THE LUNA WHO CONQUERED DEATH novel Chapter 39

Episode 26-1

THE LUNA WHO CONQUERED DEATH

Chapter 26: The First Strike

Three months had passed since the summit, and peace was a lie.

I felt the attack coming before the warning bells rang. My Alpha senses, sharpened by pregnancy hormones and my daughter’s magic, picked up the wrongness in the air.

“Adrian,” I said quietly, setting down my tea. We were in our quarters, reviewing school applications. “We have company. The unfriendly kind.”

He was on his feet instantly, moving to the window. Below, smoke rose from the eastern border.

The traditionalists had finally made their move.

“How many?” he asked, already reaching for his phone.

I closed my eyes, feeling through the pack bonds. “Twenty, maybe thirty. All trained warriors. They’re hitting

the lumber mill.” My eyes snapped open. “Where the omega families work.”

Of course, they were. Maximum casualties, maximum message: your reforms get people killed.

I was moving before I’d consciously decided, heading for the door.

Adrian caught my arm. “Sera, you’re three months pregnant. Let Marcus handle this.”

“They attacked MY pack. I’m handling it.” I pulled free gently but firmly. “You can come with me or stay

here. Your choice.”

He muttered something that sounded like a curse in three languages. “Coming with you. Obviously. But Katherine is going to kill me if you get hurt.”

“Get in line. She’s been threatening that since I announced the pregnancy.”

We raced downstairs. Marcus was already in the main hall, organizing response teams Lucas had

warriors gearing up. The Pack House was controlled chaos.

“Status?” I demanded.

“The Eastern lumber mill is under attack,” Marcus reported. “Twenty–seven hostiles, all wearing unmarked gear. Professional. They’ve taken workers hostage.”

My blood ran cold. “How many hostages?”

“Fifteen. Including Susan Chen and her daughter.”

Sophie.

Silver light flickered around my hands involuntarily. Adrian put a steadying hand on my back.

Episode 26

“What are their demands?” I asked, forcing calm.

“They want you to rescind the omega equality laws. Publicly apologized for ‘corrupting pack tradition.’ And stepped down as Alpha Marcus’s jaw was tight. “They gave us one hour.”

“Or?”

“Or they start executing hostages. One every ten minutes until you comply.”

The hall went silent. Every wolf present was looking at me, waiting to see what their Alpha would do.

I could give them what they wanted. Rescind the laws, step down, save those fifteen lives.

And doom every omega, every marginalized wolf, in every pack that was watching to see if reform could work..

“We have one hour,” I said. “Then we get our people back. All of them. Alive.”

“How?” Lucas asked.

“We give them exactly what they want.” I smiled, and it was all teeth. “Me.”

4

“Absolutely not,” Adrian said immediately. “That’s obviously a trap.”

“Of course it’s a trap. But it’s also an opportunity.” I turned to Marcus. “Get me everything you can on these attackers. Who sent them, what pack they’re from, who’s funding them. I want names.”

“On it.” He moved toward the security office.

I looked at Lucas. “Position warriors around the perimeter. Don’t engage unless I give the signal. If this

goes wrong, I want an overwhelming force ready.”

“Sera,” Adrian’s voice was low, dangerous. “You can’t seriously be considering walking into a hostage situation while pregnant.”

“I’m considering saving fifteen pack members who are only in danger because they trusted my leadership.”

I met his ice–blue eyes. “I won’t let them die for my choices.”

“Then let me go with you.”

“No. They want me alone. If I bring backup, they’ll know it’s a trap.” I touched his face gently. “But I need

you to do something else. Something important.”

“What?”

“Find out who’s behind this. Not just the warriors executing it, the people who planned it.” I lowered my voice. “This is too coordinated to be random traditionalists. Someone with resources, intelligence, and planning capability did this.”

His expression shifted from protective to predatory. “I’ll find them.”

“I know you will.” I kissed him quickly. “Now go. We don’t have much time.”

Episode 26-2

Thirty minutes later, I stood at the eastern border alone, hands raised to show I was unarmed.

The lumber mill was eerily quiet. Smoke still rose from a storage building they’d set on fire as a distraction. Through the windows, I could see figures moving. Hostages on the floor. Armed wolves are guarding them.

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