Chapter 12
In the days that followed, I immersed myself in discussions with Alpha Caius, meticulously planning our infiltration of Night Howl.
Due to my recovery state, the healers often urged me to rest, but I couldn’t afford to stay idle.
The memory of Nayra absorbing shards of the Lunar Crystalis haunted me endlessly. Night after night, I was plagued by nightmares–visions of her killing my son and then me, over and over again. The thought of Nayra still out there, possibly plotting to take the remaining pieces of the Lunar Crystalis, gnawed at me.
I couldn’t allow that to happen.
I wouldn’t give her that satisfaction.
With Alpha Caius‘ s eagerness to bring down Night Howl, my desire for revenge fused seamlessly with his own cause. Neither of us would stop until Night Howl was crushed.
Each day, Caius and I spent hours locked in intense strategy sessions. We pored over detailed maps of Night Howl’s territory, analyzing potential weaknesses and ambush points.
With how much Night Howl has expanded, they’ve spread themselves thin,” Caius remarked one evening as we studied the terrain in his office.
His sharp eyes followed the borders of the pack‘ s territory, his expression focused and fierce. “There are multiple vulnerabilities we can exploit.”Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
I nodded. As I scanned the familiar places on the map, I couldn’t help but recall my last fight with Nayra and the hooded Calamity member.
“True, but Nayra‘ s power, especially with her connection to the Calamity Cult, could compensate for those vulnerabilities.
“If the cult is truly a haven for witches and sorcerers, we can’t afford to underestimate her–especially now that she’s absorbed part of the Lunar Crystalis.” I gave him a reminder.
Caius‘ s expression darkened. Our situations weren’t easy by the slightest bit. “You still have the larger portion of the stone, correct? That would still give us an edge. We need to make sure you’re at full strength before the attack then. You’re one of our trump cards.
He was right. Even though my connection to the sacred stone had been weakened, I still possessed the more powerful piece. I just had to do my best in harnessing it fully before the war comes. Alongside the pack warriors, we devised a rigorous training regime to prepare for magical attacks. My own training became more intense by the day. I worked closely with the Blue Moon Pack‘ s most skilled warriors and healers, pushing myself to harness the remaining power of the Lunar Crystalis. My focus was on controlling my transformations and channeling that energy into combat. One morning, as the sun filtered through the dense forest canopy, I stood in the training grounds, practicing my shifts between human and wolf forms. The sacred stone‘ s light pulsed beneath my skin, its energy guiding me as I shifted. I could feel its power coursing through me, sharpening my senses and amplifying my strength.
Alpha Caius stood nearby, observing with his usual commanding presence, drawing the attention of everyone around him. “You’re getting better at controlling your transformation. Keep it up!” Breathing heavily, I nodded, wiping the sweat from my brow. “I won’t let my sister walk free after what she did to my son. I’ll make sure she pays.‘
وو
The Blue Moon Pack, under Caius‘ s precise leadership, prepared for war. Caius mobilized his warriors, ensuring they were well-trained and equipped for the impending battle.
His drive was fueled by both his personal loss and the need to avenge his mate’s death, and that determination permeated every part of the pack.
As the days passed, our plan took shape. We had mapped out the ambush strategy, positioned our forces, and synchronized every move for the attack. The Blue Moon Pack was ready.
On the night before the assault, we reviewed every detail one final time, ensuring that every possible scenario was addressed. Confidence filled the camp, but what happened next caught us all off guard.
Alpha Caius! Night Howl has ambushed us at the farthest war camp!” a breathless warrior informed him, panic evident in his voice.
“What?!” Caius‘ s shock mirrored our own, but he quickly regained his composure. “Get ready!” he commanded, his voice slicing through the tension.
Through the mindlink, he sent out orders to the entire pack: “Warriors, get into formation! We‘ ll adjust to their attack using our wide–scale hunt strategy. Do not falter–victory will be ours!‘
A war cry echoed through the camp as we prepared for battle.
“”
By some stroke of fortune, Night Howl’s movements matched what we had anticipated in the event that we were forced to defend our territory.
They concentrated their assault from the west, through the same woods where Caius had found me unconscious. It was an area Blue Moon had long neglected, with its rocky, slippery terrain–difficult to navigate unless your enemies had no magic. But we had anticipated this possibility.
We reinforced that area with additional archers and blade warriors, laying explosive traps to catch them off guard.
And it worked. Messages flooded through the mindlink, confirming that our traps had taken out significant portions of their forces.
But as the battle raged on, another urgent message came through the link:
“Alpha Caius, we‘ ve spotted the enemy commander‘ s group advancing from the southeast!”