Chapter 116 Chapter 116

Chapter 116 Chapter 116
Alpha Maxwell, Richard, and Margaret immediately gathered around the tactical table to plan the coordinated attacks. Maps were spread out across the surface, with Richard marking potential entry points for the southern facility operation.
"I'll need a detailed breakdown of your counter-ritual," I said to the Priestess, trying to focus on our part of the mission rather than the growing anxiety in my chest. The thought of my mates going into danger without me was almost unbearable.
"Come with me," she replied. "Both of you. We have a lot to prepare and little time."
I caught Kane's eye as Lucious, and I prepared to follow the Priestess. The intensity of his gaze told me everything his stoic expression concealed: fear for me, for our child, for the dangerous path ahead of us all.
"Be careful," I whispered as he pulled me into a brief, fierce embrace.
"Always," he promised, his lips brushing my forehead. "We'll be back before you know it."
Fin approached next, his analytical mind already working through contingencies. "The communications system is set up. We'll maintain contact throughout the operation."
Brent's hug nearly crushed the air from my lungs. "Don't do anything stupid while we're gone," he muttered against my hair, his gruff tone belying his concern.
"That's my line," I replied, managing a weak smile.
Liam was the last to say goodbye, his scholarly face solemn. "Trust Diamond," he advised quietly. "She'll guide you through the counter-ritual. And..." his hand briefly touched my stomach, "she'll protect both of you."
I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. My four mates, my other halves, were about to walk into extreme danger while I remained behind. The necessity of it didn't make it any easier to bear.
"Luna," the Priestess called gently. "We must begin."
With a final glance at my mates, I turned and followed her from the command centre, Lucious at my side. My brother's presence was a comfort, our strengthening bond humming with shared purpose and determination.
The Priestess led us to a circular chamber I hadn't seen before, deep within the Maxwell estate. Ancient symbols adorned the walls, and a shallow pool of clear water occupied the centre of the room.
"This is the sacred space," she explained, moving to light candles placed at strategic points around the perimeter. "Built by the first Maxwell Alpha to commune with the goddess during times of crisis."
"What exactly will we be doing?" Lucious asked, eyeing the pool with apprehension.
"You will project your consciousness to the Moonstone facility," the Priestess said, her voice taking on a teaching cadence. "Not physically, your bodies will remain here, safe. But your wolves
Diamond and Apollo, will travel the spiritual pathways to confront whatever dark forces the Northern Alliance has gathered."
I exchanged glances with my brother. "Is that even possible? To project our consciousness that far?"
"For ordinary wolves, no," the Priestess replied, her hands moving methodically as she prepared herbs and crystals around the pool's edge. "But you and your brother are Blackthorne heirs. The goddess's blood runs strong in your veins. Distance means little in the spiritual realm when one has such a connection."
Lucious approached the pool cautiously, Apollo's golden energy flickering in his eyes. "And our physical bodies will be safe here while we're... elsewhere?"
"They will be vulnerable," the Priestess admitted. "Which is why Alpha Maxwell is assigning his most trusted guards to protect this chamber. No one enters or leaves once the ritual begins."
Diamond stirred within me, her silver presence both eager and apprehensive. She understood the gravity of what we were about to attempt, a spiritual battle against forces that had been gathering power for centuries.
"What about my pregnancy?" I asked quietly, hand moving protectively to my abdomen. "Will this put my child at risk?"
The Priestess's ancient eyes softened. "The child is of Blackthorne blood, Luna. Protected by the goddess herself. But I won't pretend there's no danger. Spiritual combat taxes the body as well as the soul."
I nodded, accepting her honesty. The risks were high, but the alternative, allowing the Northern Alliance to open a doorway to the shadow realm, was unthinkable.
"How do we begin?" I asked, squaring my shoulders.
"First, we prepare your bodies." The Priestess gestured to the white robes laid out on a stone bench. "Change into these. They're woven with protective sigils and soaked in sacred herbs."
As Lucious and I changed behind separate screens, I felt Diamond's presence grow stronger, more focused. She knew what was coming and was preparing in her own way, her silver energy gathering for the confrontation ahead.
When we emerged in our ritual garments, the Priestess had finished her preparations. The pool now gleamed with inner light, and the air in the chamber felt charged, as if on the brink of a lightning strike.
"Sit facing each other," she instructed, indicating the pool's edge. "Feet in the water, hands joined."
We did as she directed, the cool water sending a shock up my legs as I lowered my feet into the pool. Lucious's hands felt warm in mine, our connection immediately strengthening as our fingers intertwined.
"Close your eyes," the Priestess said, her voice taking on a rhythmic quality as she began to chant in an ancient language I somehow understood, even though I had never heard it before. "Feel the water connecting you to all bodies of water, rivers, lakes, oceans. Feel the air connecting you to all the winds that blow. You are bound to the physical world, yet free to travel beyond it."