I followed the Hunter tracks with new determination and vowed to do whatever it took to keep them away from Katlyn.

  Even if it meant another alpha would Claim her tonight.

  Even if it meant I died protecting her.

  It was for the Moon Goddess, and I would prove my loyalty to her no matter the cost.

  Because even without my wolf to guide me, she was mine.

  KANE

  Run, little moon.

  Run like the wind.

  And if you’re good, I’m going to catch you and make you scream.

  I’d made my Moon Guardian a promise, but fuck, She wasn’t going to make this easy for me.

  Her speed shocked me. I was also impressed by how well She hid Her tracks. It was almost as if She didn’t weigh anything at all as She flew through the forest.

  But She was an Omega in heat, making Her otherwise easy for my nose to follow. Even if I couldn’t see the path She might have taken, I could easily let Her intoxicating aroma of jasmine mixed with the silver mist of the High Moon guide me.

  Pride from my wolf swelled in my chest, as did his excitement for when we would taste Her again.

  But my human mind understood how this was dangerous.

  This was Valiance Pack territory. I did not fear Vern or his pack, but rather what was hidden in this patch of forest. I knew it well enough from the many maps I had studied, as well as my experience running through it before the war.

  Which meant I knew about the old Hunter traps that had been placed further up.

  I slowed to a stop when I scented water. There was a creek that separated three different territories. The apex led to a sacred pool that had remained untouched since the Hunters had prevented my pack from seeking its power during the war.

  How quickly the packs forgot their own history. We had been ostracized because of our intermingling with Hunter blood.

  Yet it was the Hunters who had rejected us first, choosing to weaken us by betraying our trust. They were the ones who had walled off this sacred space and it was suicide to try and navigate it now.

  Yet my little moon’s scent went straight toward that delicious aroma of light-infused waters.

  A growl rumbled low in my throat, because She was too fast. Too confident in Her abilities for me to warn Her.

  Unless, She was already there.

  Little moon… I tested, but She couldn’t hear me.

  A heaviness had been lingering in my soul, and I wasn’t sure if that was my separation from Kaitsja for an entire month, or something more sinister.

  Or, perhaps it was simply the fact that She’d entered sacred ground too permeated with magic to hear my call.

  But that was a good thing. It meant She had made it to the creek. A feat that proved She was indeed the Goddess, because none of my wolves had made it to the blessed waters. Not even my own brother.

  Is this my test? I asked Her, wondering if I was meant to venture into danger to prove my worth.

  Instead of my mate’s response, an alpha’s growl reverberated through the air. My fur spiked and a responding snarl rumbled in my throat.

  The other three had finally caught up to me and seemed to be overturning their decision to respect me as their leader.

  Evident by the Valiance Pack Alpha squaring off and showing me his teeth. The moonlight filtered through his sleek gray coat. His green eyes locked onto mine with obvious challenge.

  His muscles flexed as if he intended to walk around me, but I stepped in his way.

  Me first, I thought at him.

  Whether or not Kaitsja intended to keep these alphas, I would establish my position.

  They would fall in line or die.

  Vern couldn’t hear me, but he understood my intent. His muscles coiled as the full power of his wolf sprang into the air, sending the wind crackling with energy.

  Normally, I wouldn’t indulge in a frontal attack. Still, I would prove my superiority to this wolf and any who challenged me. I had bested all of them once before, followed by Hunters who had come after me.

  Of course, I had been blessed by the Goddess at the time. Right now, I only had the power of the High Moon to fuel me.

  It put me on more of an even playing field with the Valiance Pack Alpha and my body slammed into his as we collided.

  He snarled as I sank my teeth into his shoulder. Pain bloomed across my back as he returned the favor.

  Blood flooding my mouth, my wolf came out to play as primal instincts took over. I was already subjected to the rut and the desire to chase my mate, and fighting for Her honor only solidified my resolve.

  It would have been an even match, except the other two alphas decided to join in.

  I’d fought four of them at once, and now it was just three with Ryker being left behind.

  Jaws clamped down on my left leg and another set of teeth dug into my flank.

  Fury rose in me as I launched into the air. My body broke and shifted as I sailed upward, because I needed to be in human form.

  My chance at winning would be determined by how much moonlight I could absorb, and that worked best through thinner skin unimpeded by fur.

  I was Alpha of the Moon Pack, a sect of wolves that lived and breathed Her power, resulting in a magical edge that set us apart from the rest.

  It turned our fur white.

  It made us powerful, even if it hadn’t been enough to help us overcome the numbers of the other four packs; not after we’d been denied access to Moon Creek, among other restrictions placed by the Hunters.

  But three alphas? I had enough power to handle that.

  Stretching my fingers up through the silver rays, I soaked it in and magic crackled down my spine.

  The alphas immediately unlatched and yipped in pain. They weren’t designed for Her raw magic like I was.

  That’s why I would always be first. That’s why I would always be superior.

  Gravity took over, sending us all careening toward the ground. The fight had taken us too far north, risking one of us landing in nearby Hunter traps.

  I twisted, managing to skid off a tree before landing on the soft soil.

  A violent snap of magic and an accompanying howl told me that one of the other alphas hadn’t been so lucky.

  My bones cracked as I forced my shift to complete a full transition into my human form. My intention was to secure my place, not kill my competition.

  Kaitsja had chosen these alphas, spared their lives, and accepted their aid when it came time to rescue Her from the Hunter’s cave.

  Hell’s Heart, they’d called it, but a cave to my senses, nonetheless.

  For that, they deserved to live.

  “Stay still,” I ordered Vern who had fallen into the trap. Its golden runes stretched around him and dug into his fur, sinking invisible teeth into his skin.

  An arrow screamed through the air, twisting it open like a split river.

  My reflexes were already heightened, thanks to the moonlight I had absorbed, so I easily caught it in my fist.

  Then immediately regretted it.

  A growl rumbled in my chest when the arrow’s wood burned my skin and sent a rush of fiery magic through my body. I dropped it without hesitation, but the damage was already done.

  A Hunter silently stepped through the tree line. His orange eyes glowed with magic and a bow rested loosely in his grip.

  He readied another arrow, not taking his gaze off of me.

  This was why the wolves had lost against the Hunters before. It was why their betrayal was so dangerous.

  They knew far too much about our kind. That was their job. This Hunter knew how my magic worked and all he had to do was disrupt my connection with the moon.

  Something the magic in his arrows was spelled to do, apparently.

  Inadvertently, the poison from the arrow’s touch seemed to affect my connection to Kaitsja as well. I didn’t know if that was intentional, but it was even worse than muting my Moon Magic.

  I narrowed my eyes and bared my teeth, angry for the disruption to my mate and the dampening of my power.

  For the Hunter’s sake, it was a disruption that had better not be permanent.

  And if he liked his head attached to his body, he would comply with any demand I gave him.

  “I’ll give you three seconds to give me an antidote to your little parlor trick magic,” I warned as Shadow and Dash took up my flank, both still as their wolves.

  Just a moment ago, they were ready to take their pound of flesh, but nothing united the wolves like a Hunter.

  The male in question tilted his head as scarred lips stretched in a sideways grin. “Or what?” he asked. He nocked the arrow, then took aim. “Are you going to growl me to death?”

  He released the arrow, but not at me.

  It split the air again with incredible speed as it sailed toward its intended target.

  Vern couldn’t move, not while he was still stuck in one of the magicked traps. He roared in pain when the arrow lodged itself into his flank. Magic rippled through his fur, disrupting his ability to remain in wolf form.

  But he wasn’t dead, at least.

  I knew the Hunter had better aim than that. He wasn’t trying to kill us.

  He was trying to detain us.

  Shadow seemed to pick up on that as he edged closer. He stood between the injured alpha and the Hunter as he reared backward, deftly changing into his human physique with a gracefulness that some might envy. “What do you want with us?” he asked, getting straight to the point.

  Dash inched forward, but I bumped his muzzle with my palm, then jerked my chin toward Vern.

  Dash was a Soldier Alpha. His prowess in battle was useless here, but he might be able to wrench the trap free through brute force.

  As much as I wanted to teach Vern a lesson, that was a pointless venture if the Hunters captured us.

  Because they’d be going after Kaitsja next, and that was unacceptable.

  Another arrow sailed through the air, this one coming from the shadows within the forest.

  Shadow blurred with impressive speed, but even with quick reflexes, the arrow still brushed his naked thigh, leaving a crimson streak.

  He snarled and favored his good leg as the magic burned through him. Fur sprouted across his arms, but his bones didn’t break.

  It seemed that he’d been dosed with enough magic to prevent him from shifting again.

  Vern roared from behind me just as a snap of metal followed.

  Good, the soldier is useful for something, at least.

  Not having to protect Vern any longer, I instantly shifted back into wolf form, able to override the poison.

  Only because I was an alpha of the Moon Pack. If the others were struck, they would be useless.

  And I realized that was the point.

  The Hunter in my sights stiffened when I came at him, all claws and teeth.

  He didn’t expect me to be able to shift again.

  Maybe they don’t know everything, after all.

  The Hunter tried to release another arrow, but it was too late. I’d surprised him, and that would be his downfall.

  My canines sank into his jugular and I ripped.

  Hunters could come back from a lot, but beheading? Not even a Hunter could survive that.

  While I sawed at my victim, a roar of men and Hunters surrounded us, assuring me I didn’t have much time to finish the job.

  An arrow raced toward me, but Vern was faster.

  He took the arrow in his other shoulder and grunted as it dug into his flesh.

  My human mind was surprised. I didn’t expect the other alphas to take a Hunter’s arrow for me.

  But it’s not for me, my mind reminded myself. It was for Kaitsja.

  They had come to the same conclusion as I had. The Hunters knew we were mated to the Goddess, and they were trying to use us to get to Her.

  Whether that meant tapping into our connection with Her, or drawing Her out through our pain, it didn’t change the realization of what I had to do next.

  Kill.

  Kill them all.

  It only took three snaps of my mighty jaw to complete my task, and then I dove into the forest as I let my wolf fully take charge.

  I rarely let him out to play.

  Because my beast was a ferocious, bloodthirsty monster when left unchecked.

  And lately, it only seemed to be getting worse. That darkness in the pit of my soul festered with a bloodstone core.

  Something that I hid from my pack. Something that I rarely even admitted to myself. I always exuded calmness and confidence.

  I never lost my composure.

  I never gave in to my temper.

  I never let my wolf be in charge.

  But now my Goddess was being threatened. Our reason for being. Our mate. She would be safe at Moon Creek, but not for long.

  I let you free, my wolf.

  Rip their spines in half and present their hearts to our Queen.

  Tear their flesh and feast on their entrails, because tonight, the High Moon sets.

  And the Blood Moon dawns.

  DANTE

  I stopped the painstaking work of navigating the moonlit forest when the silver tones above me changed color.

  To red.

  That can’t be good, I thought, glancing up. None of my informants had told me of something like this happening.

  We’d been preparing for the High Moon for the past month. It was when the wolves were at their strongest, but in some ways, it was when they were at their weakest, too.

  Because not all the wolves were against us. Thanks to my generals, we had worked out a division among the packs. Xenos had been the first of my generals I’d brought on, but after our embarrassing defeat, I’d summoned the rest.

  Which was how we’d managed to make an unlikely alliance with four of the leaderless wolf packs.

  They didn’t like the fact that their alphas had been enslaved to a corrupted Goddess.

  I had to be careful about that part. All the wolves revered their deity, but they didn’t have to know I meant to kill her. Only that their alphas had failed them. They’d abandoned them and now had joined the Outcast Pack. They would feed on the remains of their lost Goddess for their own power and greed.

  It didn’t matter if that wasn’t true. It was the story I had to sell to save them.

  Whether they believed me or not, I wasn’t here to kill the wolves. I was here to hunt a monster.

  I was here to stop Calamity.

  Because a corrupted Goddess was only the start of what Calamity could do. This was not something I could not allow to spread.

  Power-hungry alphas had been an easy theory to make. It didn’t take long for my informants to learn of the last High Moon Ceremony where a human had infiltrated their ranks and crushed the heart of the Goddess right in front of them all. An impressive feat, to be sure. One I wasn’t so convinced she had done on her own.

  Regardless, the Moon Goddess had been changed. To the wolves, she was fractured, not dead. The moon still held power, they could still shift—evidenced by their abilities tonight.

  They needed hope and a belief that she could be saved.

  That was how I had gained their support to let me try to extract the Goddess from the human who had taken her. And how I’d earned allies to guard Moon Creek while I tracked her. Holding her hostage in Hell’s Heart hadn’t been enough to do the job. So I was trying a different route.

  On that front, everything was going according to plan.

  But the bloody tones melting down from a starless sky was not a part of any strategy I was aware of.

  What are you up to? I wondered, gazing up at the ruby moon.

  Was this the Goddess showing her true colors? I had expected something dark, like an eclipse.

  This was different.

  Not from the Goddess, I decided as I snapped a limb out of my path to walk around a trap. Not directly.

  The scent of blood made me freeze. It was faint. I was deep within protected territory, so wolves wouldn’t be following me here.

  But it wasn’t wolf blood that lingered on the moonlit air.

  It was Hunter blood.

  A metallic ring sent a single note through the forest as I withdrew my dagger. The packs were supposed to guard this area, but it was entirely possible that there had been a complication.

  Perhaps they’d changed their minds.

  Or maybe they simply weren’t cut out to stand up against the Corrupted alphas.

  Either way, I stayed alert as I pulled the compass from my waistband.

  The flame arrow spun a few times before lingering northeast, then seemed to lose its way again.

  Her mates were in the woods and they had absorbed moonlight. My estimate was they were the ones interfering with the signal, but I still opted to continue northeast, in the direction the arrow had struggled.

  It was off my intended path, forcing me to double back a few times. I angled around a series of traps as my boot crunched over dried roots on this untouched side of the forest.

  Another twig snapped, but it wasn’t because of me.

  I hadn’t been trying to hide my footsteps. No one should have been out here, but that assumption had been wrong.

  Pausing, I stilled every muscle in my body to become one with the shadows. My heart slowed to hide my presence as I flexed my fingers around the hilt of my blade.

  A human would be doused with adrenaline right now, but I wasn’t human.

  I was a Hunter, and whoever was here was a fool to face me.

  Slipping into the darkened parts of the forest, I tracked the newcomer.

  The wind was shifting east, and even though I didn’t have a shifter’s nose, I would have still picked up the scent of someone within my vicinity.

  Meaning my new “companion” was east, as well.

  My fingers tingled with anticipation as I kept to the shadows and headed toward the dead man, or woman.

  Because whoever it was would be dead very soon.

  I paused to examine my surroundings, finding myself barricaded by moonlight on three sides.

  Can’t proceed this way, I thought, but then I noticed a strange black feather on the ground.

  It glimmered with familiar magic that I would recognize anywhere.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20