Chapter 13
It was night, and the Silver Mountain Pack was deep in sleep. The air was still, but suddenly, a loud, harsh noise shattered the silence.
Kayla’s eyes snapped open. It sounded like someone was trying to break down a concrete wall. She hurried to her window and peered outside. Dark figures moved in the distance. Voices, low, urgent, and filled with aggression.
Without hesitation, she stepped out of her chamber. As soon as she did, she saw Max approaching fast. His movements were quick and focused, and warriors followed closely behind him.
“Max, who are they?”
Max stopped just a few steps away.
“Warriors from Azure Moon Pack,” he said. “They’re led by Gamma Cross.”
Then Max added, “Please go back to your chamber. Cross is dangerous. He set my car on fire.”
Kayla's expression hardened.
“What? Cross set your car ablaze?”
“Not now. It was last week, when I went to Azure Moon Pack to see Ana.”
“And what do they want now?”
“What else? The Lunar Insignia.”
Kayla exhaled sharply and looked in the direction the noise was coming from.
“Fine,” she said, already stepping forward. “Let me go and talk to them.”
But before she could pass, Max moved in front of her, blocking her path.
“Kayla, no. You’re pregnant. Leave this fight to us.”
“Max, the Gamma of the Silver Mountain Pack was killed. Cedric has been acting like a stranger since the coronation was postponed. Who will assist you?”
“Don’t worry about that. I can handle it.”
Kayla shook her head.
“No. Step aside.”
Max hesitated, but she pressed on.
“Come with me instead. The Azure Moon Pack is like my own pack too.”
Max let out a slow breath before finally nodding.
Together, they turned and began walking toward the part of the pack where the Azure Moon warriors were trying to break in.
It wasn’t just any part of the pack. It was the special place Kayla had built to hide the Lunar Insignia.
Aside from her, only Cedric, Ana, and Max knew it was there.
When Kayla got there, the warriors from the Azure Moon Pack charged, their eyes blazing with fury.
Max immediately stepped in front of her, blocking their path. His stance was firm, protective.
Kayla tapped his shoulder when she saw Cross stepping forward.
Max hesitated for a moment before shifting slightly to the side, allowing her to speak to him.
Cross stopped a few feet away, his expression hard.
“Where is it?” he demanded.
“Where is what?” Kayla asked.
Cross let out a frustrated breath.
“Don’t play dumb, Kayla. The Lunar Insignia. Hand it over.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then we’ll take it ourselves.”
Cross's response was followed by a long silence.
“So this is what Azure Moon has become? A pack that storms into another’s land in the dead of night and demands what it wants?”
“Don’t twist this, Kayla. That insignia belongs to us. We’re taking back what was stolen.”
Kayla’s voice dropped lower and colder.
“Before Alpha Zayron left, he handed the Azure Moon Pack over to me.”
She let her words sink in.
“That means you obey me, Cross.”
“And if I refuse?”
Kayla stepped forward, her presence radiating power.
“I will shift and fight you myself.”
A ripple of unease passed through the Azure Moon warriors.
Kayla placed a firm hand on her stomach.
“You know how important this pup is to your Alpha!
Don't make me lose it in a quest to maintain peace between the Silver Mountain Pack and the Azure Moon Pack.
You should respect yourselves. I have been through a lot lately, and I don't need more pain, more betrayal, or more war. I have fought battles that left scars deeper than any wound, and yet, here I am, fighting again, but this time against my own pack. Do you think Zayron would want this? Do you think he would stand here and watch his warriors turn against the mate he left in charge? If you truly respect your Alpha, if you truly believe in the Azure Moon Pack, then you will not put me in a position where I have to choose between my pup and my duty.”
Kayla inhaled deeply before speaking again, this time her words carrying a different weight.
“As for the Lunar Insignia, I promise you this. When Zayron returns and says he wants it, we will find every proof that shows it belongs to the Azure Moon Pack and present it through the Silver Mountain Pack. And if it truly belongs to you, you can have it back. The Silver Mountain Pack is not a pack of thieves, and the Azure Moon Pack is not a pack of invaders.”
Kayla let her gaze sweep over them, her voice steady yet firm.
“The two packs are not enemies and will never be. We are bound by more than land, more than power, we are bound by the wolves who have fought and bled for both packs. We are family. And family does not tear itself apart over something that can be resolved with patience and unity. Right now, you stand here with anger in your hearts, but what will you do when Zayron returns? Will you tell him that you attacked his mate, his pup, and his second home? Or will you stand before him with honor, knowing that you upheld the values he fought for?”
Kayla took a step forward, her voice quiet but powerful.
“Leave here with dignity, Cross. Do not turn this night into a shameful memory. If you still doubt me, then wait. When Zayron returns, he will decide. But until then, no one lays a hand on the Silver Mountain Pack and the Azure Moon Pack.”
The tension in the air began to ease, though uncertainty still lingered.
Seeing that their anger had begun to cool, Kayla softened her tone just slightly.
“We are not rogues, Cross. We are not humans who fight for greed and power. We are werewolves. We move in packs. We obey our leaders. If we destroy ourselves from within, we are no better than the enemies we fight.”
Cross’s expression was still tight, but the fire in his eyes had dulled.
The warriors behind him lowered their shoulders slightly.
Kayla let her gaze sweep over them.
“Zayron led Azure Moon with strength and loyalty. He would not want you tearing through another pack in his name. You came here as warriors, but if you leave as attackers, you dishonor everything he stood for.”
A long silence followed. Cross looked at her, his rage now something else entirely.
He exhaled sharply, then stepped back.
Kayla stood tall, her voice firm and commanding.
“Return to the Azure Moon Pack,” she told the warriors. “Continue protecting your people. I will come there in the morning to see if you are facing any challenges due to Zayron's absence. We will sort this out, as it should have been in the first place.”
The Azure Moon warriors exchanged uncertain looks.
Cross, still hesitant but now calmer, stepped forward.
“We apologize, Kayla. We acted out of anger, and we were wrong. We will return, and we’ll mend what we broke down. This will not happen again.”
Kayla nodded, her expression softening.
“Good. You have your duty to your pack. Just ensure that no more unnecessary conflict arises. You have my word that I will come tomorrow, and we will figure this out together.”
The warriors, now visibly relieved, shifted into their wolf forms.
They bowed their heads briefly in acknowledgment, then swiftly ran out of the pack, heading back to the Azure Moon territory.
Kayla watched them leave, her eyes focused on the shadows they disappeared into.
When she turned around, she froze.
Standing a short distance away was Cedric, silently watching her.
Kayla’s eyes narrowed.
She couldn't believe he was there, watching from afar and not even trying to step in.
But she didn’t say a word to him. She simply turned and began walking back toward her office.
Max, who had been standing quietly beside her, followed closely behind.
He had heard the news about Alpha Zayron, but he didn't want Kayla to find out just yet.
He intended to hide the Alpha's scribe where the information was.
After a moment of silence, Kayla spoke.
“Max, have you heard anything about Ana?”
Max hesitated before answering.
“Yes,” Max replied. “She called me a few minutes ago. It was Samira who stole the blood, but Zayron had killed her.”
Kayla stopped in her tracks, her breath caught in her chest.
For a moment, she stood still, processing the words.
Then, a small, quiet relief washed over her.
She closed her eyes for a brief second, letting out a deep breath she didn’t even realize she had been holding.
“I had been worried since Samira traveled with them,” Kayla murmured. “Even when my wolf sensed something was wrong, I couldn't pinpoint it. My mind kept going back to her. Now that she's gone, I can breathe easier.”
“Go rest, Kayla,” Max said. “You’ve had a long night, and you need sleep. You can check on things later.”
Kayla shook her head, her mind too restless to settle.
“I don’t feel like resting right now. I need to check the Alpha's scribe, there could be something about Zayron or the other Alphas who went on the peace restoration campaign. I just feel like something’s wrong with him. Like he’s hurt or in danger.”
“Kayla, nothing’s wrong. The last reports were clear, and Zayron is strong. He’s fine.”
Kayla halted, a deep furrow on her brow.
“Max, for Zayron to kill a she-wolf, something serious must have happened. I don’t think it’s just about the blood Samira stole. I think she must have crossed him somehow. She must’ve hurt him badly.”
“Do you know what it means to steal his mate's blood?” Max asked.
Kayla frowned, turned and faced him.
“How do you know it was my blood?” Kayla asked.
“I have always known. Even when we were kids, Kay.”
“Max, I can’t shake the feeling that Samira’s betrayal went deeper than stealing my blood. She must’ve done something to Zayron, hurt him in a way that we don’t understand yet.”
Max’s expression softened, but he didn’t know how to ease her worry.
“I get it, Kay, but Zayron is a formidable wolf. You’ve seen it yourself, he’s survived so much. Don’t forget that.”
Kayla’s lips curled at the praise, but her mind remained focused.
She took a deep breath, her pace quickening as they made their way to her office.
“I know who he is, Max. But something doesn’t sit right with me. I need to understand why he did what he did. I need answers.”
Max followed closely behind, his thoughts racing.
He knew Kayla would never be content without answers, but part of him wished she could wait just a little longer.
They reached her office, Max quickly glanced at the desk where the scribe lay. He couldn’t let Kayla see it.
The report from the Moon Lord contained troubling news, and if Kayla saw it, her worry might overwhelm her, especially in her condition.
Seraphina had gone back to her abode, and if Kayla collapsed from stress, it would be just him to handle it.
He wasn’t sure he could manage it alone.