Chapter 125 Hollows and Fault Lines
Seren
Duncan came to my side immediately. “Lucian, Tristan, Blake—you’re with Seren. Get the pups and the rest of these trainees into the shelter. Julian, warriors, with me to the north border,” he bellowed.
The warriors in the training group fell in quickly, their calm control keeping the rest from panicking. As the pups, teenagers, and new trainees looked towards me, I realized this was my first proper duty as Luna, and I was determined that I would not fail them. “Come on, follow us! The closest safe room is in the pack house. Let’s get you there.” I looked over the group that had gathered and assigned teenagers to help keep the pups in line, then led them to the pack house.
We were halfway there when the stench of rogue werewolves hit my nose—rotting leaves, blood, and decay. I looked up to see a group had just exited the forest line and was headed our way. “Hurry!” I pushed the children harder, sweeping up one of the pups who was having a hard time keeping up and running with her in my arms, then passed her to one of the older trainees as we got closer to the building. I heard a scream and turned around to see the rogues gaining on us.
Wind surged at my call, forming a barrier just wide enough to interrupt their progress. Once the last person vanished inside, I dropped it, knees wobbling as exhaustion set in. My guards surrounded me, Tristan and Blake in front, Lucian behind me, as we backed toward the house.
Then I saw it. It was just a fleeting glimpse at first, but the vibrant red shirt reappeared, a stark contrast against the green, as the pup faltered close to the edge of the trees. He was stumbling around the trees, trying to hide even as a wave of rogues poured out of the forest a few yards away. “Tristan, Blake—there! We have to save him!”
Before they could stop me, I took off towards the pup. Their shouts carried on the wind, but it was already too late—I was so much faster than they were. I heard them engaging with the rogues as I entered the forest, looking around for that red shirt.
Finally, I heard whimpering and movement in the brush. I called out softly, “It’s okay, pup. I’m here to help.”
Lenore stepped out from behind a tree, her hand wrapped around the child’s throat. Tears ran down his face as he looked at me. “I’m sorry, Luna,” he sobbed.
“I knew you’d need to play the hero,” Lenore sneered. She squeezed harder, and the boy’s face flushed red as his air was stolen away.
I raised my hands toward her, keeping my movements slow. “Lenore,” I said, trying to steady the tremor in my voice, “what in the world are you doing? He’s your pack. I’m your Luna. You’re done now. There’s no coming back from this. You know that.”
“Only if anyone finds out…which they won’t. Little Johnny here…or Timmy…or whatever…won’t be saying a word. I’ll be handing him over to the rogues for payment. And you…well, you’re just going to be an unfortunate missing person after the attack. If I play my part right, I’ll be the wounded warrior who tried to save you.”
“You’re never going to get away with it. My guard is right behind me. Lucian is right behind me. They’ll know.”
“Will they? They don’t look like they’re too concerned about you at the moment.”
I risked a quick look back, my heart sinking as I saw the three men sworn to protect me engaged with at least twenty wolves. They were holding their own, but barely. I was definitely on my own now.
“Look, Lenore, just let the boy go. I won’t tell anyone what you tried to do. Just let him go,” I pleaded with her.
She looked up, tapping her chin as if she were thinking, then met my eyes. “No. I don’t think I will. I think…I’ll snap his neck instead.”
“No! No, don’t do that, he’s just a boy!” I screamed out at her, my focus fully on her and the child. Kara started to speak up, just a whisper that I couldn’t quite make out, as I felt a prick in my neck and the world went black.