49. Mason

Chapter forty-nine

Mason

T he streets of the town quickly gave way as we raced toward the forest's edge. Streetlights faded behind us, replaced by the soft glow of the moon overhead. As we hit the tree line, the world transformed. The forest was alive with whispers of the night. Moonlight filtered through the canopy of towering maples and oaks, their leaves rustling softly in the cool breeze. Stands of white pine and eastern hemlock added to the mix, their evergreen scent sharp and invigorating in the crisp air.

I ran silently, and beside me, Shya's wolf form moved with deadly grace. Her fur gleamed in the dim light, muscles rippling beneath her coat with each powerful stride.

I leaned in close to Shya. "Tristan will have been planning to hit after the ceremony when the Pack is most distracted with the celebrations. If his mole is still in contact, he'll know you left. He'll be reassessing right now."

Shya's ear twitched in acknowledgment, and she pressed further into the forest, her nose following a scent.

I tilted my head back and inhaled deeply.

Ah. She wanted to see who I'd brought with me.

As we went over a small rise, a cluster of familiar figures came into view.

Derek stood at the center of the group, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His eyes were alert and calculating, on a constant scan of the surroundings.

Flanking Derek were Sam and AJ, their faces wearing matching expressions of grim determination. Milly's petite frame was barely visible behind Derek, but her presence was undeniable. Her lean, muscular body was tense, ready to attack.

Jem and Esme stood slightly apart from the others, Jem standing protectively in front.

I felt Shya tense beside me.

"I brought help. Ryan and Mai wanted to come, but there's a situation in Three Rivers that they need to deal with."

Shya relaxed slightly as she moved toward them. Esme's face lit up as Shya got nearer. "Shya! Lookee at you. I saw your wolf once before, but I didn't realize just how pretty you are! I will be a beautiful wolf, too, one day. Mine will soar on the winds and—"

Jem coughed loudly, drowning out what Esme was saying, though I thought I heard something about tiny flailing pieces of ash, screaming in pain, but that couldn't be right.

"It is good to see you again, Shya," Jem said after he had finished coughing. "Esme and I are here to help in any way we can. Hopefully, we will end this today."

Esme bounced up and down on her heels, radiating excitement. "Oh, yes! You'll have our top level of help today. Not the tippy-toe careful help. No, not that. Today is for bold action. Jem told me. He's my brother, you know. And I've been practicing my magic. Though that's supposed to be hush-hushy. But I trust you all. Even Sam. He's the Wolf Council now, but his heart tells me things. He won't betray me to a horrid death."

Sam frowned, his eyes darting from Esme to Jem and back again.

"And I can do all sorts of magic—"

"Esme," Jem said gently. "Remember what we talked about? Careful with the details."

Esme's face fell slightly, but she nodded. "Yes, yes. I remember. Tippy-toe careful with details. But I was only telling what I can do, not that I do it." She placed a finger over her mouth, holding her lips shut. Then tried to speak around her finger. "See, I can do tippy-toe careful!"

Derek nodded to me. "We spotted Tristan's forces. They're positioning themselves upwind of the ceremony clearing."

Milly moved to stand beside Derek. "From what we could see, he's brought a small army with him."

"He must have brought most of his Pack. I counted at least two hundred."

"Two hundred and seventeen, to be exact," Milly replied. "I did a thorough count while we were scouting. And they're well-armed. I spotted quite a few with silver weapons. They came prepared for battle."

"Are they moving to attack?" I asked, feeling the tension ratchet up a notch.

AJ shook his head, his eyes never leaving the treeline. "Not yet. If we're quick, we might be able to get the drop on them before they can make their move on the Bridgetown Pack."

"We stick to the plan, then. Everyone know their roles?"

The others nodded.

I sensed Shya's doubt radiating off her in waves. Her green eyes darted between our small group and the direction of Tristan's forces. I knew what she was thinking—we were vastly outnumbered.

I smiled, a touch of mischief in my eyes. "We have a secret weapon they won't be expecting. Something that'll even the odds."

Shya tilted her head, then with a sharp huff, she turned and began trotting toward where Tristan's forces waited.

I pivoted to the others. "You heard the princess. Let's move out."