Chapter 77 Ambush pt 1
Lucian
The vibrations of over thirty wolves running through the forest scattered the wildlife. We were far enough away from the borders at Blood Moon that it shouldn't matter, but I still worried that the patrol would pick up on it. Tristan assured me that the route we were taking to approach from the east was poorly guarded, but how much could we trust him, really? A turncoat Blood Moon warrior? At least he's on my team, though. I don't have to worry about him stabbing Duncan in the back. Just me.
We slowed as we approached the designated entry spot into the pack. A small stream on the eastern border wound its way through to the water reservoir, and our plan was to use it for entry. Between the water and my air power, we'd be able to sneak in undetected, our scents floating harmlessly in the opposite direction.
I shifted back to human once we reached the staging area so that I could communicate with Malachi and Tristan, both of whom shifted next to me. The rest of the warriors stood in wolf form, waiting patiently for the order to move forward.
'Duncan, we're in place. We're just waiting for your signal.'
'Julian should be checking in next, then Eric and Gideon. Hang tight.'
As we stood waiting for orders, I took in the scents surrounding us. Fresh earth, wood smoke in the distance, a family of deer somewhere to the left. If it weren't for the reason behind this visit, it would be a peaceful place to rest. As it was, both Iason and I were antsy, and I couldn't stand still. I called on my air element to keep the wind moving, carrying our scents away from the border, but it wasn't nearly enough activity. Malachi looked as uneasy as I felt, but Tristan was standing still, keeping his gaze focused on the border, his expression flat.
Just then, I felt the echoes of a spike of amusement and acute embarrassment. A small smile tilted my lips as I wondered what was happening back in Crescent Moon Pack with Seren to cause her to feel that way. The Gamma-Luna bond with her was so strong. That should surprise me, but I'm quickly learning that where my Luna is concerned, extraordinary is the normal.
Malachi caught my grin and raised an eyebrow. "Care to share the joke with the class while we wait?"
"Nothing substantial. Just echoes of emotions through the bond with my Luna."
"You can feel her here, with so much distance between the two of you?" Shock colored his voice.
"I started to feel the bond with her the minute we entered Blood Moon for the ball. I don't know why, but the bond snapped into place before she was even officially part of the pack."
Malachi shook his head. "That's insane. You shouldn't be able to feel her until her ceremony. I'm going to ask my dad about it. I've never heard of a Gamma-Luna bond like that."
I shrugged my shoulders. "It's Seren. She's special."
At that, Tristan finally looked over at us. "I'm glad she has you looking after her. She deserves a good support team after what she's been through."
Before I could dive into that more, Duncan's signal came through. The beta team was set, Gideon was in place at the tunnel, and it was time to get moving.
"We'll table that for later. Tristan, you're up. Contact your people and let them know we're coming in. Let's move out, people!" Tristan's eyes clouded over as he linked the few warriors that he knew would be on our side. Water splashed as the wolves entered, and I pulled more air, the surrounding breeze intensifying. The three of us shifted back and joined the rest of the warriors in the stream, making our way forward until we reached the back of the residential section of the pack.
Those of us who preferred to fight in human form shifted back and threw on our armor—lightweight pieces that would fall off if we needed to shift mid-fight but were solid enough to deflect fangs and claws. "What's in those?" I asked Tristan, point to the three large buildings off to our left.
"Warrior barracks in the center. Supplies and storage on the left. The barn on the right." He sneered that last bit. Something else we'd need to come back to later.
We saw a couple of warriors running towards us. "Yours?" I asked Tristan. He nodded. They grouped together behind him. My team shifted behind me, some low growls rumbling in the air. None of us were really sure what to expect from this group.
Addressing the newcomers, I asked, "Can we trust you to fight with us? Or at least, not fight against us?"
They all looked at Tristan, who nodded at them. "Yes, Gamma. Tristan has filled us in on what's happening. We'll help get the omegas to safety," one of the men said.
"Thank you. Now, are they part of your group? Because they look angry."
Tristan cursed under his breath. There were at least forty warriors heading our way. "Definitely not. Looks like this fight just came to us," he said, then shifted into his wolf, a large silver and black beast.
"Here we go," I muttered, making eye contact with Malachi, who simply nodded and turned, readying himself.
We clashed with the warriors from Blood Moon, and soon the sounds of battle—the tearing of flesh, the cracking of bone, the heavy thud of bodies—were rolling across the clearing. I preferred fighting as a human and had my favorite pair of kopis with me. The blades were the perfect length at just under two feet, custom made, and felt like an extension of my arms as I slashed and fought the wolves attacking me. One of the wolves leaped at me, aiming at my throat, and I dropped to my knees, dragging my sword through his stomach. Intestines spilled out as he fell to the ground, sliding away. I stood, then jumped right back into the fray, as Crescent Moon warriors fought and subdued the Blood Moon faction.
Breathing heavily, I looked around once the sounds of the battle quieted. Blood dripped from the tips of my swords as Tristan shifted and came over to me.
"They're all neutralized. No serious casualties in my group."
I nodded.
'Lucian, we need you at the gates now! We're outnumbered two to one.'