Chapter 10

Calla POV

As I stood at the top of our rogue camp, looking out over the untamed, wild territory I had conquered, the cold night air smelled of damp earth and burning wood.   Below, fires flickered, creating unsettling shadows on the wooden huts and makeshift tents.   Through the shadows, my Shadow Fangs, my warriors, trained, sharpened their blades, and got ready for battle like spectres.

The pack that used to be my home is now at war.

The Silver Moon Pack.

I used to adore this location. A location that had turned me away like a sick animal.

My fingers curled into fists as I remembered my exile: Raiden's cold eyes, the pack's jeers, and the sharp wind bite as I was dragged across the border like a criminal.

All of them would pay.

"The warriors are ready," Darius said in a firm, steady voice that broke my train of thought.

I looked over at him.   He had been the closest thing I had to a friend, my right hand, and my fiercest warrior.   Battle scarred his face, and his piercing green eyes silently scanned me.

"Not yet," was my response.   "We attack when it's appropriate.   We start by weakening them internally.

Darius cocked his head, thinking about what I had said.   "You have a bigger plan in mind."

I looked him in the eye.   "I'm going to cause them pain, not just attack them.   I'm going to rip them apart until they plead for forgiveness.   I'll remind them that they didn't show me anything when they do.

Darius gave a slow, gloomy smile.   "Calla, I like this side of you."

With my heart racing with excitement, I made my way back to the camp.   I had been in the Rogue Lands for years, developing into a more formidable and lethal version of myself.   They had banished the feeble Luna, which had vanished.   A queen took her place.

The Queen of Rogue.

And I was ready to take back my crown.

We gathered in the largest tent, where my most trusted warriors awaited my orders.   The air inside was thick with tension, the scent of sweat and blood mixing with the smoky aroma of burning torches.   Maps covered the wooden table, detailing every inch of Silver Moon's territory.

"We need to move carefully," I said, running my fingers over the marked areas.   Raiden is a strong leader with a well-managed pack.   A direct attack would result in too many casualties.

"Then what's the plan?" asked Zara, a sharp-eyed rogue who had become one of my most effective strategists.

I leaned forwards.   "We infiltrated.   We instill fear.   We make them question whether they are safe.   We attack as soon as they start to feel unsteady.

The group was filled with murmurs of approval.

"How are you going to enter?"   "What?" Darius enquired.

I grinned.   "I have my ways."

I was the one who was most familiar with Silver Moon's shortcomings.   Their leader, their Luna, had been me.   I was familiar with their blind spots, defences, and patrol routes.   Above all, I was aware of their anxieties.

Adding, "We'll start small,"   Catch their scouts off guard.   Target their supply lines.   The only thing you should leave behind is the message, "The Rogue Queen is on her way."

My warriors were filled with excitement.   A dangerous thrill ran through me at the idea of making Silver Moon fearful.

They believed that I had passed away for years.

I would now linger in their nightmares like a spectre.

That night, at the beginning of my exile, I stood on the edge of Silver Moon's domain. The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the dense forest in front of me with a silvery glow. My boots dug into the soft ground as I took a step forward, my heart racing.

"Are you positive this?"   Beside me, Darius enquired.   "Entering their territory is dangerous."

I grinned.   "They do not frighten me."

With the burden of five years of suffering pressing down on me, I took another step.

Then I noticed the smell.

Known. Strong.

My entire body went cold.

Raiden.

He was near.

My chest rumbled with a growl, and my claws strained to reach out.   Just a short distance away was the Alpha who had banished me and sentenced me to a fate worse than death.

His storm-grey eyes and the firm jawline that had softened when he looked at me were almost visible to me.

However, that is no longer the case.

He was now my adversary.

In the distance, a branch snapped, and I took a sharp breath.

I wasn't by myself.

Before I could react, a figure sprang at me from behind the trees as the shadows shifted.

A trap.

A blade cut through the air, just an inch from my throat.  I was barely able to dodge.   I whirled around and struck back with a ferocious blow of my own, slashing at my opponent with my outstretched claws.   A choked gasp filled the night as blood spattered the leaves.

Then there were more footsteps.

From the shadows, more figures appear.

Around me, a dozen Silver Moon fighters stood with their faces stern and their weapons drawn.

Then a deep, authoritative voice cut through the tenseness.

"Take her."

I turned abruptly, and as Raiden moved forward and met my eyes, my heart tightened.

We stood face to face for the first time in five years.

However, I wasn't his Luna this time.

I was his enemy.

And I had just walked straight into his trap.