Kale's POV-

We were all sat at a big round table in the meeting room that was connected to my office. We usually only met in there for battle reasons, so it was no surprise to any of the warrior leaders when I announced that it was the reason that I gathered everyone there. Everyone was surprised, however, when I gave the floor to Lucy to explain the plans. She was going to let me take credit, but I couldn't do that to her, she deserved credit for a brilliant plan, not me. She was so brilliant.

She addressed the leaders like it was something that she was used to. She didn't cower away when they all looked at her in shock. She didn't flinch when several of the more finicky men bared their teeth to her in intimidation. No, she stood there proudly and met the glares with a blank stare showing her control.

All the men talked over her and they were outraged that I'd let a low ranking she-wolf lead a tactic meeting. She stared blankly as she waited for everyone to quiet down, they were doing no such thing.

We had discussed the possibility of this. They were used to me and only me leading these things and Cory's pack had just lost over half of their numbers and were ready for blood, they didn't want to listen. Letting Lucy have the reigns and explain her plan was not only jarring but wrong to them. She was a low-ranking girl who was a stranger to them, they didn't think she was qualified, and they just assumed that I was simply consumed by her.

"Quiet." I said forcefully making everyone stop talking. "You will listen to her."

"Why should we? She's the lowest ranking member in the pack..."

"She's technically not even a part of the pack yet, she's still on probation." Another man said quickly.

"She is a part of this pack, probation or not!" I bellowed loudly making the men bow their heads slightly. "You will listen to her because I say." I took a deep breath as they still looked defiant. "She is an Oracle." I finally stated making the men's eyes bulge and their scowls be wiped off their face. "You know I will not lead you astray, listen to our oracle men... she knows what she is speaking of."

I stepped back and let her have the floor again. She pointed to the closest large territory in the North. There were other packs further north that were bigger than the one that she had chosen, but to get to them, we had to overtake this territory. It was a ballsy move, for sure. She spoke surely and confidently as she went over our battle tactics. There would be opposing warriors at the borders that we would have to get through and that would alert the pack that we were coming for them... It'd give them a little bit of time to prepare.

The territory that we were setting our sights on was large; larger than any other land we had ever tried to overtake before. Fleming's pack was a warrior pack with a decent size army, it was nothing compared to the one Lucy had chosen to go for though. In fact, Fleming's pack fell easily. It was easy for my numbers to overwhelm them and they fell harshly.

This pack, however, would be a lot different. While, yes, we had a larger pack than them, they had just as many warriors as us. There was a reason why I was putting a focus on our warrior numbers as we trained the pups, it was what the North did and they pushed out vast numbers of warriors each year. They bred pups ready to fight.

"This is a suicide mission." One of the leaders spoke harshly as she explained how we'd meet their army and fight it out.

"Have you never had to fight it out before? What, you think that you should always just overwhelm them with your numbers? What has all of this training been for if we're not going to use it?" Lucy said harshly and stared the man down without flinching. "I hate to break it to you, but the super pack in the North is reaching vast numbers just as this pack has. When we go in for that pack, it will be evenly matched... just as this fight will be. The final battle at the end of this war will be brutal, we must prepare and gain great warriors on our side."

"Gain warriors, what do you mean?"

"We will let people surrender." There was an uproar by a lot of the people before her. She held her hand up in a stop sign and much to everyone's surprise, it went silent. "After we have suppressed their army and overtaken them enough, we will offer a surrender. We will let them live." No one said a word as she scanned the room. "We will no longer stoop to their level and burn their villages nor will we kill the innocent. These people deserve a chance to fight with us. A lot of these people were coerced into fighting for the North. We will give them a chance to align with us. We'll bring them home with us if they surrender. Now, if they refuse then we can take extreme measures to assure they won't get in the way."

"So, we're just going to let fucking tyrants into our pack?"

"No, we're going to let people who want this war to end find refuge with us until we can finish this war... just like Alpha Rodriguez's pack. Once the war is done then we can speak about the happenings of the refugees. We need to save these people; they can help us fight."

"What if they turn on us?"

"Then we'll teach them what happens to traitors and that we do not tolerate betrayals. Guys, most of these people are only going with what their pack is doing or being misinformed. Most of them don't believe in the North's teachings. Most don't believe in destruction and are good people." She paused and looked at each man in the room. "The only way to win the war is to practice what we preach. We cannot act as if we are the North if that is who we are trying to overthrow. We are trying to stop destruction, not do it in the name of war. That is not what we stand for."

Everyone stared at the girl in shock. Suddenly Dillon stood up from his seat and locked eyes with Lucy sharing an intense gaze with her. With no words, he bowed his head to her and put his left fist over his heart to show allegiance to her. There were murmurs throughout the room, and everyone stared wild-eyed at the young leader. Several men followed Dillon's lead, and finally, after a few moments, everyone in the room was copying his stance... including me.

"We will have a week to prepare. We need to strike before the full moon in twelve days... before the moon begins waning, we will be stronger as its waxing."

"People still believe that the moon affects our strength?" someone asked.

"It is the truth. If you get in touch with your body properly, you will see. Even the humans feel the moon's energies. As wolves our energies wane and strengthen as Mother Moon does, we have just become so out of touch with her that we do not realize it..."

The man that spoke looked at her thoughtfully and then nodded. "You really are an Oracle," He said with a small smile. "Maybe this war is not yet hopeless after all."

---

It was late after everyone walked out knowing their role and how to train their portion of the warriors for the attack. It was just Luce and I left in my office. I sat down heavily in my chair finally letting myself sag in exhaustion.

I carefully pulled Lucy down on my lap and nuzzled my nose in her hair while also tangling my fingers in it.

"You were amazing today." She said gently.

I snorted and shook my head, "It was not I who was amazing, Luce. You hold yourself very nicely with a bunch of snarling wolves at your feet."

She hid her face as she blushed, but I could still see her wide smile. "It will be a very good trait I suppose during the fight for me not to get intimidated."

"What?" I asked quickly and looked at her like she was insane.

"What, What?" She asked confused.

"You're not going to the battle with us."

She scoffed and stood up abruptly, "It was my idea."

"And it was a very good idea, but you are not going... end of discussion."

"I am going, I have to."

"For Goddess' sakes, Lucine, you still have stitches in your back. Doc said to take it easy, fighting in a battle is not taking it easy. Plus, you're not even trained correctly. Absolutely not, you're not going."

"The stitches are coming out in a day or two. Kale, I must go. I don't know why, but when I see the outcome of the fight without my presence there... a whole lot of people die, including Sam. I'm not letting that happen. I'm not letting anyone in this pack die if I can hep it. You're not stopping me, and I am going. End of discussion."

I stared at her silently debating on what I could do. I couldn't let Sam die, he was my Beta and best friend, but it was far too dangerous for her to go.

"I will stay in the back and my oracle powers will help if I get into trouble. I can't stay here knowing that more people will die just so I could be safe... I could never let that happen to my pack; I love them all Kale. I'll sacrifice myself if it means they'll live."

I sighed and rusted my forehead in my hands. "I know you will... that's the problem." She looked at me questioningly. "Lunas don't go into war because they will sacrifice themselves for the good of their pack... But it's never a good thing when they do that, that's why they stay behind. Plus, the men will protect her diligently while ignoring the goal of the battle. They're a distraction."

"First and foremost, Kale, I am an Oracle. I have to fight for us to even have a chance of defeating the North, my visions are very clear about that. The Moon Goddess acts through me, not anyone else. I must be there, and my pack must understand that. Besides, as its already been established... I am not a Luna."

"Luce." I said it in a hard voice as she was about to walk away.

"Kale," she challenged with a hard face. "You don't intimidate me. You can use that Alpha voice on me all day long, but I am not changing my mind, just as the Moon Goddess isn't. I love this pack just as much as you, though I haven't been a part of it as long, I love it just as much. I'm not letting anyone die so long as I can stop it."

I was angry that I couldn't change her mind, but I also wouldn't let anyone die if I could help it either, so I understood why she was being like that. I just hated that it had to be her, my Luce. I wasn't sure what I'd do if anything happened to her. "Okay, okay. But I am going to assign someone to stay with you the whole fight. Maybe I'll assign Sam just so I know he'll be in the back and have less of a chance to get hurt. I don't want anyone hurt either... Least of all you." I pulled her back into my lap and kissed her soft lips chastely. "Especially not you, you've been hurt too much already."

She smiled and traced a line down my nose then kissed me harder than I had kissed her. "That's how I know that I can take the hurt. I can endure any pain, so the people that I love don't have to."

"Spoken like a true Luna." I whispered. I really admired her.

---

The days passed and Lucy was training with Dillon and his warriors against doc's orders. He released her for light activities, warrior training was not light. I obviously couldn't convince her of that. I agreed with her though, she needed to know at least a little combat before she went blindly into the battlefield.

"You have a strong woman," Doc said as he came up next to me watching her train. "A stubborn one."

I laughed, "yes, definitely too stubborn for her own good."

"She's full of pure love though." I nodded in agreement to his statement.

"I think I'm ready to accept her." I said just as Sam walked out of the gym and next to us to watch the training sessions.

"Finally," he commented with a smile. "As much as she pissed me off in our first meeting, I like her. Plus, I can tell the effect she has on you. She makes you feel, and that's not something to take for granted."

Doc smiled and nodded, "indeed that's not something to take for granted. She'll make a great Luna."

I nodded, "Anyone who is willing to go into a battle blindly just for the love of my pack and the chance to lessen the death tolls is definitely Luna material and deserving of the title for my pack. I just am not sure if I deserve her..."

"Try to be the man who does deserve her then." Natalie said from behind us making me roll my eyes. "But she doesn't want 'a man who deserves her' though, she just wants you."

I smiled at her words knowing that they were true. I wanted her, my mate... My Luna.

"When should I tell her? I'd like it to be before the battle, but we've been so busy." I asked the small group as we continued to watch Lucy train with the warriors. She was keeping up extremely well for someone who had never done any combat training, she really would make a perfect warrior once she got some more training in.

"Girls love grand gestures," was all that Sam said.

"Lucy is simple, she'd love anything as long as you are there with her." Natalie spoke softly.

"We always leave the night before a battle as a night for families to congregate... I'll do it then. I'll take her on a moonlit walk and tell her that I accept her and that I love her, she is my Luna."

Natalie smiled, "that will be perfect."

---

I was in my office going over plans when Lucy walked in looking worried. I assumed that it was just the nerves of going into her first fight in a few days.

"How was your trip to Grandmama's?" I asked as I looked at the papers.

"Kale," Lucy's panicked voice startled me, and I gave her my full attention. "There's something coming."

I furred my eyebrows at her statement as she looked down nervously. "What? Like someone coming to the door?" I asked hopefully.

She looked at me incredulously and shook her head no. "No, I don't know... It's like a darkness. I can't see. It's like something blocked, but I can feel the darkness. Grandmama said she feels it too. She said it has to be powerful whatever it is."

I looked at her panicked as she told me her ominous statement. "Are you sure? Are sure that you aren't just blocking yourself and your powers again?"

"It's not me this time, Kale. It's... different. Its hard to explain." She was scared, she was shaking and looking like she had just seen a ghost as her eyes swirled in divine sight. "The library," she said curtly. "I'm going to research. I don't know much about my powers, maybe I can find something in a book about this." She sighed as she got up and I asked her to explain what she was feeling a little bit better. "It's hard to explain because only I know what a vision feels like... It's like my third eye is open and I'm looking, but there's something dark eclipsing the view. It's like there's something that's been cloaked from the divine, something... life altering. The Moon Goddess can't even say what it is, she's still with me but... she's blindsided too."

"Something that's blinding the Moon Goddess?" I gulped. Whatever this was, was powerful. Goddess help us all if even she didn't know what was happening.

---

The planned attack was just a day away. Everyone was in my office finalizing strategy before the break that we would all give ourselves that night. It was well deserved and looked forward to by all. No one mentioned that it might be the last time they'd see each other, we tended to ignore the negatives the night before a battle. I, however, couldn't wait to tell Luce that I accepted her, finally. I made both of us wait for far too long.

We had all the warrior leaders and guardians in the room, including the people who were staying behind as protection for the pack. We had to make sure we were covered from all ends. We had no room for mess ups. Even Natalie was in there since she was the highest-ranking female that was staying behind.

As we all conversed about various possibilities and paths, I stiffened; something felt off. Suddenly Sam stiffened up too.

"We have an intruder." Sam spoke quickly making everyone in the office freeze in their attack planning.

"In broad daylight?" A voice said.

"The day before we attack?!" Another said.

I let a snarl leave my throat, "no one crosses my territory with out permission and gets away with it!"

"Trevor said it is a small female... She said she is looking for you, Alpha." Sam spoke hesitantly glancing at Lucy for a moment. Lucy closed her eyes trying to call to her visions, but I could tell nothing came to her.

"What does she want with me?"

"She won't discuss it with anyone but you..." He spoke quickly.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Alpha." Samuel said looking around. His eyes lingered upon Lucy for a few moments longer.

"Luce, any visions?" I finally asked her hoping she had some kind of luck with calling up a vision and have some advice for me.

"No... not a single one. I, too, have an uneasy feeling." She whispered looking at me and then to Sam in the same panicked way she had when she told me of the darkness before. They were both very worried, it was obvious.

"Everyone on your toes, we never know..." I said to everyone in warning. I wasn't too worried, all the people gathered were at least high-ranking warriors; even if the girl were a trained assassin, she'd be overpowered within moments by all the people who were there.

I walked up to Lucy and deliberately placed her in front of Sam, I knew he'd protect her at all costs; we'd already discussed a possibility of an attack and that being his job... To protect my oracle and Luna. Sam gave me a nod while Lucy was giving me a questioning look.

"I can't have you too close to me if this is an attack against me." I stated and she nodded her head once in understanding relaxing into her stance in front of Samuel. She knew that she'd be a distraction for me in a fight.

I heard footsteps on the stairs and stood at the front of the room waiting for the intruder to be brought in. I was ready to yell and scream and cuss the rogue out. I was ready to make her regret passing through my territory with no permission. I was even ready for a quick assassin from the north for another attempt on my life.

I was not ready for what happened though... not at all.

The door opened and it all felt like slow motion to me. I felt the pull, I felt my wolf urging me forward, I felt the affection swelling in my chest. Almost unwilling, unknowingly, and consequently my arms found their way around the beautiful she-wolf that had just entered the room.

No one was ready for the one word that came out of my mouth with a force like none other...

"Mate."

A/n-

Look at me go! Two updates in less than twenty-four hours. Who even am I? LOL!😂 Let me know what you think, please! Comments are always encouraged!!! Don't forget to vote, comment, and share! Love y'all!

-KAF❤️