(Mari POV)
The pack link snaps through my mind like a blade to the skull.
Mari. Asha. Return to Moonfall Citadel. Now.
My father's voice is cold, clipped, Alpha-command sharp. There's no room for argument, not even in thought. My wolf bristles beneath my skin, irritation rippling through me as I slow to a stop at the southern border ridge.
I was in the middle of patrol. Of tracking. Of keeping Shadowfang's spies from slithering too close to Nightblade territory.
But an Alpha call overrides everything.
"Shit," I mutter.
Asha Rynn appears beside me a second later, dropping from the trees like she owns gravity. Her dark braid swings over her shoulder, eyes sharp and alert as ever.
"Let me guess," she says. "Your dad just yanked you back too?"
I nod. "Urgent. Which usually means someone fucked up or someone's about to die."
Asha's lips curl into a thin smile. "Or both."
We turn toward Moonfall Citadel, moving fast through the Silverwood Forest. The trees whisper around us, moonlight filtering through silver leaves. Normally, this place calms me. Tonight it feels like it's holding its breath.
Asha runs beside me in silence for a few minutes before she speaks again. "Shadowfang's been mobilizing. I've seen their scouts twice today."
"I know," I reply. "They're not the only ones."
She shoots me a sideways look. "You're thinking about Midnight Pack again, aren't you?"
I scowl. "I'm thinking about war."
"That's not what I asked."
I ignore her.
Moonfall Citadel rises out of the forest like a dark crown, its towers carved from black stone and glowing faintly with warding runes. Nightblade's heart. My home. My future prison.
We enter the council chamber to find my father already waiting.
Darius Ventor stands at the head of the long table, hands braced against the polished surface. My mother, Selene Ventor, sits to his right, her expression calm but deadly. Cale Rynn—Asha's father and the pack's Beta—stands behind them, arms crossed, eyes calculating.
The air is thick with tension.
Asha and I take our places across from them.
"You called," I say, keeping my tone respectful but sharp. "We came."
Darius' eyes lock on mine. "You were at the southern border."
"Yes."
"And you should not have left it unguarded."
"You summoned me," I snap. "Through the pack link. You don't get to scold me for obeying you."
Asha lets out a quiet snort. My mother's lips twitch, barely.
Cale Rynn clears his throat. "Enough. We don't have time for family drama."
Darius straightens. "Shadowfang is preparing for war."
"I know," I say. "We've been tracking them for days."
"But that's not why I called you," he replies.
My wolf shifts uneasily.
"What, then?" Asha asks.
Darius turns the map on the table so it faces us. My stomach tightens when I see it.
Midnight Pack territory.
Blackstone Keep. The mountain ridges. The dark pine forests.
Luke's land.
"They're about to be distracted," Darius says slowly. "Shadowfang is going to attack Midnight from the north within the next two days."
I stiffen. "How do you know?"
"We have spies in Bloodpine Woods," Cale answers. "Shadowfang wants Midnight's territory. They always have. But now they're desperate."
Asha leans forward. "So Midnight is going to be fighting on one front."
"Exactly," Darius says. "Which leaves their southern border weak."
Silence slams into the room.
My pulse begins to pound.
"You're not serious," I whisper.
Darius meets my gaze without flinching. "I am deadly serious. While Luke Vrenatta and his pack are bleeding against Shadowfang, Nightblade will strike. We will take Midnight Ridge. Blackstone Keep. Their land."
Asha inhales sharply. "You want us to invade Luke's pack while they're at war?"
"Yes."
"That's… brutal," she murmurs. "Effective. But brutal."
My heart hammers. "That's not strategy. That's betrayal."
Darius' eyes go cold. "They are our rivals. Not our allies. Midnight Pack has encroached on Nightblade territory for decades. They are strong, arrogant, and growing. If we don't crush them now, they will crush us later."
"And Luke?" I snap. "You think he'll just let us take everything?"
Selene finally speaks. "Luke Vrenatta is reckless. Emotional. He will be focused on Shadowfang. By the time he realizes what's happening, it will be too late."
My stomach twists.
I see his stupid smirk in my head. His sharp eyes. The way his presence makes my wolf uneasy.
"He's not stupid," I say quietly.
"That makes him more dangerous," Darius replies. "Which is why we remove him from the equation."
Asha shifts beside me. "You're asking Mari to lead this, aren't you?"
"Yes," Darius says. "Mari will command the strike. Asha will be at her side."
My chest tightens. "You're sending me to attack Midnight Pack."
"To claim what should have always been Nightblade's," he corrects.
"To fight Luke."
"Yes."
My wolf stirs violently beneath my skin.
I hate him. I'm supposed to hate him. He's the enemy. The son of the Alpha who would happily destroy my pack if given the chance.
So why does the thought of standing across a battlefield from him make my chest ache?
"I want total control of this operation," I say after a long pause. "No interference. No last-minute orders. If I'm doing this, I do it my way."
Darius studies me. Then he nods. "Agreed."
Asha grins. "Oh, this is going to be a mess."
"It's going to be war," Selene corrects.
Cale Rynn looks at me. "Shadowfang will weaken Midnight. But don't underestimate Luke. He's not just a pretty playboy."
I glare at him. "I know exactly what he is."
Do I?
Darius straightens. "You leave before dawn. Strike their southern border. Take their outposts. Cut their supply routes. By the time Shadowfang finishes with them, Midnight Pack will have nothing left to defend."
Asha touches my arm. "You okay?"
No. Not even close.
But I straighten my spine anyway.
"I'm ready."
My father nods. "Good. Because once this begins… there is no going back."
And somewhere deep in my chest, my wolf howls in warning.
Because Luke Vrenatta is about to become more than just my enemy.
He's about to become my target.