The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

Chapter 75

Petra ran between the ancient pine trees of the Forbidden Forest like a flash of lightning. She may not have been the best warrior out there, but her speed was always impressive. This was one time when her small size was an advantage. It was much harder for the bear that followed her to keep up, but the beast was stubborn, and that was becoming a problem. She knew that bear. She recognised his scent at once when he got close to her on the battlefield because he was the one who kept visiting her while she was captive and swore that he would be the one to own her in the end. It seemed like he intended to keep his word even though the auction never happened. He was also the one Petra liked the least, not that she liked any of them. But there was something about this one… something that made her stomach churn in the worst of ways. She knew she’d better die than get into his paws..

However, that other scent that was now reaching her nostrils gave her hope. She dreamed of being enveloped in this pleasant earthy scent for the rest of her life. A part of her worried that he was chasing the bear because those beasts were much bigger and more dangerous now than ever before. The whispers travelled fast among the werewolves and lycans about their enemies changing into something else. Now everyone got a taste of that change. They should have already won by now but were still struggling in reality. Their plan failed.

Petra thought of luring the bear into the Forgotten city. If she managed to get him into the tiles area, she could lead him into a trap. However, the problem was that they were now on the wrong side of the battlefield.

Something shifted before her in the darkness of the woods; at first, she did not know what that was. A chill soon ran down her spine when she saw another three bears walking out of thick shadows. The realisation made her stop, trying to change the direction.

A trap! It was a trap!

Her pursuer charged at her, knocking a few trees out of his way and breaking them into chips. He covered Petra with his heavy paw, and she found herself pinned to the ground just like that. She struggled desperately, trying to bite him, but that only amused him. That cruel glint in his eyes she noticed back at the bear castle was back, and it made her nauseous.

That did not last long, though, as a black wolf pounced at the beast on top of her, canines digging into his fur as deep as they could go and claws leaving their bloody marks on his back.

However, the bear managed to shake the werewolf off right in time for his comrades to catch up with them. Petra jumped in front of her mate, baring her teeth, her primal instincts were kicking in. Ash was next to her instantly, trying to push her behind them as the beasts surrounded them.

Four. There were four bears against the two of them. Enhanced, blessed, mutated… whatever it was called, they were simply stronger.

A loud growl emerged as one of the bears was attacked by an elegant chocolate wolf who tore a piece of flesh from his leg. Followed by a lycan who leapt at another monster.

It did not make Petra feel any better because she recognised her mentor, Evelyn and her suitor Kyle at once. Two more people she cared about were at risk now because of her. Sometimes she wished that Lyn did not care about her so much. Her life would be so much easier without Petra, who was always in need of saving. Even now, when she was putting up a fight for the first time in her life.

They stood back to back as the bears regrouped too. If they were regular white bears, the wolves would have a chance. A slim one, but it would be there. Right now… all they could do was pray and not give up. Because their powers were not equal, and surrendering would be so much worse than dying. They would have to fight until the last drop of blood if they had to.

Brigit had a hard time dodging attack after attack, slaughtering her own kind as she went through the battlefield, technically making a path for two armies to meet each other and separate Bjorn’s lines.

Just that night, she reached her pack’s camp and challenged her cousin, who was the new Alpha, for his position. The warriors at the Camp laughed at her and called her names that weren’t new to her, only fuelling the flames of her anger more. They did not know how much she needed their insults to keep going, to fight, to change the order that was so wrong and unfair. They did not scare her off. They didn’t change her mind. They only reminded her of why she was doing this.

She was underestimated since birth. A girl. A thing to exchange for something more valuable.

Enough was enough. If the man of her kind we’re not capable of change, she would make that step for them whether they wanted it or not. Bridgit killed her cousin quickly. Well, he was showing off, thinking she was out of her mind when she looked him into a death grip and bit through the most crucial artery on his neck, dyeing the ground with his crimson blood.

She did not experience relief though because she knew that the men wouldn’t be happy about her victory. This wouldn’t be enough for them. They would think it was beginners’ luck and nothing else, and they would challenge her again.

Her prediction was correct, and her dead cousin’s Beta challenged her mere seconds after his Alpha’s death. She took her time with this one, making it a spectacle this time but also ensuring that they all knew she wasn’t lucky. She was plain good. So good that when she was done, they finally bowed their heads to her.

She, never an heir, became the Alpha of her clan overnight and promised to lead them into a better future. She did not lie.

When it was their time to take their positions at the back according to Bjorn’s plan, after he found out that she was the new Alpha, she informed them of her real plan. The plan where they would strike their own kind at the back at the most crucial moment and change the game. She could feel how men hesitated, but also she could feel how women were on her side, even if slightly wary. This was when she simply had to hope that they would follow her, that they would believe in what she was offering them.

And luckily, most of them did.

Her warriors took care of the ones who disobeyed her first, proving their loyalty to their female Alpha. And then they waited just like she ordered them, which was another strike of luck because they were blessed by Joran like all the other bears and foxes. If she did not want to wait, this brilliant opportunity would have been missed.

No one expected this and the changes that were happening to their bodies were scary at first. Bridget could feel her muscles. growing, her claws getting longer and changing their shape, her teeth becoming sharper. She could hear sounds at a longer distance, see further than she ever did, and was afraid to think what other abilities she had now. She also was not stupid and knew that this was changing the balance of power, meaning that even with her betrayal of the bears, the wolves could still lose the battle and the war. The -reasonable thing would have been to take a step back and abort her plan. Play nice and follow Bjorn until the day she died.

her choice. She regretted staying in Castiel’s harem for so long. She regretted pushing away and betraying her mate. She regretted so many things… And only when she burned that tower to help Aspen and Savannah escape she felt good for the first time. She

possibility of having a happy ending was better than continuing life quietly under Bjorn’s rule. Or anyone else who she did not choose

They were recognisable, and soon every white bear knew who the traitors

all the bears were the same. Some of them could still be

power was impossible to hide, not that she

and watched Bridget being attacked again and again by her own kind. He had

also the only

fight pushed them further and further away from the clearing, backing them into the walls of the Forgotten City. Aspen was fine with that. He was one of those wolves who knew this place like the back of his hand. It was literally in his job description. Bridget was also supposed to know the surroundings because she went through this challenge during the Luna Trials. But they had yet to learn if the bears who tried to take them into a ring knew about the secret passages and tiles. Some of them did because Bjorn used that place a

to help

body at one of the bigger beasts to try and distract it. He then injected himself

gaze, but he was avoiding her like the plague even though he was so close. That stubborn lycan shouldn’t have been there at all, and yet… yet he was defending her time after time, after time. She prayed to all the gods she knew for them to get out of this. The bear Alpha had to promise herself that she would tell him how she felt about him when this was over. Even if he rejected her

wasn’t the time for this as she hesitated for too long, trying to check on him and did not notice another fox monster created by Joran jumping at her and biting through a tendon on her Jeg. Am angry snarl escaped her. Her leg hurt like hell and made her pause… Enough for one of the bears to get close enough for that final

Only to feel nothing.

opponent again in disbelief, she saw why she was still alive. And Brigit finally got to see his eyes too, as Aspen

roar was so loud and full of pain that it resonated

Aspen… he deserved so

slayed the one who did this to her mate. Even if he rejected her, Aspen

followed by another bear. And then one more. She felt like she could kill them all now, not caring anymore who was

his own blood. The battle went on, but Brigit found herself back next to her mate, falling to her knees in her human form and ready to be killed next to him. If he was not happy in the future she tried so desperately to build, did

her face against her will. “Open your eyes, Aspen! Do

of her little sister when she passed the message, knowing that the Queen would stay alive either way. Neither Bjorn nor Kai would let anything happen to her. This was her only request

new order any more. She did not want her Alpha title. All Brigit wanted was her mate alive and well, even if it

could feel his body quivering in her hands, pushing the rest of his blood out. And there was nothing she

around him, digging her face into his soft fur and crying

I love you, I love you! Just stay with me! Stay without me! Do whatever you want, but please stay alive.

wolf in her arms whimpered softly, licking the tears off her cheeks

will meet your second chance! I swear, she will be

soon she began to shake uncontrollably. She did not notice how four of her bears stood behind her back, covering her and not letting anyone reach their Alpha. She did not care. Not if this was how

torture. That she bear was trouble, and he had to push her away. Only that he did not want to. He had to admit it, at least to himself in his final moments, that this was probably the best ending for him. Feeling her warmth again, knowing that she cared at least a little bit, knowing that what he imagined wasn’t actually just his imagination. They loved each other

and simply knowing that he was dying

to taste her lips one last time. He did not care about his legs anymore. He did not care about revenge at all. He only cared about this beautiful woman who betrayed him once, whom he couldn’t trust and with whom he would do the same things all

was slipping away from

wished naively that she would be able to bring all of them back alive. However, that plan was not destined to come true and just by throwing a quick glance around the field below the mountain she stood on, she knew that the losses were terrible. And she also knew that it was possible that despite

them, and she could already feel his scent of Wintergreen. She also saw Amarok and a few of his loyal northern warriors following the enemies, and her lips almost curled into a smile. She did not feel good or bad about it. A part of her always knew

wolf with ease and stood on the top of the path Bjorn used now until he could see her. He was already near, and their eyes locked when she sprinted away to the top of the mountain as fast as the wind. The paths were narrow, icy and slippery, but she knew she had to take the White

that she was playing a game with him, and he was in. Whatever it took, he was getting her back tonight. Everything was on his side today. He had never been this close to

behind his back. His

problem with that. If he had to prove his strength to

slender figure standing alone, waiting for him to arrive. A huge black hawk flew straight to his mate and turned into her assistant just for a second to pass her a shawl to wrap around her body. The girl with short black hair glared at him, but after a few words from his mate, feathers covered her body again, and she flew back

was in her human form, and it meant that she wanted

too. To talk to her, to touch her, to kiss her, to finally take her. He couldn’t wait any longer; this time, he would play his cards differently when he got her

and hoped to notice at least one appreciative glance from her, one hint… a tint on her cheeks… anything! However, his cruel little mate of his gave him nothing, remaining

at once, even though he promised himself