Chapter 5 5

Dane POV

My muscles were burning as I struggled with the third rogue who attacked me, yet I was not able to stop. Whenever I would pummel one of them to the ground I would see two more coming at me at other angles. My wolf was growing weary, and that was dangerous. An exhausted wolf was prone to mishaps and mishaps equated to death.

And that was not the worst part at all.

The most awful thing was that I could touch her. Lyra was here. I could feel the pull in my chest, as she was moving closer with each second. My wolf would have preferred to cease combating and go to her, but I needed my attention to remain focused on surviving.

One of the blades flew at me and I just avoided it. The rogue swung once more, and this time before he could get free I caught him by the arm and plunged him into the ground so hard that he was knocked out. He didn't get up.

It was at the moment I watched her come humping out of the woods.

She was in her wolf-shape, and she was the prettiest object I ever beheld. Her fur was blue and silver which appeared impossible and real simultaneously. She went like molten energy, like she would have been a composite of violence and grace. When she caught sight of me, she made no mistake. She rushed out in the midst of a battle against me.

"No!" I howled back at her. "You need to stay away!"

But Lyra wasn't listening. She waded through the rascals as though they were air, and every opponent she touched was beaten. She was more than any of them, quicker than any of them, more skilled than they had any training in. It was as though you were experiencing a person who was no longer in the know of losing it.

Ethan walked up beside me, and he was in wolf form, black, left to look like a shadow. We must take her away here, said he, over the connection which all wolves had together. This is what they want, all right.

She will not listen, said I through the link. "And I can't make her."

Zane leaped down a precipice above us, and stood in their path between us and the marauding rogues. He was huge, a hunter and a wolf together and this made him appear as though he should not be. He bellowed and the bellowing was heard throughout the land. The rogues literally moved away from him.

"Fall back!" someone shouted. The rogues began to retreat, to pass out of the battle and towards the woods. It was as though somebody had sent them a message as though this whole assault had been a trial run.

When the rogues had vanished in the darkness I was able to breathe again. I felt my chest heave as I transformed back into a human being. This was done by Lyra with her human body emerging as she transformed back as a wolf. It was not just, it was baffling, and made my heart ache that she was beautiful in both forms.

We have to discuss something, she said, glancing around at us. "Marcus is here. He is dressed in a Council uniform. He's involved in this."

Ethan's face went dark. My uncle would die before he betrays the pack. Something must have caused it to happen.

"Then where is he?" Lyra asked. "Ask him yourself."

But Marcus was gone. He was not to be found anywhere in the battle ground. As though he had disappeared into the darkness as soon as the attack had been stopped.

We must regroup, said Owen, and come running to us. His garments were ripped, and he had a nick on his cheek. There are hurt people, who require assistance. But we must, too, find out what has just happened.

The next hour was chaos. I brought injured packs to provide help to Owen to the temporary healing center that they had established. I observed Lyra at work, as she moved around people, assisting in some manner or other. She did not behave as having returned to a place that had hurt her. She played the role of a caring person, as she felt like she should save people even though they had denied her.

It was dangerous, because it made me love her even more. It was moronic to fall in love with a person when they were in danger. It rendered you feeble and thoughtless and ready to take chances which you ought not to take.

With Owen to ourselves, the four of us sat round in a small tent after everyone was attended to. Kira, also, was on guard at the entrance to ensure that no one could overhear our conversation.

Marcus left this," Kira told Lyra, and gave her a sealed envelope. Before he vanished, he dropped it.

Lyra opened it carefully. It contained a letter written by Marcus. She read it without speaking, and I saw her face transform itself between perplexity and surprise and indignation.

"What does it say?" Ethan asked.

Lyra was trembling and reading it aloud. My dear Lyra, when you get to read this you will see the truth about your bloodline. But you don't know everything. Your mother was not killed in an accident. The Council killed her lest she should reveal what they had learnt about you. Your father had perished empirically in her defence. These rogues who are coming to-night are not accidental. A member of the Council is controlling them and would like to enslave you to bring your power to overthrow the present leadership of the Council. I cannot do that before your eyes, since they are watching me. But I have left you something at your family home. It is what can only establish who is behind all this. Do not trust anybody, just your four mates. Not even the Council. Especially not the Council. - Marcus"

The words are suspended between us in the air. My parents had been murdered. It is not rogues or enemies who did it, but the people who were meant to safeguard everyone.

I had to take you to the home of your family, I said. "We need to find what he left."

"Not tonight," Zane said. "Too dangerous. The rogues know we're here now. They will be waiting, till we move.

"Then what do we do?" Looking at one of us, Lyra said, What? "Just wait? Just let them attack again?"

The tent flap was unzipped, and Kira got in with an expression of concern. "We have a problem. One of the rogues was taken in the retreat. He is awake now and he wants to speak to Lyra. He tells him that he has something she must hear.

Trust him not, was the first thing Zane said. "It's another trap."

Or he may say something out of it, Owen said. We have no idea unless we question him.

Lyra stood up. "I'm going to talk to him."

"I'm coming with you," I said.

We trailed Kira to a detention facility where they had taken the arrested rogue prisoner. The young man was in his early twenties, and had scars on his arms, and a rebellious expression in his eyes. He smiled as he was aware of something when he saw Lyra.

Hello, Luna, he said, and his voice was full of queer respect. I have a message to you from my leader. According to her, you must learn the real mother you had. According to her, you must have known that your mother did not want a single mate. Your mom wanted to transform the whole world of werewolves. And my leader is still doing that mission.

"Who is your leader?" Lyra demanded.

The rogue's smile got bigger. "You should know. You've seen her face. She has been all the time with the Council waiting until you get home.

The body of the rogue convulsed before anybody could put another question. His eyes opened wide, and then he spurted blood in the mouth. He was sick, poisoned and we could do nothing to prevent it.

When his body lay lifeless I saw the truth.

A member of the Council, somebody strong enough to poison one of his own prisoners when he was in jail and under guard, was the actual enemy. And here they still had been, still observing us, still under control.