Page 151 of King Luna

But then Noah freezes. I get the sense that if I move, even a little, we’ll all be attacked.

Not attacked. Killed.

Luna, I have a secret to tell you,Noah mindlinks.

Wolves tense, crouching deeper and deeper into the earth—slow, shaky forms ready to blast into action.

What?! Now?

Yes. I need you to know what I see in your wolf because I already know you're planning on joining the fight.

My chest puffs with his, my own musk extending to the surrounding area.You assumed right. If you die, we both die, and Little Wolf will die with us. There’s no point in me sitting out.

I hate that, but it’s true. Which is why I need to tell you: you aren’t just my strongest wolf. You’re my strongest Alpha.

My heart skips. The small gasp I take zips Mason’s focus to me, his wolf crouching and ready to pounce.

We haven’t trained long together, but you don't need to be physically large to be a serious threat. Just your scent scared off Mason and many top leaders here, countless times since we’ve met. You could be King, if you wanted. I wasn’t joking.

As my Omega side sinks into the background to continue strategizing, my Alpha side bristles, her ego boosted to the max.

The second I shift, I need you to pretend you’re running. Take any scared Lunas to shelter. Then I need you to be my assassin. I’m a lumbering beast. I can take quite a few hits, but I’m not sneaky at all. You’re slippery, quick-witted, and agile, and your bite is deadly as fuck. If I gave you openings to swoop in... They'd never see you coming.Noah’s breath slows, but it shakes alongside mine.We could protect each other. Keep you from being noticed while I'm less distracted by working with you. Do you want to team up with me? Stick by my side, so we always know where the other is?

Noah, my wolf will protect you, always. If anyone comes close to hurting you, I’d do anything to save your life. You are our pack's future. Our pup's. But I also don't want to do anything I'll regret.

I understand. You don't have to hurt anyone, Luna, and you definitely don’t have to kill anyone—no one on our side will.

B-but that's the thing; I'm afraid, but I want to defend you and everything we stand for anyway. If anyone comes close to hurting you, I don’t think I could stop my wolf from hurting them first.

That’s my feisty Omega-Alpha. Just do me a favor: don't focus on attacking as your number one priority. Focus on weaseling out of the way like you always do until you have a safe opening. Promise?

By now, not a single one of us dares to breathe. The only sound across the field is a gust of wind rustling through the forest leaves, not even the birds daring to peep.

The collective scent rises into urgency as Noah breathes faster.

Mason’s muscles twitch in his full crouch, ready to pounce.

My heart throbs so hard that I’m dizzy. Am I going to be able to do this? What if I fail us all?

Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.

I promise.

The second I mindlink my promise, Noah gives my hand a soft squeeze. He releases it, slipping from my fingers. My heart jolts, terrified we just held hands for the last time.

Mason tenses, anticipating Noah’s incoming wolf, any second now; and once Noah shifts, Mason’s probability of survival is slim.

But Mason is still standing there.

This doesn’t add up.

The second I allow my intrusive thoughts to the surface, I realize they’re not like my usual intrusive thoughts at all. They’re knifelike observations, protecting me from active trauma. The danger ishere.

And I see something hidden in the bushes.

There’s no time to mindlink my spiraling thoughts, not as the first ripple of Noah’s fur sprouts from his skin, his face elongating. He’s crouching, preparing to leap, when I see it’s not just an odd rock in the bushes. It’s a long, black, metal pole, catching the smallest glimmer of light as it locks into position.

No, not a pole. A barrel.

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