The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert novel Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Lachlan had been truly terrified a few times in his life, but this one was probably the worst. Going into that battle, he knew that not everyone would return. However, seeing a full-size dragon with dark blue and green scales flying right above their heads and taking out most of the werebirds in one go paralysed the mighty Beta with fear for his new mate. Feathers were flying everywhere- red, blue, white,

black, and every other colour imaginable. The sight was so beautiful and horrifying at the same time. Whenever a black feather landed in

front of his eyes, he wondered if it was Zara’s, and the anger seethed in him. He had already lost a mate once. He couldn’t do it

again.

Lachlan dug his teeth into an enormous white bear who tried to kill one of his men. These beasts were so big now, almost invincible, but the hate and the painful agony made the Beta blind to the unequal power distribution between them. He did not care. He would fight and die here if he absolutely had to. Especially if Zara…

He did not get to finish that thought as a huge black hawk reappeared to claw his enemy’s eyes out. Just the glimpse of her allowed him to breathe again, and he deepened his canines into the white beast.

Zara was making short, tactical attacks, where she dived down, trying to hurt the enemy’s vision, and then flew back up quickly to avoid their claws. Only to return to repeat everything until her goal was achieved. She did not let herself think of the flock that was once hers. She did not let herself dwell on the fact that she was the one who brought them here. Most of them had died, and there was nothing she could do. Although they considered Joran taking part in the war, they did not expect a flying freaking dragon. No one had seen one for so long…

And now she was angry. Angry that her attempt to help cost so many lives, angry that her part of the plan failed, angry that she couldn’t do anything.

But she could do one thing and that was fight by her mate’s side until death indeed parted them today.

Ash ignored the blood trickling down his side as he was surrounded by two gigantic foxes that looked like they were a product of some crazy scientist’s experiment. Joran’s blessing looked like a mutation on them. If he didn’t know any better, he’d take them for

demons from hell, not foxes. But unfortunately, that knowledge did not help him during his fight. They were too strong, too fast for him.

Although usually, he could defeat a couple of redfurs with his eyes closed.

He charged at one of them, aiming for his neck, but missed again. And what was worse, the other one jumped on top of him, nailing him to the cold frosty ground. This was a position impossible to get out of for a wolf, especially since the first fox prepared to deliver the

final blow.

A bolt of quick pink lightning flashed before his eyes, and Ash’s heart sank. Petra threw herself at the fox on top of him, knocking him off with a growl. The beast was about to pounce towards her when a huge white bear appeared, scaring him off.

Ash tore the throat of the fox in front of him like it was nothing, although he was struggling just a few seconds ago. Seeing Petra

against this bear made his blood boil in his veins.

The bear recognised his mate. He did not plan to kill her. He wanted her and was now trying to back her into the woods. This realisation made Ash more furious than he had ever been. The Alpha in him couldn’t let this happen. The Alpha in him did not want to

share. The Alpha in him knew that this little black and pink wolf belonged to him.

Petra was his, and the bear was a dead beast walking.

Ash knew he would protect her no matter what.

Although everyone begged him to stay with Riannon for protection, Kyle had to politely decline the offer because of the one woman who had been on his mind for a while now. Even if she did not want it and objected every step of the way, even if she would reject him when everything was over as she promised to do many times, he couldn’t leave her alone on the battlefield. Claude and Chloe were more than capable of taking care of the footage and the coverage, and his Queen agreed that she did not need him for protection, leaving a few other lycans by her side.

Besides, in a massive war like this, every warrior was priceless.

And this… this was so much worse than their previous battle with the foxes that he started to think that he wouldn’t make it. One of

the bears had already injured his foot, but as a lycan, he could still work with that.

However, after the bloody dragon destroyed one of their main advantages, the majority of the werebirds, he couldn’t help but feel

pessimistic. Especially as he watched the witches who came to help them now simply defending themselves with their magical shields. If no one would get there soon, they would all be dead. So much for an alliance…

He could smell Evelyn and tried to follow her scent through the battlefield, searching for Petra’s scent as well. If Evelyn was here, she

would still be trying to protect her girl.

Kyle could feel that she was near, but in the chaos of wolves, cats, bears and foxes, and other creatures, he couldn’t move fast.

Someone was constantly attacking him, life hanging by a thread, blood spraying the frozen field. They had to manoeuvre between the

colossal ice spikes with the biggest bears’ bodies pierced on top of them. The work of Amarok for sure. It was a mess, and he couldn’t get

through, no matter how much he tried.

Though he tried to brush them away, gloomy thoughts were not leaving his mind. It did not look like they would be able to win today despite everything they did and tried.

Three white bears circled around him, trying to cut him off from everyone else. They were attacking lycans in groups, while foxes and brown bears were taking care of werecats and werewolves. That was a smart decision because, in the past hour, Kyle saw a few of his

friends lose their lives because of that tactic.

He bared his teeth, demonstrating to them that it wouldn’t work with him. He’d make them bleed before they…

His thought was cut short when a red wolf knocked one of them off their paws, digging his canines in a death grip around his neck. And before Kyle could act again, something absolutely unexpected happened, and one of the two remaining bears attacked the

other

This temporarily stopped him from advancing as he took a quick glance around the battlefield. Now bears were fighting other bears,

and this… this was new.

Aspen did not believe in Brigit’s words and promises. It did not matter what her little sister told him. His mate… his ex-mate was not

to be trusted.

Once, he was ready to give everything for one smile of hers. He was ready to love and cherish her, to kiss the ground she walked on, but she chose to betray him. His blind faith in her cost him his human legs. Now he would be a cripple until the day he died. Which, by the

look of things, would be today.

He was looking for her, knowing that although her sister promised them that Brigit would turn the tables in the middle of the fight and join them with their father’s old clan, those were just empty words. The same as her confessions of love during their one and only

passionate night together.

Empty.

Useless.

Lies.

When he smelled her presence, he left a trail of dead foxes behind him and charged straight at her, seeing how she was going to attack that western pup alongside two of her comrades-in-arms. He wanted it to be a clean kill.

One good blow and the turmoil of his life would be gone.

She deserved it for all the betrayals.

He wanted this more than anything. He wanted to be done with her.

And yet… at the last moment, he pounced at a different white bear, knowing very well that it wasn’t her.

However, when he was done with that one and turned to look for Brigit again, he saw her fighting her own kind. He saw how many

other white bears followed her lead.

This could have been their turning point now….

However, he did not see his King or his Queen. Moreover, the Western Lycan King was gone as well. And all this did not promise

anything good.

Riannon was expecting the Serpent. It was the only reason why she wasn’t on the battlefield now, and she was happy that she had

interpreted yet another vision of hers correctly. However dangerous that was.

The Serpent needed answers, but so did she. And Ria knew she would be safe until he got what he wanted. Maybe even later if she

played that right.

“Welcome, Joran,” the Luna hopped off the desk she was sitting on as the intruder took in the empty room, and an understanding smile curled his lips.

“So, you’ve been expecting me,” the deity brushed his hand through his dark blonde hair and sneered at the Western Queen. “It’s

for the best, I guess. Saves us time.”

“And lives,” Riannon added, remembering her first vision of this encounter. In her dream, the deity killed several people to clarify his point. Luckily, Riannon already learned that knowledge was power and that with its help, she could alter the future. She had done it before, and she was doing it now.

“I was probably in a worse mood in your visions,” the man chuckled. “I hate having to explain the obvious. This is why I think we would work great together. You already know everything I want to ask. So, why don’t you just give it to me.”

“I wouldn’t say so,” she shrugged nonchalantly, biding for time. “My visions are usually very hectic and leave more questions than

answers.”

“I’d still take everything you have to tell me, Seer,” Joran insisted.