Chapter 95 War Comes to Darkfang
KAEL POV
I stood on the packhouse ramparts, watching three armies position themselves across our borders. Two hundred wolves against our ninety, this was sucide odds.
"They're spreading thin." Thomas appeared beside me, spyglass in hand. "Trying to look bigger than they are."
"They don't need to look bigger." I took the glass, scanning the enemy lines. "They already outnumber us two to one."
"Where's Lira?" He asked carefully.
"Armory." I lowered the spyglass. "Planning something reckless, probably."
"She always does." Thomas almost smiled. "That's why we love her."
Love, the word hit differently now. After last night, after feeling her power flow through our bond to heal me.
"I can't lose her." The admission came rough. "Not to them."
"Then we fight." He gripped my shoulder. "Like we always have."
Movement in the enemy camp caught my attention. A massive wolf, russet-red with alpha markings.
"That's Thane Redclaw." I recognized the Bloodmoon alpha. "He's commanding this attack."
"Eldric's main conspirator." Thomas's voice went hard. "The one who supplied the cursed silver."
"And now he's here to finish what Eldric started." I handed back the spyglass. "How honorable."
"Alpha!" Aria rushed up the stairs, breathing hard. "Lira's in the training yard, you need to see this."
I didn't wait for explanations. Just ran. The training yard was packed with wolves all watching Lira in the center ring. She'd changed into fighting leathers, her hair braided back. Moonfire danced around her fists.
"She's been like this for ten minutes." Aria caught up, panting. "Just standing there, building power."
"She's still weak from the poisoning." I started forward. "She'll burn herself out"
"Wait." Aria grabbed my arm. "Watch."
Lira moved. Fast, fluid, deadly. Her strikes weren't random—they were precise, practiced, devastating.
"Where did she learn that?" I breathed.
"Uncle Nicolas." Darion emerged from the crowd, arms crossed. "Trained her in old Moonblood combat styles, looks like she remembered."
"How long can she maintain that level?" I asked without looking away.
"Long enough to matter." Darion's expression was grim. "But if she pushes too hard after yesterday's poisoning, her body will shut down."
"Then I'll make sure she doesn't push too hard." I moved into the ring.
Lira spun, moonfire flaring. "Kael. Come to stop me?"
"Come to fight beside you." I shifted my stance. "Show me what Nicolas taught you."
Her eyes narrowed then she attacked. I barely blocked the first strike. The second caught my ribs—the same ones she'd just healed.
"You're holding back." She circled, flames dancing. "Don't."
"You're injured"
"So are you." She struck again, faster. "Stop protecting me and start trusting me."
Trust, that word again. I stopped pulling my punches. We fought across the yard, trading blows that would've killed regular wolves. The pack watched in silence, seeing their alphas truly matched for the first time.
"Better." Lira's breathing came harder. "But not good enough."
She unleashed moonfire in a wave. I rolled aside, feeling heat singe my hair.
"Careful!" I barked. "You'll hit the spectators"
"I know exactly where my fire goes." She proved it by sending another blast that stopped inches from the nearest wolf. "Do you trust my control?"
I met her eyes across smoking ground. Saw determination, power, and challenge.
"Yes." The word came easier than expected. "I trust you."
"Good." She extinguished the flames. "Because I have a plan for those armies."
"Of course you do." I approached cautiously. "Going to share it?"
"The three alphas want me for trial." She addressed the assembled pack now, voice carrying. "They blame me for Eldric's exile and their broken alliance."
Murmurs rippled through the wolves.
"So I'll give them what they want." Lira continued. "I'll face them. All three."
"That's suicide!" Someone shouted.
"That's confidence." She corrected sharply. "I'm Moonblood Luna. Daughter of Vera Ashborne who held off ten alphas single-handedly, i can handle three."
"You can barely stand." Marcus pushed through the crowd. "Yesterday you were dying from silver poisoning."
"Yesterday I was unprepared." Lira's eyes flashed. "Today I'm angry, there is a difference."
"This is insanity." Marcus looked at me. "Alpha, you can't allow this."
"The Luna makes her own choices." The words felt right. "I'm just here to support them."
Lira's surprise flickered through the bond then gratitude.
"Here's the plan." She pulled out a tactical map. "The three packs are spread across our northern, eastern, and western borders. Standard siege formation."
"Leaves the south open." Thomas pointed. "For retreat or supply lines."
"Or for attack." Lira smiled coldly. "They're expecting us to defend. To hole up and wait for them to breach our walls."
"We're not defending?" I asked.
"We're attacking." She traced a line on the map. "While I face their alphas in formal challenge, you lead strike teams through the southern route. Hit their supply camps, scatter their warriors, force them to break formation."
"That splits our forces." Marcus objected. "Weakens both fronts."
"It uses our advantage." Lira countered. "Speed, knowledge of terrain, and their arrogance. They think we're weak because I'm a female, but we will prove them wrong."
"And if you fall?" Marcus pressed. "If the alphas kill you?"
"Then Kael becomes sole alpha and you follow his orders." She met his gaze steadily. "But I won't fall, not today."
The bond surged with her certainty. I felt her fear beneath it, but also absolute determination.
"I don't like this." I admitted. "Every instinct says to keep you safe."
"Good thing I'm not asking permission." She turned to the map. "Thomas, take thirty wolves south flank Ironwood Pack's supply lines first—they're the weakest."
"On it." Thomas didn't argue.
"Aria, prepare healing stations here and here." Lira marked positions. "Anticipate heavy casualties."
"Already planned." Aria's jaw was tight.
"Darion." Lira looked at the rogue alpha. "Your coalition agreed to support me. I'm calling in that debt now."
"Two hundred rogue warriors at your command." He inclined his head. "We'll take the western flank, keep Shadowridge busy."
"That leaves Bloodmoon for me." Lira's expression turned deadly. "And their precious Alpha Thane."
"Three against one is still suicide." I moved closer. "Let me fight beside you."
"No." Her hand pressed my chest. "You're needed elsewhere. Our pack needs their alpha commanding the defense."
"Our pack needs both their alphas alive." I gripped her wrist. "I just got you back, I can't lose you."
"You won't." She rose on tiptoes, kissing me quickly. "Because I'm too stubborn to die."
"Lira"
"Trust me." She pulled away. "Like you said you would."
"I trust you." I forced the words out. "But if things go wrong"
"Then you avenge me." She smiled without humor. "And make it hurt."
Horns blared from the enemy lines. The one-hour deadline approaching.
"Time to move." Lira headed for the gates. "Everyone to positions. Fight smart, fight dirty, and come home alive."
The pack dispersed, warriors flowing to their assignments.
I caught Lira's arm. "Come back to me."
"Always." She squeezed once. "Try not to die while I'm gone."
"Same to you." I released her reluctantly.
She walked toward the gates alone. Moonfire began building around her, growing brighter with each step. By the time she reached the boundary, she was blazing.
"I am Lira Ashborne!" Her voice carried across the valley. "Luna of Darkfang, daughter of Vera Ashborne, last of the Moonblood line! Your alphas challenged me! Let them come forward and face their death!"
Three massive wolves emerged. Thane Redclaw, russet and scarred. Alpha Gareth Ironwood and Alpha Soren Shadowridge, black as midnight.
They converged on the neutral ground where Lira waited. And I felt her fear spike through the bond.
"Kael." Thomas appeared at my side. "Orders?"
I watched Lira face three alphas alone, watched her stand tall despite terror flooding our connection.
"We move in five minutes." I gripped my sword. "Let them think we're watching then we hit them where it hurts."
"And Lira?"
"She can handle herself." I forced confidence into my voice. "She's Moonblood, this is what she was born for."
But through the bond, I felt her whisper: Please let me be strong enough.
And I sent back: You already are.
The three alphas shifted to human form but Lira remained blazing in silver fire.
"So." Thane Redclaw's voice boomed. "The little Luna thinks she can fight us all."
"Not thinks." Lira's flames grew brighter. "Knows."
Soren laughed. "Bold words from a dying bloodline."
"My bloodline survived twenty years of your attempts to erase it." She raised her hands, moonfire crackling. "How's that for dying?"
"Kill her." Gareth snarled. "Quickly."
The three alphas attacked together and my mate disappeared in an explosion of light.