Kapitel 23: Ambushed

It was the Alpha of the Crescent Moon pack, Lucian Darkthorn.

His presence alone was enough to send shivers down the spines of those who crossed his path. Standing tall and imposing, Lucian's formidable physique was marked by chiseled muscles and a commanding stature that exuded strength and dominance.

His piercing eyes, the color of molten silver, held a fierce and calculating intelligence that could see through the deepest of secrets. Framed by a tangle of ink-black hair that fell in unruly waves, his face was angular and defined, with a strong jawline and high cheekbones. Scars marred his rugged features, testaments to battles won and enemies killed.

Lucian's voice was a deep, resonant growl that carried authority and power, leaving no room for disobedience. Wrapped in dark, weathered leather and draped in the shadows of the night, Lucian Darkthorn was the embodiment of a formidable alpha, a creature both feared and respected by all who dared to challenge the might of the Crescent Moon pack.

Often referred to as the "Moon Goddess's Favorite," his pack has harbored a relentless ambition to unseat the Nightfang pack from its position of dominance.

What was he doing here?

"I came to see her, my Lord," Ravenna muttered, avoiding his cold and icy glare.

"My Lord?" I furrowed my eyebrows, demanding for answers.

"Who are you supposed to be, runt?" Lucian jeered, sniffing the air and no doubt discovering I had no wolf. I

I had seen him before, on a Saturday morning when I went to visit Theo. All I heard were two men yelling at each other, with Lucian's voice being the louder and more aggressive.

I liked to think that if it weren't for Lucian being on Nightfang territory, he would have attacked Theo or his father because it was something he was capable of doing.

Lucian believed that we, the people of the moon, were superior to humans and deserved to crush them beneath our feet, viewing them as mere ants in the face of our power.

However, that was one thing the moon goddess had expressly warned us never to do.

"A friend," I retorted, ignoring the dominance that rolled off him in waves. Ravenna was almost cowering at his presence, and one look in her pained eyes told me all I needed to know.

"He's your mate?!" I yelled despite not having so much strength in my body.

This horrid man?

"What about Fenrir? He's a much better option than-"

"Silence!" Lucian boomed, his anger contorting his face.

"I will not have the likes of you dictate what is and isn't suitable for my future Luna," he spat, taking his eyes off me and turning his attention to Ravenna. He then forcefully grasped her chin, causing her to glare at him and his smile in response was nothing short of malevolent.

"You should not hang out with her; she smells," Lucian whispered before giving me one last glare and leaving us alone. His sturdy figure disappeared into the distance.

Ravenna suddenly let out a heavy sigh, as if she had been holding her breath all this time. I looked at her incredulously.

"What on earth happened?" I asked her immediately, clasping her hands in mine. She sniffled.

"Lucian came over a day after you left, and somehow he spotted me when I left home to get some pastries at the nearby human village," she began, rubbing her eyes.

"And you know how he can be. When he wants something, he gets it. He doesn't believe in all that mate thing, and I didn't have a choice since he said he'd leave Nightfang alone if he could have me," she finished, her eyes almost bursting into tears. There was a sudden sensation like a tightness in my chest, and a lump in the throat, sorrow welling up in my heart for her.

"Is that where Fenrir took you to?" I asked, trying to piece it together.

Ravenna sighed softly, her eyes heavy with the weight of her recent experiences. "Well, yes," she began, her voice tinged with reluctance. "Lucian said he was coming over, and we went to meet him."

"Fenrir didn't complain?" I asked, a flicker of concern for his well-being crossing my mind. I knew how much he cared for her, and the idea of her being with Lucian, even under Theo's command, must have weighed heavily on him.

Ravenna shook her head, her expression somber. "He didn't have a choice either; it was Alpha Theo's command," she explained, her voice tinged with bitterness.

I clenched my fists, anger simmering within me. "That bastard," I muttered under my breath, unable to contain my frustration at Theo's actions. It was hard to fathom the extent of his betrayal, not just to Ravenna but to our entire pack.

"What are you going to do, Venna? You can't wait for that monster to claim you. Where are your brothers?" I asked, concern for her safety overriding my anger.

Ravenna's eyes welled up with tears as she spoke of her brothers. "Andrew is out visiting his mate, and Daniel hasn't returned since you left. He went looking for you," she said, her voice trembling with worry.

"He went looking for me," I repeated, a knot of anxiety forming in my stomach. I couldn't help but fear for Daniel's safety, especially considering the dangerous territory he might have ventured into while searching for me.

"I'll be fine, Una," Ravenna reassured me, her voice softening. "Why are you staying here? There's no one around, and you could always come back home."

"Well," I hesitated, contemplating whether to share the truth about Theo's alliance with Malefica. However, I ultimately decided against it, knowing it would only frighten her further.

"Theo asked me to wait here for him," I said, not entirely fabricating the truth. After all, I was here because of Theo, but the circumstances were far more complicated than I could explain.

Ravenna's gaze turned pensive as she considered my words. "You know," she began, her tone lowering as if sharing a secret, "he was a wreck after you left. He isolated himself and remained in solitude. Then, a few days later, he transformed. There were signs of apathy in his gaze, and he looked like a mere shell of his former self. Something happened to him," she observed, her words heavy with concern.

I nodded, the pieces falling into place. The effect of Theo's coalition with the Malefica was becoming clear, and it was taking a toll on him, just as it had taken a toll on our pack.

"I bet," I said sarcastically, drawing Ravenna in for a hug. The effects of the sedative were beginning to wear off a bit, and her presence brought me a sense of comfort amidst the chaos.

"Ravenna," a voice I recognized as Theo's startled me as he approached us from where we sat on the sofa. Ravenna immediately let go of me and bowed her head in reverence for him.

"I see that you've been catching up with your friend," he remarked, his voice devoid of emotion, his cold eyes fixed on me.

"Jadis, you—"

"I said don't call me that!" I gritted my teeth, my patience with him wearing thin.

Before he could utter another word, a haunting and resonant howl pierced the air.

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