Celestine sat stiffly in her chair, the room heavy with silence. The candle on her desk burned low, its light soft and shaky, but her thoughts were anything but calm.
Anger rolled through her like a storm—quiet, steady, boiling just beneath the surface.
Her mind drifted to another time.
(Flashback starts)....
"Ahh! Cel, don't bite me!" the late Luna laughed, nudging her playfully.
Celestine smiled faintly. She rarely smiled anymore.
"Where's Zyra?" she asked.
"She's with the Alpha," the Luna said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I came to see you. I missed you."
She stepped closer, and without hesitation, kissed her gentle.
"I know you love her," she said softly. "And you always want to see her. But Zyra's fine. She needs to rest. I wanted to come alone tonight."
Her silver eyes, soft with longing, locked onto Celestine's.
"Touch me tonight," she whispered. "Zyra is safe. I'm here for you."
And in that moment, nothing else had mattered.
(Flashback ends)...
The door creaked open.
Celestine's head snapped up, ripped out of the memory like a slap. Her voice was sharp.
"Serena. How many times have I told you….knock before entering my room."
Serena froze in the doorway but quickly forced a smile. "Apologies,"
A burst of laughter echoed from somewhere outside.
Celestine's face hardened. "They're laughing again," she muttered.
Serena stepped inside carefully. "I know you're restless," she said, voice smooth. "But it won't be long now."
Celestine said nothing, but her silence was loud.
Serena walked closer. "The full moon is almost here. When it comes, we'll break the bond. End this nonsense once and for all."
Celestine stared at her without a word.
Serena's voice lowered. "And when we're done... there'll be no more Moonveil and zyra would be free."
Celestine finally nodded once. Slowly.
—-----------------
The night split open with howls.
Rogues—dozens of them…charged through the trees, their paws pounding like war drums against the forest floor. Their eyes gleamed with bloodlust, muscles rippling as they surged forward in a storm of snarls and snapping teeth.
Then—bam.
They slammed into the Lunarion gates like a tidal wave.
Steel groaned. Wood splintered.
Kael spun from his post, eyes wide. "Secure the gates!" he roared, already leaping into motion.
He hadn't expected this—not tonight. The warriors were resting, some still nursing bruises from training. This was supposed to be a quiet night.
They'd gotten careless.
Sera was the first to respond, rushing toward the chaos with Moonveil warriors on her heels. There wasn't time for questions—only survival.
She reached Kael's side just as another thunderous bang shook the gate.
"They're too many," she hissed, drawing her blade. "It's like they've doubled in numbers overnight."
Kael's jaw clenched. "Reinforcements," he spat.
The gate shuddered again, one more brutal hit.
Crack.
The beam holding it creaked. Split.
And with a final, deafening crash, the gate gave way—blown open like paper before a hurricane.
The rogues poured in.
Teeth. Claws. Chaos.
Kael barely had time to shift. "Hold your ground!" he shouted, his voice half-human, half-wolf.
Sera snarled and lunged into the fray, blades flashing under moonlight.
War has come.
—----------
Aldric looked down at his daughter's pale face, her breaths shallow, her body limp. He couldn't leave her out here….not even if they were permitted to stay on these open grounds, she might be attacked.
The battle was too close. The air vibrated with danger.
He looked up and saw Zyra's chambers, high and distant from the battlefield. It was a risk... but the only one he could take.
With careful strength, Aldric gathered her in his arms and sprinted toward the Alpha's quarters. His heart pounded, but it wasn't from exhaustion, but fury. When he reached the chambers, he pushed the door open and laid her gently on the bed, beside the trueblood Alpha.
Zyra was breathing slowly, oblivious to the war outside. Aldric's jaw clenched.
"If only I could kill you here and now," he murmured bitterly, his eyes filled with rage.
Then he turned and left the room, the door slamming behind him.
He reappeared at the battle line like a shadow. But before he could join in …..
"Father, NO! Get back!" Sera screamed.
She spun, her daggers gleaming in the moonlight. With swift fury, she slashed a rogue's throat and flung another dagger through the chest of a charging wolf. Blood sprayed, but she didn't flinch.
"I have to join, Sera!" Aldric shouted, voice steady despite the chaos. "You need help!"
Without waiting for her reply, he pulled his sword from his belt and dove into the fight.
His movements were fast. Very refined. He wasn't an Alpha, but he didn't need to be. Years of rogue skirmishes had forged him into a seasoned fighter. He danced around the enemy, blade slicing cleanly through fur, muscle, and bone.
But the rogues kept coming. Dozens of them, snarling, foaming and desperate.
Their numbers seemed endless.
Kael roared and tore into the fray like a hurricane. His twin axes flashed under the moonlight as he tore through one rogue after another. He ducked, spun, then slammed both axes into a rogue's shoulders with a sickening crack. Blood splashed across his face, but he didn't pause.
"You want to test Lunarion steel?!" he bellowed. "Then DIE by it!"
"Should we shift?!" a young warrior called out, fear lacing his voice.
"No!" Sera and Kael snapped at the same time, their blades still in motion.
"If we shift now, we'll burn out too quickly," Kael growled. "Keep your blades ready. Hold your ground!"
Sera's movements were ruthless, her daggers like twin streaks of silver. She moved with vigour, fast and sharp, protecting whoever faltered.
Aldric fought beside her. His sword swung relentlessly. He cut through three rogues in a row, then a fourth ,but the fifth knocked him to the ground, claws sinking into his side.
He gasped, pain blooming.
"Father!" Sera turned mid-slash and threw her blade across the battlefield. It hit the rogue squarely in the throat.
She reached him and yanked him to his feet. "I told you not to come back."
"You know I don't listen," Aldric smiled faintly through the blood.
Together, they fought on.
Warriors from both packs fought as one. A Lunarion soldier fell to the ground, defenseless and a Moonveil warrior lunged in, shielding them just in time.
For that brief moment, pack lines blurred.
Survival came first.
Still… they were losing ground.
Until a familiar howl pierced the air.
Celestine.
She landed in the chaos like a thunderclap, her wolf massive, her fur gleaming. With a feral growl, she tore through the frontlines, fangs flashing and eyes burning. She ripped into rogues with no hesitation, leaving bodies on the floor.
Her presence gave them hope though …only for a moment.
The warriors regrouped near the main gates, bloodied and panting. They were surrounded on all sides now. There was no path forward that didn't spell death.
Swords trembled in tired hands. Even Kael looked grim.
Then…..
Wind blew
Strong. Suddenly. Heavy
Loud footsteps could be heard…
Something landed in front of them.
All eyes turned.
Two figures stood before them, backs straight, presence overwhelming.
One tall, powerful, cloaked in energy. Silver eyes blazed like stormlight.
The other ,elegant, fierce, cloaked in a pale glow. Her blue eyes shimmered with a light so intense, it was almost blinding.
Their voices rose together , it was calm, but heavy with wrath.
"How dare you."
The air cracked with magic.
Silence.
Even the rogues paused to understand what was going on.
Everyone needed a moment to get a hold of what was happening.
Sera gasped. "Liora…"
Celestine's breath hitched. "Zyra…"
Kael's mouth fell open. "They're… awake."
Celestine lowered her head , their glow was blinding.
And the rogues? Their fear was written in their eyes.
Because their doom had arrived.