The Rejected Luna's Secret Heirs

Chapter 7: The Battle Begins

Chaos erupted across the courtyard as screams echoed from the southern border. Black smoke began to billow over the treeline, signaling that the dark magic disruptors were taking effect.

"My wolf... I can't reach him," one of the Crescent guards panicked, clutching his head in agony as his skin flickered with aborted shifts.

Lucian’s jaw set into a fierce line. Even with his shift suppressed, his Alpha combat instincts kicked in immediately. "Get the children into the inner sanctuary! Elders, fall back to the main hall!"

"Caelan, take Leo and Lyra inside," I ordered instantly, stepping into the line of fire.

"Ayla, no! I'm not leaving you," Caelan barked, but I didn't give him a choice.

"Protect our children," I said, meeting his eyes with unwavering authority. Caelan gritted his teeth, scooped up Leo and Lyra, and rushed toward the estate's heavy oak doors.

"Mommy!" Lyra cried out, but Caelan secured her safely inside before locking the perimeter doors.

I turned back to the court, unsheathing two obsidian daggers from my back holsters. Lucian watched me in shock as I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him while his own warriors trembled in fear.

"Ayla, you don't have a wolf! You need to get inside!" Lucian yelled over the growing roar of approaching enemies.

I let out a low, cold laugh. "I told you, Lucian. I am no longer the weak girl you abandoned."

Before he could process my words, the iron gates were blown inward by a violent blast of purple energy. A dozen rogue warriors surged through the smoke, clad in heavy tactical armor and wielding weapons laced with dark magic.

At the front of the pack stood a towering, scarred rogue carrying a glowing disruptor totem. "Kill the Alpha! Claim the Crescent territory!" he roared.

Lucian drew his blade and lunged forward, but without his wolf's strength, two armored rogues slammed him back against the marble stairs.

"Lucian!" I called out.

I didn't need a wolf. The ancient royal bloodline living in my veins roared to life, coating my daggers in a blazing golden light. Moving at blinding speed, I moved past the front line, slicing clean through the disruptor's defense before the rogues even realized I was there.