Lyra POV

The river was blue and chilly, as I came. Owen had already come, standing on the edge of the water with both his hands in his pockets. He was not in his doctor coat anymore, only jeans and a black sweater. As he heard me coming he turned slowly round as though he were frightened of having me run again should he move too quickly.

Thanks, I am glad to see you, he said under his breath.

You told me you heard anything of the rogues, I said, standing back. My wolf was now quiet, almost serene, and this fact still further aroused my anxiety. "Talk."

Owen rubbed his hand down his hair, and scanned the room in a restless fashion. "The rogues aren't random. They are arranged, and they are markedly aiming at something in this pack." He stopped and looked directly at me. "They're targeting you, Lyra. They are aware of your bloodline.

My stomach twisted. "How do they know about that? I was not aware of it at all, until to-day.

Due to a word spoken by somebody, Owen said. He drew out a scrap of paper in his pocket and gave it to me. It was also old and tattered, and handwritten in a style I was not familiar with. The letter discussed the existence of a very rare bloodline that had just manifested after every few generations, a bloodline that had the ability to connect with various mates and generate power that had the potential to shift the dynamic of the whole werewolf universe.

This is written by one of the high persons in the Council, Owen said. A very long-time acquaintance of one of your family. Somebody had seen you grow up, and seen how long they had waited till you were eighteen so they could know whether you were strong enough.

I re-read the letter, and my hands trembled. "Who wrote this?"

Well, I do not know, I do not know, Owen said. "But I have a suspicion. When the Council dispatched you here, they had an idea of what would take place. They were aware that you would see your mates. They were just trying whether the bond would work or not.

"Why would they want that?" I asked.

Owen hesitated. Since, in case what the ancient lore tells us is the case, a Luna with four mates and a unique bloodline can make the strongest creature of the whole werewolf world. And the Council desires that power in themselves.

The line struck me as a physical shock. My mission turned out to be everything I thought it was not. The Council had not sent me here to find out about rogues. I had been sent here like some sort of an experiment. They had brought me here and were to test me, whether I would form the connection, and, in that event, intended to exploit me.

I said abruptly, "my parents knew. They attempted to warn me and they perished.

"Yes," Owen said. His voice was very sad. Your mother paid me a visit a day before the accident. She instructed me to take care of you when she had gone. On behalf, she informed me that the Council had learnt what you were, and that they would endeavor to put you to use. She told me she had promised me to protect you, when the time would come.

So you turned me in to the Council, did you? said I, cold.

I was not to blame, Owen said in despair. Otherwise they would have known I was on their side and then I cannot defend you internally. I had to stay close. I must have been in the pack where I could see the danger coming.

I wished to be angry at him, but in some way I knew. He was in a situation that he could not get out of and so was I now. "What do they plan to do with me?"

"I don't know exactly," Owen said. But the rogues who are to strike just at present may be connected with it. Some members of the Council may be employing the rogues as a scapegoat. Something bigger."

I had not yet had time to ask another question when I heard a sound in the trees. It was somebody who was running toward us, at a high speed. I reached over to my weapon and stood in front of Owen.

Zane came out of the dark, breathing deeply and with wild eyes. The pack is being moved out, he said without any greeting. Ten minutes ago someone was ordering it. Ethan is driving everybody to the safe zone yet he does not know the reasons. Something is wrong to-night, and no man is telling him so.

"Who gave the order?" I asked.

That is the thing, Zane said clenching his jaw. The Council ordered it. Essentially through Council headquarters. But when Ethan called out to them and wanted to know why they did not hear, no one was there. The entire communication channels failed.

Owen's face went pale. When the communication is down and people are getting evacuated, something is about to happen. Something serious."

Zane said, The rogues are taking the jump. "I can smell them in the forest. Even more than there were before. The thing is more than they should be able to do once they were a small rebellion.

I looked between both of them. "How many?"

"At least a hundred," Zane said. "Maybe more. It is as if they have been waiting weeks and months and are waiting all this time until this moment.

Again my wolf was becoming impatient and was pacing impatiently within me. She desired returning to the pack land. She would want to help to save every one. She desired to be with Ethan and Dane.

I must go back, I said to myself and turned towards the side we had come to.

"No," Zane said, grabbing my arm. They will take you back there and they will get you. That is what all this is about. The evacuation is a distraction. The rogues will attack the safe zone in which they are transporting all. And they intend to steal you all in the commotion.

Owen stepped forward. "We need to go to Marcus. No one knows your bloodline better than he does. He may be able to guard you.

Marcus was to have presented you something, said Zane looking at Owen. Something your mother left to you.

I felt cold all over. "How do you know about that?"

It is that I have been watching, I am telling you that there is no shame in my voice, Zane said. The Council employed me to spy upon the pack and make a report. But now that I knew what they were actually about, when I knew that they were going to make use of you, I ceased reporting. I had decided to serve you on the contrary.

You are also a spy, I said bitterly.

"I was," Zane said. But that was the last I had when I caught sight of you in that clearing. My wolf knew what you could be to me and suddenly all the money and power of the Council did not count anymore. It does not matter, it is just to keep you alive.

I was to answer before I could reply, when I heard an almighty alarm in the distance. It was an announcement coming out of the pack territory, which was a danger signal. There were several alarms ringing, and this was succeeded by something even worse.

I heard screaming.

Now they are attacking, Zane said. He took out a phone and began to type furiously. They are fighting them to the north, Dane. Ethan attempts to bring everybody to safety. But they are not going to make it. There are too many."

I have to assist them, I said, and went running towards the noise.

Zane grabbed me again. "You can't. You will be stepping right into their trap, in case you appear.

"I don't care about traps," I said. "Ethan is my mate. Dane is my mate. Owen is my mate. You're my mate. And I will not keep it a secret as they struggle to survive.

I tugged my arm like a rope out of Zane and moved. My human body changed to the form of my wolf, bigger and stronger than an ordinary wolf. I was silver and midnight blue, and this seemed to be glittering fur even in the dark. My wolf and my human mind were in perfect accord, such as I had never felt before since I had heard the story of the four mates.

I was going back.

I had never run so hard in my life, and my feet beat the earth, my wolfdom ruling my actions. I heard Zane behind me transforming into his wolf self and chasing me. Owen came later, still with his running legs, and with each passing second losing a ground.

When I broke out of the forest and into pack quarters, I beheld the fight.

The rogues were on every side, assailants on every side. They had black spots on their arms, and I did not know what they represented. They waged battle using weapons and magic which were undermining the ability of pack wolves to transform in the desired manner. I found Dane engaged in combat with three of them at the same time his silver eyes blazing with anger. I was able to visualize Ethan leading the people to safety and at the same time, he was warding off attackers.

But I also saw something else.

The figure stood motionless in the middle of the mess, spectator of the fight. This man was dressed in a Council uniform, the same as mine. And as the figure turned to me I knew the face.

It was Marcus.

Ethan, the uncle of the old war strategist, the man who was to have some word on my bloodline, was standing in the midst of the attack in the uniform of a Council officer. And he was smiling as though he had been waiting to have this very moment.

Dane POV

My muscles were burning as I struggled with the third rogue who attacked me, yet I was not able to stop. Whenever I would pummel one of them to the ground I would see two more coming at me at other angles. My wolf was growing weary, and that was dangerous. An exhausted wolf was prone to mishaps and mishaps equated to death.

And that was not the worst part at all.

The most awful thing was that I could touch her. Lyra was here. I could feel the pull in my chest, as she was moving closer with each second. My wolf would have preferred to cease combating and go to her, but I needed my attention to remain focused on surviving.

One of the blades flew at me and I just avoided it. The rogue swung once more, and this time before he could get free I caught him by the arm and plunged him into the ground so hard that he was knocked out. He didn't get up.

It was at the moment I watched her come humping out of the woods.

She was in her wolf-shape, and she was the prettiest object I ever beheld. Her fur was blue and silver which appeared impossible and real simultaneously. She went like molten energy, like she would have been a composite of violence and grace. When she caught sight of me, she made no mistake. She rushed out in the midst of a battle against me.

"No!" I howled back at her. "You need to stay away!"

But Lyra wasn't listening. She waded through the rascals as though they were air, and every opponent she touched was beaten. She was more than any of them, quicker than any of them, more skilled than they had any training in. It was as though you were experiencing a person who was no longer in the know of losing it.

Ethan walked up beside me, and he was in wolf form, black, left to look like a shadow. We must take her away here, said he, over the connection which all wolves had together. This is what they want, all right.

She will not listen, said I through the link. "And I can't make her."

Zane leaped down a precipice above us, and stood in their path between us and the marauding rogues. He was huge, a hunter and a wolf together and this made him appear as though he should not be. He bellowed and the bellowing was heard throughout the land. The rogues literally moved away from him.

"Fall back!" someone shouted. The rogues began to retreat, to pass out of the battle and towards the woods. It was as though somebody had sent them a message as though this whole assault had been a trial run.

When the rogues had vanished in the darkness I was able to breathe again. I felt my chest heave as I transformed back into a human being. This was done by Lyra with her human body emerging as she transformed back as a wolf. It was not just, it was baffling, and made my heart ache that she was beautiful in both forms.

We have to discuss something, she said, glancing around at us. "Marcus is here. He is dressed in a Council uniform. He's involved in this."

Ethan's face went dark. My uncle would die before he betrays the pack. Something must have caused it to happen.

"Then where is he?" Lyra asked. "Ask him yourself."

But Marcus was gone. He was not to be found anywhere in the battle ground. As though he had disappeared into the darkness as soon as the attack had been stopped.

We must regroup, said Owen, and come running to us. His garments were ripped, and he had a nick on his cheek. There are hurt people, who require assistance. But we must, too, find out what has just happened.

The next hour was chaos. I brought injured packs to provide help to Owen to the temporary healing center that they had established. I observed Lyra at work, as she moved around people, assisting in some manner or other. She did not behave as having returned to a place that had hurt her. She played the role of a caring person, as she felt like she should save people even though they had denied her.

It was dangerous, because it made me love her even more. It was moronic to fall in love with a person when they were in danger. It rendered you feeble and thoughtless and ready to take chances which you ought not to take.

With Owen to ourselves, the four of us sat round in a small tent after everyone was attended to. Kira, also, was on guard at the entrance to ensure that no one could overhear our conversation.

Marcus left this," Kira told Lyra, and gave her a sealed envelope. Before he vanished, he dropped it.

Lyra opened it carefully. It contained a letter written by Marcus. She read it without speaking, and I saw her face transform itself between perplexity and surprise and indignation.

"What does it say?" Ethan asked.

Lyra was trembling and reading it aloud. My dear Lyra, when you get to read this you will see the truth about your bloodline. But you don't know everything. Your mother was not killed in an accident. The Council killed her lest she should reveal what they had learnt about you. Your father had perished empirically in her defence. These rogues who are coming to-night are not accidental. A member of the Council is controlling them and would like to enslave you to bring your power to overthrow the present leadership of the Council. I cannot do that before your eyes, since they are watching me. But I have left you something at your family home. It is what can only establish who is behind all this. Do not trust anybody, just your four mates. Not even the Council. Especially not the Council. - Marcus"

The words are suspended between us in the air. My parents had been murdered. It is not rogues or enemies who did it, but the people who were meant to safeguard everyone.

I had to take you to the home of your family, I said. "We need to find what he left."

"Not tonight," Zane said. "Too dangerous. The rogues know we're here now. They will be waiting, till we move.

"Then what do we do?" Looking at one of us, Lyra said, What? "Just wait? Just let them attack again?"

The tent flap was unzipped, and Kira got in with an expression of concern. "We have a problem. One of the rogues was taken in the retreat. He is awake now and he wants to speak to Lyra. He tells him that he has something she must hear.

Trust him not, was the first thing Zane said. "It's another trap."

Or he may say something out of it, Owen said. We have no idea unless we question him.

Lyra stood up. "I'm going to talk to him."

"I'm coming with you," I said.

We trailed Kira to a detention facility where they had taken the arrested rogue prisoner. The young man was in his early twenties, and had scars on his arms, and a rebellious expression in his eyes. He smiled as he was aware of something when he saw Lyra.

Hello, Luna, he said, and his voice was full of queer respect. I have a message to you from my leader. According to her, you must learn the real mother you had. According to her, you must have known that your mother did not want a single mate. Your mom wanted to transform the whole world of werewolves. And my leader is still doing that mission.

"Who is your leader?" Lyra demanded.

The rogue's smile got bigger. "You should know. You've seen her face. She has been all the time with the Council waiting until you get home.

The body of the rogue convulsed before anybody could put another question. His eyes opened wide, and then he spurted blood in the mouth. He was sick, poisoned and we could do nothing to prevent it.

When his body lay lifeless I saw the truth.

A member of the Council, somebody strong enough to poison one of his own prisoners when he was in jail and under guard, was the actual enemy. And here they still had been, still observing us, still under control.

Ethan POV

I was furious. Not with the rogues or the Council or even with Marcus. I was furious at myself. I was the Alpha of this pack, and I had allowed all things to go wrong under my charge. People were injured, and I had not considered that. Worse still, I had been mistaken for the people I had the most trust in.

Lyra was in the old house of her family, and she was searching with Dane and Zane. I was meant to help, when I was in fact standing outside the house doing nothing as everything fell into pieces. Owen was there at the healing center with Kira and ensured that no other person was killed.

And I was failing everyone.

My wolf was impatient, and desired to do something, and wanted to mend things. He would be close to Lyra, to take care of her, to show her that I was not the same man that rejected her five years ago. However, I did not know how to establish anything like that and more so when my entire family appeared to be plotting against her.

"Ethan?" a voice called from inside. It was Dane. "You need to see this."

I went inside. This house reeked of dust and recollection that nothing has changed since the day that her parents died. Dane was standing, where Lyra once had a bedroom, and holding in his hand a leather journal.

Zane, reading behind his shoulder, had a serious face with its scarred features. Lyra sat on the bed, with her gaze upon something. As she stared at me, I perceived in her the anguish of feeling in her soul the terrible truths.

Your family maintained records, said Dane as he gave me the journal. Lyra, the history of her bloodline through the generations. The authority has manifested itself earlier. It never failed to appear in women and it always rendered them dangerous.

I picked up the journal and began reading. Handwritten pages covered the history of the family of Lyra. Her grandmother was equally powerful and the Council had attempted to employ her. Her great grandmother possessed one as well, and she had never been employed, hence the interruption of the whole family lineage in the Council during more than a century.

Until Lyra was born.

I read, I read, they have been spying on your family. Waiting to see whether the power was going to come back. The Council determined to strike as soon as you had it, when it was obvious that you had it.

Lyra said something low, but her parents did not catch it. "That's what's in this letter." She was holding a scrap of paper that was aged and yellowed down to the edges. They heard that the Council wanted to make use of me. So they attempted to bring out the truth. And they were killed by the Council because of it.

There was something that Zane was examining on the wall. Old photographs were pinned there and they captured Lyra's parents at various stages of their life. They were in most of the pictures accompanied by other individuals. The same woman with dark hair and sharp features was depicted on one face in a few of the photos.

This woman, Zane said, indicating. "Who is she?"

Lyra got up and observed the picture. Her whole body went rigid. "That's Councilwoman Iris. She was my mother's friend. Or I thought she was. The day before they died, she had come to see my mother.

I realized it all fell into place in my head. Iris. The fifteen years old woman in the Council. The woman who had always appeared older and smarter than all. The woman who had the power to shift the resources and issue orders without anyone doubting her.

The lady who had the power to poison a prisoner in a closed room without being noticed.

The whole time, I said, it was her. This has all been caused by her. It is she who dispatched the scagaways. It is she who was in charge of Marcus. It is she who wished you were taken prisoner.

And she killed my parents, Lyra said and her voice was steady but deadly. Which is that I will kill her.

"Lyra--" I started.

"Don't," she cut me off. Do not tell me to be cool or witty or cautious. Do not say to me to trust the Council to it. The Council is the problem. My parents were killed by the Council and the murder had been hidden. Rogues were sent by the Council to raid my people. I'm done waiting. I'm done being careful."

Dane touched her on the shoulder. You will not do this single-handedly. We're all going with you."

In the capital city there is the headquarters of the Council, Owen said. He had already come in the door, and I had not heard him enter. "It's heavily guarded. It is made to be inimitable. You can not simply walk in and beat up Councilwoman Iris.

"Then we don't walk in," Zane said. "We break in."

That would amount to a declaration of war against the whole Council, I said. "You understand that, right? Attack Council headquarters we shall have hunted all our lives.

Lyra checked me out, and in her eyes I could see the girl who had been loved by me five years ago. I also witnessed the hurt of being rejected and the resilience she had created out of her hurt and the sheer willpower of a person who could not lose anything.

Well, we are going to have a war then, I said.

In the following few hours, we made plans. It was hazardous and most likely impossible, but we had nothing but another option. The Council was a corrupt body and the best way to get them to cease was to bring Iris into the limelight and all the activities that she had engaged in.

Kira had arrived and the rest were asleep. She dragged me aside and told me something in low tones to ensure that no one would hear. "Lyra is making a mistake. She is basing it on emotion and that will lead to people being killed.

"I know," I said.

"Then stop her," Kira said.

"I can't," I said. I lost the right to judge her what to do five years ago when I turned my back on her. It is only something to follow her, to make her live.

Kira looked at my face a bit. Then she shook her head as though she knew something serious. Please, make certain you do that. Keep her alive. Whatever is the case, do not allow her to sacrifice herself.

On the following day we went to the capital city. We drove after dark, we moved through the forest and used our wolf bodies and were covered by a lot more distance than the speed of a car. When we managed to reach the city, the sun was beginning to come up.

Council headquarters consisted of a huge structure of stone and glass designed to appear strong and invincible. At each entrance guards were on duty. Cameras watched every angle. This is where the individuals who regulated the entire werewolf civilization were employed.

And we were about to break in.

We were cowering in the shadows on the other side of the street of the building, when Lyra turned to me. "I need you to know something. Should this fail, should I fail to get out--

"Stop," I said. "You're going to make it out. We all are."

"You don't know that," Lyra said.

"No," I agreed. But I know that I am not losing you again. Not this time. Not ever."

She was about to answer this when an alarm sounded in the building. Lights started flashing. The guards of each entrance all at once became alert, taking weapons and radios.

Somebody somewhere inside the building had heard us coming.

And when the first guard came into sight and drew his weapon, I knew that Iris had made a trap even better than we had thought.