Page 74 of Full Moon
"Guards, attack..." The Alpha yells, but not a single being moves a muscle. Fear flickers in his eyes for the first time. But instead of submitting, he shifts and goes on the offensive.
Foolish.
Everything moves in slow motion as his wolf rips free, charging toward me.
Thump, thump...go his paws on the ground. His form leaps up.
And I lunge.
My jaws clamp down on his ribcage just behind his front legs. He thrashes, making my teeth dig in further. The taste of dirty fur and the tang of his blood coat my tongue. For being an alpha, he doesn't have the mass I would assume he should.
Weak. Pathetic. Pretender.
The harder he fights, the further my teeth sink in. I hold tight, feeling his bones breaking in my mouth. Part of me is satisfied. The other part wants vengeance. For the sibling that died before me. For the half dozen unborn pups murdered all those years ago. For my parents, hunted and killed like animals.
For every year I spent alone and afraid, not knowing who or what I was. Foreverythingthat was stolen from me.
My wolf chants in my head:Kill. Kill. Kill.
She's mad. She blames this male for the death of our parents and sibling. I can't say that I disagree with her. His wolf growls, attempting to dig his claws into my hide. I feel the scrape of his claws, but my wolf has other plans. A chill spreads through my fur, turning it into a glistening coat of permafrost. His claws can't break through the ice armor she's created for us.
My jaw locks down harder. The familiar crunch of bones breaking reverberates through me. A popping sound catches my attention. I've just punctured one of his lungs. His howl for help pierces the air—a desperate, wavering cry. That's when I decide it's over.
Lowering my head, I use my front paws to grip him firmly. With a powerful, savage motion, I rip him in half. The snapping and popping of muscles and tendons, combined with the ripping of his hide, is music to my ears. Blood sprays, staining the frost-covered tile beneath us—a stark contrast to the icy armor that covers me. The scent of victory fills my nostrils. I drop what's left of the bloody mass on the floor with a wet thud.
Then I turn and start growling at the other wolves in the room. Slowly, I lower my head, raise my hackles, and hold my tail high, threatening their very existence.
Try me,my posture screams.I dare you.
The numerous guards that were in motion a moment ago freeze in their tracks.
No one moves.
No one breathes.
Easton rests his hand on my back, between my shoulders, as we walk forward together. The closer we get to the throne, the urge to shift back itches under my skin. "Call your people," he says as we stand on the dais before the throne.
Tossing my head side to side several times, I shake out my fur before throwing my head back and letting the deepest, soul-wrenching howl loose. Every fiber of my being seems to resonate with the tone. I hear the sounds of my people howling with me.
Easton, Torben, and Khal shift and position themselves beside me. Easton's phoenix lands on the apex of the throne, spreading his fiery wings wide before joining my song. Torben's bear roars, facing the wolves as they enter the throne room. Diaval, who can't fit in here if he shifts, moves beside me, holding the bracers, collar, and diadem in his hands. "Your rightful ruler has returned to claim her blood right."
The wolves lie down with their heads on their paws when I finish howling. It's an intense feeling as each life force pulses through the bonds. Not only do I feel the wolves in Dunnum, but I also start to feel the wolves before me. I can sense where their mates are. Some are here in the north. Others in Blackmore, Thornford, and Briarvale. Drawing on everything that I am, I dull the connections and shift back to my human form, my gown still intact.
Diaval places the diadem on me first, then the bracers, and finally the bone collar of the last winter wolf. "My people," I say, raising my hands to draw all the wolves' attention to me. "My connection to you is new and tenuous, but I can sense the true mates of some of you here." The single wolves in the pack shift back and lower their heads. The alpha pack attendants pass out blankets to those who have shifted back.
"Is it true? Are you our Lyra's daughter?" An older woman pushes her way through the crowd. Her hair is mostly silver, but I see a streak of crimson that is very similar to my own.
"You already know the answer. You feel the familial bond the same as I do." I step down the three stairs, and Diaval joins me. The woman and I meet in the middle, and I look deep into her eyes. They are the same color as mine.
"You're my niece." She smiles as her bottom lip quivers with emotion.
Leaning forward, I sniff at the woman before me. Her scent reminds me of the flower garden I tended at Torben's log cabin. A deep, happy rumble escapes my lips as I rub my cheek against hers before pulling her to me and hugging her tightly. Tears stream down my cheeks. I have living family left.
My aunt wraps her arms tightly around me, and we cry together in the middle of the room. She pulls back slowly and caresses my cheek. "You look just like Lyra. Right down to your wolf, except yours is much bigger than your mom's." Her hand trembles as she touches my hair, twirling a curl around her fingertip. "Do you know what happened to my sister?" She bites her bottom lip.
I nod.
I do the only thing I can think of and have my wolf share with hers what we had found.
