Dark Moon (The Moon Series #2)

Eighteen

Ash's POV

Jay finally comes home, walking inside with a sigh and tossing my keys onto the hooks in the foyer. I lean back in my chair, watching as she runs her fingers through her ebony hair. Her eyes were red and puffy, had she been crying?

I bite my lip in regret, I shouldn't have snapped at her this morning. She walks straight past me and heads upstairs. I follow her, watching as she goes into our office. I head in after her, closing the door behind me.

"Jay, I-" She cuts me off, glaring at me.

"No. We're not doing this apology, Asher. You came in this morning, pissed, and all I did was ask what was wrong. You nearly bit my head off! I don't deserve that, Asher. I've been thinking all day, what did I do wrong? Why was he so angry? I'm not just your best friend, Ash. Maybe you need to remember that I am your mate, your Luna, and your equal." She hisses at me, I go to respond but our security alarms go off.

Door banging open, Jace pants as he looks at us. "We're under attack!"

Jay looks over at me, anguish and fury in her eyes. She turns on her heel, racing past Jace. That was the one thing about an Alpha and Luna's relationship. Their jobs have to come first.

I hear her barking orders down below us, sending kids, mothers, and a group of guards down to the safe room. I race down, yelling my orders.

"We need everyone on board! Jace, lead fifty of our warriors in the second wave of attack! I'll lead the first wave! Dylan, you'll be third wave! Lake, you'll be fourth! Any of you who are not brought out into a wave of attack, make yourself useful and prepare yourselves in case any make it past us! Go!" I yell, looking through the chaos of the crowd to see Jay looking at me as she ushers the last of them into the safe room.

"Jay, go into the safe room!" I order, but she just shakes her head and locks everyone inside. She turns, shifting on spot with a majestic howl. I guess she's coming with me then. Our Pack launch towards the attack, meeting a wave of Rogues all crazy if their red eyes say anything, and meet their attacks.

I smell Max in the midst of this battle, and Jay does too. She dodges Rogue attack, leaping forward to find him. A rabid brown wolf snaps eerily close to my throat, but with a quick dodge I evade his attack. I defend myself and my Pack, ripping apart the Rogues as I pull myself deeper into the chaos.

Blood, snarls, howls, and yelps of pain are heard and smelled around me. Despite my want to protect my Pack, the only thing on my mind is the fact that I can't see Jay anywhere.

Leaping over a brawling pair of wolves, I race through the throng of fighting wolves to find my mate. I can't smell her through the blood, and it is impossible to try and hear her through all the other distracting noises. Panic consumes me, I unleash a howl, but no answer returns it.

A grey wolf attacks, taking advantage of my moment of weakness. I roll, feeling her teeth sink into the back of my neck. We fight, teeth and nail against each other in order to win. But as suddenly as they came, she withdrew, and they ran.

I knew this wasn't a win. This was a threat. A threat that they would come back. They were toying with us, and that pissed me off.

Jay's POV

I launch forward, shifting on the spot despite Ash telling me to hide like some stupid little girl. I huff at his words, running with the rest of my Pack towards our attackers.

A scent on the air, tells me exactly who it is. Max.

Anger fuels me, red covering my vision as I attack relentlessly. I tear his Rogues apart, one by one as I make my way towards his scent. I finally reach him, seeing him grinning at me with his perfectly tamed fur. Makes me wonder where he's been staying.

He shifts human, and I advert my gaze. "Aww, is poor Jay watching her Pack get torn to shreds?" He gleefully laughs, I growl and shift human as well despite knowing I was weaker in this form.

"We're tearing your Rogues apart like melted butter! Turn yourself in and stop this madness, and maybe the Elders and Royal Pack will spare your life." I order, he laughs and marches towards me.

"Sweetheart, they can't stop me from taking what's mine." He smiles evilly, his once beautiful brown eyes crazed with madness.

"Max, I was never yours." I spit, he eyes me up and down.

"You will be."

He shifts, attacking me. I growl warningly at him, holding his snapping jaws away from my face. I throw him off me, shifting and meeting his brown form. Our bodies clash, jaws snapping dangerously close to each other's throats.

Another wolf comes at me from behind in human form, multiple actually, and they wrap their arms around my neck.

Ash howls loudly, panic in every inch of the beautiful but dark sound. Unable to answer back, I pass out.