Eclipsed Hearts

Episode 4

Unraveling Secrets

Moonshade Valley was left in an uncomfortable quiet following the fight. Along with Lucas Thompson and the triplets, Aiden Blackwood and Luna Hartley withdrew to Aiden's pack lair for safety so they could heal and recover. Sitting in the poorly lighted main room, their thoughts whirling with worries and questions, the air was thick with tension.

Lucas cast a worried, sombre look at Aiden. In a low, unsure voice, he whispered, "Do you think Damian will come back?"

Aiden locked his jaw and looked determinedly into his eyes. "He could. But he will find us prepared."

With a quivering of hands that mixed relief and dread, Luna nodded. She continued, "We can't let our guard down," in a worry-filled, low voice. "Not when the kids' safety is involved."

Huddled in a corner of the room, the triplets' eyes were wide with both determination and dread. Having personally seen the fight, they were aware that Damian's pack now had them as targets.

Looking at the triplets, Aiden murmured, "We'll protect you," in a soft but firm voice. Anything at all.

A moment later, the den door sprang wide, showing one of Aiden's pack members, his demeanor frantic.

Low and urgent, he muttered, "Aiden." You must come see this.

Fear and curiosity hammering in his heart, Aiden stood. It is what?

The pack member paused, flitting between Luna and Aiden. You should see for yourself, it's...

Aiden trailed Luna and Lucas out of the den after the pack member. They proceeded down a maze-like passageway to a private chamber at the rear of the lair. One wall inside held a big map of Moonshade Valley and the neighboring woods, with notes and annotations stuck to it.

How come all of this? Lucas inspected the map and questioned with a curious tone.

The pack member looked gravely at Aiden. These notes we discovered in Damian's camp. Plans, to seize Moonshade Valley.

Aiden clinched his jaw and became enraged narrow eyes. Low and menacing, he said, "He's been planning this for a while." He had been waiting to make his move.

Luna moved forward, her gaze sifting through the notes with increasing alarm. A worried-sounding "What do we do?" came from her gently.

Turning to face her, Aiden had a determined look on his face. His voice firm, "We need to gather our allies," he added. Damian cannot rule Moonshade Valley, we cannot allow that.

Lucas agreed and looked back and forth between Aiden and Luna. He continued, "We'll need to be strategic," in a low, doubtful voice. "No mistakes are acceptable."

Aiden cast a determined look toward Lucas. "We won't make any," he declared unequivocally. Not now.

Aiden and the other pack members went about assembling their allies, werewolves from nearby packs who would support them against Damian and his pack. Working to strengthen the den and be ready for the impending fight were Luna and Lucas.

Days grew to nights as they got ready for their eventual confrontation with Damian. While Luna and Lucas trained with the triplets to hone their fighting talents, Aiden's pack members toiled nonstop to fortify their fortifications.

Standing together on a hill above the den one evening as the sun sank over Moonshade Valley, Aiden and Luna were overcome with both terror and expectation.

Aiden said, "This is it," his voice hardly audible above a whisper. We get Damian and his group tomorrow.

With a tremble of hands that mixed dread and resolve, Luna nodded. A worried-sounding "We can't let him win," she murmured quietly. Considering what we've gone through, not.

Aiden snatched Luna up into his arms and planted a kiss on her forehead. We won't, he said in a regretful and loving voice. Insha Allah.

Friends and supporters gathered around them, their hearts full of optimism and the knowledge that, united, they could conquer any obstacle that came in their way, stood together in the last of the light.

As Lucas, the triplets, Aiden and Luna waited in tight silence for the impending conflict, the night went by slowly. Other from Luna's heartbeat and the sporadic rustle of leaves in the breeze, the den was silent.

At last, a low snarl reverberated through the woodland as the first rays of morning peaked over the horizon, then footsteps approached. Gathered at the den's edge, Aiden and the other pack members peered through the trees for movement.

Low and menacing, Aiden said, "He's here." "Pair up."

It seemed like a moment later Damian and his group appeared from the trees, their eyes shining with resentment as they surveyed their foes. Aiden glared down Damian, his eyes hard with resolve and his mouth gritted.

"This ends now," a determined-sounding Aiden yelled. "Moonshade Valley is not going to be taken from us."

Damian looked between Aiden and his pack members, his lip curved in a sneer. We shall see about that.

Claws blazing in the early light, Aiden and his pack members charged Damian and his pack, sending the woodland into an explosion of anger. Aiden battled with a power and ferocity Luna had never seen before, every move well-considered and exact.

Luna was pulled into the fighting as it went on, her own claws out to defend her friends and kids. Lucas was at her side, his motions smooth and elegant as he delivered a well-placed strike to one of Damian's pack mates.

Huddled together behind Luna, the triplets—too young to fight yet full of a resolve that belied their years—saw their parents and friends struggle against the forces of evil, their eyes wide with both dread and wonder.

Every second of Luna and her friends' life-threatening struggle against Damian and his pack felt like it lasted forever. But bit by bit Aiden and his pack started to take the lead, pushing Damian and his pack farther into the forest.

At last, Aiden delivered a hit that sent Damian tumbling to the woodland floor, his eyes wide with disbelief at having been outclassed. Over him, Aiden stood, his chest thumping with effort, staring down at his fallen opponent.

Low and deadly, Aiden yelled, "Leave Moonshade Valley." And never come back.

Fear and rage mixed together, Damian sprang to his feet and turned to run into the night, his pack members trailing closely behind. Watching them go, Aiden silently vowed to defend Luna and their kids at all costs.

The sound of the wind-blown leaves and Luna's heartbeat were the only sounds in the forest as the last of Damian's pack vanished into the trees. Turning to face Aiden, relief and thankfulness flooded her gaze.

Luna said, "Thank you," her voice choked with emotion. "We appreciate your saving us."

With Luna tucked into his arms, Aiden planted a kiss on her forehead. He said, "I promised I would protect you," his voice regretting and loving. And I'm going to keep that word.

Their friends were gathered around Aiden and Luna as they stood together in the moonlit clearing, their hearts full of hope and the knowledge that they could conquer any challenge that stood in their way.