. Apostasy . A Luna's Struggle

Orion found himself standing at the lake shore manor gate. His wolf fought him the whole way here. He walked through the estate, his wolf showing him all the memories of Anulla there, of the night and day of their true mating and the conception of the heir of the Monarchy. He had killed his own heir twice. First by sending Henry, who he knew was unstable, to retrieve Anulla from the Central Mountains Pack and now, he, himself, had nearly killed her and had killed their son in one of his violent tirades. Twice his Luna had conceived, and twice the pup had been murdered in her body.

Orion wandered into the bedroom they had shared. It still faintly smelled of her. He had been forced by the Healer Odette to come here with her alone, to help restore her wolf after he had nearly killed her with a poisoned, herbal wine. His wolf made him think about all the things that he had put her through from the first moment he met her until he watched her fall over the balcony ledge after he backhanded her. He had been surprised as she fell onto the ornamental fence surrounding the ivory and golden tulips, more surprised when she just hung there with her blood dripping on the flowers, not even trying to push herself up.

Every step he took, his wolf punished him with the truth of his treatment of their mate. Forcing him to bloat on the bitter feast of his abominable behavior toward his mate, toward the wolves of his kingdom, toward the Moon Goddess whom he was raised to believe to be dead in spite of his wolf’s insistence that the Goddess lived. Orion staggered under the burden of his guilt and failure. He, not his father Sade, had brought the Monarchy to the verge of collapse. No matter how vehemently he blamed her, declared she was at fault, repeated that she was weak; the slow, cold creeping sensation of wrongness weighed heavily on his soul. His kingdom hated him, his wolf was rebelling against him, even his mate despised him, how could she not. He had done everything he could to destroy her and at last, he knew he had broken her.

His wolf spoke very clearly to him, ‘If she leaves us, or if she goes to the Moon, I will leave you. You are not worthy to be the Monarch.’

-^^^^^-

Alpha Tligti and Alpha Troy stalked through the staging area deep in the territory of the former Wheatland Pack. Beta Victor had quietly sent warriors devoted to the overthrow of the Monarch to work and guard there so they could hide the invading army. They knew the Monarch planned on invading the west in the spring, and half his warriors were still in the far south, holding the borders against the Tennessy Valley pack, and the Floria pack who had lost over thirty females to the Monarchy’s flesh traders. The Texica and Southwestern Desert Alphas were moving over three thousand of their best warriors along the southern border to help them. The San Andreas Alpha was holding his warriors at the southwestern corner of the Monarchy Territory. Everyone was almost in place.

Four large males and two females approached the Alphas.

The tall, thinner male bowed and spoke first, “We are ready, Alphas.”

“Joel, Brenna, take care of my Luna,” Troy asked.

“No harm shall come to our mates,” the largest scarred wolf growled.

The third just chewed his cigar and grinned, “I don’t think even the Monarch could get through scarface to get to our girls.”

“I pray to the Goddess you are correct, Logan. Walsh, no one doubts your strength, but you have lost your brother to the vile coyotes the Monarch uses for warriors, do not underestimate the power of numbers,” Alpha Tlingti warned.

Walsh growled and Brenna rubbed his arm, his response snarled out, “They used a witch, she is dead. They are not a threat. The Monarch is not the only one with an army.”

“Are you sure we can rely on the Monarch’s prisoners?” Alpha Tligti asked.

The young Red-headed male laughed, “Those who dwell in the cells are loyal to Luna Anulla. They will fight to the death if she needs. My brothers will have them ready. The dungeon master need only to unlock the doors.”

Alpha Troy nodded, “You realize Luna Anulla may not survive...”

Mira hugged him, putting her finger over his lips. “You need to have faith, my alpha,” Luna Mira said softly.

Brenna held up her hand as the males growled their complaints, admonishing them, “Don’t worry. If it is the will of the Goddess, she will live. Mira and I will use all of our skills to save her.”

As they climbed into a truck, Mira was last, kissing her mate one last time before they went to war. She knew what fate awaited her if the Monarch caught them. Liam drove them back toward the center of the kingdom, they were going to help the Queen Luna prepare for war.

Alphas Troy and Tlingti watched them drive away. Princess Androma walked toward them with purpose, head high, the power of her wolf radiating from her. In her arms, a small boy with golden hair and very dark eyes.

“Alphas, we have received word that the Monarch is at his Lakeshore estate. Victor will call him to return tomorrow evening. Then we will be at war.”

Tlingti held out his arms and the boy changed adults. Both alpha and child growled playfully at each other, before he pulling his mate into his embrace. “I would prefer for you to stay with Val than venture onto the battlefield.”

Androma bared her teeth at her mate, “I could not stay from the battle if I wanted. My brother and his false father have enslaved our true father’s kingdom too long. They have denied the Goddess too long. The Monarch Wolf is a responsibility, a gift of the Moon, just like a mate, neither is a reason to be drunk with power and cruelty. It is the Goddess’s own provision that Luna Anulla yet lives if Healer Odette is to be believed. I would fight even if she was the only endangered female in the kingdom. ”

Tligti laughed, “Enough, my warrior woman. Valiant, your aunt is as brave as your mother, never forget, the heart of a female is stronger than the fight of a male.”

Troy grinned, ruffling the boy’s hair, “Bravery can’t be taught, my Goddess-son, you were born to a great heritage, to right a great wrong. Do you understand?”

The little boy shook his head and the adults all smiled. If they succeeded in the next forty-eight hours, the great apostasy declared on the night of the Blood Moon twenty years ago, would be reversed and a new Monarchy would begin.

-^^^^^-

Winter blue eyes opened to a pair of familiar faces.

“Hello, Anulla.” Luna Mira smiled.

“Brenna, Mira, you shouldn’t be here.” Anulla groaned as they helped her sit up.

“We are here to make sure you survive this, if it is the Goddess’ will,” Brenna responded. “But I have a surprise for you. Two actually. My brother is the first, and I found my second chance mate, I think you know him.”

“Joel?” Anulla looked at her oddly then gasped as two wolves came up behind her, a sob caught in her throat as she held out her arms “Walsh!” She hugged each of them carefully.

“You need more rest, Luna Anulla,” Joel said worried, as he pressed a kiss into her forehead. “I’m so glad you survived.”

“Oh, Joel. I have missed you so much.” He held her hand for a long time as Brenna told of how they found Walsh.

Everyone left but Walsh remained, guarding her as he had since she came to this kingdom of blasphemy and abuse. She drifted to sleep feeling safe.

After waking, Anulla motioned Walsh to come closer. They were alone. She held Walsh’s scarred face in her hands, touching his forehead to hers. “I’m sorry he killed Miles.”

Leaning back, Walsh growled, “The witch and rogues did it for the Monarch because his wolf would not allow it, but I will avenge Miles. He killed your pup, I will avenge your loss as well.”

“Walsh, if I don’t survive, promise me you will take care of Brenna, keep her safe from Orion.”

“You are strong, Luna Anulla. The Goddess chose you because of your heart.” Walsh’s deep, gruff voice held a note of sadness she had never heard before. “You saved us from his darkness. Miles went to the Moon because you reminded us we are wolves, not demons.”

She squeezed his hand, “Don’t do anything foolish, Walsh.” A deep rumble sounded in his chest, but he nodded. Tentatively she asked, “Walsh, can they take me back to the royal chambers?”

Walsh eyed her, but agreed, “I shall ask the healers.”

After Brenna changed her dressing, Anulla resisted the urge to rub her bandages. Her soul hemorrhaged pain, twice now Orion had destroyed the life within her. Twice she had survived. She wanted nothing more than to curl in a ball on the grave of her pup and weep, but the wolves of the western alliance needed her to do this first. She didn’t really want to go back to the room of her suffering, but she needed to so Orion would be forced to face her there instead of in the Healer’s rooms.

Brenna’s worry was written in her eyes. “Anulla, do you really want to be moved back to that place?” Her brother shifted nervously beside her.

“Yes. Take me back to the royal chambers. I want Orion to face me in the place where he killed our pup,” she announced resolutely, she wanted to see if he could feel regret or if he would simply blame her for this as well.

Joel carried her to her room, Brenna followed. Walsh had gone down to the dungeons with Liam and his brothers. A large wolf with bushy sideburns and deep green eyes like Victor’s followed them. He chewed a cigar and watched Anulla with an odd expression.

As Joel and Brenna settled her into the bed, she smiled at him, “I’m Anulla, thank you for helping with the efforts to free the kingdom.”

He looked at her strangely, “They call me Logan, Luna Anulla.”

His voice was so familiar, she had to ask, “Have we met, Logan?”

Something like pain flashed in his eyes and was quickly replaced with the same caviler expression he had worn before, “We did meet once, Luna, you were not well.”

Anulla felt bad, Logan obviously had hoped she would remember him, “I’m sorry, I don’t remember, please accept my apology.”

“You have nothin’ to apologize for, darlin’. It has been a rough couple of years for ya,” Logan bowed slightly to her.

He glanced at Victor and Joel as he spoke and Anulla felt like there was something he wasn’t telling her. Amy lit a strong-smelling candle then she walked in and out of the royal rooms with a censer of pungent herbs followed by Victor. Anulla sneezed and gasped in pain, as Brenna and Amy both winced.

“I’m so sorry Luna, but the Monarch is on his way here,” Amy explained, her face a sympathetic mask.

Anulla knew Victor called him that there was an invasion force on the border of Wheatland. She knew it was closer, but she didn’t know where.

Anulla nodded, “Is it ready?”

“Yes Luna, everything is prepared, the Alph...” Victor started.

“No Beta, I can’t know what the Alphas are planning. If Orion forces his wolf to look in my mind, the plan will be ruined. Just tell the others to be ready.” Anulla begged because they wouldn’t get a third chance. “As soon as he leaves, have the mates of Orion’s commanders join me. We will drink the wolf-kill elixir as soon as the battle begins.”

“Yes Luna,” Victor bowed before he followed Brenna and Amy out.

Logan looked at her for a minute before following.

Outside the door, Victor squeezed his uncle’s shoulder. “You okay, Uncle?”

Logan grinned around his cigar, “Doesn’t matter, nephew. Joel’s a good wolf and he loves her. Probably best she doesn’t remember me, can’t have her pining for me after tomorrow ‘cause there’s a lot of she-wolves in the kingdom that’ll need a little of your old uncle’s tender lovin’ care.”

Victor rolled his eyes with Brenna but Amy giggled, “Uncle Logan, you’re terrible.”

Logan gave her an outlandish wink, “You ever get tired of my uptight nephew, look me up, little beauty.”

Victor growled viciously, making them laugh at his jealousy as Amy hugged him, soothing, “Vic, don’t be jealous... Yours.”

He buried his face in her neck, inhaling deeply. “My mate.” He kissed her deeply, holding her flush against him for what might be the last time.

Brenna and Logan watched the young wolves, amused. Brenna leaned over, “I think you’ll have another nephew sooner rather than later.”

“I wouldn’t mind a niece as long as she is born into a free kingdom.” Logan announced as he followed the healer away from his nephew and mate, young mates who could be dead by tomorrow. He had already promised to get Amy to safety if Victor died or kill her to protect her from becoming a yellow collar. Logan watched Walsh striding toward them, the scarred giant had eyes only for Brenna but he spared a slight nod to Logan. The former Dungeon Master towered over his mate before she led him away.

If the war failed, tomorrow Logan would be fleeing with four females, or he would be killing them to spare them a fate worse than death. He needed a bottle of amber comfort to go with his cigar, rebellion made him thirsty, but it would have to wait; war first, whiskey later.