Page 10 of Moonlit Fate

Mia, Lyza, and Hale emerged silently from the den, their presence a comforting solidity at my back. We weren’t a pack, but in this moment, we stood united as one force, formidable and unyielding.

Retracting my claw, I pushed him away. “Speak,” I said, though my tone carried less bite than before.

“I bring troubling news from the east. The Crimson Fang. They’re moving closer, encroaching on the forest we call home.”

This wasn’t news. Crimson Fang had been moving in for some time now. Hale and I had set up patrols with some of the rogues willing to work with us, to monitor their presence, but I sensed there was more to this shifter’s tale.

I loosened my stance even as my mind sharpened. “Continue.”

“Rumors of expansion, roads cutting through the heartwood, machines that tear at the roots of our world.” He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “Conflicts are inevitable, and they won’t just affect the packs. Even rogues—even you and your family—are at risk.”

Family.The word echoed a truth I had long recognized. We were joined, not by blood or birthright but by choice and necessity, by the shared understanding that each of us was a lone wolf who found strength in unity.

Here, in the unclaimed territories, my name carried weight among the rogues as the leader of our group. I was no alpha, not in the traditional sense, but I’d stepped into a position where I protected those I loved and prioritized the well-being of my family. I stood as the figurehead, but I was surrounded by a team of equals. No rank separated us. We all had a voice.

“We can’t manage this alone.” He broke through my introspection. “None of us can. We need alliances, strategies. The forest holds ancient magic older than any individual, and its degradation...” Pain flashed across his features. “I refuse to stand by and watch it suffer. That pack has always been trouble. Always will be.”

The rogue’s passion stirred the smoldering ember of responsibility that I often cloaked in indifference. I shifted my weight, thumbing the cool, slick leather of the knife handle at my belt. There was a fine line between survival and surrender.

“Understood,” I said. “We have no love for chains, nor do we desire to see our sanctuary desecrated. You’ve done well to bring this to light.”

He nodded, relief mingling with the lines of worry, and turned to leave. As he faded back into the shadows and slipped away, a silent vow formed in my soul, a promise to protect what was ours, whatever the cost.

“Let’s go in.” Bitterness coated my tongue as we convened in our hidden sanctuary.

“They come closer every season,” Mia said. Her weathered yet deft hands were still for once, not sorting through her herbs or concocting remedies but interlaced tightly.

“We must proceed with caution,” Hale said, leaning back against the unadorned walls. His humor was absent now, his expression quietly contemplative. “We’ve always thrived by avoiding direct conflict.”

The warm glow from the woodstove filled the room with dancing shadows that caused the light to waver and fade intermittently.

“Caution?” Lyza paced the length of the space, her steps barely audible on the smooth stone floor. “What do you suggest, Hale? That we hang around and watch them destroy more of the land? Wait for them to box us in? Haven’t we given them enough caution?”

Joren nodded. “Lyza’s right. Action is what’s needed. We cannot allow ourselves to be cornered.”

Their words hung heavy in the air, each syllable saturated with the promise of a fight I knew too well. As their leader, my call to arms was more than just strategy. It was an admission of my own restless spirit, the part of me that hungered for the thrill of the chase, the clash of unseen forces.

But there was something else, a silent whisper deep in my mind that urged me toward the Silver Claw pack. Toward her. Aria.

“Atticus?” Mia asked.

“We strike first,” I declared, my conviction growing stronger with each word. “We gather information, establish alliances where we can. We may not be a pack, but in unity, there is strength.”

Joren’s grin was a flash of white in the semi-darkness. “Then let’s show them that the forest has fangs.”

“Okay,” Hale agreed, the lines around his eyes softening. “But we must not forget, this is about so much more than us. We’re defending a way of life, protecting the forest and its unique ecosystem. This is not just about defending or taking territory.”

They nodded resolutely, a silent pact forged between family—one not of blood and hierarchy but of choice. We would stand together, as we always had, in defiance of a world that sought to chain us.

“Prepare yourselves,” I said. “We move at dawn.”

As my friends dispersed to their respective quarters, I remained alone in the communal area. The decision was made, the way set.

The rogue factions—my brethren in defiance—were as scattered as the stars, yet we shared the same sky. It was time for unity, however fleeting it might be. For the sake of the forest that was our home, for the magic that pulsed beneath our feet, we needed to stand together.

My mind whirled with countless strategies and contingency plans, but even through the frenzy, Aria’s face emerged, the untamed cascade of her hair and the fierce spark in her eyes that spoke volumes about her spirited nature.

I shook my head to dispel her visage. I was a rogue, a shadow that flitted unseen. This wasn’t me. I avoided seeking out individuals unless they were targets or allies. Yet, I was contemplating a visit to the Silver Claw pack under the guise of gathering information.

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