Forbidden Love in Raven's Peak

Chapter 15.a new warpart 1

# CHAPTER 15

The wolf went down hard, its massive body hitting the forest floor with a satisfying thud. I stood over it, chest heaving, my hand still wrapped around its throat-not enough to hurt, just enough to prove the point.

"Yield," I said, my voice carrying the weight of command that had taken months to cultivate.

The young male-Thomas, barely twenty and cocky as hell-bared his throat in submission. I released him immediately, offering my hand to help him up. He took it, respect gleaming in his amber eyes where there'd been challenge just moments before.

"You're getting faster, Luna," he said, brushing dirt from his jeans. "I didn't even see that takedown coming."

"That's because you're still telegraphing your moves." I demonstrated, mimicking his earlier stance. "See? Your left shoulder drops before you strike. Fix that, and you might actually land a hit next time."

Thomas grinned, nodding as he rejoined the circle of pack members who'd gathered to watch our training session. Six months ago, they would have watched with skepticism, waiting for the turned human to fail. Now, they watched with something else entirely.

Loyalty. Trust. Maybe even a little awe.

*Show-off,* Lucas's voice purred through our bond, warm with amusement and pride.

I didn't need to turn around to know he was leaning against a tree at the clearing's edge, arms crossed, watching me with those storm-gray eyes that still made my pulse quicken. *Someone has to keep the youngsters in line while you're busy with pack business.*

*Is that what we're calling it?* His mental voice dropped lower, intimate. *Because from here, it looks like you're enjoying throwing wolves twice your size around.*

I couldn't help the smile that curved my lips. *Maybe a little.*

"Again," I called out to the assembled wolves. "Pair up. I want to see those defensive stances we worked on last week. And Thomas-fix that shoulder."

As the pack members dispersed into training pairs, I finally allowed myself to look at Lucas. He pushed off from the tree and crossed the clearing with that predatory grace that still made my breath catch. Six months of being his mate, his Luna, and he still affected me like the first time I'd seen him.

Maybe even more now.

"The pack is strong," he said when he reached me, his hand finding the small of my back in a gesture that was both possessive and tender. "You've made them stronger."

"We've made them stronger," I corrected, leaning into his touch. Through our bond, I could feel his wolf's contentment, the deep satisfaction of a mate well-chosen, a pack well-led.

Everything was perfect.

Too perfect.

The thought sent a chill down my spine despite the warm afternoon sun filtering through the trees. I'd been a hunter long enough to know that when things seemed too good to be true, they usually were. The past six months had been almost idyllic-the pack had accepted me, our territory was secure, and the hunters had been quiet. Too quiet.

"What is it?" Lucas asked, his alpha senses picking up on my shift in mood immediately.

"Nothing," I lied, then corrected myself. We'd promised each other honesty, always. "Just a feeling. Like we're waiting for the other shoe to drop."

His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "I know. I feel it too."

Before I could respond, Elena emerged from the tree line, her expression grave. The pack's healer rarely interrupted training sessions, which meant whatever brought her here was important.

"Lucas. Lexi." She nodded to each of us in turn. "We need to talk. Privately."

---

Lucas's office in the pack house had become as familiar to me as my own breathing. The massive oak desk, the wall of windows overlooking the forest, the leather couch where we'd spent countless hours planning, strategizing, and occasionally doing things that had nothing to do with pack business.

But today, the room felt different. Heavier.

Elena closed the door behind us and pulled a thick envelope from her jacket. The seal on it made Lucas go very still beside me-a silver wolf's head surrounded by a crown of stars.

"When did this arrive?" His voice was carefully neutral, but I could feel the tension radiating through our bond.

"An hour ago. Courier delivered it directly to me with instructions to give it to you immediately." Elena's dark eyes flicked to me, concern evident in their depths. "It's from the Conclave."

The Sovereign Conclave. Even as a hunter, I'd heard whispers of them-the governing body that oversaw all werewolf packs in North America, enforcing ancient laws and maintaining order among the supernatural community. They were powerful, ruthless, and not to be trifled with.

Lucas broke the seal and unfolded the letter. I watched his face as he read, saw the muscle in his jaw tick, his eyes darken. Through our bond, I felt a surge of anger, followed by something worse.

Fear.