The Rise Of The Betrayed Luna (Amorah and Holmes) novel Chapter 72

AMORAH

I remained where I was after the report was delivered, watching Conrad as he processed the information without rushing into action. His expression did not change, but the change in his focus was clear as he turned toward his inner circle and began issuing instructions with precision.

The room responded immediately, wolves moving with purpose as his commands spread through the territory without delay.

“Double the watch on all outer routes, not just the Hollow,” he ordered, his voice carrying across the space without strain. “No movement goes unchecked, and I want confirmation before anything crosses into our ground”

A few of his wolves stepped forward to acknowledge the order, their posture firm as they moved to carry it out. I stayed beside him, taking in the way everything adjusted around his presence, not through force, but through certainty that did not need to be repeated.

It gave me a clearer understanding of what it meant to stand beside someone who held this level of authority without hesitation.

I shifted slightly, folding my arms as I turned my attention back to him. “If she is gathering witnesses, then this is no longer something she plans to hide,” I said, my tone even as I laid out the thought.

Conrad glanced at me, his attention settling fully before he responded. “Public rites are harder to challenge once completed,” he replied. “If enough wolves see it happen, it becomes accepted before anyone questions it.”

I nodded slowly, taking that in as the pieces began to align in a way that made sense. “So she is not just trying to complete the ritual,” I added. “She is making sure it cannot be denied afterward.”

“That is the direction she is moving in,” he answered, his gaze/moving briefly toward the map laid out nearby before returning to me. “Which means she expects interruption and is preparing to make it irrelevant.”

I stepped closer to the table, placing my hand lightly against the edge as I looked over the marked locations. “Then Obsidian Hollow is not just a site,” I continued. “It is a stage, and she wants an audience when it happens.”

He moved beside me without hesitation, his shoulder close enough that I was aware of him without needing to look. “And she wants you there,” he added, his voice lower now, meant only for me!

I I did not respond immediately, letting the weight of that settle before I spoke again. “Then we do not give her what she wants without terms,” I replied, lifting my gaze to meet his.

His eyes stayed on mine for a moment longer than necessary, and there was something in that pause that neither of us addressed. “We do not walk into it unprepared,” he said, his tone firm as he straightened slightly.

The conversation paused there, not because there was nothing left to say, but because the direction had already been decided. Around us, the movement continued, wolves carrying out orders and adjusting positions without confusion. I stayed where I was, aware of how close he still stood, and how neither of us had stepped away.

After a moment, I shifted my attention back to the map, tracing one of the outer routes with my finger. “If she is bringing in witnesses, then she will need to control access,” I said. “She cannot risk disruption before the rite begins.”

“She will secure the area early,” he replied. “And she will use multiple routes to move them in without drawing attention.

I glanced at him again, narrowing my focus. “Then we track those routes before they fill, I suggested. “We watch who comes in, not just where they gather.”

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Chapter 72

They are holding–Lsaid, furning toward him.

“They will continue to hold,” he replied, his tone firm.

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I nodded once, accepting that before shifting my focus back to the situation at hand. “Then we prepare for what comes next,” I said.

“We do,” he answered.

The moment did not stretch further this time, both of a turning our attention back to the work that needed to be done. The connection between us remained, but it did not distract from what was ahead.

The sound of approaching footsteps cut through the space, and one of the scouts moved in quickly, stopping a few steps away from Conrad. His posture was tight, his breathing controlled as he delivered his report without delay.

“Movement confirmed near Obsidian Hollow,” he began. “Multiple groups arriving, not all of them identifiable.” Conrad’s expression sharpened slightly, his focus narrowing. “From where,” he asked.

“Some match Duskveil patterns,” the scout replied. “Others do not match any known pack structure.”

The words settled heavily in the room, shifting the tension in a way that could not be ignored. I felt my focus sharpen immediately, the implications clear without needing further explanation.

“She is bringing in outsiders,” I said, my voice low.

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