Page 42 of Luna Rising

“Obviously, the Taurus wolves and fae plan to defy the surrender order.” Ewan placed a hand over mine and squeezed. “It will be a declaration of war against the Zodiac Councils.”

“And in any war, you need allies,” Frann interjected. Her eyes glowed yellow, the thought of a good fight bringing her wolf to the surface. “That’s why you’ve come, yes?”

Ewan didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

Drake cocked her head to the side, expression unreadable. “I haven’t even been alpha for a full moon cycle, and you want me to order my pack to fight? Even if the Zodiac Council sends hunters, these mountains are a natural fortress. They won’t get past our defenses.”

“It’s a big ask,” I said. “And I’m sure you are safe up here, hidden away from the world. The rest of us could go into hiding, too.” Ewan squeezed my hand encouragingly. “Hell, we could go live in a different realm and enjoy the rest of our undead lives.”

Drake’s perfectly shaped brows drew together as if the idea of other worlds was as foreign to her as it once was for me. I kept talking and hoped she’d forget to ask by the time I was done.

“The shit thing about reincarnation is that we keep repeating these lives and our mistakes.” My gaze went to Ewan. “This life can be different. I can’t recall another cycle where so many of us were born. That must be significant.”

“Gaia didn’t put you all here on this earth now so you could fight with the Zodiac Council,” Frann scoffed.

“No,” I agreed. “But this war is inevitable. If it wages on too long, no one will get away unscathed.”

“Have any other packs agreed to fight with you?” Drake asked.

“The Gemini fae have. That’s all so far,” Ewan replied.

She folded her hands in her lap and nodded slowly, careful to keep her face impassive. “We’ll need to discuss this in private. I will send word to Walter once we’ve reached a decision.”

It wasn’t a no, so I counted the trip a success. Ewan kept his expression just as carefully guarded as Drake.

“Of course.” He stood. “Thank you again for meeting with us.”

“Um, actually, may I have a word alone with Zara?” The question had barely passed her lips when the other women stood and began filing out of the room.

Penn gestured Ewan toward the door. “There’s an issue at the northeast outpost. Want to ride with me? I’m sure it’s just a stray.”

Normally, had a rival alpha asked for time alone with his mate, Ewan wouldn’t have considered it. But he kissed my cheek, told me to behave, and followed Penn from the living room.

“So,” a slow smile spread across her face, “I’m dying to know, how did you finally win your prince?”

I laughed. “Only if you promise to tell me how you became alpha.”

Sadly, neither of our stories was particularly pleasant. Both involved death, though technically Ewan and I had bonded before Angelica attacked me. Drake’s father had died in a coup, when his own beta killed him on the night of the Twin Comets. She challenged the beta and won, dethroning the usurper and claiming the crown for herself.

“Power looks good on you,” I told her.

“Ewan looks good on you,” she teased, then her eyes narrowed. “Are you happy?”

I didn’t have to think about the answer. “Yes.” I laughed. “That probably seems absurd. I mean, I could do without the fangs. But I finally feel… complete. That’s ridiculous. Forget I said it.”

Understanding brightened her gaze. “Oh, I see.”

The front door burst open. Blood mingled with snow in the cold air that seemed to fill the mansion. Ewan and Penn marched into the room, both shirtless and shoeless and covered in something blue. They wore identical grim expressions, though I felt Ewan’s adrenaline still thrumming in his veins from the recent hunt.

“You found another one?” Drake demanded.

“Bat wings, blue blood, and bad attitude.” Penn jerked his thumb toward the open front door. “It’s outside if you want to see it.”

My gaze found Ewan’s, searching his for answers. “Do I even want to know?” I asked.

He shook his head. “Probably not.”

“The scouts spotted the first one a few days ago. It took a dozen wolves to kill it.” Drake glanced at Penn. “One died and three more are still recovering.”

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