Luna Aurora novel (Alpha Fenrir)

The camp was buzzing with unease. Scouts reported movement on the outskirts of the forest, and the air was thick with the scent of tension. Elyra sat in the council tent, surrounded by her allies, her hands gripping the edges of the wooden table so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Cassian and Fenrir stood to her left, Selene to her right, all watching her with expectant eyes.

The flap of the tent suddenly opened, and a young guard stepped in, his face pale. "Luna," he said, bowing his head. "An emissary from Dain's forces is here. He claims to bear a message."

Elyra's stomach tightened, but she forced herself to nod. "Bring him in."

Moments later, a figure entered the tent. The emissary was tall and cloaked in shadowed leathers, his face partially obscured by a hood. His aura radiated dark energy, and the faint scent of shadow magic clung to him like a second skin. "Speak," Elyra said, her voice steady despite the unease curling in her chest.

The emissary pulled back his hood, revealing sharp, angular features and eyes that glowed faintly with shadow. He reached into his tunic and retrieved a scroll, which he unfurled with deliberate slowness. "From Alpha Dain," he announced, his voice smooth and cold. "You are to deliver this message to Luna Elyra." His gaze shifted to her, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "Or so he said."

Elyra's heart clenched at the sound of her brother's name, but she kept her face composed. "I am Elyra. What is his message?"

The emissary straightened, his tone growing darker. "Alpha Dain sends this ultimatum: Join him, or be consumed by the shadow. He offers you a place by his side a chance to unite the packs under his rule. But refuse..." He let the sentence hang in the air, the unspoken threat lingering like a storm cloud.noveldrama

Cassian growled low in his throat, stepping forward. "He has no right to make such demands. Tell him we won't bow to his shadow."

Elyra raised a hand, stopping Cassian before he could continue. She met the emissary's gaze, her voice calm but firm. "And what of the packs he's already claimed? Did they have a choice?"

The emissary's smirk deepened. "They made the right choice. Perhaps you should do the same, Luna."

Elyra's jaw tightened. Her thoughts swirled with memories of Dain-of the brother she had once known, the one who had stood by her side, fighting for unity and balance. She had believed in him, in the bond they shared. But now, she could feel that bond slipping further and further away.

"I will not join him," she said, her words cutting through the tense silence. "And I will not let the packs be consumed by his darkness."

The emissary tilted his head, as if studying her. "A bold choice," he said softly. "But a foolish one."

Elyra ignored his taunt, turning to Selene. "He's not giving us a choice. If we wait any longer, the shadow will spread."

Selene's expression was grave, her silver eyes meeting Elyra's. "You've always believed he could be saved," Selene said gently. "Do you still think that's possible?"

Elyra hesitated, her chest tightening

with guilt and doubt. "I've always believed he could be saved," she admitted her voice quieter now. "But I'm running out of time. If he keeps going down this path..." She trailed off unable to finish the thought.

Fenrir stepped forward, his voice hard. "He's already made his choice, Elyra. You can't keep holding on to the past. We need to be ready to fight."

Before Elyra could respond, the emissary cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him. "If I may," he said, his tone laced with mockery, "there's one more thing you should know." Cassian narrowed his eyes. "Spit it out."

The emissary's smirk returned, colder this time. "Dain has taken control of the Riverstone Pack. Their Alpha swore fealty to him just this morning."

Gasps rippled through the room, and

Kel

Elyra felt the air leave her lungs. The Riverstone Rack was a critical stronghold, both strategically and symbolically. Their defection meant more than just a loss of territory-it was a blow to morale, a signal that Dain's power was growing stronger.

"You're lying," Cassian growled, stepping forward with clenched fists.

The emissary shrugged. "Believe what you will. But soon, you'll see the truth for yourself."

Elyra's mind raced as the implications sank in. The Riverstone Pack's defection meant Dain was closer to uniting the packs under his shadow. If they didn't act soon, he would become unstoppable.

But the thought of going to war with her brother, of facing him on the battlefield, made her chest ache with a pain she couldn't ignore.

The emissary stepped back, his smirk fading into a cold, neutral expression. "Consider this your final warning, Luna," he said. "The shadow doesn't wait. It consumes."

With that, he turned and left the tent, leaving behind a suffocating silence.

Elyra turned to her allies, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her. "Prepare the packs," she said, her heart breaking with every word "We need to move before he gains more ground."

As her allies nodded and began making plans, Elyra felt a crushing weight settle on her shoulders. She had made her decision, but the cost of it loomed over her like a shadow she couldn't escape.

And in the depths of her heart, she couldn't help but wonder if Dain's ultimatum was more than just a threat. Perhaps it was a warning-a final, desperate plea from the brother she had once known.