Gathering the Storm
The tension in the air was palpable as Isla stood before the ragged band of rogues, their wary eyes watching her every move. These wolves were outcasts—loyal to no one but themselves—yet Isla knew they held the key to finding Eira and her father. Jamie stood by her side, her hand resting on the hilt of her blade, ready for any sign of betrayal.
One of the rogues, a wiry wolf with scars crisscrossing his arms, stepped forward. His voice was gruff, his tone laced with suspicion. “Why should we trust you? You think you’re better than us just because you wear a Luna’s crown?”
Isla met his gaze, her silver eyes cold and unwavering. “This isn’t about trust,” she said sharply. “It’s about survival. Eira and my father don’t care about loyalty—they care about power. And when they’re done with me, they’ll come for you.”
The rogues exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of her words sinking in. Finally, one of them—a younger wolf with a wary expression—spoke up. “We’ve heard whispers. She’s heading east, searching for something ancient. Something powerful.”
“What is it?” Isla demanded, her voice tight with urgency.
The rogue shook his head. “We don’t know. Just that she’s desperate to find it. If she gets her hands on it, you’ll never stop her.”
Isla’s heart pounded, her thoughts racing. East. It was a lead, faint and fragile, but a lead nonetheless. She turned to Jamie, her expression resolute. “We start there.”
Jamie nodded, her gray eyes sharp with determination. “I’ll rally the pack. If she’s looking for something, we’ll make sure she doesn’t find it.”
The rogues lingered, their expressions torn between unease and determination. One of them, an older wolf with a scar running down his face, stepped closer. “You’re fighting for your family,” he said quietly. “For your children. That’s something we can respect. We’ll help you—for now.”
Isla inclined her head, though her trust in them was thin. “If you betray me,” she said evenly, her silver eyes gleaming, “I’ll make sure you regret it.”
The rogue smirked faintly. “We’ll see who regrets what, Luna.”
As the rogues dispersed, Jamie approached Isla, his expression thoughtful. “You think they’ll keep their word?”
“They’ll do what serves them best,” Isla replied, her voice hard. “For now, that’s helping us.”
But even as they prepared for the journey east, Isla felt the weight of the battles ahead pressing down on her. This wasn’t just about her children anymore. It was about justice. About vengeance.
