The Blood Moon Twins
Chapter 142

War.

It was dark and filled with death.

There was a time when I thought we would have to face it when I was younger, but I grew comfortable and complacent. I started believing we could actually have peace.

I was ignorant and wrong.

Our warriors prepared to leave first thing in the morning. We were to meet Cain and his people in a camp between where Draven relocated and our territory. Since this fight was going to happen, we wanted to keep it away from our home as much as possible. We may not have been able to control when it happened, but we could control where it happened.

The farther away, the better. It would keep those who could not fight safe until we returned. If we returned. If we didn't, they were instructed to leave and find safety within another pack.

I helped organize the supplies we would need on our journey as well as what those staying behind would handle. Not everyone could fight. We trained as many people as we could, and the werewolves who were able to reach a certain level of skills were tasked to join us in battle. The only exception were those under the age of sixteen. I didn't care how skilled they were, I would not risk the lives of children.

My own children's lives were enough. They were actually too much, but as I watched Caulder instructing warriors on how to prepare over the past few days, I knew he was born to do this. He was born to lead and fight beside his people. And Remy's spirit burned like fire. She would fight for those she loved with her last breath if it was necessary.

I prayed to the Moon Goddess that it wasn't necessary.

Lives would be lost. There was no way around it. I just hoped the lives of those closest to me were spared. It was selfish. I knew that. But I couldn't stop the thoughts from happening. I could control who found out about those feelings. As the luna, no one would ever know the truth, even though I felt it.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" I asked Ginger, carefully organizing supplies next to her..

She walked around the room with her cane, preparing various potions and tonics for the aftermath of the battle.

"Don't give me that, girl," Ginger said, brushing me off just as I had expected.

"You have done your part. You have helped us so much over the years. I don't think anyone would complain if you stayed behind to protect the pack." These words came from a place of selfishness. Ginger had become a sort of motherly figure to me, and I hated the thought of her going into battle. She had a hard enough time moving around the house because of her age, which made me fear the worst.

"I have lived my life, and I'm ready to die if that is what you're worried about." She continued putting the last touches on one of her potions, not even bothering to glance at me.

"Of course I'm worried about you dying." I nearly choked on those words. Even if she was ready for the afterlife, I wasn't ready for a life without her.

"Girl, I have lived much longer than I should've. I'm blessed that you have become my family, and if I die protecting this family, then I will die a worthy death. It will be more honorable than wasting away in my bed." She finally paused and looked at me. "You're talking like you know you're going to die." It made me sick.

She ignored my comment, instead saying, "Don't waste your tears on an old lady like me. I'm still here. Spend your tears on the others who will perish fighting for what this pack represents."

"And what do we represent?" I sniffled as quietly as I could. She already knew I was crying, but I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. "Acceptance. Love."

-

REMY

I didn't know how I would possibly sleep tonight, knowing tomorrow we would travel to the place where the battle would happen. I felt suffocated at the thought. I kept trying to see the future to see if we had done enough to change it to stop Blade from dying and to turn the tides into a winning battle, but it was like there was a block on the future. I couldn't see anything, and that only made me more nervous.

Blade opened my door and entered my room. He had been given the night off from watching Rido. Rido had made tremendous strides since arriving here, and others had been taking turns watching him for the past week, since he didn't seem like a threat. When we left tomorrow, he was to stay behind at the pack house with the team of warriors who were staying behind to protect those who couldn't fight, so he had been spending the past few nights with them to get used to the new people before the rest of us left. "We'll defeat them. We'll come through on the other end of this war alive," Blade said, watching me closely.

My body froze, and my throat felt like it was closing. "What if we don't? What if it's not enough?" If I could just see the future, I would feel better-at least that's what I told myself.

"We have to, because I have too many plans for our future." He held my eyes with a gentle gaze. I expected him to be just as worried as me, but if he was, he was hiding it extremely well.

"What kind of plans?" I had been so focused on how we were going to defeat the vampires and sorcerers under the Blood Moon that I hadn't had much time to think about what would come after that. Part of me was too scared to think about that future. Blade took a few long steps towards me, and then he hooked his arms around my waist. "For one, I plan on mating with you. I want to spend a night with you where you are mine, and I am yours, and nothing else matters. I want to make you feel good in ways that no one ever has before."

My body shivered as I thought about his words. I would be lying if I said I hadn't thought about finally sharing my body with Blade fully. I wanted to share that experience with him and complete the mate bond with him more than almost anything else. "Go on," I whispered, barely able to focus on anything other than his sweet scent filling my nose.

"I also plan on marrying you one day," Blade said.

"Are you proposing now?" I teased to break the tension. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Blade, but I didn't think too much about marriage. Not all werewolves got married. The mate bond was enough for some, and knowing Blade was mine was all I ever needed. However, the thought of marrying the man in front of me made my heart skip a beat.

"No way," Blade chuckled. "When I do that, I plan on making a grand spectacle of it. I want to sweep you off your feet. I want to surprise you when I get down on one knee."

I bit my lip, trying to hide the smile on my face. "It might be difficult to surprise someone who can see the future."

Blade leaned in close, his lips brushing against my ear. "I'm up for the challenge."

I hid my face in his chest, trying to stop him from seeing the blush on my face. "I like the future you are describing."

He chuckled, and I felt his laugh reverberate through his chest against my cheek. "Shall I go on?"

"Do you see kids in our future?" I asked, keeping my face hidden.

He hummed for a moment. "I'm not sure. Do you want kids?"

"I don't know. It's hard to imagine bringing children into a world when there is a war and this prophecy hanging over our heads." I also felt much too young to have kids, which made it difficult to see them in the future.

Blade leaned back and gently guided my chin up, so I was looking at him. "Good thing we will have plenty of time to plan this future after we stop Draven and Winslow from coming after us."

"Good thing," I said, even though I wasn't exactly convinced. Despite my doubts, I wanted to spend the moment believing that this future would happen. It was nicer than thinking about the very real possibility that one or both of us could die.

Blade's face fell as he looked at me. "I think I already know the answer to this, but is there any way to convince you not to go tomorrow?"

I huffed, amused more by his question than insulted. "I was thinking about asking you the same thing."

"It's not going to happen, is it?" Blade said, already knowing the answer.

I shook my head. "I can't stay behind while my family and my pack risk their lives because of me. I have to do my part. Besides, I'll be fine. We have that future to attend later." I gave my best attempt at a half-hearted smile to try and lighten the mood, but there was no lightening the mood tonight.

"Yeah," Blade said, pulling me into him and kissing my brow.

"Is there any way I can convince you to take your magic?" I asked in return. I had seen him staring at the small, glittering bottle almost every day since he came home with it. Ginger cleared it, saying there were no tricks placed on the bottle, but Blade still didn't seem convinced.

"I don't know," Blade admitted. "I keep thinking I should, because I'll be stronger and more capable during the fight. However, I can't seem to let go of this feeling that Draven will use it against me somehow. I can't figure out how, but it just feels too risky."

I nodded, understanding how he felt. Part of me wondered if the mind games Draven was playing on Blade were the only thing wrong with his magic, but if Draven had somehow messed with the magic in a way that Ginger couldn't detect, I didn't want to be the one to encourage Blade to take it.

I adjusted Blade's shirt and smiled at him. "It's good that you are strong and amazing without any magic then."