“We should go now!” I growled.

“Liam, I need time to assemble the warriors and get the pack on board. Only a select few know what’s going on. We should have told everyone days ago!” Damien shouted.

“We know where my mate is!” I argued.

“I want Azalea back as much as you do!” he countered.

I roared at his words.

“Alright, maybe not quite as much, but very close. She is my Luna! But we can’t run in there without a plan and backup!”

I tried to calm myself and Gavin. Logically, he was right. I stood no real chance against Warwick’s army, no matter how strong I was. But logic wasn't controlling my actions. I knew where my mate and daughter were being held, and the conditions they were in. Every fiber of my being yearned to rescue them. I needed Azalea safe in my arms.

Damien eyed me warily. “Fine,” I growled. “You have until morning. Tell everyone and get them ready to leave.”

“We have reliable information now. We know exactly where they are, and Vlad gave us details on how to get to them. We may not know how many to expect, but we have a much better picture,” Damien reasoned. An involuntary growl escaped at the mention of Vlad’s name.

“I know!” I snapped. I couldn’t focus on anything but getting to Azalea. Who knew if she and the baby were okay?

“If you aren’t going to talk to the pack or the other Alphas, you need to speak with Maddox. He’s a flight risk; he shouldn’t have been in that room,” Damien said. Maddox had rushed from the prison after the interrogation. He’d barely maintained his composure.

“He had just as much right as the rest of us. Missy is his mate, and Vlad contributed to her disappearance!”

“It isn’t that simple!” Damien sighed. “Look, Liam, I can’t argue with you. If you want to depart by morning, we’ll do our best to be ready. But, for Azalea and Missy’s sake, don’t run off unprepared. What will happen to your mate if you get hurt rescuing her?”

I turned and stormed away, ignoring him. I was getting her out tomorrow, one way or another. Warwick wouldn't keep my mate from me, even if it killed me.

I found Maddox outside the cabin. The front windows were broken, and the rock in his hand explained how. “Maddox,” I called. He turned, his pain mirroring my own. He was struggling to cope, as I was. One of his mate’s abductors was right under his nose, and he was helpless. He hadn't even had a chance to properly bond with her yet.

He said nothing as I approached. “Come with me,” I said. He nodded slowly. I headed into the woods, shifting once we were away from the cabin. He followed, quickly catching up.

“Where are we going?” he asked. I jogged at a moderate pace.

“You’ll see,” I told him. I led him through the pack towards the smaller houses to the west. Pack members were repairing buildings damaged in the fighting days ago.

We arrived at a quaint house with boarded-up windows. Dust and dirt covered it, but the lawn was neatly mowed. Maddox sat beside me, in wolf form.

“What is this place?” he asked.

“This is Missy’s house,” I said. His head turned, confused.

“She lives in the packhouse,” he said dumbly.

“She didn’t always. I know she told you about her real parents,” I said. He nodded. “When her mother died, Azalea and I handled things for Missy and adopted her. We locked up the house so she could decide what to do with it later. It wasn’t ours, and she wasn’t old enough to live alone.”

“So why are you showing me this?”

“Because she’s never asked to come back. She’s known it was here, waiting for her. This was her home; then it was the packhouse. Now, it’s you.”

He nodded. “And she is my home.”

“Exactly. You both lost your families, found new ones, and now each other. We’re about to walk into something very dangerous. You’ll see and do things that will change you forever. But you need to focus on getting back to your home, to your mate.”

Silence followed. He finally spoke. “Sir, I love your daughter. I loved her before the mate bond. I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to get her back and keep her safe. I know I’ll have to kill, and I accept that.”

“When it’s time, you need to be ready. No hesitation. You haven’t bonded yet, so things can change. If you’re serious about your bond, then stay with me. We will get them back,” I said. I wanted to shield him, but I knew I couldn’t.

“I’ve never been more serious about anything.”

Azalea

I gritted my teeth, counting slowly. 1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6…

The pain subsided, and I breathed deeply, only to start counting again. The first pain had started two hours ago. These were contractions. Liam’s timeline just got shorter. Hours between contractions wasn’t bad yet, but I didn’t know how quickly it would progress.

Missy was quiet. Dim sunlight peeked through a high window. “Please let him make it in time,” I prayed to the Moon Goddess. I didn’t want to leave my children or mate.

“Okay, Gavin, Liam, it’s time to find us,” I whispered, tears falling.

Damien

Soft murmurs filled the air as the pack assembled. Nervous anticipation hung heavy. I looked at the people I loved, knowing some might die before sunset. I stepped forward, clearing my throat. The pack silenced, turning towards me.

“You all know our Luna has been taken, but most don’t know why or by whom. Our Luna, Alpha Liam’s daughter Missy, and many pack members have been taken by vampires seeking our destruction.”

An uproar of indignation and bewilderment erupted. I waited for the anger and confusion to subside, holding up my hand for silence. The crowd quieted, though emotions still ran high.

“Vampires threatened us long ago, and now they’ve returned. They’ve waited years, creating this opportunity. They’ve used naive wolves, and they’ll stop at nothing.”

I paused, looking around. Little convincing was needed. Everyone understood the gravity; extinction was possible. Liam was good to our people; I knew they’d stand with him.

“I’m not truly your Alpha, but I’ve been asked to lead, to protect your interests while Alpha Liam saves his mate. I ask you now: Will you let this invasion go unanswered?”

A roar of dissent followed.

“You can go home and wait for the threat to find you, or you can stay and fight. Fight to save our Luna. Fight to save our pack. Consider this carefully.”

“I will fight with you!” someone shouted. The call echoed until the air throbbed with unified agreement, even from those untrained as warriors.

I yelled above the crowd, “We move at dawn!” Preparations began rapidly.

While disseminating plans, Liam’s Uncle Ron approached. His apprehension was expected.

“Beta,” he greeted.

“Doctor,” I replied.

“I don’t need to voice my concerns,” he said. I nodded. Azalea would need immediate medical attention, but not on a battlefield. Then there were other captives and those injured in fighting.

“What do you need?”

“If it’s not the worst case, I’ll need to deliver the baby, possibly by cesarean,” he said.

“And worst case?” I asked, needing the answer.

“Worst case, I can’t do anything.” His tone was grave.

“Other packs have doctors and wolves prepared for field treatment. Whatever you need, it’s yours.”

“I’ll need an area to operate. There’s significant risk. Does my nephew understand Azalea’s condition? Does he understand I may not be able to save them both?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But we have to try.”

I stood with the other Alphas at the forefront of a massive group of warriors. Dawn had passed, and we’d reached the vampire estate in twelve hours. Dusk approached; we’d attack under the moon. We had about a thousand wolves from five packs, but we wanted the odds in our favor.

The forest’s peace felt wrong as we prepared to bathe it in our enemies' blood. Silence had fallen, as if the animals sensed something was amiss. Liam paced near the other Alphas, his eyes fixed on Azalea and Missy’s location. He looked like a frantic animal. His focus seemed to unsettle the other Alphas, but I doubt he heard them. He was consumed with his mate. Maddox stood quietly, equally fixated, looking between the house, Liam, and me, waiting for a cue. I looked over our combined packs, spilling into every space. The other Alphas approached, and Langston pointed to his watch. “It’s time.”

I nodded, then shifted. I looked to the sky and howled, the signal to begin. Each Alpha howled in return, the sound of shifting wolves filling the air. Liam was a streak of lightning, bolting across the field with Maddox close behind. Vampires poured from the house, so many I couldn't believe it. The initial wave seemed to threaten to overwhelm Liam, but he leaped over them and disappeared. As I rushed to catch up, I saw the first line of wolves meet the vampires with a resounding crash. They were ready for us.