The council room of the Blue Moon Pack buzzed with tension. Alphas from three allied packs—Ironclaw, Silver Hollow, and Crescent Shadows—sat at the long wooden table. They were powerful, stoic, and not easily swayed. Callista stood at the head of the table beside Lucien, her posture poised though her heart pounded.
"She's only half-witch," murmured Alpha Gael of Ironclaw. "What makes her think she can lead a charge against Sabrina?"
Callista stepped forward, her voice calm but fierce. "Because I know how she thinks. Because I've seen the inside of her coven. And because I've already fought her… and survived."
A silence fell across the table.
Lucien's voice cut through the air like a blade. "She severed the bond. She faced Sabrina's control and broke it. The witches are afraid of her now. That should tell you everything."
The Crescent Shadows Luna, a silver-haired woman named Maeryn, leaned forward. "And what do you propose, Callista?"
"We unify," Callista said. "Not just as werewolves, but as all magical factions Sabrina has threatened. I've seen her growing power. She doesn't want balance—she wants domination. She doesn't want to rule. She wants to erase. We fight together, or we fall alone."
A beat of silence.
Then Maeryn gave a sharp nod. "Crescent Shadows stand with you."
One by one, the others followed. Ironclaw. Silver Hollow. The alliance was forged.
---
That evening, the Blue Moon grounds transformed into a war camp. Warriors from every allied pack streamed in. Bonfires blazed. Strategies were drawn. The air thrummed with magic and the scent of resolve.
Callista stood on a high ridge, her eyes scanning the horizon. Lucien joined her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.
"You were incredible in that meeting," he murmured.
She leaned into his touch, her voice soft. "I hope it's enough."
Lucien tilted her chin up to look into her eyes. "You're enough."
Before she could respond, a sudden chill swept through the air. The torches nearby flickered. Magic buzzed against her skin—a dark, mocking presence.
A scroll appeared in midair, its parchment glowing with violet sigils, swirling with enchantment. It hovered before her, pulsing like a heartbeat. She reached out, broke the seal.
The smoky letters unfurled slowly across the page:
> You've chosen your side, Callista. I warned you. Now, I will burn everything you love. One by one. Watch the skies.
The parchment ignited in violet flame, turning to ash in her hands.
Lucien's arms tightened around her. "What does it mean?"
Callista stared at the darkening horizon, her voice barely above a whisper. "She's coming."
And in the distance, black clouds swirled unnaturally, laced with lightning that shimmered red like blood. Something massive stirred beneath them—something ancient and angry.
Callista's breath caught.
"She's bringing something we've never seen before."
Lucien stepped beside her, his eyes hardening. "Then we show her something she's never faced."
They stood together—Alpha and Luna, warrior and witch—knowing the battle ahead would demand more than strength. It would demand sacrifice.
And the moon, high above, shone down as if bearing witness to a war about to erupt.