CHAPTER 48
MOSSY RUINS BEGAN to litter the sides of the forest, with lit stone lanterns sitting on top of crumbled stone walls.
Thick patches of greenery spread over the old stone, leaving slivers of gray peeking through.
Scattered serebells bloomed across the ground, intermingling with tiny white flowers that clung to rock.
“We’re here.” Edmund’s ear flickered as his eyes slowly swept from side to side.
His gaze sharpened as he dipped his head, sniffing at the stone rubble that obstructed the path ahead.
Haphazardly scattered trees lay on the ground, their torn roots hanging above.
Lenore ducked slightly, now in her human form, dodging the clumps of dirt still attached.
A faint trace of blood drifted in the air.
The deep rumble in Edmund’s throat alerted her. “We’re not alone.”
Lenore sat up straight, having long since chosen to ride on top of Edmund. She quickly slid off him, keeping one hand on the back of his fur. As she carefully sniffed the air, goosebumps ran through her arms.
Three unique scents wafted past her nose, until three wolves emerged from the shadows, their eyes locked onto the pair. Their steps were cautious, and a formidable distance remained between them and the others as they stood between the pair and Noctaia’s entrance.
“Vesren Edmund,” one wolf greeted politely.
His bright hazel eyes were sharp with observation, watching them with close scrutiny, searching for something Lenore couldn’t see.
But his tail began to wag and a sigh of relief escaped the wolf as he padded toward them.
The other wolves followed suit. “You made it. Your family’s been worried sick.
” The grayish-blue wolf glanced at Lenore with intrigue.
“And everyone knows about your mate now.”
“So that’s Lenore, then?” Another wolf spoke up. His dark-green coat blended with the forest around him. Three pairs of eyes were on her, all staring at her with great interest. Lenore nearly froze, nervous from the sudden attention on her. She quickly bowed her head, then looked back up.
“Hello to you all.” A soft smile played on her lips as she shyly added, “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Ooo. Very beautiful, very dainty.” The third wolf shifted into a tall, muscular woman with long brown locks of hair tucked under a triangle bandana. She leaned in with crossed arms, grinning toothily. “A cute match, I’d say.”
“Congratulations, you two. It’s always a blessing to see a new fated pair,” the grayish-blue wolf said.
Lenore touched her choker, her head bobbing as her cheeks flushed. “T-thank you,” she said. Edmund became human next to her, his lips pressed tight.
“Enough with the stares. You’re making her nervous.” Lenore wondered if he was nervous as well. Edmund gave a curt nod toward the grayish-blue wolf. “Vesren Galen. Did my family and Azelf make it here alright then?”
The light in the others’ eyes vanished. “They did,” Galen said. “But I think you can tell that something happened here.” His gaze swept over the rubble and uprooted trees around them.
Edmund’s posture went rigid. “Did the Lucyn attack?” he asked. Lenore gripped her wrist tightly.
“Right after your family delivered the news, we were ambushed.” Galen shook his head slowly. “It’s not looking much better inside either.”
“Was it our pack?” Edmund asked.
Galen met their gazes. Something sharp flickered in his eyes. “No. It was our own.”
Entering Noctaia was nothing like when Lenore entered Lunavie for the first time.
Barely any wolves paid them any mind, all too busy dealing with the wreckage across the pack’s grounds.
Piles of rubble were already set aside, hinting at the far worse state the pack had been in days prior.
Frost splintered in thin veins over the broken stone, a telltale sign of the creatures that attacked.
Raven feathers drifted by, smeared with dried blood that crusted the nearby grass.
A few wolves offered their greetings as they passed by, and others paused to stare at Lenore longer, curious to see who Edmund’s mate was. Some even smiled.
Lenore swallowed tightly. At least they didn’t know she was Lucyn-turned.
Her hand was held by Edmund’s as they passed through, their cloaks rippling behind their fast steps. Both of them were human, as she had learned was the respected custom in entering another’s pack.
Cobbled paths overgrown with clover and flowers brushed against their boots. The late afternoon had settled over them, the muted blues of the sky touched with the presence of a distant moon hovering overhead.
“Eddy! Lenore!”
Cade ran toward them, yipping for their attention. Gwyneth and Azelf were just behind, their bodies a blur as they rushed over. Pip soared overhead, chirping excitedly.
“You guys made it!” Azelf instantly turned human, pulling Edmund into a one-armed hug. A trail of sparkles crowned Lenore’s head as Pip circled around.
“It’s so good to see you all.” Lenore leaned in as Pip hugged her cheek, her eyes gleaming brightly.
Gwyneth pulled her into a hug of her own, while Cade punched his brother’s arm lightly after they turned human.
A small smile broke out on Edmund’s face.
But it didn’t remain for long—his expression darkening as he faced them all.
“Galen told us what happened,” he said. “That some of the pack turned against the rest.”
Cade nodded grimly. “We made it just the night before the attack. No one was ready—for the damage they’d bring… or for their own packmates who’d already chosen to betray them.”
“It has to be more than just Arisa. Something—someone—is reaching into the hearts of werewolves already struggling.” Azelf took a step toward the broken remains, a solemn look on his face, before he turned back and quietly added, “Until they choose to give in.”
“Someone?” Dread squeezed Lenore’s insides. “You mean… Lunantha?”
When the demon’s name was uttered aloud, everyone grew tense. A shiver of wind brushed past them.
“Maybe.” Azelf crossed his arms. “A demon is the likely answer. Noctaia didn’t gain any new werewolves recently.” He sighed. “On the plus side, we learned that Pip’s magic helps melt the frost when a Lucyn attacks, so he’s been on duty for churning out a lot of vials in between breaks.”
“Pip piiii!” Pip did a somersault in the air, then puffed out his chest as Lenore beamed at him.
“And what about you?” Edmund asked. “Did you learn to use your magic better?”
“I can put body parts back together!” Azelf grinned. “I figured out how to meld Pip’s magic with mine to do so. I think I’m about to surpass every Thalryn out there.”
“Or maybe even the best healer in the whole country?” Lenore joked. She laughed when Azelf made a face in response.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’m not interested in all that,” he said. Edmund rolled his eyes in mock exasperation.
“But more importantly, the white raven showed up.” Azelf turned once more, gesturing out to the sky above the rubble.
“Right in the middle of battle, it flew in like a shooting star. A myth turned real.” His finger traced the middle of his forehead as he pivoted his heel toward them.
“It marked every Lucyn with a red crescent moon on its forehead, and after that—the ones still alive fled.” Lenore exchanged somber glances with Edmund. The same mark that Ryker had.
Lenore placed a hand on her chest.“Thank the One Above it showed up,” she said with a sigh.
“Seeing the raven was a blessing in multiple ways,” Cade said. “First, knowing you guys were still alive. Second, that it was real. I didn't fully believe it until I saw it.”
“I wish we had summoned the white raven earlier,” Gwyneth muttered. “But that symbol on their ugly mugs is gonna make it a lot easier to take them down now. We’ll kill them all and get Grandma back.”
Ryker’s mention of Fia flashed in Lenore’s mind. Her fingers curled. She prayed Fia was still alive.
Just ahead, Galen bounded toward them. He barked, grabbing everyone’s attention.
“The Caernith and his wife are ready to meet you,” he said.
“They just finished their meeting. Come along with me.” He paused as everyone headed his way.
“Sorry, I meant just Vesren Edmund and Lenore.” His tail wagged, his lips pulled back into a knowing grin.
“They’d like to meet the pair privately. ”
The nervous bob of Edmund’s throat didn’t escape Lenore. She felt her hands turn clammy, knowing that she was about to meet Edmund’s older sister. All she knew of her was the tidbits he shared on their way here—and everything pointed to the fact that she always meant serious business.
Only when Edmund gently tugged her forward with his hand did she move. A ripple of laughter swept the group behind them, something she tried to ignore as she kept her eyes ahead, barely taking in the surrounding scenery. It was only when they finally stopped, did she have a moment to look.
A tall archway of stone hung over their heads, fitted between two large trees.
Tiers of tall flowers stood on either side behind the arch—a circle of trees acting as a protective dome around the space.
Deep within was a large pavilion, the roof overgrown with flowering vines.
Arches connected its pillars, amplifying the spaciousness within.
Two figures awaited in the pavilion. One, a tall and muscular man with white hair that was cropped short. The other, a slimmer woman, whose long hair was a few shades lighter than Edmund’s. Her form accentuated her rounded stomach, and Lenore realized she was pregnant.
“Caernith Varek and his mate, Kyrie, are ready to greet you.” Galen dipped his head down in respect one last time before he stepped back.
Lenore squeezed Edmund’s hand tightly as they passed under the arch. Edmund responded with a gentle squeeze of his own, reassuring her as they drew closer to the pavilion. The moment they entered the presence of the other pair, Edmund greeted them rather flatly.
“Varek. Kyrie.”