The Crescent War

Chapter Twelve

Very sorry for the late update. I have been writing my new book, but worry not updates will be regular now :)

Psst, please look forward to my new book called "Of Riches and Wolves"

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“Gale! I swear to god if you don’t get your ass to Jia right now then I’ll kick it there.” Daniel’s head felt slightly less painful and he wearily rose to his feet, ignoring the dizziness that came with it.

“Daniel, if you don’t sit your ass down then I’ll knock you out.” Gale replied, flashing him a smirk as Daniel stumbled. “I can’t protect you if you’re stumbling your clumsy ass all over the forest.”

“Gale, if you crack a joke again then I’ll crack your spine and save us both the trouble.”

Daniel shook away the pain as much as he could and tripped as he shifted, collapsing in a furry heap and glaring up at Gale who was smiling smugly at him.

“Well, if you’re really on a pain-fueled suicide mission then you know I’m in.” Gale effortlessly shifted and flashed a wolfish grin over his shoulder at Daniel before racing off in front of him. “Keep up, Alpha.”

“f**k it. If Jia survives I’ll kill you anyway.” Daniel was thankful for Gale’s light hearted approach. It made it easier for Daniel to focus. He had to get to Jia and Gale was leading the way. He might just spare the other man for that.

*

The cougars froze as over a hundred wolves entered the clearing around the pack house.

There were all colors and sizes ranging from huge alphas to slender adolescents.

I struggled to take them in so I couldn’t even imagine how confused the cougars were at the huge turn up. My vision was a little fuzzy but I could make out my pack members, the council, and even a few recognizable wolves from neighboring packs.

I choked on a gasp and felt my heart skipped a beat as I caught sight of my kids with their teeth bared and ready to fight. Grace was the only cougar on the opposing side and she stood tall and brave, I felt pride swell in my chest as it overrode the pain.

Hours or even minutes passed as the species eyed each other. The cougars were obviously debating whether or not it was worth the fight, I could sense the hesitation and for once I welcomed it.

I could do with a break before all hell broke loose.

Isabella stepped back, shifting into her cougar form and cowering behind her pride. It was clear now. She had chosen her side.

I curled my body tighter to try and ease the pain, a faint smile ghosting across my lips as Daniel and Gale stepped out in front of the rest. My mate looked a tad on the woozy side but he was ready to fight. He had stood up against the pain and he had pushed himself to me.

“Strength. That’s all it was. The strength and will power to save your mate. That’s the real key to the immortality of a mated pair. I didn’t think Daniel would be able to make it through the pain but hey, here he is!” Gale’s voice filled my head and I frowned at the other wolf.

I couldn’t deny it. I could feel my body healing, reveling in the familiar feeling of my muscles knitting back together.

I coughed as my collapsed lung expanded to full capacity once more, ignoring the startled looks of both the wolves and the cougars as I hesitantly rolled onto my hands and knees.

“How the hell do you know this? Should I be kicking your ass right now?” I felt good, I felt powerful and most importantly, I felt alive. I was dying and now I was almost fully healed.

Daniel’s posture was standing strong and I was almost delirious with happiness… I was drawing strength from my mate.

“Dude, I’m f*****g Yoda.” Was Gale’s smug reply.

I wasn’t even going to try and figure out how it had happened. I had been threatened and betrayed and I was kind of immortal with Daniel so close. The cougars had asked for a war and they were going to get it.

I did the only thing I could… I shifted.

*

Everyone freezes as I effortlessly shifts into my cougar form. The pack send off pissed vibes whereas the rest of the wolves reek of confusion. The cougars on the other hand seem flat out baffled and anger radiates towards their own alpha as opposed to the wolves.

“I thought that was a secret?!” Gale’s voice filtered through the pack chatter.

“It was.” I sent back.

“Well, remind me to never trust you with my fluffy pink tutu secrets.”

I turned my body towards Gale, tilting my head curiously. “You have a fluffy pink tutu?”

“It’s Daniel’s.”

It was a little upsetting for Daniel’s manly alpha status that I could actually believe what Gale was saying was probably true.

My gaze finally settled on my husband, I ignored everything around me and zeroed in on my mate. I prowled towards him, my shoulders dipping with each step with feline grace that could never transfer to my wolf form. I was mesmerizing and I knew it.

Daniel stepped forwards as if jolted by electricity and butted his nose against mine in greeting before prodding me all over, checking for any injury and whining softly as he licked away the blood on my back.

I found myself purring from the attention and nuzzled in closely to my mate. I could sense the tensions rising from the upcoming fight but I ignored it as much as I could.

“When these cougars f**k off. I am going to kill you, revive you and then kill you again.” Daniel told me firmly, letting me know just how pissed off he was.

I couldn’t help dropping my ears and letting out a soft yowl in apology but Daniel ignored me, instead turning his attention towards the cougars who were closing in quickly on the wolves. There were significantly less cougars than there had been so the wolves had the advantage, clashing together in a fit of teeth of claws.

It was surprisingly easy to overpower the cougars, most of them were loyal and newly turned with no experience whereas all the wolves were fighting with skill and bulk on their side.

A yelp caught my attention and I saw a cougar take a chunk out of Alex’s rear leg. I raced forwards and leapt onto the cougar’s back, my weight rolling us together and landing us in a tangled heap.

The cougar snapped at me, biting down hard on my shoulder but getting thrown off when my claws swiped across its face. We hissed at each other and circled, dodging one of the council wolves as it caught fight with an advancing cougar.

I didn’t know who my opponent was and I didn’t care as I launched myself, changing direction at the last minute and catching the cougar off guard. My jaws clasped unforgivingly around the cougar’s throat and a tang in the blood caught my attention.

“Silver!” I yelled through the bond, catching the attention of all the wolves. “There’s silver in the blood!”

“Not everyone’s.” Some of the other wolves supplied, but they began fighting mostly with claws as opposed to teeth.

I did a quick check of the fight around me, there were very few cougars left. Most of the wolves had run the cougars who valued their life off the property whereas the ones who didn’t care about surviving continued to fight. Daniel was holding his own and I was actually a little proud to see Dakota and Alec chasing off a pretty battered cougar.

I was caught off guard when a bulk of sharp claws and teeth collided with me, knocking me onto my back and going for my throat.

I tried to buck off the opponent but nothing happened until another cougar knocked itself into my attacker, making quick work of silencing the other cougar. The scent of the cougar who defended me was enough to confuse me

It was my brother, Luke.

My brother kept his posture unthreatening and he leapt at another cougar that was racing towards me, protecting me.

I wasn’t sure if I should be thanking him or attacking him but I didn’t have time to think about it as a pained cry caught my attention.

I didn’t think as I ran straight towards the sound of Grace’s cry, feeling sick at how blooded up my daughter was. It was her blood.

“Grace!” I was too far away when the fatal blow came but it wasn’t Grace who received it.

It was Gale.