THE LUNA WHO CONQUERED DEATH novel Chapter 53

Episode 32-2

Claim

We moved Torres to a secure vehicle. As we drove back to Crescent Moon, he kept glancing nervously at the windows.

“They use silver extensively,” he said quietly. “Silver bullets, silver blades, silver dust that disrupts supernatural healing. Your warriors need to be prepared for that.”

“How do you know so much about their methods?”

“Because I was working with them.” The admission came out flat. “That’s how I.know they’re coming. They approached me months ago, offered funding for the traditionalist movement in exchange for intelligence about reformed packs.”

“You sold us out to human hunters?” Marcus’s voice

4

2adly.

“I sold information to people I thought were just wealthy traditionalist benefactors. I didn’t realize what they really were until it was too late.” Torres looked at me. “When I figured it out, when I tried to pull back, they killed Council Member Harris as a warning. Made it look like a car accident.”

“Why not go to the Council?”

“Because I didn’t know who else was compromised. For all I knew, half the Council was working with the Hunters.” He slumped in his seat. “So I ran. Gathered evidence. And hoped I’d live long enough to bargain with it.”

We arrived at Crescent Moon after midnight. Katherine was waiting with a security team, her expression grim.

“The European students are terrified,” she said immediately. “Word spread about Brennan’s death. They think the European Alphas had him killed for supporting us.”

“It wasn’t the Alphas,” I explained quickly about the Hunters, seeing her face pale.

“The Covenant of Ash. I thought they were extinct.”

“You’ve heard of them?”

ľ

“My grandmother fought them in the 1800s. She barely survived.” Katherine’s hands clenched. “If they’re back, if they’re organized… Sera, this is worse than any Alpha coalition. These are humans who’ve spent

centuries learning how to kill our kind.”

“Then we learn how to kill them back.” I felt cold determination settling over me. “Torres is going to tell us

everything. Meanwhile, we fortify defenses, warn our allies, and prepare students for a different kind of

threat.”

“The students can’t fight trained hunters.”

“They won’t have to. But they need to know what they’re facing.” I turned to Marcus. “Call an emergency

Episode 32-2

pack meeting. Everyone needs to hear this.”

Claim

An hour later, I stood before my assembled pack, pregnant and exhausted but projecting strength I didn’t entirely feel.

“We have a new threat,” I began. “An organization called the Covenant of Ash. They’re hunters–humans who specialize in killing supernatural beings. They’ve been operating in secret for centuries, and now they’re targeting reformed packs and Daughters specifically.“–

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Fear and anger in equal measure.

“How do we fight humans?” someone called out. “Council law forbids harming non–supernatural beings.”

“Council law was written before humans organized military operations against us.” I let that sink in. “These aren’t innocent civilians. They’re trained killers with advanced weapons. We defend ourselves.”

“Even lethal force?” Lucas asked quietly.

“If necessary, yes.” The words felt heavy. “But we’re not starting a war with humanity. We’re defending our right to exist against specific threats.”

Sophie Chen raised her hand. “What about pack members who can’t fight? Pups, elderly, pregnant

wolves…”

Do What

春季

I smiled slightly at the pointed inclusion. “Safe houses are being established. If hunters attack,

to protected locations.”

non–combatants evacu

“Where?” her mother, Susan, asked.

“Multiple sites. Some on–pack territory, some in allied locations. The fewer people who know all the

locations, the safer everyone is.” I looked out at my pack. “I won’t lie to you. This is dangerous. But we’ve

faced worse. We survived a Council conspiracy, a coalition war, and European Alpha interference. We’ll

survive this, too.”

“What do you need from us?” Patricia Lowell spoke up from the elder section.

“Vigilance. If you see anything suspicious, strangers watching the territory, unusual activity near borders, anything, report it immediately.” I paused. “And I need volunteers. Wolves are willing to train specifically

for anti–Hunter combat. This is a dangerous duty, but necessary.”

Hands shot up throughout the crowd. Young warriors, older fighters, even some omegas who’d been

training since the reforms.

My pack, ready to defend what we’d built.

After the meeting, I found Torres in a secure holding room, transferring files to our encrypted server.

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