A Crown Of Mud And Moonlight

The Gathering Tempest

The war council met inside the war room before the sun had even crested the jagged peaks of the northern range.

Maps of the entire continent—stretching from the frozen wastes of the Eclipse territories to the dense, shadowy valleys of the Bloodmoon pack—were laid out across the heavy oak table. Senior elders, battle captains, and scouts stood in tight circles, their faces grim as they digested the messenger's warning.

I stood beside Kaelen at the head of the table, my fingers resting lightly on the cold stone hilt of my dagger.

"Cassian isn't just an ambitious lord," I explained, pointing to a heavily fortified mountain pass marked with red ink. "He commands the royal guard—warriors bred for absolute obedience and augmented with ancient eclipse magic. If they breach our outer gates, they won't fight like Victor’s mercenaries. They will fight with fanaticism."

"Let them be fanatical," Elder Vane growled, slamming his fist onto the table. "Our defenses have held for three centuries. The Bloodmoon pack does not bow to royal tyrants."

"We don't defend," Kaelen interrupted, his voice cutting through the room like a razor-sharp blade. Every eye snapped instantly to the Alpha. His golden gaze swept over his captains with cold, lethal precision. "We don't sit behind stone walls waiting for a siege. We meet them at the border passes. We strike first, and we leave no survivors to carry a message back to the Eclipse court."

A thrill of dark, electric excitement raced through my veins. My inner wolf threw her head back, howling in fierce, unanimous approval. This was why I loved him. Kaelen wasn't a coward; he was a conqueror.

"I'll lead the front-line scouts," I stated, looking up at him with a challenge in my eyes. "My family's magic responds to my blood. I can disorient their warding spells before your vanguard hits their lines."

Kaelen’s jaw clenched so hard a muscle twitched. For a fraction of a second, the protective Alpha threatened to override the tactical commander. But he looked into my eyes, saw the wild fire burning in my gaze, and slowly nodded.

"At my side," Kaelen commanded quietly, his voice softening just enough for only me to hear. "You don't leave my sight, Elena."

"Deal," I murmured.