The Last Royal Luna
(Book 3) – Chapter 42

“Roger is positive this is the location?” I asked Asher. “It seems to be in the middle of nowhere but ha so many open spots. Are they really that stupid to think I would just give myself up to be slaughtered?”

Asher chuckled and nodded. “I bet they are arrogant enough to think they will be walking up to you on your knees shouting how sorry you are.”

“Good thing we know you and know to get ready for a fight,” Blake said comforting me in my emotional haze.

“We just have to take most of them down and have at least one lead us back to their hiding spot before we attack, “I said smiling. I was focused on the end game of death and reunion of my family. “Who do you think they will send?”

“I think it will be someone we know and used to trust,” My dads voice answered behind me.

I turned around almost pushing Asher to the ground and launched myself at my dad. He was standing beside my mother and Melissa. I wrapped my arms around his neck and his hugged me so tight I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t care. I almost lost him for the like hundredth time and I was getting sick of it happening.

“I love you, Daddy.” I kissed his cheek and sniffed his neck.

“I love you, too. To the moon and back.” He answered back enjoying the long a*s hug. “I am so sorry I couldn’t keep my grandbabies safe. I failed you and I hate myself.” I felt a tear hit my cheek but it wasn’t mine.

I stepped back but kept my hands on his shoulders. “Look at me.” I ordered him. “You both did what you could and more. You had to keep my sisters safe just as much as my twins. You didn’t make any decisions to focus on one but split up to keep them all safe. You made the right call. No one died and the ones who took my twins won’t hurt them. They need them to use as leverage against me and they know it.”

My mother yanked me into a hug and dissolved into tears. I joined in and just held on. Neither of us could get a word out and even if we could no one would be able to understand us. It was a good release helping me focus on what we had going on now.

Mom pulled back and gave a small smile. “I love you.”

“I love you,” I said wiping my tears away. “You and Dad did an amazing job at keeping the whole family safe. Now you are here to help get the twins back. That is what matters and the fact that the girls are no where near here. I don’t need someone dying because they made one of my sisters cry.”

“Yup, Id hate to have to kill someone for hurting our little sisters.” Kane growled. My heart melted a bit more at his words.

“Calm down, tiger.” My dad joked. “They are safe back at the pack lands with tons of protection including Melissa’s mother who is out for b***d.”

Eeek. Just thinking of her mother being angry scared me. She was the sweetest woman, and it took a lot to make her angry but when you did it would be a better option to drop off the face of the earth.

“I saw your face, Ryder, so I am going to assume it is very bad when she is mad?” Koda asked. I just nodded.

“Ok, now that we know our other loved ones are safe, we need to figure out a game plan for who will be where.” Asher stated waving over a few of the Alpha and Beta team members. “I believe the teams have a few things they want to tell us.”

Beta Julian, Blake’s dad, walked up and put Blake in a head lock laughing at him struggling to get out of it. “We do. We found a few caves and tall blind spots around us.”

“I put a few of the members from both teams in the caves, blind spots, and a few at the highest points around us to keep an eye on everything.” Roger stated with a blank face. He was still hurting from the loss of his best friend and beta. I hoped his mate was doing ok with their new adopted child.

“Good thinking,” My dad said. “I think my wife and I should stay out of sight since they probably think they hurt us more than they really did. The surprise might be helpful later on.”

“I agree,” Andrew said and pointed to a spot to our left in a group of trees. “I scouted that spot earlier and there are two trees side by side so you can hide behind there and still see us. We can’t see anything if you stay right behind them.”

“Perfect. Just a heads up I will be taking out any of the warriors who turned on us should they show up.” My mother looked around and waited for someone to argue with her but no on did.

“OK and I think it should just be Ryder, her mates, Melissa, and I standing in the opening,” Alistair stated. His eyes were b***d shot from either crying or not sleeping. “They will know that we want our girl back and the best way to do that is to be with Ryder. Plus, Mel and Ryder never go that far without each other and if Natalie is involved with the enemy she will have told them all about their friendship.”

“I agree.” I leaned into my mother and took a deep breath. “We have about a few hours before time for them to be here but we know they will be showing up early, so everyone needs to get into place and hunker down. Make sure everyone carb up and rests so we are ready for it. I am not leaving here with more than a few prisoners to show us the way and none of the others will leave here alive.”

We stood in the middle of the clearing with the guys spread out around Mel and I. Normally I would argue that I am the strongest, so I should be protecting everyone else but I needed to focus on everything else. I realized standing here that I could use nature to my advantage for more than just killing or holding someone down. I could communicate with it like it did after I burned Kaileys body

and had too much power.

I put my hand to the ground and asked for help. I needed to know when someone was coming and how many. I told the earth they had bad auras and were here seeking my death. I felt it pulse and send out signals from all over. To me it felt like a small earthquake but when I looked at everyone around me it seemed they had felt nothing.

“You ok, babe?” Koda asked walking up behind me to squat down and rub my back. “What did the earth say?”

“I know, I know what the earth said.” Andrew answered waving his hand around like a teacher’s pet might when trying to answer all the questions. “It said we should stop walking all over it, using its trees for paper and other materials, and it is sick of us pooping on everything.”

I just rolled my eyes at him and went back to focusing on the signals that were starting to come back. I did hear a small ouch from Andrew, so I know someone hit him for being crazy. It would happen again and next time I had to hope I would see the result.

‘Several come. All over. Bad, Bad people. One dragging claws against trees for fun.’ One signal said. I pushed a small bit of power out toward the injured trees in an effort to take away the pain.

‘Queen Ryder, they are here.” Alpha Lexie linked. “They are being led by a woman and two males.’

‘It’s Natalie, Ryder.’ Beta Julian linked. He had taken a position on top of one of the cliffs so he could get a bigger picture. ‘So far I have counted about fifty warriors with them. They are all moving in the trees or shadows so keep an eye out.’

Blue jumped up and pushed forward, pushing my nose out to see what scents we could come up with. ‘I smell Natalie, stupid b***h, and another scent we have come across before. I just can’t place it.’ She was agitated that she didn’t know who the other two main players were yet but they were headed here so I knew we would figure it out one way or another.

“Mel, I have something to tell you but I need you calm and thinking straight until I tell you.” I said looking at her.

Her eyes turned to slits and she put her hands on her h**s. “You best just tell me before I kick your a*s, bestie.”

“Ugh, Fine.” I turned toward her and said, “Natalie is here and one of the guys she is walking with the scent is familiar.”

The anger that poured off Melissa made me physically step back and flinch. She started grumbling about the things she was going to do to Natalie. She stared at the ground as she paced and mumbled the spells. She thought would do the worst things to Natalie. I agreed with her. I was just glad Heath didn’t come with us. He wasn’t strong enough for any of this right now.

“Mel, just breathe. We will be killing Natalie for so many reasons,” I told her.

She jerked her eyes up to mine and growled, “No. I will be killing her. SHE IS MINE!”

Ok, so two very important women in my life have called dibs on targets. I just had to hope there would be something for me to do in this war. I looked at the guys and they all looked a bit scared. It was probably because of the things Mel was thinking of doing to Natalie.

“Ok….” Asher said looking at me. “What do you mean one of them smells familiar? Are there only three of them?”

“No, there are three leaders, including Natalie and that familiar wolf plus fifty or so warriors spread out around us.” I replied.

‘Almost to you. Warriors around you. We help..’ No more replies came even when I asked how they would be helping. I could feel a giddy happiness and knew the earth was having fun helping us.

“Why are you smiling, Ryder?” Alistair asked.

“The earth is helping us. They seem to be enjoying it.” I giggled and stood up. “Natalie and the two guys are about to us. Get ready.”

Natalie came out of the woods in front of us with two males behind her. One of them I had no idea who it was but the other I did. Of course, he ended up against us.

“You recognize the one on the right?” I asked Asher.

“F**k.” He replied. “I should have known after he tried to k**s us.”

“Yup, Alpha Derrick. I hope his mate is safe somewhere.” I said, looking at my mates. “I already know he is going to aim for me since I made him look like a fool in front of his pack.”

“Over my dead body.” Knox growled clenching his fists.