Chapter 24 Continuation
Some wolves cheered. Others were silent. A few even cried.
Mara felt empty inside. Not sad. Not happy. Just empty.
"It is done," Elder Sage announced. "King Darius is dead. His crimes have been paid for with his life. May the Moon Goddess have mercy on his soul."
"May the Moon Goddess have mercy," the crowd repeated.
Guards took Ronan away. He was still screaming and cursing. They would take him to the edge of the kingdom and release him. After that, he would be on his own. If any pack took him in, they would be punished too.
Exile was a death sentence. Just a slower one.
"Come on," Zevran said to Mara. "We should go."
They walked away from the execution platform. Away from the blood and the death.
"How do you feel?" Mara asked.
"I do not know. Part of me wanted to see him die. Wanted revenge for everything he took from me." Zevran's voice was hollow. "But now that it is done, I just feel tired."
"Revenge does not heal wounds. It just makes new ones."
"When did you become so wise?"
"I learned it from you."
They walked back to their camp. Most of the wolves were packing up, getting ready to leave. The trial was over. Everyone wanted to go home.
But Mara knew they could not go home. Not yet.
"We need to talk to the alphas who pledged support," she said. "We need to prepare for war."
"Can we have one day of peace first?" Zevran asked. "Just one day where we do not think about fighting or dying?"
"I wish we could. But Brutus is already gathering his allies. And Morgana gave me three days to make a decision."
"What decision?"
Mara had not told Zevran about Morgana's offer yet. She had been too scared. Too confused.
But she could not hide it anymore.
"Morgana appeared to me by the river. She offered to help us defeat the Shadow King. But she wants something in return."
Zevran went very still. "What does she want?"
"She did not say. But Shade warned me her prices are always high. The last person who made a deal with her gave up their soul."
"Then we do not make a deal with her."
"But what if we need her help? What if we cannot defeat the Shadow King without it?"
"Then we will find another way." Zevran grabbed Mara's shoulders. "Listen to me. I have lived ten years under a curse. Ten years where dark magic controlled my life. I will not let it control yours too. We face the Shadow King on our own terms. With our own power. Understand?"
"But what if we die?"
"Then we die together. As we promised." Zevran pulled her close. "I would rather die free with you than live forever as someone's puppet."
Mara buried her face in his chest. He was right. She knew he was right.
But she was still scared.
"Three days," she whispered. "Morgana said I have three days to decide. Maybe something will change before then."
"Maybe. But do not count on it."
A commotion near the stone circle interrupted them. Wolves were shouting and pointing at the sky.
Mara and Zevran ran to see what was happening.
In the sky, dark clouds were forming. But they were not normal clouds. They were moving too fast. Swirling like a tornado.
"What is that?" Isla asked nervously.
"Nothing good," Nyra said. She was staring at the clouds with fear on her face. "That is a shadow storm. It means one of the Shadow Wolves is coming."
"Which one?" Riven demanded.
"I do not know. But we need to get everyone to safety. Now."
The clouds grew darker. Thicker. They blotted out the sun.
The temperature dropped. Mara could see her breath in the air.
Then, from the center of the storm, something descended.
It was a wolf. But not like Shade. This one was massive. Three times the size of a normal wolf. Its body was made of swirling shadows and red lightning.
It landed in the middle of the stone circle with a crash that shook the ground.
"I am Ravak," the Shadow Wolf's voice boomed like thunder. "The second Shadow Wolf. And I have come for the Moon Wolf's head."
Thousands of wolves scattered in panic. They ran in every direction, trying to escape.
"Everyone stay calm!" Elder Sage shouted. But no one was listening.
Ravak's red eyes found Mara. "There you are. The little light that thinks it can stand against the darkness."
Mara transformed into her white wolf form. Beside her, Zevran transformed too. And Shade stepped forward, standing between them and Ravak.
"You have to go through me first, brother," Shade said.
"Ah, the traitor. I wondered when I would find you." Ravak laughed. The sound was like rocks grinding. "Did you really think you could protect her? You are weak. You always were."
"I am strong enough to slow you down."
"Then die with her."
Ravak opened his mouth and red lightning shot out. It struck Shade directly in the chest.
Shade howled in pain and flew backward. He crashed into one of the stone pillars and did not move.
"No!" Mara screamed.
Ravak turned his red eyes back to her. "Now it is your turn, Moon Wolf. Show me what you can do. Show me if you are worthy of the power you carry."
He charged at her with impossible speed.
Mara barely had time to react. She threw up a shield of white light.
Ravak crashed into it. The impact sent Mara sliding backward across the ground.
"Not bad," Ravak said. "But not good enough."
He struck her shield again. And again. Each hit cracked it a little more.
Zevran attacked from the side, biting at Ravak's legs. But his teeth passed right through the shadow body.
"You cannot hurt me, little wolf," Ravak laughed. "Only the Moon Wolf has that power. And she is too weak to use it properly."
Luna and Riven joined the attack. Then Kira. Then dozens of other wolves. They swarmed Ravak from all sides.
But nothing worked. Their attacks passed through him like he was made of smoke.
Ravak swatted them away with his tail. Wolves went flying in every direction.
"Pathetic," he snarled. "Is this the best you can do?"
Mara's shield shattered. She was thrown backward, rolling across the ground.
Ravak stood over her. His jaws opened wide, filled with red lightning.
"Any last words, Moon Wolf?"
Mara looked up at the massive Shadow Wolf. At the red lightning gathering in his throat. At her death coming fast.
And she made a decision.
"Morgana!" she screamed. "I accept! I accept your deal!"
Ravak paused. "What are you doing?"
Dark smoke appeared between Mara and Ravak. It formed into the shape of a woman. Morgana.
"Interesting timing," the first Shadow Wolf said. "But a deal is a deal. I accept your terms, Moon Wolf."
"What terms?" Mara asked desperately. "You never told me what you wanted!"
"Oh, did I not?" Morgana smiled. "How silly of me. Very well. Here is my price. I will teach you to defeat the Shadow King. I will give you the power you need. But in return, when the time comes, you will do one thing for me. One task. No matter what it is. No matter who it hurts. You will obey without question."
"That is insane! I cannot agree to that!"
"Then Ravak will kill you right now. Along with everyone you love." Morgana's red eyes gleamed. "Choose quickly. You have three seconds. One."
Ravak's jaws opened wider. The red lightning grew brighter.
"Two."
Mara looked at Zevran. At Riven. At all the wolves who would die if she refused.
"Three."
"I agree!" Mara shouted. "I agree to your terms!"
"Excellent." Morgana touched Mara's forehead with one finger.
Power exploded into Mara's body. Dark power. Shadow power. It mixed with her Moon Wolf light, creating something new. Something terrible and beautiful at the same time.
Mara screamed as the power consumed her. Her white fur turned partially black. Her silver eyes gained red flecks.
She was no longer just a Moon Wolf.
She was something else now.
Something caught between light and dark.
"What did you do to me?" Mara gasped.
"I gave you balance," Morgana said. "You cannot defeat Shadow Wolves with only light. You need darkness too. Now you have both."
Ravak snarled. "You dare interfere with my hunt?"
"I dare many things, Ravak. Now leave. The Moon Wolf is under my protection until she completes her task."
"The Shadow King will hear of this!"
"I am counting on it." Morgana smiled coldly. "Now go. Before I remind you why I am the first Shadow Wolf and you are merely the second."
Ravak hesitated. Then, with a final snarl, he dissolved into shadows and flew back into the dark clouds.
The storm dissipated. The sun returned.
Morgana turned to Mara. "Our deal is sealed. I will find you when the time comes to collect my payment. Until then, practice your new power. You will need it."
She vanished like smoke.
Mara collapsed to her knees, gasping. The new power inside her felt wrong. Like poison. But it was also incredibly strong.
Zevran ran to her side. "Mara! What have you done?"
"I saved us," Mara whispered. "But I do not know what it cost."
She looked at her paws. They were white and black now. Light and dark mixed together.
She was no longer pure.
And she had just made a deal with the most dangerous Shadow Wolf in existence.
What had she done?