Chapter 22- After The Battle
The silence after the fight felt strange.
The quarry was still scattered with signs of battle-deep claw marks in the dirt, broken branches, patches of blood staining the rocks-but the violence itself had vanished.
Blackridge wolves moved carefully through the clearing now, checking injuries and helping the wounded.
Rowan crouched beside one of the warriors near the ridge.
"Broken rib," he muttered. "But he'll live."
Owen approached Emily slowly.
"Well," he said, looking her up and down.
"That was impressive."
Emily groaned.
"Don't start."
He grinned.
"You tackled a Bloodfang wolf mid-air."
"That sounds cooler than it felt."
Jay approached them then.
His expression was unreadable.
Emily suddenly felt nervous.
Which was ridiculous.
She had just fought in a battle.
Why would Jay's expression be the thing that made her uncomfortable?
He stopped a few feet away.
"Are you injured?"
Emily shook her head.
"No."
Jay's gaze moved over her carefully.
Checking anyway.
Satisfied, he nodded once.
Rowan walked over.
"They're gone."
Jay looked toward the forest.
"For now."
Emily sighed.
"So this was just... round one."
Jay nodded.
"Yes."
Emily ran a hand through her hair.
"That's exhausting."
Rowan chuckled.
"You handled it well."
Emily glanced toward the battlefield.
Her wolf stirred again.
The power she had felt in her silver form was still humming faintly beneath her skin.
Jay noticed.
"You shifted easily."
Emily shrugged.
"I think my wolf liked the fight."
Jay's mouth twitched slightly.
"That's normal."
She tilted her head.
"You're suspiciously calm about this."
Jay crossed his arms.
"You didn't lose control."
Emily blinked.
"That was the goal?"
"Yes."
Rowan laughed.
"She's already ahead of half our warriors."
Emily rolled her eyes.
"Great. I'm now part of the warrior statistics."
Jay looked back toward the forest.
His expression hardened again.
"Marcus wasn't trying to win tonight."
Emily nodded.
"He wanted to see me shift."
"Yes."
She sighed.
"So now he knows."
Jay met her gaze.
"Yes."
The bond between them pulsed softly.
Emily folded her arms.
"Well."
Jay raised an eyebrow.
"Well what?"
She smiled faintly.
"Now he knows I'm not easy prey."
Jay studied her carefully.
Then something shifted in his expression.
Approval.
"You fought like a Luna tonight."
Emily blinked.
"That sounds like a promotion."
Jay stepped closer.
"Maybe it is."
The warmth in the bond surged again.
Rowan cleared his throat loudly.
"Before this turns into a romantic moment..."
Both of them looked at him.
"...we should probably get everyone back to Blackridge."
Emily sighed.
"Right."
Jay turned toward the forest path.
"Let's go home."
But as they left the quarry behind, Emily couldn't shake the feeling that Marcus had meant every word he said.
Tonight had only been the beginning.
The real war was still coming.
And next time...
Marcus wouldn't be testing her.
He would be hunting her.