The Shadow Warrior - Book 2

Chapter 1

Lauren

I watched as Phoenix padded away with the spirit wolves. In a second they disappeared into nothing leaving everyone behind. Tears flowed out of my eyes as I lost the connection with my mate.

"FIND HIM FIND HIM NOW AND BRING HIM TO ME!" I yelled to every wolf standing next to me. Without question they sprung into the woods taking off after the traitor. I stood trembling with rage. I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard Quincy speak a few words but I tuned him out. A few minutes later the sound of thundering paw steps could be heard.

The wolves came back dragging a small russet colored wolf by the scruff of his neck in front of me. His eyes were black when he met mine.

"Shift." I commanded him with more authority than I thought I could possess. He yelped as he was forced out of his wolf form.

"You killed my mate." It was not a question. I continued to stare into his eyes now dark brown in his human form. He said nothing. "You will pay with your life." I stated. He said nothing. I held my hand out and the handle of a dagger was passed to me without question. No one said a thing. I slowly stalked toward him.

"Look at me." His eyes were held captive by mine. He kept looking at me as I drove the knife straight into his heart.

~

I woke with a gasp. Sweat poured off my forehead and my sheets were drenched.

"Luna, are you okay?" I heard Quincy ask knocking on the door. "Yeah, yeah i'm fine." I managed to get out through my gasps. I heard him hesitate on the other side of the door before walking back down the hall. Checking my phone I realized it was already 10 am and light was filtering through my curtains. Slowly I got up and made my way to the closet getting ready for the day.

Pausing I looked at the white wolf portrait hanging on the wall, my heart aching as I remembered Phoenix was no longer with me. It had been six months since the battle and there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't miss her. In the first few months I hadn't even gotten out of bed, suicide riding on my mind. All I had wanted to do was be with my mate. Quincy had insisted a wolf keep watch over me 24/7 to make sure nothing like that happened.

Eventually I had pulled out of my depression with the help of the pack, Cennday, and Jax - whose mates had also died in the battle - but I still had my horrible days. Due to the severity of the situation in the pack and my life Quincy and I made the decision to tell my mother everything that was going on. I smiled slightly at the memory. She had been sitting down in a room with me and Quincy shaking her head as I tried to tell her the truth. When she refused to believe it Quincy had shifted right then and there causing her to scream in shock. Eventually she calmed down enough and was told the entire story from the first night I went running to Phoenix's house. Even now she has trouble comprehending all the information I tell her. For her safety she's now living on the pack's territory in her own little cottage away from the craziness of the world.

I took over as leader of the pack as none of the other wolves wanted to claim Phoenix's position. For now the most powerful person in the werewolf world was a human. Imagine that. After I took that position I found my authority over the wolves had grown and had gained much respect from the other packs. They had left within the weeks following the battle promising to gather again the next year.

Quincy had also shared part of the letter Phoenix wrote about the gathering and in six months time all the packs would gather again on the anniversary of the battle. All the Alphas had seen great wisdom in Phoenix's idea and were eager to accept. This would also help eliminate boundary issues when wolves were searching for mates.

I pulled myself out of my thoughts and made my way down to the kitchen realizing most of the pack was outside. I grabbed a sandwich out of the fridge and settled down at the table scrolling through my phone as I did. Sighing as I got bored I stood up and walked out the front door passing Artemis as I did. She gave me a smile which I returned without much joy. The past few months I had been walking through life like a zombie.

I wandered through the territory seeing all the pups running around playing tag with each other. I wish I could be that young again without a care in the world. I thought as I passed.

"Luna, all is clear on our borders, no sign of any activity." Quincy said walking up to me. I nodded my head in his direction before walking into the woods. My feet carried me without me telling them where to go and I ended up at the waterfall Phoenix took me so long ago and first showed me her wolf. I dipped my feet in the water and closed my eyes remembering that day so vividly.

CRACK!

My eyes flew open trying to pinpoint the noise body tensing for a fight. I may be human but Quincy had been teaching me how to fight in the past few months. Was I good? No. But was I better than I had been? Sure. Scanning the area I saw nothing out of the ordinary. Must've been a squirrel or something.

Something moved behind the bushes across the river. No, not a squirrel.

"Show yourself. I am the Luna of this pack and will not hesitate to kill you." I said in my commanding tone. Slowly I saw a shape approach. My breath caught. Standing in front of me was a White Wolf.