14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Orion

A s I stepped inside the warehouse, I could feel the tension hanging in the air, colder than usual. The shadows clung to the walls, and my wolves, the ones I trusted most, were already gathered—waiting. Their eyes tracked me as I walked in, their loyalty solid, but I could feel the weight of what we were about to discuss.

“I want to thank you all for coming.” My voice cut through the silence, sharp and clear. “We’ve been patient, too patient. Marcosias has been pushing the boundaries, testing us, and it’s time we remind him who we are. This isn’t just about power anymore. It’s about the Ronala Clan. We are the Ronala Clan, and no dares to come close to us, or those we love.

I expected immediate agreement, but instead, there was a ripple of discomfort. Some of the wolves exchanged uneasy glances. I furrowed my brow, feeling the tension thickening in the air.

“What’s the problem?” I demanded, my eyes scanning the group. These were my men—wolves who had stood by me through countless battles. I trusted them with my life. But now, something was off.

“Orion, we’ve all heard the rumors.” One of my most trusted wolves, Gavin, stepped forward, his gaze hard, voice laced with hesitation. His eyes flickered with something I didn’t like—doubt. “About you and Luna.”

My stomach tightened. This wasn’t the time for this.

“She’s a seer,” another wolf muttered from the back. “An outsider. The clan has rules, traditions—”

“We don’t answer to traditions when we’re at war!” I snapped, cutting him off. “Luna is my mate, prophecy or not. She’s part of this, whether you like it or not.”

“And what does that mean for the clan? Seers have never been accepted among us. You know that. The bond between a seer and an alpha ... it’s unheard of. What if it weakens our pack?” Gavin’s face darkened as he spoke.

“Weakens?” I took a step toward him, my anger flaring. “She’s more powerful than you can imagine. And if you think I’m going to turn my back on her because of some ancient rules, then you don’t know me at all.”

“Orion, no one’s questioning your loyalty to the pack, but … people are talking. Marcosias will use this against you. If you’re not careful, it could divide us from within.” Another wolf, Dylan, shifted uncomfortably.

“Marcosias doesn’t get to dictate what happens within my pack.” My eyes flashed with fury.

But even as I said it, I could feel the weight of their doubts pressing down on me. They weren’t convinced. And in a war, doubt could be deadly.

I took a breath, trying to steady my voice. “I know this is uncharted territory, but Luna’s not a threat to us. She’s an asset. Her visions … they’ve already saved us more times than I can count. Marcosias wants to use her, but he won’t get the chance. We’re going to stop him, and we’ll do it together.”

The room was silent for a moment, tension crackling in the air like static. I could see the uncertainty lingering in their eyes, the unspoken questions. They wouldn’t push me any further—not now—but I knew this wasn’t the end of it.

“Alright,” Gavin said, after a long pause. “We’ll follow your lead, Orion. But we’ll be watching.”

I nodded, trying to ignore the sting of his words. I had to keep moving forward. There wasn’t time for hesitation. Marcosias was getting stronger, and every moment we wasted, he was one step closer to whatever dark plan he was brewing.

As the meeting shifted back to strategy, I leaned forward, my hands flat on the table, forcing myself to focus.

“Alright,” I began, my voice steady, though my mind kept pulling elsewhere. “First, we need to secure our alliances. The Songuan pack is key—they owe us, and we’ll call in that favor. Gavin, you and Dylan will lead the negotiations. We need their fighters, but more importantly, their intel.”

Gavin nodded, scribbling down the details. “They’ll come through, no doubt.”

I continued laying out the plan, my words steady, but something was gnawing at me, a nagging sense that something wasn’t right. My instincts, sharp as ever, were picking up on it, but I couldn’t place it.

“We hit Marcosias hard and fast,” I said, forcing my mind back to the task at hand. “No waiting for him to make the first move. We have to—”

But my voice trailed off as that uneasy feeling grew stronger.

“You alright, Alpha? You seem ... distracted.” Dylan glanced at me, his brow furrowed.

“I’m fine. Let’s stay focused.” I clenched my jaw, pushing back the strange sense of dread creeping up on me.

But the more I tried to push it away, the stronger it got. Like a warning bell in the back of my mind that refused to quiet down.

“Are you sure?” Gavin pressed, eyes narrowing. “If there’s something else—”

“No,” I cut in sharply, frustrated more with myself than anything. “I’m sure. We continue with the plan. Secure the alliances, prepare the wolves. We’ll need everyone on deck when we make our move.”

The rest of the room nodded, but I barely registered it. Something was wrong. I could feel it. I needed to get back to the condo.

“I need to step out for a moment,” I said abruptly, pushing away from the table. “Gavin, finish up the details with the others.”

Gavin shot me a questioning look but nodded, taking over the conversation.

As I made my way to the door, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen.

I answered immediately.

“Jake, what is it?”

“Alpha, it’s Luna. She’s gone. We got knocked out.” Jake’s voice came through, urgent and breathless.

My blood ran cold. The strange feeling—the warning that had been gnawing at me this whole time—it had been right.

“She’s what?” I growled, my voice barely under control.

“She’s gone, sir. She’s been taken.”

Time seemed to slow. My vision tunneled as rage and fear exploded inside me.

“I’m on my way.” I hung up, shoving the phone back into my pocket, my hands trembling with fury. The room of wolves watched me, sensing the shift in my mood.

Without looking back, I barked a single command. “Prepare the pack. We move now.”

There were no questions, no hesitation this time. They saw the fire in my eyes, the lethal edge in my voice, and sprang into action. As we rushed out of the warehouse, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, a storm of emotions swirling inside me—fear, anger, desperation.

I couldn’t lose her.

The moment I stepped into the apartment, my heart sank. It was a wreck. The furniture was upturned, shards of glass littered the floor, and the smell of blood hung thickly in the air. My wolves followed me inside, their eyes scanning the destruction.

“What the hell,” Gavin swore under his breath.

Dylan looked around in shock. But I didn’t care about any of that, I only cared about finding Luna.

I saw Jake first. He was sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall, his face pale, and sweat beading on his forehead. His usually composed face was twisted in frustration and pain. He looked up at me, shame written all over his features.

“I’m sorry, Alpha. It happened so fast. They ... they injected me with something,” he said, voice hoarse, his eyes filled with regret. “I couldn’t ... I couldn’t stop them.”

I stared at him, my blood boiling. My fists clenched at my sides, the fury rising inside me like wildfire.

Before I could stop myself, I slammed my fist into the wall next to me. The drywall caved under the force, crumbling around my knuckles, as a dent formed. Pain flared up my arm for a brief second before my wolf healed the wound almost instantly.

“She’s gone,” I growled, my voice low and dangerous. “They took her.”

Jake lowered his head. “Yes, Alpha. I—”

“Enough,” I barked, cutting him off. There was no time for apologies. No time for guilt. Only action. “We need to find her. Now.”

Gavin stepped forward, his eyes scanning the damage around us. “Where would Marcosias take her? He wouldn’t bring her to his main camp—not yet. Too risky.”

Dylan joined in, his brow furrowed. “Maybe one of his hideouts? He’s got those warehouses on the east side of town. The ones we haven’t been able to track down yet.”

I paced, my mind racing, fury burning in every nerve of my body. “He’ll want to keep her close but hidden. He knows we’ll come for her. Marcosias is arrogant, but he’s not stupid. He’s planning something bigger—he knows what she is, and he’ll use her to tip the balance of power.”

“We need to move quickly. He won’t wait long to use her.” Gavin crossed his arms.

I nodded, already running through the possibilities in my head.

“So, we’re going to war, then.” Dylan smirked, but there was no humor in his eyes.

“Yes. We’re going to war.” I looked at him, my voice filled with grim certainty.

“I’ve got a few men who can join us. They’re ready for a fight.” Jake slowly rose to his feet, still shaky but determined.

“I need just ten men,” I said firmly. “We go in with a small group. Marcosias will expect an army, but we hit him with precision. Gavin, Dylan, Jake—you’re with me. We move fast and quiet, take out anyone in our way.”

“What’s the plan, boss?” Dylan took a gun, checking the magazine with a grim expression.

“We hit him hard and fast. We find Luna, and we take out anyone who stands in our way,” I growled, voice low and lethal. “And if Marcosias shows his face ...”

I didn’t need to finish the sentence. The others nodded, their faces set in stone. They knew what this meant. We were going in to save Luna, but we weren’t leaving without blood.

The four of us suited up, armed to the teeth, and ready for war.

“Jake, make sure your men are ready, just in case we need backup. But the plan is to go in quietly and find Luna.”

My wolf was on edge, sensing that this was only the beginning of something far worse.

I clenched my jaw, eyes hardening. I would tear through Marcosias’ entire clan, if that’s what it took to get Luna back.

“Let’s move,” I ordered, and we stormed out of the condo, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

We tore through the city, my wolves following close behind, as we tracked Marcosias’ warehouse in the outskirts of town.

I barely had time to give orders before we stormed the place. Everyone moved silently, spreading out to cover every entrance. I couldn’t afford any mistakes. Not when Luna’s life was on the line.

As we breached the entrance, the smell of blood hit me first. I swallowed the rising panic and forced myself to focus. We cleared room after room, my heart racing with every corner we turned.

And then, I saw her.

Luna was tied to a chair in the center of a dimly lit room, her face pale, but her eyes were sharp, full of defiance. Relief flooded me at the sight of her alive, but it was short-lived.

Before I could reach her, the door behind me slammed shut, and the shadows shifted. Marcosias stepped out from the darkness, his grin wide and sinister.

“Well, well, Alpha,” he sneered. “You finally made it. I was beginning to think you didn’t care about your precious seer. You just walked into my trap.”