Chapter 32

((I apologize for the dreadful wait. A lot of things came up and I wasn’t looking forward to writing the first parts of this chapter, but it had to be done for the sake of logic. It’s a pretty dang long chapter, so please enjoy.

And remember, I know it sucks waiting, but you’re reading this book for free and I’m writing in my spare time. Those of you sending me frustrated messages aren’t getting any sympathy from me. This book takes time to write! Anyways,

Check out the cool cover on the side by dude_its1d!

Those of you still sending me covers, know that I very much appreciate them, but I have about 25 of them and only a few chapters left. Most of them probably won’t get shown, and I’m sorry. :/

Song is from Braveheart. It’s called, “For the Love of a Princess”, a beautiful composition. I kind of think of it as the theme for Gabriel’s actions/motives during the story. Just listen to it :)

Thank you Belle for editing, as always ))

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Raziel and I returned to the car while Rebekah stayed behind in the decrepit house for a few moments longer. I wasn’t sure whether she was getting more information from Vivian or just saying her goodbyes, but I was too caught up in my own thoughts to care. We only had three days. Three days to formulate a plan and fly across the world. I wasn’t sure how we were even going to get into Israel; it wasn’t like I had a passport. Hopefully Raziel had a few tricks up his sleeve.

I pressed my cheek against the cool window, releasing a drawn-out sigh. A few moments of silence passed, Raziel remaining quiet in the front seat while I stared aimlessly at our dingy surroundings. When Rebekah returned, she had a grim expression and my stomach plummeted lower. I just didn’t see how we could come up with a brilliant plan with such limited time and resources.

“If you can find a way to get us to Israel, I think we can make this work,” Rebekah said quietly, surprising me. Raziel pondered for a moment before nodding.

“I think I know someone that can help,” the Angel responded. Seeing my expression, he continued, “I’ve been around for a long time, Skylar. I’ve made a lot of connections.”

“But even if we do get there, how are we supposed to take on an entire coven? I’m assuming Cain will have a lot of vampires there to protect him and help with the Ritual,” The thought of taking on a multitude of vampires was not pleasant.

Rebekah turned to face me, steely determination in her eyes. “That’s why you have a pack, Skylar. Are you telling me that nobody would be willing to help?”

I blinked, taken aback. “I’m sure they would but . . . wouldn’t that waste time? My pack is a days’ drive away.”

“Even so, we need the help. You’re right; it would be foolish to rush in there with just the three of us.”

“The Denver airport isn’t terribly far away from your pack, only a few hours if you’re running at top speed. We can fly out of there,” Raziel cut in before I could argue more. “I will drive us back to my house, and then you all can take the other car back to your pack while I get everything organized. I’ll meet you in Denver and we can leave from there.”

It made sense, but my insides were twisting with worry. “By the time we do all of that, a day and a half will have passed.”

“It’s less than a days’ flight to Israel, Skylar. We’re of no use to Gabriel if we run in empty-handed. I know you’re desperate to go after him, but think logically here. Think like a Luna.” Rebekah’s tone was infused with calm and I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to see past my Wolf’s agitation and my own feverish desperation.

I couldn’t act solely on emotion, because it would lead to rash decisions. Cain was smart and manipulative and I knew we had to be cautious if we were to undermine his plan. Unbidden thoughts of former-Alpha Brett came to my mind. He had acted impulsively, following his emotions, and look where that had gotten him. I wanted to save Gabriel, but the logical side of me knew that Rebekah and Raziel were right. The three of us couldn’t take on a coven of bloodsuckers by ourselves.

The two were watching me intently, so I gave a curt nod. “Let’s go, then,” I urged, attempting to keep my voice from trembling. I had to put on a brave face and retain control over my emotions. Rebekah had indicated that she had some sort of plan and I needed to put faith in Gabriel’s mother. She knew more about Cain than anyone else other than Vivian.

Without further ado, Raziel started up the car and pulled away from the dilapidated house. As we began to retrace our route and head back to South Dakota, I folded my hands in my lap and mentally tried to calm my Wolf. We had a long drive ahead of us and I didn’t need her urgent whining resounding in the back of my head. Still, despite my calm exterior, the instincts to run after my Mate clashed with the logical side of my brain.

I couldn’t help but thinking that every moment that passed brought Cain closer to his ultimate goal, and Gabriel closer to committing an act that could possibly end both of our lives.

Rebekah turned around, looking a bit perplexed. “You don’t mind if we drive to your pack, or at least as far as we can, do you?” Her gaze darkened. “My Wolf is still . . . distant. Shifting will require more energy than normal and I want to conserve it until absolutely necessary.”

The thought of her weakened Wolf was perturbing, something that made my Wolf stir uncomfortably within me. Although I wanted to hurry, I nodded. Once we arrived at the Black Mountains Pack village, Rebekah would have no choice but to Shift. I hoped she could make it.

---

We drove relentlessly, Rebekah and I taking turns behind the wheel after we left Raziel’s house behind.  It had been nearly a twelve hour drive to his residence, and now it would be another ten back to the Rocky Mountains. We stopped only when absolutely necessary. My stomach grumbled and ached but I ignored it, adrenaline coursing through me as our time slowly ticked away.

Once we were closer to the mountains, I took over. The hidden dirt path that led to the pack village was difficult to find, and Rebekah hadn’t been there in a very long time. As I navigated the winding road, I hoped everything went smoothly and that we could assemble some pack members to help us. It was a dangerous trip, after all, and I knew we were asking a lot. I could only hope that the pack’s fierce loyalty to Gabriel would win out over their fear of the vampires.

I had contacted my parents a day before, and told them to talk to Jack. I wanted Jack to assemble the pack and take them to the location where we would be building the third pack village. I also instructed my parents to find a way to send a messenger to Eli, so he could bring the Black Mountains Pack as well. Hopefully Eli, who knew mostly what was going on, would realize it was a very grave matter if I needed the pack assembled.

It was a difficult conversation with my parents to say the least, as they didn’t understand why I was asking them or what was going on, but after extensive conversing I convinced them. What really helped my case was when I revealed that I was now Luna, and Gabriel had gone missing. Their Wolves respected me in a different way than before. It was more than strange, having authority over my own parents, but I could not dwell on it now. I prayed that the combined pack would be waiting for us so we could address them all at once.

My relief was profound when we ran through the Black Mountains Pack and it was completely empty. So Eli had listened, then. At the edge of the village I turned to Rebekah, jerking my head in the general direction that we needed to run.

“The pack is likely assembled several hours from here. I think it would be easier to Shift.”

She nodded, and I turned away as she stripped down and prepared to Shift. It took longer than was comfortable, but after one tense moment it was another relief to see that she could still attain Wolf form. Rebekah’s Wolf may be weak but it hadn’t abandoned her entirely. In Rebekah’s place stood a large, chocolate brown wolf with lovely silky fur. Seconds later, my own silver form had joined her and we took off at top speed, paws thundering over the ground as we dashed into the woods. There was no pleasure from running this time, only a dire sense of urgency and adrenaline pumping through our blood. It had been a full day since we left Vivian, and Gabriel’s clock was still ticking.

---

Night had fallen well before we arrived, and I hoped that such a large gathering of wolves would deter any lingering vampires.

I should’ve expected the reaction that Rebekah’s presence got. The Black Mountains pack looked like they had seen a ghost, their eyes bulging from their heads as they took in their former Luna. My pack glanced from me to Rebekah, then back to me again, especially focusing on the Mark on my neck. The giant clearing was left in a shocked silence as we stood in front of the assembled wolves, almost two hundred of them. Even Eli looked taken aback, making no attempt to hide his stare. Jack stood nearby, observing my neck with a keen interest. Rebekah, for her part, stood tall and proud as ever. The regal air about her commanded attention and despite my position in the pack, I thought it best that she speak first.

“I know I have been gone a long time, and I know I am no longer Luna here. But Skylar brought me here because we need help. My son, your Alpha, is in grave danger. He went after Cain to take on the vampires, but he underestimated them. If we don’t go help him, he will die in two nights’ time.”

There was a ripple of whispers across the crowd, and the shocked looks morphed into expressions akin to horror. Rebekah continued, talking over the noise, “Skylar, your Luna, will die with him, because they are linked by blood. Your pack will be left without leadership and vulnerable.”

I heard a few cries of outrage and my eyes found my mother, who had her had clasped to her mouth and her eyes rapidly filling with tears. Maria stood nearby, her face stricken.

“What do you want us to do?” Eli asked. His expression was deathly serious, but I could detect the worry in his eyes. Rebekah glanced at me, and I realized it was my turn to try to convince some of the gathered Wolves to accompany us. On our trip here, we had decided that we wouldn’t need more than fifteen or so. I had been ready to bring the whole pack but part of the plan required stealth, and taking too many werewolves would give us away. Rebekah and I had debated for a while, my Wolf and I intent on bringing more help, but when she detailed her plan to me I reluctantly acquiesced.

I cleared my throat, feeling a bit nervous with so many eyes fixated on me. I couldn’t let my worry show, though, not when I was Luna now. If I looked scared, they would be scared, too. I tilted my chin up and tried to emulate Rebekah’s stance.

“We want to bring some of you with us. Rebekah has a plan, but she and I cannot do it alone. There is an entire coven of vampires with Cain. We are stronger than them, but there’s only so much we can do when there are so many.”

“How many do you need?” Jack cut in.

“We don’t want to leave our villages unprotected in case some of Cain’s vampires stayed behind. And we can’t have too many or the plan won’t work. But if fifteen of you could accompany us . . .” I trailed off. Many wolves were avoiding my gaze, while some others looked contemplative. I felt a rush of frustration and continued before anyone could speak. “Look, some of you may not like him,” I glanced at my pack in particular, “But Gabriel is our Alpha and he would do anything for us. He would do this for any of you and you know it. Even if you won’t do it for him, do it for the pack! For werewolves everywhere! Because if Cain gets away with this, he’ll just go after other werewolves. He’ll try to exterminate our kind-”

“I’ll go,” a voice broke into my train of thought. I spun to Eli, who had come to stand closer to us. “I know I’m Beta, and that I have duties here, but I owe Gabriel a lot. We all do. If I can help him, I’m going to.” He turned to face the beefy blonde, Vincent, and some understanding passed between them before Vincent nodded. I assumed Vincent was to take over Eli’s duties when the Beta came with us.

“Obviously I’ll go where Skylar goes,” a female voice piped up. Maria looked pale but determined, and she gave me a shaky smile. I felt a rush of gratitude towards my best friend, because I knew she was doing it for me, more than Gabriel. Next to Maria, Kale huffed incredulously. “I’m not so sure about the Alpha, since I just got here and all, but if my Mate is going, I guess I will too. I’ve gotta keep her safe.” he grumbled, and Maria gave him a sunny—albeit nervous—smile.

“I’ll go with you Skylar. You’d do it for me,” Will said, pushing his way to the front of the crowd.  My heart swelled yet again at my friends’ loyalty. “I won’t let you or your Mate die,” he finished.

Inevitably, my eyes found Eva’s shimmering blue ones. She was giving me an inscrutable look, the cogs whirring in her brain. Her hand was clasped with Will’s, but to my surprise, before she could speak, Will cut her off. “I don’t want you going, Eva. I know you’re a doctor and all but it’s dangerous-“

Fire flashed in the redhead’s eyes. “Of course I’m going,” she snapped irritably. “You’ll need a doctor and I’m not going to let you go and get yourself killed.” The two began to argue amongst themselves, and I wasn’t sure about Eva’s true reasons for going but I didn’t want to look into it right now. The bickering Mates were drowned out as several others spoke up.

“I’ll go.”

“Me, too.”

“Those stupid bloodsuckers have it coming!”

They were all from the Black Mountains pack, which was unsurprising considering how much respect they had for Gabriel, and I smiled at them gratefully. “Okay, those that are coming with us, stand up here,” I instructed, once again feeling very strange as I gave orders to the pack. The seven wolves that had volunteered so far emerged from the crowd and came to stand near Eli.

“Count me in,” a brunette stated, and I felt a small shock as I recognized Bree, the wolf I’d been with during my tour of the land and Riley’s death.

My eyes found my parents, and I felt a mixture of gratitude and dread as I saw them emerging from the crowd. “Mother, Father, you don’t-“

“We want to come, Skylar,” my father said firmly, green eyes holding my gaze. “You’re our only daughter. I know you’re Luna now, but that doesn’t make us any less protective of you. What kind of parents would we be if we let you go alone?”

“But I-”

“Luna or not, nothing you say will convince me otherwise,” he interrupted as my mother wrapped me in a warm embrace.

I saw Maria and her father arguing vehemently nearby, and I was sure Will’s parents were upset too, but I was quickly distracted by the chorus of voices. It seemed that everyone was feeling encouraged to step up now that we had more wolves by our side. It only took moments longer for us to have all the help we needed. Of all the remaining volunteers, I chose those I knew to be the best warriors, because we’d need great fighters by our side since we’d be outnumbered.

Moments later, Eli was rapid-firing instructions to Jack and Vincent while Rebekah and I were preparing to leave. Over a dozen others encircled us. We’d spent enough time here and we had to travel to Denver. We didn’t have time for anyone to pack their belongings, and I hoped Raziel had everything prepared. Hunting could be done along the way.

As the rest of the instructions were given and we set off in Wolf form in the opposite direction as the Black Mountains Pack village, I tilted my muzzle to the sky and tried, once again, to contact Gabriel. His mind was as sealed as ever. Still, even knowing he may not hear my words, I projected a mental message to my wayward Mate.

Don’t worry, Gabriel. We’re on our way.

---

“Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Eli asked Rebekah, lowering his voice so only she and I could hear. Our large group was back in human form, but we were stretched out in smaller clusters so as not to draw too much attention. Denver was a busy city, even this late at night (or early in the morning, however you viewed it) and we couldn’t take chances, even in the outskirts. “We seem to be headed to the far east side of town.”

“That’s where the airport is, and he told us to meet him a couple miles south. He has a cargo plane ready,” Rebekah responded.

I hoped Raziel had everything organized. I knew airport security was tight, and being apprehended by humans was the last thing we needed. Then again, if we were meeting him south of the airport, would we even be using the airport runways? Fortunately it was dark out, and as we escaped the busier parts of the city, we could count on darkness to obscure us.

Rebekah gestured at the map she was holding. “These are the streets he wanted us to use. Less detection, and he seemed sure that we’d reach the plane without interference.”

We returned to silence, broken only by our insistent footfalls on the pavement. Every now and again Rebekah would indicate that we take a side street, and the other clusters of wolves behind us would follow. It seemed to be a very convoluted route but, as the amount of people and vehicles around us significantly lessened and our surroundings transitioned from city outskirts to flatter farmland, I realized Raziel really had everything planned perfectly. I was surprised at how far the airport was from the main part of the city but it worked in our favor. Soon enough, the runway lights winked in the far distance, but we made no move to get closer; instead, Rebekah took a sharp right.

Minutes later, the hulking form of a cargo plane crouched in front of us. We sped up our pace, and I squinted in the darkness to more thoroughly examine the dark figures ahead. As we neared them, Raziel stepped forward, scanning our group and looking profoundly relieved.  The Angel had a large pack on his back and I wondered what was inside. Rebekah and I had not explained Raziel’s identity to the others, feeling that it would only bring up more questions, but they knew he was a friend and I could only hope that was enough. The more keen wolves would pick up on Raziel’s non-human aura but I did not have time to deal with that now.

“Good, you’re here. This is Cid, the pilot,” The Angel said, indicating the weathered blonde man on his right. Cid gave us a cursory examination before he nodded.

“Oughta be enough room,” he grumbled, jerking his head towards the back of the plane. “It’s open. Better hurry and get yer asses in there. I’m on a tight schedule.”

Rebekah moved forward to have some hurried words with Raziel while I tentatively led the others towards the back part of the plane. It wasn’t huge, and I hoped it could make the long flight. I felt Maria’s presence at my side and she whispered, “Where are we taking off from?”

I glanced around at the flat land around us, “Not sure, but it seems like Cid’s been at this a while. We’ve just got to trust him.”

On the right side of the plane, near the back, was an opening. Cargo was clearly meant to be led up the ramp and stored in the body of the plane, and I felt very out of place as we strode up the ramp and inside the humming vehicle. I had never flown before and I tried to quell the nervousness. Wolves weren’t meant to be in the air but for Gabriel, I’d do it.

It wasn’t exactly luxurious but everyone fit, and we wandered about while Cid and some un-seen co-pilot prepared the plane. To my surprise, there were several seats along the insides of the plane with a wide open spot in the middle intended for cargo. After a few minutes of shuffling and whispered curses, everyone had crammed into a seat and buckled up upon Raziel’s instruction. A tiny bit of my nervousness abated as my parents sat on either side of me, putting on brave faces. Several of the others looked just as nervous as I was and it warmed me to see what lengths they’d go to for their Alpha. As I felt the vehicle lurch forward and the plane rumbled beneath me, I took a deep breath. What we were doing was dangerous, not to mention illegal by human standards, but I glanced at Raziel’s calm face and knew he had everything worked out.

The plane’s movement increased and I clutched at the seatbelt straps, closing my eyes and pretending I was not going to Israel; that I was not on a plane. That instead, I was curled up in Gabriel’s warm bed with him lying by my side. Hopefully that image would soon be a reality.

As the plane took off, I realized that I would be spending my 20th birthday, which was technically today, thousands of feet in the air and Mate-less.

---

It was a miserable birthday to say the least.

While the warriors and Eli discussed battle strategies and Rebekah fine-tuned her plan with Raziel, I remained strapped to my seat, scared to move around even after the plane had leveled out.  I was not scared of many things but I couldn’t deny that flying freaked me out. My parents, Maria, and Will tried to distract me but with little luck. My thoughts revolved around Cain, Gabriel, and the fact that I was thousands of feet in the air and could die at any moment if the pilot lost control. We stopped for fuel several times along the way and the descending/ascending just made me nauseous.

Despite the fact that I got several weak, mostly-ironic “Happy Birthdays” from my family and pack members, I was nowhere close to happy and I felt younger and more vulnerable than ever. The red mark on my neck still stood out against my pale skin but right now it was hard to act like a Luna. Still I kept my face blank, joined in nearby conversations, and went over the plan again and again in my head until I knew every facet of it perfectly.

The plane ride took nearly a day. Back in Colorado, it would’ve been around two a.m. when we finally landed in Israel, but they were eight hours ahead of us so it was nearly afternoon and we still had to travel to Mount Tabor. I grew antsy and began to fidget in my chair, heart rate increasing in expectation. This was it, Friday the 13th. If our plan didn’t succeed, Gabriel and I could both die, or the vampires would be free to go wipe out my species. There was a lot of pressure resting on our shoulders.

As the plane touched down with bumps and jerks, I exhaled with relief when I felt the solid ground beneath us once more. Breathing my first fresh air since we boarded the cargo plane, I felt completely liberated. As I took in the foreign surroundings I realized we were on an old, partially overgrown runway. Huh. Didn’t seem like something that would’ve been sanctioned by the local government. We were definitely not at a major airport, in fact we were in the middle of nowhere, and I realized what sort of risk Cid was taking in bringing us here unauthorized. I didn’t even have a passport. When the grizzled older man appeared, I made a point to thank him profusely, all the while wondering what exactly Raziel owed him for bringing us here; or what Cid owed Raziel. I wondered if the two had ever partnered before or if Cid was just a ‘friend-of-a-friend’ type of ordeal.

Raziel brought out a crumpled map of the area, his electric blue eyes honing in on Mount Tabor and tracing it south to our current location. Right now we were in a more rural area but I assumed we would have to skirt cities to reach our destination.

“You all cannot Shift here. There are too many humans between us and Mount Tabor,” Raziel spoke worriedly, still fixated on the map.

“How will we get there in time, then?” My Father asked.

“It’s only a few hours. If we leave now-“

“Let’s go then,” I surprised myself, and everyone else, by cutting the Angel off, “Which direction?”

Raziel glanced at me and I thought I detected a glint of approval in his eyes. “North. And when we get to the first city, we will try to mostly skirt around it. You all aren’t exactly dressed in the appropriate attire for this region.”

I opened my mouth before closing it again, realizing I hadn’t even thought about it.

“When we reach Mount Tabor, by the time we set our plan in motion, I’m afraid it won’t matter.” There was a grim set to Raziel’s features and I wasn’t sure why until he spoke again. “I’m sure Cain has found a way to make the mountain conveniently devoid of people.”

My stomach churned at the thought of the innocents Cain could be harming and I tried to force away the mental image. We set off after Raziel indicated the route we were going to take. My Wolf rubbed against my consciousness, and the desire to Shift was an unrelenting itch beneath my skin, but I forced myself to remain in human form. We could still move pretty quickly, but I wanted to take off as fast as I could, crowded cities or not. Still, Raziel had not yet led us astray, and I couldn’t risk the exposure of my species. I attempted to suppress the agitation as we steadily moved north, skirting the busier cities when we could.

Our fevered pace caused sweat to bead on my forehead and trickle down the sides of my face. It was over eighty degrees and the afternoon sun bathed us in sweltering heat. I tried to at least acknowledge my surroundings, because Israel was very different to look at than Colorado, but Gabriel’s image continuously swam to the forefront of my mind and prevented me from really taking in the scenery.

During the time in which we had no choice but to travel through the towns, we definitely got some strange looks. No doubt everyone thought we were tourists. I hoped our presence would not stir up trouble because we couldn’t waste time. Our group could definitely take care of ourselves but I didn’t want to harm any humans on the way to Mount Tabor. This wasn’t their battle.

I knew we were nearing the mountain when we skirted around the edge of a city to see the flat land around us steepen slightly into rolling hills dotted with a few trees and bushes. I caught the scent of sheep wafting from a distance, and small animals scurried through the brush nearby. Because the area around us was mostly flat, we were able to see Mount Tabor from quite a distance, jutting into the sky amidst the surrounding fields. It really was beautiful countryside, fields and farmland undeterred by the sprawling human cities nearby. I could not appreciate it, though. Not when I knew what terror was lurking. Darkness may have been several hours away, but Raziel mentioned earlier that Cain had probably scouted the area already. The more sympathetic side of me hoped the weak little humans were okay, but I couldn’t exactly run up there and warn them about vampires. Surely there wouldn’t be many humans loitering around at night when the vampires struck.

“Okay, here is where we split up.” Raziel had pulled the map out again. We were sheltered in a copse of trees just where the mountain began to steepen. There was a road not too far away, and human tourists drove by every few seconds, no doubt driving to the top where I had spotted a cathedral. It must’ve held some sort of significance to their religion because the mountain was surprisingly busy.

“Rebekah has been told that the ceremony itself will be held near the cathedral. The vampires themselves cannot enter a holy place, but they will get as close as possible to conduct it.”

I noticed many confused expressions on my packmates’ faces, and Maria tossed me a bewildered look. I shook my head, not wanting to explain everything now. They would just have to trust us. My father, too, caught my eye, but I just mouthed, ‘Later’.

“Therefore, we will split up into groups of four. Go as close to the cathedral as you can, until it is surrounded, but leave about a half-mile radius until the vampires arrive. They have a much poorer sense of smell than we do, unless they are scenting blood, but we still must take precautions. Camouflage yourselves as best you can. Remain hidden. They see pretty well in the dark, and they move quickly. They must not detect our presence until it’s too late. I don’t care if you have to roll in mud to obscure your scent.”

In a different situation, I would have laughed, but Raziel was deathly serious. At his indication, Eli stepped forward, glancing at me. “Skylar, I know you are our Luna, but would you mind granting me the authority to choose the groups?”

I nodded, surprised that he even asked. Sure, I was Luna, but he had much more fighting experience. Of course I would trust him to lead the charge.

“Thank you, Luna,” Eli said respectfully, making my cheeks glow. He then began to put us in groups. He put my mother in my group, along with Will. My father and Eva were to remain with Raziel and Rebekah, as they may be needed to heal the wounded during the fight. They would fight only when absolutely necessary. An older warrior from the Black Mountains Pack, Theo, was also put with us. He was very large and very muscular, and I could not help but be comforted by his hulking presence. A scar slashed across the left side of his face and his arms were covered with smaller marks. This was a Wolf that had survived many fights throughout the years. Theo gave me a brief nod and came to stand beside us.

“I have to ask . . . exactly how many Vamps are we fighting?” Kale piped up.

Raziel tilted his head slightly, considering. “Initially, I thought he had about fifty vampires in his coven.”

A taut silence fell upon the group as everyone calculated our numerical disadvantage.

“However, I think I overestimated the number to begin with. On top of that, Gabriel killed a couple when he went to rescue Skylar, and I took care of a couple more myself.”

I blinked at him in surprise, not having heard this tidbit of information before.

“Also, I’m sure he left several behind, perhaps to watch your pack, or his estate and belongings. My new calculations put his coven, the ones that will be coming to Mount Tabor, between thirty and thirty-five vampires.”

I wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved. It was a lower number than I thought, but that was still two vampires for every one of us. Then again, I had taken on two by myself before. Most of them were not as strong as us.

Eli separated the rest of us into groups. Before we could split up, however, I took a moment to go hug Maria and my father. They both looked incredibly worried but I tried to steer the conversation clear of “goodbye”. I was very much hoping for the best, but I would not go into a fight like this before at least saying something. Just in case.

“Don’t worry. They aren’t that tough. I had to fight two by myself, once. Like Raziel said on the plane, just don’t let them bite you. It hurts.” I gave a weak smile, which Maria poorly attempted to return. My Father just gave me a tight hug and said nothing.

I noticed others around me doing the same, embracing or respectfully wishing each other luck, even those who had not started out in the same pack.

“One last thing,” Raziel spoke quietly, and he pulled his backpack off of his shoulders and unzipped it. “Sunlight may be the easiest way to kill a vampire, but there are other ways to . . . incapacitate them. Beheading them will do the trick, but it’s much harder to behead a vampire than you think. Ripping their hearts out won’t instantly kill them, either. Breaking their necks will temporarily knock them out, so if you don’t have enough time to kill them, that will work. However, these can make it easier.”

He began to pull objects out of the backpack: cross necklaces, rosaries, and the like, all things that could be worn when we were in Wolf form. He began to hand them out to the gathered wolves, but I noticed some of the more weathered warriors didn’t get any. I quickly realized that Raziel had less than a dozen holy objects for us to use.

“These aren’t as powerful as your necklace, Skylar, or the objects used to ward vampires away from your packs. These are intended to either deter the weaker vampires or injure them. The objects have been Blessed, so the presence of one or direct contact will weaken a vampire. I’m afraid they won’t really harm Cain, or his right-hand vampire Antonio, though. The older vampires are more immune.”

He took a deep breath, looking resigned. “Still, they could prove advantageous in battle. They are the only ones I have that were Blessed correctly so that they’ll harm a vampire for more than just a split second. They heal quickly.”

There was a wave of hushed murmurs and exclamations as those that had received an object either put it on or stashed it somewhere. With a last round of instructions, we split into our groups. My mother, Will, Theo, and I were supposed to go to the east side of Mount Tabor, so we headed in that direction. I hadn’t taken more than a couple steps before I felt a delicate hand grip my arm.

I turned to see Rebekah, her radiant brown eyes examining me with an expression I could not decipher. Her elegant hand was cool on the hot skin of my arm and she pulled me closer, surprising me when she wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace.

“Be safe, Skylar,” she whispered, her breath ruffling the hair by my ear.

“You too,” I said quietly, my voice muffled against her arm. She pulled away, gracing me with a smile. I had overheard Rebekah’s part of the plan on the plane: she was to go into the mountaintop cathedral via a back door, which was where Gabriel would be going to sacrifice his blood. She would get Gabriel out of the back. The two of them together, with Raziel, would be enough to kill Cain. Especially since he would be caught by surprise . . .

I hoped. She had been a bit vague about that part of the plan, but I was more focused on my portion. We had to wait until the vampires were assembled and then catch them off guard. That was what we were counting on for this plan: that Cain would never expect us to be here. He would never have known that Rebekah was alive, and that we could get the information out of Vivian.

If he had been expecting us, none of this would work. The plan was quite simple, after all. It was all we could come up with in such a short time span.

To my surprise, Rebekah’s hands came up and cupped my face. There was admiration in her expression and it made my cheeks warm. “You will be such a wonderful Luna, and Gabriel is lucky to have you by his side.”

My eyes threatened to tear up and I blinked them away. “I just hope we can save him.”

She nodded once, determined. “I think we’ll do it.”

“Get him out, okay?” My voice was just a whisper.

“You know I will.” There was an odd look on Rebekah’s face, as if she wanted to say something else, but she swallowed the words and gave a small smile instead. Her hands released their hold, and she stepped back.  “You should probably get going. I need to get back to Raziel.”

I dipped my head in acknowledgment and gave Rebekah a small wave goodbye, waiting a moment for her to gracefully turn and return to her father, before heading back to join my small group.

---

Once again, time passed torturously slowly. We still had a few hours before dark, which was fortunate in some ways, but it made the wait nearly unbearable. It didn’t take us too long to position ourselves on the east side of the mountain. From there, we spread out until each of us was about a hundred or more feet apart. We were less likely to be detected that way. We hid in the thickest part of the trees over here, away from the nearest trail that the tourists followed. As evening approached the crowds on Mount Tabor had lessened significantly. I hoped everyone left before Cain and his vampires arrived.

I lay on my belly, the thick undergrowth around me scraping against my dirt-caked fur. As ridiculous as it felt, I had done as Raziel asked and attempted to mask my scent as much as possible by rolling in the dirt and grass in wolf form. For now I was downwind of the cathedral, and I hoped those on the other side of the mountain had tried to mask their scents as well. I knew the vampires did not have a precise sense of smell but we could not take risks.

My muscles were beginning to cramp as the minutes ticked by and darkness approached. Flies buzzed around me, irritating my face and causing me to snap my mighty jaws in irritation. Far to my right, I could barely make out my mother, in Wolf form, mostly obscured in the bushes with the impending darkness. Will was down and to my left, and my keen eyesight caught the flash of his orbs behind me. I turned my head back towards the front, scenting the air for the umpteenth time.

Vampires moved fast, so as soon as the darkness hit, I expected them to arrive. I was surprised when they did not. An hour passed as I lay motionless, and then another. The moonlight was broken by the thick branches above me. I huffed in irritation, my Wolf wanting to get up and pace but knowing better than to move.

I stretched out slightly, resting my muzzle on the ground before impatience made me raise my head and glance back and forth. I saw a flash of Wolf eyes and heard a voice in my head,

Aren’t they supposed to be here by now? My Mother asked, impatience raw in her tone. We Wolves did not like waiting for too long.

Maybe they are waiting until it’s closer to midnight.

I think most, if not all, of the humans are gone . . . but I think a couple are guarding the cathedral. She said, and I detected a hint of worry emanating from her. I knew why; my Mother and I had always had a soft spot for humans compared to the others.

There’s nothing we can do about it, I replied softly, even though I knew she could sense my guilt. My Mother said nothing, instead refocusing ahead of us.

The cathedral was nearly a half-mile up the mountain so I could not see it, and I counted instead on scenting the vampires and quietly following them up the mountain. I’d have to use the upmost stealth. Everyone in my group, including Theo, had tried to mask their scents as best as possible. I fervently hoped nothing would go wrong.

Perhaps half an hour later, I sensed it: vampiric presence. The hairs on my back stood up and I barely kept from growling. I could hardly detect a whiff of vampire scent on the air, but like always, I was able to sense them. In the distance I heard rustling and murmured voices. They were not making too much effort to keep quiet. I pricked my ears, trying to hear Cain’s voice, but could not. The vampires were fairly far away, closer to the wolves waiting on the north side of Mount Tabor. I hoped they were lying low.

I slowly shifted position, waiting patiently even though my heart was thudding in my chest. A few more minutes trickled by, and the sounds faded into the distance as the vampires continued towards the top of the mountain. And then, with another fresh breeze, I scented him.

Gabriel.

It took every ounce of effort to keep from leaping to my feet and charging up the mountain. I had not predicted the impact his musky smell would have on me; I wanted to whine and call out to him in Wolf form, force him to come to me. Instead, I took deep breaths, letting his presence wash over me even though he likely did not know I was nearby. I didn’t dare try to contact him again. I was sure the others smelt him too but it was nothing compared to my body’s reaction. Every single hair was standing on end now and my Mark, visible even in this form, almost seemed to be burning.

I could not wait any longer. I slowly moved into a crouch and crept out of the bush in which I’d been hiding.

Let’s go, I instructed my group. Gabriel was drawing me to him whether he wanted to or not. I just wanted to see him, let my eyes fall upon his form and make sure he was in one piece.

Hearts pounding, muscles tense, the four of us began our trek up the mountain. Luckily we’d had stalking practice when we hunted as wolves, and we were practically soundless as we moved up the steepening slope. Fortunately it was grassy instead of rocky so our paws didn’t slip and make extra noise. I crawled from bush to bush, knowing my pack was near me and reassured by their presence. I kept my breathing even and quiet but there was nothing I could do about my quickening heart.

We moved as quickly as possible without making too much noise, and the murmured voices grew louder as we reached the vampires’ location. Up the mountain, I could see the light emitting from the cathedral and realized how close we were. There wasn’t a lot more forest between here and there, so after a few more minutes, I crouched even lower until my belly fur was scraping against the ground. I crept as close as I dared and I could soon hear every word the vampires were saying.

Up ahead of me, the ground leveled and the trees thinned. There was enough light to reveal a few shadowy figures, clearly vampires, but they were not looking this way. I heard many more vampires near them and I swiveled my ears to eavesdrop.

“This is so damn boring. Why the Hell does he need all of us, anyway?”

“You know how careful he is.”

“Shhh, he’ll hear you!”

The three were muttering irritably amongst themselves. I realized Cain must’ve been close to the front of the cathedral while we were on one of the sides, if his minions thought he couldn’t hear their conversation.

“I’d found the perfect feeding place, too. I didn’t want to travel all the way out here, especially with that dog.”

I bristled at the insult to Gabriel and tried to calm my Wolf’s agitation. It would not be wise to reveal our location now. We were supposed to wait for Eli’s signal, and Raziel was going to distract Cain while we took out his vampires. As I sat here and thought about it, I realized I had no clue how Raziel would distract Cain without getting killed. Worry bubbled up in my stomach and I swallowed hard.

“He freaked me out. He just stares . . . doesn’t talk . . . no matter how much of a beating he took the stupid thing stayed silent.” That was a female vampire talking.

I bared my teeth in a silent snarl. How dare they touch my Mate! How dare they lay their hands on what was mine! I was going to rip them to shreds.

“The silver didn’t weaken him as much as it would a normal dog,” another vampire pointed out casually. I tensed yet again, hoping against hope that Eli gave the signal soon. I was about to go crazy and reveal our position to tear into those stupid bloodsuckers for what they did to Gabriel.

Raziel has eyes on Cain. So do I. He’s with Gabriel, and Gabriel is going into the cathedral, that was Eli speaking. He sent me a mental image, and I felt a stab of relief so powerful it almost left me keeling over. Although the picture was a bit distorted since I wasn’t the one seeing it, looking upon Gabriel’s broad form as he strode into the cathedral made me sag with relief. From what I could see of him, he was okay. Cain stood fairly close to the cathedral’s entrance, but it was obvious he could not go any closer. The myth about vampires in holy places was apparently true.

I closed my eyes briefly, controlling my emotions. We could not save Gabriel if I was a blubbering mess. I knew I had to be strong for him.

Before my thoughts could wander further, a few things happened almost instantaneously. Even from my distance, I heard the loud ‘thud’ of the cathedral’s door slamming shut. Then, Eli’s presence invaded my mind, and he spoke one word,

Now.

I was off like a rocket, paws thundering heavily against the ground. I heard others around me and in the distance, all of us breaking our cover. Within seconds I threw myself at full werewolf speed out of the trees and into the large clearing near the cathedral, not taking a single instant to observe the scenery as I prepared to fight for my life. Startled vampires spun around, hissing in fury and terror. And then it began.

Chaos erupted in the clearing.

---

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A/N: Cliffhanger, I know. I couldn’t resist. I don’t plan on making you all wait so long for the next chapter, especially since I’m very excited to write it. I know Gabriel (sort-of) made an appearance in this chapter, but don’t fret!  Gabriel will DEFINITELY play a big part in the next chapter.

Those of you that still have questions, please try to hold them for now. I promise everything will be explained within the next chapter or two. I won’t answer most of your questions because I don’t want to spoil anything.

Also, I’m not taking story requests right now, as I stated before and like my bio says. I’m sorry.

Not sure exactly when I’ll update, but I can say with a fair amount of confidence that the wait won’t be as long as last time. Remember, begging for updates really won’t make a difference. I do appreciate your interest in the story, though. I read EVERY SINGLE COMMENT so don’t be afraid to share your thoughts. Even if I don’t reply to you, I’ll read and appreciate your feedback.

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MULTIMEDIA:

Cool cover by dude_its1d that fits the mood of the story, and especially this chapter.

Song from Braveheart, “For the Love of a Princess”