Sera’s POV
“They’ve been badgering Daphne about the gender of the pup. Also, Ruby tried to escape the nursery a few times to play around the pack but was discovered by Joan. The pups are getting restless. Ann went to the bathroom the other day and did not return until Daphne went to find her. She discovered Ann fast asleep on the toilet bowl.” We burst into laughter.We had twelve pups that had lost their parents to the battle a year ago. I created the nursery and left Daphne in charge of the pups. Later, busy pack members dropped their pups there. The pups had become a handful even with Linda’s help.“Sera! Sera! Sera!” Ruby burst into my room with Bill and Bryan at her heels. She rushed to hug me, and I caught her fast, fearing she would bump into my belly. I still haven’t come to terms with the situation, but I already felt protective of the pup in my belly.“Ruby, slow down. I’ve told you always to be careful. What if you’d tripped?” I caresseSera’s POVStill Moon Pack“What did you just say?” I questioned in shock.The others’ faces mirrored my expression. Millie was pale, and Bryan’s eyes went wide in shock. The twins glanced around in confusion. Their world was about to shatter, and they had no clue. My heart ached desperately for them.A battle meant bloodshed, and that meant the death of our loved ones. This pack couldn’t afford to lose any more members. We were barely holding on now.“Beta Ralf is back? I thought he had died off somewhere!” Millie’s disbelief was reflected in her voice.Dad had beaten Ralf badly when he challenged him, but his fight with Amary had left him barely alive, and then his men had carried him away. Everyone had assumed his death.However, I’d always known he would return, but not this soon. The pack was unprepared for battle.I needed a rapid, strategic response.I turned to Miles. “How many shifters are with
Sera’s POVI stood and watched as Bryan left with the twins.“Seriously? His first mission as an enforcer?” Mille rolled her eyes at me.“I had to get him moving.” I shrugged as I glanced at her. The boy needed a push in the right direction. “Besides, he would have kept badgering us to join the battle.”“He can be so persistent.” Millie sighed. “What should we do about Ralf?”All my amusement died at her words. We had only defeated him with Amary’s help a year ago. Now, Amary couldn’t help us.“I have a plan, but only the moon goddess could help us now. The enormous difference between our warriors and Ralf’s concerns me.”Millie sighed, “We can only pray she protects us for the sake of the pups.”“Let’s head to the meeting room.”Millie and I headed out and towards the meeting room. We could hear murmurs of voices floating out of the room. It appeared news of the impending attack had spread throughout t
Sera’s POVMillie and Milles moved towards me as the enforcers exited the room.“The plan seems acceptable. With proper execution, we could attain victory,” Millie said. She reached for my hand and held it in assurance.I looked towards Miles, who stared back at me. “What do you think?”“I agree with Millie. It isn’t perfect, but a starting point considering the pack’s situation. It would have a higher chance of succeeding with Amary, though.”I agreed with Miles. My wolf would have been the much-needed icing on the cake. Amary snorted in my mind. She was still nonchalant about the entire situation, and it was getting on my nerves. A little care would have been sufficient!My anger cooled and left me with my situation and the realization that I would have to confront it without escape.“Alpha, the team is ready!”An enforcer called out to me, interrupting my desolate thoughts. The five minutes was up. It was tim
Sera’s POVBorders of the Still Moon PackThe chirping birds flew away, and rabbits raced into hiding. A sudden noise of breaking branches alerted us to the enemy’s approach. The rhythmic sounds of wolves’ paws hitting the ground drifted into my ears. A glance at the edge of the pack borders revealed Ralf’s fifty-man army. My pulse quickened at the impending battle.Miles signaled to the others to get into position. The enemy was a few minutes from the first trap we’d laid. I recognized Ralf’s medium-sized light brown wolf at the head of the team. Besides him was a menacing, thin black wolf riddled with scars. He had narrow, opaque eyes, which gave him a cunning look.The rest were medium-sized, average-looking-looking, hungry wolves. They looked like they’d not had a full belly for days. The fugitive life involved hiding and living a genuinely pathetic existence. Such wolves were greedy and malicious because of their life experiences.Ra
Sera’s POVRalf continued his endless rants. His rage mounted as the seconds ticked, and he became reckless. I guess having your enemy in the light and you in the dark gave you the upper hand!“I guess you were never ready to take a position as Alpha. Look how the pack has become under your leadership. Come out and battle with me like a true alpha. This is a taint to Aidin’s legacy. Hmph! Your father would be so ashamed of who you’ve become.”I knew Ralf was taunting me, but it was getting to me. The mention of Dad had been the last straw. I clenched my fist with force, and my nails dug into my palm. Blood rushed to my head, and my heart beat in my chest. I couldn’t hear anything over the loud beating of my chest.I extended my claws, and my eyes glowed; my wolf awakened. I wanted so much to rip off his head as smoothly as I did his son’s. Relax, Amary, relax. We couldn’t afford to play his game. He had the advantage in numbers, and we had the adv
Sera’s POVI hissed in pain, then looked down at my arm to discover a long, thin scratch mark. The battle dragged on. I gasped, and sweat trickled down my face. Watching the wolf, I calculated my next move.My strength had depleted, and this could spell disaster.The wolf was getting impatient, and I knew that was my cue to act. He lunged at me, and I remained motionless, watching as he raised a paw with sharp claws and went for my face.I slipped under him and plunged my claws deep into his belly. The wolf dropped dead with a grunt before me as I panted.My strength left me as I collapsed; I’d gained the upper hand by an inch. I felt a sharp pain in my neck and raised my hand to it. It appeared I didn’t escape unscathed after all.I moved behind a large tree to rest and regain my strength.Fighting continued behind me. I glanced around at the gory sight of bloods
Draco’s POVThe earth rumbled, and a loud growl filled the air as we approached the borders of the Still Moon Pack. Silence, unusual for the Werewoods, hung over the rabbit- and birdless path. The tree branches shook as if startled by a significant force. Chaotic sounds of battle filled the woods as we got closer.“Alpha, it looks like there’s a battle going on up ahead,” Sebastian conveyed through the mind link. My team journeyed toward the Still Moon Pack, fulfilling a council directive.But that wasn’t my only goal. I would meet my mate, the Alpha of the Still Moon Pack, Sera Nerva.We raced forward in wolf form, and dirt flew up in our wake.
Draco’s POVThe rogue had his claws on my mate’s neck, ready to sniff out her breath.The sight triggered my wolf, and with a resounding growl, Noble charged forward and swiped the rogue’s face with a paw, sending him flying. He landed at a distance, sending dirt flying all over.The rogue had a deep gash on his face. His left eye had only escaped by an inch. He stood in a hurry and scurried away in fear.My blood boiled as I watched him run off. I’d been so close to tearing him to pieces. My rage had yet to subside, and my heart pounded. I turned to my mate, only to find her watching me guardedly.A glance at her hitched my breath in my throat. She was stunningly beautiful.Locks of chestnut-brown hair curtained her oval face. She had a svelte figure. Her flawless skin shone under the sunlight with an ochreous hue. She possessed silky lashes over her hazelnut-shaped eyes. She glan
Sera’s POV “How is that even possible?” Millie looked like she’d just heard the most ridiculous joke in history, and I didn’t blame her for that. I gave Draco, the author of the most ridiculous idea in history, an accusing glance. But he just shrugged, without a care in the world. “That has never happened in the history of the Werewoods. Besides, both packs would find it difficult to adjust to the new systems and faces,” Miles said, in contemplation of said ridiculous idea. Millie watched him in disbelief that he would even contemplate how to achieve such an idea. “Have you forgotten that Sera and Draco are alphas in their own right? And that each pack has its leadership?” Millie sounded unconvinced that such an idea could ever work, and once again, I couldn’t blame her. I’d passed through this stage of doubting the idea, and watching her was like watching myself. It was Draco who answered her this time. “Both packs would continue to operate with the previous leadership whil
Sera’s POV“We are almost at the pack’s borders, Alpha.”Steve, the pack enforcer who’d taken driver duties for the trip, said through the mind link, just as we neared the pack’s borders.I glanced up in surprise at the sudden appearance of his voice in my head, only to meet his stare through the rearview mirror.He had a contemplative gleam as he glanced from me to Draco, who sat beside me.He sure had a sharp nose, seeing as he’d noticed.I understood his words. The enforcers would have to return to their border duties, ignorant of the meeting’s outcome, once we reached the pack borders.“Don’t worry, Steve. I’d call for a meeting to discuss the outcome once we are ready,” I returned through the mind link.The journey back was fraught with a palpable tension, Draco’s presence only exacerbating it. I could feel Miles and the others watching us, hoping to get hints of the situation from our body language.It didn’t help that only Miles knew about the relationship between Draco and me.
Sera’s POVI watched as the elders left one after the other with their entourage while ignoring Draco’s inquisitive eyes on my person.I’d thought it through.Elder Selene was right. With my current state, every single day of being pregnant means the likelihood of being able to shift reduces, because as my pregnancy advances, the weaker I’d get.I sighed, feeling helpless.Female shifters usually carried their pups for just 8 months before giving birth. With me almost 3 months gone, being unable to shift would put my life and that of my pup and the entire pack in danger.From this point of view, this arrangement came just when I needed it. Besides, it was on the condition of a three-month probation.That was something I could always use to my advantage.I’d decided.But I was avoiding Draco now because I didn’t want to have the difficult conversation of why I’d hidden the pregnancy from him.As if on cue, he walked over and came to a stop beside me just as the last elder - Selene exit
Present day…“Yes, Elders. I am carrying a pup and I can’t shift because of my pregnancy.”A voice emanated from inside the council hall.I paused mid-stride, in shock at the strikingly familiar voice of my mate.Sera’s resigned voice registered in my head, but I couldn’t process the words she’d altered.The words swarmed around in my head while I stood there in a daze, unmoving.Sera was carrying our pup, the fruit of our union, and evidence of our bond.I shook my head in disbelief as boundless joy filled my heart.My wolf howled in joy, and I knew he wanted so badly to let loose and run unhindered in the woods where he’d found home.But I frowned as I realized Sera had never intended to tell me about my pup. Vivid memories of my time in the Still Moon Pack told me all there was to know. My mate had known about the pup all along, but refused to tell me.Her unusual weakness and the fact that she’d been fighting off wolves while in human form should have been odd to me, but the impe
Draco’s POVTwo days earlier…“Alpha, you have a message from the Council.”I had just settled into the chair behind the desk at the pack office and was about to dive into the pile of files on my desk when Bruno burst in through the office doors with a letter.I glanced up in confusion, wondering what the Council was up to. It was barely past a week since the pack tour wrapped up and they’d come knocking again.“What does it say?” I asked, distracted by the pile of files before me.“It’s a sealed letter,” Bruno said, showing the seal to me.“Must be another summon. Put it away. I’ll attend to it later.”“Alright, Alpha. Seb said to tell you he has begun the arrangements for the move and asked that I confirm the date with you.”At the pack meeting the other day, I suggested we move to the Still Moon Pack, shocking the pack leadership.But, they had quickly come around after I tabled the moon advantages of the move to them. Which was why plans were in place for the move, even when I had
Sera’s POV“In your grand plans, who is going to be the Alpha of this great pack? You know that two alphas cannot handle one pack, right?”I couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of my voice.The Elder all turned to look at Draco, waiting for his response.This question was a tricky one, which was difficult to solve.On one hand, Draco, as a male shifter and acknowledged as the strongest Alpha in the Werewoods, can not be asked to relinquish power to me.It was damned near impossible.As it stood, a majority of the elders on the Council would elect for Draco to assume full authority over the pack.Because I was new, inexperienced and a female.My eyes narrowed as I clenched my fist fight.“Our mate is wonderful, yeah. But, no one, not even someone I like, could Walt in and take what’s mine,” Amary’s voice echoed through my mind, as domineering as ever.For once, I was thankful that we were on the same page.My eyes must have been glowing, for Draco watched me in silence, his attention directe
Sera’s POV “I intend to have both packs live as one. However, each one answers to their leaders during the early period. Well, that is until everyone has properly adjusted to the new system. Then, we reform the new pack from top to bottom and then select new leaders.” Draco’s words were as daring as they were shocking. My blood boiled with rage. Does he think the members of both packs would just happily fall in line because he said so? I wasn’t happy with what I was hearing and the fact that the Council was entertaining this idea was inconceivable. I glanced around to find Elder Derek listening with rapt attention and Elder Scent had a contemplative look on him. Elder Selene was nodding as Draco talked, clearly approving his ideas. Louis, impatient as always, was tapping his foot on the ground. His familiar frown plastered across his face as he listened. As Lucian’s uncle, these plans were unfavourable to him, since Lucian had always wanted to bring my pack under his belt. On
Sera’s POVI turned around in disbelief to find Draco standing at the entrance of the room, looking determined.What was he doing here?He glanced at me with an unreadable expression, and I froze under his scrutiny.I couldn’t meet his eyes and my cheeks grew warm as he examined me from head to toe, his eyes pausing at my belly.He’d heard me admit to carrying his pup, but I couldn’t gauge his attitude.Elder Derek’s voice snapped me out of my daze.“You are the one responsible for the pup, or you are Sera’s mate? Which one is it?”The elders all shared a look of shock. Even Elder Rufus, who’d insisted on keeping mute throughout the meeting, could not hide his expression.“Sera is my mate and the pup in her belly is mine,” Draco declared in the meeting room, his glowing eyes proof that his wolf neared the surface.I watched him in a daze as his dominant pheromones leaked into the air, filling the room.No one had seen that coming.“No wonder you ran here so quickly. This is the first
Sera’s POV“The Council requests your presence in the audience hall,” the messenger said to me, pointing towards the hall.I was to go in alone, leaving Miles and the guys just outside the meeting hall.“Good luck,” Miles said with a grave look.I took in a deep breath and resigned myself to facing the Council again.After Elder Derek had left me confused with his puzzling look, the other members of the Council had arrived one after another within minutes, and I had been too busy greeting each one to decipher what Elder Derek had been thinking.To my intense relief, the others had been fairly normal, and I’d even exchanged smiles with Elder Selene, the only female among them.That had helped ease my anxiety until Amary had spoken.“Don’t smile too soon. Seems Derek has not informed the others of the contents of the letter against you.”She was the bane of my existence.But now I didn’t even have the strength to worry anymore because I was about to face the Council.I walked into the r