Chapter 342: Chapter 342

AURORA

I stood at the front lines and watched the pack go into deafening silence, their faces set with determination.

Evelyn and Piper took control over traps I had ordered, placing them gingerly in a circle around the packhouse perimeter.

Trajan’s steady voice carried over the tense air as I directed the defensive units.

My heart clenched, the weight of what lay ahead weighing upon. my shoulders.

“Are we ready?” I asked Trajan in a low tone.

“As ready as we’ll ever be,” he said, his voice grim.

“Your plan is solid, but they’ll adapt quickly if we’re not careful.” Rowan jogged over, wiping his brow. “The last trap is in place. Piper double–checked everything.”

“Good,” I said, nodding. “We hold our ground. Let them come to

us.”

Rowan hesitated. “You don’t think they’ll fall for it?”

“They will,” I replied confidently. “Orion’s arrogance will blind him.”

The clang of footsteps could be heard as Orion’s forces moved up, their numbers astonishing but their formation arrogant.

“Hold,” I said sharply, my voice cutting through the tension.

As the first wave entered the trap zone, Rowan gave his signal from his post.

A sharp pull of a lever later, the ground exploded in a crazy storm of snares, and spikes flew from every direction. The wolves shouted in chaos, pain, and confusion as their ranks broke.

Dane’s voice rang out suddenly from behind me. “Impressive, Luna.”

I turned sharply, my shock barely contained. “What are you doing here? You should be resting!”

He smirked, his presence commanding despite his pallor. “I couldn’t sit this one out. Besides, it looks like you could use my help.”

Before I could argue, Dane leaped into the battle and looked like his strength was restored just enough to make a difference. His unexpected arrival inspired the wolves, their morale bolstered by his presence.

“Dane!” I shouted, frustration lacing my tone. “This wasn’t part of the plan!”

“Plans change,” he called back, his voice even as he sliced through an oncoming attacker.

I was angry and surprised at where he got his strength from, but I didn’t have time to stay that way, so I just fought beside him, my movements instinctively following him.

Together, we carved our way through the opposing pack’s ranks, every strike a reaffirmation of our unity.

The traps kept picking off the enemy one by one, but Orion himself emerged from the chaos, his figure towering over the others despite his wounds.

My gaze finally fell on him. The chaos of the battlefield suddenly calmed and gave way to the hard thud of my heart.

“Luna,” Orion snarled, a stream of blood falling from his side. “Your tricks won’t save you… I know you did that to my army… I don’t know how, but I know you did it.”

“How?” I asked.

He grinned, “Because… you had the opportunity to kill them, but you didn’t… you chose to paralyze them instead.”

I gulped dryly, “I am not you, Orion… I am not a heartless

monster.”

“But you are married to one, just like me…”