No Longer Hidden {A Royal Wolves Story #3}

No Longer Hidden- Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six



The sight that stretched out before me was a harrowing one. Every inch of my insides churning with the thought of those against us, me, that were lined up on the other side of the thicket of trees were all here to see me and my brother dead. That we were the reason they were all here for one final try to kill the only two known royals in the whole world. We were the last and only ones that have ever come forward to being alive.

To think that just our existence has caused a war where millions are now dead. The whole world has been turned upside down. Normal people who didn't know about us or thought we could exist knew we were here now. We were now out in the open and the world was going to have to reevaluate everything they knew.

Religions. Beliefs. Science.

Everything was different now and everyone will have to adapt to a profoundly new world. We don't know what the changes will be for the entire world. All we can do know, I fight. For me and my family, it's a fight for survival. For everyone else, it's a fight for what they believe in. Whether it was to have a better future, or to take control over everyone. This war was ultimately about the future of everyone.

My brother comes up beside me and placed his hand in mine. "What a sight, huh?"

"Yeah." I nodded as we fell into our comfortable silence.

The rest of our family and packs mingled around us. Everyone giving us our own time alone that might be the last. Daemon talking with his brother Michael and his father. The other guys going over the strategy for the next fight. People to look out for on the field. Places not to be shoved into across the vast tree cluttered field with hills rolling every so often. There were even mini cliff like areas that went several feet downward with tree roots protruding from them. There were many areas where someone could be trapped and possibly die during this huge battle.

I looked down as he threaded our fingers together. It'd been a while since we've done this. Just been the two of us. Bound together as if we were one.

"Things have changed a lot over the years." My brother looked at me and I could see everything that we've been through and are still going through. Never once were we ever really alone in any of it. We always had the other nearby even if we thought we were alone.

"To think that we wouldn't have known till later what we really were and that we were so special." I squeezed his hand. "We're the last of our line."

"Maybe not." Giving my brother a quizzing look, he smiled. "If our ancestor survived, it's all possible others of our family had survived and have joined us in this fight."

Looking back behind us, I thought about that for a little. Could we have relatives that were royal like us among our ranks? Would they be out here fighting or even one of the ones we left back in the camp? Those who didn't shift around anyone and no one has noticed yet? I only hoped that they were here with us and helping to build a future where they could come out of hiding and join us.

My mind wandered back to the dream I had last night. The moon coming to me again to talk to me about the battle we were facing today. "I think you're right."

Nick titled his head at me and his eyes narrowed a bit. "You're holding something back from me."

Giving a quick glance around, I looked back to my brother and whispered to him softly. "The Moon came to me again last night in my dream."


~~~


My feet falls were heavy as I walked. The weight of what was coming was weighing down on me even as I dreamed. In the distance there were sounds of young wolves playing about. A sound that was a hope of mine and all those fighting. We were fighting for their future because after us, they would inherit what we leave behind for them. Was it more fear or a bright future? With all the normals finding about us, I don't know but can only hope that everything will be bright if we win.

"Worry not over the humans."

I softly gasped as I turned around to see the great Moon goddess herself sat so ethereally in front of one of five banners that curve around her. Her bright white shining out and casting its light on the pure black banners behind her. Where her light hit, the banners seemed to lighten into a light grey that faded to the black as her light dissipated up the banners. My eyes glancing briefly at those banners to see embroidered antique silver lettering in lines.

A soft wolven chuckle drew me back to the Moon goddess. Her eyes looking to the banners behind her and her light illuminating more to the ones she turned her he towards. "The idea was a very good one from the sweetest of my wolves."

I couldn't help but smile. "Faith is an amazing girl."

"That she is no matter how she was treated beyond my powers to prevent." She looked a bit sad as she turned her eyes back to me. "And tried I did to send several to try and lessen what she went through."

She shook her head and I was momentarily in awe of the beauty of her fur as it shifted divinely. "But that isn't why I've come to you right now." She looked at me seriously. "You must be prepared for the battle you are about to fight. This one alone is the most dire that you must survive from. So many will be gunning for you and your brother to eliminate the royal line, my line."

Rising to her paws, she slowly started to walk over to me as she continued. "If my descendants all parish from the world, then my wolves will slowly lose the ability to become my wolves through their future generations. It is the presence of my blooded descendants that prevents this."

My shoulders sank a little. "So my brother and I are the last remaining royals."

Another chuckle, but this time it wasn't nearly as playful. "I didn't say that child." I looked at her puzzled and now she laughed freely this time. Her eyes almost twinkling now with her thoughts. "You and your brother are not alone." Then the twinkle died down as something over shadowed her delightful thoughts. "But they would not live to see many more years if you lose this war. Their lives, as well as, your own hang in the balance."

She stood fully before me now. Our eyes looking into each others. Mine searching hers. Hers strong and steady. "You must not fear showing what you've been blessed with. It may be the only thing that will stand between you and death of all your kin."

For a moment I was puzzled until my eyes looked to her forehead and her spot. The one that was the true mark of the moon and a strong symbol to all wolves throughout the world. All who bothered to know their past would know that symbol above all others.

The one I too bared in my wolven form. A form I haven't taken in over a year. Too wary that someone will see and treat me even more differently than I was as their Queen. I had been hesitant to take that step in all knowing.

But the look in the moon's eyes was telling me something else. I shouldn't be afraid to just show what she has given me with pride. There was a reason she changed my mark, and I think this was it. To show pride in where I came from and that I'm fighting for a bright future for all.

"Do you understand now my child?"

I felt as if I let her down some up till now. So all I was able to do was nod. Just a jerking movement up and down of my head. By not showing off who I really was, I had been hiding part of myself. The moon had picked me and I needed to show it off with pride as she was proud of me.

Resting on her hind legs, she smiled a smile only a wolf could do. "Good. I will tell you this, one of your kin is closer than you know."

My eyebrows furled. "Will you tell me who it is?"

A deep and magical chuckle. "And where, dear child, is the fun in that?" Her laughter drifted with me as my dream started to fade around me.


~~~


Claw looked at me in shock. "So we do have family out there somewhere? Other royals?"

I nodded. "And one is supposed to be near us." Looking behind us. "But I can't seem to figure who who it could be. Whose wolf have we not seen?"

He glanced behind us. His eyes looking a bit longer than mine had taking everyone in. "Well, you've been among them all and I haven't, so you would know better than I would."

A sigh. "I know and there are several I haven't seen as wolves." Yeah, and two that I have treated like sisters.

Claw looked at me with a nod. "Lets get passed this battle and survive so we can start figuring it out."

"You're right. For now, this battle is all that counts. Both our lives and the lives of those we love are in the balance."

"And for those who we haven't found that we now know exist." He smiled as he was just as delighted as I was to know we weren't the last of the royal line. That there were others out there that were alive and well right now. If we survive and win this war, we would be able to slowly come across them and for them to know their own history if they didn't know yet.

A hand slipped into mine and I smiled up at Daemon. "We have you baby. The rebels will not win as they soon will find out."

I nodded to him. "I know and have faith in all of you. Just don't die on me if you can help it."

My brother slipping his hand into my own. "They have no chance because we stand together."

To my amazement, one by one, others started to join into our chain of hands clasping the next. Down the line to those who were next to each other. We were declaring how we were strong together and will not be divided. It gave me strength and hope.

Looking across the way though, some of my optimism seeped away a bit. The look on Acerbi's face was of pure hate and disgust at the sight of us. When his eyes trained on me, it was full of determination and defiance. He was going to do everything in his power to break us up and destroy each and every one of us.

Invisible hands rested on my shoulders and I knew it was the Moon. She was behind us and me no matter what the outcome will be. She has given me what I need to know before the battle and it was all up to me to heed her words. Her guiding light felt like it was spreading through me and into everyone who was connected in this chain of support. We were the side she was standing behind and believed in all of us.

My eyes flickered to Roughe who stood just several feet away from Acerbi. A slight light was surrounding him and I know the Moon would know he was on our side. Hiding among the rebels for our sake. Though his face was a mask of hate, his eyes looked into mine with a bit of shock. I knew what he was seeing was what I was seeing around him. Cool and benevolent light from the Moon herself.

The light faded to a soften glow right before Acerbi snarled loud and threateningly. The wolves at either side of him hunched and growled baring their fangs towards our side. Their claws digging into the half rocky earth beneath them. Saliva dripping from their mouths as if their were beyond hungry for raw flesh, our raw bloody flesh.

Daemon gave my hand a squeeze and I felt his love strengthening me and fortifying me in front of what looked to be like a massacre about to unfold. It didn't matter which side won, both will lose many fighters and followers today more than any other. This moment will define the world. Let's not let it be the start of a dark future but a bright one.

With a sudden shift in his stance, Acerbi bolted forward right towards me. The wolves that had been at his side shooting forward after him to return to his sides as he starting crossing the distance that separated the two sides. Each wolf that were next to another snapped at his partner as if they were too ready for a fight and could fight each other in an instant. But they didn't. They were saving the fighting for when they reached us.

My side shifted too, and the battle started with the sides taking charge to bridge the gap between us all. Shots being fired from both sides. A bullet just missing me cheek and I almost felt a few strands of my hair being sliced in half. But I ignored it as I rushed with my brother and Daemon at my side towards Acerbi. Derek behind me and my Alphas all spread out across our line. The Alphas being the faster of all fighters as it was happening for both sides beside the wolves next to Acerbi.

Even though they tried, Daemon and my brother were intercepted by the wolves next to Acerbi. That meant Acerbi and I were left alone to fight when the sides finally did clash. Acerbi didn't go for any of his weapons he had strapped onto his body. He was going to try and kill me with his bare hands.

He lunged and I dodged his attack with ease, or so I was naive enough to think. His hand gripped my ankle and that gave him what he needed to throw his body around and we both landed in a thud on the ground. His hand losing it's grip on my foot long enough for me to remove it from his reach.

Rising and turning toward him, he snarled and he rose fully up. "You will never win this, Bitch!" His eyes blazing with the lust for blood, my blood. I knew it all too well now as every battle we've been in, he's had the same look in his eyes.

My eyes burning with the bright light of my wolf eyes. The brilliant sapphire blue that were those of a true royal. "You may think that, but I have it on the highest ethereal authority that we can win Acerbi." This only caused him to be even more enraged and I was hoping it was going to be his downfall. Too much anger and rage can cause someone to falter and fall.

"You stupid little cunt!" He withdrew one of his hunting knives in a flash and lunged at me. The knife gripped in a deadly grip that made his whole hand turn white. His thumb at the blunt end of the hilt.

I was more than prepared for this attack. Shifting my stance so my knees were bent and my hands in an open handed defensive position, I waited through my heartbeats till he was close enough for me to counter his attack. Ian and Derek having trained me more than well so I was strong enough to rule.

And the moment came just as I had been trained for. One of my hands going to the wrist of his hand that held the hunting knife and the other going to his chest. Letting myself roll backwards, I pulled him so his own momentum fueled this move. His feet lifting off the ground and I threw him over me and behind me with him shifting till his back was towards the ground. My hands releasing him so he flew away from me and I watched him fly the whole way.

My own shoulders touching the ground with my knees bent all the way. It was just too easy to get back up from this position with just a simple push off. A quick shift upright and I was facing Acerbi again ready for him.

And he was just as ready to get back at me as he snarled like a mad beast, rolled to the side and shoved himself up glaring at me the whole time. Like there was any other look to him when it came to me. I was the worst thing in all the world, a female with more power than he had that he wanted more than anything.

He side stepped and I did the same till we were just circling each other. "I will kill you, Bitch, have no doubt in that." His words more growls than actually spoken words. "And the moment I do, all will know that I'm the strongest wolf of all. I WILL be ruler over all wolves and even those pathetic humans who think they will be safe when all is said and done." His thick italian accent only adding to the darkness of his words.

If he thought those words would scare me, he was sadly mistaken. They only fueled the fire to win this war even more. This war was more than wolves verses wolves from the very beginning. More than the rebels wanting all royals dead and along with them their ability to have other wolves submit to them. No, this war was about the rebels, particularly this arrant, arrogant wolf wanting all the power for himself. He wanted to rule the world and wasn't stopping with just ruling over wolves. There was no way I was going to let him win ever now more than before.

The pupils of his eyes contracted as his hand flashed to the holster of his side pulling his gun out. As he made to swing it toward me, I kicked up my right leg for a full powered roundhouse kick. My foot hitting the gun perfectly for send it flying away and out of his hand. Keeping the momentum going, as that leg touched the ground, I threw my left leg around making another roundhouse kick in sequence. My heel connecting with the side of his head in a bruising hit. His head snapping to the side and his body jerking in the same direction.

Unlike what I had hoped the hit would have done, his body didn't fall to the ground with the power of my his. Instead, he managed to stay standing upright with his head and shoulder slightly turned to the side away from me. A snarl coming out as he slowly turned his face and body back toward me. Along his eyebrow, a cut opening up and a small line of red blood slowly moved down his cheek.

If he hadn't been pissed before, that hit made him even more pissed. I knew for a fact that it was because that was the first time when we were fighting alone, that I drew the first bit of blood. All the other battles, he managed to cut me first and then I would get a cut in before our fight was interrupted by someone else joining in. Now, no one was going to interrupt us as everyone had their own fights going on.

He bent at the knees as his eyes turned crazy. This time there was no snarl when he thrusted his body towards me in a lung. I had foolishly thought I would be able to dodge him when he moved, but I was wrong as he hit me full on when I moved but a centimeter. His hands gripping me, one on my left shoulder and the other around my neck.

For a moment I had a flash from years ago when my brother and I had been kidnapped and abused. I knew I would always be haunted from time to time because of what happened. And like the other times it's happened, I felt nothing but disgust for that time in my life. A sickening that it happened. But those memories will not take hold of me but they help fuel me and harden me to fight back.

My back thudding to the ground with him on top of me. Though it hurt like hell, I didn't let him see any of it. Just the pure untamed resolve to win over out fight. Now though, it was a ground fight with me at a disadvantage.


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