“We’ll be with you,” Cate repeated when she seemed to notice my hesitation. “We may be outnumbered in bodies, but they’ll be outpowered. You just focus on reaching the King Alpha and doing what you must to stop this war in its tracks, alright?”
I sighed. Even now, I wasn’t sure what they expected of me. Even if I reach Roman, how was I supposed to stop any of this? Would I really be able to kill him, if the time came?
“Time’s passing. We must go,” Cynthia said, reaching to place her hand on my shoulder. “The wolves are gathered just outside the cave. You must address them as Queen Luna, give them direction, and then lead.” My mouth opened immediately in surprise before I groaned.
“Why can’t you just speak to them? You’re the Mother,” I complained unhappily. Cynthia only smiled gently. I turned to glare at Cate who had already reached for her lance easily. She paused when spotting me looking at her intently.
“Ew, I don’t speak to mortals. It’s all you, Arty,” Cate waved her hand dismissively. I sighed loudly. Right, they only would use their voice around Oracles. With Rogues around, Cate would become her typical mysterious self and… I looked to Cynthia… I supposed I’ve never even seen her around other living beings besides the Oracles, so who knew how she’d behave herself.
The three of us stepped out of the cave to address a crowd of wolves that stood in some human and other wolf forms. They had been whispering to one another with intensity, but upon seeing Cynthia, Cate, and I step into view, they all became silent expectantly.
I hesitated, but then cleared my throat.
“We are all gathered here today…” Ridiculous, I hissed to myself. “I’ve called you all here to ask for your help. I know… all of you have no affiliations with any pack. Many of you have been banished or have left due to your status. I’m sure there are several other reasons. But now, I ask all of you to stand together as wolf kind, rather than a pack. Stand by request of our makers, the ones who watch over us; the Trinity.”
There were sudden howls and hoots of an agreeable nature. I could feel the intensity growing within the crowd as they mentally prepared themselves for the coming battle.
“We will have to fight our own people,” I interrupted the howls firmly. “We may be hurt ourselves. The Mother has granted us temporary intuition.” The wolves all became deadly silent.
“This means two things: you will be able to foresee attacks shortly before they come and be able to avoid or counter them, and we have been blessed by the Mother. So while we may be well outmanned,” I turned to glance at Cate before turning back, “They are outpowered!” More muted howls responded excitedly to my words.
“Our goal is to protect the human villages. Don’t let the packs get through.” As the words left my lips, a sharp and loud howl sounded through the trees deafeningly. My body thrilled with the sound, recognizing my mate immediately. I waited until the sound quieted before addressing my wolves in an even tone. “Protect the humans. Leave the King Alpha to me.”
And with that, I stepped forward, allowing my form to mold into that of a wolf. I hesitated unfamiliarly, but then took another step before lifting my head and howling ferociously into the night. I could feel my howl reaching over the wolves shifting before me, clawing through the trees, startling the wealth of wolves in the far distance, and finally sparking through Roman’s commanding form. He immediately aimed to reach for me through our bond and I blocked him. Only in person would I open myself to him completely.
Cynthia stepped next to me, her silver fur glowing in the night like the moon itself. Cate remained in human form, turning to face the direction where the wolves were already beginning to advance towards the humans.
With something of devious delight in her features, Cate lifted her lance in her hand. She spun it once in one direction then again in another, tossed it from one hand to the other, and then tensed her body. With power I’d never witnessed before, she took a step back, pulled her arm back as well, and then launched the lance into the sky. It disappeared from sight and as though given a signal, the wolves howled around us before lurching forward ferociously.
I began to follow, but Cynthia stepped in front of me firmly.
“Let them have a chance to create a path for you,” Cynthia said to me softly. After all the wolves disappeared into the trees, Cate pranced beside me in her own wolf form.
“Time to play,” Cate bit at my neck teasingly before running into the trees with powerful and eager strides. Cynthia followed after her and I almost fell over myself to run after the both of them.
Running through the trees as a wolf was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. I moved far quicker that I could as a human. I felt powerful and dangerous; wild and free. Somehow, despite my speed, I could see everything within my path. I could feel the wind in my fur as I ran. I was in something of a euphoric state.
It was short lived.
As we ran, the sound of ferocious growls, yelps, and howls echoed in the air. The smell of blood flooded my senses. Our path was blocked by an entire wave of wolves; all intending on passing us to destroy the humans. Just based on the amount of wolves present, I knew it was only the first wave, but even this was almost too much. Yet, our wolves were avoiding attacks with ease and making lethal moves of their own perfectly. Cynthia went forward to attack any wolves that were coming towards us.
“I’ll clear a path,” Cate snarled from in front of me. Surprisingly, she ran forward, twisting to avoid a wolf before stepping into her human form. In one second, she was before us. The next, she disappeared and appeared in the far distance as though she had teleported.
As I watched where she teleported to, I saw she had a hand wrapped around her lance. With amazing strength, she gripped the lance and lifted it, spinning it around furiously. A burst of black aura exploded from the weapon and the wolves that were intent on attacking Cate were left lifeless around her. I felt sick at the sight, but also amazed.
In my amazement, I forgot I was in a battle; one in which I was in an unfamiliar form. While I watched Cate, another wolf slipped from the side and collided into me. I yelped with surprise, reaching to snap at the wolf, but they were far more train than me. The wolf aimed for my neck and I began to reach with my power to stop them when suddenly a second, more familiar wolf bit into the neck of the one above me.
The silver and black wolf ripped the unknown wolf from my form furiously, biting down until a snap echoed around the attacks and cries around us. I stood with surprise, smaller than the towering wolf, and yet he bent his head forward to the side to reveal his own neck.
“Logan,” I said with shock.
“You’ve finally shifted, Queen Luna,” Logan answered simply before standing at attention, watching for any more attackers. “Don’t look so surprised. I am your Sol. I have pledged my life to you and I will follow you in battle.”
“Even against your own King Alpha?” I asked in surprise.
“The King Alpha is immortal. He’ll be fine,” Logan stated, only continuing to surprise me further.
Cate suddenly landed in front of us with a look of frustration in her wolf form; no doubt having thrown the lance further away to obtain later.