Chapter 13
LIORA
Turning onto a hidden gravel path, I follow behind Dan’s trailer as we hit the final stretch of our ten–day journey. Lace decided she wanted to ride with her family when we left the diner, and I was thankful for that. The three hours of alone time helped me to get my thoughts sorted and
prepare me for any trials the alpha of Moonfire may throw my way.
Once I am accepted into Moonfire, I will lock myself in my little cottage and let out the pain I
have kept in these last ten days.
Rolling my windows down to allow fresh air into the cabin of my truck, my nose twitches as I
scent smoke and blood on the wind. Sensing something wrong, I immediately dial Dan’s
number, the music I had playing through Bluetooth being replaced by the dial tone.
“Lio-”
“Dan, something is wrong!” I state, cutting his words off.
“I rolled down the windows and now I smell blood and smoke,” I continue. Dan curses, his
brake lights turning on, signaling me to stop.
“Maya will stay with the pups. Lock your truck and hand her your keys. We need to investigate,.
Dan orders. I make a sound of understanding before hanging up and turning my truck off, before climbing out. I pad carefully over to Miss Maya’s side door and hand her my keys. The、
pups are in the backseat, Henry and Lace looking scared, but Adam looks curiously out the window, his blood humming with the power of an alpha.
“Keep the doors locked, and mind link me if something happens,” Dan cautions his mate. Miss
Maya nods, and as soon as Dan closes the door, she locks their truck. With a nod to one
another, we shift into wolf form–our clothes tearing in the process–and silently make our way to the forest edge away from the gravel road, to stick close to the tree line.
As we grow closer to where Moonfire is settled, the stench of smoke and blood grows
stronger. Shouts and sobbing can be heard, each sound growing louder until we find ourselves at the edge of the pack. Spread out before us are burning buildings and wolves who are either injured, dying, or dead. The stench of blood is so strong that I have to back away and bury my nose into my tail for a moment to breathe. The sound of someone shifting catches my attention, and I turn to see Dan in human form.
“Let’s go see what is going on,” he whispers, running his fingers through my fur before he
< Chapter 13
stands. The two of us exit the safety of the trees, Dan taking the lead while I stay slightly
behind him to the right.
+15 Points >
“Hello?” he calls out, catching the attention of a few wolves. Men and women in both human
and wolf form quickly surround us, and I slowly lie on my stomach, doing my best to appear as non–threatening as possible. These people have definitely been through a lot, by the state
of their pack. The last thing they need is two rogues on their territory.
“What do you want, Rogue?” a male asks, his gaze hard as he glares at us.
“We were actually here to meet with your alpha. I am Dan Saint, and my family and I were supposed to join the pack sometime this week, Dan answers this wolf with his hands in the
air. I nod in agreement, my tail thumping gently on the ground as I rest my head on my paws.
“Do you have proof?” this man continues to ask, his disrespect towards Dan starting to piss
me off.
“I do, but my phone is in my truck. We smelled blood and smoke on the wind, and came to
investigate.” The wolf that is questioning us sizes Dan up, his eyes dulling, and I realize he is
mind–linking someone.
“I will follow the both of you to your vehicles. Three of the warriors will join us,” the man
states, as his eyes return to normal. Dan looks at me with a raised brow and I stand, sticking
close to his side.
“Is she going to shift?” the man asks as three others step forward, all males with wounds
littering their bodies from whatever–or whoever–attacked them.
“My niece prefers to stay in wolf form,” Dan answers. Warmth spreads inside me as he calls
me his niece, and I let out a light yip of agreement. With our group of two growing to a group
of five, Dan and I lead them back down the gravel road to where we left our trucks. The man
who questioned us introduces himself as Luke Giovanni. He informs us that a rival pack by
the name of Blood Moon attacked Moonfire over a land dispute, killing many of their wolves. My hackles rise as I think back to the scene we left behind us. How the stench of blood and
death took over the pack, and how many looked at us with fear and anger. I understand now
why Moonfire was left in the state we found it in.
We reach our trucks quickly, Miss Maya and the pups waiting outside the vehicles for us and I
realize Dan must have linked her that we were coming with some guests. She hands Dan
some clothes and he thanks her, quickly dressing as he introduces his family to Luke, Lace
tugs at my ear playfully, the little girl asking me if I can give her a piggyback ride, but her mother chides her into standing still before telling me she left my driver–side door open,
with a
2/4
< Chapter 13
+15 Points >
dress on the seat for me to throw on. I rub against Miss Maya’s leg in thanks, before running towards the driver’s side of my truck and shifting back to my human form. I find a blue sun dress waiting on my seat, and I quickly throw it on, as well as a pair of flats that I usually keep on the passenger side before I return to the group.
“Looks like everything is in order,” I catch Luke saying with a sigh of relief. He hands Dan back his phone, the wolf looking at his packmates before turning to Dan, Miss Maya, and me.
“I won’t sugarcoat what happened. Our alpha, Luna, and their pups were killed in the attack, and our pack is on the verge of turning rogue without a leader. We can’t offer much right now, but if you could help us with our current predicament, that would be amazing.” He is no longer hostile towards us, and instead, Luke looks sad and defeated, like the life and energy inside
him has vanished. My heart breaks at the sound of sadness in his voice, and I turn to look at
Miss Maya who has the same sympathy in her eyes that I feel.
“We are outsiders right now, so I am not sure how Moonfire will react. But we will do our best
to help, Miss Maya calmly replies, placing a hand on Luke’s shoulder. He flinches for a
moment before relaxing, his body feeling the calming touch of an alpha–blooded wolf and
accepting it.
“Thank you. These three are going to return to helping the pack, but I can lead you the back
way so the pups don’t see the mess we are in.” Dan nods, telling his kids to ride in my truck
with me, as he and Miss Maya will take Luke in theirs. With everything settled, the three
Moonfire warriors shift and disappear into the forest to return to their packmates, while we
climb into our respective vehicles. I follow closely behind Dan’s truck, and true to Luke’s words; we take a left turn at a fork in the road and drive in the opposite direction of the m******e we
witnessed.
After twenty minutes of driving, we pull up in front of a large two–story house, the one I
recognize as Dan and Maya’s new home. Luke promises to show me the cottage I will live in
tomorrow when the pups and I join them on the porch.
“Right now, the pack needs me. I am the head warrior, and the strongest wolf in the pack. The
Wi–Fi is already connected with the password on the fridge, and there is some food in the
pantry,” he explains as he begins to walk away.
“Wait. Adam can watch his siblings. Dan, Liora, and I will come with you to help,” Miss Maya
calls out. Dan and I look at one another before I nod. What Moonfire has gone through is horrendous. These wolves need all the help they can get.
“Are you sure?” Luke asks in disbelief.
3/4
Chapter 13
“Yes, they are,” Adam answers without hesitation.
“Don’t worry, Mom and Dad, I will get Henry and Lace settled in. You go help our new
packmates,” he reassures his parents with a smile on his face. I feel pride at seeing how
leaving Stormclaw has changed Adam for the better. His alpha blood is able to flourish now,
without Kazil‘ influence over him.
After telling the three pups to stay inside, Miss Maya, Dan, and I follow Luke towards the pack
house of Moonfire to help them sort out the aftermath Blood Moon left them in.
