Rise of the Immortal

Chapter 17: Luna's Command

The next morning, I woke with a sense of purpose that felt as natural as breathing. Ruby stirred contentedly in my mind, no longer a whispered presence but a full partner in my consciousness. The transformation had changed everything—not just my connection to my wolf, but my understanding of my role in the pack.

We have work to do, Ruby said as I stretched, feeling muscles that were somehow different now, stronger.

Yes, I agreed. It's time to bring our parents home.

Kale was already awake, watching me with those golden eyes that seemed to see straight through to my soul. "You're planning something," he observed, though there was no concern in his voice, only curiosity.

"I want to call a pack meeting," I said, sitting up and turning to face him fully. "Not just the leadership, but everyone. As their Luna, I have something to ask of them."

Through our bond, I felt his pride and approval. "When?"

"This morning. After breakfast." I paused, letting Ruby's confidence flow through me. "I want to send a search team for my parents. Volunteers only, but I want them to know what we're asking of them."

Kale nodded slowly. "It's dangerous. Marcus will be expecting us to look for them."

"I know. That's why I won't order anyone to go. But Ruby and I... we can't just sit here knowing they're out there, probably suffering because of me."

Not because of you, Ruby corrected firmly. Because of Marcus. Never forget that.

Within an hour, the entire pack had gathered in the main hall. Nearly two hundred wolves filled the space, from the youngest adults to the most senior warriors. I stood before them, feeling their attention like a physical weight, but instead of the anxiety I might have felt before, there was only clarity.

"Pack," I began, my voice carrying clearly through the hall. "Yesterday, I met my wolf for the first time. Ruby and I are finally whole, finally united as we were meant to be."

A murmur of approval rippled through the crowd. I could see smiles, nods of encouragement, and in some of the older wolves' eyes, a deep satisfaction that their Luna had found her full strength.

"With that strength comes responsibility," I continued. "Not just to this pack, but to family. Recently, we learned that my parents—who I believed dead for over twenty years—are alive. They're being held prisoner by Marcus, Alpha of the Silver Fang Pack, used as leverage and research subjects."

The mood in the hall shifted, becoming more serious. I felt their anger on my behalf, their protective instincts rising in response to the injustice.

"I'm not asking anyone to go after them," I said firmly. "This is dangerous. Marcus will be expecting rescue attempts. Anyone who volunteers would be risking their lives, their families, their futures. But..."

I paused, letting Ruby's determination show in my eyes.

"But like my new family and my pack, I can't abandon them. Not when they've suffered for decades because Marcus wanted to control me. As your Luna, I'm asking for volunteers. Ten wolves willing to form a search and reconnaissance team. Not a rescue mission yet—we need intelligence first. Locations, security, numbers."

Beta Thomas stepped forward immediately. "Luna, you'll have your volunteers. More than ten, I'd wager."

"No," I said gently but firmly. "Ten is the right number. Small enough to move undetected, large enough to handle unexpected trouble. And Thomas, I need you here. If something happens to the search team, the pack needs its Beta."

He looked like he wanted to argue, but Kale's subtle shake of the head stopped him.

"Do I have volunteers?" I asked, looking out at the assembled pack.

Hands shot up throughout the hall. Warriors, scouts, even some of the younger wolves who'd barely finished their training. My throat tightened with emotion at their willingness to risk themselves for my family.

Commander Hayes stepped forward. "Luna, if I may suggest the team composition?"

I nodded, trusting his tactical expertise.

"We'll need scouts for reconnaissance—I'd recommend Jenkins, Morrison, and Cruz. They're our best at staying invisible. For fighters, in case things go wrong, I'd suggest Rodriguez, Chen, and the Blackwood twins. For medical support, Dr. Sarah should go—she's field trained and knows how to handle trauma cases. And for leadership, I volunteer myself."

"Hayes—" I started to protest.

"With respect, Luna, this is exactly the kind of mission I was trained for. And if we find your parents in poor condition, they'll need someone they can trust to help them adjust. Someone who helped you adjust."

I looked at the faces of the volunteers he'd named. All of them nodded their acceptance, their resolve clear.

"That's only nine," Kale observed.

"The tenth should be Luna herself," said a voice from the back of the hall. I turned to see Elena, the young girl I'd protected in Marcus's prison, now thriving as a new member of our pack. "She knows Marcus's facilities better than anyone. She knows how his security works."

"Absolutely not," Kale said immediately, his Alpha authority making the words ring with finality.

He's afraid for us, Ruby observed. But he's also wrong. We need to go.

"Kale," I said softly, but loud enough for the pack to hear. "They're my parents. And Elena's right—I know things about Marcus's operations that could make the difference between success and failure."

The mate bond carried his fear, his desperate need to keep me safe. But it also carried his understanding that I was right.

"If you go," he said finally, "you don't go as Luna. You go as part of the team, following Hayes's commands."

I nodded, accepting the compromise. "Agreed."

"When do we leave?" Hayes asked.

"Tomorrow night," I decided. "That gives us time to plan, to gather intelligence on Marcus's known locations. Dr. Crane mentioned he moves high-value prisoners regularly, but there have to be patterns we can identify."

The pack meeting continued for another hour as we discussed logistics, communication protocols, and contingency plans. But what struck me most was how naturally everyone accepted my leadership in this moment. There were no questions about my authority, no doubts about my right to make this decision. I truly was their Luna, and they trusted me to make choices that balanced the pack's welfare with my personal mission.

After the meeting, as the hall began to empty, Sarah approached me with tears in her eyes.

"Luna," she said, "I want you to know—we all lost family to Marcus in one way or another. When we bring your parents home, we're bringing home part of all of us."

That evening, as Kale and I lay in bed reviewing maps and intelligence reports, I felt Ruby's contentment mixing with my own determination.

We're really doing this, I said to her.

We're really doing this, she agreed. And we're not doing it alone. Look at them, Talia. Look at what we've built here.

I thought about the volunteers who'd stepped forward without hesitation, about the pack members who'd offered support and resources, about Elena's quiet courage in suggesting I join the mission myself.

"They really do see me as their Luna," I murmured to Kale.

"Because you are," he replied, pulling me closer. "You're not just my mate, Talia. You're their leader. They'd follow you anywhere."

Tomorrow we begin, Ruby said with satisfaction. Tomorrow we start bringing our family home.

Nothing will stand in our way, I agreed, feeling the weight of leadership settle around me like armor. It was a good weight, a purposeful weight. For the first time in my life, I had the power to protect the people I loved.

And I intended to use every ounce of it.