Chapter 64
164. Call to Battle
***Sara***
Istare angrily at Caine’s coffin as it is lowered into his grave. Sebastian was unwilling to give Caine a
proper
Moon Warrior Ceremony because he didn’t die in battle and no matter how much I threatened him, he
refused. He
was smart enough to coax my own dirty secrets out of me when we married so that he didn’t ever have
to be afraid of
me revealing his.
As my anger burns and festers knowing my son is nevering home, a group of scouts return from a
mission
with urgent news, Sebastian taking off to his office while I am left to bury our son on my own.
Something inside me cracks as I watch my husband disrespect his own son on the night of his funeral
and I
decide to take matters into my own hands.
I turn to my brother, Richard, who also seems infuriated by Sebastian’s actions, opening up our mind-link
to
discuss my n.
“What do you need, Sara?” He asks.
“Get me everything you can on Zane’s mate.”
***Sebastian***
“This better be important enough for you to interrupt me as I bury my son,” I snarl, leading Beta Earl and
the
scouts back to my office.
“Apologies Alpha, but the news we bring is urgent,” the scout replies, arge man envelope in his
hand.
I open the door to my office, and take a seat at my desk, Beta Earl standing next to me while the three
scouts
exchange nervous looks amongst themselves.
“Spit it out now!” I snarl, barely restraining my anger.
The scout holding the man envelope extracts two photographs from it, his voice trembling as he
speaks.
“We set up the cameras at Ravenstone as requested and captured several images of the Ravenstone
Luna leaving with Toran Ravenstone out of the pack a few days ago. Upon reviewing the footage, we
made a discovery we think
might be of interest to you…”
He ces the photos one on top of the other on my desk and slides them over to me. I stare at the first
picture of
a blonde woman wearing stylish dress trousers, a blouse and a zer standing beside a car, Toran to
her left and the
Ravenstone Gamma on her right. She has her hand outstretched towards the Gamma with a stone
sitting in her palm.
I don’t recognize the blonde, but as I push it aside to reveal the second photo, the blood drains from my
face.
Mate? Arden gasps when we see the unmistakable image of Elenore reaching for the same stone from
the
previous picture as the Gamma is about to hand it to her.
I think to myself, while staring nkly at the
It can’t be! S-she.. She’s dead. She’s dead… I buried her… picture.
In shock, I look closely at the picture and recognize the features of her face, tracing my fingers along her
pointed
chin and her thin nose. After all these years, she’s still the same, still my beautiful Ellie, just with a few
more wrinkles
and graying hair on her head.
Beta Earl takes the images and examines them closely, his eyes wide with disbelief.
“It appears our former Luna, Elenore, is still alive, Alpha. Somehow, she survived the attack on Crescent
Moon all
N?velDrama.Org content.
those years ago. We extracted information from a Ravenstone pack guard and were only able to verify
this
information earlier today,” the scout exins. “Luna Elenore has been living as the Luna of the
Ravenstone Pack for
the past 20 years,” the scout adds timidly, choosing his words very carefully. “ording to the guard,
they got their
hands on a Fae cloaking stone to hide Luna Elenore in in sight. She goes by the name Rionna now.”
He ces the envelope on the table and slides it to me, my shock turning to pure rage when I pull out
multiple
photographs of the transformed Elenore kissing Toran and stepping into the car with him.
This can’t be… Isnarl to myself as I look at picture after picture of my mate smiling contently in Toran’s
arms.
This can’t be!
I feel myself on the brink of losing control and in my vulnerable state, Arden takesmand of my body.
My breaths grow heavier as the weight of all my grief copses on top of me and the anger in my heart
breaks through
the surface.
“Where is she?” I say with a low growl once I regain control of my feelings. “Where is she now?
A
“We can’t seem to locate her,” the scout replies in a weak voice, his knees trembling slightly in fear. “It
seems
Toran and his Luna-”
I walk around the desk at inhuman speed and wrap my fingers around the scout’s throat, squeezing
tightly as I
na
s arou
–
lift him off the ground until his face is bright red and the veins on his temples bulge out awkwardly. He
ws
desperately at my arm, seeking to escape my wrath.
“She is MY Luna,” I correct him through gritted teeth, the scout wheezing out a meek “Yes, Alpha.”
I
him fall to the ground, the scout coughing and gasping for air.
“Only the Beta and Gamma remain in Ravenstone to protect the pack,” the scout continues. “Their
Alpha, heir,
and … Elenore… have been gone for the past few days. We have increased surveince for the time
be-”
“Get a team ready,” I interrupt, thinking of the gold hair brush tucked away safely in my desk drawer. “We
attack Ravenstone at dawn.”
The scouts and my Beta stare at me as if I’ve grown three heads and it infuriates me
“Get moving!”
“But Alpha,” Beta Earl interjects. “She’s not even there right now. Would it not be best to wait until we can
confirm Elenore’s location?”
“Are you Alpha?” I warn, Earl backing down and lowering his head in submission.
“No, sir. You are,” Earl replies with a nervous gulp.
“Then I suggest you take your orders and gather a team,” I snarl, Beta Earl nodding obediently. “Now is
the perfect time to attack. They won’t see iting and by the time it’s over, there will be nothing left of
that worthless pack. I’ll make Toran pay for ever touching what is MINE!”
***Toran***
“Move everyone to the bunkers. Those in the infirmary, women and children are to be moved first. Have
any
hadith
strong men join the fight. Alert our allies now. I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I order my Beta over the
phone.
As I hang up, Tylenes running in his face stone cold but nheless flushed as he res at me.
“What do you want? I was in the middle of something,” he snaps.
I feel a small pinch at my heart as I sense the hatred festering within my son. He has every right to be
angry and,
right now, I need his anger for war.
I pay little attention to him and begin texting my men waiting outside Rivermoon to get a jet ready for
take-off
within the next hour. Tylen’s anger seems to grow but still ignore him until I’m finished.
“Get your things. We take off in an hour,” I say as I grab my luggage.
“Why should I leave with you?” Tylen asks, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Fine. Don’t. Stay here with your mate,” I reply with a shrug, Tylen’s cold demeanor shifting
“How did you -”
“Years of war have taught me to notice things most people would brush off,” I answer. “I see everything,
Tylen.
Whether I respond to it or not is a different story. Agneses with a lot of baggage on her shoulders so
I would tread
carefully if I were you.”
“I don’t believe I asked for your opinion and you are thest person I would take advice from,” he retorts,
his jaw
clenching as he swallows back his hatred and attempts to regain hisposure. “I will deal with my
mate as I see fit.
“As you wish,” I sigh, grabbing arge envelope from my suitcase and turning to face my son. “Please
hand these
to your mother after I leave.”
“I’m not your messenger boy,” Tylen says, ring at the envelope in my hand. “Give it to her yourself.”
My jaw clenches at his insubordination.
“Give these to your mother after I leave,” Imand with my Alpha voice, Tylen taking the envelope
begrudgingly.
“What’s in it?” Tylen asks through gritted teeth. When I don’t respond, he pulls out the documents himself
and
reads them. “Divorce papers?”
I feel the pinch in my heart again, the pain afortable feeling, like the hug of an old friend. I wee
the
agony, knowing it is for the best I build my walls now before Rionna destroys mepletely,
“I had them prepared before we came here. They’re already signed by me,” I say, zipping up my luggage
and cing it on the floor, “Have her sign and send them to thewyer when she’s ready.”
“You’re… you’re giving up on her?”
My face remains neutral as I watch his features contort with disgust towards me, but on the inside, my
entire world is copsing on me. He does not truly understand how dangerous it is to show your true
feelings to anyone.
War is cruel and you must never give your enemies a weapon against you.
“I should have never had her,” I reply coldly, pushing the door open and wheeling my luggage out.
“Sebastian knows Elenore is alive. He’sunched an attack on Ravenstone and I want Rionna here. It
appears he does not yet
know our location but I have to return to defend my pack. You may choose to stay here with your mother
or apany me. Either way, I leave tonight.”
I don’t give him a chance to respond and stroll out of the guest room and down the hall, Tylen following
me and
bombarding me with questions I have no time to answer. I find Evan pacing back and forth in front of the
Queen’s office, cold chills running down my spine.
“I need to speak with Her Majesty. It’s urgent,” I say, Evan shaking his head at me.
“She’s on the phone with the European Wolf Council right now,” he replies. “You’ll have to wait.”
Shit.
“What’s the European Wolf Council?” Tylen asks.
“European wolves operate differently than North American wolves. The European Council is a leadership
committee for Mother Packs across Europe. They form alliances, managews, deliberate conflicts
between packs,
and dere war or establish peace, “I reply. “To be summoned by the European Council is a serious
matter.”
“Yup, and unfortunately Lune de Minuit does not n on backing down any time soon and they are well
within
their rights to take Aurora to the Council,” Evan adds, rubbing his temples tiredly. “She has established a
Kingdom
within an existing Mother pack alliance and that alone is grounds for reprimand. Even though River Moon
and Lune
de Minuit were on the road to separation, River Moon is still technically under the rule of those French
heathens.”
The door clicks open and Aurora calls out from within her office that we may enter. She sits at her desk,
her head
thrown back in exhaustion and her eyes closed as she takes slow deep breaths. Beside her, Alpha Oliver
is barking orders on the phone while Beta Carter storms past us to execute his tasks
“So what’s the verdict?” Evan sighs, knowing well the answer will not be good.
“The Council wishes to speak with Oliver and I,” Aurora groans. “It seems Lune de Minuit is determined
to take
River Moon back under the guise that Oliver and I are unfit for our roles.”
“But they can’t do that!” Evan growls, Oliver giving him a warning look to back off.
“Of course they can’t,” Oliver snaps. “That’s why we are traveling to France in the morning to meet with
the
council andy out our arguments. Lune de Minuit established River Moon 60 years ago and ced my
family in the
Alpha position. They have trained and prepared every single Artaud Alpha, myself included but they do
not own us.
We have proof that I have been deliberating separation since I first took over and that Jacque’s own
daughter started
a war against us without us ever seeking repercussions against him. This summons is just a way for
Jacque to
,
question our power and cast doubt in the minds of any potential allies we seek. It’s a political move and
nothing
.
more.”
“I am confident our meeting with the council will go well so you don’t have to worry about us,” Aurora
chimes in. “Besides, it appears there are bigger fish to fry here on the domestic front.”
“Yes,” I nod, knowing she likely already knows my predicament. “My sources tell me Sebastian knows
Elenore is still alive. He’s nning an attack at dawn and I must get back to my pack at once,” I sigh
tiredly, “I would like to ask
for protection on Rionna and Tylen’s behalf.”
“No,” Tylen interjects. “I’ming with you.”
I raise an eyebrow at him and he rolls his eyes at me, a gesture that boils my blood and I scowl
menacingly at
him to watch what he does in my presence.
“I hate you with every fiber in my body, but Ravenstone is my home and I will protect it, even if it means I
have to
follow your orders,” Tylen says through gritted teeth.
I do not care for his tone, but that is the least of my worries.
“I need to know if Zane has made his decision. I leave in an hour,” I say, turning back to the Queen.
The Queen opens a portal to the guest house. “Evan-”
“On it,” the Gamma replies to his Queen as he runs through it. Within a minute, Zane and Talia, Kota,
and Rionna
appear through the portal with Evan.
“What’s the urgency?” Talia asks, cradling her son in her arms.
I waste no time in exining the situation. “Sebastian knows Elenore is alive and ns to attack
Ravenstone at dawn. I leave in an hour so I’ll need your decision now. Are you fighting with me or
staying out of this war?”