4121 The Bottle Front
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“She ordered an island-wide curfew,” he explained. “No one out after nine. Every pack, every city. Anyone caught was detained immediately.”
My father laughed, a full-bellied sound of delight.
“What is it?” I asked.
Denis grinned. “Turns out, the enemy had reinforcements stationed in nearby towns-waiting. But thanks to the curfew, they couldn’t mobilize. Most were caught before they could act.”
“Let me guess,” I said. “Wolfbane?”
“Most bit down as soon as they were caught. But two didn’t. They’ve been taken in.”
I closed my eyes briefly and whispered a thank you to the goddess. And to Mara.
I remembered how broken she looked when I left her. How scared. But even in that storm, she made the one move that might’ve saved us all.
“This is amazing,” my father said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Martha would’ve never thought of that.”
I smiled, quiet and proud.
No, she wouldn’t have.
Mara didn’t need a throne to lead. She just needed one moment.
And she made it count.
122 After The Battle
A
Lucian
We made our way to the field hospital-tents hastily set up to treat injured soldiers and Driftwake residents. Medics moved quickly, working by lantern light. Someone handed us fresh shorts, and I pulled mine on gratefully. I was done being naked and blood-soaked.
All I wanted now was to get back to the city.
I watched as a medic patched up my father’s side. He winced here and there but couldn’t stop smiling. Not because of our victory-but because of Mara.
Her curfew order had been the turning point.
If those reinforcements had joined the battle, we would’ve been overrun. We had no backup coming, and they knew it. But
Mara had cut off the enemy’s reach without even stepping onto the battlefield.
Because of her, we might survive long enough to learn who’s behind these attacks-and why.
After dealing with minor logistics and assigning the new infantry troops to secure the Driftwake perimeter, we boarded the chopper and headed home. Denis came with us, still buzzed from surviving the chaos.
As soon as the helicopter touched down on the helipad, I was on my feet. My father chuckled at my impatience.
“She’s safe, Lucian. Waiting for you at home,” he said. “It’s only been nine hours-and look at you.”
I didn’t care.
“To think you originally rejected the union,” he added, laughing again.
I stayed silent, already moving toward the elevator. The four of us rode down together-bare-chested, bruised, wearing
nothing but shorts. We looked like a damn ad for some fitness brand, and none of us cared.
A van waited for us outside the building. We piled in.
As we drove, I kept imagining what Mara might be doing. Was she curled up on the couch, watching the news? Had she
fallen asleep? Was she okay?
We reached the mansion. Austin, Rowan, and a few others were waiting.
Darian stepped out and immediately hugged Rowan.
“You did good, Delta,” our father said, placing a hand on Rowan’s shoulder. Even demoted, Rowan stood tall with pride.
“It was under Luna Mara’s orders, Alpha,” he replied.
I didn’t wait to hear more. I was already moving.
“Alpha, Tiffany is in the room with Luna Mara,” Austin linked me.
I clenched my jaw. Of all the rooms…
“Darian,” I linked my brother, “come get your pregnant girlfriend out of my space.”
As usual, no response.
I moved fast through the hall, up the stairs, and turned the knob on the bedroom door. It wasn’t locked.
I stepped in quietly.
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