Stepping closer to the border, the ancient magic that keeps Pine Moon hidden from human eyes reaches out towards me. The familiar hum is so warm and welcoming as if the ancient land can feel Rune and I close by. It is inviting, allowing us to pass through without much resistance and I wonder why.
“It’s calling us.” Rune says, his grey eyes slowly glowing in the dark. I have a feeling that if I looked in the mirror, my own eyes would be glowing as well.
“Calling for Brynlee and I.” He continues.
“How can you tell?” Tristan asks, letting out a shaky breath as he does so.
Because of the power and connection his blood has to this land. I think to myself. Rune is right though, the land is calling to me, beckoning me to step inside and save it. I know Rune can feel the pull too. Can feel the magic calling out for us in a way that just doesn’t make sense. It’s never done this when we were growing up. Never called for us to help it. So why now?
“I just know. I can feel it.” Rune answers Tristan, taking a deep breath and placing his hand against the border. A silver light glows faintly against his hand and Rune’s eyes turn from grey to that same silver. Ashton and Tristan watch on in awe and I make a mental note to call Jett and ask him about this before refocusing on the task at hand.
“It’s time.” I call out, looking up to the sky to see the crescent moon directly above us. Midnight has come. With everyone’s mask on, we slink past the border with ease, feeling no resistance from the magic. It’s as if the Goddess herself is condoning this mission and for that I am grateful. Rune and I take the lead while Tristan keeps his link open, relaying information about what group has intercepted wolves on patrol.
The night is quiet thankfully as Asteria links us letting Rune and I know that some of our men have begun hunting down Valor’s men, drugging them with the new gun Jasmin invented and the anesthesia she provided. We will round everyone up as soon as we have Valor in our grasp. For now, the innocents will be marked with a blue bingo dabber and the ones who happily hurt the wolves of Pine Moon under Valor and Tanya’s orders will be cuffed with silver and kept outside for us to take away and put down tomorrow morning.
Running through the familiar woods brings a sense of melancholy as I jump over fallen logs and splash through small brooks, the cold water coating my legs. I want to stop, to relish being back as the magic of Pine Moon grows stronger the closer we get to the Pack House, but I don’t. I push past those urges as killing Tanya and Valor is more important right now.
“Wait.” Ashton whispers, stepping in front of Rune and me. We quickly hide behind a cropping of bushes, our senses on high alert as we look around. Ashton sensed something and I trusted his instinct. Tristan takes out two tranquilizer guns from their holsters, handing one to Ashton who silently thanks him before he slinks into the underbrush. As a Hunter, I know Ashton will take out the targets with ease. The sounds of a wolf falling to the ground prove me correct and a low whistle sounds, a signal telling us we can come out. We leave our hiding spot, finding Ashton cuffing an unconscious male and Rune is quick to help move him out of the way.
“Everyone is reporting how lax the patrols are on my side.” Tristan says in a hushed tone, his eyes scanning the forest.
[It seems security is tighter closer to the Pack House.] Asteria calls through the familial link, making me frown. I relay the information to Tristan who curses and sends this through to his Packmates. It seems Valor has tightened security, just not at the border.
“He is probably doing this to protect Tanya. She is carrying his pup.” Ashton estimates and I agree. Valor will be with Tanya inside the Pack House. It is the strongest building and the easiest to defend with her being pregnant.
“So what do we do?” Tristan asks.
“We keep to the plan. Go through the houses we know hold supporters of Valor and drug them while quietly avoiding the houses full of innocent wolves.” Rune answers, looking down at the unconscious wolf. Now that we are closer to him, I recognize him as one of the Warriors who hung around Paisley, Tanya, Ashley, and Scarlet. One of the wolves who would throw food at me or take my things with just one word from those whores.
“I call killing this one tomorrow.” I state, giving a final glare to this wolf before motioning for the others to follow. Catching a look between Ashton and Tristan, I roll my eyes but trek forward. I will explain to them later what that Warrior did to me once we have taken back Pine Moon.
The race towards the Pack House is uneventful with only two more run-ins with the Warriors on patrol. Everyone has checked in with Asteria or Tristan and they have relayed what has been accomplished to us. So far we have drugged seventy percent of Valor’s men and those are numbers I could happily accept. The other thirty percent must be at the Pack House.
“Brynlee!” Someone calls out just in time as I sense the punch being thrown my way. I duck, using my momentum to turn and send an uppercut to my attacker. My fist connects with their jaw, the sounds of teeth shattering and bones snapping telling me I did some damage. My attacker falls to the ground, his mouth bleeding. Thankfully my one punch rendered him unconscious.
“Do you think he linked anyone?” Ashton asks, quickly administering the drugs in to this wolf.
“No.” I answer with absolute certainty.
“He is one of the wolves I believe Tanya slept with. Jarred I believe is his name.” Rune looks at me in shock and I frown, the mask thankfully hiding my expression.
“Are you sure?” He asks. I shrug, understanding the disbelief he feels. Tanya was his betrothed after all.
“Yes.” I answer, nudging my boot against Jarred’s leg.
“He is one of three she slept with while you were with her. I tried to tell you, but you snarled at me and told me to stay out of your relationship.” I state, watching guilt flicker in Rune’s eyes.
“ Brynlee… I –”
“It's fine. We didn’t know we were Mates then and it was just after you lost your mom. I just thought you knew in the end.” I answer, getting a nod from him.
“When this is over, I want to hear everything you know about what Tanya did behind my back.” Rune states as Tristan and Ashton hide Jarred away inside the bushes.
“Why?” Ashton asks, looking at Rune in confusion.
“So I can make it all up to Brynlee.” Rune answers with an eye roll. I smile, taking my mask off briefly to place a kiss against my mark on Rune’s neck, feeling him shiver beside me.
“You already have made it up to me.” I muse.
“Now let’s hurry up. We have two wolves who I am excited to kill.” With Jarred tucked out of the way, we slow down our pace and slink through the shadows. No other wolf has crossed us but I hear from Asteria that Caspian got to punch out his father who just so happens to be a Valor supporter. I ask her if Caspian is okay to which Asteria answer that he feels like a pup on Christmas and can’t wait to watch him be executed. With a chuckle, I tell Tristan and Ashton this and they both stumble in shock.
“And here I was thinking Rune was the only one with daddy issues.” Ashton jokes, making me have to clamp my hand over my mouth to keep me from laughing. His words quickly earn Ashton a smack upside the head by Rune, who glares at our friend, but I can tell by the cheeky grin on Ashton’s face that the mask can’t hide that the smack was not hard at all.
After Asteria’s announcement, the trip through the woods is quickly finished and as I stand just inside the tree line with my three companions, I stare at the Pack House that I was dragged out from the day after my birthday. I can still picture that day in my mind. Can still feel the anger radiating from Valor and feel the glares and sympathetic gazes of those in Pine Moon.
“It’s gotten a lot more ragged looking since the last time I saw it.” I state.
“That it has.” Rune agrees, his grey eyes darkening. We look at each other, my own eyes reflecting in his and I can tell that we both have mixed emotions about being here, being in this Pack that easily cast us aside because of one man. With a nod, Rune and I take off, heading straight for the entrance.
If we are going to take back Pine Moon, we will be doing so by walking into the front entrance.