Chapter Two: Blood Moon Rising
1053 Words
Aidan did not wait, he moved "Guards! Perimeter—NOW!"
Wolves stirred around him in a tumult of growls and claws, the warriors of Mooncrest falling into place as the air seethed with turmoil. War drums rumbled on the horizon low, slow, a menace and a warning. The Red Fang Pack was on its way and they were making no secret of it.
Aria spun and eyes locking on Cas, the rogue who had her daughter "Get her out of here. Take the river path she knows it."
"But, I said go!"
Cas didn't wait. He shifted stride, a massive gray wolf and Lyra climbed onto his back like she'd ridden there a hundred times before. A moment later, they were disappearing into the trees.
Aidan moved to follow "No" Aria snapped, gripping his arm.
He turned, shocked by her touch and more shocked by the fire in her eyes "She's my daughter!"
"You don't get to say that now!" she screamed, the first crack in her controlled fury "You don't get to claim what you threw away!"
"I didn't throw her away, I didn't know!"
"You didn't want to know!" she snarled "You were too busy saving your damn reputation!"
Their wolves were snarling, straining at the edges of their skin.
A scout burst into the clearing, winded "Red Fang warriors breached the south line. They're not taking prisoners , they're slaughtering anything that stands in their way!"
Aidan swore "They're after Lyra" Aria's jaw set. "They've heard rumors about her powers."
Aidan looked at her, anger and confusion and something deeper churning in his chest. "What is she, Aria?"
"She's a miracle" Aria said her voice breaking only a little "One the council would have ripped from me if they'd known. That's why I hid her. Why I became what I had to become"
Thunder rumbled above. The sky darkened, heavy with storm and moon.
"How powerful is she?" he asked.
"She healed a dying wolf when she was three" Aria whispered "With just her hands."
Aidan swallowed.
And then the enemy howled. It was shrill, guttural Red Fang battle cries slicing through the trees like knives.
"They're close," Aria said, spinning toward the treeline. "We stand and fight" Aidan ordered "We'll keep her safe together"
"You're not doing this for her" Aria spat "You're doing this because your ego can't handle that i didn't need you"
"Dammit Aria, I never stopped"
"Don't" she snarled, trembling with rage "Don't you dare tell me you loved me after what you did"
He took a breath "Then let me show you now" then the trees exploded.
Red Fang wolves charged into the clearing, snarling wolves with bloodied coats and fiery red eyes. The first tore into a Mooncrest warrior, tearing him down in seconds. Screams tore through the night. Pandemonium erupted.
Aidan changed stride, black fur ripping through flesh as he entered combat. Aria followed, bones cracking, her change fluent and brutal tawny silver fur, and eyes burning.
They fought back-to-back, wolves crashing into Red Fang fighters in a brutal dance of claw and fang.
"Cas is heading for the river," Aidan growled over the mind-link "They'll flank it!"
"Then we don't let them get there" Aria snapped.
She broke formation and vanished among trees. Aidan hesitated then went after. He didn't care about war or borders or reputation. He only cared that the little girl was calling Aria Mama and that she had his eyes.
They raced through the woods, wind and blood in their trail. More Red Fang wolves seethed in their path Aidan ripped into one, Aria dodged and slashed another's throat with her claws.
In the distance, Lyra's scream.
Aria's wolf paused, then launched itself forward. They exploded from the trees and into a ravine clearing. Cas was on the ground, injured, blood pooling beside him. Lyra towered over him trembling, eyes blazing with an otherworldly intensity.
Two Red Fang alphas ten feet away were smiling. One raised his claws to Lyra.
A silver and black streak took him down mid-air. Aria and Aidan slammed into the earth with bone-rattling force, teeth sinking into flesh and claws ripping across flesh and fur.
One Red Fang dropped and the second turned on Lyra.
Lyra raised her hand and light erupted from her palm searing, white-hot and holy.
The Red Fang warrior screamed as his body caught fire from the inside out, falling in a burning heap of flesh and smoke.
Everywhere was quiet. Aria was frozen and Aidan couldn't breathe.
Lyra looked at them, confused… then appalled "Mama, I didn't mean to" Aria dashed to her, embracing her tightly in her arms.
Aidan stared at the girl, his daughter who had just incinerated a full-grown alpha to death without touching him and for the very first time in his life, Aidan Blackthorn was scared.
Not for his enemies but for the storm he'd helped create.
Everything stalled and even Aria was petrified.
Before he could utter a word, before Aria could say anything,
A howl rent the trees. Low, commanding and otherworldly.
It wasn't from any wolf in the clearing.
Aria's head whipped up, her eyes wide. "No"
Aidan turned around "What is it?" Aria's whisper was a bare breath "The Red Fang weren't on their own."
The forest was unsettled by a heavy presence, ancient and cold. The trees seemed to tremble.
From the shadows came a figure cloaked in black, neither wolf nor man.
"Welcome back Aria" the creature spoke,his voice like rotten steel "Did you truly think the Forsaken would let you leave without a price?
Before he could speak, before Aria could speak, a howl rent the trees. Low, compelling and Inhuman.
It belonged to no wolf in the clearing. Aria's head snapped up and her eyes widening "No" Aidan spun around
"What is it?" Aria's voice was barely above a whisper.
"The Red Fang were not alone" A dark presence ruffled the forest, ancient and chill. The trees seemed to withdraw.
From the shadows, a shape materialized cloaked in black, neither wolf nor human.
"Hello again, Aria" spoke the beast, voice like rusted steel "Did you really think the Forsaken would let you leave without a price?"
The moon overhead went blood red and Lyra, who was clinging to her mother's leg began to glow.
- Writer
