— Darren —

We were all in the ballroom. The place was packed. There were people everywhere including the gallery upstairs. No one could have sat.

Every ranked member of Blakemore and its packs were here. So was all the warriors. Hundreds of them. Some were standing on the ledges of the windows to better see.

Eva was next to me, and was holding my hand tightly. The rumours had spread even faster than it ever did before, the ability to mindlink only added to the ease for gossiping. Only this one was dark and uttered in somber hushed voices.

When Eva heard, she fell apart, like I hadn’t seen since Ghealach. The news had opened that wound wide-open, and I had rocked her shaking frame until she subsided.

Sebastian had briefed us on details about spirit wolves to a room as quiet as the grave. No one dare think what could be happening to her right now.

He was doing the very same thing here, briefing us all on what has happened, why, what would happen next. Everyone knew Elaeya was special from the moment they laid eyes on her. Her gifts, and gaining mindlink, had only increased this. But I knew no one here had imagined the extent of it. And the consensus was not to persecute her like so many would have done in the past, but to get her back. She was Blakemore’s Luna. She belonged here. They would fight for this. The Alpha didn’t even need to order it.

Werewolves are generally very protective of their pack, but it was like something a lot deeper had been hurt here, and it would not be left alone.

Blakemore was about to unleash all the hounds of Hell.

Kaden moved to the dais after his father was done.

“I will not order anyone to fight, but I open this beyond the trained warriors,” his voice was not only resonating in the room but also in my and everyone else’s mind, just like Sebastian had done. This was sent to every member of Blakemore.

“Anyone capable of combat of eighteen or more will be accepted. Everyone participating will receive warriors pay and high risk bonuses. I also open up to external warriors, mercenaries, allies, all capable fighters. Today, Blakemore is raising the biggest army werewolves have ever seen. And I won’t limit this to wolves, or shifters—any warriors, period.”

He managed to have a calm that I knew I was absolutely incapable to have in such a situation. I would never have the strength.

“There will be a few main tasks at hand. One, make sure all the additional warriors knows what they must, and are ready. Two, warrior acquisition, there as been a release of a request on all the main forums and words have been sent to allies, there will need to be follow ups. Three, weapons. We empty our full inventory, and anything we can acquire in a timely manner, we will. No limitations. Four, tracking. We find her and fast. Five, finding who made the hit and track it to the source. I don’t just want a scapegoat, I want every single person involved directly or indirectly and I want their heads. Six, any other resources. Food, beds, anyone who can help, helps. Someone thought Blakemore is nothing to be afraid of. Today, we will show this whole planet that it was the worst mistake of their existence. We will get back our Luna, and they will all pay. They will pay for every life they took, they will pay for the sheer stupidity of the affront they gave us. They will pay for taking away our heart, and we won’t let them rip it apart.

Today is the first day of the greatest war. We will make their blood rain until nothing is left. They will be erased from history, until there is only ghost stories left. No one will ever dare to attack Blakemore again. No one will take our children away, our wives, husbands, sibling, parents, friends. This is our family, and no one will take it from us.”

It elicited fierce cheers that were tainted in the pain of what had happened.

Tomorrow, many will be buried.

I knew Ylva was between life and death in the hospital. There was still a lot at stake. We could be trying to save what was already nothing but body parts. But it didn’t mean we would stop. I knew intimately how Kaden felt, and I would have never stopped until I could hold her in my arms. I knew he would do the same.

I guessed this was the second war. The war of loss.

By the time we reach the third, there might be no earth left to scorch.

— Kaden —

I walked out of the ballroom still numb. I was running on autopilot. I was trying my best to control my emotions. It was probably not a good thing to start scaring my own people again. It would give me no result. I was all about results. It’s the only thing I was focussing on. I didn’t let my mind wonder about what was happening to Elaeya anymore. I couldn’t afford the weakness.

I stopped dead in my track.

In front of me was the woman that had warned Elaeya about me. Who said I could hurt her, destroy her. She looked at me with eyes that saw so much more, eyes so much like hers.

What do you say to your mother-in-law after you lost her daughter to the monsters.

No words came out. I just clenched my jaw as I looked at her. I didn’t know what to do.

She walked to me and stopped one foot away.

She raised her hand and laid it gently on my skin.

I had half-expected her to hit me, but the kindness was even more painful.

Her eyes filled with water.

“Find her, please.” It sounded like every syllable cost her.

“I will, or I will die trying,” I promised. I couldn’t stop my eyes to fill up. I hadn’t let anyone see me break in more than twenty years, yet her begging was my undoing.

“Don’t,” she said. “She’ll need you.”

“I will be there.”

“So will I,” she said. “Before the battle begins, take me, I will call up all that I can. I will bless your army.”

“Thank you.”

She wiped the only tear that escaped my eye with her finger.

“Breath, you will have to face them.”

I closed my eyes and did just like she said, it sounded just like something her daughter would say.

I took a few breaths until I was back to my impassive self.

She nodded at me and stepped aside to let me continue on my way.