Moonlight Avenger

Ambush Prep

By the time the last grave was covered and the last prayer said, twilight graced the skies. My decisions had lost us an entire day, and I prayed not multiple more lives in the process. “Let’s get going,” I ordered as Mana said the final words.

“Go?” Koda tilted his head at me. “It would be best to stay here for the night. It’s already late and traveling in the dark could be dangerous.”

“I’m not wasting any more time. I have to get to my pack. There wasn’t enough dead here, did they take yours as well, Koda?”

He nodded. “Yes, they did, don’t think that I’m pleased about having to wait. I am trying to do what is best for the pack, including those left behind.” He turned his back to me. “Whatever you choose to do, I am staying here for the night and I’ll set off at first light. The rooms aren’t in the best of shape, but you’re welcome to stay in any you wish.”

Sleep here? I winced at the idea. This place brought back memories, too many memories. I could just imagine Dante’s ghost as he strode this place. No, I couldn’t sleep here. “I’ll sleep outside the gates.”

“I’ll go with you,” Cya promised.

Hades looked between us and Koda. “We’re really sleeping here tonight? We can push on at least for a few hours more. We’ll be losing even more time if we do this, Morgan.”

I knew that too well. “It’s safer here.”

“Doesn’t look that safe to me,” Hades retorted.

“Hades, just trust me,” I ordered as I walked off past him. I had to find clothes. If we were going to stay the night I would be most comfortable up high, not on the ground. But wolves didn’t really climb that well. I reminded myself of a scavenger as I searched from room to room until I found something that I could wear. Thankfully with the bodies to rest the scene was not as grisly as it had been before.

I padded into a restroom and shifted back to my human form. I got dressed and tried to not think of the owner of the clothes I donned. I made my way to Koda’s private quarters. He was too occupied with the others so now was a perfect time. As I pulled out weapons to take with me I tried to forget about where I was and what had happened in this very room the last time I had been there. Yet another reason I had to be cautious of Koda.

The others looked up as I walked out. I ignored them as I went to one of the tallest trees and studied its branches. Plenty of spaces where I could camp out and wait for the inevitable ambush. The sky rumbled at me and I sighed. Mana had warned that the Goddess would weep.

“You’re going up a tree again, aren’t you?” Cya demanded. He too had shifted but unlike me, he hadn’t cared about his modesty. He was at my side in just his glorious skin. “Why always trees, Morgan?” I chuckled at my scaredy-cat. His fear surged through his bond as he started up at the tree. “And always the tallest tree.”

“I need to have a great vantage point. If as many people came through here as Koda claims, then there should be evidence of it from up high. I can’t just trust what others say, you should know that.”

I could sense his attention as I climbed the tree. “Are you coming up with me, Cya? Or am I sleeping alone?”

He groaned. “Come on, Morgan. Why do you always do this to me?”

I looked over my shoulder as I was halfway up. “Come on now, Cya. Trees aren’t always bad, are they?” I winked at him. I turned back to my task but his bond told me all I needed to know. My handsome sweet Cya was blushing as I reminded him of the last time we had fun.

“Is this a private thing?” Drawled Hade's voice. “Or can anyone join you up there, Morgan?”

A quick peek over my shoulder at him revealed that Hades had decided to at least get dressed and he too had gathered some fighting equipment. He didn’t waste time as he climbed the tree as well. “You didn’t even wait for an answer,” I chided him with a cluck of my tongue.

“I know Cya isn’t joining you, and I don’t want you to be lonely. Besides, I’ll get some alone time with you.”

Jealousy flowed through Cya’s bond but it didn’t override his fear. “Cya, I know you don’t like trees, but would you like to be bait?”

“Bait?” He glanced around as the rain started to fall. It made my mate even more glorious as the droplets hit his skin and traveled down across his bare body. Funny how his modesty had eroded over time. “If that’s what you want, Morgan. I’ll do it.”

“It’s either you or Hades, I don’t trust anyone else for that role.”

He glanced over his shoulder back into the base of the pack. “Should you be saying that out loud?”

Koda already knows I don’t trust him. I’m not doing this for him, the both of you know that right?” I demanded as I studied each. Hades had already joined me on my branch of choice and was making himself comfortable.

“I’m glad to hear that, Morgan. I won’t lie, I was worried.”

I rolled my eyes at him as I huffed. “You two should know me better than that by now. I’m not doing this for Koda, but this was my pack once and some of those that died were friends. It put our members at risk, but this is something I had to do.”

“I really hate you guys sometimes,” Cya whimpered. He had not only climbed the tree but he had made it up to where we were. “Wait, how did you guys get clothes? Where can I get clothes?”

My lips twitched. “You could always go back down and find some inside the pack. That’s where I found mine and weapons.”

Cya groaned. “No, I’ll just sit here naked and let the wood dig into me. I’m not going back down until I absolutely have to.” He sat against the base of the tree on the thickest part of the branch. “Just don’t let me fall, please.”

“How can you not be over your fear of heights yet, brother?” Hades sighed and shook his head. “You’re so helpless without me.”

I skid down the tree as I descended once more. “Stay there, Cya. I’ll get you something to wear. I don’t want you getting any splinters tonight, or distracting me.”

“Now look what you did,” Hades complained. “She’s going to find clothes for you. Why couldn’t you have been smarter in the first place?”

I didn’t hear the reply as I walked out of the hearing range and made my way once more back into the living area. I went from room to room searching for something that could fit Cya but more of Koda’s pack was either too small or too big for my mate. I winced as I checked the spot I knew should have something but that I never wanted to be.

I was rummaging through the stone drawers when I heard the door shut. I looked up to see Koda watching me. He was in the frame of the door and I was trapped in my old room unless he decided to move. At least he had the sense to get dressed. I didn’t want to gag at the thought of my old alpha. “What are you doing in Dante’s quarters, Kitten?” I didn’t miss the sultry purr in his voice and I shuddered.

“Getting clothes for my mate.”

He raised a silver eyebrow. He might be older than me, but Koda still had the body of an alpha. A body I remembered well during my last attempt to kill him. “You’re using the clothes for your first mate for your new ones? Doesn’t that seem a little callous to Dante?”

I crossed my arms over my chest. I had a set of daggers hidden in the raggedy boots I had grabbed. They weren’t like the weapons I usually carried, but they would do for now in any case. “I don’t ever want to hear you talking about who is callous to Dante,” I spat. “You’re the reason he died, Koda, and I will never ever forgive you for that.”

He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Retract those claws, Kitten. I’m not here to bring up the old past. I just thought you’d like access to better weaponry than the stuff you stole from me.”

My glare could melt ice at this point. “You’re taking me for a fool, Koda. I know well that you always keep the best in your private quarters.”

“That used to be true, but ever since I was attacked in my own quarters, I have made changes. We can get you outfitted at the armory.”

He didn’t try to come close to me, which I was thankful for. My wolf was demanding obedience again but as I always did with matters that dealt with Koda I shoved her and her opinions aside. “If you’re trying to trick me, Koda, what you went through before will seem like a joke compared to the pain I will unleash this time.”

He chuckled at me which only made my scowl deeper. He rubbed a hand across the scar that decorated his broad muscular chest. “I will never underestimate you again, Morgan. I just want you to be prepared. You know what’s coming right?”

I nodded. “An ambush, I can’t tell how many.”

“Several at least, enough to outnumber us. I’ve been keeping watch for them as much as I’ve been able to while we were traveling and putting our people to rest. I’m not sure normal weapons will be enough. Mana will fight on our side, he’s preparing too.”

I tilted my head. “I’ve never seen a zeta in action. Is it true they have magical powers?”

Koda chuckled. “They do, and he’s already cast one of his spells on this area. Those cats are in for quite the surprise if they attack us tonight.”

“And the wolves?” I questioned.

A dark shadow passed over his face and his laughing demeanor faded away. “The wolves are traitors to their own kind. I’ll do far worse than strip them of their skins. I will not be sated until their blood runs over the land. They took far too much from both of us, and I promise that when I’m through you’ll be calling me the Moonlight Rogue.”

I shook my head. “You’ll never take that title from me, Koda. What I did to you was minor compared to the c*****e that is coming. If the tides of war turn against us, I’ll unleash my wolf and allow her to make the skies rain with gore.”