Chapter 255

Ava

It felt surreal, walking alongside Winston through the muddy warrior camp.

Just hours ago, we had been locked in a fierce battle for our lives, and now here we were… walking side by side as allies. I think I even spotted the same female warrior who I had fought before as we passed through the crowd, although I couldn’t be entirely sure.

Chris held me tightly against him the entire way, his arm wrapped protectively around my waist. I could feel the tension in his body, his instincts to protect his pregnant mate on high alert.

The camp was a flurry of activity, warriors from all five packs milling about, tending to injuries, and eyeing us warily as we passed. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, blood, and mud, a stark reminder of the battle that had just taken place here. But it was over. Goddess, it was all over.

Well, not all of it. We still had to handle Olivia, but… The end was so close I could almost taste it on the tip of my tongue.

As we walked, Chris leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear. “Once this is all over,” he murmured, “I’d still like to have an official mating ceremony. What do you say?”

My heart fluttered at his words, and I leaned against him. “Before or after our wedding?” I teased.

He growled softly. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Luna.”

We reached the center of the camp, where Winston’s warriors had gathered, awaiting an announcement. They murmured confusedly amongst themselves as Winston stepped up onto an overturned crate, not that he really needed the extra height considering how tall he already was.

“My warriors,” he began, his voice carrying across the crowd, “I owe you all an apology. I have led you down a path of isolation and conflict, driven by my own fears and pain. But today, I have been reminded of what truly matters.”

He paused, glancing over at me and Chris. His eyes flashed with something that looked like regret, or hope, or maybe both, before he turned back to address the crowd.

“The future of our children, and the world we leave for them,” he finished.

A murmur rippled through the crowd. I saw many warriors exchange glances, some nodding in understanding.

“Many of you are mothers and fathers yourselves,” Winston continued. “You understand the urge to protect your children at all costs. But I have come to realize that true protection comes not from isolation or from power, but from unity. We must work together with the other packs to create a better world for all our children. Not fight against them.”

Winston turned to Chris and the other Alphas, extending his hand. “I would like to formally apologize for my actions and withdraw my declaration of war. From this day forward, I pledge to work alongside our fellow packs for the betterment of all.”

Chris didn’t hesitate to step forward, grasping Winston’s hand firmly. “Moonstone accepts your apology and welcomes you as an ally, Alpha Winston.”

The other Alphas followed suit, each shaking Winston’s hand in turn. As they did so, I could feel a shift in the atmosphere, the tension dissipating like mist in the morning sun. My tired shoulders slumped with relief.

Once the formalities were over and the camp had returned to its earlier bustling atmosphere, Winston turned to Chris. “What can I do to help?” he asked.

Chris’s expression turned grim. “We have another challenge ahead of us. My sister, Olivia, should be arriving in Moonstone in just a few short hours. She’s the one who stole the moonstone and started this whole mess.”

Winston’s eyes narrowed. “Tell me what you need.”

“We’ll discuss more in the tactical tent,” Chris said, then turned to me. “We should check on Leonard first.”

I nodded, and Chris and I made our way to the medical tent. Inside, we found Leonard sitting up in his cot, his leg heavily bandaged. His face was pale, but he managed a weak smile as we entered. But he wasn’t alone.

“Ophelia?” I blurted out. “What… How…”

Ophelia rose, her hands on her hips. “You just ran off earlier!” she hissed, smacking me squarely on the arm. “You scared me half to death! Of course I had to come looking for you!”

I blushed a deep shade of red, rubbing my arm in mock disdain. “I’m sorry, okay?” I laughed. “But I had to. You know I had to.”

Ophelia’s shoulders slumped, and she pulled both me and Chris in for a tight hug. “I’m just glad to see you’re alright, darlings,” she cooed. When she pulled away, her eyes flicked to my belly.

“So you heard the news,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

“Of course I did. Congratulations.”

I felt my cheeks flush, and I quickly turned to Leonard. “How are you feeling?” I asked, moving to his bedside.

Leonard shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement. “I’ve been better, but I’ll live. Thanks to you two.” His eyes locked onto mine. “Especially you, Ava. I don’t remember much from the battle, but I do recall you coming to our rescue.”

Chris beamed, clearly proud. Leonard continued, a puzzled look crossing his face. “There is one thing, though. I could’ve sworn I saw your fur glowing, Ava. Like it was bioluminescent or something.”

I felt Chris stiffen beside me, his eyes widening. Ophelia raised her eyebrows.

I chuckled, shaking my head. “You must have been seeing things, Leonard. Battle fatigue and all that.”

Leonard simply shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he said, but I could see the doubt lingering in his eyes.

Chris cleared his throat. “Well, I’m sorry to cut this short, but we have to head back to the planning tent. You stay here and rest, Leonard.”

“Not a chance,” Leonard grunted. He began to push himself up, grimacing as he put weight on his injured leg. “I may be injured, but I’m staying by my Alpha and Luna’s sides tonight. It’s the least I can do after Ava saved my life earlier.”

Chris, Ophelia and I exchanged looks, but we both knew it would be a fruitless effort to try and convince our friend to stay behind. “Come on, old man,” I teased, opening the tent flap. “Let’s go.”

With Leonard leaning heavily on Chris and Ophelia for support, we made our way back to the planning tent. Inside, the other Alphas were already gathered around a large tactical table, deep in discussion.

Winston looked up as we entered. “Good, you’re here. We’ve been discussing how to use our packs’ natural advantages to surround Moonstone.”

Fabian nodded, pointing to different areas on the map. “My pack is used to fog and mist, giving us enhanced senses. We can cover the outskirts of the village, acting as an early warning system.”

“And my warriors are excellent climbers, given our natural terrain,” Winston added. “We can take the high ground, keeping watch from the rooftops and trees.”

Next, Bernard said, “My pack has a unique ability to communicate through tree roots. We can spread out through the forest, using the root systems as our eyes and ears.”

Then, Edward chimed in, “And my pack has some of the largest and strongest warriors. We can act as the frontliners in case of a scuffle.”

Chris nodded, his eyes scanning the map as he took in all this information. “Excellent. While you surround the perimeter, Leonard, Ava, Ophelia, and I will return to the village and infiltrate the party. We’ll confront Olivia and Elise and whoever else is working with them directly.”

As the Alphas continued to fine-tune their plans, I couldn’t help but step back for a moment just to marvel at the scene. Not long ago, the five packs had all been at odds in some way or another, and now here we all were, working together seamlessly.

It gave me hope for the future—not just for our packs, but for the child growing inside of me.

Eventually, the plans were set. As the Alphas began to disperse to brief their warriors on the situation, Chris turned to me with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“So,” he said, pulling me close. “How about that fancy dress?”