Page 3 of My Fated Mate

It's a sight that claws at my soul, and the knowledge of our once-friendly neighbors meeting such a gruesome end fuels the wrath within me.

I groan as my bones crack and straighten, and the rest of my enforcers do the same. I rise to my human height, unconcerned about my nudity.

"Alpha," Rylan approaches, his face filled with concern. "They’ll return. Next time, for us.”

“We shall be ready for them.” My voice is confident, but my mind is not.

This fight is just getting started. And I will do anything to protect my pack.

As I walk into the meeting room, the dread in my belly grows. This is not going to be a random battle. This is a fight with bloodthirsty fanatics.

I know my pack's full of badass warriors, but some really nasty evil outnumbers us.

The odds are bad, but we won't surrender. Never. I’d rather go down fighting. They have trusted me as their Alpha, and I won’t let them down.

I sit at the head of the table and look around. Rylan stands tall beside me.

We have Lady Lani, a silver-furred wolf whose aura is a testament to years of moonlit wisdom. Lani’s piercing blue eyes reflect the knowledge she's gained through countless challenges.

Beside her stands Grizzled Oak, a hulking presence with fur as dark as night.

Completing the trio of elders is Ember Swift, a sleek and agile she-wolf, her russet hair glinting with hidden fire. Ember's sharp eyes and quick reflexes have saved our hides more times than I can count.

“How did it go, Alpha?” Ember is the first to ask.

I clear my throat. “It went well. It served as a warning to the other packs. I killed Fenrir. They won’t enter our territory anymore.”

As I gaze into the concerned eyes of the elders, I see them sag with relief, and I grunt, cutting them off. "But," I add, "there's a bigger problem.”

“Tell us, Alpha,” Oak says.

“It’s Moonbeam.” I start, not knowing how to relay the message.

Lani perks up. “Did they help you in fighting Shadow Fang?”

I shake my head. “They’re dead.”

In the silence, everyone seems frozen.

I clear my throat again. “Their pack was leveled. No survivors, not even one pup.”

“Dear Luna.” Lani places her hands on her chest, eyes wide in sorrow.

“Who did it?”

I look at Oak. “Dark Moon. They’re the only ones who would show such brutality in the way they killed Moonbeam.”

Ember whispers, staring into nothing. “We are next.”

I nod solemnly because it’s the truth. And I watch as they all realize what that means.

We might not survive this.

I square my shoulders. “I will speak with Mad Greta. She might not be as mad as we think.”

They stare at me uncertainly.

“Sheseesthings, Alpha,” Oak insists. “She predicted this! A week ago, she mentioned the fact that the Moonbeam will be lost to ashes. And if she knew that, then she must have an idea how we can win this war.”

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