MOONLIT REVENGE

The Hidden Threat

Aria's pov.

The night was barely peeking through the moon on the thick clouds. I traced my finger on the old map that spread across the wooden table in front of me.

The scent of aged parchment filled my nose as I tried to decipher the faint markings. There had to be something I was missing—some clue to help us stop Evelyn.

“You've been staring at that thing for hours,” Lucas said, leaning against the doorway. His dark hair was tousled, and his sharp eyes gleamed in the dim light.

“Finding anything?”.

I sighed, shaking my head. “Not yet but there's a pattern here—I just can't figure it out.

Lucas stepped closer, his warm presence comforting despite the tension thickening the air. “Ryder sent me,” he carefully said. “I guess he wants a truce”.

I scoffed. “A truce? After everything he has done? That can't be possible”.

“He knows he messed up,” Lucas admitted. “But he's desperate to fix it. He believes Evelyn is planning something worse than we can imagine”.

I slammed my hand on the table, frustration boiling over. “And I'm supposed to trust him now? After all the betrayal?”.

Lucas sighed. “I'm not saying it's easy. But Aria, we are running out of time. War is on the horizon”.

My heart pounded at the thought of that before siding with Evelyn. “I muttered bitterly.

Lucas gently grabbed my wrist, forcing me to meet his gaze. “You're not just fighting for yourself. Aria. You're fighting for your pack. Don't let pride blind you”.

His words stung because they were true. I hated it. But I couldn't ignore the growing threat Evelyn posed.

With her ambition, she’s planning on destroying the packs that knew no bounds, and if she wasn't stopped, We'd all pay the price.

“Thanks for the update, I’ll think about it; give me some time,” I said reluctantly. “But I'm not making any promises”.

Lucas nodded, releasing my wrist. “That's all I ask of”.

As he turned to leave I spotted a faint mark on the map—it was a symbol that was barely visible under the faded ink. My breath caught. “Wait!”

Lucas paused. “What is it?”.

“I think I found something”. I traced the symbol with my finger. “This mark…..it matches the one on the ancient scrolls”.

Lucas leaned over his brow furrowing. “You think it's a location?”.

“It has to be,” I said, my pulse quickening. “If Evelyn's working with someone, then this might lead us to them”.

Lucas's jaw tightened. "We need to move fast. Evelyn won’t wait around for us to catch up."

I nodded, determination surging through me. "Let’s gather the others. We need a plan."

Before we could move, a howl echoed through the night — sharp, desperate, and filled with pain. My blood turned cold.

"That’s from the southern border," Lucas said grimly. "Something’s wrong."

We sprinted outside, the chilly night air biting against my skin. The pack was already on high alert, wolves shifting and darting toward the source of the commotion.

Ryder appeared, his face grim. "Evelyn’s made her move," he said darkly.

"What happened?" I demanded.

"She took someone," Ryder said, his voice heavy. "One of your closest allies."

My heart sank. "Who?"

Ryder hesitated, his eyes filled with regret. "Serah."

At that moment I could see my world tilting my breath and catching up in my throat.

Serah is my confidant, my Beta, and my sister in spirit. She has always been by my side through everything.

"No! This is war" I whispered, disbelief washing over me. "She had drawn the battle line, I believe she wouldn't….”

"Evelyn wants to break you," Ryder said quietly. "And she knows exactly how to do it."

There was a bitter taste in my mouth as anger and fear clashed within me. "We have to get her back," I said fiercely. "No matter what it takes."

Lucas placed a steadying hand on my shoulder. "We will," he promised.

But doubt gnawed at my resolve. Evelyn was always one step ahead, and now she had Serah.

Ryder’s voice was low but urgent. "There’s more, Aria. I’ve uncovered something... an ancient prophecy tied to your bloodline."

My heart skipped a beat. "What prophecy?”

He glanced around, wary of listening ears, “Not here. But you need to be aware that your bloodline could either unite us or destroy everything we've built.”

The weight of his words pressed down on me. Prophecies were dangerous things, it's often vague and open to interpretation. But if what Ryder said is true, then my role in this war is far greater than I'd ever imagined.

As the pack prepared for the inevitable confrontation, questions swirled in my mind. What did this prophecy thoroughly mean? And how far would Evelyn take to achieve her twisted goals?

More importantly, could I save Sarah before it is too late?

The weight of Ryder's words hung heavily in the cold night air. My mind raced with questions I couldn't yet answer. Prophecy? Bloodline? None of it made sense to me, but there was no time to dwell on it now—not when Sarah's life was at stake.

Lucas stood beside me, his eyes dark with determination. “We have to track her, Aria. Evelyn won't waste time”.

I nodded swallowing the lump in my throat. “Get the trackers ready we moved now”.

Ryder stepped closer with his low voice. “You've got to be careful. Evelyn is desperate, and desperate people are very dangerous”.

“I'm done being afraid,” I firmly said.

The pack swiftly gathered, their forms shifting into wolves under the pale moonlight. My heart pounded as I took in the sight. Loyalty, strength, and family are all counting on me.

Lucas shifted beside me, his dark wolf towering and fierce. "Ready?" he growled through our mind link.

“Always,” I responded, my resolve hardening.

The forest blurred around us as we raced into the night, the scent of danger thick in the air. But just as hope flickered within me, a sharp howl pierced the darkness — followed by Sarah’s desperate voice in my mind.

“Aria… help me… please.”

How had Evelyn gotten inside my mind?