ELENA'S POV
"Get her inside!" I command Marcus.
He carries the bleeding girl into our small cabin while I stand guard at the door. The howls are getting closer—at least eight wolves, maybe more.
Sage clutches Marcus's arm, her eyes wide with terror. "They'll kill all of you for helping me. Witches aren't allowed to live with wolf packs. It's forbidden."
"Says who?" I growl, my silver wolf rising to the surface.
"The old laws. Witches and wolves have been enemies for centuries."
"Well, I don't follow old laws." I grab a weapon—a steel pipe Marcus found in the abandoned buildings. "Marcus, stay with her. I'll handle this."
"Elena, you're four months pregnant," Marcus protests. "You can't fight a whole pack—"
"Watch me."
I walk out to meet the hunting party as they burst into our clearing. The lead wolf is huge, scarred, with cold yellow eyes. He shifts to human form, and I recognize the cruelty in his face immediately.
"Alpha Garrett," Sage whispers from behind me. "My old Alpha."
"Give me the witch," Garrett demands, "and I'll let you live, rogue."
"She's under my protection now." I stand tall despite my racing heart. "Leave my territory."
"Your territory?" Garrett laughs, and his pack joins in. "This is abandoned land. You're just a pregnant rogue squatting in ruins."
"I'm Alpha Elena of Northvale Pack." My voice carries power I'm still learning to control. "And this is my land. Leave. Now."
Garrett's smile fades. "You're the rejected Luna everyone's talking about. Chase Rex's castoff."
The words sting, but I don't let it show.
"The witch killed one of my pack members," Garrett continues. "She used dark magic. That's a death sentence."
"I didn't kill anyone!" Sage shouts. "Your warrior attacked me when I refused to marry him! I only defended myself!"
"Witches don't get to defend themselves against wolves," Garrett snarls. "Now hand her over, or we'll take her. And your little territory too."
His wolves spread out, circling our cabin. Eight against three, with one of us pregnant and one barely trained.
We're going to die.
Then Sage steps forward, her hands glowing with strange purple light. "If you want me, Alpha Garrett, come and get me."
"Sage, don't—" I start.
"I won't let you die protecting me." The young witch's voice is steady despite her tears. "I've been running my whole life. I'm tired of running."
"Such brave words for a dead girl," Garrett mocks.
"Maybe." Sage's hands glow brighter. "But I'm taking you with me."
The purple light explodes outward.
Garrett's wolves yelp and scatter as magical energy slams into them. Trees shake. The ground trembles. Sage is powerful—much more powerful than she looks.
But it's not enough. Garrett himself barely flinches, protected by his Alpha strength.
"Impressive," he admits. "But magic can't stop me, little witch."
He charges.
I throw myself between them, my silver wolf erupting. We collide mid-air, and the impact sends us both crashing into the dirt.
Garrett's stronger. Older. More experienced.
But I'm fighting for my pack. My family. My babies.
I slash at his throat. He dodges and rakes claws down my side. Pain explodes, but I don't stop. Can't stop.
"You're weak," Garrett taunts, pinning me down. "Just like they said. A failure as Luna, a failure as Alpha."
His jaws open wide, going for my throat.
Then Marcus's massive black wolf hits him like a freight train.
They roll away, snarling and biting. Marcus is good, but Garrett's pack is joining in now. Three wolves against one.
"Marcus!" I scramble to help him.
"Elena, the babies!" Sage screams.
I look down and see blood. Too much blood. Not from my wounds—from between my legs.
No. No no no.
"The stress," Sage gasps, running to me. "The fighting—it's triggering early labor!"
"I'm only four months—the babies can't—they'll die—"
"Not if I help." Sage's hands glow again, this time with softer, golden light. "I can use magic to speed their development. Make them strong enough to survive being born early. But Elena, it's dangerous. The babies might not be... normal afterward."
"What do you mean not normal?"
"Magic changes things. They might have abilities no wolf pup has ever had." Sage meets my eyes desperately. "But it's this or watch them die. Choose now!"
Marcus screams. Garrett has him pinned, teeth in his throat.
"Do it!" I gasp. "Save them! Save my babies!"
Sage's golden magic pours into me.
The pain is indescribable. My body convulses. Everything inside me is changing, shifting, growing too fast.
Through the agony, I hear Garrett laugh. "Look at that. The Alpha's killing herself trying to birth bastard pups. How pathetic."
"They're not bastards," I snarl through the pain. "They're miracles."
The golden light around me suddenly turns silver.
Sage gasps. "That's not my magic anymore. That's yours. Elena, your power—it's awakening something ancient."
The silver light explodes outward like a shockwave.
Every wolf in the clearing is thrown backward—including Garrett. They slam into trees, yelping in shock.
"Impossible," Garrett breathes. "That's Luna magic. True Luna magic from the old bloodlines."
"My babies," I gasp, feeling them move inside me. "They're coming."
"Not here!" Sage helps me stand. "Marcus, buy us time!"
Marcus, bleeding but alive, shifts to human form and grabs weapons. "Go! I'll hold them!"
Sage half-carries me into the cabin. The contractions are coming faster now, powered by magic and desperation.
"I can't do this," I sob. "I don't know how—"
"You're an Alpha. You'll do it because you have no choice." Sage's voice is firm. "Now push!"
Outside, I hear Marcus fighting. Hear Garrett's wolves attacking our cabin.
Inside, I'm fighting my own battle.
Hours pass. Or maybe minutes. Time stops meaning anything except pain and pushing and praying.
Then I hear it.
A cry. High and strong.
"A girl!" Sage laughs, placing a tiny, perfect baby in my arms. "You have a daughter!"
I stare at her in wonder. She's so small, but her eyes—goddess, her eyes are already open. Already glowing silver like mine.
"One more," Sage says. "The boy's coming."
Another cry joins his sister's.
"A son," Sage whispers, placing him beside his sister. "Twins. A boy and a girl."
I hold them both, crying. They're perfect. Alive. Mine.
"Aria," I whisper to my daughter. "And Aiden."
They look up at me with ancient, knowing eyes. Too aware for newborns.
"The magic changed them," Sage confirms quietly. "They're not normal wolf pups, Elena. They're something more."
Outside, the fighting stops suddenly.
Marcus stumbles into the cabin, bleeding heavily. "Elena, we have a problem."
"What—"
"The Continental Council is here."
My blood runs cold. The Continental Council rules all packs in North America. They enforce the old laws.
And the old laws say witches and wolves can't live together.
Through the window, I see them. Ten wolves wearing Council insignias. And leading them is an elderly man with white hair and eyes that have seen centuries.
"Alpha Elena of Northvale," his voice booms. "You have broken the ancient laws by harboring a witch. By giving birth to magically-altered pups. You are summoned to stand trial."
"I just gave birth," I shout back. "My babies are hours old!"
"Then you have three days to recover." The old man's eyes are cold. "After that, you will appear before the Council. If you refuse, we will take your territory, your pack, and your children."
"You can't—"
"We can. We have. We will." He turns to leave, then pauses. "Oh, and Alpha Elena? Alpha Chase Rex has requested to speak at your trial."
My heart stops. "Why?"
"He claims you're carrying his heirs. And under pack law, that gives him certain rights." The old man smiles. "This should be very interesting."
They disappear into the forest.
I look down at my babies—at Aria with her already-glowing silver eyes, at Aiden with his tiny fists clenched like a warrior.
"What have I done?" I whisper.
"You survived," Sage says firmly. "You saved us all. Now we just have to survive three more days."
But we all know the truth.
In three days, the Continental Council will decide if I keep my babies.
Or if Chase Rex gets them instead.