hear me? Kill them all!"
No one moved.
"I said kill them!" King Darius's voice got louder. "What are you waiting for?"
A young wolf in the front row stepped forward. "My King, if what they say is true, if Prince Ronan really did murder Selene, then maybe Zevran is innocent."
King Darius stared at the young wolf. Then he transformed into his massive black wolf form and bit the young wolf's throat.
The young wolf fell to the ground. Dead.
Everyone gasped.
"Does anyone else want to question me?" King Darius growled. He was still in wolf form. Blood dripped from his jaws.
No one answered.
"Good. Now attack! Attack or I will kill you all myself!"
The army charged forward. Thousands of wolves running straight at the safe house.
They hit Nyra's wards and bounced back. The magical barrier held them out.
But Mara could see the wards flickering. Weakening. There were too many wolves pushing against them.
"The wards will not hold long!" Nyra shouted. "Maybe ten minutes!"
"Then we have ten minutes to prepare!" Riven called. "Everyone get ready!"
Zevran ran back inside. He grabbed Mara's shoulders. "Listen to me. When the wards fall, you transform and you fight. Do not think. Do not hesitate. Just survive. Understand?"
"I understand."
"Good." Zevran kissed her quickly. "I love you. I should have said that before. I love you."
"I love you too," Mara said. The words felt right. True.
The bond between them blazed golden. So bright it filled the room.
Outside, the wards shattered like glass.
The army poured through.
"Here they come!" Riven shouted. "Fight for your lives!"
Mara transformed. Her white wolf form burst out of her human body. Beside her, Zevran became his black wolf.
The first soldiers crashed through the door.
And the battle began.