"That's it?" Dylan asked, unimpressed.

Zephora's lip curled, "Are you questioning my magic, mutt?"

The Black Lupis Delta growled, but Nolan already raised his hand to gesture for silence from his pack members, "No one is questioning anything, Zephora."

Speak for yourself, I nearly snorted aloud. My eyes flickered to the pack house, where my blood had been smeared across the threshold like a crimson rainbow. Apart from the ominous chant and an inconsequential breeze, nothing seemed to have happened. Nothing magical, at least.

"Did you curse the house?" I wondered aloud, slowly turning back toward Zephora and the coven.

"We prefer the term 'enchant.' We enchanted the house," Angelina, the youngest witch who had remained silent until now, finally stepped forward. "Now, no being or spirit can enter the house without your permission."

I blinked, "Mine?"

Zephora twisted the little emerald talisman on her right hand's ring finger, and I could have sworn I felt a thrum of magic pulsate from the object, as if it would have been content to cement itself on its true owner's finger. The beautiful witch smiled, "We've created a safe haven for you, Luna. And one can only reverse the spell if she wields this talisman."

I took a deep breath. The witch coven hadn't only offered protection to me, but to the elders and children of the Black Lupis pack that were unable to fight. They gifted us with a safe hospital for the injured to heal. Others would also benefit from the protective enchantment, but only so long as the rest of the pack was alive to keep fighting. Zephora's magic did nothing to help the warriors. It provided no weapon that might turn the tide of battle.

My family, my friends, my mate... They would be left to fight the swarm of hybrids alone.

"What about everyone else? The ones fighting outside of the pack house?" I whispered, although I couldn't be sure if I wanted to know the answer.

Zephora frowned, "The prophecy states that you, Charlotte, are the key to defeating the hybrid army. My coven has vowed to keep you safe, and we will fight by the side of the pack. But our magic cannot end this war. You can."

Her words sent a wave of nausea rolling up my throat, and I swayed on my feet. Nolan's firm chest at my back was the only reason I remained upright.

Why me? I wanted to scream at the Moon Goddess, or whatever cruel power had determined that I could handle this responsibility. You are wrong! I can't do this... You have the wrong girl.

I could feel a hundred pairs of eyes shift to watch me, as if they, too, were suddenly doubting our chance of success-- our chance of survival. If it hadn't been for Nolan's steady hand on my arm, stroking the fabric of my black sleeves, I might have forgotten how to breathe.

I might have forgotten that I was a Luna, and these were my pack members-- my family. And they needed me.

"Look..." I began in a whisper, eyes sweeping the crowd of werewolves and witches alike. "Those hybrids are coming for me. I've brought this terror to your doorstep, and I am sorry."

The crowd shifted on their feet, exchanging uncertain glances with one another. I took a step forward, away from Nolan's protective support. I needed to do this on my own. "And I understand if you do not want to fight. I will not make you fight to protect me."

"Charlie--" Nolan tried to interrupt, but I shot him a challenging glare, and he fell silent once more.

I continued, readdressing my pack once more, "But think about all of the innocent packs that have been slaughtered... The hybrid army is killing for no reason beyond wiping out an entire race. It seems like they won't stop until they've killed us all. And now-- now might be our only chance to stop them."

"We all end up dead," I let out a shaky breath. "It's just a question of how and when... But me? I want to die knowing that I fought so that others could live in freedom... So that another girl can walk into the Summer Solstice festival and find her mate. Or another werewolf can learn how to fight alongside the greatest warriors in the land. So that another generation of shifters can experience the joy of living in a pack."

Silence descended over the crowd for several long moments, as my words settled over their hearts. I was beginning to wonder whether my speech had had any effect on these people at all when a figure stepped forward.

Dominic, now in human form and clad in ragged pants, dared to take a step closer, and I surprised myself by standing firm, unyielding in his presence. He stopped several feet in front of me, and our eyes met. Blue orbs filled to the brim with a lifetime's worth of fierce sorrow.

There were so many words left unspoken, lingering in the air between us, but the Rogue Alpha opened his mouth first. "The rogues will fight with you."

Every muscle in my body tensed upon hearing the solemn promise underlying his familiar voice. Involuntary tears began to prickle my eyes, but I didn't dare turn away from the man who'd caused so much harm, but also offered so much hope...

"The Gemini Coven will fight by your side, as well," Zephora walked forward until she stood beside Dominic, like they were loyal servants ready to listen to their orders.

Next, my father approached from where he'd been standing behind Nolan and I. He placed a hand on my elbow, giving it a gentle squeeze like he'd done so many times in my childhood, before moving to stand on the other side of Zephora, "You know your brother and I would give our lives for you, Charles."

My teeth clamped down on the inside of my cheek, as if that might stop my lips from trembling with emotion. These people, some of them strangers, would fight for freedom... Everyone in the clearing had responded. Everyone, except, the Black Lupis Pack themselves.

Perhaps they hated me for bringing this terrible fate upon their pack for the second time, for risking their safety for the sake of my own? Perhaps, I was not seen as their true Luna after all? A lump formed in my throat at the thought, and I fought to control the red shame that crept up my cheeks.

I prepared to open my mouth, to address those that had vowed their allegiance, with or without Black Lupis support, but my mate spoke first. "Every soul in the Black Lupis Pack will fight for their Luna."

Nolan spoke with ferocious pride, and the way that he emphasized his words... I realized the reason that it had taken so long for them to answer. He'd asked every single pack member if they would be willing to fight--- to die, and not one of them refused.

I dared to let myself smile, to bask in the pride that glimmered in my mate's beautiful gaze, but I did not linger on the moment. Time was of the essence. I turned back to the gathered pack members. "Well then," I announced, "Let's get started."

Nolan stepped forward now, reaching my side once more, but he did not turn to me. Rather, he leapt into action, an Alpha preparing his pack for battle. "We'll have a leg up on the hybrids, but it won't take them long to figure out about the house shield and witches."

"We can assume that they won't bring their entire force," Dominic offered, his lips pulled into a thin line. "They'll just spare enough of their army to kill Charlie and return to base."

As far as the hybrids knew, Nolan and I were still ignorant of Sehan's betrayal. They were likely planning on ambushing an unsuspecting victim. But there was one downfall to their plan...

"They don't know what I look like," I murmured, but the chatter around our little makeshift circle came to a halt, so I continued. "Without Nolan's mark, I look like any other she-wolf in the pack."

Despite all of the frustration and turmoil that his decision had caused, Nolan had been right in refusing to mark me. Without the permanent connection between us, the hybrids would be unable to pick up my true scent. I'd be a ghost.

Nolan nodded, "The hybrids will be in a frenzy trying to pick up a scent."

"Why don't we make it even harder for them?" Sophia chimed in, a smirk snaking on her lips as she plotted aloud. She glowed with the prospect of an upcoming battle, "They'll be searching for Nolan's scent on a female. So why don't we put his scent on twenty females?"

The little circle of leaders nodded, and Dominic crossed his arms against his chest. He refused to look at me, and I was grateful for that small mercy. I needed more time before we began speaking to one another like before.

"That's not a bad idea," Dominic agreed, "But Charlie will need to shower again. Wipe any trace of Nolan from her scent. And you'll need to stay separate for some time before the fight."

"Why?" I frowned, but looked at Nolan for the answer.

My mate's eyes had darkened since Dominic started speaking once more, and he looked like he might like to rake his claws down the other, un-scarred side of Dominic's face. Nolan undoubtedly knew what Dominic was referring to, and he wasn't pleased in the slightest. Nonetheless, he let out a long sigh of defeat before returning his eyes to me.

"We need to keep apart to prevent our arousal from alerting the hybrids of your true identity," Nolan explained, attempting to keep his words as refined as possible. But I knew what he meant.

We'd been intimate with each other just an hour before the witch coven's arrival, and, although I'd bathed, the lavender soap did very little to mask the scent of my lust for Nolan. No doubt, the entire clearing could smell what we were doing-- or almost doing-- before we arrived in front of the packhouse. Embarrassment clouded my cheeks.

"My witches can cast disorienting spells, too," Zephora offered, mercifully switching subjects. "How long do we have?"

"According to my scouts," Dominic huffed, clearly displeased by the answer he was about to give. "We have a day. Maybe less, depending on their numbers and how quickly they are traveling."

Zephora nodded, "Well, we will need to set traps and magical snares..."

I stopped listening. Every soul in the clearing was now helping to plan for the upcoming battle, learning the part that they would play when the fighting final began. Anticipation, fearless and true, buzzed throughout the clearing as Rogue and Pack and witch came together.

And yet, it would all be in vain. We didn't stand a chance so long as I remained ignorant of my true purpose. I needed to begin my own preparation.